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Eltham District Historical Society Inc
Photograph, Fay Bridge, Eastern boundary of former Warrandyte Aboriginal Reserve, North Warrandyte, 7 November 2016
... , it covered 1,908 acres on both sides of the Yarra River (Birrarung..., it covered 1,908 acres on both sides of the Yarra River (Birrarung ...Two bronze commemorative plaques on rocks, unveiled by Wurundjeri Tribe Council Elders, mark two eastern boundaries of the former Warrandyte Aboriginal Reserve on the north and south sides of the Yarra. This project was initiated by Nillumbik Reconciliation Group in close association with Reconciliation Manningham and the Wurundjeri Tribe Council, as a means of commemorating the last great corroboree of the Kulin Nation which was held at Pound Bend in March 1852. This plaque is on the Nillumbuk side of the Yarra, accessed via The Boulevard, North Warrandyte. The plaque is set on a rock approximately 50 metres before the turning circle at the end of The Boulevard. Plaque : Warrandyte Aboriginal Reserve This commemorative rock marks an eastern boundary of the former Warrandyte Aboriginal Reserve established in 1852. Centred on Pound Bend, it covered 1,908 acres on both sides of the Yarra River (Birrarung). That same year saw the last great gathering of the Kulin nation here in Wurundjeri country which was celebrated over two weeks with traditional performance and games. For a few years longer the reserve intermittently served as a ration station.With gold having been discovered at Warrandyte, the Wurundjeri were moved on again but ultimately secured a permanent home at Coranderrk, Healesville. A second commemorative plaque and rock is located on the opposite bank of the Yarra and its confluence with Stony Creek. Melway ref : 23 C 9 Unveiled by Wurundjeri Elder, Uncle Bill Nicholson on 23rd March 2013 Funded by the Robert Bridgford Indigenous Trust (Nillumbik Community Fund) with assistance from Manningham City Council Small Grants Program Ref: Monument Autralia https://monumentaustralia.org.au/themes/culture/indigenous/display/99680-warrandyte-aboriginal-reserve-fay bridge collection, 2016-11-07, aboriginal reserve, north warrandyte, plaques, warrandyte aboriginal reserve -
Eltham District Historical Society Inc
Photograph, Liz Pidgeon, Heritage Excursion; Eltham Lower Park Walk and Talk, 1 July 2017
... of the Diamond Creek and the Yarra River made it an important meeting... of the Diamond Creek and the Yarra River made it an important meeting ...Transcription of plaque: Not Just a Pretty Place acknowledges the cultural significance of this site for residnets of the Nillumbik Shire and for the Wurundjeri community. Historically the confluence of rivers have particular importance as these were sites where rituals and ceremonies took place. The carved bluestone form presents an oversize river pebble that echoes the spirit of the water and draws attention to this location as a meeting place and landmark. The oval shape of a coolamun (Wurundjeri dish or basket) is referenced in the sculpture as a reminder of the indigenous heritage and as a gesture to reconciliation Danko describes the work as a contemporary message stick or sign, that can be read as a merker of time, nature and human existance. 2000 Nillumbik Art in Public Places Award. Heritage Excursion - Saturday 1st July - Eltham Lower Park - Walk and Talk Eltham Lower Park has played an important part in the history of our area since the early days of European settlement when it was used by local residents as an informal racecourse. Prior to that its location at the junction of the Diamond Creek and the Yarra River made it an important meeting place for the Wurundjeri people. The park combines formal elements and sporting facilities with remnant bushland that is of environmental significance. It is home to sporting and horse riding clubs, popular play spaces and the Diamond Valley Miniature Railway, which attracts large numbers of visitors. The park will be the venue for our July excursion which will comprise a walk of about 3.5 km around the park and adjacent areas. Along the way we will discuss the history and natural history of the area. The path along the creek and the river provides a pleasant and scenic walk. This walk on Saturday 1st July is about 3.5 km in length and will take 2 to 2.5 hours. It will start at 2pm at the Main Road car park at the front of the park. (Melway ref 21 H 10). From Newsletter No., 234, June 2017 Born Digitalelection day, heritage excursion, activities, eltham district historical society, eltham lower park, not just a pretty place, public art, plaque -
Melbourne Tram Museum
Postcard - Folder, Rose Stereograph Co, "Picturesque Views of Melbourne", mid 1930s
... - Shows; Princes Bridge, Yarra River, Excursion Ferry, Princes... - Shows; Princes Bridge, Yarra River, Excursion Ferry, Princes ...Comprises 12 photos of Melbourne, mid to late 1930s. Produced by Rose Stereograph of Armadale. 1 - Botanical Gardens and Government House Melbourne. - 2 - The MacRobertson Fountain Melbourne - Both the Fountain and the Shrine of Remembrance were completed in 1934. Government House tower features in the background. Also note the absence of any mature trees. See reference - completed 1934. 3 - Flinders Street Railway Station with a "W" class tram in Flinders Street and "Y" class tram in Swanston Street in the view 4 - St Kilda Road Melbourne - Looking south with the Queen Victoria Gardens in the left of the photo. 5 - Collins Street Melbourne - Showing the Regent Theatre, Manchester Unity Building and the Town Hall. 6 - Princes Bridge and city Skyline Melbourne - Shows; Princes Bridge, Yarra River, Excursion Ferry, Princes Walk, Flinders Street Railway Station, the Nicholas and Manchester Unity Buildings in Swanston Street and the Sargood Gardner building in Flinders Street. 7 - The Conservatory, Fitzroy Gardens Melbourne - 8 - The Cathedral Corner Melbourne - shows; Young & Jacksons Hotel, St Paul's Cathedral, The Gas & Fuel building, Ball & Walsh Department store and The State Theatre plus several "w" class trams in Swanston Street. 9 - St Kilda Road Melbourne - Looking south from Nolan Street. Note trees still present at the entrance area to the Shrine of Remembrance. 10 - Looking across Princes Bridge to St Kilda Road Melbourne - Looking south from the roof of the Nicolas Building showing; Princes Bridge, St. Kilda Road, The Shrine of Remembrance and the Victoria Barracks in the distance. 11 - Parliament House Melbourne - in Spring Street 12 - Captain Cook's Cottage, Fitzroy Gardens Melbourne - Erected in the gardens in 1934. Yields information about Melbourne city views and new attractions mid 1930s. Paper envelope folder with 6 photos on each side of a foldout section titled "Picturesque Views of Melbourne" melbourne, photo folders, postcards -
Eltham District Historical Society Inc
Photograph, Henley Bridge, Spring Excursion, Exploring the Upper Yarra, 22 October 1995, 22/10/1995
... to glimpse the Yarra River, upstream and down, its secret places... to glimpse the Yarra River, upstream and down, its secret places ...[article by Bettina Woodburn in EDHS Newsletter No. 105, November 1995:] EXPLORING THE UPPER YARRA - 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 £200 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'Shannassy 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. Situated on the Yarra River, 5.5 kms south of Christmas Hills on private property. This timber trestle bridge is said to have been built some time after 1907 by Melbourne master-builder, David Mitchell (the father of Dame Nellie Melba), to connect his two "Henley Farm" properties with Lilydale. In earlier days, when the McPhersons owned the property, their children used a punt to cross the river to attend Yering Primary School. This private bridge is best viewed from the end of Wendy Way. - Source: Christmas Hills Past and Present, Yarra Glen & District Historical Society, 2004.Two colour photographsactivities, henley bridge, upper yarra -
Kew Historical Society Inc
Programme, Kew Canoe Carnival, 1910
... on the River Yarra on February 11th. The location was at the Asylum... on the River Yarra on February 11th. The location was at the Asylum ...An item from an outstanding and diverse photographic collection, assembled by members of the Christian and Washfold families of Kew.Rare programme for what was once an annual event in Kew with important, possibly unique photos of sites in Kew and on the Yarra.Programme for the 1910 Kew Canoe Carnival which was held on the River Yarra on February 11th. The location was at the Asylum Reserve at the old white bridge (the precursor of Kane's Bridge). Funds were raised in Aid of the Annual Treat to Kew and Yarra Bend Patients (and the Carnival fund). The booklet includes details of the programme, numerous advertisements and rare and important historic photographs of the district including: the Willsmere Park Dairy, the Glen Tea Gardens at Hawthorn, the Pipe Bridge, the Kew Boat Sheds (Macauley's), and Rudder Grange boat house.christian-washfold collection, kew canoe club, kew canoe carnivals -
Kew Historical Society Inc
Map, MMBW, MMBW Plan No.39 Kew & Heidelberg, 1900-1910
... Asylum, in the west by the River Yarra [and the later added Yarra... Street and the Kew Lunatic Asylum, in the west by the River Yarra ...The Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works (MMBW) was established by an act of the Victorian Parliament in 1890 to prepare for and to implement a sewerage and water reticulation system across what was then inner Melbourne, its surrounding and middle distance suburbs, including Kew. The MMBW was disbanded in 1991.The map collection of the Kew Historical Society has at its core the historic maps assembled and originally stored in the City Engineer's Department of the City of Kew. These include maps in a number of scales. The vast majority of maps were produced by the MMBW in the first two decades of the twentieth century, and are solid working maps, backed by linen for durability. These maps are historically significant to Kew, the City of Boroondara and to the history of the development of state utilities in Victoria. A number of the Kew maps have additional details added by former municipal officers, including the levels reached by various floods. As these were working documents, information was added to them long after the period of their initial production and distribution.Early map of part of the Borough of Kew, created in the first decade of the twentieth century, at a scale 160 ft to 1 inch. The map covers what was then the north western section of Kew, bordered on its north by Wills Street and the Kew Lunatic Asylum, in the west by the River Yarra [and the later added Yarra Boulevard] , by Princess Street in the East and Holroyd Street in the south. The map shows the extent of urban development by that time, prominent institutions and the outlines of built structures in the municipality. Contour lines were added in ink to the map at a later stage.MELBOURNE AND METROPOLITAN BOARD OF WORKS / PLAN NO. 39 / KEW & HEIDELBERGmelbourne & metropolitan board of works, mmbw maps, mmbw plans, borough of kew, cartography -
University of Melbourne, Burnley Campus Archives
Plan, Plan of Entrance to Horticultural Gardens Burnley, 1932
... Superintendent dated 08.12.1932 'Re Proposed Boulevard Along the River...University of Melbourne, Burnley Campus Archives 500 Yarra ...Copy of plan photographed at the Public Records Office Victoria. (1) Hand drawn plan signed by A.W. Jessep 8/12/32 with 'Suspected Roadway' and ' Suggested Roadway'. Scale 1 inch - 1 chain. Trees on East side named. (2) Memorandum to The Agricultural Superintendent dated 08.12.1932 'Re Proposed Boulevard Along the River Yarra' from the Principal A.W. Jessep. Plan had been to put road through the Lagoon Paddock and he suggested the route outside the Burnley College grounds.prov, burnley gardens, a.w. jessep -
Eltham District Historical Society Inc
Photograph, 35 Ingrams Road, Research, Eltham Heritage Tour, 24 May 1992, 24/05/1992
... -fields and places north of the Yarra River. The Hotel dates from... to distant gold-fields and places north of the Yarra River. The Hotel ...ELTHAM HERITAGE TOUR The Society excursion on 24th May 1992 was arranged by David Bick, leader of the team carrying out the Shire's heritage study. David selected a number of sites or buildings identified in the study, some of them lesser known components of the Shire's heritage. The tour commenced at the Eltham Shire Office at 10.00 am. Travel was by private car and mini-bus with stops at about twelve locations for commentary by David.It included a short walk in Hurstbridge and lunch at Kinglake. Highlights of the tour included: - 10 am Leave from Shire Offices - 3 Important Trees - A Physical Link to Eltham's First Settlers - Toorak Mansion Gates - A Surviving Farm House - An Intact Circa 1900 Main Street - First Settlers - Gold Miners, and Timber-getters - An Early Hotel - A Pioneering Homestead - Changing Eltham Shire - 20th Century - 4 pm Afternoon Tea and Finish Tour Extract from ELTHAM CULTURAL HERITAGE TOUR (Newsletter No. 85, July 1992, by Bettina Woodburn) "On a right-angle turning of the Eltham Road is Wellers Pub, a Cobb & Co. coaching stop on the way to distant gold-fields and places north of the Yarra River. The Hotel dates from the 1870's. Daily distances for a bullock team was eight miles, horses could do double that distance. We turned into Cassells Road and on the corner of Ingrams Road we admired an elaborate Edwardian villa, 1900 style. The Aqueduct conveying Melbourne's water supply was a communication line and a technological advance in 1891. It has been enlarged and re-faced and no longer used here but piped underground. Proclaimed a linear park it has reverted to crown land, controlled by local Council. Maroondah Dam was constructed in. 1920 to replace the original weir and at that time: the Aqueduct - as established into the landscape - with bridges and tunnels and pine trees were used to stop rubbish polluting the water."Record of the Society's history and activities and highlighting various aspects of the Heritage Study undertaken by David Bick used to create the future heritage overlay for the Shire of Eltham and later Nillumbik Shire.Roll of 35mm colour negative film, 4 stripsKodak Gold 100 5095shire of eltham historical society, activities, heritage tour, ingrams road, research (vic.) -
City of Moorabbin Historical Society (Operating the Box Cottage Museum)
Photograph x 1 B/W 'MacRobertson' Bust , Letter, Envelope 1922 August Rietmann sculptor, 1922
... over the Yarra River and the herbarium in the Botanical Gardens... over the Yarra River and the herbarium in the Botanical Gardens ...1922 August Rietmann was commissioned to sculpt a bust of Sir MacPherson Robertson 1859-1945, confectionery maker, ( famous for Freddo Frogs and Cherry Ripe chocolate bar). The Bust was installed at Mac Robertson Girls High School for which he had donated funds for the building. 'MacRob' also funded the bridge over the Yarra River and the herbarium in the Botanical Gardens that all bear his name. August Rietmann (1877-1951) of Lustdorf ,Switzerland, married Maria Frieda Oesschlager (2/2/1878- 22/7/1942) of Baden Baden, Germany on 6/8/1910 In August 8th 1915 August and his wife Frieda migrated to Melbourne, Victoria, Australia sailing on the Steam Ship ‘Osterley’ from Marseilles to Melbourne They leased Box Cottage, Ormond in 1917 and raised two children, Stefanie (1918 -2006) and William (1920- 1997). 1935 August purchased the property and the family used the Cottage during the day and slept in the Front House. August was a monumental mason, potter and sculptor, and was employed at Corbens Ltd Clifton Hill, to carve war memorials in Victoria post WW1 c 1915-1922. During the 1920's August set up his own business in pressed cement making pot plants, columns,paving slabs and lampstands. He continued to carve headstones and figures and took contract work for Artists eg Paul Mountford. He built a workshop in the Barn and used the Cottage for plaster moulding. His son William joined the business and and the family continued to use the site after August died in 1951. Rietmann Landscaping Ltd moved to Bay Road Highett in 1953 and later to Carrum. The land, containing the Box Cottage, was sold to Lewis Timber Pty Ltd in 1970 and Mr Lewis proposed that Moorabbin City Council should preserve the heritage Cottage. In 1984 the Cottage was dismantled and reconstructed in the adjacent Joyce Park. The Rietman family is an example of the diverse nationalities that lived and worked productively in Moorabbin Shire 1871–1933 , the City of Moorabbin 1934-1994 and continues today in the Cities of Glen Eira, Kingston, Bayside, and Monash. August, a sculptor and stone mason, was employed by Corben Pty Ltd Clifton Hill to carve WW1 Memorials before establishing his own successful masonry business in the Box Cottage during the latter 1920s. After becoming interested in pressed cement casting, he took on apprentices (1930s Depression) and among his products were garden furniture, pots and also street lamp standards, some of which were installed in St Kilda Road. After August’s death in 1951, his family continued the business ‘Rietman’s Landscaping Ltd.’, at Highett and Carrum.Photograph x 1 Black & White Sculptured bust of Sir MacPherson Robertson c 1922; b) Letter, printed , typed from Sir MacPherson Robertson to August Rietmann (Richman) with payment for the Bust - £65-5-0 - ; c) Envelope, printed, typed addressed to Mr Rietmann { Richman) at Corbens Ltd.; d) reverse of envelope printed a) 1922; b) printed letter MacRobertson Pty Ltd ; c) printed envelope MacRobertson Ltdmacrobertson chocolate ltd., macrobertson girls high school, fitzroy town hall, rietmann august, rietman august, rietmann frieda, rietman frieda, stonnington city town hall, war memorials, world war 1 1914-1918, rietman stefanie, rennick stefanie, francis stefanie, rietman william, rietman ray, mountford paul, malvern city town hall, box cottage museum ormond, box william, box elizabeth, joyce park ormond, rietman's landscaping pty ltd, bay road highett, macrobertson pty ltd, coleraine soldier memorial 1921, box cottage ormond, freddo frog chocolate, cherry ripe chocolate bar, cadbury schweppes ltd., robertson sir macpherson 1859-1945, confectionery, chocolate -
Kew Historical Society Inc
Map, MMBW, MMBW Town of Kew, 1910-21
... on its north and west by the River Yarra, by Burke Road... on its north and west by the River Yarra, by Burke Road ...The Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works (MMBW) was established by an act of the Victorian Parliament in 1890 to prepare for and to implement a sewerage and water reticulation system across what was then inner Melbourne, its surrounding and middle distance suburbs, including Kew. The MMBW was disbanded in 1991.The map collection of the Kew Historical Society has at its core the historic maps assembled and originally stored in the City Engineer's Department of the City of Kew. These include maps in a number of scales. The vast majority of maps were produced by the MMBW in the first two decades of the twentieth century, and are solid working maps, backed by linen for durability. These maps are historically significant to Kew, the City of Boroondara and to the history of the development of state utilities in Victoria. A number of the Kew maps have additional details added by former municipal officers, including the levels reached by various floods. As these were working documents, information was added to them long after the period of their initial production and distribution.Early map of the Town of Kew, created after 1910, at a scale 440 ft to 1 inch. The 'assembled' map by the City of Kew Engineer's Department includes scaled down copies of The Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works maps, Nos. 39, 40, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, and 117. The map covers the entirety of the Town of Kew, bordered on its north and west by the River Yarra, by Burke Road in the East and Barkers Road in the south. The map shows the extent of urban development by that time, prominent institutions and the outlines of built structures in the municipality. TOWN OF KEW / SCALE 400 FEET TO 1 INCHmelbourne & metropolitan board of works, mmbw maps, mmbw plans, town of kew, cartography -
Kew Historical Society Inc
Map, MMBW, MMBW Plan No.40 Collingwood & Kew, 1900-1910
... by Walmer Street and the River Yarra, by High Street South... Park Road, in the west by Walmer Street and the River Yarra ...The Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works (MMBW) was established by an act of the Victorian Parliament in 1890 to prepare for and to implement a sewerage and water reticulation system across what was then inner Melbourne, its surrounding and middle distance suburbs, including Kew. The MMBW was disbanded in 1991.The map collection of the Kew Historical Society has at its core the historic maps assembled and originally stored in the City Engineer's Department of the City of Kew. These include maps in a number of scales. The vast majority of maps were produced by the MMBW in the first two decades of the twentieth century, and are solid working maps, backed by linen for durability. These maps are historically significant to Kew, the City of Boroondara and to the history of the development of state utilities in Victoria. A number of the Kew maps have additional details added by former municipal officers, including the levels reached by various floods. As these were working documents, information was added to them long after the period of their initial production and distribution.Early map of part of the Borough of Kew, created in the first decade of the twentieth century, at a scale 160 ft to 1 inch. The map covers what was then the south western section of Kew, bordered on its north by Studley Park Road, in the west by Walmer Street and the River Yarra, by High Street South and Princess Street in the East and Barkers Road in the south. The map shows the extent of urban development by that time, prominent institutions and the outlines of built structures in the municipality. Contour lines and historic flood levels were added in ink to the map at a later stage.MELBOURNE AND METROPOLITAN BOARD OF WORKS / PLAN NO. 40 / COLLINGWOOD & KEWmelbourne & metropolitan board of works, mmbw maps, mmbw plans, borough of kew, cartography -
Eltham District Historical Society Inc
Negative - Photograph, Harry Gilham, Orford family graves, Eltham Cemetery, Victoria, Sep 2009
... , extending down to the Yarra River. His work entailed ringbarking..., extending down to the Yarra River. His work entailed ringbarking ...One of Eltham's earliest settlers was James Orford. Born 1804 in Bedfordshire, the son of George, a carpenter and Lydia Barret, he and wife Sarah Amelia nee Moull (1807) arrived as Assisted Immigrants aboard the ship, ‘Orestes’, November 28, 1839 accompanied by their children, George (14), Mary Ann (11), and James (2). Originally settling in New South Wales, daughter Sarah Amelia was born at Braidwood in 1843 and son, Thomas Henry at Pambula in 1847. James was a carpenter who is known to have built the original gates to Eltham Cemetery. He died in 1869. Around 1890, his son Thomas Henry Orford was living in Pitt Street. Following the death of his wife Helen in 1899, Thomas was appointed by Joseph Panton to look after ‘Panton Park’, a 429-acre bushland property at the fork of Reynolds and Laughing Waters Roads, extending down to the Yarra River. His work entailed ringbarking the manna gums on the property to clear the land for pasture. Thomas lived in a slab hut with his son Ernie, who helped with the work. When Gordon Lyon purchased Panton Park in 1908, Thomas then worked for Lyon at both Panton Park and at ‘Banyule’, Lyon's stud farm at Heidelberg. In 1915 Lyon gave Thomas six acres of land in Reynolds Road with a two-roomed cottage. Thomas died in 1944 and is buried in Eltham Cemetery with his wife and his parents. Another of James Orford's sons was James Matthias Orford. He tried to grow food on land at the end of Laughing Waters Road, but without success. Reputedly the Wurundjeri taught him to swim. He was once imprisoned; when his friend Constable Lawlor invited him to inspect the new bluestone lock-up, Lawlor locked him in and wouldn't release him until he was promised two gallons of beer! ORFORD In Memory Of James 1804 -1869 Sarah Amelia 1807 - 1897 Their son Thomas Henry 1847 - 1944 His wife Helen Amelia 1854 - 1899Roll of 35mm colour negative film, 6 stripsKodak GC 400-9eltham cemetery, gravestones, helen amelia orford, james orford, sarah amelia orford, thomas henry orford, cemetery gates -
Eltham District Historical Society Inc
Photograph, Peter Pidgeon, Orford family graves, Eltham Cemetery, Victoria, 5 April 2021
... , extending down to the Yarra River. His work entailed ringbarking..., extending down to the Yarra River. His work entailed ringbarking ...One of Eltham's earliest settlers was James Orford. Born 1804 in Bedfordshire, the son of George, a carpenter and Lydia Barret, he and wife Sarah Amelia nee Moull (1807) arrived as Assisted Immigrants aboard the ship, ‘Orestes’, November 28, 1839 accompanied by their children, George (14), Mary Ann (11), and James (2). Originally settling in New South Wales, daughter Sarah Amelia was born at Braidwood in 1843 and son, Thomas Henry at Pambula in 1847. James was a carpenter who is known to have built the original gates to Eltham Cemetery. He died in 1869. Around 1890, his son Thomas Henry Orford was living in Pitt Street. Following the death of his wife Helen in 1899, Thomas was appointed by Joseph Panton to look after ‘Panton Park’, a 429-acre bushland property at the fork of Reynolds and Laughing Waters Roads, extending down to the Yarra River. His work entailed ringbarking the manna gums on the property to clear the land for pasture. Thomas lived in a slab hut with his son Ernie, who helped with the work. When Gordon Lyon purchased Panton Park in 1908, Thomas then worked for Lyon at both Panton Park and at ‘Banyule’, Lyon's stud farm at Heidelberg. In 1915 Lyon gave Thomas six acres of land in Reynolds Road with a two-roomed cottage. Thomas died in 1944 and is buried in Eltham Cemetery with his wife and his parents. Another of James Orford's sons was James Matthias Orford. He tried to grow food on land at the end of Laughing Waters Road, but without success. Reputedly the Wurundjeri taught him to swim. He was once imprisoned; when his friend Constable Lawlor invited him to inspect the new bluestone lock-up, Lawlor locked him in and wouldn't release him until he was promised two gallons of beer! ORFORD In Memory Of James 1804 -1869 Sarah Amelia 1807 - 1897 Their son Thomas Henry 1847 - 1944 His wife Helen Amelia 1854 - 1899Born Digitaleltham cemetery, gravestones, helen amelia orford, james orford, sarah amelia orford, thomas henry orford -
Eltham District Historical Society Inc
Negative - Photograph, Harry Gilham, Grave of Alfred and Margaret Armstrong, Eltham Cemetery, Victoria, Sep 2009
... for a bridge to be erected across the Yarra River between Eltham... for a bridge to be erected across the Yarra River between Eltham ...Alfred Patrick Armstrong was born in England in 1825 and was employed under the renowned Isambard Kingdom Brunel as a civil engineer during the construction of the Great Western Railway and the South Wales Railway. He came to Melbourne in 1852 and purchased property in Eltham. He became a mining surveyor and was Inspector of Mines and the Mining Registrar for the St Andrews Division of the Castlemaine Mining District. In 1855, he chaired a meeting calling for a bridge to be erected across the Yarra River between Eltham and Temple Stow. He was registered as an innkeeper in 1858, was a recognised collector of the £110 raised for the building of the first building of State School No. 209 (Eltham Primary) and was a Trustee for the Church of England site on the Eltham Cemetery Trust in 1860. He was elected to the Eltham District Road Board (forerunner of Eltham Shire Council) from 1867 to 1871 and then served as an Eltham Shire Councillor from 1871 to 1878 (including Shire President in 1873). Margaret Armstrong to whom he was married in 1854 at St Pauls Church, Melbourne, died on the 27th March 1887. Alfred died in 1893, having been in ill health for some time, and is buried in Eltham Cemetery with his wife Margaret. The monument features a tall pillar capped with a draped urn: a symbol of death. In Loving Memory of Alfred Armstrong Died May 27tth 1893 Aged 68 years Also of his wife Margaret Died March 27th 1887 Aged 63 years This burial site is of special interest as the monument has the tallest pillar-a vase-a draped cloth top (unfulfilled life) and additional panels of names around the sides and the base, which include: Ada Gertrude Armstrong, beloved daughter of Alfred & Margaret Armstrong, died May 30th 1878, aged 21 years Mary Armstrong, beloved mother to Alfred Armstrong, died April 10th, 1886 aged 82 years Arthur Vivian Harrison, died 4th Nov. 1899, aged 8 years Arthur Reynolds Stockwood Armstrong, son of Alfred Armstrong, died 4th Nov. 1908, aged 43 years Laura Augusta Harrison nee Armstrong, died 26th July 1921, aged 64 yearsRoll of 35mm colour negative film, 6 stripsKodak GC 400-9eltham cemetery, gravestones, alfred armstrong, margaret armstrong, ada gertrude armstrong, arthur reynolds stockwood armstrong, arthur vivian harrison, laura augusta harrison (nee armstrong), mary armstrong -
Eltham District Historical Society Inc
Photograph, Peter Pidgeon, Graves of Thomas Sweeney and family, Eltham Cemetery, Victoria, 5 April 2021
... and in 1842 Thomas purchased 110 acres beside the Yarra River... and in 1842 Thomas purchased 110 acres beside the Yarra River ...Irish-born Thomas Sweeney is regarded as the first settler in Eltham. He was transported to Sydney in 1823 after being convicted of arson. He was granted his freedom in 1838 and married Margaret Meehan in the same year. They moved to Melbourne and in 1842 Thomas purchased 110 acres beside the Yarra River in the vicinity of present-day Sweeneys Lane. He called the property ‘Culla Hill’ and built a small slab hut (reputedly with Wurundjeri help; Margaret is said to have run an informal hospital for them in return). This was followed in 1846 by more substantial buildings consisting of a three-roomed Irish-style ‘longhouse’ and a barn made of stone and handmade bricks, with doors large enough to accommodate a fully loaded wagon. When the gold rush came, Thomas prospered by selling meat and potatoes to the prospectors, enabling him to purchase a further 308 acres in 1856. He promoted the construction of a bridge over the Plenty River and the establishment of a school at Eltham. Roman Catholic Church services were held at Culla Hill in the early years. When he died in 1867, he was regarded as a respected member of the community. Thomas and Margaret are buried in Eltham Cemetery with many of their descendants. Their first son John continued to farm Culla Hill until his death in 1909. Culla Hill passed out of the Sweeneys' possession in 1939. The house and barn remain today, though lesser outbuildings have gone. The facade of the house is much the same as it was in the 1840s. Sacred To the memory of Thomas Sweeney Who died Sep 6th 1867 Aged 65 years May his soul res in peace Also his wife Margaret Died Oct 3rd 1884 aged 73 years And their daughters Annie Died Aug 22nd 1860 aged 21 years Johanna Died Aug 19th 1872 aged 22 years Margaret Died 7th Sep 1913 aged 72 years R.I.P. Also In Memory Of John Sweeney Died 24th May 1909 Aged 65 years Also of his wife Ellen Died 8th March 1910 Aged 64 years R.I.P Also In Memory Of Caroline Infant daughter of John & Ellen SweeneyBorn Digitalannie sweeney, eltham cemetery, gravestones, johanna sweeney, john murray, margaret sweeney, mary ellen drain, mary murray, thomas drain, thomas sweeney -
Eltham District Historical Society Inc
Photograph, Peter Pidgeon, Grave of Alfred and Margaret Armstrong, Eltham Cemetery, Victoria, 5 April 2021
... for a bridge to be erected across the Yarra River between Eltham... for a bridge to be erected across the Yarra River between Eltham ...Alfred Patrick Armstrong was born in England in 1825 and was employed under the renowned Isambard Kingdom Brunel as a civil engineer during the construction of the Great Western Railway and the South Wales Railway. He came to Melbourne in 1852 and purchased property in Eltham. He became a mining surveyor and was Inspector of Mines and the Mining Registrar for the St Andrews Division of the Castlemaine Mining District. In 1855, he chaired a meeting calling for a bridge to be erected across the Yarra River between Eltham and Temple Stow. He was registered as an innkeeper in 1858, was a recognised collector of the £110 raised for the building of the first building of State School No. 209 (Eltham Primary) and was a Trustee for the Church of England site on the Eltham Cemetery Trust in 1860. He was elected to the Eltham District Road Board (forerunner of Eltham Shire Council) from 1867 to 1871 and then served as an Eltham Shire Councillor from 1871 to 1878 (including Shire President in 1873). Margaret Armstrong to whom he was married in 1854 at St Pauls Church, Melbourne, died on the 27th March 1887. Alfred died in 1893, having been in ill health for some time, and is buried in Eltham Cemetery with his wife Margaret. The monument features a tall pillar capped with a draped urn: a symbol of death. In Loving Memory of Alfred Armstrong Died May 27tth 1893 Aged 68 years Also of his wife Margaret Died March 27th 1887 Aged 63 years This burial site is of special interest as the monument has the tallest pillar-a vase-a draped cloth top (unfulfilled life) and additional panels of names around the sides and the base, which include: Ada Gertrude Armstrong, beloved daughter of Alfred & Margaret Armstrong, died May 30th 1878, aged 21 years Mary Armstrong, beloved mother to Alfred Armstrong, died April 10th, 1886 aged 82 years Arthur Vivian Harrison, died 4th Nov. 1899, aged 8 years Arthur Reynolds Stockwood Armstrong, son of Alfred Armstrong, died 4th Nov. 1908, aged 43 years Laura Augusta Harrison nee Armstrong, died 26th July 1921, aged 64 yearsBorn Digitaleltham cemetery, gravestones, ada gertrude armstrong, alfred armstrong, arthur reynolds stockwood armstrong, arthur vivian harrison, laura augusta harrison (nee armstrong), margaret armstrong, mary armstrong -
Eltham District Historical Society Inc
Photograph - Digital Photograph, Jim Connor, River Bend House, 130 Laughing Waters Road, Eltham, 7 September 2013
... . It sits in a deep cutting on a steep slope above the Yarra River.... It sits in a deep cutting on a steep slope above the Yarra River ...Laughing Waters Walk, 7 Sep 2013 This Society excursion was a follow up to the Laughing Waters Story told to us by Jane Woollard at our Annual General Meeting in March 2013. It involved a walk commencing from the corner of Laughing Waters and Overbank Roads along Laughing Waters Road to its eastern end and returning partly over the same route - a total distance of about 2.5km. On the way we visited the two artist in residence properties, River Bend and Birrarung, to view the houses on them that are associated with Alistair Knox, Gordon Ford and others in the local mud brick and artistic community. We also able to walk around the derelict ruin which was once home to Gordon and Sue Ford, Boomerang House. An unexpected afternoon tea was offered to us by the artists in residence at Birrarung House and we had a brief opportunity to view inside the house. River Bend was designed and built by Alistair Knox for Rosemary and Bill Cuming in 1968. It sits in a deep cutting on a steep slope above the Yarra River and features floor to ceiling windows and glass doors set into mission brown timber frames and walls of reclaimed bricks in pinkish hue. Rosemary laid the brick paving around the house, a copy of the shell paving found in the ancient French town of Colmar, where the family had lived for a period. The kitchen was equipped with a 1960s stove as well as a cast iron wood stove reclaimed from Rosemary's sister's home in Armadale. Max and Tini Huygens, migrants from Holland, purchased the property in 1975 and named it Tilwinda from an Aboriginal word meaning 'hole in a rock'. In late 1981 Tini died after a short illness, but Max continued to live at Tilwinda until he moved to a retirement village in 2000 and the property was sold to Parks Victoria. Renamed River Bend, the property became part of the Laughing Waters Artist in Residency Program in 2008. Nillumbik Shire Council upgraded the property in 2012 with solar panels, a heat pump for hot water and double glazing to improve the comfort of the artists in residence and make the house more energy efficient. For a more in-depth description of the property and biographies of the various artists in residence commencing from 2008 to 2015, see Jane Woollard's book, "Laughing Waters Road; Art, Landscape & Memory in Eltham" published 2016.2013-09-07, activities, artists in residence, eltham district historical society, heritage excursion, jim connor collection, laughing waters road, river bend house -
Eltham District Historical Society Inc
Document - Folder, Victoria Archaeological Survey, 1982-1990
... of the Middle Yarra, the Lower Plenty River and the City of Doncaster... of the Middle Yarra, the Lower Plenty River and the City of Doncaster ...sites, structures, archaeological significance, victoria archaeological survey -
Eltham District Historical Society Inc
Photograph - Digital Photograph, Alan King, Graves of Thomas Sweeney and family, Eltham Cemetery, Victoria, 27 January 2008
... to Melbourne and in 1842 Thomas purchased 110 acres beside the Yarra... to Melbourne and in 1842 Thomas purchased 110 acres beside the Yarra ...The grave of Thomas Sweeney, former convict turned respectable citizen. The Murray and Sweeney families were both early settlers of the Eltham district and connected by marriage. Their family plots are located side by side in the Catholic section of the Eltham Cemetery. Irish-born Thomas Sweeney is regarded as the first settler in Eltham. He was transported to Sydney in 1823 after being convicted of arson. He was granted his freedom in 1838 and married Margaret Meehan in the same year. They moved to Melbourne and in 1842 Thomas purchased 110 acres beside the Yarra River in the vicinity of present-day Sweeneys Lane. He called the property ‘Culla Hill’ and built a small slab hut (reputedly with Wurundjeri help; Margaret is said to have run an informal hospital for them in return). This was followed in 1846 by more substantial buildings consisting of a three-roomed Irish-style ‘longhouse’ and a barn made of stone and handmade bricks, with doors large enough to accommodate a fully loaded wagon. When the gold rush came, Thomas prospered by selling meat and potatoes to the prospectors, enabling him to purchase a further 308 acres in 1856. He promoted the construction of a bridge over the Plenty River and the establishment of a school at Eltham. Roman Catholic Church services were held at Culla Hill in the early years. When he died in 1867, he was regarded as a respected member of the community. Thomas and Margaret are buried in Eltham Cemetery with many of their descendants. Their first son John continued to farm Culla Hill until his death in 1909. Culla Hill passed out of the Sweeneys' possession in 1939. The house and barn remain today, though lesser outbuildings have gone. The facade of the house is much the same as it was in the 1840s. Sacred To the memory of Thomas Sweeney Who died Sep 6th 1867 Aged 65 years May his soul res in peace Also his wife Margaret Died Oct 3rd 1884 aged 73 years And their daughters Annie Died Aug 22nd 1860 aged 21 years Johanna Died Aug 19th 1872 aged 22 years Margaret Died 7th Sep 1913 aged 72 years R.I.P. Also In Memory Of John Sweeney Died 24th May 1909 Aged 65 years Also of his wife Ellen Died 8th March 1910 Aged 64 years R.I.P Also In Memory Of Caroline Infant daughter of John & Ellen Sweeney Published: Nillumbik Now and Then / Marguerite Marshall 2008; photographs Alan King with Marguerite Marshall.; p55This 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, annie sweeney, caroline sweeney, ellen sweeney, eltham cemetery, graves, gravestones, johanna sweeney, john murray, john sweeney, margaret sweeney, mary ellen drain, mary murray, thomas murray, thomas sweeney -
Eltham District Historical Society Inc
Photograph, Peter Pidgeon, Grave of William Hill and Agnes Somerville Irvine and family, Eltham Cemetery, Victoria, 5 April 2021
... on three sides by the Yarra River, is of geological importance... on three sides by the Yarra River, is of geological importance ...William Hill Irvine was born 6 July, 1858 in Newry, County Down, Ireland. He arrived in Melbourne December 1879 and taught at Geelong College. He was admitted to the Supreme Court in 1884 having qualified from Melbourne University and practiced in Melbourne. In 1891 he married Agnes Somerville Wanliss and they had one son, William Mitchell (1901 Armadale) and two daughters, Beatrice Wanliss (1899 Armadale) and Agnes Somerville Wanliss (1903 Armadale). Sir William Irvine sat in the Victorian Parliament (as Liberal Member for Lowan) from 1894 to 1906 and was Premier of Victoria from 1902 to 1904. He then switched to Federal politics and sat in the Commonwealth Parliament (as Liberal Member for Flinders) from 1906 to 1918. He was considered a potential Prime Minister, but his abrupt manner and hard-line conservatism (particularly his attitude to a railway strike) made him unacceptable even to many Liberals: he was known in Parliament as "Iceberg Irvine". He lived at Richmond, but in 1908 purchased land in Laughing Waters Road at Eltham, where he built the house ‘Killeavey’, initially as a weekend retreat. The site, a peninsula surrounded on three sides by the Yarra River, is of geological importance and has considerable cultural significance to the Wurundjeri. In 1912 Sir William moved to Killeavey and in 1913 purchased more land, extending his property to Reynolds Road. In 1923 he shifted to Toorak, donating Killeavey to his daughter Beatrice as a wedding gift. Sir William was a founding member of the RACV and was Acting Governor of Victoria from 1931 to 1934. He was also a notable public figure involved in several local events including the: 1919 Unveiling of Eltham War Obelisk 1921 Eltham Primary School Extensions 1921 Eltham Primary School Roll of Honour of prior students 1928 Opening of Eltham Higher Elementary School 1926 Unveiling the Shire of Eltham War Memorial in Memorial Park at Kangaroo Ground He died in 1943 and is buried in Eltham Cemetery with his wife Agnes along with son William Mitchell Irvine and his wife, Dora Haswell Sacred to the memory of William Hill Irvine G.C.M.G. Lieutenant Governor And Chief Justice of Victoria Born 6th July 1858 At Newry, Northern Ireland Died 20th August 1943 Also his wife Agnes Somerville Born at Ballarat 16th Nov 1867 Died at Eltham 16th Aug 1954 W. M. W. Irvine 1901-1975 And Dora Haswell Wife of W. M. W. Irvine 1900-1979Born Digitaleltham cemetery, gravestones, agnes sommerville irvine (nee wanliss), dora haswell irvine, william hill irvine, william mitchell irvine -
Eltham District Historical Society Inc
Negative - Photograph, Harry Gilham, Grave of William Hill and Agnes Somerville Irvine and family, Eltham Cemetery, Victoria, 1 Aug 2007
... on three sides by the Yarra River, is of geological importance... on three sides by the Yarra River, is of geological importance ...William Hill Irvine was born 6 July, 1858 in Newry, County Down, Ireland. He arrived in Melbourne December 1879 and taught at Geelong College. He was admitted to the Supreme Court in 1884 having qualified from Melbourne University and practiced in Melbourne. In 1891 he married Agnes Somerville Wanliss and they had one son, William Mitchell (1901 Armadale) and two daughters, Beatrice Wanliss (1899 Armadale) and Agnes Somerville Wanliss (1903 Armadale). Sir William Irvine sat in the Victorian Parliament (as Liberal Member for Lowan) from 1894 to 1906 and was Premier of Victoria from 1902 to 1904. He then switched to Federal politics and sat in the Commonwealth Parliament (as Liberal Member for Flinders) from 1906 to 1918. He was considered a potential Prime Minister, but his abrupt manner and hard-line conservatism (particularly his attitude to a railway strike) made him unacceptable even to many Liberals: he was known in Parliament as "Iceberg Irvine". He lived at Richmond, but in 1908 purchased land in Laughing Waters Road at Eltham, where he built the house ‘Killeavey’, initially as a weekend retreat. The site, a peninsula surrounded on three sides by the Yarra River, is of geological importance and has considerable cultural significance to the Wurundjeri. In 1912 Sir William moved to Killeavey and in 1913 purchased more land, extending his property to Reynolds Road. In 1923 he shifted to Toorak, donating Killeavey to his daughter Beatrice as a wedding gift. Sir William was a founding member of the RACV and was Acting Governor of Victoria from 1931 to 1934. He was also a notable public figure involved in several local events including the: 1919 Unveiling of Eltham War Obelisk 1921 Eltham Primary School Extensions 1921 Eltham Primary School Roll of Honour of prior students 1928 Opening of Eltham Higher Elementary School 1926 Unveiling the Shire of Eltham War Memorial in Memorial Park at Kangaroo Ground He died in 1943 and is buried in Eltham Cemetery with his wife Agnes along with son William Mitchell Irvine and his wife, Dora Haswell Sacred to the memory of William Hill Irvine G.C.M.G. Lieutenant Governor And Chief Justice of Victoria Born 6th July 1858 At Newry, Northern Ireland Died 20th August 1943 Also his wife Agnes Somerville Born at Ballarat 16th Nov 1867 Died at Eltham 16th Aug 1954 W. M. W. Irvine 1901-1975 And Dora Haswell Wife of W. M. W. Irvine 1900-1979eltham cemetery, gravestones, memorials, agnes sommerville irvine (nee wanliss), dora haswell irvine, william hill irvine, william mitchell irvine -
Eltham District Historical Society Inc
Negative - Photograph, Harry Gilham, Grave of William Hill and Agnes Somerville Irvine and family, Eltham Cemetery, Victoria, 1 Aug 2007
... on three sides by the Yarra River, is of geological importance... on three sides by the Yarra River, is of geological importance ...William Hill Irvine was born 6 July, 1858 in Newry, County Down, Ireland. He arrived in Melbourne December 1879 and taught at Geelong College. He was admitted to the Supreme Court in 1884 having qualified from Melbourne University and practiced in Melbourne. In 1891 he married Agnes Somerville Wanliss and they had one son, William Mitchell (1901 Armadale) and two daughters, Beatrice Wanliss (1899 Armadale) and Agnes Somerville Wanliss (1903 Armadale). Sir William Irvine sat in the Victorian Parliament (as Liberal Member for Lowan) from 1894 to 1906 and was Premier of Victoria from 1902 to 1904. He then switched to Federal politics and sat in the Commonwealth Parliament (as Liberal Member for Flinders) from 1906 to 1918. He was considered a potential Prime Minister, but his abrupt manner and hard-line conservatism (particularly his attitude to a railway strike) made him unacceptable even to many Liberals: he was known in Parliament as "Iceberg Irvine". He lived at Richmond, but in 1908 purchased land in Laughing Waters Road at Eltham, where he built the house ‘Killeavey’, initially as a weekend retreat. The site, a peninsula surrounded on three sides by the Yarra River, is of geological importance and has considerable cultural significance to the Wurundjeri. In 1912 Sir William moved to Killeavey and in 1913 purchased more land, extending his property to Reynolds Road. In 1923 he shifted to Toorak, donating Killeavey to his daughter Beatrice as a wedding gift. Sir William was a founding member of the RACV and was Acting Governor of Victoria from 1931 to 1934. He was also a notable public figure involved in several local events including the: 1919 Unveiling of Eltham War Obelisk 1921 Eltham Primary School Extensions 1921 Eltham Primary School Roll of Honour of prior students 1928 Opening of Eltham Higher Elementary School 1926 Unveiling the Shire of Eltham War Memorial in Memorial Park at Kangaroo Ground He died in 1943 and is buried in Eltham Cemetery with his wife Agnes along with son William Mitchell Irvine and his wife, Dora Haswell Sacred to the memory of William Hill Irvine G.C.M.G. Lieutenant Governor And Chief Justice of Victoria Born 6th July 1858 At Newry, Northern Ireland Died 20th August 1943 Also his wife Agnes Somerville Born at Ballarat 16th Nov 1867 Died at Eltham 16th Aug 1954 W. M. W. Irvine 1901-1975 And Dora Haswell Wife of W. M. W. Irvine 1900-1979eltham cemetery, gravestones, memorials, agnes sommerville irvine (nee wanliss), dora haswell irvine, william hill irvine, william mitchell irvine -
Ringwood and District Historical Society
Book, David Mitchell at Anderson's Creek Goldfield, 1870-1887 - Who Dug the Pound Bend Tunnel?, 2004
... a company to mine a channel and tunnel on the Yarra River at Pound...) Mitchell formed a company to mine a channel and tunnel on the Yarra ...Suggested reading - David Mitchell, A Forfar Man - Pamela Vestey. (National Library of Australia ISBN No. 0646104977 Second edition - 1996.A discussion paper by Murray Houghton, Warrandyte Historical Society, on the excavation of Pound Bend tunnel and examination of information sources suggesting David Mitchell's association with gold mining at Warrandyte." ... Just what then was Mitchell's actual association with mining in the Anderson's Creek goldfield? As an initial means to determining this, a number of biographies devoted to the man's lifetime achievements have been consulted. Some two of these were found to contain rather brief references to his involvement at Warrandyte. In the 1992 booklet entitled "David Mitchell a Forfar Man" written by a Mitchell family member, viz., Pamela, Lady Vestey, of Coombe Cottage, there is included a passge which commences "Another of David Mitchell's early interests was gold mining". This is appended by the bald statement "In 1870 he formed the Evelyn Tunnel Gold-Mining Company with a capital of £16,000." The other account of a Mitchell involvement with an unnamed Warrandyte company is contained in Joan Campbell's 1974 biographical article entitled, "Mitchell, David (1829- 1916) builder, contractor and businessman, etc.", in Volume 5 of the "Australian Dictionary of Biogaraphy". Campbell mentions that "In 1890 (sic) Mitchell formed a company to mine a channel and tunnel on the Yarra River at Pound Bend, Warrandyte," i.e., at a period some 18 or so years after it is known that the Evelyn Tunnel Gold-Mining Company had actually ceased operations. She then continues with the bizarre statement that "he employed gangs of Chinese to work three miles of river bed for gold". Neither of these respective excerpts indicate evidence of having been directly referenced from a legitimate original source, from which either author's contained comments might be authenticated. For any historian with an enquiring mind these statements demand further clarification. ..." - Murray Houghton -
Eltham District Historical Society Inc
Book, Percy Leason: an artist's life by Margot Tasca, 2016
... village in 1925, separated from Melbourne by the Yarra River... village in 1925, separated from Melbourne by the Yarra River ..."Who would have thought that a boy born in 1889 from the Victorian Mallee would become a successful artist on New York’s Staten Island? This finely illustrated, exhaustively researched and beautifully written biography on Leason features the artist’s entire career as a painter and cartoonist renowned for his depictions of Australian society in the 1920s and 1930s. Leason’s story is a poignant one tracing his beginnings as a cartoonist, to the bohemian Melbourne art scene in the early 20th century, to his involvement in the artists’ camps of Eltham, to his important series of portraits of Lake Tyers Indigenous Australians, and his eventual move to the US where he has been acknowledged as making an enormous contribution to the New York arts scene. This story, as yet untold, fills a gap in the history of art in Australia and offers a new perspective on Australian art in the first half of the 20th century." - Thames and Hudson website A NEW HOME IN ELTHAM Once they had settled back into Melbourne, Perry and Belle began to look for a place to make a permanent home. Having enjoyed the bush setting of Mosman, they decided to explore the rural fringes of Melbourne. Each weekend they packed a picnic and travelled to the towns in the nearby hills - such as Ferntree Gully, Sassafras, Lilydale and, of course, Cockatoo Creek. Eventually deciding these places might be a little too far from The Herald office, they searched closer to the city. The Heidelberg and Box Hill regions that had inspired his old teacher McCubbin, had become busy, urban areas but further east, towards Warrandyte and Templestowe, there were still large tracts of bush. Finally they settled on Eltham, an area Percy knew very well, having often painted there with Jock Frater. Perry's old friend Dick McCann and his wife Margery had also settled in Eltham. The township was fifteen miles from Melbourne and serviced by an electric train that went to the central Melbourne station of Flinders Street, near where The Herald offices were located. Eltham was a small village in 1925, separated from Melbourne by the Yarra River, and surrounded by orchards and large tracts of bush. Small farms dotted the landscape and the main businesses revolved around ironmongers, blacksmiths, and farming supplies. Of particular appeal to artists was Eltham Park, a large expanse of bushland bounded by the Yarra River on the south side and the Diamond Creek on the east. The park included a playing field that was busy on weekends with cricket or football matches, but for the rest of the week it was mostly empty and an ideal place to paint. The scenery there provided the inspiration for many paintings by Leason, Meldrum and other artists such as Colin Colahan and Peter (A.E.) Newburv. The Leasons found a rundown old farmhouse on four-and-a-half acres of land in New Street, now known as Lavender Park Road. The site was splendid, at the top of a gentle slope which gave panoramic views east to the Dandenong hills, south over the Templestowe orchards and north to Kinglake. The front lawn was taken over by onion grass (or wiregrass as Leason called it) and scattered about the property were many wattles and gum trees. Aloe cacti covered much to the front of the house, while old quince and lucerne hedges separated the house and out-buildings from a rundown apple orchard. Here they would build a new home. ·with financial assistance from The Herald, Leason bought the property and immediately commissioned an architectural firm to design a new house in the popular bungalow style of the time. The old farm house was demolished but Percy saved the siding boards, bricks and corrugated iron for the outbuildings of his new home. The new house was a two storey, triple brick with a large, gabled, terracotta tiled roof. It was situated at the very top of the slope. The paint and varnish were barely dry when the family moved in during the summer of 1925-26 and the fumes were overpowering in the heat. Despite the house being wired for electricity, power poles had not yet reached the area and initially the family had to rely on kerosene lamps and candles. When electricity did arrive, Leason reflected on the community's reception of electricity at the expense of the old growth gum tree corridors in his cartoon, Electricity comes to Wiregrass. The family had now grown to seven. Jack was nearly nine, Jean was seven, Marjory was four, Nancy was two and the baby Patricia was seven months old. Jack and Jean were enrolled in the local primary school down the hill. A retired farmer, Jock McMillan, came to live on the property and help out with the general maintenance. Jock built himself a shack and Belle provided him with meals. He was kept occupied building structures around the property·, such as the garage, the outside toilet, garden beds, trellis arbours and a number of ponds. The elderly, bearded Scotsman with his old hat and baggy pants also provided the inspiration for one of the characters Leason regularly included in his cartoons. Like Leason, Jock smoked a straight stemmed pipe. A neighbour was employed to help Belle with domestic chores, and so the family settled down to live comfortably in their new Eltham house. Two dogs, Maginary and Wodger, completed the large and vibrant household. “Percy Leason; an artist’s life” by Margot Tasca, Thames & Hudson Australia Pty Ltd, Port Melbourne 2016, pp 63-64 Hardback Bookpercy leason, margot tasca, biography, artist, landscape -
Eltham District Historical Society Inc
Photograph - Digital Photograph, Jim Connor, Fireplace, Boomerang House, 195 Laughing Waters Road, Eltham, 31 August 2021
... between the Yarra River and Overbank Road, Gordon had built... between the Yarra River and Overbank Road, Gordon had built ...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.jim connor collection, laughing waters road, boomerang house, gordon ford -
Eltham District Historical Society Inc
Photograph, Slab hut, Warrandyte, Warrandyte Mystery Tour, 29 May 1994, 29/05/1994
... on the sunny back verandah overlooking the shimmering Yarra River... on the sunny back verandah overlooking the shimmering Yarra River ...[article by Bettina Woodburn in EDHS Newsletter No. 97, July 1994:] THE WARRANDYTE MYSTERY TOUR MAY 29TH 1994 - Members of the Eltham Historical Society met at the Old Post Office, now converted into the Warrandyte Historical Museum, for a picnic lunch on the sunny back verandah overlooking the shimmering Yarra River. Interesting photographs and artefacts filled various rooms outlining the history of this area, and told tales of Aboriginal and more recent neighbours of the Eltham Shire. The weather was calm, cloudy mostly with only occasional sunny patches, but it wasn't cold, although the autumnal leaf colours had changed to wintry brown. "All Aboard" and we set off in the Warrandyte Community Bus (with the School Bus sign displayed at the rear) to learn about local places of "Pride and Joy” from Bruce our guide and Tom the driver. Almost directly opposite we entered Whipstick Gully to explore the first of the district's hidden treasures - the Victory, one of the largest of the six or so major mines, past the old quarry now used for abseiling practice. By torchlight we entered the rocky hillside and saw the seams of quartz the miners had followed in their search for gold. Stamping batteries, and there was one in this gully, converted discarded rock into 'road metal'. Warrandyte is proud to be the first declared Goldfield in 1851, and one of the longest surviving, into the 1920s. A pleasant drive across the Bridge and along Bradley's Lane to Norman's Reserve brought us to see another Tunnel at Pound Bend through which the Yarra was diverted to allow about three miles of river-bed to be used for prospecting for alluvial gold. Still on this side of the river we visited the Old Slab Hut in Castles Road. This remnant of miners' housing is preserved because it had been incorporated into a weatherboard house, and saved from the bulldozers - a last minute reprieve, for preservation, by the National Trust. Devastating bush fires have destroyed other old cottages built of wattle and daub, with bark roofs and stone fire-places. The Cairn commemorating the disclosure of Gold Discovery at Warrandyte on June 30th 1851 beside Anderson's Creek Road was our next point of historical interest. We drove on to South Warrandyte and circled back to above the ford on Anderson's Creek to the entrance of the 4th Hill Mine. Again we crept along with our torches, careful of the low roof-rock, and side shafts. At a junction in a large cavity we were able to stand, look up a long air-vent which some 'cavers' climb down, and marvel at, and experience an aspect of a miner's life. Outside we heard the same bird songs, the trills and bell-pealing, saw the same straggly eucalypts, and a silver leafed wattle in flower, native grasses and ferns, and the neat present day houses, often of Warrandyte stone, perhaps veneered only. The day ended pleasantly, seeing more of the Yarra from Everard Drive, and the water rushing out of the Tunnel at Pound Bend, before returning to afternoon tea or coffee at the Museum. A great day for all concerned - many thanks to the Organisers.Colour photographslab hut, warrandyte, "warrandyte miner's cottage" -
Eltham District Historical Society Inc
Photograph, Pound Bend tunnel, Warrandyte, Warrandyte Mystery Tour, 29 May 1994, 29/05/1994
... on the sunny back verandah overlooking the shimmering Yarra River... on the sunny back verandah overlooking the shimmering Yarra River ...[article by Bettina Woodburn in EDHS Newsletter No. 97, July 1994:] THE WARRANDYTE MYSTERY TOUR MAY 29TH 1994 - Members of the Eltham Historical Society met at the Old Post Office, now converted into the Warrandyte Historical Museum, for a picnic lunch on the sunny back verandah overlooking the shimmering Yarra River. Interesting photographs and artefacts filled various rooms outlining the history of this area, and told tales of Aboriginal and more recent neighbours of the Eltham Shire. The weather was calm, cloudy mostly with only occasional sunny patches, but it wasn't cold, although the autumnal leaf colours had changed to wintry brown. "All Aboard" and we set off in the Warrandyte Community Bus (with the School Bus sign displayed at the rear) to learn about local places of "Pride and Joy” from Bruce our guide and Tom the driver. Almost directly opposite we entered Whipstick Gully to explore the first of the district's hidden treasures - the Victory, one of the largest of the six or so major mines, past the old quarry now used for abseiling practice. By torchlight we entered the rocky hillside and saw the seams of quartz the miners had followed in their search for gold. Stamping batteries, and there was one in this gully, converted discarded rock into 'road metal'. Warrandyte is proud to be the first declared Goldfield in 1851, and one of the longest surviving, into the 1920s. A pleasant drive across the Bridge and along Bradley's Lane to Norman's Reserve brought us to see another Tunnel at Pound Bend through which the Yarra was diverted to allow about three miles of river-bed to be used for prospecting for alluvial gold. Still on this side of the river we visited the Old Slab Hut in Castles Road. This remnant of miners' housing is preserved because it had been incorporated into a weatherboard house, and saved from the bulldozers - a last minute reprieve, for preservation, by the National Trust. Devastating bush fires have destroyed other old cottages built of wattle and daub, with bark roofs and stone fire-places. The Cairn commemorating the disclosure of Gold Discovery at Warrandyte on June 30th 1851 beside Anderson's Creek Road was our next point of historical interest. We drove on to South Warrandyte and circled back to above the ford on Anderson's Creek to the entrance of the 4th Hill Mine. Again we crept along with our torches, careful of the low roof-rock, and side shafts. At a junction in a large cavity we were able to stand, look up a long air-vent which some 'cavers' climb down, and marvel at, and experience an aspect of a miner's life. Outside we heard the same bird songs, the trills and bell-pealing, saw the same straggly eucalypts, and a silver leafed wattle in flower, native grasses and ferns, and the neat present day houses, often of Warrandyte stone, perhaps veneered only. The day ended pleasantly, seeing more of the Yarra from Everard Drive, and the water rushing out of the Tunnel at Pound Bend, before returning to afternoon tea or coffee at the Museum. A great day for all concerned - many thanks to the Organisers.Two colour photographswarrandyte, activities, pound bend -
Eltham District Historical Society Inc
Photograph, Fay Bridge, Moor-rul Viewing Platform, Garden Hill, Kangaroo Ground, n.d
... and the Mt Baw-Baw Ranges where the Yarra River starts... and the Mt Baw-Baw Ranges where the Yarra River starts ...OPENING OF THE VIEWING PLATFORM AT KANGAROO GROUND Nillumbik Council has advised that the viewing platform at Kangaroo Ground 27km NE of Melbourne is to be opened to the public on Wednesday, March 26th 2008 (Melway 271 , G10). The function of the platform is to provide shelter adjacent to the War Memorial Tower whilst allowing all people to enjoy the stunning panoramic views. From the platform you. can see the Dandenongs, the city of Melbourne, the You Yangs, Mount Macedon, the Kinglake Ranges and the Mt Baw-Baw Ranges where the Yarra River starts. This landscape covers all the ancestral lands of the Wurundjeri and some of the wider Kulin nation land. The platform has been given the name Moor-rut, a name which described the fertile soils of the Kangaroo Ground area in contrast to the poorer (Silurian) country of its surrounds, which the Wurundjeri knew as 'Nillumbik' or less rich country. The full 360 degree view can be seen from the adjacent Tower of Remembrance which has 53 stairs. The viewing platform however can be accessed by wheelchair. Inside the viewing platform there are eight double sided interpretive panels giving the history and information regarding this special area. The viewing platform's interpretive panels set out the Aboriginal and European history of the area and also the geology and the local flora and fauna, so that the casual visitor comes away understanding more about this significant part of Victoria. The concept of the viewing platform is part of the refurbishment project for the Kangaroo Ground War Memorial Park which has taken place since 1997 with the active approval and financial assistance of the Nillumbik Shire Council. This project has been guided by an Advisory Committee with volunteer community representatives from the local Historical Societies, the Country Fire Authority, the Returned Services League and the Wurundjeri people. Other allied groups such as the Nillumbik Reconciliation Group have been called upon for their expertise. The initial idea for the viewing platform came from Dean Stewart when he was the caretaker while living at the park. He discussed this idea with local author Mick Woiwod and Harry Gilham of Eltham District Historical Society when they were planning the refurbishment of the War Memorial Park in 1996. When the committee was formalised by the Nillumbik Council in 1997, Nicholas Pelling, representing the CFA and RSL, joined the group. Dennis Ward, local architect, then volunteered to develop the concept plan for the refurbishment of the park and later drew up the plans for the viewing platform. The Kangaroo Ground War Memorial Park and its Tower of Remembrance is located on one of the highest locations in the Yarra Valley. The Tower of Remembrance is a unique war memorial constructed from local stone standing 14 metres high. It was built in the style of a Scottish watchtower reflecting the strong Scottish influence of the first European settlers of the district from the 1840s onward. The park was opened in 1921 and the Tower of Remembrance was dedicated in 1926 recognising the local people who served in the First World War. Those who served in the Second World War were recognised by plaques dedicated in 1951 and more recently those who served in Korea, Borneo, Malaya and Vietnam by plaques unveiled in 2001. Harry Gilham, Advisory Committee Convenor - Eltham District Historical Society Newsletter N0 179 March 2008fay bridge collection, garden hill, kangaroo ground, memorial park, moor-rul viewing platform -
Eltham District Historical Society Inc
Photograph - Black and White Print, Moor-rul Viewing Platform, March 2007
... where the Yarra River starts. This landscape covers all... where the Yarra River starts. This landscape covers all ...Early stages - no display panels installed. OPENING OF THE VIEWING PLATFORM AT KANGAROO GROUND Nillumbik Council has advised that the viewing platform at Kangaroo Ground 27km NE of Melbourne is to be opened to the public on Wednesday, March 26th 2008 (Melway 271 , G10). The function of the platform is to provide shelter adjacent to the War Memorial Tower whilst allowing all people to enjoy the stunning panoramic views. From the platform you. can see the Dandenongs, the city of Melbourne, the You Yangs, Mount Macedon, the Kinglake Ranges and the Mt Baw-Baw Ranges where the Yarra River starts. This landscape covers all the ancestral lands of the Wurundjeri and some of the wider Kulin nation land. The platform has been given the name Moor-rut, a name which described the fertile soils of the Kangaroo Ground area in contrast to the poorer (Silurian) country of its surrounds, which the Wurundjeri knew as 'Nillumbik' or less rich country. The full 360 degree view can be seen from the adjacent Tower of Remembrance which has 53 stairs. The viewing platform however can be accessed by wheelchair. Inside the viewing platform there are eight double sided interpretive panels giving the history and information regarding this special area. The viewing platform's interpretive panels set out the Aboriginal and European history of the area and also the geology and the local flora and fauna, so that the casual visitor comes away understanding more about this significant part of Victoria. The concept of the viewing platform is part of the refurbishment project for the Kangaroo Ground War Memorial Park which has taken place since 1997 with the active approval and financial assistance of the Nillumbik Shire Council. This project has been guided by an Advisory Committee with volunteer community representatives from the local Historical Societies, the Country Fire Authority, the Returned Services League and the Wurundjeri people. Other allied groups such as the Nillumbik Reconciliation Group have been called upon for their expertise. The initial idea for the viewing platform came from Dean Stewart when he was the caretaker while living at the park. He discussed this idea with local author Mick Woiwod and Harry Gilham of Eltham District Historical Society when they were planning the refurbishment of the War Memorial Park in 1996. When the committee was formalised by the Nillumbik Council in 1997, Nicholas Pelling, representing the CFA and RSL, joined the group. Dennis Ward, local architect, then volunteered to develop the concept plan for the refurbishment of the park and later drew up the plans for the viewing platform. The Kangaroo Ground War Memorial Park and its Tower of Remembrance is located on one of the highest locations in the Yarra Valley. The Tower of Remembrance is a unique war memorial constructed from local stone standing 14 metres high. It was built in the style of a Scottish watchtower reflecting the strong Scottish influence of the first European settlers of the district from the 1840s onward. The park was opened in 1921 and the Tower of Remembrance was dedicated in 1926 recognising the local people who served in the First World War. Those who served in the Second World War were recognised by plaques dedicated in 1951 and more recently those who served in Korea, Borneo, Malaya and Vietnam by plaques unveiled in 2001. Harry Gilham, Advisory Committee Convenor - Eltham District Historical Society Newsletter N0 179 March 2008 Black and white inkjet print on paper 14 x 21 cmmoor-rul viewing platform, garden hill, kangaroo ground, memorial park -
Eltham District Historical Society Inc
Photograph, Upper Yarra Dam, Spring Tour, 22 Oct 1995, 22/10/1995
... to glimpse the Yarra River, upstream and down, its secret places... to glimpse the Yarra River, upstream and down, its secret places ...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 photographshire of eltham historical society, activities, upper yarra dam, henley bridge