Demolition of the old and rebuilding the new hotel.local architecture

The shops pictured in the photographs include Andrews Real Estate–site of early bank, Riddell, Ross house “Iona”, Shelley Saddlery and Residence, Simpsons Butcher Shop, Backhouse Butcher, Carew and Miss Raleighs Shop. House of Parker, and K Masterson. Shops on the north side of High Street, Meltonlandscapes of significance

Shops on High Street, Meltonlandscapes of significance

Built in 1897, "it is one of the best-known of the Melton farm properties established in the historic break-up of the large pastoral estates at the turn of the twentieth century". Melton Heritage Study Stage 2 Volume 3Farm house located at 2389-2485, Diggers Rest-Coimadai Road, Diggers Rest. local architecture, local identities

1950 decade HAY FORK - A local invention. Bill and Arthur Gillespie and Bon Barrie In the early 1950’s Bill Gillespie of Bulmans Lane had been experimenting in developing a machine to improve the collection of hay sheaves at harvesting and stack building time. The ripened crop was cut by a reaper and binder which bundled the storks into sheaves tied with binder twine. The reaper and binder was towed by a tractor by the mid 1940s previously teams of draught horses were used to pull the reaper and binder. A photograph taken at the Barrie farm shows three binders the first being towed with a tractor and the others with horse teams. Two workmen were needed to operate the binder when cutting a crop. The sheaves collected on the binder and released onto the ground and were scattered across the paddocks. Using a conventional two pronged pitch fork the harvest hands collected the sheaves and placed each one cut edge on the ground in an upright position and layered with about 15 sheaves into an apex shape to form was is known as a stook. The shape of the stook allowed for drying and draining of water if rain had occurred. Prior to the invention of the mechanical hayfork this was a laborious task requiring each sheaf to be pitched onto a tray truck and moved to the location of the haystack. The mechanised HAYFORK was operated by one person on tractor greatly reducing the need for gangs of labourers. At harvest time farmers had relied on itinerant teams of workers descending on the district looking for work. The three Barrie brothers on their adjoining farms combined forces to cut their crop at its optimum time while the weather was in their favour. Up to many 20 workers at times formed a team in earlier times. Agricultural university students were also keen to gain practical experience in the field. Each of the brothers had a particular skill, and Tom Barrie was the expert on stack building. The district haystacks had a distinctive shape and could be recognised by their builder. Bill Gillespie’s first operational HAY FORK consisted of a large 13 pronged fork situated forward of the truck cabin. It was attached with iron girders and mounted on the rear of the cabin to the tray of his British Bedford truck. It was constructed in metal and iron and welded in the farmers work sheds. The mechanism was raised and lowered by the driver scooping along the ground to pick up a complete stook to raise high enough to deposit all the sheaves in one stook onto the stack or truck tray. The fork section was released by a rope and operated by the driver in the cabin. This model was trialled on the Barrie farm at Ferris Lane. It proved to be very successful and the Barrie/ Gillespie brothers went on to develop a HAYFORK which attached to a tractor and was operated with a series of levers and was raised and lowered hydraulically. It was detached from the tractor when stacking was completed. In its early days farmers travelling along the Western Highway called at the Barrie farm at Ferris Lane to inspect its construction and operation of the invention. It became a widely adopted by farmers throughout the State. It was being used on Wattie Palmer’s farm on Bridge Road Melton South in 1997. Farming in Melton, hay growing and stack building. agriculture, local identities

Jim was the youngest child of Charles Ernest Ernie Barrie “Darlingsford” of the farming family property Melton 1911. He was the brother of Ernest Wesley Bon, Charles Edgar, Thomas Lindsay. The family connection with this original property remained until the last part of the E W Barrie section was sold in 1982. Jim’s parents were Charles (Ernie) and Jessie Barrie of Darlingsford Melton. Tom farmed the family property with his father and brothers, and later the Ferris Road property which continued with his son Ian. His childhood interest in horses began with the draft horses kept at the bluestone stable and barn at Darlingsford. When the stables were empty in the late 1980s visit, he vividly recalled the names of the horses he had handled in his youth. When the draft horse became obsolete with the introduction of tractors and trucks this interest continued with the breeding and training of harness racersTom Barrie's harvest and Jim Barrie at Shelfordlocal identities, agriculture

Hay stacking at Ferris Roadagriculture, local identities

Closed wire gate at the entrance to the 150 acres ploughed paddock. Tractor GBL 963 with front loader, HAB with Roller, JCJ 100, JCJ 101, Res Track, Red tray truck with straw bales, Black International with bine on tray.Photo taken in yard on south side of house facing Ferris Rd gate with stubble paddock on the right sideagriculture

Flock of moving sheepagriculture

Wagon with Draught horses 1st Prize Show Grounds Bacchus Marsh 1924Children in front of horse carriagesagriculture

Peter Ernest born Nov 7th 1945. Peter and his brother Robert continued operating the farm on Ferris Road. Peter remembers the horses being used. Robert and Peter worked with their father uncles and cousins until the decline of farming and the impending division of the properties and the encroaching urban development made farming no longer viable. The remaining connection of the Barrie family with property known as Darlingsford finally ceased in 1982. Peter continues to combine a small farm with his earth moving business, known as Melton Plant Hire (MPH) . Peter’s wife Jennie and daughters Deborah and Coralie administer the MPH (Melton Plant Hire) Office, and assist with operation the machinery. Photographs of Peter Barrie from different eraslocal identities, agriculture

William and Eliza Daley were living in Ann St Williamstown 1863. Their daughter Ann was born in 1864 and in 1865 daughter Elzabeth was born in MeltonPortrait photo of Ann taken at Alba Studio, Hobartlocal identities, pioneer families

Ellen was born in 1865 and attended school the same time as Lizzie Daley. Passed away in 1921Portrait photo of Ellenlocal identities

The children of Charles E and Jessie M Barrie who grew up at Darlingsford were: Mary E Robinson Ernest W Barrie known as Bonnie/Bon Charles E Barrie known as Edgar Thomas L Barrie William H Barrie known as Horace Jessie M Richardson Dorothy J Collins known as Joyce James E Barrie known as JimThe demise of Darlingsford homesteadlocal architecture

In the early 1900’s Charles Ernest Barrie and his brother Ted were in partnership in a Chaff cutting and Ha y processing Mill on the corner of Station and Brooklyn road Melton South. By 1906 Charles Ernest and James Edwin were in partnership in the Station Road mill when a connecting rail line across Brooklyn Road for a siding was constructed to the Melton Railway Station. In 1911 the Mill’s letterhead shows C.E. BARRIE Hay Pressing and Chaff Cutting Mills. This Mill as sold to H S K Ward in 1916 and stood until 1977 when it burnt down in a spectacular fire.Owned by C.E Barrie. Buildings were on the west side of Station Road in Melton South, 100 metres north of Brooklyn Roadlocal identities, pioneer families, agriculture

The Bridge Road Bridge built in 1913 by Sir John Monash for the Shire of Melton. It was built to provide railway station access to the new farming areas.Black and white photo of the bridgetransport, council

Frederick John Watson MYERS was born on 01 October 1908 in Melton, Victoria. First child of Frederick Thomas MYERS and Martha Mary WATSON. He married Mary June BATTYE on 18 September 1948 in Victoria, Australia. He died on 07 February 2001.Photos of Frederick John Watson Myerslocal identies

Rosemary Rebecca BARRIE was born the 12th of April 1930, , sister of Hugh and the youngest grandchild of William and Mary Ann. She is a valuable source of family and Melton history. She married Max Myers of ‘Burnbank’ Melton, on the 31 August 1951 in Melton, Victoria, Australia.Max was the youngest brother of Edna Barrie. Rosemary at the beachlocal identities

Childhood photograph of Bruce and Max Myers with Edna (Butler) Missenlocal identities

Back L-R Fred Coles, Brian Nolan, Bernard Shelly, Wal Williams and Emil Jongebloed [Pat]. Front Teddy Cochrane and Bill Fogarty at there First Communion.local identities, churches

The Melton Viaduct, opened in 1886, is one of Australia’s largest early metal bridges. When opened it was the second longest Australian metal truss bridge, after the 1862 Moorabool railway viaduct (396 metres).The Melton Viaduct is a trestle bridge over the Werribee River (now Melton Reservoir)transport

Ernest Wesley BARRIE and Eva Edna MYERS's childrenlocal identities

Brothers and sons of Charles Ernest BARRIE and Jessie May LANGlocal identities

Ian Barrie born in 1954, only child of Thomas and May. Photograph of Marion Elizabeth (May) Ferris [Barrie] and Jessie May Lang [Barrie] with Ian Thomas Barrielocal identities

Photograph of brothers taken at Myers Gully (Ryans Creek), Western Highway Melton. Bruce 9.5 years, Max 6 years old.local identities

The original Melton settlement on the flat where the golf course is now located. The tree still stands over Toolern Creek.Early photograph of the original settlement in Meltonmisc.

Elizabeth Daley later turned her father's bootmaker shop into a haberdashery shop. She died in 1949. Her sister Annie had a tiny house nearby according to Edna. John Lugg rented the house after her death. Max Myers built a house on the west side of the cottage. Elizabeth Daley's property with Max Myers' house in the backgroundlocal identities

Built in 1926 and opened in 1927, it was the receiving station of the Australian Imperial Wireless Service. In 1927, provided the nation’s first radio communication with Britain and North America. The station closed in 1969.Former residential quarters of the Australian Beam Wireless Receiving Station at 653-701 Greigs Road East, Mt Cottrell.misc.

Mary Dowling and John Luby had a cottage built on Reserve Rd Melton, the current site of the hardware storelandscapes of significance

The Melton State School No. 430 built in 1869-70, with the bluestone additions constructed in 1877 and the brick additions in 1924.It is the only remaining nineteenth century school in the Shire of Melton. Sketches were part of preparation for production of Red Book 'The first 100 years'.education, local identities, local significant events