EXPLORING THE UPPER YARRA (Newsletter No. 105, November 1995, by Bettina Woodburn) We enjoyed the Spring Excursion, this year "Exploring the Upper Yarra" - in spite of the constant rain and the countryside under the cloud cover, especially in the valleys, being mainly shiny shades of green. The occasional fields of buttercups, clumps of arum lilies and splendid rhododendron and other flowering bushes became very special. The Cobb and Co coach was warm and a cosy retreat as we zig-zagged on the highways and byways to glimpse the Yarra River, upstream and down, its secret places, and particularly the many bridges. Russell excelled as 'Poet Laureate', reading from Dacre Smyth's book. This 1979 publication includes paintings of all the bridges along the river with poems and brief descriptions of each one. Some of the bridges are in out of the way places and are not very well known. We looked forward to hearing the poetry as much as seeing the ' constructions'…Big Pat (was he short or tall, lean or fat? He did win the two hundred pound reward for discovering gold and had the creek named after him), about the 'Eddies'?, and the disliked 'meccano' bridge in Warburton, etc. etc. The hot roast lunch in the old Reefton Hotel was also most welcome. It was easy to imagine it peopled by miners and early settlers. Starting by crossing the new (1974) concrete bridge at Warrandyte we headed through Wonga Park with views to the Christmas Hills and to the escarpment of the Yering Gorge, which causes flood waters to back up through the Yarra Glen plain, so avoiding disasters downstream. At the end of a long driveway we found the wooden, privately owned Henley Bridge (1935 after the 1934 floods). This facilitates access to different parts of Henley Farm and to Lilydale. Everard Park, named after Blanche Shallard's father, a State Member for 17 years, below the Highway Yarra crossing was in need of care. It is 10 miles from Yarra Glen by road but, as "Yarra Marra” canoeists well know, 32 winding miles down by water. After more delightful countryside scenes we joined the Warburton Highway at Woori Yallock. From the old Railway Station at Launching Place the Centennial Trail for walkers, cyclists and ' horse riders has replaced the rails. The line from Lilydale was opened in 1901, and the last diesel freight train ran to Warburton in 1965. It continued to rain as we had morning tea in Warburton in a shelter between footbridges. From here we continued upstream past the Bridge to O'Shannasy Lodge and Reservoir, Starvation Creek, and the Peninsular tunnel (miners dug it as at Pound Bend) which we visited (scrambling down those steps!) on our return after lunch. Our furthermost point was the Upper Yarra Dam Reserve (and vast catchment area). Finished in 1957 after ten years work and 100 years after Yan Yean, it supplies much of Melbourne's water. After crossing the 30m Launching Place Bridge to the Eltham side of the Yarra and Healesville, we saw in the distance the Yarra Glen Timber Trestle Bridge over the river flats "the longest for years in the land it was said!" Harry's dream of "better weather over the Divide" unfortunately didn't come true, but I'm sure we 36 members will retain happy memories of a day that was wet and green and filled with Bridges. Bettina Woodburn - October 1995 Record of the Society's history of activities - Spring 1995 excursionColour photographactivities, upper yarra dam, 1995

Letters from Victorian railway authorities containing information and publication extracts forwarded to Mr. J. Rodaughan, 26 Old Lilydale Road, Ringwood East in response to requests for information associated with Lilydale Railway Line history.The line from Hawthorn to Camberwell opened on 3 April, 1882, Camberwell to Lilydale opened on 1 December, 1882. Box Hill, Ringwood and Croydon stations opened on 1 December, 1882. Croydon was originally called Warrandyte station until the name was changed to Croydon on 1 August, 1884. Nunawading was originally called Tunstall and opened on 4 June, 1888. The name was changed to Nunawading on 1 November, 1945.

Train Destination Disc Until the 1980s Melbourne suburban trains used a system of discs by day, and illuminated market lights by night, to indicate their destination. Placed on the front of trains to advise a Signalman in the Signal Box the destination of the train. This disk was used on NK1 the Whitfield Motor when it was used by Puffing Billy Railway Info from the diagrams from the 1953 Victorian Railways General Appendix. Black + is Lilydale, Belgrave other Destination Disks were Disks Williamstown Black II Newport Workshops Red = Changed in 76 to Black + Newport-Altona shuttle Red X Werribee Red X St Albans Black X Upfield Black = Broadmeadows Originally Red X changed in 1976 to Red = Epping Black II Hurstbridge Red X Lilydale, Belgrave Black + Alamein Black X Glen Waverley Black = Dandenong Black II Frankston Red = Sandringham Red X St Kilda Originally Black II changed in 1976 to Red X Port Melbourne Red X changed in 1976 to Black X Flinders St - Spencer St Local Red II Showgrounds Red = plus extra white disk on opposite front disk bracket; if only one event, Display Large White 1 and yellow side disk with set number. If two events, second event special trains flip this disk and show large Black Disk with white numeral 2 Race Special Red = plus extra white disk on opposite front disk bracket; if only one event, Display Large White 1 and yellow side disk with set number. If two events, second event special trains flip this disk and show large Black Disk with white numeral 2 For example, Flemington Race trains and Caulfield Race trains on the same day. Flemington carries Red = and White 1 and yellow set number on the side Caulfield carries Red = and Black 2 with yellow set number disc on the side. There was one disc which was never to be used in normal traffic, that was the "Red Cross"; it was reserved for Red Cross trains only.Historic - Victorian Railways - Destination Disk - Black cross - Lilydale, Belgrave Lines This disk was used on NK1 the Whitfield Motor when it was used by Puffing Billy Railway Train Destination Disc Round tin sign painted white with a black cross on white background and a mounting bracket on the rear. Placed on the front of trains prior to the mid 1970s to advise a Signalman in the Signal Box the destination of the train. Black Cross puffing billy, destination disc, victorian railways, lilydale, belgrave lines

Produced as one of a series of 24 prints commissioned by Nunawading & District Historical Society -|Theme: Intersections of Mitcham and Nunawading 2000/2001.|See also Series by P. Simmenauer on the same theme.Black and white photograph - print and negative of Heatherdale Railway Station, viewed from the Heatherdale Rail Crossing. L-R West bound station platform for travel to City of Melbourne, next station is Mitcham. Right hand side Eastbound platform - next stop Ringwood, where some trains travel S.E. to Belgrave and some N.E. to Lilydale. Heatherdale is last station in fare Zone 2 and 1st station in Fare Zone 3. Note Telstra Phonebox on platformheatherdale railway station

Mitcham Railway Station to be built underground during 2013.Coloured photograph of the Mitcham Railway Station. This platform is used by passengers heading south towards Ringwood, Lilydale, Belgrave etc. In 2013, the station was rebuilt underground.mitcham railway station, trains, railways

The Ringwood line was electrified in 1922 and extended to Lilydale and Fern Tree Gully in 1925An early black and white photograph of a passenger train heading West towards the city. Australian Tesselated Tile chimney in the background.electric trains, passenger trains, railways

The photo was taken at 8.15am on Friday 12 September 1919. The D class was a passenger and mixed traffic steam locomotive which operated on the Victorian Railways from 1902 to 1974. Originally it was introduced on mainline express passenger services, but they were quickly superseded by the much larger A2 class and were relegated to secondary and branch line passenger and goods service, where they continued in service for the next fifty years. The D716 was probably built at the Newport Workshops, post 1910 and before 1914. The expansion of Melbourne's population into new suburbs early in the 20th century, and the delay of the suburban electrification project, meant there was the need for faster and more powerful steam locomotives for the suburban rail network. In 1908, the basic design was adapted to create a more powerful locomotive. They were put to work on longer and hillier suburban routes including the Lilydale line. A total of 58 were built between 1908 and 1913. See wikipedia for a more detailed history of the D class locomotives. Electric trains replaced steam in 1922. Mr William Holmes of 'Lugano', Mont Albert Road was in charge of the design and introduction of the electrification of the Melbourne rail system.Black and white photo of a steam train approaching the platform at Mont Albert station. Rear in blue biro in Jocelyn Hall's handwriting: "Hamilton St Mont Albert / probably 1919".mont albert station, railways, trains, d class locomotives, norman carter, steam trains

These were introduced in 1992 on the Lilydale-Belgrave lines only (not on the Alamein or Waverley lines). They were a prototype. Many station platforms had to have the coping reduced or replaced in order to provide clearance. The trial was a failure because, while the carriages carried more passengers, they also took longer to load and unload, negating any benefits from carriage of extra passengers. They were used as off-peak trains only on the Surrey Hills line. The 4D carriages were based on the Tangara carriage being built by A Goninan & Co for CityRail in Sydney, however they were similar only in terms of interior and exterior bodywork. They were manufactured from stainless steel and were fitted with air-conditioning, tinted windows, and inter-car doors, allowing passengers to access all carriages of the train. A coloured photograph of a double decker train - silver in colour with a yellow and green strip across the front of the train.Double Decker train / through Surrey Hillssurrey hills, trains, tangarra carriage, a goninan & co, 4d train, belgrave lilydale lines

Jubilee Reunion 12/12/1936 School No. 2778 established 1886 at first using a Recreation Hall in Albany Crescent near the corner of Windsor Crescent, Surrey Hills. Surrey Hills was first subdivided into urban blocks in 1883 when the train line to Lilydale was opened. Previously the children of local farmers walked to Balwyn school or to a small school in St. Brigids Church which was on the northeast corner of the present Riversdale Road, and Warrigal Road Church. This photo is at Surrey school via Chatham School archives.Photo of a group of past scholars attending a Jubilee Social on 12 December 1936.On front of photo: Old scholars reunion Jubilee Social Surrey Hills No 2778 / 12.12.361936, clothing and dress, people by circumstance, schools, surrey hills state school, festivals and celebrations

We have an original B&W copy donated by Ian Barkla and a larger one copied by Ken Hall. The Barkla original has a sticker with his reference details on the back. The photo records a Vintage Train tour to Healesville on 1 October 1966. The Lilydale to Healesville line opened on 1 March 1889. The last steam train on the line ran in 1957 and the last passenger service was in 1980. The line reopened as a tourist railway in 2010. Although the photo was taken on a misty day, houses in Windsor Crescent can just be seen in the background. It is possibly Lorne Parade in the background with preparatory works for the 3rd rail line underway.A black and white photocopy of a steam train. One person is looking on from the left hand side of the photo. It's a misty day but houses in Windsor Crescent and the pedestrian overpass at Surrey Hills railway station can be seen.surrey hills railway station, windsor cresent, 1966, railfan tour, steam trains, vintage tour train

Postcard (1) Beach Scene/ Postcard (2) Three local men on top of PyramidPostcard (1) The back of this postcard bears the inscription - " This is a scene on the beach. Just fancy a shell bursting among this crowd. They often do. The Turks have got a gun they train on this place alone. I have seen seventeen knocked one day with one shell. They can't fire too often as they are short of ammunition, they would get thousands here I suppose. The gun that does fire here has killed more than any other gun in the war. The Boys call him (possibly "bracky") Bill. Postcard (2) The back of this postcard bears the inscription "This is one of some niggers taken on the top of the pyramids"

Set of five cloth parachute badges(1) - Parachute Instructor (2) - Special Air Service Regiment. (3) - 3rd Royal Australian Regiment Parachute Battalion. (4) - 4th Royal Australian Regiment Commando Battalion. (5) - Parachute trained Soldiers-other units. Presented to Lilydale RSL by Iain D Townsly ex Air Assault Troop SAS.

The first picnic was held in association with the Market Gardeners and Fruit Growers’ Association on April 3, 1884 at Lilydale. Groups of market gardeners travelled by train with their families from Cheltenham, and stations further north, to Lilydale at a cost of three shillings and six pence for adults and two shillings for children under 15 years. On arrival a band played music to accompany dancing ‘on the green’, and foot races were held as well as other sporting events. This pattern of activities was followed for more than fifty years although the location of the picnic changed and the mode of transportation varied.Black and white image of men and women sitting and standing together around a picnic laid out on the ground in front of them. Handwritten in pencil: A25 - CHAP 3 Handwritten in red ink on a white square sticker: A25 / 71%market garden, picnic, celebration, seaside, community

A blue covered book of the Railways of the Yarra Valley with a photograph on the front cover of the last steam train from Warburton in August 1965 and the back cover showing an old locomotive 'Little Yarra' in 1913. There is historical text and maps with black and white and coloured photographs of the railways and of the area.Pp.96.non-fictionThe railway reached Lilydale in 1882, Healesville in 1889 and Warburton in 1901 linking the area to Melbourne. Sawmillers and farmers prospered, as well as tourists visiting the region. trains, rail vehicles, australian history, yarra valley

ill, p.27.non-fictionA brief history of the remains of the Warburton railway from Lilydale in Melbourne.yarra valley railway - victoria - history, railroad construction - victoria - history

Article quoting a poem by 'Den' titled The Old White Horse about the White Horse Hotel and its history.The Old White Horse by "Den" History of the White Horse Hotel at Box Hill which was established by Patrick Trainer.white horse hotel, cobb & co, hotels, box hill, trainer patrick, nunawading road board