Gordon Ford built this shack on the Yarra at Laughing Waters Road. Bernie Bragg used to live there for a period of time. Gordon Ford and photographer Sue Winslow were married in 1965. They set up home in an old log cabin on the property Gordon had purchased in 1954 on Laughing Waters Road. Situated between the Yarra River and Overbank Road, Gordon had built a small mud-brick shack on the river and a pontoon. Over the decades the shack has been locally referred to as “the love shack”, the “rooting shack” or simply “Gordon’s shack”. Gordon and Sue commissioned local builder Graeme Rose to do a wattle and daub renovation and extension to the old log cabin on the north side of Laughing Waters Road. The work had only just been completed in 1965 when a bushfire swept through the area and destroyed the cabin. Gordon and Sue relocated to his property, Fulling, in Pitt Street, Eltham. In 1970 work started on a new house at the Laughing Waters property. Originally known as the Banana House, it is now known as Boomerang. Designed by Alistair Knox, the mud-brick house includes iron window grilles made by Matcham Skipper that puncture the curved mud walls. The grilles were made from ‘off-pressings’ from the Sidchrome tool works in Heidelberg. Gordon, Sue and family moved into the house in 1972. Their marriage fell apart and Sue moved to Sydney with the children around the same time Gordon commenced building Birrarung just below Boomerang on the Laughing Waters Road block. After the Fords moved out, Boomerang it was rented out to various share households of students, musicians, artists and environmentalists for twenty-four years. Gordon Ford sold Birrarung and Boomerang to Melbourne Water in 1999. The Laughing Waters Artist in Residence Program was developed as a partnership between Parks Victoria and Nillumbik Shire Council. Boomerang was deemed unfit for habitation so was used as a day studio only. By 2001 Boomerang was in a poor state of repair and by 2002 the last artist in residence was to use the house as a studio. Nillumbik Shire Council had been granted funds from the Melbourne Community Fund to restore both Boomerang and Birrarung but it was apparent in early 2003 that the funds would be insufficient to restore both houses. Boomerang was infested with termites which presented a risk to any occupants and so the decision was made to close Boomerang and concentrate funding on Birrarung. Boomerang was fenced off for safety and to prevent intrusion and remains ‘caged’ today (2023). However, it is readily apparent the property has been occupied by squatters over the years. By 2023 it was clear that the squatters had abandoned the property and sections of the roof structure have given away in some areas and collapsed internally. For a more in-depth description and history of the property and that of Gordon and Sue Ford, see Jane Woollard's book, "Laughing Waters Road; Art, Landscape & Memory in Eltham" published 2016.fay bridge collection, 2016-07-22, bernie's hut, birrarung, gordon ford, gordon's shack, laughing waters, laughing waters road, love shack, yarra river

Sepia photographNoted in pencil on reverse: "3/11/67". Polaroid Manufacturer's Batch No. A730301K.1967, briar hill, para road, polaroid, sherbourne road, simms road

Sepia photographNoted in pencil on reverse: "3/11/67". Polaroid Manufacturer's Batch No. A730301K.1967, briar hill, para road, polaroid, sherbourne road, simms road

Sepia photographPolaroid Manufacturer's Batch No. L767302K.1967, briar hill, para road, polaroid, sherbourne road, simms road

Sepia photographPolaroid Manufacturer's Batch No. L767302K.1967, briar hill, para road, polaroid, sherbourne road, simms road

35mm colour positive transparency blue Agfacolour Service plastic mountbriar hill, overpass, para road, railway bridge, road construction, sherbourne road, simms road

35mm colour positive transparency blue Agfacolour Service plastic mountbriar hill, overpass, para road, railway bridge, road construction, sherbourne road, simms road

35mm colour positive transparency blue Agfacolour Service plastic mountbriar hill, overpass, para road, railway bridge, road construction, sherbourne road, simms road

35mm colour positive transparency blue Agfacolour Service plastic mountbriar hill, overpass, para road, railway bridge, road construction, sherbourne road, simms road

35mm colour positive transparency blue Agfacolour Service plastic mountbriar hill, overpass, para road, railway bridge, road construction, sherbourne road, simms road

Roll of film taken by Eltham Shire Council officers (Nov. 1981) of the Beard street group, a private street scheme, before construction commenced in February 1982. They provide perspective of the changes in housing styles and road development that began sweeping in from the mid 1970s with increasing urbanisation of what was once more outlying suburbs and regions.35 mm colour positive transparency (1 of 27) Mount - Kodak Ektachrome CardProcessed 18 Jan 1982roads, housing estate, infrastructure, private street scheme, park road

Roll of film taken by Eltham Shire Council officers (Nov. 1981) of the Beard street group, a private street scheme, before construction commenced in February 1982. They provide perspective of the changes in housing styles and road development that began sweeping in from the mid 1970s with increasing urbanisation of what was once more outlying suburbs and regions.35 mm colour positive transparency (1 of 27) Mount - Kodak Ektachrome CardProcessed 18 Jan 1982roads, housing estate, infrastructure, private street scheme, park road

Roll of film taken by Eltham Shire Council officers (Nov. 1981) of the Beard street group, a private street scheme, before construction commenced in February 1982. They provide perspective of the changes in housing styles and road development that began sweeping in from the mid 1970s with increasing urbanisation of what was once more outlying suburbs and regions.35 mm colour positive transparency (1 of 27) Mount - Kodak Ektachrome CardProcessed 18 Jan 1982roads, housing estate, infrastructure, private street scheme, park road

Butchers Slaughter Yard cnr. Clifton Avenue and Ormston Road which belonged to Chaponnel family. These yards are now demolished. The land being sold for housing. 0099.2 is a photograph copy of an original oil painting titled "The Old Timer" by Reg Capon Nov. 1979. Painting owned by Mr. Phillip Nicholson Clifton Ave. Stawell.Two black and white photographs of a scene depicting a neglected timber building, with corrugated iron roof and brick chimney. Timber fence and race surround the stock yards. The painting (0099.2) is by Reg Capon called "The old Timer" Nov 1979.stawell business

The photograph shows cable, trailer 383 in Bridge Road Richmond inbound to the City about to cross Church Street. G. Sterling & Sons, draper and outfitters establishment of Richmond since 1860 on this site with their 1897 building in the background. The building remains and in 2024 is a Commonwealth Bank. Photo possibly taken c1920 as cable tram appears to be in a MMTB livery.Yields information about cable trams in Bridge Road Richmond and associated buildings.Photograph, black and white, Kodak paper.trams, tramways, cable tram, tram 383, bridge road, church st, richmond

Stubley Holden dealership 1960s. The Stubley Group began in 1946 when Purcell Stubley purchased a site with petrol bowsers in Main Street from 'Snowy' Jessop. In 1948 Purcell began building the new Stubley Motors, working round the old site to keep the business operating. It was completed in 1951. The Group expanded into a Holden dealership in the 1960s.Digital copy of black and white photographpurcell stubley, stubley motors, stubley group greensborough

Stubley Holden dealership 1960s. The Stubley Group began in 1946 when Purcell Stubley purchased a site with petrol bowsers in Main Street from 'Snowy' Jessop. In 1948 Purcell began building the new Stubley Motors, working round the old site to keep the business operating. It was completed in 1951. The Group expanded into a Holden dealership in the 1960s.Digital copy of black and white photographpurcell stubley, stubley motors, stubley group greensborough

Stubley Motors 1950s. The Stubley Group began in 1946 when Purcell Stubley purchased a site with petrol bowsers in Main Street from 'Snowy' Jessop. In 1948 Purcell began building the new Stubley Motors, working round the old site to keep the business operating. It was completed in 1951. The Group expanded into a Holden dealership in the 1960s.Digital copy of black and white photographpurcell stubley, stubley motors, stubley group greensborough

Stubley Motors 1950s. The Stubley Group began in 1946 when Purcell Stubley purchased a site with petrol bowsers in Main Street from 'Snowy' Jessop. In 1948 Purcell began building the new Stubley Motors, working round the old site to keep the business operating. It was completed in 1951. The Group expanded into a Holden dealership in the 1960s.Digital copy of black and white photographpurcell stubley, stubley motors, stubley group greensborough

Stubley Garage workshop 1951. The Stubley Group began in 1946 when Purcell Stubley purchased a site with petrol bowsers in Main Street from 'Snowy' Jessop. In 1948 Purcell began building the new Stubley Motors, working round the old site to keep the business operating. It was completed in 1951. The Group expanded into a Holden dealership in the 1960s.Digital copy of black and white photographpurcell stubley, stubley motors, stubley group greensborough

The Mt Dandenong Post Office & Store was originally built by Will Dower. The house and shop was built in 1912 and staffed by Ruby and Ada Dower. It became the Post Office in 1917 when Lil Badenhop sold her business following the death of her daughter Myrtle. The Post Office and Store closed in 1926 when the new premises opened on the Main Road.Black & white photograph of Dower's house and shop built on the corner of Old Coach Road and Farndons Road in Mt Dandenong. A man, woman and two children are in the foreground. Donated as a jpeg digital image.dower, will dower, mt dandenong, mt dandenong store, mt dandenong post office, mount dandenong post office, lil badenhop

jim connor collection, uniting church, 2018-07-13

Series consists of 650 loose photographs, predominantly of councillors who served between the mid 1980s and the amalgamation of the Shire in December 1994. The collection also covers a wide range of Council activities, from childcare to official dinners to refuse recycling.shire of eltham archives, series listing

Series consists of negatives and transparencies of councillors and executive staff who served between 1988 and 1994. Over 140 negatives - 35mm & 120 size; l colour slide.shire of eltham archives, series listing

Centred on present day Edendale Farm from Glen Park rd to Zig Zag Rd Historic Aerial Imagery Source: Landata.vic.gov.au Aerial Photo Details: Project No :5 Project : MELBOURNE AND METROPOLITAN AREA PROJECT Run : 37 Frame : 60549 Date : 12/1945 Film Type : B/W Camera : EAG4 Flying Height : 10200 Scale : 6000 Film Number : 196 GDA2020 : 37°42'12"S, 145°09'09"E MGA2020 : 337141, 5825486 (55) Melways : 21 K2 (ed. 42)aerial photo, eltham, edendale farm, eltham - yarra glen road, eltham-hurstbridge railway line, gastons homestead, gastons road, glen park road, main road, park road, railway road, wattletree road, zig zag road, neil webster collection

greensborough, main street, shopping centre, tom lane chemist

greensborough, main street, shopping centre

greensborough, main street, shopping centre