There are 3 tracks; the third track was built in 1971, which gives an approximate date for the photo. At this time the original station buildings were demolished and replaced by buildings constructed from concrete bricks and a second subway replaced the overhead footbridge. According to Roderick Smith, a local railway enthusiast, originally there had been 3 railway houses at the Mont Albert end of the northern car park. These were demolished to extend the car park. Certainly 8 Bedford Avenue, built as the station master's house was demolished at this time. The palm tree had been planted in the station master's front garden and was retained in a small garden bed within the car park. A black and white photograph of a station with cars parked on both sides of the 3 tracks. A Harris train is departing the station heading towards Mont Albert. A palm tree is prominent in the station car park to the north.1971, surrey hills station, railway stations, car parks, public transport, trains, railway lines, palm tree

The engine was being transported because it had broken a coupling in transit. Windsor Crescent is in the background. We have an original copy donated by Ian Barkla and a larger one copied by Ken Hall. The Barkla original has a sticker with his reference details on the back.A black and white photocopy of a steam engine. There are some local kinder children and an adult inspecting the train and climbing on the picket fence. The house in the background is in Windsor Crescent.surrey hills railway station, goods yard, steam train, transporter wagon, 1950, children, clothing and dress

In 1964 Camberwell City Council commissioned Professor Geoffrey Blainey to first write this history. Since that time, many changes have taken place and therefore the Council asked Professor Blainey to bring the book up to date. Bibliography, includes index. The author presents a century of pioneering development and endeavours. He has traced the coming of the wood-cutters and the farmers, the transition from rectangular paddocks to a grid of roads and streets, the growth from shire to borough, town and city, the filling up of thirteen squares miles into residential suburbia - in successive waves of invasion, along new transport routes - including the Outer Circle Railway. Substantial chapters cover the War Years and the progress of Camberwell since the 1960s have also been included in this edition. 134p; ill;camberwell, victoria, market gardens, tolls, railways, mayors, boroondara road board, borondara shire, councillors, (mr) (prof) geoffrey blainey

A pictorial history of Surrey Hills based on information collected and based at the Surrey Hills Neighbourhood Centre. It includes early rural properties and diaries, the coming of the railway, land sub-division and early homes, schools, parks and recreation.A pictorial history of Surrey Hills based on information collected and based at the Surrey Hills Neighbourhood Centre. It includes early rural properties and diaries, the coming of the railway, land sub-division and early homes, schools, parks and recreation.surrey hills, railways, land use, migrants, spanish communities, transport, houses, wattle park, festivals and celebrations, churches, education, water supply, fire stations, hospitals, (mr) george klepper, ainger family, (mr) john woodhead, (mr) h. breedon, medical services, real estate agents, businesses, musical events and activities, entertainment, parks and reserves, scouts, guides

A pictorial history of Surrey Hills and Mont Albert based on information collected by the history group at the Surrey Hills Neighbourhood Centre. It includes information about early rural properties and dairies, the coming of the railway, land sub-division and early homes, doctors, schools, churches, parks and recreation facilities.A pictorial history of Surrey Hills based on information collected and based at the Surrey Hills Neighbourhood Centre. It includes early rural properties and diaries, the coming of the railway, land sub-division and early homes, schools, parks and recreation.1992surrey hills, railways, land use, migrants, spanish communities, transport, houses, wattle park, festivals and celebrations, churches, education, water supply, fire stations, hospitals, (mr) george klepper, ainger family, (mr) john woodhead, (mr) h. breedon, medical services, real estate agents, businesses, musical events and activities, entertainment, parks and reserves, scouts, guides

This publication is a collection of reminiscences in Mont Albert including the Hamilton Street Shopping Centre, the trains, how the author spent his time after school, and games played during the war.This publication is a collection of reminiscences in Mont Albert including the Hamilton Street Shopping centre, the trains, how the author spent his time after school, and games played during the war.high street, mont albert, trafalgar street, hamilton street, zetland road, st. georges avenue, brehaut's engineering works, transport, horse-drawn vehicles, mont albert station, railway stations, inglisby road, whitehorse road, boot and bicycle repairer, mont albert shopping centre, (mr) - tarry, (mr) - anderson, hairdresser, grocer, (mr) - harrison, (mr) - murphy, fuel merchant, (mr) - salmon

A black and white map of Victoria showing the railway lines where mail is transported and the individual towns listed next to the dot that provides location of such. Underneath is written "Map of Victoria showing the localities beyond the suburbs of Melbourne to which library books are sent to blind members. Books are carried over the railways FREE there is no charge to the readers." Through the work of Tilly Aston, braille postage was provided free by the Victorian Railways which greatly assisted the Braille Library in reaching members who resided outside of Melbourne. This map was produced to show the extent of the work by the Victorian Association of Braille Writers and the need for reading materials across the state.Paper of Victorian railway lines mounted in framevictorian association of braille writers, marketing

Staff on Port Fairy Railway Station 1918 namedcomposite scan from information used in an exhibition on trains. This depicts staff and children transport, rail, road, train, railway station, staff

Turning first sod for the raillway in Port Fairy 1887black and white photographic copy of 62.20.042 group of men and boys inn semi circle celebrating the turning of the first sod of soil in the building of the railway line to Port Fairytransport, rail, road, first sod, port fairy, train

6 photographs of railway station in ruins before removal from siteDocuments the neglect of the railway station in the late 1970’s before the removal of the equipment and buildings6 coloured photographs in collage of dilapidated station transport, rail, road, derelict, railway, station

Location of where the Railway Line Crossed Gipps Street to enter the wharf areaColoured photograph of the corner of Gipps Street and Cox Street where the rail line crossed to the wharftransport, rail, road, gipps street

Train and red carriages Port Fairy railway station c.1970Coloured photograph of train with red ‘rattler’ carriages at Port Fairy Stationtransport, rail, road, carriage, railway station, 1970

Koroit Railway Station closed in 1975 when the rail to Port Fairy was also closed. Unlike the Port Fairy Station the Koroit Station has been restored and is used by local groups and is of course part of the Rail trail from Port Fairy to WarrnamboolBlack and white photograph of Koroit railway station with 6males and a child on platformtransport, rail, road, koroit, railway station

S.s.Casino 1910. The people on the decks are tourists coming from Terang and surrounding areas to spend the day at the seaside. The steamer S.S.CASINO was much loved by the whole Port Fairy community- with the possible exception of some of the fishermen whose boats she ran down! Transport of the large quantities of wool, potatoes, onions, grain, sheep, cattle and other produce grown on the rich lands of the Western District Belfast was served by a plethora of shipping, both sail and steam, but only one of the steamers then in the regular trade (S.S. DAWN) would ever be able to get up the river and reap the cost savings of loading against a wharf. It was not unusual for four steamers to be anchored in the bay at once and for seven or eight different steamers to call during a week. A number of inter-colonial steamers also called to pick up produce for delivery to Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide. Production in the Western District was increasing and virtually all of that production had to go through one of the western ports in order to reach markets. By 1882 a meeting 15ft. March, 1882, in the office of auctioneer, J.B. HoIden in Cox Street took action and it was unanimously resolved - that the Belfast & Koroit Steamship Company be formed with a capital of £20,000 in 10,000 shares of £2 each". A number of steamers were offered by letter to the fledgling company, including the new and almost sister ships, CASINO and HELEN NICHOLL. The CASINO was on her delivery voyage from England was due to arrive in Warrnambool to load potatoes for Sydney and, initially, arrangements were made for her to call into Port Fairy for inspection by the BKNS Co directors. She eventually proceeded direct to Warrnambool and the Directors inspected her there. Without hesitation they purchased her even though they had to raise a large bank loan to do so. The CASINO arrived in Port Fairy on Saturday, 29th. July, 1882, steaming triumphantly up the Moyne River, and was greeted by crowds, many of whom had driven in from the surrounding countryside, which gave her “loud ringing English cheers". By 1884 the CASINO could not carry all the cargoes available to her and in December of that year the company purchased the new steamer BELLINGER to provide additional capacity. She helped to open up the intermediate ports of Lorne, Apollo Bay and Port Campbell, but the BELLINGER was not really suitable for the trade and she was sold in 1887, leaving the CASINO to operate alone -as she was to do for almost all of the next 45 years. The opening of the railway in 1890 decreased the cargo available to the steamers and the economic depression of the early 1890's worsened the situation. The weak soon began to fall by the wayside and when the Portland & Belfast SN Co. decided to go into liquidation in April 1895, the Belfast & Koroit Company bought the Portland Company's steamer DAWN on advantageous terms, a substantial part of the payment being in BKSN Co shares. The BKNS Co and the Howard Smith Line came into direct head to head competition and nearly forced the BKNS Co out of existence. Cargo dropped to such an extent that in 1899, they reached agreement that only one ship would run and that the ship which ran would pay a weekly amount to the competitor to stay out of the trade. This controlled service ceased in1909, and competition intensified when Howard Smith placed the newly built, larger steamer EUMERALLA on the run. The BKNS Co survived this competition and even prospered during it partly by extending on a more regular basis, the CASINO'S voyages to South Australian ports Port Macdonnell, Kingston, Beachport, Robe and, on occasions Adelaide. There were setbacks when, on 20 October 1924, CASINO went ashore at the Kennett River, near Apollo Bay, and again, in February l929, when she struck a submerged object at Warrnambool and had to be beached. The railways placed great competitive pressure on the small steamship company and this pressure was intensified when the Great Depression slashed the market for Western District produce, BKNS Co struggled on, paying dividends in most years, and the company planned a big celebration for the CASINO'S fiftieth anniversary in the trade on 29th July, 1932. Disaster struck soon after 9 o'clock on the morning of Sunday I0 July, 1932 when the CASINO was lost at Apollo Bay together with the lives of 10 crew members. Black and white photograph of tourists crowded on the decks of s.s.Casino during a sail around the bay for Terang dayship, boat, sea, river, s.s.casino 1910, transport, 1910, wool, onions, grain, sheep, cattle, steam, terang day

"The outbreak of World War I in August 1914 had an immediate impact on communities across Australia, and it was no different in Melton. Young men began enlisting immediately, and Australia’s initial offer of 20,000 troops was soon exceeded by Victorian enlistments alone. Over the four years of the war, approximately 114,000 Victorians enlisted and around 91,000 servicemen and women were sent overseas. They came not just from Melbourne, but from all over the state; from farms, small towns and suburban areas. They included locals, newly arrived migrants and Indigenous people. The Australian home front was a hive of activity throughout the war, and the Melton community played its part. Following the announcement that Australia was joining the war with Great Britain and its allies on 5 August 1914, the Melton community lost no time in launching into action. A meeting ‘to assist the Red Cross fund’ was held in the Melton Mechanics’ Institute hall on 18 August – just days after the outbreak of the war. Collectors were appointed for each corner of the shire and individual donations were made. A Melton branch of the Australian Red Cross Society was formed in June 1915 and focused its energies on raising funds to purchase material that was used to make clothes for sick and wounded soldiers. A depot was established in Melton to collect clothing and other ‘comfort’ items for the soldiers – including reading material, tobacco, linen, canned foods and soap – and to coordinate the branch’s work and activities. Local cab driver Percival Stubbs volunteered to transport all the packages to the Melton railway station, until he enlisted and departed for the front in 1916. Such were the numbers of people getting involved that branches were also established in Toolern Vale and Rockbank. Regular community events were held to farewell soldiers who were leaving on active service and to welcome those who returned home. Gunner Robert (Bob) Wynne, whose uncle’s family ran the general store in Toolern Vale, was presented with a pair of field glasses (binoculars), a gold watch, inscribed locket and autographed letter by the Toolern Vale community before he set sail for the front in 1916. His mother noted that he ‘sailed away in good spirits with a smile till out of sight’. From June 1915 to June 1919, the Melton Red Cross branch donated 2,156 pairs of socks, 1,357 shirts, 425 kit bags, 251 pillowslips, 224 towels and 121 pairs of pajamas. Countless fundraising events were held, including jumble fairs, concerts and gift evenings. Local schools also encouraged students to contribute through fund-raising and making and collecting comforts for the soldiers. People across the country engaged in similar activities, but Victoria’s rural communities found unique ways of contributing. In Melton, people were encouraged to send rabbits and hares ‘in good condition’ to an exporter in Spencer Street, for export to Belgium ‘for the relief of those suffering". Special Anzac Memorial article featured in the Star Weeklylocal identities, war

100 years celebration of Melton Railway The Bacchus Marsh and District Telegraph articletransport

"The Melton Viaduct, opened in 1886, is of State heritage significance as a very large and visually distinctive wrought iron, lattice girder trestle bridge over the Werribee River (now Melton Reservoir). It comprises 18.3 and 9.1 metre spans, in a generally alternate arrangement, of total length 375 metres, and standing 38 metres over the Werribee River. Wrought iron small section iron was used to build tension trussed trestle legs, which supported four lines of rivetted wrought-iron deck-type double lattice trusses. It has bluestone abutments and pier bases of coursed rock-faced bluestone with drafted margins. The larger half-piers, now usually submerged in the Melton Reservoir have sharp tapered cutwaters and curved coping at the tops. While designed to carry two rail tracks it has only ever been used as a single track line. Despite several alterations to its deck structure, it remains an outstanding example of a lighter structural design employing open metal trestle supports and metal truss girders. The direct Melbourne to Ballarat railway link of which the Melton viaduct was the major engineering work contributed significantly to the history and development of Victoria. This new link reflected Ballarat’s diversifying economy as well as the commercial and political influence of the metropolis. Construction of the bridge, and the associated large workers camp, were extensively photographed, documenting an important episode in local history. The railway enabled the development of new industries in the Melton area, notably the timber industry and a chaff industry of national importance, greatly facilitated the later transition of the Shire from a pastoral to a farming economy, and struck a major blow to Melton township’s era as a wayside town servicing Ballarat road (especially coach) traffic". Melton Railway Bridge being built across the Werribee Rivertransport

The interviews were recorded in 2000 by Bronwen Gray and Alan Young for the production of Unreserved, Stories from Truganina Explosives Reserve, animated stories from past residents, workers and interested people of the Reserve (subject to copyright 2004). Cliff Gibson, a Williamstown resident, discusses the handling and shipping of explosives in the Port of Melbourne between 1863 to 1962 and the establishment, development and history of Truganina Explosives Reserve. In the interview he mentions the names of the Lighters and Ships used to transport the explosives to and from the Truganina Explosives Reserve. A primary source of information on memories of the Truganina Explosives Reserve and Altona,Victoriaexplosives, lighter, sailing lighters, the brig martha, deer park, australian chemical company, nobel explosives company, ici, james scott and company, jacks magazine, william wardell, george thomas chirnside, 1897, 1901, pier, bill grant, james mullins, 2 foot gauge tramway, explosives trucks, explosive magazines, railway explosives vans, queen street, richard rendle holten, ports and harbours, the lighter truganina, the lighter george stone, rose, mary jane, tarniet, derrimut, boonah, deutgam, naval dockyards williamstown, charlie curry, powder barges, cargo net, alma doepel, huia, wongalla, joseph sims, argonaut, maryland, pirie, lady isobel, taranui, point wilson, failee, captain dyson, hector pirie

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

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

"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

"The Melton South Railway Station was the first stage of the direct Melbourne to Ballarat railway, whose opening in 1884 was attended by dignitaries including the Victorian Premier (Duncan Gillies), Minister for Railways (Alfred Deakin), Solicitor General (James Balfour), and the Sir William Clarke MLC".Items from Melton Railway Centenarytransport

Memories of Train Travel compiled by Wendy Barrie 4/09/2013 Train travel had changed very little from the time my mothers generation to mine. The timetable meant the usual rush to Melton South by bike in her case and if she was running late the train pulled up on the crossing. I was driven to the Station from home past Keith and Mary Gillespie’s house near the Ferris Road rail crossing to Bridge road to Melton South for the 7.32 train. While attending Sunshine High School in 1961 I would meet up with three other students, two of whom I knew from Bacchus Marsh High School days. We usually got into the same compartment on the train, it was a typical country train with a corridor along the side and compartments with a door, roof racks and sometimes heated metal containers for the feet in the winter. Some of the trains came through from Horsham and Ballarat, and the Overland from Adelaide passed through in the evening, we could hear it in the distance from the Ferris Lane home. The carriages had 1st and economy class compartments showing photographs of county scenes and holiday destinations. The engine was the large A class diesel. They are still running to Bacchus Marsh 50 years later, due to the need for the greatly increased number of commuters travelling to work in the city. Sometimes the carriages were pull by a Steam engine, these were a problem in the summer time because the sparks caused fires along the train lines and then quickly spread into the dry grass, crops and stubble. The Motor Train left Spencer Street at 4.23 pm and was the best train for me to catch. Ferris Road was a designated stop and train pulled up on the road crossing. It had steps at the door and rungs to hold while alighting to the ground. The ballast along the tracks was rough and uneven and awkward to land on. The train was painted blue and yellow with the letters VR pained on the front. This saved may parents the afternoon trip to collect me from the Station. On the walk home on the gravel road I would pass Uncle Tom and Aunty May’s house before reaching home. Melva Gillespie was studying at Sunshine Technical School and we sometimes both got off the train at the same time. On other occasions the Motor Train was replaced with a diesel engine with carriages, it was also required to stop and the driver had to be notified in advance. This meant getting into the guards van a Rockbank. It was more difficult alighting from the carriage as the gap was greater and more precarious to swing out and land on the ground. A few times in my last year of study at Melbourne Teachers College in Grattan Street Carlton. I managed to catch the 2.30 pm train to Serviceton, it was express to Melton and was very quick trip. The last train, was the 5.25 pm diesel to Ballarat and I usually caught this train to Melton South Station. On one occasion after being held up on the tram in Bourke street I had to make a mad dash to the platform chasing the train as it was just moving off and yelling to the guard, fortunately I was noticed and the train ground to halt. I scrambled into the end door and took most of the journey home to recover. After the last year at High School I continued to travel on the train, 2 years to Prahran Technical School changing at North Melbourne. There were a lot school children travelling to private schools and some at the primary level and mainly from Bacchus Marsh. Rockbank children also travelled by train from the beginning of their high school years, quite a few went to Sunshine High School. Book provided a timetable and information about the stations the train travels to from Melbourne to Adelaide. transport

Murray Comrie Collection. Monochrome photograph depicting the railway station formerly at Tarnagulla. This is a good copy of an older original. Copy probably made in the 1970s. tarnagulla, railway, rail, transport, trains, station

Murray Comrie Collection. Monochrome photograph depicting three men and two children on the platform of the Tarnagulla Railway Station. This is a reasonable copy of an older original. Copy probably made in the 1970s. tarnagulla, railway, rail, transport, trains, station

Murray Comrie Collection. Tarnagulla Railway Station has since been demolished/removed. Monochrome photograph depicting Tarnagulla Railway Station. This is a reasonable copy of an older original. Copy probably made in the 1970s. tarnagulla, railway, rail, transport, trains, station

Murray Comrie Collection. Tarnagulla Railway Station has since been demolished/removed. Monochrome photograph depicting Tarnagulla Railway Station. This is a reasonable copy of an older original. Copy probably made in the 1960s. tarnagulla, railway, rail, transport, trains, station

Beryl Knox speaking about early life in Melton. Page 1 1949 – 64 years ago. We began our married life at Melton Sth. The house on the corner of the Exford Rd and Staughton St-- dusty gravel roads, box thorns and noxious weeds everywhere and a sprinkling of houses and vacant land. It was a friendly community consisting of old family names. McDonalds, Blacks, Dodemaide, Cahill, Coopers, Minns, Tinklers, Nesbitts, Cochranes, Wickhams, Exells. Mavis Butler. The home owned by Mr. Robinson and Miss Robinson had been shifted in two parts transported from Diggers Rest and it is still standing 2013. Bruce’s father purchased the house and two adjoining blocks, the Conways built on one and the Rawlinson family on the other block. Eileen still resides there, she was only a baby in a pram and the family had not long arrived from England. The railway line was close to the house and the contents would rattle when heavy steams trains went through, and on a clear frosty night the 1am paper train would echo roar through very loudly when labouring towards the Exford Bridge. Then the two carriage motor train was introduced, this was great for the workers and schoolies who travelled to Melbourne. The train pulled up at the crossing or riding to pick up or drop off. Melva Gillespie (nee Hirt) Bill Cahill delivered the milk by the billy and then in bottles. Len Kennedy (Paul Kennedy’s father, Norma Murrays son) delivered Jongebloeds bread, he always had a sweep going for the Melbourne Cup and raffles for the footy club. Mr. Woodgate owned an old bus and pick up point was the Post Office when there was a Saturday film on a Melton. There were no doctors or dentists in the district. If we need a Doctor we had to travel to Bacchus Marsh or discuss problems over the phone. In later years a Bacchus Marsh Doctor rented the Bluestone building in McKenzie St a couple of days a week. If we needed the Dentist we had to travel to West Footscray or Footscray. We did our banking at “State Savings” then the Miss Minns had the agency and then Bardsleys Store. We travelled to Bacchus Marsh to the National and Commercial banks. Station Rd to Western Highway, now (High Street) was a narrow stretch of bitumen and gravel farmland either side and a couple of farm houses and large gum trees on the properties. Page 2 North of the Railway line Mrs Bessie Jones, mother of Chas and Betty Jones managed the Post Office, next door to her Chas and Betty had the Shell Centre, and later moved the business to Melton. Hughie Nesbitt and mother owned the grocery and hardware store, and I bought my first set of saucepans there. On the opposite side of Station road Mr Coombe owned the fruit shop, and also provided soft drinks and lollies for children. The Chaff Mill was on the corner of Station Rd and Brooklyn Rd. Mr Lumsden was manager and later years Bernie Trethowan and Jack Butler were partners. It finally burnt down and is a Service Station now. Along Brooklyn Rd there were a few houses and Victoria Hall, not a very big hall, but catered for lots of functions, Balls, Fancy Dress, Bazaars, Square Dancing and meetings. The Bacchus Marsh Baptists held Sunday School in the hall. A group of shops were built south of the railway line Molly and Len Skinner managed the Post Office and handled a few essential groceries. Tom McDonald and Ron Lunsberg were the butchers. Mary and Syd Cooper lived next door to us and often in turn would run out of something when we had a baking spree we would borrow or exchange, sugar flour etc over the fence. Mavis and Jack Butler lived there before the Coopers. Bernie and Iris Trethowan lived two doors up. Neighbours were invited into their home to view the first black and white television in Melton Sth. Bill Exell was one of the first Melton Sth farmers to sell his land to developers, the land was idle for years before housing developed. I joined the Melton Valley Golf Club in 1960. The Gun Club as our Club House, an old tin shed consisting a water tank, trestle table and forms and dirt floor. It was a 9 hole course with sand scraps and landscape putting before greens. The Common or parkland was part of the Golf Course. It was open for every ones recreation. Roy Norton an old identity trained his trotters on the Common and wouldn’t clear the track for the golfers. The golfers had to avoid him to continue to play. We had to keep clear when the young youths came in their paddock cars and motorbikes. Over the years the Toolern Creek flooded its banks, water and debri covered the course on one year our first Club house was flooded out. It took several working bees to clean it up. We lived at Melton Sth for 15 years and moved to Melton on the farm “Croxton Park.” The Nixon family farm “Mowbray” adjoined the farm. Bruce worked the land cropping the farm when Mrs Nixon died. Page 3 (page 4 on the handwritten script) Bruce had the first offer to buy, in those days it wasn’t easy to get good bank loans. Part of the land is the Golf Course now and Mr O’Shea purchased the bulk. Moving to Melton was totally different – I became involved with Committees, Scouts, Guides, Mothers Clubs, CWA, Church Op shop (8 years). Melton Amateurs players produced and tutored by Mabel Rogers exerts from Pyjama Game, South Pacific, Carousel - later years a group of ladies did gentle water exercise at Essendon and Station Road swimming pool. I was 20 or so years in Probus. The local followed the football, there was always a Gymkhana on the long weekend in June. The tennis always created a lot of interest during the finals. It didn’t matter which team played the supporters were treated to a cup of tea and leftovers from their afternoon tea. In 1978 were the first residents to move into the Jennings Estate Kurunjang and lived there 31 years and retired 4 years ago into Unit. The amazing changes I have experienced. Merrimu supplied our water, after depending on tanks. The landscape changed completely when developers came in, no more dusty plains \ typed web Sept 2013 McFarlane, Mrs Knox and Beryl Gillespie at the First Hundred Years Celebration of Melton State School 430. The event was held at Mechanics Hall, Melton.local identities, local significant events, education