The new State Electricity Commission construction camp at the head of the Kiewa Valley was for workmen on the second power station in the project expected to be the most modern and best equipped in Australia… In contrast to the early Kiewa days of horses and canvas tents, the new camp, with its modern amenities, compared favourably with any country town. Administration of the Kiewa Scheme was moved from Tawonga to Mount Beauty in 1946. The first house in Mount Beauty, in Hollonds Street, was occupied by the co-op store manager from November 1946. The new Mess Hall at Mt Beauty was opened with much ceremony in early November 1946. The houses up to Nelse street were erected from 1946 onward and then the township was extended beyond Nelse Street in 1950. The workmen's camp was enlarged in 1950 to the extent of providing accommodation for a total of 1,200.Shows early construction of the town of Mt. Beauty surrounded by farmland taken in 1950 during the early stages of construction of the Kiewa Hydro electric SystemBlack and white photograph - View from second gate down Kiewa Valley showing early buildings. Photograph framed by 6mm white boarderHandwritten in back of photo in blue ink - View from second gate down Kiewa Valley 1950mt beauty, kiewa valley, secv

The new State Electricity Commission construction camp at the head of the Kiewa Valley was for workmen on the second power station in the project expected to be the most modern and best equipped in Australia… In contrast to the early Kiewa days of horses and canvas tents, the new camp, with its modern amenities, compared favourably with any country town. Administration of the Kiewa Scheme was moved from Tawonga to Mount Beauty in 1946. The first house in Mount Beauty, in Hollonds Street, was occupied by the co-op store manager from November 1946. The new Mess Hall at Mt Beauty was opened with much ceremony in early November 1946. The houses up to Nelse street were erected from 1946 onward and then the township was extended beyond Nelse Street in 1950. The workmen's camp was enlarged in 1950 to the extent of providing accommodation for a total of 1,200.Shows early construction in the town of Mt. Beauty surrounded by hills and farmland, with Mt Bogong in the background. Photo was taken in 1950 during the early stages of construction of the Kiewa Hydro electric SystemBlack and white photograph of Mt Beauty township in 1950 showing original workers buildings. Photograph has a .5cm white border around the photo.Handwritten on back of photograph in blue ink - SEC Camp and Town Mt Beauty 1950mt beauty, secv, mt beauty workmen's camp

Mt Beauty Camp- The new State Electricity Commission construction camp at the head of the Kiewa Valley was for workmen on the second power station in the project expected to be the most modern and best equipped in Australia… In contrast to the early Kiewa days of horses and canvas tents, the new camp, with its modern amenities, compared favourably with any country town. Administration of the Kiewa Scheme was moved from Tawonga to Mount Beauty in 1946. The first house in Mount Beauty, in Hollonds Street, was occupied by the co-op store manager from November 1946. The new Mess Hall at Mt Beauty was opened with much ceremony in early November 1946. The houses up to Nelse street were erected from 1946 onward and then the township was extended beyond Nelse Street in 1950. The workmen's camp was enlarged in 1950 to the extent of providing accommodation for a total of 1,200. Bogong Camp - In 1940 Field Headquarters for the Kiewa Scheme were established at Bogong with office, workshop facilities and accommodation for workmen, staff and some families constructed. (There had been a 'tent camp' on this site in 1939 but was destroyed by bushfires) Construction of accommodation continued until 1947. A total of 40 houses plus a hostel for single staff, post office, police station, medical centre and primary school all with water and sewerage and electricity supply. The staff hostel was known as Kiewa House and is now occupied by the Education Department. Lake Guy was named after Mr. L.T. Guy who was the Resident Engineer in charge of construction work and associated activities on the Kiewa area. He held this position from 1939 to November 1946 when he was transferred to Head Office. Both Bogong Village and Mt Beauty were developed to accommodate workmen on the Kiewa Hydro Electric Scheme but have since become centres for tourism and a range of outdoor activities.1. Black and white photograph of Mount Beauty Camp taken in September 1950 2. Black and white photograph of Bogong Village Camp1. Written on the back in grey lead - Sept 1950. Mt Beauty Camp. HT Cooper own taking 2. Stamped on back of photograph - Copyright. Not for reproduction. Herald Sun feature Service. Melbourne Australiamt beauty camp, bogong camp, secv

The new State Electricity Commission construction camp at the head of the Kiewa Valley was for workmen on the second power station in the project expected to be the most modern and best equipped in Australia… In contrast to the early Kiewa days of horses and canvas tents, the new camp, with its modern amenities, compared favourably with any country town. Administration of the Kiewa Scheme was moved from Tawonga to Mount Beauty in 1946. The first house in Mount Beauty, in Hollonds Street, was occupied by the co-op store manager from November 1946. The new Mess Hall at Mt Beauty was opened with much ceremony in early November 1946. The houses up to Nelse street were erected from 1946 onward and then the township was extended beyond Nelse Street in 1950. The workmen's camp was enlarged in 1950 to the extent of providing accommodation for a total of 1,200.Shows early construction in the town of Mt. Beauty surrounded by hills and farmland, with a snow capped Mt Bogong in the background. Photo was taken in approximately 1950 during the early stages of construction of the Kiewa Hydro-electric SystemBlack and white photograph, mounted on corrugated cardboard. Photograph of Mt Beauty townshipHandwritten on back of photograph in blue pen - Permanent loan from Adrian Campan April 96 057-544043mt beauty camp, secv

After World War II, the Kiewa Hydroelectric Scheme was started in the Kiewa River valley by the State Electricity Commission of Victoria. On land previously used only for summer cattle grazing in the natural alpine grasslands, the first ski lodge was built in 1948 by workers from the scheme. The first lift, a rope tow, was built in 1951 and the first chairlift in Australia was constructed there in 1957. Falls Creek Post Office opened on 9 June 1958 (with telegraph and telephone facilities only until 1964) .Despite strong opposition from the head of the Kiewa scheme, who didn't want tourists clogging up his roads and destroying his "dry" construction camps by bringing in booze, Falls Creek boomed as much as Hotham, partly owing to its relatively good access road. Early lodges included Bogong (c.1946), Skyline (1947), Albury (1949), Myrtleford (1949) and Dawn (c.1950).The souvenir postcard photographed and produced by an enterprising local businessman Mr S K Pearce, was produced as a memento for skiers and other visitors to the Falls Creek and Mt Beauty area to send to family and friends as a reminder of their visit to the region, or to keep as a personal souvenir. It presented an excellent promotional opportunity for enterprising local businessmen to promote the area to skiers and tourists near and far. It also presents an excellent pictorial history of the falls creek area around the late 1950’s to early 1960’sColour postcard folder (unused) containing 13 photographs of the Falls Creek ski area and surrounds. Inside cover has a brief description of the area and the services available to visitors Printed on front cover- FALLS CREEK SKI VILLAGE. Your Souvenir Folder Photo of skiing slopes of the village Inside front flap - a brief description of the Falls Creek area and the services available to visitors 1. Diana Lodge parking area and Spion Kopje 2. Winterhaven Lodge 3. Ski Hirage Centre and skiing slopes 4. Ski Lodges from main road 5. Nelse and Arundel Lodges 6. Day visitors’ shelter and parking area 7. Summit T-Bar lift 8. Spur T-bar looking towards Village and Spion Kopje 9. T-bar lower station and Snow Crystal Inn 10. ‘Akja’ rescue sled in use 11. Falls Creek road and Grand Coeur Lodge annex 12. Rope tows and beginner slopes 13. Back cover- Published by Nucolorvue Pty Ltd Mentone Vic. Printed in Australia For S.K.Pearce Pty Ltd Tawonga and Mt Beauty falls creek, snow, bogong high plains, victorian alps

The Junction Dam and Clover Dam Power Station, stages of the Kiewa Hydro-Electric Scheme, were needed to meet the increased power demands of the wartime industry in Victoria. Clover added 26 megawatts to the grid. Junction Dam was completed and ready to hold water by September 1943, but was emptied in December 1943 and not filled again until May 1944. Construction of Clover Power Station commenced in July 1941 and both turbines were in service by May 1945.Clover Power Station and Junction Dam were part of the Kiewa Hydro Electric Scheme constructed by the State Electricity Commission of Victoria.Set of 22 black and white photographs taken by the official SECV photographer who gave each photo a number prefixed by K (for Kiewa) K60 -no date- A bridge and entrance to tunnel K519 -no date- Welding steel lining in the tunnel K531 –no date- Construction on the Kiewa Scheme (tunnel in background K821 – no date- Bogong Village, early days K928 -15 Oct 1942- Construction Clover Power Station K947 -26 Oct 1942- Construction Clover Power Station K948 -26 Oct 1942- Construction Clover Power Station K949- 26 Oct 1942- Clover Camp in background K950 -26 Oct 1942- Construction Clover Power Station K955 -27 Oct 1942- Constructing the bridge at Clover K1102 -7 April 1943- Inlet pipe to power station K1179 –no date- Clover Power Station K1187 – no date- Clover Power Station K1189 -24 June 1943- Part of the spiral casing 1199 -7 July 1943- Clover Power Station K1201 -7 July 1943- Clover Power Station K1231 -26 July 1943- Gantry crane for Clover Power Station K1308 -6 Sept 1943- Spiral casing K1334 -6 Oct 1943- Lake Guy. Bogong Village in background K1342 -29 Oct 1943- Power station under construction K1365 -19 Nov 1943- Power station under construction K1366 -19 Nov 1943- Gantry crane for Clover Power Station On the back- each photograph has a handwritten reference number starting with K and the date stamped or written (see above)secv; kiewa hydro electric scheme; official photographer; junction dam; clover power station; bogong;

After World War II, the Kiewa Hydro-Electric Scheme was started in the Kiewa River Valley by the State Electricity Commission of Victoria. On land previously used only for summer cattle grazing in the natural alpine grasslands, the first ski lodge was built in 1948 by workers from the hydro scheme as skiing was a popular recreation. Many of the hydro employees were of European background and had grown up enjoying skiing and snow sports in their homelands and were keen to continue to pursue their winter sports interests. The first lift, a rope tow, was built in 1951 at Falls Creek and the first chairlift in Australia was constructed there in 1957. Two T-Bars were opened in 1961. In 1964, the Victorian Municipal Directory recorded that Falls Creek had 29 ski club lodges and 16 commercial lodges. The area became a popular tourist destination for both winter and summer sports.: Employees of the State Electricity Commission of Victoria in the Kiewa River Valley were the earliest skiers on the Bogong High Plains and built one of the first ski lodges at Falls Creek. They were amongst those pivotal in the development of the skiing and tourist industry at Falls Creek and on the Bogong High Plains. Collection of 10 copies and original black and white photographs and printed articles relating to skiing on the Bogong High Plains. Some pieces have been enlarged to A3 poster size copies for display purposes 1. Copy of black and white photograph of group of skiers at Falls Creek 2. Copy of photograph of early skier on Bogong High Plains with temporary buildings and tents in the background 3. Copy of photograph of 3 skiers on Mt McKay 4. Copy of SECV photograph of Rocky Valley Camp under snow 5. Early sepia photograph of Falls Creek village with skiers in the foreground 6. Copy of a page from booklet (SECV?) promoting the benefits of owning a holiday home in the Bogong Village area 7. Copy of a page from booklet (SECV?) promoting the benefits of holidaying in and around Falls Creek/Mt Beauty 8. Panoramic view of ski fields with skis in the foreground 9. Photograph of young skier (identity unknown) 10. Photograph of 2 male skiers (identity unknown) performing a small jump 1. Bogong Ski Club Members & Friends 1944 2. Jack Neve – electrician. Rocky Valley 3. 17.5.55 Skiers ascending Mt McKay 4. State Electricity Commission of Victoria. Date:17.8.55 No:K8132 Kiewa Hydro Electric Works. Rocky Valley Camp – From Engineering Office 5 & 9 No markings 6 & 7 Short article relating to photos on each page 8. Handwritten signature on rear of photo (Sandra Conea) 10 Faded unreadable photographers stamp and handwritten numbers 6875 on rear secv; bogong high plains; skiers; falls creek; tourism

Bogong Village, which was known as “The Junction”, is well recorded. The first tent camp was at the junction of Pretty Valley and Rocky Valley streams in the early 40’s. Further downstream were the sawmill, stables and blacksmith’s forge. Horses were the main mode of transport in the early days. The road to Bogong had reached the lookout spur just beyond Roper’s Spur track just before the 1939 fires. The early forties saw rapid growth of the village, with single and married men’s quarters, workshops, mess huts and administrative offices. The facilities necessary for communal living were quickly in place- a post office, police station, co-op store, medical centre, community hall/theatre, tennis courts and school. Much of the temporary accommodation that housed groups such as the Albion Quarrying Company were in the area now under water.This group of photographs are a pictorial record of the early history of the Kiewa Hydro Scheme, the people who worked in the background supplying administrative support and the workers and their families. It also shows a glimpse into how a large group of people from very diverse backgrounds came together to enjoy social activities and share each others companyGroup of 10 black and white photographs and photocopies of original photographs of varying sizes (some official SECV photos) Some Photos are labelled with the date and the names of SECV staff members. Depicting early life at Bogong Village 1. Group photo – Kiewa House Residents 1.8.41 (SECV official photo) 2. Female staff residents 3. Female office staff 4. Kitchen staff – Junction Mess (SECV official photo) 5. Male administration staff Bogong 6. Bogong Social Club fancy dress ball, 1940 7. Wives and children of SECV workers 8. Children in fancy dress 9. Opening of Volunteer Air Observers post 1943 10. Flag raising at opening of Volunteer Air Observers post 1. Printed under photo: STATE ELECTRICITY COMMISSION OF VICTORIA Date: 1.8.41 Time: 12.30pm No:K 435 Kiewa Hydro-Electric Works. Kiewa House Residents Back Row L to R: S.A. Salmon, W. Strachn, T.A Connors, W.J Norman, R.C Grealey, R.D Hegarty, Mrs Hegarty, W.R Morgan, S.A Clarke, P. Morgan, P.J. Harnetty, G.W Crouch. Front Row L to R: W.L Godfrey, R.S Hollands, Pte. R Charlesworth, R.L Dunn, N Caldwell, L.T Davies, I Webber, H.L Kendall, P Tiller, Ricky Hegarty, L.T Guy, M.C Cox, K.F Calder, D.S Gibson 2. Printed on bottom: Staff who lived at Kiewa House and worked in the Administration Office c 1943 Handwritten at bottom Priscilla Johnson (nee Reid) At top of page A GOOD LIFE: WOMEN’S RECOLLECTIONS OF LIFE IN THE UPPER KIEWA VALLEY 3. Printed under photo- Office Staff – Bogong 4. Printed under photo: STATE ELECTRICITY COMMISSION OF VICTORIA Date: 18.5.40 Time: 11.05am No:K 103. Kiewa Hydro-Electric Works. Kitchen Staff- Junction Mess. Opening night of the new staff mess Bogong. 5. Printed under photo -Administration staff Bogong 6. Printed under photo- The social club raised money for patriotic fund from fancy dress nights. (1st Fancy Dress Ball, Bogong 1940) 7. Printed above photo: ---- and family life begins (1942 Bogong) 8. Printed under photo: A favourite photograph 9. Printed under photo: STATE ELECTRICITY COMMISSION OF VICTORIA Date: 24.5.43 Time: 2.8pm No:K 1151 Kiewa Hydro-Electric Works. Bogong- Squadron Leader Leggett speaking at opening of Air Observer’s Post 10. Printed under photo: Raising the flag at the opening of the Volunteer Air Observer’s Post at Bogong - 1943 bogong village; kiewa hydro electric scheme; social activities; community clubs

Construction of the town of Mount Beauty commenced in 1946 and continued until 1952. It was built to provide family accommodation for workers engaged in the construction of the hydro electric power scheme. As well as housing, there was an administration building, staff hostel, merchandising centre, workmen's camps, base stores and workshops and the Mount Beauty Terminal Station. The first house was occupied in November, 1946 by the then manager of the trading store, with a frontage onto Hollonds Street. The total number of houses erected was 488, 162 custom built and 326 prefabricated. The main workmen's camp can be seen just left of the centre of the photograph and accommodated 144 men at the time of the photograph. By 1950 it could accommodate 1200men. Photo No. 1 is taken in 1947/early 1948 as there is no evidence of the staff hostel under construction. This hostel was commenced in August/September 1948 and is clearly shown in photograph No. 2, dating this photo as 1948 as it is before the completion of the bypass road connecting to the main (high plains) road. This road was constructed in 1939 and in 1948 followed the route of Tawonga Crescent. This remained in use until the bypass construction was completed in early 1949 and does not appear to be finished in this photograph.. Both photographs are taken from the power line easement adjacent to the Bright road.Significant historical pictorial record of the development of a town from grazing land. The type of terrain that had to be surveyed and then to construct roads and other infrastructure, with very little machinery, is also of prime significance in the development of the Kiewa Hydro Electric Scheme.Two photographs, both hand painted to show colours, and both of Mount Beauty c 1947/48 not long after commencement of construction of homes and facilities for workers.Photo No.1 - on back of photo, left upper corner, faintly in pencil, SPIKE, underneath this is written T Pay,. Photo No. 2 - on back of photo, left upper corner, faintly in pencil, Jmount beauty, housing, accommodation

Construction of Bogong Village was commenced in 1940 and was the Field Headquarters for the early part of the construction of the Kiewa Hydro Electric Scheme. In all, a total of 36 houses, medical centre, police station, trading store and primary school were built. As well, there was a hostel for staff personnel and prefabricated units, each 10 feet x 8 feet, with separate dining and recreational facilities for the worker's. This camp was closed in 1962.These photos show the type of accommodation, available in this period, as well as the benched layout of the village. The damage of the 1939 bushfires is still evident.1. Black and white photo of Junction Dam Wall, Lake Guy and Bogong Village. 2.Black and white photo of single men's quarters at Bogong Village. 3.Lake Guy and Bogong Village.1.Back of photo, Left upper corner - K1334 Upper Right corner - mu (very faint) 6-10-43 2.Back of photo, Left upper corner - K1399 Upper right corner - 14 m 1-2-44 3. Back of photo, left upper corner -K1738 Upper right corner - 145 a mus 5-12-44 bogong village, lake guy, secv

In October 1947 construction was commenced on the erection of the workmen's camp at Rocky Valley. Also in 1947 construction of a stream diversion was commenced to allow excavation to commence for the dam wall. In the summer of 1948/49, stripping of the foundation area on both sides of the river was carried out. Weather conditions were not always favourable during the construction, particularly 1955/56 summer, and work would have to cease each year for the winter season due to the severe conditions. The dam is a earth and rock fill structure with a height of about 30.5 metres and crest length 518.16 metres and was completed in March, 1959.These photographs show the type of terrain in the area prior to the construction and filling of Rocky Valley Dam. Also of interest is the type of accommodation provided for those working on the construction and the early cranes available in the 1940/50's. Of historical importance to understand the conditions in the early construction of the Kiewa Hydro Electric SchemeEleven small black and white photographsPhoto No. 1 - on the back, printed in ink"Rocky Valley - New Mess & offices Dec. 1948". In pencil '14 on the back Photo No. 2 - on the back, printed in ink "Rocky Valley Camp. October 1948". Also stamped on the back "998L" Photo No. 3 -on the back, printed in ink "Rocky Valley Hostel October 1948". Also stamped on the back '998L' Photo No. 4 - on the back, printed in ink "Spion Kopje from bedroom window. October 1948". Stamped on the back '998L'. Photo No. 5 - on the back, printed in ink "Rocky Valley Basin Dec. 1948." In pencil on back, 14. Photo No. 6 - on the back, printed in ink "Site of Wall for Rocky Valley Dam Dec. 1948". In pencil on back, 14. Photo No. 7 - On the back, printed in ink "Commencing of Diversion Tunnel Rocky Valley December 1948". In pencil on back, 14. Photo No. 8 - on the back, printed in ink "One of the two electric cranes at Rocky Valley December 1948". In pencil on back, 14. Photo No. 9 - on the back, printed in ink "'Rapier' (H.Y.) electric crane Rocky Valley December 1948". In pencil on back, 14 . Photo No. 10 - on the back, printed in ink " Pretty Valley Pump line construction Mt. Cope in Background Nov 1948. Circular stamp with the words 'print by Wilson White Albury' in the circle. Photo No. 11 - on the back, printed in ink "Stringing cable on Ruined Castle October 1948. Same stamp as No. 10. In pencil '31'. rocky valley; pretty valley; ruined castle; bogong high plains; kiewa hydro electric scheme

Junction Dam is a reinforced slab and buttress type construction and was commenced in February, 1940 by Lewis Construction Company. Stiff leg derricks were erected at appropriate locations at the site of the dam and used for the disposal of excavated material and the placing of concrete. A rock crushing and screening plant was established at a site a short distance upstream from the dam site and concrete was supplied from a central mixing plant placed close to the upstream toe of the structure. The SEC took over the construction in April 1942 and the dam wall was completed in March, 1944. Bogong township was commenced in early 1940 with the construction of a workmen's camp housing 96 men, (known as Junction camp). Construction of housing for families commenced shortly after. Forty houses, plus office, workshops, stores and laboratory accommodation were completed over the next 5 years,Of historical significance as a pictorial record of Junction Dam, Lake Guy and Bogong Village, as the photos were taken only 4 years after completion and one photo taken on completion of the dam wall but before the lake was filled with water.12 small black and white photographs of Junction Dam, Bogong Village and surrounding area.Photo 1 - On the back upper edge in pen 'Junction Dam'. Then '12' in pencil, circular stamp, printed in centre 'Print by Willson White Albury'. Photo 2 - On the back upper edge in pen 'Junction Dam October 1948'. Stamp as no. 1 photo. Stamp '998L' lower centre. Photo 3 - on the back upper edge in pen 'Junction Dam October 1948'. Circular stamp with 'Kodak Print' . Lower centre back is stamped 'velox' and '998L'. Photo 4 - upper back, in ink - 'Junction Dam Spion Kopje in background. October 1948'. Stamps as photo no. 4. Photo 5 - upper back, in ink - 'Lake Guy (orange filter) October 1948'. Centre back, in pencil '29' and circular stamp with words 'Print by Willson White Albury'. Photo 6 - upper back edge 'Junction, Bogong from Radio Receiving Shack Dec. 1948'. In pencil '14'. Photo 7 - On back of photo 'View of Mountains from Little Arthur Fire Track October 1948'. Two circular stamps with 'Kodak Print', another two stamps - 'Velox' and '998L'. Photo 8 - On back in ink 'Loone's Store Bogong with Spion Kopje in background. October 1948'. Lower down, stamps 'Velox' and '998L'. Part of circular stamp with one word 'Kodak'. Photo 9 - on back in ink 'Junction Camp, Bogong Village & Lake Guy from Little Arthur Fire Track. October 1948'. Stamped across writing '998L'. Lower down stamped 'Velox' and circular stamp with words 'Kodak Print'. Photo 10 - on back in ink 'Junction Camp & Bogong Village Lake Guy in Foreground. October 1948'. Stamps as photo 9. Photo 11 - on back in ink 'Junction Camp & Bogong Village, Lake Guy in Foreground. October 1948'. Lower stamp '998L'. Photo 12 - 'Junction of Rocky & Pretty Rivers with tennis courts in foreground October 1948' . Circular stamp with words, 'Print by Willson White Albury'. Number '29' written pencil.junction dam; bogong village; kiewa hydro electric scheme; lake guy

These photos of the Bogong High Plains were all taken by Ronald George Thorn who was a cadet engineer with the State Electricity Commission. He worked on the Kiewa scheme from 1948 to 1950 doing overhead line construction and maintenance plus electrical design and drawing work. They are from his personal collection and a record of his time in the Kiewa area.Pictorial history of personal involvement in the the early days of the Kiewa Scheme.18 small black and white photographs all taken on the Bogong High Plains.Photo 1 Wallace's Hut. Photo 2 Ruined Castle - Looking towards Pretty Valley December 1948. Photo 3 Ruined Castle - Looking towards Pretty Valley December 1948. Photo 4 Ruined Castle - Looking Down Valley December 1948. Photo 5 - Mt. McKay from Ruined Castle October 1948. Photo 6 View from Rocky Valley Camp October 1948. Photo 7 Mt. Feather Top from Ruined Castle October 1948. Photo 8 View from Ruined Castle looking downwards towards Beauty October 1948. Photo 9 Rocky River from gauging station October 1948. Photo 10 Rocky Valley River from main road October 1948. Photo 11 View along little Arthur Fire Track October 1948. Photo 12 View along main road. Looking towards Beauty Valley October 1948. Photo 13 View from Little Arthur Fire Track October 1948. Photo 14 Frying Pan Spur from Rocky Valley Road October 1948. Photo 15 Mt. Bogong from Big Hill Fire Track October 1948. Photo 16 View from Big Hill Fire Track October 1948. Photo 17 Mt. Feathertop from Ruined Castle October 1948. Photo 18 Mt. Fainter from Ruined Castle October 1948. (All of the above is hand written on the back of photos in ink). bogong high plains; r g thorn; secv; kiewa hydro electric scheme; pictorial history

The Athletics Club under the guidance of a committee of workers, which included Mr Stan Hemmings and Mr Alec McCullough, sponsored a Junior Athletics Club which became the Gray-Y Club for young boys and HY-Y for older lads. Mr A E Clark (YMCA) had the idea of adopting the American Gray-Y System which was to instill in the boys good principles and values similar to those of the service clubs i.e. YMCA, the Masons and Buffalo Lodge. Story has it that the town was virtually crime free for many years. The Athletics Club became a very powerful force in Mount Beauty and assisted other fledgling groups to get started. The committee had the bright idea that they could raise money and entertain the men who lived in the outlying camps by running sporting exhibitions by their members and the Gray-Y boys for entertainment.It is a connection to the early history of Mount Beauty regarding the start of an athletics club.Blue material banner with gold fringe and inscription in middle.Red material triangle inserted within banner and red material H and I (overlapping) sewed into the middle of the triangletextile, youth club, mt beauty, athletics club, gray-y club, kiewa hydro electric scheme

Although the Kiewa Hydro-Electric Scheme was first proposed in 1911, construction did not commence until 1938. As part of the push to cut electricity costs and diversify supply, the Victorian Government (circa 1930) initiated the conversion from primarily brown coal supply to hydro – electricity. Field investigations during the 1940’s resulted in a new proposal for a scheme that had more than double the capacity of the 1938 scheme. The Kiewa Hydroelectric Scheme became the largest scheme of its kind in the State Of Victoria and the second largest scheme in Australia. The number of personnel involved in the planning and construction of the scheme increased dramatically. During the late 1940’s, most activity centred around the construction of the West Kiewa Power Station, Rocky Valley Reservoir, McKay Creek Power Station and the Bogong Creek Aqueduct.A common thread across all the larger hydro scheme constructions was the need for workers, both qualified and unqualified who came from around the world seeking a new life for themselves and their families. New accommodation and facilities were required for the army of workers engaged in construction in often remote and wild areas. The SEC had a high demand for timber, and set up the first of a number of sawmills at Bogong Creek in 1939 and set up the first hardwood logging in the headwaters of the Kiewa River. These new ‘towns’ such as Mt Beauty and Bogong, survived, serving the needs of operational personnel and their families, and expanding with growth of new industries. Mount Beauty, and to a lesser extent Bogong, are among these places. Large A3 size spiral bound display folder containing 21 of 58 pages of photocopied black and white photographs of various aspects of the early days of the Kiewa Valley Hydro-electric scheme including equipment, various work sites and photographs of workers and their families. 1-Front page; 2-Security gate at Mt Beauty Camp; 3-Channel 1 on East Kiewa River; 4-Junction Dam – Diversion Tunnel Inlet; 5-Sawmill; 6- Homan’s Gap Sawmill; 7 Junction Dam: 8-Homan Dam Site-Diamond Drilling on River Buttress; 9- Homan Dam Site View Upstream 10-Homan Dam Investigation Camp 1-Windsor & Newton Visual Diary 60 sheet (120 pages) 11’ x 14’ 280 x 356mm 110 GSM Acid Free Drawing Paper 2-1940-Security Gate on Mt Beauty side of Kiewa River bridge. Part of old Mt Beauty camp and mess in background 3- STATE ELECTRICITY COMMISSION OF VICTORIA Date; 11.3.40 Time: 10.30am No K35 Kiewa Hydro Electric Works. Diverting East Kiewa River into Channel Page number 1 4-STATE ELECTRICITY COMMISSION OF VICTORIA Date: 5.4.40 Time: Noon No K58 Kiewa Hydro Electric Works. Junction Dam – Diversion Tunnel Inlet – Normal Flow Page number 2 5- STATE ELECTRICITY COMMISSION OF VICTORIA Date: 19.8.42 Time: 2.30pm No K883 Kiewa Hydro Electric Works. Sawmill – General View Page number 3 6- STATE ELECTRICITY COMMISSION OF VICTORIA Date: 12.1.42 Time: 2.00pm No K540 Kiewa Hydro Electric Works. Homan’s Gap Sawmill – General View Page number 4 7- STATE ELECTRICITY COMMISSION OF VICTORIA Date: 12.1.42 Time: 2.00pm No K540 Kiewa Hydro Electric Works. Junction Dam – General View looking upstream Page number 5 8- STATE ELECTRICITY COMMISSION OF VICTORIA Date: 16.11.45 Time: 10.32amm No K52153 Kiewa Hydro Electric Works Homan Dam Site – Diamond Drilling on River Buttress Page number 6 9-STATE ELECTRICITY COMMISSION OF VICTORIA Date: 15.1.45 Time: 4.10pm No K1781 Kiewa Hydro Electric Works Homan Dam Site – View Upstream Page number 7 10- STATE ELECTRICITY COMMISSION OF VICTORIA Date: 15.1.45 Time: 4.10pm No K1781 Kiewa Hydro Electric Works Homan Dam Investigation Camp 1944 – 1945 Page number 8 secv; kiewa hydro electric scheme; mt beauty; bogong; construction work;

Although the Kiewa Hydro-Electric Scheme was first proposed in 1911, construction did not commence until 1938. As part of the push to cut electricity costs and diversify supply, the Victorian Government (circa 1930) initiated the conversion from primarily brown coal supply to hydro – electricity. Field investigations during the 1940’s resulted in a new proposal for a scheme that had more than double the capacity of the 1938 scheme. The Kiewa Hydroelectric Scheme became the largest scheme of its kind in the State Of Victoria and the second largest scheme in Australia. The number of personnel involved in the planning and construction of the scheme increased dramatically. During the late 1940’s, most activity centred around the construction of the West Kiewa Power Station, Rocky Valley Reservoir, McKay Creek Power Station and the Bogong Creek Aqueduct.A common thread across all the larger hydro scheme constructions was the need for workers, both qualified and unqualified who came from around the world seeking a new life for themselves and their families. New accommodation and facilities were required for the army of workers engaged in construction in often remote and wild areas. The SEC had a high demand for timber, and set up the first of a number of sawmills at Bogong Creek in 1939 and set up the first hardwood logging in the headwaters of the Kiewa River. These new ‘towns’ such as Mt Beauty and Bogong, survived, serving the needs of operational personnel and their families, and expanding with growth of new industries. Mount Beauty, and to a lesser extent Bogong, are among these places. PHYSICAL: Large A3 size spiral bound display folder containing 21 pages of photocopied black and white photographs of various aspects of the early days of the Kiewa Valley Hydro-electric scheme including equipment, various work sites and photographs of workers and their families. 1-Bridge across Tailrace Channel 1946 2-New Mess building, Mt Beauty 3-Homan’s Gap Saw Mill 4- Diamond Drilling Plant – Big Hill 5-Rocky Valley Camp-Mess Building 6-Parlimentary Party at Rocky Valley 7-No.4 Headrace Tunnel 8- Allis-Chalmers Tractor School 9- SECV Heavy Machinery lined up by road 10- No. 5 Raceline – Balasting Track with improvised truck 1-1946 – Bridge across tailrace channel Page number 9 2-New mess building, Mt Beauty 6.4.46 Page number 10 3- STATE ELECTRICITY COMMISSION OF VICTORIA Date: 10.1.47 Time: 11.40am No K2271 Kiewa Hydro Electric Works Homan’s Gap Saw Mill – Rip Saw Page number 11 4- STATE ELECTRICITY COMMISSION OF VICTORIA Date: 5.10.47 Time: 11am No K4111 Kiewa Hydro Electric Works Diamond Drilling Plant – Big Hill Page number 12 5- STATE ELECTRICITY COMMISSION OF VICTORIA Date: 11.2.48 Time: 3pm No K4277 Kiewa Hydro Electric Works Rocky Valley Camp-Mess Building Page number 13 6- STATE ELECTRICITY COMMISSION OF VICTORIA Date: 15.4.48 Time: 4.30pm No K4397 Kiewa Hydro Electric Works Parlimentary Party at Rocky Valley Page number 14 7- STATE ELECTRICITY COMMISSION OF VICTORIA Date: 22.8.48 Time: 9am No K4668 Kiewa Hydro Electric Works General view of No.4 Headrace Tunnel Page number 15 8-STATE ELECTRICITY COMMISSION OF VICTORIA Date: 5.9.49 Time: 10am No K5180 Kiewa Hydro Electric Works Allis-Chalmers Tractor School – HD 19, Mr I Crossthwaite at Controls Page number 16 9- No markings Page number 17 10- STATE ELECTRICITY COMMISSION OF VICTORIA Date: 7,12.49 Time: 4pm No K5423 Kiewa Hydro Electric Works No. 5 Raceline – Balasting Track with improvised truck. Page number 18 secv; kiewa hydro electric scheme; mt beauty; bogong; construction area

Although the Kiewa Hydro-Electric Scheme was first proposed in 1911, construction did not commence until 1938. As part of the push to cut electricity costs and diversify supply, the Victorian Government (circa 1930) initiated the conversion from primarily brown coal supply to hydro – electricity. Field investigations during the 1940’s resulted in a new proposal for a scheme that had more than double the capacity of the 1938 scheme. The Kiewa Hydroelectric Scheme became the largest scheme of its kind in the State Of Victoria and the second largest scheme in Australia. The number of personnel involved in the planning and construction of the scheme increased dramatically. During the late 1940’s, most activity centred around the construction of the West Kiewa Power Station, Rocky Valley Reservoir, McKay Creek Power Station and the Bogong Creek Aqueduct.A common thread across all the larger hydro scheme constructions was the need for workers, both qualified and unqualified who came from around the world seeking a new life for themselves and their families. New accommodation and facilities were required for the army of workers engaged in construction in often remote and wild areas. The SEC had a high demand for timber, and set up the first of a number of sawmills at Bogong Creek in 1939 and set up the first hardwood logging in the headwaters of the Kiewa River. These new ‘towns’ such as Mt Beauty and Bogong, survived, serving the needs of operational personnel and their families, and expanding with growth of new industries. Mount Beauty, and to a lesser extent Bogong, are among these places. Large A3 size spiral bound display folder containing 21 pages of photocopied black and white photographs of various aspects of the early days of the Kiewa Valley Hydro-electric scheme including equipment, various work sites and photographs of workers and their families. 1-Mt Beauty Pondage inlet-Regulating weir 2-Langfords Gap Basalt Hill-Tunnel in quarry face.3-Rocky Valley Camp-from Engineering Office 4-Basalt Hill tunnel portal 5-No 1 Pressure Shaft Works Bench 6-No 1 Power Station 7-Overturned haulage wagons on the side of an embankment 8- Group of workers dressed in wet weather gear inside a tunnel 9-Workmen and vehicle in tunnel 10-Howman’s Gap campsite at 4,150 feet 1-1954 – Mt Beauty Pondage inlet – Regulating weir Page number 29 2-28/10/54 – Langfords Gap Basalt Hill – Tunnel in quarry face K7860 Page number 30 3-STATE ELECTRICITY COMMISSION OF VICTORIA Date: 17.8.55 Time: No K8132 Kiewa Hydro Electric Works ROCKY VALLEY CAMP – FROM ENGINEERING OFFICE Page number 31 4-28/10/54 – Basalt Hill tunnel portal K7859 Page number 32 5-No.1 Pressure Shaft Works Bench 5.7.56 Page number 33 6- No. 1 Power Station 26.4.59 Page number 34 7- No markings Page number 35 8-No markings (Wooden board on ground printed with - POLAR A.N.GELATINE DYNAMITE “75” DE 28.8.40) Page number 36 9-No markings Page number 37 10-Howman’s Gap campsite at 4,150 feet Page number 38 secv; kiewa hydro electric scheme; mt beauty; bogong; construction area

In 1940 Field Headquarters for the Kiewa Scheme were established at Bogong with office, workshop facilities and accommodation for workmen, staff and some families constructed. (There had been a 'tent camp' on this site in 1939 but was destroyed by bush fires) Construction of accommodation continued until 1947. A total of 40 houses plus a hostel for single staff, post office, police station, medical centre and primary school all with water and sewerage and electricity supply. The staff hostel was known as Kiewa House and is now occupied by the Education Department. Lake Guy was named after Mr. L.T. Guy who was the Resident Engineer in charge of construction work and associated activities on the Kiewa area. He held this position from 1939 to November 1946 when he was transferred to Head Office. The Bogong Township was developed firstly as an accommodation centre (base camp) for construction workers employed under the Kiewa Hydroelectric Scheme. Due to the influx of European workers into the Township the beautification of the immediate surrounds (gardens etc.) had a distinct European flavour. This environment has been very beneficial for tourism in later years. At the completion of the scheme, in the 1960's, the village was opened to public/tourism use. Strict environmental control has not allowed for any extensive redevelopment in tourist accommodation and basically restricted it to the accommodation initially built for the construction workers. Activities such a bike riding, snow skiing, restricted horse riding and bush walking on the Alpine plains and mountains are now a viable part of the Kiewa Valley Tourist Industry. The lake is one of the many water storage reservoirs used to supply the power stations their main power to run the huge turbines generating the final product, electricity3 black and white photographs of the Bogong camp area showing the clearing of trees for the construction of the Junction Dam and Lake Guy. Some administration buildings have been constructed, but part of the tent camp can be seen to the right of the photograph in front of the buildings. bogong village; junction dam; lake guy; kiewa hydro electric scheme; secv

This bag was used by the Timekeeper at Pretty Valley camp to carry timesheets to the administration building at Bogong and later at Mt Beauty. In the early days this bag was collected by the Timekeeper who rode a horse to the camps fortnightly.SECV - Kiewa Hydro Electric SchemeBrown leather mail bag with stitched gusset. Metal and leather handle fastened at the top by two metal rings attached to a leather covered rod. A flap at the front fastened by two metal press studs. Front pocket of leather and transparent material stitched on. Internal leather strap fastened by metal press stud in the centre. "SEC MAIL" stamped on the front flap and back of bag. Written inside in ink "BAG NO.11 TIMEKEEPER - PRETTY VALLEY". secv, khes, mail bag, timekeeper, pretty valley, payroll

Edmondson's Hut is a cattleman's hut on the Bogong High Plains. Jim Edmondson obtained Run 33 (near Mt Nelse) in the early 1930s. He pre cut the timber at his property in Tawonga and along with iron for the walls, chimney and roof took it up to the Bogong High Plains on pack horse. The hut's wall and ceiling were lined and the hut had a 'fairly good floor and bunks'. In 1971 the hut was donated to the Education Department and was approved for transfer by the Lands Department in 1974. Bogong Outdoor School camp has been using the hut for students to camp in as well as National Fitness parties when walking in the area. The upper Kiewa Valley was settled from the mid 1860s and from its earliest days cattle were taken on to the Bogong High Plains to graze during summer. Jim Edmondson took his cattle from the Kiewa Valley to Mt Fainter and later to Run 33, near Mt Nelse. His hut is significant in the history of Cattlemen's huts on the Bogong High Plains.Four A4 typed sheets on white paper - 1. Acknowledgement of transfer of Edmondson's Hut. 2. History of Visitors (to the hut) Prior to 1971. 3. Two poems. 4. One poem 1. Emblem of Education Dept. Centre top of page. Addressed to James Edmondson, Tawonga, Victoria. 2. Page headed History and Visitors prior 1971. 3. My Old black Poley Cow (and) Roper's Track. 4. So Long, Mates!education department. edmondson's hut. bogong high plains. cattlemen. poetry. cattleman hut. bush walking.

The Chick brothers, Alf, Les and Allan, plus friends, began trout fishing and camping in the Kiewa Valley before the early 1930s. Les continued his connection with the Kiewa River until his death in 1972. Fingerlings were placed in the Kiewa River from the early 1880s. Keegan's Bridge is a crossing near Upper Gundowring and about 4 km south east of Dederang. References to the crossing were made in the early 1900s and a petition presented to Council in 1904 calling for a bridge.The bridge was built and opened in 1907. The photos are of the release of fingerling trout in the Kiewa River, thought to be at Keegan's Bridge. The fingerlings were transported in drums on the back of trucks. The photos are c1940s.The Kiewa Valley has been a popular spot for fishermen, tourists and campers from the 1880s. One of the many attractions has been the excellent fishing along the Kiewa River due to the regular release of fish especially brown trout. This continues to the present day (2020) when a few fish were marked with $$ signs for the lucky fisherman who caught them. This attracts visitors, their families and boosts the economy and dates back to visits at the Tawonga Pub prior to the Kiewa Hydro Electric Scheme.19 page book with black plastic spine and clear plastic cover over the beige paper cover with title , author and black & white photo. Note: In KVHS photo collection there are 4 good quality reproduction photos on photographic paper. These have been produced professionally. These photos of Jan Hunter's are featured on the second page of her book. These also have a letter attached. The book is a pre-research paper & is No 33 of the Albury and District Historical Society Papers. The sub-title is "Trout releases and Keegan's Bridge / from the newpapers, 1882-1935"None on the book but a letter is attached from Jan Hunter, the author as a follow up to the photos she donated. On the photos - On the back: Fujifilm / Fujicolor Crystal Archive / Paper / Production - run codekiewa river; trout; fish; keegan's crossing; keegan's bridge; fingerlings; chick family; camping; tourism

The township of Mt. Beauty was built to provide family accommodation for personnel working on the construction of the Kiewa Scheme. construction commenced in 1946. Photo 1 is looking towards the corner of Lakeside Ave. and Kiewa Crescent. The Post Office is on the corner and the original building housing the Co op store was in Kiewa Crescent. Photo 2 is taken at a later date as the garden in front of the Post Office is well established. The Community Centre is centre left of the photo and the back buildings are the staff accommodation called "The Chalet". Photo 3. Farming country taken from Wallacedale. The Wallaces were one of he early farming families in the Kiewa Valley. Photo 4. This photo is of Junction Camp at Bogong Village and was commenced late in 1939 and by 1940 accommodated 96 men who were engaged in work on Junction Dam. Sleeping accommodation was provided in hutments, each of four rooms, each room being approx. 12 feet by 10 feet and provided for the accommodation of 2 men. This camp remained in use until November 1962.These photos have both historical and social significance. They show the type of accommodation available for workers during the construction of the SEC Kiewa Hydro Scheme as well as early streetscape views of Mt. Beauty. The Junction Camp photo also shows the state of the forest following the 1939 fires in the area.4 Black and white photographs of various sizes.Photo 1. On back, hand written in pencil: top left hand corner: "Sept 1950". Centre of photo: "Return to Gibson Envelope". Right hand side: "Cooper". Bottom left corner: "Mt. Beauty Camp SEC Kiewa Scheme". Photo 2. No inscriptions or markings. Photo 3. Back of photo handwritten in pencil: "In W>T> June 14. 1961 page31. Some of the farming country in the Kiewa Valley. This taken from the home of Mr. Geoff Wallace Wallacedale, Kergunyah where some of his 600 cattle were rounded up." Bottom right corner "Return to Gibson Envelope". There is a copyright stamp belonging to "the Herald & Weekly Times Ltd. also on the back. Photo 4. Typed on a sticker on the back of the photo "Stable attendants Cottage and Camp Sept. 1940".camp, sec kiewa scheme, kiewa, cattle, mt. beauty

The Athletics Club under the guidance of a committee of workers, which included Mr Stan Hemmings and Mr Alex McCullough, sponsored a Junior Athletics Club which became the Gra-Y Club for young boys and HY-Y for older lads. Mr A E Clark (YMCA) had the idea of adopting the American Gra-Y System which was to instil in the boys good principles and values similar to those of the service clubs i.e. YMCA, the Masons and Buffalo Lodge. Story has it that the town was virtually crime free for many years. The Athletics Club became a very powerful force in Mount Beauty and assisted other fledgling groups to get started. The committee had the bright idea that they could raise money and entertain the men who lived in the outlying camps by running sporting exhibitions by their members and the Gra-Y boys for entertainment.It is a connection to the early history of Mount Beauty regarding the start of an athletics club and the activities of the town.Wooden shield with metal 'ribbon' shaped engraved heading below which are 25 small (of varying sizes) metal shields each engraved with the winner's name, group and date. The dates range from 1952 to 1965. On the back, top middle, is a metal piece surrounding a hollow to enable the shield to be hung up on a flat surface.Heading: "Mt Beauty Junior Gra-y". Example of a small shield "Won by / Group 7 / R.Scott (Ldr) / 4th Quarter / 1953" mt beauty. gra-y club. juniors.

Possibly during a camping holiday at Swan Hill where they used to go in the early 1970sProcessed Nov 1973pam thoonen (nee ingram) collection, margaret rose fielding (nee teagle)

FELDBAUER / TEAGLE Theodore Albert ‘Curly’ Feldbauer was born 15 October 1909 at Melbourne, the son of Theodore Henry (a naturalised German) and Jessie Margarette Feldbauer. The family moved several times during his childhood but before he was 20 he was living and working in the Eltham district. He became a well-known local sportsman. He played cricket for the Montmorency Imperials in 1929 and 1930 in the Eltham Cricket Association and excelled as a footballer and football coach. There are press references at the time to minor misdemeanours and accidents: evidently he was up for a brawl or two, but he was also able to do a recitation at a social night to launch the Eltham Girls Club in 1932. He married a local girl, Violet Amelda Teagle, in 1933, the 12th of 13 Teagle offspring who lived in Frank Street. Curly and Violet’s first child, June, was born the following year. By 1935 Curly was honorary secretary of the Research Cricket Club. He continued playing cricket regularly, mainly for Research, through till the 1940 season, after the war had begun. The girls started at Research State School in 1939 and 1940, respectively. They lived near Violet’s parents in Frank Street. Curly and Violet’s daughter, Valerie Waller recalls: “We lived near my Teagle grandparents, who had a cow. Dad took over the milking. He would rest his head against the cow and sing to her. When he left to join the army, it took weeks before she would settle down to allow anyone else to milk her.” Curly’s service record is not yet accessible from the National Archives of Australia. Valerie Waller gives us some insight into that period between Curly joining and ultimately embarking for Singapore: “Before he sailed to Singapore, Mum would travel by train, to Seymour, to spend a few hours with him. He sent her postcards and called her his “dear love”. His idea was that the sooner everyone eligible joined up, the sooner the war would be over. He had a great love for Australia.” “While he was a prisoner, Mum received a few postcards from him, not in his neat handwriting, but in block letter printing, to tell her he had received no mail or parcels from her. He must have felt we’d forgotten him, because, of course, Mum had sent lots of parcels and letters, and the Japanese hadn’t handed them on.” Theo was one of over 2,000 Allied prisoners of war held in the Sandakan POW camp in north Borneo, having been transferred there from Singapore as part of B Force. The 1,494 POWs that made up B Force were transported from Changi [Singapore] on 7 July 1942 on board the tramp ship Ubi Maru, arriving in Sandakan Harbour on 18 July 1942. Sergeant Feldbauer, aged 35, died as a prisoner of the Japanese on 27 March 1945 at Sandakan Number 1 Camp. The Japanese recorded his death from Malaria. He has no known grave, but it is believed to be at Sandakan Number 2 Camp. His death was not reported in Australia until some months later. Valerie noted: “I will never forget the sound my mother made when she received the telegram saying Dad had died months earlier, ostensibly from Malaria, but he died during the march. The sound still haunts me.” Violet’s husband Theo is recognised on the Eltham Roll of Honour, which was commissioned by the Eltham War Memorial Trust to be hung in the Baby Health Centre opened in 1952; the first of three buildings, the others being the Eltham Kindergarten and Children’s Library, that were established as the Eltham War Memorial a living memorial, with a specific focus for the welfare of children of the district. Violet and Theo’s son Albert, being the youngest child of the children of soldier fathers attending a school in the district, was given the honour of turning the first sod for the Eltham War Memorial Building, 15 July 1950. In Loving Memory of Violet Feldbauer Died 7. 11 .1982 aged 88 Loved wife of Theo (Curly) Died P.O.W. Borneo 1945 Re-united Alongside Violet lay her parents, John Thomas and Margaret TeagleBorn Digitaleltham cemetery, gravestones, charles louis layfield, edwina may layfield (nee teagle), john thomas teagle, margaret teagle, theodore feldbauer, violet feldbauer (nee teagle), annie lillian devine, frederick raymond devine, eltham war memorial, honour board, roll of honour

My Recollections of Eltham Past by Margaret Joy Harding (nee Joy Chapman.) My family of Elizabeth and Alec Chapman moved to Eltham in 1946 into a cottage on the opposite side of the Diamond Creek from where the little train now operates in the Lower Park. At that time Eltham truly was a country town and the Pub was the main meeting place for most inhabitants on a Saturday afternoon in the beer garden. I attended Eltham Primary School where I started as a 4-year-old (my birthday being slightly after the mid-year intake) that happened then. My mother spent a lot of days taking me back to school when I had dismissed myself and walked the one kilomtre home alone. Bremner's Common (now Wingrove Park) was a big attraction with its dam and tad poling which I found much more entertaining than school. (Mrs Bremner ran a Service Station on the site of the current one). Another attraction at this site was the circus that came a couple of times a year. Watching them put up the circus tent was very interesting and even more of an attraction was the feeding of the Lions in cages and the monkeys and elephants among the other animals that are not found in a circus these days. At school then we were provided with hot chocolate at morning recess where the mothers would prepare it in the shelter shed. The only form of classroom heating was an open fire. Worse was the warm milk given in the summer months. By the time I was near finishing at Primary school we used to be able to walk along the Main Road at lunchtime to Mrs. Mitchell's shop to a delicious hot pie. As I recall there was no supervision for this departure from the school grounds. It is interesting that some of the other children I started school with I still have contact with, in fact one is a very good friend although now living in Perth. That is the other thing about Eltham; many who grew up here continue to live in the area. Following primary school, the natural progression was to Eltham High School. There was only the main building at that time and I can remember our first assembly at the front entrance. During the time I was at High School several new class rooms were added and the school hall. I remember the musical plays such as HMS Pinafore and other classical musicals being performed. I also remember countless hours doing marching practice. The main street shops when I was young consisted of the Blue Gum milk bar at the far end, a Grocery store and a shoe maker where Coles currently stands. Opposite there was Lyon's Garage. They also provided a bus service and when we got off the train this little bus would tour the back streets taking each individual to their home, sometimes this could take quite considerable time. There was also a Black Smith next to the Chiropractic Practice opposite Alistair Knox Park, another Milk Bar/General Store on the comer of Bridge Street/Main Road where a shop currently still operates. There was also a Butcher's shop down from the pub opposite Franklin Street. The only doctor was next to the courthouse on the other side of Brougham Street. On Saturday afternoon I was occasionally allowed to go the movies in the Town Hall which also stood on the site of the Coles centre. Often the Fire Alarm would sound and everyone would run outside to watch the fire truck leave with the volunteers clutching on the back. The other attraction during summer of course was the swimming pool which was a small concrete pool filled with water pumped from the Diamond Creek, sometimes it was like a mud puddle so for me the nearer to home Yarra/Diamond Creek junction was a much better option. We swam in the water hole which was quite deep and with fallen trees and sometimes carcasses of cows and kangaroos floating past. As recreation, the churches were another attraction for the Sunday school picnics to Mordialloc in the back of the moving van with benches tied into the back for us to "sit" on. Too bad when we went around a corner! In the early days we had an Ice Man deliver the ice once a week for "refrigeration". The green grocer came around in a horse and cart as did the milkman and the bread was delivered but I constantly got into trouble for eating the middle out on the way from the box it was delivered to in Mt Pleasant road across the paddock. The milkman finally would not come down our street after his horse bolted one morning and took off across the paddock. We also had the "Pan Man" come weekly and whose visit I would avoid. Our nearest shop was where the flower stall is located opposite the Lower Park. It consisted of a Tea Room and Milk Bar. There was a Public Telephone there which was the only contact to anyone else. We were a one car family so my mother’s movements were very limited as the Eltham Station was a couple of kilometres away and a trip to the city was an event. Being an only child growing up was a little lonely however rambling along the creek with my Mum, picking mushrooms and picking cherry plums for jam and the dogs catching rabbits which we ate if we could get them away from the dogs. We also liked to go into the Lower Park during school holidays when the Greek people came to camp and they would sing and dance around the camp fire and it all seemed so different to us as this was early days of immigration. Childhood was relatively simple and carefree and I wish the kids of today had the freedom of my youth and the healthy outdoor lifestyle of the "olden days".   SHOW GIRL COMPETITION In 1965 Eltham was more like a country town than the suburb it has become today. People knew each other, if not personally then certainly of the family name. The big event for the year was a Gymkhana or show at Lower Eltham Park. I can remember marching as a teenager from the town centre to the park in the marching girls with the decorated floats. In 1965, just on a whim on the day, I decided to enter the Miss Eltham Show Girl which was a part of the festivities at the park. I seem to remember that the show mainly consisted of horse events, cattle judging and dog show. As I had not given any serious thought to entering the competition, I wore a suit that I had for work which was brown wool, with a coffee coloured shirt under, black shoes, bag, and gloves but no hat. I duly paraded for the judges and much to my surprise I was announced the winner. I eventually went on to compete at the Miss Victoria Show Girl competition which was held at the Royal Melbourne Show. There I met many country girls who were representing their rural Victoria home. I made it into a final round of judging but I think justice prevailed when someone from a country background was crowned. It was fun to go into the show as I had not really been before and to see the displays of handcraft, cooking and wood chopping events was great as well as the judging of farm animals interesting. It is hard to remember the Eltham I grew up in. The Lyons Garage company bus that actually drove you home (or close to it) when we got off the train at night. The Eltham Hotel on a Saturday afternoon a usual social meeting place where people just sat and chatted. The pictures held in the Town Hall and when the fire alarm sounded all the men just jumped up and ran to help. Suburbia has now swallowed most of that life but thankfully we at least do have the trestle bridge and parkland. Digital file only - Black and white photo print on loan for scanning by EDHSalec chapman, annie bremner, blacksmith, bremner's flat, brougham steet, bus services, circus, diamond creek, dianne bell, doctor bradbury, easter gymkhana, elizabeth chapman, eltham high school, eltham hotel, eltham lower park, eltham public hall, eltham state school, eltham trestle bridge, general store, grace mitchell, ice man, joy chapman, lyons garage, margaret harding, milk bar, miss eltham 1965, miss victoria show girl, mount pleasant road, pan man, rodda parade, shops, show girl competition, swimming pool, water hole, yarra river

My Recollections of Eltham Past by Margaret Joy Harding (nee Joy Chapman.) My family of Elizabeth and Alec Chapman moved to Eltham in 1946 into a cottage on the opposite side of the Diamond Creek from where the little train now operates in the Lower Park. At that time Eltham truly was a country town and the Pub was the main meeting place for most inhabitants on a Saturday afternoon in the beer garden. I attended Eltham Primary School where I started as a 4-year-old (my birthday being slightly after the mid-year intake) that happened then. My mother spent a lot of days taking me back to school when I had dismissed myself and walked the one kilomtre home alone. Bremner's Common (now Wingrove Park) was a big attraction with its dam and tad poling which I found much more entertaining than school. (Mrs Bremner ran a Service Station on the site of the current one). Another attraction at this site was the circus that came a couple of times a year. Watching them put up the circus tent was very interesting and even more of an attraction was the feeding of the Lions in cages and the monkeys and elephants among the other animals that are not found in a circus these days. At school then we were provided with hot chocolate at morning recess where the mothers would prepare it in the shelter shed. The only form of classroom heating was an open fire. Worse was the warm milk given in the summer months. By the time I was near finishing at Primary school we used to be able to walk along the Main Road at lunchtime to Mrs. Mitchell's shop to a delicious hot pie. As I recall there was no supervision for this departure from the school grounds. It is interesting that some of the other children I started school with I still have contact with, in fact one is a very good friend although now living in Perth. That is the other thing about Eltham; many who grew up here continue to live in the area. Following primary school, the natural progression was to Eltham High School. There was only the main building at that time and I can remember our first assembly at the front entrance. During the time I was at High School several new class rooms were added and the school hall. I remember the musical plays such as HMS Pinafore and other classical musicals being performed. I also remember countless hours doing marching practice. The main street shops when I was young consisted of the Blue Gum milk bar at the far end, a Grocery store and a shoe maker where Coles currently stands. Opposite there was Lyon's Garage. They also provided a bus service and when we got off the train this little bus would tour the back streets taking each individual to their home, sometimes this could take quite considerable time. There was also a Black Smith next to the Chiropractic Practice opposite Alistair Knox Park, another Milk Bar/General Store on the comer of Bridge Street/Main Road where a shop currently still operates. There was also a Butcher's shop down from the pub opposite Franklin Street. The only doctor was next to the courthouse on the other side of Brougham Street. On Saturday afternoon I was occasionally allowed to go the movies in the Town Hall which also stood on the site of the Coles centre. Often the Fire Alarm would sound and everyone would run outside to watch the fire truck leave with the volunteers clutching on the back. The other attraction during summer of course was the swimming pool which was a small concrete pool filled with water pumped from the Diamond Creek, sometimes it was like a mud puddle so for me the nearer to home Yarra/Diamond Creek junction was a much better option. We swam in the water hole which was quite deep and with fallen trees and sometimes carcasses of cows and kangaroos floating past. As recreation, the churches were another attraction for the Sunday school picnics to Mordialloc in the back of the moving van with benches tied into the back for us to "sit" on. Too bad when we went around a corner! In the early days we had an Ice Man deliver the ice once a week for "refrigeration". The green grocer came around in a horse and cart as did the milkman and the bread was delivered but I constantly got into trouble for eating the middle out on the way from the box it was delivered to in Mt Pleasant road across the paddock. The milkman finally would not come down our street after his horse bolted one morning and took off across the paddock. We also had the "Pan Man" come weekly and whose visit I would avoid. Our nearest shop was where the flower stall is located opposite the Lower Park. It consisted of a Tea Room and Milk Bar. There was a Public Telephone there which was the only contact to anyone else. We were a one car family so my mother’s movements were very limited as the Eltham Station was a couple of kilometres away and a trip to the city was an event. Being an only child growing up was a little lonely however rambling along the creek with my Mum, picking mushrooms and picking cherry plums for jam and the dogs catching rabbits which we ate if we could get them away from the dogs. We also liked to go into the Lower Park during school holidays when the Greek people came to camp and they would sing and dance around the camp fire and it all seemed so different to us as this was early days of immigration. Childhood was relatively simple and carefree and I wish the kids of today had the freedom of my youth and the healthy outdoor lifestyle of the "olden days".   SHOW GIRL COMPETITION In 1965 Eltham was more like a country town than the suburb it has become today. People knew each other, if not personally then certainly of the family name. The big event for the year was a Gymkhana or show at Lower Eltham Park. I can remember marching as a teenager from the town centre to the park in the marching girls with the decorated floats. In 1965, just on a whim on the day, I decided to enter the Miss Eltham Show Girl which was a part of the festivities at the park. I seem to remember that the show mainly consisted of horse events, cattle judging and dog show. As I had not given any serious thought to entering the competition, I wore a suit that I had for work which was brown wool, with a coffee coloured shirt under, black shoes, bag, and gloves but no hat. I duly paraded for the judges and much to my surprise I was announced the winner. I eventually went on to compete at the Miss Victoria Show Girl competition which was held at the Royal Melbourne Show. There I met many country girls who were representing their rural Victoria home. I made it into a final round of judging but I think justice prevailed when someone from a country background was crowned. It was fun to go into the show as I had not really been before and to see the displays of handcraft, cooking and wood chopping events was great as well as the judging of farm animals interesting. It is hard to remember the Eltham I grew up in. The Lyons Garage company bus that actually drove you home (or close to it) when we got off the train at night. The Eltham Hotel on a Saturday afternoon a usual social meeting place where people just sat and chatted. The pictures held in the Town Hall and when the fire alarm sounded all the men just jumped up and ran to help. Suburbia has now swallowed most of that life but thankfully we at least do have the trestle bridge and parkland. Digital file only - Black and white photo print on loan for scanning by EDHSalec chapman, annie bremner, blacksmith, bremner's flat, brougham steet, bus services, circus, diamond creek, dianne bell, doctor bradbury, easter gymkhana, elizabeth chapman, eltham high school, eltham hotel, eltham lower park, eltham public hall, eltham state school, eltham trestle bridge, general store, grace mitchell, ice man, joy chapman, lyons garage, margaret harding, milk bar, miss eltham 1965, miss victoria show girl, mount pleasant road, pan man, rodda parade, shops, show girl competition, swimming pool, water hole, yarra river

My Recollections of Eltham Past by Margaret Joy Harding (nee Joy Chapman.) My family of Elizabeth and Alec Chapman moved to Eltham in 1946 into a cottage on the opposite side of the Diamond Creek from where the little train now operates in the Lower Park. At that time Eltham truly was a country town and the Pub was the main meeting place for most inhabitants on a Saturday afternoon in the beer garden. I attended Eltham Primary School where I started as a 4-year-old (my birthday being slightly after the mid-year intake) that happened then. My mother spent a lot of days taking me back to school when I had dismissed myself and walked the one kilomtre home alone. Bremner's Common (now Wingrove Park) was a big attraction with its dam and tad poling which I found much more entertaining than school. (Mrs Bremner ran a Service Station on the site of the current one). Another attraction at this site was the circus that came a couple of times a year. Watching them put up the circus tent was very interesting and even more of an attraction was the feeding of the Lions in cages and the monkeys and elephants among the other animals that are not found in a circus these days. At school then we were provided with hot chocolate at morning recess where the mothers would prepare it in the shelter shed. The only form of classroom heating was an open fire. Worse was the warm milk given in the summer months. By the time I was near finishing at Primary school we used to be able to walk along the Main Road at lunchtime to Mrs. Mitchell's shop to a delicious hot pie. As I recall there was no supervision for this departure from the school grounds. It is interesting that some of the other children I started school with I still have contact with, in fact one is a very good friend although now living in Perth. That is the other thing about Eltham; many who grew up here continue to live in the area. Following primary school, the natural progression was to Eltham High School. There was only the main building at that time and I can remember our first assembly at the front entrance. During the time I was at High School several new class rooms were added and the school hall. I remember the musical plays such as HMS Pinafore and other classical musicals being performed. I also remember countless hours doing marching practice. The main street shops when I was young consisted of the Blue Gum milk bar at the far end, a Grocery store and a shoe maker where Coles currently stands. Opposite there was Lyon's Garage. They also provided a bus service and when we got off the train this little bus would tour the back streets taking each individual to their home, sometimes this could take quite considerable time. There was also a Black Smith next to the Chiropractic Practice opposite Alistair Knox Park, another Milk Bar/General Store on the comer of Bridge Street/Main Road where a shop currently still operates. There was also a Butcher's shop down from the pub opposite Franklin Street. The only doctor was next to the courthouse on the other side of Brougham Street. On Saturday afternoon I was occasionally allowed to go the movies in the Town Hall which also stood on the site of the Coles centre. Often the Fire Alarm would sound and everyone would run outside to watch the fire truck leave with the volunteers clutching on the back. The other attraction during summer of course was the swimming pool which was a small concrete pool filled with water pumped from the Diamond Creek, sometimes it was like a mud puddle so for me the nearer to home Yarra/Diamond Creek junction was a much better option. We swam in the water hole which was quite deep and with fallen trees and sometimes carcasses of cows and kangaroos floating past. As recreation, the churches were another attraction for the Sunday school picnics to Mordialloc in the back of the moving van with benches tied into the back for us to "sit" on. Too bad when we went around a corner! In the early days we had an Ice Man deliver the ice once a week for "refrigeration". The green grocer came around in a horse and cart as did the milkman and the bread was delivered but I constantly got into trouble for eating the middle out on the way from the box it was delivered to in Mt Pleasant road across the paddock. The milkman finally would not come down our street after his horse bolted one morning and took off across the paddock. We also had the "Pan Man" come weekly and whose visit I would avoid. Our nearest shop was where the flower stall is located opposite the Lower Park. It consisted of a Tea Room and Milk Bar. There was a Public Telephone there which was the only contact to anyone else. We were a one car family so my mother’s movements were very limited as the Eltham Station was a couple of kilometres away and a trip to the city was an event. Being an only child growing up was a little lonely however rambling along the creek with my Mum, picking mushrooms and picking cherry plums for jam and the dogs catching rabbits which we ate if we could get them away from the dogs. We also liked to go into the Lower Park during school holidays when the Greek people came to camp and they would sing and dance around the camp fire and it all seemed so different to us as this was early days of immigration. Childhood was relatively simple and carefree and I wish the kids of today had the freedom of my youth and the healthy outdoor lifestyle of the "olden days".   SHOW GIRL COMPETITION In 1965 Eltham was more like a country town than the suburb it has become today. People knew each other, if not personally then certainly of the family name. The big event for the year was a Gymkhana or show at Lower Eltham Park. I can remember marching as a teenager from the town centre to the park in the marching girls with the decorated floats. In 1965, just on a whim on the day, I decided to enter the Miss Eltham Show Girl which was a part of the festivities at the park. I seem to remember that the show mainly consisted of horse events, cattle judging and dog show. As I had not given any serious thought to entering the competition, I wore a suit that I had for work which was brown wool, with a coffee coloured shirt under, black shoes, bag, and gloves but no hat. I duly paraded for the judges and much to my surprise I was announced the winner. I eventually went on to compete at the Miss Victoria Show Girl competition which was held at the Royal Melbourne Show. There I met many country girls who were representing their rural Victoria home. I made it into a final round of judging but I think justice prevailed when someone from a country background was crowned. It was fun to go into the show as I had not really been before and to see the displays of handcraft, cooking and wood chopping events was great as well as the judging of farm animals interesting. It is hard to remember the Eltham I grew up in. The Lyons Garage company bus that actually drove you home (or close to it) when we got off the train at night. The Eltham Hotel on a Saturday afternoon a usual social meeting place where people just sat and chatted. The pictures held in the Town Hall and when the fire alarm sounded all the men just jumped up and ran to help. Suburbia has now swallowed most of that life but thankfully we at least do have the trestle bridge and parkland. Digital file only - Black and white photo print on loan for scanning by EDHSalec chapman, annie bremner, blacksmith, bremner's flat, brougham steet, bus services, circus, diamond creek, dianne bell, doctor bradbury, easter gymkhana, elizabeth chapman, eltham high school, eltham hotel, eltham lower park, eltham public hall, eltham state school, eltham trestle bridge, general store, grace mitchell, ice man, joy chapman, lyons garage, margaret harding, milk bar, miss eltham 1965, miss victoria show girl, mount pleasant road, pan man, rodda parade, shops, show girl competition, swimming pool, water hole, yarra river

My Recollections of Eltham Past by Margaret Joy Harding (nee Joy Chapman.) My family of Elizabeth and Alec Chapman moved to Eltham in 1946 into a cottage on the opposite side of the Diamond Creek from where the little train now operates in the Lower Park. At that time Eltham truly was a country town and the Pub was the main meeting place for most inhabitants on a Saturday afternoon in the beer garden. I attended Eltham Primary School where I started as a 4-year-old (my birthday being slightly after the mid-year intake) that happened then. My mother spent a lot of days taking me back to school when I had dismissed myself and walked the one kilomtre home alone. Bremner's Common (now Wingrove Park) was a big attraction with its dam and tad poling which I found much more entertaining than school. (Mrs Bremner ran a Service Station on the site of the current one). Another attraction at this site was the circus that came a couple of times a year. Watching them put up the circus tent was very interesting and even more of an attraction was the feeding of the Lions in cages and the monkeys and elephants among the other animals that are not found in a circus these days. At school then we were provided with hot chocolate at morning recess where the mothers would prepare it in the shelter shed. The only form of classroom heating was an open fire. Worse was the warm milk given in the summer months. By the time I was near finishing at Primary school we used to be able to walk along the Main Road at lunchtime to Mrs. Mitchell's shop to a delicious hot pie. As I recall there was no supervision for this departure from the school grounds. It is interesting that some of the other children I started school with I still have contact with, in fact one is a very good friend although now living in Perth. That is the other thing about Eltham; many who grew up here continue to live in the area. Following primary school, the natural progression was to Eltham High School. There was only the main building at that time and I can remember our first assembly at the front entrance. During the time I was at High School several new class rooms were added and the school hall. I remember the musical plays such as HMS Pinafore and other classical musicals being performed. I also remember countless hours doing marching practice. The main street shops when I was young consisted of the Blue Gum milk bar at the far end, a Grocery store and a shoe maker where Coles currently stands. Opposite there was Lyon's Garage. They also provided a bus service and when we got off the train this little bus would tour the back streets taking each individual to their home, sometimes this could take quite considerable time. There was also a Black Smith next to the Chiropractic Practice opposite Alistair Knox Park, another Milk Bar/General Store on the comer of Bridge Street/Main Road where a shop currently still operates. There was also a Butcher's shop down from the pub opposite Franklin Street. The only doctor was next to the courthouse on the other side of Brougham Street. On Saturday afternoon I was occasionally allowed to go the movies in the Town Hall which also stood on the site of the Coles centre. Often the Fire Alarm would sound and everyone would run outside to watch the fire truck leave with the volunteers clutching on the back. The other attraction during summer of course was the swimming pool which was a small concrete pool filled with water pumped from the Diamond Creek, sometimes it was like a mud puddle so for me the nearer to home Yarra/Diamond Creek junction was a much better option. We swam in the water hole which was quite deep and with fallen trees and sometimes carcasses of cows and kangaroos floating past. As recreation, the churches were another attraction for the Sunday school picnics to Mordialloc in the back of the moving van with benches tied into the back for us to "sit" on. Too bad when we went around a corner! In the early days we had an Ice Man deliver the ice once a week for "refrigeration". The green grocer came around in a horse and cart as did the milkman and the bread was delivered but I constantly got into trouble for eating the middle out on the way from the box it was delivered to in Mt Pleasant road across the paddock. The milkman finally would not come down our street after his horse bolted one morning and took off across the paddock. We also had the "Pan Man" come weekly and whose visit I would avoid. Our nearest shop was where the flower stall is located opposite the Lower Park. It consisted of a Tea Room and Milk Bar. There was a Public Telephone there which was the only contact to anyone else. We were a one car family so my mother’s movements were very limited as the Eltham Station was a couple of kilometres away and a trip to the city was an event. Being an only child growing up was a little lonely however rambling along the creek with my Mum, picking mushrooms and picking cherry plums for jam and the dogs catching rabbits which we ate if we could get them away from the dogs. We also liked to go into the Lower Park during school holidays when the Greek people came to camp and they would sing and dance around the camp fire and it all seemed so different to us as this was early days of immigration. Childhood was relatively simple and carefree and I wish the kids of today had the freedom of my youth and the healthy outdoor lifestyle of the "olden days".   SHOW GIRL COMPETITION In 1965 Eltham was more like a country town than the suburb it has become today. People knew each other, if not personally then certainly of the family name. The big event for the year was a Gymkhana or show at Lower Eltham Park. I can remember marching as a teenager from the town centre to the park in the marching girls with the decorated floats. In 1965, just on a whim on the day, I decided to enter the Miss Eltham Show Girl which was a part of the festivities at the park. I seem to remember that the show mainly consisted of horse events, cattle judging and dog show. As I had not given any serious thought to entering the competition, I wore a suit that I had for work which was brown wool, with a coffee coloured shirt under, black shoes, bag, and gloves but no hat. I duly paraded for the judges and much to my surprise I was announced the winner. I eventually went on to compete at the Miss Victoria Show Girl competition which was held at the Royal Melbourne Show. There I met many country girls who were representing their rural Victoria home. I made it into a final round of judging but I think justice prevailed when someone from a country background was crowned. It was fun to go into the show as I had not really been before and to see the displays of handcraft, cooking and wood chopping events was great as well as the judging of farm animals interesting. It is hard to remember the Eltham I grew up in. The Lyons Garage company bus that actually drove you home (or close to it) when we got off the train at night. The Eltham Hotel on a Saturday afternoon a usual social meeting place where people just sat and chatted. The pictures held in the Town Hall and when the fire alarm sounded all the men just jumped up and ran to help. Suburbia has now swallowed most of that life but thankfully we at least do have the trestle bridge and parkland. Born digitalalec chapman, annie bremner, blacksmith, bremner's flat, brougham steet, bus services, circus, diamond creek, dianne bell, doctor bradbury, easter gymkhana, elizabeth chapman, eltham high school, eltham hotel, eltham lower park, eltham public hall, eltham state school, eltham trestle bridge, general store, grace mitchell, ice man, joy chapman, lyons garage, margaret harding, milk bar, miss eltham 1965, miss victoria show girl, mount pleasant road, pan man, rodda parade, shops, show girl competition, swimming pool, water hole, yarra river

My Recollections of Eltham Past by Margaret Joy Harding (nee Joy Chapman.) My family of Elizabeth and Alec Chapman moved to Eltham in 1946 into a cottage on the opposite side of the Diamond Creek from where the little train now operates in the Lower Park. At that time Eltham truly was a country town and the Pub was the main meeting place for most inhabitants on a Saturday afternoon in the beer garden. I attended Eltham Primary School where I started as a 4-year-old (my birthday being slightly after the mid-year intake) that happened then. My mother spent a lot of days taking me back to school when I had dismissed myself and walked the one kilomtre home alone. Bremner's Common (now Wingrove Park) was a big attraction with its dam and tad poling which I found much more entertaining than school. (Mrs Bremner ran a Service Station on the site of the current one). Another attraction at this site was the circus that came a couple of times a year. Watching them put up the circus tent was very interesting and even more of an attraction was the feeding of the Lions in cages and the monkeys and elephants among the other animals that are not found in a circus these days. At school then we were provided with hot chocolate at morning recess where the mothers would prepare it in the shelter shed. The only form of classroom heating was an open fire. Worse was the warm milk given in the summer months. By the time I was near finishing at Primary school we used to be able to walk along the Main Road at lunchtime to Mrs. Mitchell's shop to a delicious hot pie. As I recall there was no supervision for this departure from the school grounds. It is interesting that some of the other children I started school with I still have contact with, in fact one is a very good friend although now living in Perth. That is the other thing about Eltham; many who grew up here continue to live in the area. Following primary school, the natural progression was to Eltham High School. There was only the main building at that time and I can remember our first assembly at the front entrance. During the time I was at High School several new class rooms were added and the school hall. I remember the musical plays such as HMS Pinafore and other classical musicals being performed. I also remember countless hours doing marching practice. The main street shops when I was young consisted of the Blue Gum milk bar at the far end, a Grocery store and a shoe maker where Coles currently stands. Opposite there was Lyon's Garage. They also provided a bus service and when we got off the train this little bus would tour the back streets taking each individual to their home, sometimes this could take quite considerable time. There was also a Black Smith next to the Chiropractic Practice opposite Alistair Knox Park, another Milk Bar/General Store on the comer of Bridge Street/Main Road where a shop currently still operates. There was also a Butcher's shop down from the pub opposite Franklin Street. The only doctor was next to the courthouse on the other side of Brougham Street. On Saturday afternoon I was occasionally allowed to go the movies in the Town Hall which also stood on the site of the Coles centre. Often the Fire Alarm would sound and everyone would run outside to watch the fire truck leave with the volunteers clutching on the back. The other attraction during summer of course was the swimming pool which was a small concrete pool filled with water pumped from the Diamond Creek, sometimes it was like a mud puddle so for me the nearer to home Yarra/Diamond Creek junction was a much better option. We swam in the water hole which was quite deep and with fallen trees and sometimes carcasses of cows and kangaroos floating past. As recreation, the churches were another attraction for the Sunday school picnics to Mordialloc in the back of the moving van with benches tied into the back for us to "sit" on. Too bad when we went around a corner! In the early days we had an Ice Man deliver the ice once a week for "refrigeration". The green grocer came around in a horse and cart as did the milkman and the bread was delivered but I constantly got into trouble for eating the middle out on the way from the box it was delivered to in Mt Pleasant road across the paddock. The milkman finally would not come down our street after his horse bolted one morning and took off across the paddock. We also had the "Pan Man" come weekly and whose visit I would avoid. Our nearest shop was where the flower stall is located opposite the Lower Park. It consisted of a Tea Room and Milk Bar. There was a Public Telephone there which was the only contact to anyone else. We were a one car family so my mother’s movements were very limited as the Eltham Station was a couple of kilometres away and a trip to the city was an event. Being an only child growing up was a little lonely however rambling along the creek with my Mum, picking mushrooms and picking cherry plums for jam and the dogs catching rabbits which we ate if we could get them away from the dogs. We also liked to go into the Lower Park during school holidays when the Greek people came to camp and they would sing and dance around the camp fire and it all seemed so different to us as this was early days of immigration. Childhood was relatively simple and carefree and I wish the kids of today had the freedom of my youth and the healthy outdoor lifestyle of the "olden days".   SHOW GIRL COMPETITION In 1965 Eltham was more like a country town than the suburb it has become today. People knew each other, if not personally then certainly of the family name. The big event for the year was a Gymkhana or show at Lower Eltham Park. I can remember marching as a teenager from the town centre to the park in the marching girls with the decorated floats. In 1965, just on a whim on the day, I decided to enter the Miss Eltham Show Girl which was a part of the festivities at the park. I seem to remember that the show mainly consisted of horse events, cattle judging and dog show. As I had not given any serious thought to entering the competition, I wore a suit that I had for work which was brown wool, with a coffee coloured shirt under, black shoes, bag, and gloves but no hat. I duly paraded for the judges and much to my surprise I was announced the winner. I eventually went on to compete at the Miss Victoria Show Girl competition which was held at the Royal Melbourne Show. There I met many country girls who were representing their rural Victoria home. I made it into a final round of judging but I think justice prevailed when someone from a country background was crowned. It was fun to go into the show as I had not really been before and to see the displays of handcraft, cooking and wood chopping events was great as well as the judging of farm animals interesting. It is hard to remember the Eltham I grew up in. The Lyons Garage company bus that actually drove you home (or close to it) when we got off the train at night. The Eltham Hotel on a Saturday afternoon a usual social meeting place where people just sat and chatted. The pictures held in the Town Hall and when the fire alarm sounded all the men just jumped up and ran to help. Suburbia has now swallowed most of that life but thankfully we at least do have the trestle bridge and parkland. Digital file only - Black and white photo print on loan for scanning by EDHSalec chapman, annie bremner, blacksmith, bremner's flat, brougham steet, bus services, circus, diamond creek, dianne bell, doctor bradbury, easter gymkhana, elizabeth chapman, eltham high school, eltham hotel, eltham lower park, eltham public hall, eltham state school, eltham trestle bridge, general store, grace mitchell, ice man, joy chapman, lyons garage, margaret harding, milk bar, miss eltham 1965, miss victoria show girl, mount pleasant road, pan man, rodda parade, shops, show girl competition, swimming pool, water hole, yarra river