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

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

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

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

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

Ernest Wesley BARRIE and Eva Edna MYERS's childrenlocal identities

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

In 1865, Mr Shebler built the original Golden Fleece Hotel building and was demolished during the 1970s. Drawing of the original Golden Fleece Hotellocal architecture

"Eynesbury, Eynesbury Road was one of four properties into which Simon Staughton’s Exford station, established in 1841, was subdivided for his sons after his death in 1863. The Eynesbury station of approximately 20,000 acres was inherited by his second son, Samuel Thomas Staughton. Eynesbury remained unsubdivided until redevelopment for residential purposes commenced in the early 2000s, at which time it was the largest pastoral property within 300 kilometres of Melbourne". Detailed sketch of the Eynesbury propertylocal architecture, local identities

The Staughton Memorial on High Street, Melton, is a memorial to Captain S.T. Staughton, D.S.O, M.L.A., scion of the locally prominent Staughton family who died at a young age. Sketch of the lamp and design for the restoration of the memorial pioneer families

Proceeds of the postcard went to Melton Historical Society for the restoration of the WillowsPostcard of the Willowslocal architecture, pioneer families, local special interest groups

"Strathtulloh, 1402-1600 Greigs Road, Melton South, is significant as an early property in Victoria, retaining different eras of pioneering dwellings, ranging from a ruin to a fine Colonial style homestead. The property has close historical association with the early settlement of the Melton district, and was owned by the Henty family in the 1840s. The Strathtulloh property was alienated by the Crown in 1840 to Charles James Garrard, who sold it in 1848 to Charles and Stephen Henty, whose sister Jane and her husband Samuel Bryan lived there in the late 1840s. In 1853 the property then passed to William Tulloh, after whom the homestead was named. A primitive bluestone ruin of near the Toolern Creek, built of vesicular bluestone and mud mortar, is of unknown origin. It has commonly been assumed to pre-date 1840, and to have belonged to the original holder of the Exford lease, Dr Watton or Port Phillip Association member Dr Cotterill. This is unlikely, as the 1841 census records Dr Watton, and everyone else in the district, as living in a ‘wood’ dwelling. It may instead have been the residence of Garrard, and the Bryans, in the 1840s and an early map names a site near here as ‘Bryan’s outstation’. It is assumed that the two-level stone building that became the kitchen is the earliest intact building on the site, and was the first homestead; it is likely to date to the 1840s or 1850s. The main homestead is a substantial villa constructed of random coursed bluestone, with a verandah facing three sides, attic bedrooms with dormer windows, a fan light over the front door, a hipped roof originally clad in slate, and a large cellar. Although demonstrating characteristics of pioneering construction, such as unworked log beams, pit sawn beams, hand-sawn lintels and colonial door locks, documentary evidence shows that it was built c.1869. The homestead has now been structurally repaired and decoratively restored; a sympathetic new semi-detached rear extension was added in the early years of the 21st century. The former kitchen building has also undergone minor repairs and alterations". Strathtulloh Homestead at 1402-1600 Greigs Road, Melton Southlocal architecture

Formation of the Mt Cottrell Fire Brigades Group In its policy of creating smaller compact groups of fire brigades the Country Fire Authority Regional Officer Harry Rothsay in 1967 requested that the following 6 brigades surrounding Mt Cottrell transfer from their respective groups. Melton and Rockbank from Bacchus Marsh Group, Toolern Vale and Sydenham from Mt Macedon Group and Truganina and Werribee from Little River Group forming a new Group to the be named Mt Cottrell Fire Brigades Group. Group Headquarters was established at the Ferris road residence of Melton Captain E W Bon Barrie, who was elected Group and Communications Officer of Mt Cottrell. E W (Eddie) Gillespie and Keith Watt of the Toolern Vale brigade were appointed Deputy Group Officer and Group Secretary respectivelyRegion 14 Rural Fire Brigades Association First Annual Demonstration programmeemergency services

The memorial wall was constructed in 2010 to coincide with brigade's 75th anniversary. The wall represents the brigade members that have passed away while as members in the line of duty has served more than fifteen years of service to the Melton Fire Brigade. This wall is the relocation of the historic time capsule from the old fire station to to its new location in Henry Street.Booklet for the unveiling of Melton Fire Brigade Memorial Wallemergency services

"Melton has a long and celebrated history of horse breeding and racing. Draught horses were a crucial aspect of life in the early days of European settlement, and were heavily depended upon for both transport and agricultural labour. Peppercorn trees at the corner of Station and Brooklyn roads have been associated with a horse trough installed there to provide a drink to workhorses carting produce to the chaff mills and railway station south of Melton.20 Breeders, trainers and harness drivers in the area later became such an influential force in the equine industry that this came to be a defining aspect of the district’s identity and reputation.Pioneer of the Victorian horse racing industry and early Rockbank squatter William Cross Yuille was one of the earliest importers of stud racehorses in the district in the 1850s. A leading sports editor and writer, Yuille established bloodstock auctioning agency W. C. Yuille & Co. and was involved in the compilation of the first Australian Stud Book, which ensures the integrity of thoroughbred breeding in Australia. According to early Melton chronicler Alexander Cameron, horse races were first organised in the area by Rockbank farmer William Keating. Keating owned racehorses of his own, and many brought horses from Melbourne for the events, which ‘drew large gatherings’.22 Melton Racing Club meetings were held on the Exford Estate with the permission of H. W. Staughton, who built a small wooden grandstand in 1882. Other early races and sports meetings are said to have been held in the vicinity of the current-day Melton golf course.23 An 1884 article reported that Melton’s ‘race programme … equals any put forth by country towns of far greater size’. Ernest Clarke was another important figure in the early horse racing industry in Melton. He established the Melton Stud in 1902, which bred numerous successful racehorses. Perhaps most notably The Welkin, one of the most famous stallions in Australian horse racing in the early twentieth century. The Welkin sired Gloaming, bred by Clarke at the Melton stud in 1915 and one of Australia’s greatest champion racehorses. During a long and prestigious career in both Australia and New Zealand, Gloaming achieved a triumphant 57 wins out of 67 starts and won a record amount of prize money. Ken Cox purchased the Stockwell Stud in Diggers Rest in 1957 and developed it into one of the largest and most renowned thoroughbred breeders in Australia. With its top-class facilities, international design standards and scientific methods, Stockwell became ‘the flagship of the Victorian breeding industry’.26 As well as racing studs, numerous trotting tracks were established on the flat plains around Melton in the 1960s.27 Other studs to play a leading role in the development of Melton as thoroughbred country were Cornwall Park and Merrywood at Toolern Vale, St John’s Lane Stud at Diggers Rest and Birchwood, Teppo Park and Dreelburn in the far north-east of the shire, near Sunbury. By 1985, thoroughbred horse breeding was such big business in Melton that the shire council adopted the slogan ‘The Heart of Thoroughbred Country’, which was used throughout its promotional material.29 But the slogan contained deeper meaning and was not just about Melton’s great equine industry and thoroughbred champions, the council explained: ‘“Thoroughbred Country” should be seen as a new concept of Melton, as a place where people can achieve the “Thoroughbred” ideal, excellence in all aspects of life’. The aim of the council in promoting ‘The Heart of Thoroughbred Country’, was ‘to instil in present and future residents the feeling that this is a place that is better than others. A place to be proud of’. In 1988, Melton’s champion reinsman Gavin Lang won his 176th race of the season, claiming the national harness racing record for the most wins in a single season.The following year, the first Melton Plate was held at Moonee Valley Racecourse, cementing the district’s importance in the harness racing industry. The inaugural winner was Victorys Phil, owned by local Danny Mullan. By the 1990s, Melton had earned the title of the ‘Home of Harness Racing in Victoria’. State-of-the-art, world-class harness racing facility and entertainment complex Tabcorp Park opened in Melton in 2009. In 2011, the Shire of Melton was home to over 140 registered trainers and over 1,200 horses. The municipality’s continuing leadership and influence in the industry today is a testament to the skills, talents and leadership of the local community over its history".Shire of Melton pamphlet of a map and information of the equine industry in Meltoncouncil

Things to see and do in Melton brochure council

Information about the Willows homesteadlocal architecture

Information relating to accomodation, history and heritage, parks and nature, things to do and public art in Meltoncouncil

Tour of historic sites in Melton including Melton State School 430 and Uniting Churchlandscapes of significance, local architecture

"The Pinkerton family is remembered in Melton in part due to the historic graves of the original settler, Margaret Pinkerton, and four of her grandchildren, which were marked by a memorial cairn in 1931. Changes to sewage flood zoning in the area in the 1990s necessitated that these burials be relocated. Members of the Melton & District Historical Society oversaw a project to relocate the Pinkerton graves and cairn 200 metres from their original site to their current resting place at Mount Cottrell. This relocation ceremony took place on 8 November 1992, with the participation of local school students and with Pinkerton descendants playing a central role. This occasion also marked the opening of the Pinkerton Forest Project, which saw 50 hectares of degraded woodland in Surbiton Park protected for regeneration". Pamphlet about the relocation of the Pinkerton graveslandscapes of significance, local identies, local special interest groups, pioneer families

Pamphlet about Melton's historylandscapes of significance, council

"The dry stone walls provide a tangible link to the area’s white settlement, and they remain a symbol of the profound change in land usage from the original Kulin custodians to the European arrivals of the nineteenth century. The bulk of dry stone wall construction in Victoria occurred between the 1850s and 1880s. The gold rush of the early 1850s in particular inspired a flurry of construction. At this time, labour previously available for shepherding livestock dried up, as men gravitated to the goldfields to seek their fortunes. This necessitated the building of fencing to contain the district’s growing number of sheep, cattle and horses. An explosion in surveying, subdivision and the sale of Crown lands also contributed to a boost in construction. Government regulations that punished pastoralists for allowing their livestock to stray provided further incentive to fence-off previously open expanses of land. The major benefit of this type of fencing was that it utilised the materials at hand; the plentiful grey basalt that scattered the landscape. In the case of the dry stone walls built around Melton, the characteristic round or oval shape of the volcanic fieldstones on the western plains inspired some distinctive designs.54 Another advantage of dry stone walls was their ability to withstand the ravages of flood, fire and drought often experienced in the district. This durability accounts for the fact that many of these fences still exist today". Dry Stone Wall trail brochure/pamphlet for visitors provided by Melton Visitor Information Centrecouncil, landscapes of significance

The Mount Cotterill Group encompassed the Rural Fire Brigades of Melton, Rockbank, Sydenham, Toolern Vale, Truganina, and Werribee and later Diggers RestMap belonging to the Truganina Fire Brigade emergency services