On the crest of Stanhope Hill at Peter Street, Eltham, stands the former home of a couple, Clem and Nina Christensen who had a major influence on the literary development of post World War 2 Australia. Covered under Heritage Overlay, Nillumbik Planning Scheme. Published: Nillumbik Now and Then /​ Marguerite Marshall 2008; photographs Alan King with Marguerite Marshall.; p109 On the crest of Stanhope Hill at Peter Street, Eltham, stands the former home of a couple, who had a major influence on the literary development of post World War Two Australia. In 1946, Clem and Nina Christensen bought the house, which had been designed by Harold Desbrowe Annear, considered to be one of Australia’s most innovative architects in the first quarter of the 20th century.1 That year the stucco building with a metal roof, built in 1910, was extended to the north and south. The main residence was built of jarrah, with stucco walls, floors of Tasmanian hardwood and rooms panelled with Californian redwood (sequoia). The property included a cottage, former stables, a dairy and meat-house. From its beginnings the property has attracted artists and intellectuals. Official World War One artist, Will Longstaff, bought the property – then 15½ acres (6ha) around 1900. Famous for his painting The Ghosts of Menin Gate, now in the Australian War Memorial Canberra, Longstaff was the cousin of another well-known painter, Sir John Longstaff. Several leading artists visited Longstaff at Stanhope including Walter Withers of the Heidelberg School, who lived in Brougham Street, Eltham. In 1919, Theo Handfield, father of author and journalist John Handfield, bought the property from Mrs Longstaff. Then in 1924 the land was subdivided and most of the estate (80 blocks) was auctioned. The next owner was related to novelist Virginia Woolf. Bishop Reginald Stephen, Warden of Trinity College, bought the house and five acres (2 ha) in 1928. He was related to Sir Leslie Stephen, the first editor of the Dictionary of National Biography and Woolf’s father. Novelist and music critic John Harcourt, was the next tenant, while he and his wife Fay, built their mud-brick house Clay Nuneham, at the foot of Stanhope Hill. Dr Clem and Mrs Nina Christensen, lived in the house until their deaths. Clem Christensen – who died aged 91 in 2003 – was a poet, short story writer and painter. However, he is most noted for founding Australia’s foremost literary journal2 Meanjin (originally Meanjin Papers), which he described as ‘democratic left of centre’, in Brisbane in 1940. Clem brought Meanjin to Melbourne in 1945 and remained editor until 1975. Enormously influential, Meanjin spawned and encouraged many of Australia’s best literary talents and it had an international reputation. Meanjin was the first to publish such writers as Judith Wright and David Malouf and it encouraged writers like Patrick White and Peter Carey. Nina Christensen – who died aged 89 in 2001 – was founding Editor of the Melbourne Slavonic Studies Journal and pioneered the study of Russian in Australia. In 1946 she established the Department of Russian Language and Literature at The University of Melbourne, which she led until 1977. Nina’s graduates largely staffed subsequent departments, in other Australian universities.3 However Nina’s Russian heritage and Clem’s outspoken views caused problems. They were forced to defend themselves in the Petrov inspired Royal Commission on Espionage in the 1950s, but were exonerated. The Christensens attracted and hosted many distinguished Australian and foreign writers, artists and academics, including Nobel prize-winning novelist, Patrick White and the world’s then leading cellist, Mstislav Rostropovich.4 Other writers and intellectuals who visited Stanhope were: Vance Palmer, Alan Marshall, A D Hope, Xavier Herbert, Nevil Shute, Geoffrey Dutton, Martin Boyd, Judah Waten, Bruce Grant, Dorothy Hewett and Sir Herbert Read. Painters included: Danila Vassilieff, Arthur Boyd, Albert Tucker, Justus Jörgensen, Robert Hughes and Clifton Pugh. Academics included: Manning Clark, Geoffrey Blainey, W Macmahon Ball, Richard Downing, Geoffrey Serle and scientist Tim Marshall. Politicians included: Jim Cairns, Pauline Toner, Lance Barnard, Sir Paul Hasluck, Sheryl Garbutt and performance artists included: film star Olivia Newton-John, members of the Bolshoi ballet and the Russian State Ballet of Siberia.5 Nina Christensen was honoured in 2006 at the Eltham Living and Learning Centre with the building of an amphitheatre designed by V Sverdlin.This collection of almost 130 photos about places and people within the Shire of Nillumbik, an urban and rural municipality in Melbourne's north, contributes to an understanding of the history of the Shire. Published in 2008 immediately prior to the Black Saturday bushfires of February 7, 2009, it documents sites that were impacted, and in some cases destroyed by the fires. It includes photographs taken especially for the publication, creating a unique time capsule representing the Shire in the early 21st century. It remains the most recent comprehenesive publication devoted to the Shire's history connecting local residents to the past. nillumbik now and then (marshall-king) collection, clem christesen, eltham, nina christesen, peter street, stanhope

Denis Gibbons (1937 – 2011) Trained with the Australian Army, before travelling to Vietnam in January 1966, Denis stayed with the 1st Australian Task Force in Nui Dat working as a photographer. For almost five years Gibbons toured with nine Australian infantry battalions, posting compelling war images from within many combat zones before being flown out in late November 1970 after sustaining injuries. The images held within the National Vietnam Veterans Museum make up the Gibbons Collection.A black and white photograph of Captain Jim Campbell DFC, a rotary wing (helicopter) pilot with 161 (Indep) Recce Flight, stationed at the 1st Australian Task Force Base, Nui Dat, Phuoc Tuy Province. He eturns to base after a successful mission, supporting infantry elements in the field.photograph, capt james campbell, helicopter, 161 recon flt, 1st atf base, nui dat, phuoc tuy province, infantry, gibbons collection catalogue, denis gibbons, photographer, vietnam war, helicopter pilot

Black and white image of a small joey on the bar of a hotel. Three men also in image. The photo shows Bill Hart on left, Hugh Ching on right, and Jim McDonald behind the bar of the Railway Hotel, with Ted Shepherd's pet joey standing on the bar. According to the inscription on the back, the photo was taken in 1956.hotels, kangaroos, fauna

Built 1858-9, originally Bennett-Todd butcher shop. Jim Ryan hairdresser and billiard-snooker parlour in 1930s.Colour photograph showing a long white painted building with green roof and verandah fronting onto footpath. Photograph taken in 1988 of building on corner of Sussex and Clyde Streets, Linton, at that time the home of Barry Jarvis and used as business premises by MCR Drafting.mcr drafting [business], barry jarvis, buildings, shops, houses

Built 1860 as Bank of New South Wales. Sold 1903 to Mr Lewers (son of Samuel Lewers, first manager of the bank in Linton). Operated as antique shop by Mrs Surman 1950s-1981. Jim and Cynthia Mason ran an antique and Devonshire tea restaurant 1981-84.Colour photograph showing long brick building with chimney, painted blue with white trim, fronting footpath at corner of two streets with shrubbery beside and behind.traquair house, bank of new south wales linton

Printed theatre programme for the Linton Amateur Dramatic Club. Red border, white background. Dated September 10th. (Year not given - probably 1930s). Performance of "Gussie's Little Game" (one-act play) and "Pearly Pearls" (two act play) presented at Skipton Mechanics Hall.Text: " THE / LINTON AMATEUR DRAMATIC CLUB / IN THE / Skipton Mechanics' Hall / Saturday, September 10 / PRESENTING / "Gussie's Little Game". "linton amateur dramatic club, rev. w.c. duffy, mrs d. mcgregor, mr h.p. bennett, mr s. morgan, reeves collins, jim collins, jack collins, mrs d. mcgregor, mrs a. shepherd, rose hayward, beryl megee, kath cunningham, clem o'beirne, mr h. kennedy

A history of the Eventide Homes StawellWhite card cover with blue print and three colour photographs showing two showing houses the other showing a large brick buildingeventide homes Stawell inc. a great place to live 1954-2004 5o Years of caring by Jim Melbournestawell aged

Hardcover book. Title in gold print. Cover photo, black and white image of first party of officers proceeding from SS Simla to land on Lemnos Island, this is on the dust jacket. Author name printed on front of book and jacket. 352 pages, including over 300 labelled photographs and maps.non-fictionThe story of the Hellenic connection to Australia's Gallipoli story. Lemnos was the advance base for the Gallipoli campaign.wwi, lemnos, gallipoli, ahnl, grace wilson

L-R back row: W. Bonthorn, Dave Nicol, Tom Andrews ("Black Tom"), Con Hogan, J. Steele, Jim Stoddart, Dave Allen, (Umpire), Bill Megee, -?- Maloney, Jack Wise, Fred White, Foster Watkinson. Centre row: Bob Allen, George Ah Lyee (spelled 'Ahlie'), Alex? Thomson, Bill Lewers or Lewis, Eugene Sandow, Les Ching, Bill Commons, Bob Hogan, George Allen. Front row: George Cluff, Ewen Ching. Date is estimated from team member Foster Watkinson's age and history. He was born in 1897, joined the army in 1916, and although he is known to have visited Linton in the closing stages of WWI, it is understood he did not live in Linton after the war. (Prior to enlisting, he worked as a compositor's assistant at the Grenville Standard.)Black and white photograph of a football team, umpire and officials.football, linton football club, w. bonthorn, dave nicol, tom andrews, j. steele, jim stoddart, dave allen, bill megee, maloney, jack wise, fred white, foster watkinson, bob allen, george ah lyee (?), alex? thomson, bill lewers, eugene sandow, les ching, bill commons, bob hogan, george allen, george cluff, ewen ching.

Black and white copy of original photograph of an open shearing shed with four shearers and two men to the side of the shed leaning on a bale of wool. A dog supervising the scene.sam knight, jack francis, jim francis, wool bale, dog

Inscription on the back of the photograph indicates that the photograph was taken in 1948 at a demonstration day in Ballarat. Standing, L-R: Bill Caldow, Eugene Grigg, Jim Barr (Captain), Joe Reidy, Ted Cheeseman, Arnold Chasey. Seated: V. McDonald.Framed black and white photograph of a Linton fire brigade team. Six team members are standing with arms behind their backs in front of a hand-drawn fire cart, one is seated in front of them with part of a fire pump resting on his crossed legs. Six of seven team members wear polo shirts with "LINTON" appliqued on them. The seventh wears a fire brigade uniform with double-breasted jacket and peaked hat.On back of photograph: "Linton Fire Brigade Team 1948 - Ballarat Demonstration / Standing: (L-R) W. Caldow, E. Grigg, J. Barr (Capt), J. Reidy, ? Cheeseman, A. Chasey / Sitting: V. McDonald / N887 / See Fire Brigade file".linton fire brigade, william (bill) caldow, eugene grigg, jim barr, joe reidy, ted cheeseman, arnold chasey, v. mcdonald

An inscription written across the lower right of the photograph says that the Francis woolshed was the first shed in the district to install machines for shearing, and that it was used as a community shearing shed for district farmers. Early LDHS index to photographs identifies Jack Francis, holding wool press; Jim Francis shearing, nearest door; Henry Francis, lad on bale of wool.Black and white copy of original photograph of five men, two dogs and two sheep posing outside a wool shed. With wooden hand wool press and bales of wool.francis wool shed, h.f. newland [brand on francis wool bales], 'newland' (francis property], shearing, wool press