A small softcover book dark green in colour at the top of the front cover is the authors name written in purple and the book's title written in large red letters there is also a charcoal drawing of a person driving a horse and dray with what looks like sacks of produce in the back on the back cover is text by the author and three reviews by different people.The book also contains a lot of old black and white photos of the family and places of note in the area.cheltenham, kingston, pioneers, moorabbin, carrum, mordialloc, picnic, asylum, hobsons bay, brighton, beach boxes, bridge hotel.

August Rietmann (1877-1951) of Lustdorf ,Switzerland, married Maria Frieda Oesschlager (2/2/1878- 22/7/1942) of Baden Baden, Germany on 6/8/1910 In August 8th 1915 August and his wife Frieda migrated to Melbourne, Victoria, Australia sailing on the Steam Ship ‘Osterley’ from Marseilles to Melbourne They leased Box Cottage, Ormond in 1917 and raised two children, Stefanie (1918 -2006) and William (1920- 1997). 1935 August purchased the property and the family used the Cottage during the day and slept in the Front House. August was a monumental mason, potter and sculptor, and was employed at Corbens Ltd Clifton Hill, to carve war memorials in Victoria post WW1 c 1915-1922. During the 1920's August set up his own business in pressed cement making pot plants, columns,paving slabs and lampstands. He continued to carve headstones and figures and took contract work for Artists eg Paul Mountford. He built a workshop in the Barn and used the Cottage for plaster moulding. His son William joined the business and and the family continued to use the site after August died in 1951. Rietmann Landscaping Ltd moved to Bay Road Highett in 1953 and later to Carrum. The land, containing the Box Cottage, was sold to Lewis Timber Pty Ltd in 1970 and Mr Lewis proposed that Moorabbin City Council should preserve the heritage Cottage. In 1984 the Cottage was dismantled and reconstructed in the adjacent Joyce Park. The Rietman family is an example of the diverse nationalities that lived and worked productively in Moorabbin Shire 1871–1933 , the City of Moorabbin 1934-1994 and continues today in the Cities of Glen Eira, Kingston, Bayside, and Monash. August, a sculptor and stone mason, was employed by Corben Pty Ltd Clifton Hill to carve WW1 Memorials before establishing his own successful masonry business in the Box Cottage during the latter 1920s. After becoming interested in pressed cement casting, he took on apprentices (1930s Depression) and among his products were garden furniture, pots and also street lamp standards, some of which were installed in St Kilda Road. After August’s death in 1951, his family continued the business ‘Rietman’s Landscaping Ltd.’, at Highett and Carrum.Photographs x2 Black & White of August and Frieda Rietmann with children and friends at Ormond and Sorrento in 1920sHand written a) at Ormond 1921 ; b) at Sorrento c 1920'ssorrento beach victoria, box cottage museum, ormond, rietmann august, rietman august, rietmann frieda, rietman frieda, stonnington city town hall, war memorials, world war 1 1914-1918, rietman stefanie, rennick stefanie, francis stefanie, rietman william, rietman ray, mountford paul, malvern city town hall, box cottage museum ormond, box william, box elizabeth, joyce park ormond, rietman's landscaping pty ltd, bay road highett, macrobertson pty ltd, coleraine soldier memorial 1921

The O'Maras, of Sandringham fishermen. Early mud brick house. Located in Moorabbin and was still there in 1940. The house was situated in Reserve Road, almost opposite Wangara Road, (formerly Cemetery Road). About twelve years ago, (* the writer states no year), there was a vacant block where the house used to be - it was next to a electrical factory. 2x Black and White Photographs. (i) An 1898 photograph showing two men with a fishing boat on the beach. A beach house / shed , paling fence and tall tea-trees are seen in the background. (ii) A large early mud brick house with a tin roof, chimney and a water tank sitting on a block of grassed landWritten on back (i) The O'Maras / Sandringham / fishermen 1898 (ii) Mud brick house at Moorabbin ( house was there in 1940) / Situated in Reserve Road almost opposite Wangara Road / ( formerly Cemetery Road ). About 12 years ago there was a vacant block where the house used to be and it was next to an electrical factory. unsigned undatedthe o'maras, sandringham fisherman, 1898, mud brick house, moorabbin, wangara road, reserve road, electrical factory, early settlers, pioneers, shire of moorabbin, sandringham, beaumaris, mentone, fishermen, dairy farmaers, poultry farmers, market gardeners,

256 pages : illustrations, portraits non-fictionForeword -- Acknowledgements -- By the creek -- Tragedy of the Bunurong people: the Mordialloc connection -- The Muddy creek -- Mordialloc Pier -- They're racing at Mordialloc -- Official opening of Mordialloc Railway Station -- Politicians at Mordialloc -- Mordialloc baths -- Mornington versus Mordialloc: the fateful football match -- FancyDress Carnival at Mordialloc -- The Mordialloc baby murders -- Mordialloc great war memorials -- Spanish flu -- The freemasons at Mordizlloc -- The beginnings of Mordialloc College -- A place to play: Mordialloc's Rotunda -- The Mordialloc brass band -- Mordialloc Carnival 1923-1939 -- Mordialloc Carnival 1940-1968 -- Typhoid outbreak and Mordialloc -- Onion odour at Mordialloc -- Desecration of beach pavilion -- Shindig at the Mordialloc Life Saving Club -- Mordialloc Community and Youth Centre -- Mordialloc Elderly Citizens' Club -- Unforgettable memories: Mordialloc meals on wheels -- No pipeline across the bay -- Pedestrian bridge across Mordialloc Creek -- Page sources of illustrations and photographers -- Index.mordialloc, typhoid, mordialloc creek