In 1857, tanner John Pearson purchased three and a half acres of land in Little Eltham, at the western end of Pitt Street, with a 70-foot frontage to Maria Street (Main Road) and stretching down to the Diamond Creek for £100. He contracted Benjamin Oliver Wallis to build house for him. Wallis, a mason by trade who originated from the Cornish village of Newlyn, migrated to Melbourne in 1853 and was shortly engaged by Richard Warren to build the Eltham Hotel, which opened in 1854. When Warren fell into financial difficulty in 1858, Wallis purchased the hotel. That same year, Pearson constructed a tannery below the house with access to the water in the Diamond Creek. When Pearson became bankrupt in 1867, Wallis similarly acquired the house from Pearson’s creditors in 1868 and lived there until his death in 1896. For some of this time the house was in the name of Wallis’s son Richard but following his death in 1888, ownership reverted to his father. It was purchased by retired teacher Richard Gilsenen in 1899. Gilsenen was made acting head teacher at the Eltham State School in 1906 following the sudden death of head teacher John Brown. In the 1950s the house was bought by retired engineer Dr Alfred Fitzpatrick and his wife Claire who made various modifications to house goats and poultry as well as structural modifications to the house. In the early 1970s, Eltham Shire Councillors Frank Maas and Don Maling proposed an extended communities’ activities program be set up and the Commonwealth Grants Commission was approached for financial assistance. In 1974 a $50,000 Commonwealth Grant was received by the Shire Council to acquire the Fitzpatrick property as part of the planning to establish an extended communities’ activities program. The Fitzpatricks moved next door and Claire taught at the new Living and Learning Centre, which began in 1975, one of the first community education centres in Victoria. Covered under Heritage Overlay, Nillumbik Planning Scheme. Published: Nillumbik Now and Then /​ Marguerite Marshall 2008; photographs Alan King with Marguerite Marshall.; p59 It’s a centre for sharing knowledge and friendship and it stands on the former hub of Eltham’s original township near Pitt Street. The Eltham Living and Learning Centre, with around 2000 participants a year, began in 1975 as one of the first Community Education Centres in Victoria. Classes ranging from macramé to wine making to environmental living have enriched the lives of thousands of people through the generosity of tutors sharing their skills free of charge. The centre’s heart is the brick cottage, built in 1858 by tanner John Pearson. He bought the three and a half acre (1.4ha) allotment fronting Maria Street (now Main Road) and stretching down to the Diamond Creek. The allotment formed part of a 316 acre (127.8ha) subdivision, owned by Josiah Holloway, called Little Eltham, north of the original Eltham Reserve.1 The allotment then passed through the hands of several speculators before it was sold to Pearson for £100 in 1857. Mr Pearson’s children attended the Eltham Primary School from 1864 to 1867. But creditors took possession of the property when his tannery folded in 1867. It was then sold to publican Benjamin Wallis, who owned the Eltham Hotel at the corner of Pitt Street and Main Road. In 1899 the property was bought by Richard Gilsenan, who became acting head teacher of the Eltham Primary State School in 1906. In the 1950s, retired engineer Dr Alfred Fitzpatrick and his wife Claire bought the property, and made structural changes. Claire, a journalist and community campaigner, modified and built pens for goats and poultry, a stable, a garage and planted fruit trees and a vegetable garden. In the early 1970s a young woman called Carina Hack approached Gwen Wesson at the Diamond Valley Learning Centre (Victoria’s first Community Education Centre) about starting a community centre. Following Wesson’s suggestion, Hack spoke to Shire President Alistair Knox ‘one bleak rainy afternoon, sipping hot drinks and discussing life’.2 Eltham Shire Councillors Frank Maas and Don Maling proposed a community activities program and the council received a $50,000 Commonwealth Government Grant for this venture.3 The Fitzpatricks sold their property to the council and moved next door and Claire taught at the new centre, which Hack named. Eltham obviously wanted such a centre as Hack recalls. ‘During the next two months we had about 50 volunteers working day, night and weekends, scrubbing down, plastering and painting walls, replacing floors, repairing fences, recycling furniture, sewing curtains and cushions, donating furniture, toys, equipment, clean-ing and gardening…’4 The first enrolment day saw a queue stretching up the driveway nearly to the gate and the first sessions attracted 270 people a week. Soon the outbuildings were converted into pottery studios and a large workshop. From 1979 the Eltham Art and Craft Market was held in the centre’s grounds and the Friends of the Centre ran it from 1980. A former program coordinator, Margaret Johnson, remembers enrolment day in the late 1970s and 1980s, when hundreds of people would queue – and some even camped overnight! Overnighters were greeted in the morning with fresh tea and toast. Another tradition was The Enrolment Day Cake with Recipe, given to volunteers. ‘One happy Enrolment Day fell on February 14 and let’s just say that St Valentine found some willing participants, paying $2 for a kiss.’5 Meanwhile the participants’ children could play at the Council Eltham Lower Park house in Hohnes Road, later in Susan Street. But the centre has had difficulties too. In 1990 a fire destroyed the stable and the police suspected arson. However the pavilion was built in its place.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, benjamin oliver wallis, claire fitzpatrick, don maling, dr alfred fitzpatrick, eltham living and learning centre, frank maas, john pearson, richard gilsenen, tannery

Digitised video (3.68GB). Duration: 62 minutes. Recorded March, 2025 (Video is available for viewing at Ringwood & District Historical Society Archives by appointment)The Parish of Mooroolbark was surveyed in 1855, with a township originally called Brushy Creek standing where North Croydon is today. The name "Mooroolbark" was to be popularised with eventual European settlement in the late 19thy century. A rural hub developed around the train station, which opened in 1887 and offered rail access to Melbourne, with the Post Office opened shortly after in 1888. In this video presentation, Marion Stott, OAM, President and Founding Member of the Mooroolbark History Group, provides "Then and Now" details of all this and more. As well as activities in promoting local history, Marion is actively involved in local RSL, Traders group, and community events including Mooroolbark Red Earth Festival. For services to the community of Mooroolbark, Marion was awarded an OAM in 2020.

97 p.; 21 cmnon-fictionThe book explores the history of onion farming in South Gippsland, Victoria. It delves into the establishment of a viable onion-growing industry in the region, highlighting the challenges and successes faced by farmers over more than a century. [AI generated text] onion industry -- victoria -- gippsland region -- history, onions -- victoria -- gippsland region -- history, gippsland region (vic.) -- history

This 1979 photograph of Jacana Primary School’s bat tennis premiers offers a nostalgic glimpse into a vibrant chapter of local school life. More than just a snapshot of sporting success, it reflects the values that underpinned the school’s ethos—participation, perseverance, and community pride. Founded in 1959, Jacana Primary served generations of families until its closure in the early 2000s, becoming a hub for both learning and local connection. The image stands as a testament to the school’s commitment to nurturing well-rounded students through both academic and extracurricular pursuits. It also serves as a cultural time capsule, capturing the spirit of a suburban Melbourne school community during a formative era in public education.This 1979 photograph of Jacana Primary School’s bat tennis premiers holds enduring cultural and historical value as a representation of the school’s commitment to holistic education and community engagement. The image is significant not only for documenting a moment of sporting achievement but also for illustrating the broader educational philosophy of the time—one that emphasised teamwork, resilience, and local pride. As a visual record from a school that served the Jacana community from 1959 until the early 2000s, it offers insight into the social fabric of suburban Melbourne during a period of growth and change. The photograph contributes to the collective memory of the area, symbolising the role of public schools as foundational institutions in shaping both individual lives and community identity.A colour photograph of Jacana Primary School’s 1979 bat tennis team. The students are dressed in various sports clothes and are arranged in rows. The teacher stands in the top right corner of the group.jacana primary school, education, photograph, group photograph, 1979, bat tennis

This group photograph of students at Jacana Primary School captures a moment in the life of a school that played a central role in its community. Opened in 1959 and closed in the early 2000s, the school was a hub of learning, friendship, and local identity. Though the school no longer exists, the image preserves the spirit of its students and the educational environment that shaped generations of young lives.This 1999 group photograph of Jacana Primary School students was a poignant reminder of the school's legacy. Opened in 1959 and closed in the early 2000s, the school had been a community cornerstone, fostering education and camaraderie. The photo preserved cherished memories and reflected the social fabric of its time. A colour photograph (laminated) of a group of children with an Adult Woman in the Centre.jacana primary school, education, photograph, group photograph, 1999