Poduced as a supplement to the Diamond Valley News in celebration of the centenary of the Shire of Eltham in 1971. Contains stories of historical note about people and places of the shire as well as numerous advertisng by local businsesses. Also on page 1 lists the program of events commencing Friday, April 2 commencing with a dinner and previewing of paintings by Justus Jorgensen at Montsalvat attended by the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. W. H. McMahon running through to the publication of Pioneers & Painters edited by Alan Marshall. Contents: Page 1 Program of Events Page 2 Wingrove . . man of Eltham Page 3 Council people of 100 years Page 5 Capt. Sweeney, Eltham’s first Irish settler Page 6 Station a tribute to ex-concillor Page 7 Eltham 25 Years Ago just a street Page 9 Kangaroo Ground – once the hub of the shire Page 10 Festival of Arts and Crafts at Montsalvat Page 11 Obelisk honours their memory Page 11 Henry Dendy – an Eltham venture Page 12 Free by rail – if they worked Page 12 The long shadow of Ween Cameron Page 13 McMahon’s – a momentous era Page 14 50 Years Ago . . . Lyon Bros Ford Page 15 Beer at 3d. a pint Page 17 Oldest Home Built in 1850 Page 19 History in black and white . . . . Page 20 Historical Pigeon Bank Page 22 Bridge over log crossing Page 22 Pioneer shot by outlaw Page 23 Milestone for Smith Family Page 24 The Eltham Chamber of Commerce Mardi Gras Advertisers: F.J. & R. Favier (Butcher & Delicatessen Lower Plenty) Eltham Hotel Country Art Store (Eltham) A.R. Warren (Eltham) Heidelberg Travel Service Williams Butcher (Lower Plenty) Greensborough Bulk Store Mac’s Meats (Eltham) Buxton Garden Ornaments (Eltham) Hugh Fisher Photographer (Eltham) Para (Mach. Trading Co. (Greensborough) Westfield Shoppingtown (Doncaster) Clinton’s (Eltham) Gillespie & Lewis P/L (Soft Furnishings Greensborough) T. Hutchinson’s Engineers (Greensborough) Knox & Hellemons Pty Ltd (Builders) Angliss Butchers (Eltham) Rainbow Real Estate (Research) Research Licensed Supermarket Gibsons Research Meat Supply Owen Holmes Motors (Greensborough) Research Pharmacy R. & P. Humphries Delicatessen (Eltham) Montsalvat Eltham Apex Mowerama (Eltham) R.H. Dean & Son Real Estate (Greensborough) L.J. & J.D. Avery Butchers (Eltham) Deylen & Torikov (Motor Engineers Eltham) George Lovitt & Co. Pty Ltd Precision Engineers and Toolmakers Montmorency) Fred’s Mower Repairs (Lower Plenty) Gray’s Milk Bar (Montmorency) Maranne Beauty Salon (Montmorency) Evans Bros. & Newell Pty Ltd (Printing Greensborough) La Ronde Restaurant (Eltham) Terry & Margaret’s Garage (Caltex Lower Plenty) Kevin Dawson Building & Joinery Contractors (Eltham) Montmorency Authorised Newsagency Eltham Produce Store (W.J. Cameron) Consolidated Aluminium (Aust.) Pty Ltd (Eltham) Briar Hill Timber & Trading Co. Pty Ltd Diamond Valley Coaches (Eltham) Lyon Bros Ford (Eltham) The Natural Development Association (Eltham Shire) Alan Whitmore R.E.S.I. (Eltham) Keith Wilkie’s Mensland (Montmorency) Eltham Home Supplies (Eltham) Safeway (Greensborough) Lower Plenty Fish Supply Blue Gum Milk Bar (Eltham) W. Hutchinson Sand Soil & Gravel Suppliers (Greensborough) Keyzers Milk Bar (Greensborough) P.J. Timber & Trading Pty Ltd (Eltham) Diamond Valley Motocycles (Honda Macleod) Neville F. Emerson Real Estate (Lower Plenty) Edon Engineering (Eltham) Mobil Service Centre (Eltham) C.A. & J.M. Kohlman (Panton Hill General Store) C.A. & J.M. Kohlman (Smiths Gully General Store) ANZ (Eltham) Diamond Valley Demolition (Eltham) Volkswagen Specialists (D. Young Greensborough) N.F. Thorpe Pty Ltd Precision Engineers (Briar Hill) Ashley’s Milk Bar (Montmorency) J. Turnbull (General Blacksmith Greensborough) Airlook Service Station (Montmorency) A. & L. Mallios (Grocer Hurstbridge) United Refrigeration Pty Ltd (Greensborough) Peter McDougall & Associates Real Estate (Eltham) Hurstbridge Bus & Taxi Service Pty Ltd Browne Bros. Safeway (Eltham) St Andrews Hotel Eltham Real Estate Pty Ltd Eltham Chamber of Commerce B.P. Evergreen Service Station (Eltham) A.R. Warren Fuel Merchant (Eltham) W. Penna Chemist (Eltham) PPH Produce Paint Hardware (Eltham) Eltham Cake Kitchen (Eltham) Fred Ramak Continental Hairdresser (Eltham) Clinton’s (Eltham) Thompson’s Pharmacy (Eltham) Tillings Timber Supermarket (Eltham) Lyon Bros Ford (Eltham) Bob Clarke’s Men’s Wear (Eltham) Eltham Glen Service Station (Eltham) Miss V. Rampton Naturopath (Eltham) Eltham South Milk Bar (Eltham) Eltham Jewellers (Eltham) Baines Supa-Valu Supermarket (Eltham) Sibbel Builders P/L (Eltham) G. & E. Reivers Fly and Shower Screens (Eltham) Kenton Shoeland (Eltham) Eltham Newsagency (Eltham)One copy marked '1971' on fronta. & l. mallios (grocer hurstbridge), a.r. warren (eltham), a.r. warren fuel merchant (eltham), airlook service station (montmorency), alan whitmore r.e.s.i. (eltham), angliss butchers (eltham), anz (eltham), ashley’s milk bar (montmorency), b.p. evergreen service station (eltham), baines supa-valu supermarket (eltham), blue gum milk bar (eltham), bob clarke’s men’s wear (eltham), briar hill timber & trading co. pty ltd, browne bros. safeway (eltham), buxton garden ornaments (eltham), c.a. & j.m. kohlman (panton hill general store), c.a. & j.m. kohlman (smiths gully general store), clinton’s (eltham), consolidated aluminium (aust.) pty ltd (eltham), country art store (eltham), deylen & torikov (motor engineers eltham), diamond valley coaches (eltham), diamond valley demolition (eltham), diamond valley motocycles (honda macleod), edon engineering (eltham), eltham apex, eltham cake kitchen (eltham), eltham chamber of commerce, eltham glen service station (eltham), eltham home supplies (eltham), eltham hotel, eltham jewellers (eltham), eltham newsagency (eltham), eltham produce store (w.j. cameron), eltham real estate pty ltd, eltham south milk bar (eltham), evans bros. & newell pty ltd (printing greensborough), f.j. & r. favier (butcher & delicatessen lower plenty), fred ramak continental hairdresser (eltham), fred’s mower repairs (lower plenty), g. & e. reivers fly and shower screens (eltham), george lovitt & co. pty ltd precision engineers and toolmakers montmorency), gibsons research meat supply, gillespie & lewis p/l (soft furnishings greensborough), gray’s milk bar (montmorency), greensborough bulk store, heidelberg travel service, hugh fisher photographer (eltham), hurstbridge bus & taxi service pty ltd, j. turnbull (general blacksmith greensborough), keith wilkie’s mensland (montmorency), kenton shoeland (eltham), kevin dawson building & joinery contractors (eltham), keyzers milk bar (greensborough), knox & hellemons pty ltd (builders), l.j. & j.d. avery butchers (eltham), la ronde restaurant (eltham), lower plenty fish supply, lyon bros ford (eltham), mac’s meats (eltham), maranne beauty salon (montmorency), miss v. rampton naturopath (eltham), mobil service centre (eltham), montmorency authorised newsagency, montsalvat, mowerama (eltham), n.f. thorpe pty ltd precision engineers (briar hill), neville f. emerson real estate (lower plenty), owen holmes motors (greensborough), p.j. timber & trading pty ltd (eltham), para (mach. trading co. (greensborough), peter mcdougall & associates real estate (eltham), pph produce paint hardware (eltham), r. & p. humphries delicatessen (eltham), r.h. dean & son real estate (greensborough), rainbow real estate (research), research licensed supermarket, research pharmacy, safeway (greensborough), shire of eltham centenary, sibbel builders p/l (eltham), st andrews hotel, t. hutchinson’s engineers (greensborough), terry & margaret’s garage (caltex lower plenty), the natural development association (eltham shire), thompson’s pharmacy (eltham), tillings timber supermarket (eltham), united refrigeration pty ltd (greensborough), volkswagen specialists (d. young greensborough), w. hutchinson sand soil & gravel suppliers (greensborough), w. penna chemist (eltham), westfield shoppingtown (doncaster), williams butcher (lower plenty), a. roy ford, a.g. thomas, agnes bell, albert h. price, andrew ross, anton w. brinkkotter, arthur brindley, b. bessant, b.w. plant, bell family, charles wingrove, culla hill, dave lyon, david w. bell, e.j. andrew, edwin smith, eltham court house, eltham obelisk, ewen hugh cameron, f.e. griffith, f.v. squire, frank mcmahon, george green, george stebbing, h. eric rundle, harold e. bartlett, henry dendy, henry hurst, henry stooke, herbert a. davies, herbert hewitt, i.g. smedley, j.a. mcdonald, jack baker, jack williams, james k. brice, james rossiter, john lyon, john s. smedley, justus jorgensen, kangaroo ground, larry burke, martin mcmahon, menzies jackson, mott family, mrs andrew, mrs harper, p. harmer, p.j. lester, patrick joseph mcmahon, r.j. galbraith, robert burke, robert charles harris, rosehill, s. willey, shillinglaw cottage, shire of eltham war memorial tower, thomas sweeney, tiny carroll, tom orford, w.b. thomas, william morris

A family history written by George Arthur Iredale, mainly from recollections from his own life. He delves into the early days when the Iredales first arrived in Greensborough and expands his story with subsequent generations of the Iredale family.The Iredale family are Greensborough pioneers, in the area from the 1850s.18 typed pages.iredale family, george arthur iredale, sarah hurst, james iredale, george gilding

Contents: My story of the Iredales and old Greensborough by George Iredale; Family tree of George Iredale and Sarah Hurst; James Iredale and descendants; 1878 news article 'Shooting case at Greensborough'; funeral notice for James Iredale 1885; advertisement for staff Iredale & Co, Para Road Greensborough.History of the origins of this Greensborough family.20-page plastic binder, spiral bound, clear cover. Contains documents relating to the Iredale family.Collected by Greensborough Historical Society. Folder commenced 2012.iredale family, george arthur iredale, sarah hurst, james iredale, george gilding

Pages from a scrapbook belonging to Heather Jenkins (nee Cone) who lived as a child in the Police Residence at 728 Main Road, Eltham from 1911 to the early 1920s. Images featured are 1. A peep on the road, nearing Research. 2. The Main Road at Eltham (opposite Railway Station). 3. A part of the new railway line. 4. The mail coach leaving for Kangaroo Ground.Heather McKnight Jenkins (nee Cone) was born 1911, possibly at the Eltham Police Residence and spent her childhood growing up in the Police Residence. Heather was the daughter of John Thomas Cone, Police Constable, and Charlotte Helena Cone (nee Black) who had married in 1906. Constable Cone was transferred to Eltham Police Station from Lauriston (near Kyneton) in May 1911. He retired from the force around September 1922 most likely as a result of significant health concerns experienced earlier that year from 22 April when he was hospitalised. He died 5 October 1922 at Maria Street at age 60 leaving behind a widow and two daughters; his son having pre-deceased him as a result of effects of the war. He is buried in Melbourne General Cemetery . In his probate it states that he owned a piece of land 200 links frontage to Maria Street and a depth of 241 links. It is believed that this is the land opposite the Police Station which Heather Jenkins referred to as being owned by her father and where he agisted the Police horses. Heather, her sister and mother Charlotte remained in Eltham until at least the 1924 Electoral Roll where Charlotte was listed as Home Duties however by 1925 she was listed at 229 Glenferrie Road, Malvern, occupation, Registrar of Births. In the 1934 (and 1936) Electoral Roll, Heather was a Clerk and her mother Charlotte was the Registrar of Births. in 1952 following her mother’s death she made application for Grant of Probate. Heather remains listed in the 1954 Electoral Roll at 13 Ashburton Road under her maiden name Cone however by the 1963 Electoral Roll she is listed at the same address as Heather McKnight Jenkins long with James Gardiner Jenkins. Neither appear listed in the 1958 Electoral Roll. James Gardiner Jenkins (1892-1975) first wife was Fanny Davison Carrucan (1899-1929), daughter of Denis Carrucan and Jane (nee McAleese). They married in 1925. Fanny died 11 November 1929. In the 1934 Electoral Roll he remained listed at John Street, Eltham, Railway Employee however by 1935 Electoral Roll, James Gardiner Jenkins, Railway Employee, was listed at 229 Glenferrie Road, Malvern and he remained living with Charlotte and Heather Cone when they moved to 13 Ashburton Road, Glen Iris. One of Constable Cone’s first investigations upon arriving in Eltham was the accidental fatal shooting in the head with a pea rifle by young Francis August Capewell, aged 11, of John Sutcliffe Deegan, 14, in Maria Street near the Railway. Constable Cone’s replacement was Constable William Charles Sargeant who commenced in charge of the Eltham Police Station from Thursday, 10 August 1922. Constable William Charles Sargeant, and his wife Elizabeth Agnes Sargeant were based at the Eltham Police Station until his transfer to the Police Station in Burwood Road, Hawthorn. He retired at Hawthorn Police Station in 1931, described by Hawthorn Council in 1927 as in a disgraceful condition and unfit for human habitation (Kathryn Griffin family tree – Ancestry) whereupon they moved to 28 Saunders Street, Coburg. Elizabeth died 16 July 1936 in Fitzroy. William then moved to 6 Queen Street Coburg in 1936 and then 1 Queen Street in 1942 where he died 7 August 1944. He is buried at Fawkner Cemetery. Large newspaper clipping (half page), very aged and fragile with sticky tape holding it together with 4 images of early Elthameltham, police residence, heather mcknight jenkins (nee cone), constable john thomas cone, charlotte helena cone (nee black)

502 Class 3a Photo (1942). Back row - Jack (Wossie) Hall, Ron Maddock, ? Smart, Gilbert Smith, Knowles Roberts , Ken Hull, Ron Richards. 2nd Back row - Hilary Waring, Lois Truscott, Margaret Taylor, Joan Hayward, Alison West, Patricia Hall, Glenda Hurst, Lorraine Woodhart, ? Krause. 1st Row Seated - ? Allender, Noreen Byron, Margo Williams, Pam Knipe, Dorothy Christian, ?, ?, Judith Sweeney. Front Row - ? Johnston, E. Prydderch, ? Smart, Jim Martin, Hartley Newton, ? Oliver, (Whistle) Cooper, Selwyn (Keith) Darker, The Smart boys were twins. Judith Sweeney stayed with the Maddocks family 6-8 months - war evacuee, her father made runner shoes. Stawell Primary School, 502 Grade 3a Class photo. The class black and white photo taken in 1942 consists of 32 students. Two middle rows of female students (17) and two rows of males students (15). The background of the photo is a brick school wall with 3 windows. stawell education

Faded blue leather cover with gold writing on front cover spine 'Family Romance by Sir Bernard Burke' 341 pages ; 19 cm ; IlluHandwritten inscription on first page 'F493 BUR' 'Glenaroua Public Hall and Library No. 94' Stamp on title page 'Glenaroua Public Hall and Library'romance, kilmore mechanics institute library.

Ena Sophia Jarvis, nee Morant 1914-2004 migrated with her family from England and arrived in Eltham about 1938. Ena helped establish Eltham's first kindergarten and worked as an assistant and volunteer at Eltham Pre School for many years through to the early 1990s. Contents: Newspaper article; Tale of old Eltham - with characters, by Linley Hartley, green valley, Diamond Valley News, Tuesday, June 14, 1983, p33 (article featuring tales from sisters Joyce Webb and Ena Jarvis) Photocopy of photo in mount; Ena Jarvis with her dog in garden circa 1983 Newspaper article; Ena celebrates 30 years, by Sally McDonnell, Diamond Valley News, Tuesday, April 15, 1986, p14 Newspaper article; Preschool says thanks, Diamond Valley Leader, January 8, 2003, p7 Folder of brief biography, newspaper clippings and funeral readings ena jarvis, morant family, eltham pre school, joyce webb, eltham high school, tony morant, market gardener, brisbane street, eltham, arthur munday, mrs morrison, danila vassilieff, black friday, victorian bushfires - 1939, clarrie hurst, st margaret's church, st margaret's anglican church, eltham kindergarten, burgoyne grocery store, john harcourt, fay harcourt, geoff webb, eltham war memorial, eltham war memorial trust

Program produced as part of the open air play peformed in Hurstbridge twice on the 4th and 12th of October 2024. Contents include: Allwood history - Allwood today - Construction of The Bridge - Cast - Synopsis - Directors - Crew - Hearfelt thanks and tribute to Pam Lawson. The Premiere of the open air play The Bridge performance at Hurstbridge was by members of the Allwood Neighbourhood House and the Hurstbridge Community. To commemorate 100 years of Hurstbridge township, the production was led by local historian David Kerrigan who co-wrote the play with Keira de Hoog. The quiet life of the Diamond Creek district was shattered on the 4th October 1866 when a visitor arrived seeking food and shelter. What followed has become part of the Hurstbridge story. The death of Henry Hurst by the bushranger Robert Burke and the subsequent inquest, trial and execution of Burke captured the attention of the nation. News of the event was reported nationally and in UK newspapers. Rain at sunset on opening night set the scene for the sombre story which opened with clap sticks and imagery as part of the acknowledgement of country. Attention to detail in Act One included the enactment of writing a letter that Ellen Hurst had actually written back to her family in England, days before the incident, which set the scene – and choreography of the “capture” of Burke immediately following the shooting as drawn by the engraver Robert Bruce and published in 1866. The cast, crew and audience moved around the actual physical site the altercation took place till the final act and judgement of Sir Redmond Barry to execute Burke. The souvenir program given to ticket holders includes photos and biographies of the cast taken in costume at Gulf Station, Yarra Glen, together with background information and the narrative of the play. Guests on opening night – 158 years ago to the day of the event included Dianne Switzer, descendent of pioneer Cornelius Hailley and Rob Fergusson, descendent of Henry Hurst. plays, hurstbridge, allwood neighbourhood house

Monash Bridge spans the Diamond Creek at Hurstbridge. It was built in 1917 for the Shires of Heidelberg, Eltham and Whittlesea. It is considered Nillumbik Shire's finest engineered bridge and was construced by the engineering company of Sir John Monash. Covered under Heritage Overlay, Nillumbik Planning Scheme. Published: Nillumbik Now and Then /​ Marguerite Marshall 2008; photographs Alan King with Marguerite Marshall.; p117 Monash Bridge is considered the Shire’s finest engineered bridge and was constructed by the engineering company of that great Australian, Sir John Monash.1 The bridge spans Diamond Creek on the Hurstbridge-Arthurs Creek Road, linking Hurstbridge with Yarrambat and Arthurs Creek. Monash Bridge, also called Hurst’s Bridge, was built in 1917, by the Reinforced Concrete and Monier Pipe Construction Company Pty Ltd, for the Shires of Heidelberg, Eltham and Whittlesea. Although Monash was probably in action overseas during World War One when the bridge was designed and constructed, he evolved the basic design in the 1900s and it was a standard design for the firm. However J A Laing, a designer at the firm, was probably the designer, as his initials are on bridge drawings held by the Eltham District Historical Society.2 The bridge is an excellent early Australian example of an open spandrel reinforced concrete arch bridge and has a single span of 29 metres. It is unusual in Victoria, but similar to many reinforced concrete arch bridges in Europe and America, built from the late 19th century. In Victoria, Monash pioneered the use of reinforced concrete – then a revolutionary construction material. His company, Monash & Anderson, had the exclusive licence for the Monier patent for the system of reinforced concrete construction for Victoria and New South Wales. A well-known example of the Monier arch bridge is the Morell Bridge in South Yarra. The sweeping arch of the Monash Bridge combines grace and utility and blends with the surrounding rural landscape. Its design and construction have allowed it to carry increasing volumes of heavy traffic, but in modern times the one lane is considered by some to prevent easy passage through Hurstbridge. However others consider this an asset to deter too much more traffic, which would diminish Hurstbridge’s charming rural character.3 This is the third bridge across the Diamond Creek at this site. The original bridge was a log bridge upstream, constructed in the 1850s by early settler, Henry Hurst, after whom Hurstbridge was named. The bridge spanned the creek, where it divided his family’s property. In the 1880s a timber bridge replaced it, known as Hurst’s Bridge. However a more permanent bridge was considered necessary when the new railway arrived in 1912, bringing with it expectations of growth in the town and the surrounding fruit-growing district. Monash Bridge’s official opening on November 3, 1917 was a gala occasion, which took place before about 1000 spectators. Two who attended the opening had a particularly sound knowledge of the locality. One was Fred Hurst, Henry’s brother, who used to ford the creek at or near the bridge’s site more than 50 years before. The other was John McDonald of Arthurs Creek, who had built the old wooden bridge over the creek about 40 years earlier.4 Although John Monash was a fine engineer, his fame came from his brilliant war career, rather than from his engineering or his many other achievements. Monash was Corps Commander of the Australian Forces. His brilliance was recognised with his awards: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St. Michael and St. George, and Knight Commander of the Bath. Monash was also decorated by the French, Belgian, and American Governments.5 After the war, Monash worked in many prominent civilian positions, the most notable as head of the Victorian State Electricity Commission. He was a leading and loved public figure, involved in many public and private organisations. He was president of the Australian Zionist Federation and involved in the Boy Scouts. Monash University is named after him. By the 1920s Monash was probably regarded as the greatest living Australian.6 Despite most of his life working as an administrator and leader, rather than a fighting soldier, he became integral to the ANZAC legend. Monash died in 1931.This collection of almost 130 photos about places and people within the Shire of Nillumbik, an urban and rural municipality in Melbourne's north, contributes to an understanding of the history of the Shire. Published in 2008 immediately prior to the Black Saturday bushfires of February 7, 2009, it documents sites that were impacted, and in some cases destroyed by the fires. It includes photographs taken especially for the publication, creating a unique time capsule representing the Shire in the early 21st century. It remains the most recent comprehenesive publication devoted to the Shire's history connecting local residents to the past. nillumbik now and then (marshall-king) collection, hurstbridge, monash bridge

Situated at the top of the hill in Arthur Street, the former Jelbart residence and barn were part of a major change that transformed Eltham's character in the late 1960s. Built from the mid 1940s through mid 1950s when Eltham was a rural community, the Jelbrat residence and barn are all that remain of a family property of some 250 acres (100 ha). With growing population pressures, in the late 1960s, owners Ron and Yvonne Jelbart decided to subdivide their property creating the Woodridge Estate in the early 1970s, a major factor towards the transformation of Eltham to the suburb it is today. The Jelbarts had moved to Eltham in the early 1940s when they purchased a poultry farm in New Street, now Lavendar Park Road. (The local Black Friday bushire of January 13, 1939 had started at C.A. (Clarrie) Hurst’s Eltham Poultry Farm and Hatchery in New Street.) Jelbart was primarily a businessman importing office machinery but desired farm beef and dairy cattle so the couple purchased the virgin bushland at what was then at the end of a dirt road, Arthur Street. With post war shortages of most building materials, they followed the example of the Eltham Artists' Colony (later called Montsalvat) and built thier home from mud-bricks and recyclked materials. The barn was first to be completed in 1945 which they made their home whilst building the main residence. It took eight years to complete the two buildings. Both the main residence and the barn are now separate homes, and along with the remaining property being sub-divided further in 1998 are now part of the Kinloch Gardens Estate at 93 Arthur Street. Covered under Heritage Overlay, Nillumbik Planning Scheme. Published: Nillumbik Now and Then /​ Marguerite Marshall 2008; photographs Alan King with Marguerite Marshall.; p139 Standing on a hilltop at Arthur Street, Eltham, the Jelbart residence and former barn were part of a major change that transformed Eltham’s character in the late 1960s. Built from the late 1940s to the mid 1950s when Eltham was a rural community, they are all that remain of what was once a family property of around 250 acres (100 ha). As population pressure increased in the late 1960s, owners Ron and Yvonne Jelbart, decided to subdivide their property. The break-up of this property into the Woodridge Estate in the early 1970s, was a major factor towards transforming Eltham into the suburb it is today.1 Although standing only a few minutes from Eltham’s busy hub and hundreds of houses in Woodridge, scarcely any urban sound disturbs the peace. Views from the two buildings are almost exclusively of trees and extend to Mt. Dandenong to the south-east, the Great Divide to the north, and Melbourne city to the south-west. The Jelbarts had lived in Eltham since the early 1940s when they bought a poultry farm in New Street, now Lavender Park Road. Although Jelbart was primarily a businessman importing office machinery, he was keen to farm dairy and beef cattle, so the couple bought rough bushland at what was then the end of Arthur Street. But a shortage of building materials following World War Two hampered their plans to build their new home, so they followed the example of the Eltham Artists’ Colony (later called Montsalvat) and used mud-bricks and recycled materials.2 With great determination the family and friends constructed their house. Massive timber frames and huge quantities of mud-bricks were made on site. The barn was built first in 1945, and two years later, while camping inside, the Jelbarts started building their house. It took eight years to construct the two buildings, even with the help of professional tradesmen. The buildings, with timber frames infilled with mud-brick and plastered, are reminiscent of the English Tudor style. The Jelbarts are of Cornish stock. Much of the timber framework came from demolished bridges or warehouses, and recycled slate was used for roofs and floors. Quality second-hand materials were readily available in the late 1940s and 1950s when there was much demolition in Melbourne and little respect for heritage. A former 19th century Toorak mansion Woorigoleen provided the magnificent stone fireplace, the timber panelling and the parquetry floor in the living room. The large stone gateposts at the entry of the property came from Melbourne University. Almost no mechanical equipment was used to build the 55 square house and the 25 square barn. Massive timber frames were erected using block and tackle pulleys and timbers were shaped, sawn and drilled by hand. Son and architect Ian, with his family, have lived in and extensively renovated both buildings since the early 1970s. Ian transformed the steep ridge of the property into a plateau, where the main house Kinloch stands, surrounded by terraces and lawns. The grounds retain many native plants, including massive yellow boxes – some nudging 80 years. Ian attached 70 metres of pergolas draped with wisteria, roses and grape vines, to three sides of the house. The beautiful garden is featured in the book Through the Rose Arbour by Rosemary Houseman. The two-storey barn – now a house – retains traces of its original use. The cow-shed with milking and feed-rooms, and the machinery-shed remain. The house, separated on the ground floor by a breeze-way, soars two storeys and includes a mezzanine. These are connected by spiral staircases, to timber-beamed and plaster-lined high-pitched ceilings. The house also descends to a wine cellar. Curiously the roof is of corrugated iron on the south and slate on the north, to save costs. Small-paned windows and three French doors open onto the front lawn, which extends to Jelbart Court.This collection of almost 130 photos about places and people within the Shire of Nillumbik, an urban and rural municipality in Melbourne's north, contributes to an understanding of the history of the Shire. Published in 2008 immediately prior to the Black Saturday bushfires of February 7, 2009, it documents sites that were impacted, and in some cases destroyed by the fires. It includes photographs taken especially for the publication, creating a unique time capsule representing the Shire in the early 21st century. It remains the most recent comprehenesive publication devoted to the Shire's history connecting local residents to the past. nillumbik now and then (marshall-king) collection, eltham, arthur street, jelbart barn, jelbart home, kinloch gardens