The photograph shows a section of remnant track at the intersection of Bourke and Spencer Sts that remained until it was removed on 25/8/1987 when connecting curves were installed at Bourke and Spencer Streets, forming a double track triangular junction, in preparation for the conversion of the St Kilda and Port Melbourne railway lines to 'light rail'. This necessitated the removal of the last few metres of cable car track in Melbourne, which had been left in situ at the former Bourke Street terminus as a reminder of bygone days. Shows two inspection pits in the short section of the cable slot. Photo late 1960s after the construction of the Spencer St railway station building. Photographer unknown.Yields information of last section of visible cable tram track in the city area.Black and white photograph on Ilford papertramways, cable trams, track work, bourke st, spencer st, cable track

Image from CD (Compact Diskette for use in computers) - see Reg Item 135. Image titled "Kew Burke Rd' on CD, of looking at the East Kew Tram terminus with the city skyline in the background, c1925. Photo published in the Bellcord No. 16, Oct. 2012. From the article with the photograph; The terminus was located at the intersection of High St, Burke, Kilby and Doncaster Roads. We are at the outer edges of Melbourne’s suburbia at the time, unlike the current tram terminus of today. Burke Road, north of Doncaster Road is clearly under construction in preparation for the new river crossing. The vacant block of land in the foreground will remain so for another ten years or so. In 1960 the new Dickens Supermarket was built on this site and the intersection became known locally as Dickens Corner. The narrow track on the left hand side of the photo is Doncaster Road. The tram at the terminus is a straight-sill single trucker of one of the G, K, Q or R classes. It is finished in the late MMTB chocolate and cream livery. A cable grip car body has been placed as a tram shelter at the terminus. The church was subsequently relocated to Francis Street Yarraville where it still stands today as a private residence. Behind the large hedge on the south side of High Street is Smith’s Dairy. Part of this land would be sold to the MMTB for a planned new tram depot Behind the large hedge on the south side of High Street is Smith’s Dairy. Part of this land would be sold to the MMTB for a planned new tram depot but by the early 1960s it was transferred to the Education Department for construction of the Kew High School. The last portion of the dairy closed in the 1970s.trams, tramways, kew, burke rd, east kew, doncaster rd

Falls Creek is a resort town in northeastern Victoria. Its development began during the construction of the Kiewa Hydro Electric Scheme by the SECV in the late 1940s. The resort continued to develop becoming a destination all year round for skiing, bush walking and cycling. Falls Creek began to develop during the construction of the KHES.2 Black and white photos of Falls Creek during winter. 1. 5 buildings in Falls Creek Bowl including the Frying Pan Inn, Bogong Ski Club and Cummings Ski Hire and about 20 skiers on the slopes. Photo is taken from the bottom of the Summit T-bar looking towards the Gully chair and part of the Village T-bar. 2. View taken from Falls Creek village looking towards Spion Kop. 1960s cable binding skis in the foreground.On the back reference to Laurie Richards photographer.falls creek village, skiing, snow sports, laurie richards

Ron Setford and his wife Grace Setford lived in Tanner Avenue, East Kew, from c.1946 to c.1995. A keen photographer, he recorded the changing face of Kew over a 20 year period. Apart from 30 photographs of built structures and places in Kew dating from 1960 and 1961, 145 of his 35mm colour slides chronicle the development of the Eastern Freeway through the Yarra Valley over a five year period from c.1972 to c.1977. This important collection was donated to the Society by his granddaughter in 2025.This collection of 175 35mm slides is of local and statewide significance, owing to its subject matter, particularly the major development of road transport infrastructure during the 1970s with the construction of the Eastern Freeway. The photographer also took care to annotate and date most of his slides which enable the researcher to pinpoint temporal and spatial locations.Opened in 1960, the California Motel at 138 Barkers Road, Hawthorn, was located opposite the entrance to Xavier College and built on the site of the former Barker railway station of the closed Kew branch line. The motel was advertised as “away from the hustle and bustle of the city and offering affordable accommodation for the business or leisure traveller”. Special amenities included air-conditioning, a business centre, and swimming pool. The motel had 82 suites. A possibly forgotten, but perhaps essential feature of the motel, was the Caltex Service Station at its entrance. The building was closed in April 2008, extensively vandalised and finally demolished in 2013."California Motel"ron setford, photographs -- kew (vic.) -- 1960s, california motel -- barkers road -- hawthorn (vic.)

Ron Setford and his wife Grace Setford lived in Tanner Avenue, East Kew, from c.1946 to c.1995. A keen photographer, he recorded the changing face of Kew over a 20 year period. Apart from 30 photographs of built structures and places in Kew dating from 1960 and 1961, 145 of his 35mm colour slides chronicle the development of the Eastern Freeway through the Yarra Valley over a five year period from c.1972 to c.1977. This important collection was donated to the Society by his granddaughter in 2025.This collection of 175 35mm slides is of local and statewide significance, owing to its subject matter, particularly the major development of road transport infrastructure during the 1970s with the construction of the Eastern Freeway. The photographer also took care to annotate and date most of his slides which enable the researcher to pinpoint temporal and spatial locations.Yarra Street was not made a trafficable thoroughfare until October 1956. Until then, the gully was used as a dump, a shortcut to the river, and for communal Guy Fawkes night bonfires. The open landscape in the photo reflects near-total clearing by the original estate owners for grazing livestock. Post-war homes fronting Stawell St dot the landscape. Of particular note are the Broons House (c.1952–54) by Anatol Kagan (top right), and the homes of two architects, Kurt Elsner (c.1950) (middle) and Geoffrey Danne (c.1954) (lower right). Dual carriageways made blocks accessible, but building was difficult due to steeply sloping land and complex drainage easements.  Nevertheless, these challenges resulted in highly innovative designs, making Yarra Street the core of the Yarra Boulevard Heritage Precinct."Yarra St Kew"ron setford, photographs -- kew (vic.) -- 1960s, yarra street -- kew (vic.)

Ron Setford and his wife Grace Setford lived in Tanner Avenue, East Kew, from c.1946 to c.1995. A keen photographer, he recorded the changing face of Kew over a 20 year period. Apart from 30 photographs of built structures and places in Kew dating from 1960 and 1961, 145 of his 35mm colour slides chronicle the development of the Eastern Freeway through the Yarra Valley over a five year period from c.1972 to c.1977. This important collection was donated to the Society by his granddaughter in 2025.This collection of 175 35mm slides is of local and statewide significance, owing to its subject matter, particularly the major development of road transport infrastructure during the 1970s with the construction of the Eastern Freeway. The photographer also took care to annotate and date most of his slides which enable the researcher to pinpoint temporal and spatial locations.Opened in 1960, the California Motel at 138 Barkers Road, Hawthorn, was located opposite the entrance to Xavier College and built on the site of the former Barker railway station of the closed Kew branch line. The motel was advertised as “away from the hustle and bustle of the city and offering affordable accommodation for the business or leisure traveller”. Special amenities included air-conditioning, a business centre, and swimming pool. The motel had 82 suites. A possibly forgotten, but perhaps essential feature of the motel, was the Caltex Service Station at its entrance. The building was closed in April 2008, extensively vandalised and finally demolished in 2013.Nilron setford, photographs -- kew (vic.) -- 1960s, california hotel -- barkers road -- hawthorn (vic.), california motel -- barkers road

Ron Setford and his wife Grace Setford lived in Tanner Avenue, East Kew, from c.1946 to c.1995. A keen photographer, he recorded the changing face of Kew over a 20 year period. Apart from 30 photographs of built structures and places in Kew dating from 1960 and 1961, 145 of his 35mm colour slides chronicle the development of the Eastern Freeway through the Yarra Valley over a five year period from c.1972 to c.1977. This important collection was donated to the Society by his granddaughter in 2025.This collection of 175 35mm slides is of local and statewide significance, owing to its subject matter, particularly the major development of road transport infrastructure during the 1970s with the construction of the Eastern Freeway. The photographer also took care to annotate and date most of his slides which enable the researcher to pinpoint temporal and spatial locations."The "Taj-Mahal" / $1.250.000 Council Offices (we have to pay for it)"ron setford, photographs -- kew (vic.) -- 1960s, kew civic offices, kew town hall

Ron Setford and his wife Grace Setford lived in Tanner Avenue, East Kew, from c.1946 to c.1995. A keen photographer, he recorded the changing face of Kew over a 20 year period. Apart from 30 photographs of built structures and places in Kew dating from 1960 and 1961, 145 of his 35mm colour slides chronicle the development of the Eastern Freeway through the Yarra Valley over a five year period from c.1972 to c.1977. This important collection was donated to the Society by his granddaughter in 2025.This collection of 175 35mm slides is of local and statewide significance, owing to its subject matter, particularly the major development of road transport infrastructure during the 1970s with the construction of the Eastern Freeway. The photographer also took care to annotate and date most of his slides which enable the researcher to pinpoint temporal and spatial locations."Kew Town Hall"ron setford, photographs -- kew (vic.) -- 1960s, kew town hall

Ron Setford and his wife Grace Setford lived in Tanner Avenue, East Kew, from c.1946 to c.1995. A keen photographer, he recorded the changing face of Kew over a 20 year period. Apart from 30 photographs of built structures and places in Kew dating from 1960 and 1961, 145 of his 35mm colour slides chronicle the development of the Eastern Freeway through the Yarra Valley over a five year period from c.1972 to c.1977. This important collection was donated to the Society by his granddaughter in 2025.This collection of 175 35mm slides is of local and statewide significance, owing to its subject matter, particularly the major development of road transport infrastructure during the 1970s with the construction of the Eastern Freeway. The photographer also took care to annotate and date most of his slides which enable the researcher to pinpoint temporal and spatial locations."Sunrise over East Kew [Aug69}"ron setford, photographs -- kew (vic.) -- 1960s, kew east

Ron Setford and his wife Grace Setford lived in Tanner Avenue, East Kew, from c.1946 to c.1995. A keen photographer, he recorded the changing face of Kew over a 20 year period. Apart from 30 photographs of built structures and places in Kew dating from 1960 and 1961, 145 of his 35mm colour slides chronicle the development of the Eastern Freeway through the Yarra Valley over a five year period from c.1972 to c.1977. This important collection was donated to the Society by his granddaughter in 2025.This collection of 175 35mm slides is of local and statewide significance, owing to its subject matter, particularly the major development of road transport infrastructure during the 1970s with the construction of the Eastern Freeway. The photographer also took care to annotate and date most of his slides which enable the researcher to pinpoint temporal and spatial locations.The Kew City Hall in Cotham Road, designed by Harold Bartlett, was intended as the initial phase in a scheme to develop an entire civic precinct. This was representative of a widely-held belief, of the immediate post-war era, that a district's civic centre should be precisely that – not just a single grand building for official use, but a dedicated precinct providing a range of community facilities as well as an administrative function. The Kew masterplan was later abandoned. The City Hall was designed to cater for public or official functions. Its interior had a small stage at one end for intimate theatrical productions, a larger stage at the other (with sunken orchestra pit) for musical performances, plus the most up-to-date equipment for live TV transmission."Kew Town Hall"ron setford, photographs -- kew (vic.) -- 1960s, kew town hall

Ron Setford and his wife Grace Setford lived in Tanner Avenue, East Kew, from c.1946 to c.1995. A keen photographer, he recorded the changing face of Kew over a 20 year period. Apart from 30 photographs of built structures and places in Kew dating from 1960 and 1961, 145 of his 35mm colour slides chronicle the development of the Eastern Freeway through the Yarra Valley over a five year period from c.1972 to c.1977. This important collection was donated to the Society by his granddaughter in 2025.This collection of 175 35mm slides is of local and statewide significance, owing to its subject matter, particularly the major development of road transport infrastructure during the 1970s with the construction of the Eastern Freeway. The photographer also took care to annotate and date most of his slides which enable the researcher to pinpoint temporal and spatial locations.A photograph providing a visual contrast of the pre and post-World War II architectural styles of the Denmark Street Baby Health Centre and two of the Country Roads Board office buildings. Each was built on part of the land fronting the Kew branch line. In May 1939, the Railway Commissioners agreed to lease a site at the Kew Railway Station for a Baby Health Centre. The single-storey cream brick building was designed by Roland Chipperfield. The Country Roads Board (1913–83), later renamed VicRoads, transferred its headquarters from the Royal Exhibition Building to Kew in 1961, following the completion of two modernist eight-storey office towers in 1960. The VicRoads buildings were closed in 2024, and there is ongoing debate about what replaces them.Nilron setford, photographs -- kew (vic.) -- 1960s, country roads board, vicroads, denmark street -- kew (vic.), denmark street baby health centre

Ron Setford and his wife Grace Setford lived in Tanner Avenue, East Kew, from c.1946 to c.1995. A keen photographer, he recorded the changing face of Kew over a 20 year period. Apart from 30 photographs of built structures and places in Kew dating from 1960 and 1961, 145 of his 35mm colour slides chronicle the development of the Eastern Freeway through the Yarra Valley over a five year period from c.1972 to c.1977. This important collection was donated to the Society by his granddaughter in 2025.This collection of 175 35mm slides is of local and statewide significance, owing to its subject matter, particularly the major development of road transport infrastructure during the 1970s with the construction of the Eastern Freeway. The photographer also took care to annotate and date most of his slides which enable the researcher to pinpoint temporal and spatial locations.The Kew City Hall in Cotham Road, designed by Harold Bartlett, was intended as the initial phase in a scheme to develop an entire civic precinct. This was representative of a widely-held belief, of the immediate post-war era, that a district's civic centre should be precisely that – not just a single grand building for official use, but a dedicated precinct providing a range of community facilities as well as an administrative function. The Kew masterplan was later abandoned. The City Hall was designed to cater for public or official functions. Its interior had a small stage at one end for intimate theatrical productions, a larger stage at the other (with sunken orchestra pit) for musical performances, plus the most up-to-date equipment for live TV transmission.Nilron setford, photographs -- kew (vic.) -- 1960s, kew town hall

Ron Setford and his wife Grace Setford lived in Tanner Avenue, East Kew, from c.1946 to c.1995. A keen photographer, he recorded the changing face of Kew over a 20 year period. Apart from 30 photographs of built structures and places in Kew dating from 1960 and 1961, 145 of his 35mm colour slides chronicle the development of the Eastern Freeway through the Yarra Valley over a five year period from c.1972 to c.1977. This important collection was donated to the Society by his granddaughter in 2025.This collection of 175 35mm slides is of local and statewide significance, owing to its subject matter, particularly the major development of road transport infrastructure during the 1970s with the construction of the Eastern Freeway. The photographer also took care to annotate and date most of his slides which enable the researcher to pinpoint temporal and spatial locations.The Kew City Hall in Cotham Road, designed by Harold Bartlett, was intended as the initial phase in a scheme to develop an entire civic precinct. This was representative of a widely-held belief, of the immediate post-war era, that a district's civic centre should be precisely that – not just a single grand building for official use, but a dedicated precinct providing a range of community facilities as well as an administrative function. The Kew masterplan was later abandoned. The City Hall was designed to cater for public or official functions. Its interior had a small stage at one end for intimate theatrical productions, a larger stage at the other (with sunken orchestra pit) for musical performances, plus the most up-to-date equipment for live TV transmission.Nilron setford, photographs -- kew (vic.) -- 1960s, kew town hall

Ron Setford and his wife Grace Setford lived in Tanner Avenue, East Kew, from c.1946 to c.1995. A keen photographer, he recorded the changing face of Kew over a 20 year period. Apart from 30 photographs of built structures and places in Kew dating from 1960 and 1961, 145 of his 35mm colour slides chronicle the development of the Eastern Freeway through the Yarra Valley over a five year period from c.1972 to c.1977. This important collection was donated to the Society by his granddaughter in 2025.This collection of 175 35mm slides is of local and statewide significance, owing to its subject matter, particularly the major development of road transport infrastructure during the 1970s with the construction of the Eastern Freeway. The photographer also took care to annotate and date most of his slides which enable the researcher to pinpoint temporal and spatial locations.Nilron setford, photographs -- kew (vic.) -- 1960s, country roads board, vicroads, denmark street -- kew (vic.)

Ron Setford and his wife Grace Setford lived in Tanner Avenue, East Kew, from c.1946 to c.1995. A keen photographer, he recorded the changing face of Kew over a 20 year period. Apart from 30 photographs of built structures and places in Kew dating from 1960 and 1961, 145 of his 35mm colour slides chronicle the development of the Eastern Freeway through the Yarra Valley over a five year period from c.1972 to c.1977. This important collection was donated to the Society by his granddaughter in 2025.This collection of 175 35mm slides is of local and statewide significance, owing to its subject matter, particularly the major development of road transport infrastructure during the 1970s with the construction of the Eastern Freeway. The photographer also took care to annotate and date most of his slides which enable the researcher to pinpoint temporal and spatial locations."Nth Kew Village"ron setford, photographs -- kew (vic.) -- 1960s, north kew village, willsmere village

Ron Setford and his wife Grace Setford lived in Tanner Avenue, East Kew, from c.1946 to c.1995. A keen photographer, he recorded the changing face of Kew over a 20 year period. Apart from 30 photographs of built structures and places in Kew dating from 1960 and 1961, 145 of his 35mm colour slides chronicle the development of the Eastern Freeway through the Yarra Valley over a five year period from c.1972 to c.1977. This important collection was donated to the Society by his granddaughter in 2025.This collection of 175 35mm slides is of local and statewide significance, owing to its subject matter, particularly the major development of road transport infrastructure during the 1970s with the construction of the Eastern Freeway. The photographer also took care to annotate and date most of his slides which enable the researcher to pinpoint temporal and spatial locations.Nilron setford, photographs -- kew (vic.) -- 1960s, st paul's church -- kew east (vic.)

Ron Setford and his wife Grace Setford lived in Tanner Avenue, East Kew, from c.1946 to c.1995. A keen photographer, he recorded the changing face of Kew over a 20 year period. Apart from 30 photographs of built structures and places in Kew dating from 1960 and 1961, 145 of his 35mm colour slides chronicle the development of the Eastern Freeway through the Yarra Valley over a five year period from c.1972 to c.1977. This important collection was donated to the Society by his granddaughter in 2025.This collection of 175 35mm slides is of local and statewide significance, owing to its subject matter, particularly the major development of road transport infrastructure during the 1970s with the construction of the Eastern Freeway. The photographer also took care to annotate and date most of his slides which enable the researcher to pinpoint temporal and spatial locations."Mont Albert Rd"ron setford, photographs -- kew (vic.) -- 1960s, mont albert road

Ron Setford and his wife Grace Setford lived in Tanner Avenue, East Kew, from c.1946 to c.1995. A keen photographer, he recorded the changing face of Kew over a 20 year period. Apart from 30 photographs of built structures and places in Kew dating from 1960 and 1961, 145 of his 35mm colour slides chronicle the development of the Eastern Freeway through the Yarra Valley over a five year period from c.1972 to c.1977. This important collection was donated to the Society by his granddaughter in 2025.This collection of 175 35mm slides is of local and statewide significance, owing to its subject matter, particularly the major development of road transport infrastructure during the 1970s with the construction of the Eastern Freeway. The photographer also took care to annotate and date most of his slides which enable the researcher to pinpoint temporal and spatial locations."Sunrise over East Kew [Aug69}"ron setford, photographs -- kew (vic.) -- 1960s, kew east

Ron Setford and his wife Grace Setford lived in Tanner Avenue, East Kew, from c.1946 to c.1995. A keen photographer, he recorded the changing face of Kew over a 20 year period. Apart from 30 photographs of built structures and places in Kew dating from 1960 and 1961, 145 of his 35mm colour slides chronicle the development of the Eastern Freeway through the Yarra Valley over a five year period from c.1972 to c.1977. This important collection was donated to the Society by his granddaughter in 2025.This collection of 175 35mm slides is of local and statewide significance, owing to its subject matter, particularly the major development of road transport infrastructure during the 1970s with the construction of the Eastern Freeway. The photographer also took care to annotate and date most of his slides which enable the researcher to pinpoint temporal and spatial locations.Nilron setford, photographs -- kew (vic.) -- 1960s, banool avenue -- kew (vic.)

Ron Setford and his wife Grace Setford lived in Tanner Avenue, East Kew, from c.1946 to c.1995. A keen photographer, he recorded the changing face of Kew over a 20 year period. Apart from 30 photographs of built structures and places in Kew dating from 1960 and 1961, 145 of his 35mm colour slides chronicle the development of the Eastern Freeway through the Yarra Valley over a five year period from c.1972 to c.1977. This important collection was donated to the Society by his granddaughter in 2025.This collection of 175 35mm slides is of local and statewide significance, owing to its subject matter, particularly the major development of road transport infrastructure during the 1970s with the construction of the Eastern Freeway. The photographer also took care to annotate and date most of his slides which enable the researcher to pinpoint temporal and spatial locations.Nilron setford, photographs -- kew (vic.) -- 1960s, yarra river -- kew east (vic.), chipperfield's boat house, chipperfield's floating pontoon

Ron Setford and his wife Grace Setford lived in Tanner Avenue, East Kew, from c.1946 to c.1995. A keen photographer, he recorded the changing face of Kew over a 20 year period. Apart from 30 photographs of built structures and places in Kew dating from 1960 and 1961, 145 of his 35mm colour slides chronicle the development of the Eastern Freeway through the Yarra Valley over a five year period from c.1972 to c.1977. This important collection was donated to the Society by his granddaughter in 2025.This collection of 175 35mm slides is of local and statewide significance, owing to its subject matter, particularly the major development of road transport infrastructure during the 1970s with the construction of the Eastern Freeway. The photographer also took care to annotate and date most of his slides which enable the researcher to pinpoint temporal and spatial locations.Nilron setford, photographs -- kew (vic.) -- 1960s, yarra river -- kew east (vic.), chipperfield's boat house, chipperfield's floating pontoon

Ron Setford and his wife Grace Setford lived in Tanner Avenue, East Kew, from c.1946 to c.1995. A keen photographer, he recorded the changing face of Kew over a 20 year period. Apart from 30 photographs of built structures and places in Kew dating from 1960 and 1961, 145 of his 35mm colour slides chronicle the development of the Eastern Freeway through the Yarra Valley over a five year period from c.1972 to c.1977. This important collection was donated to the Society by his granddaughter in 2025.This collection of 175 35mm slides is of local and statewide significance, owing to its subject matter, particularly the major development of road transport infrastructure during the 1970s with the construction of the Eastern Freeway. The photographer also took care to annotate and date most of his slides which enable the researcher to pinpoint temporal and spatial locations.Nilron setford, photographs -- kew (vic.) -- 1960s, yarra river, recreation -- river swimming

Ron Setford and his wife Grace Setford lived in Tanner Avenue, East Kew, from c.1946 to c.1995. A keen photographer, he recorded the changing face of Kew over a 20 year period. Apart from 30 photographs of built structures and places in Kew dating from 1960 and 1961, 145 of his 35mm colour slides chronicle the development of the Eastern Freeway through the Yarra Valley over a five year period from c.1972 to c.1977. This important collection was donated to the Society by his granddaughter in 2025.This collection of 175 35mm slides is of local and statewide significance, owing to its subject matter, particularly the major development of road transport infrastructure during the 1970s with the construction of the Eastern Freeway. The photographer also took care to annotate and date most of his slides which enable the researcher to pinpoint temporal and spatial locations.Nilron setford, photographs -- kew (vic.) -- 1960s, st paul's church -- kew east (vic.)

Ron Setford and his wife Grace Setford lived in Tanner Avenue, East Kew, from c.1946 to c.1995. A keen photographer, he recorded the changing face of Kew over a 20 year period. Apart from 30 photographs of built structures and places in Kew dating from 1960 and 1961, 145 of his 35mm colour slides chronicle the development of the Eastern Freeway through the Yarra Valley over a five year period from c.1972 to c.1977. This important collection was donated to the Society by his granddaughter in 2025.This collection of 175 35mm slides is of local and statewide significance, owing to its subject matter, particularly the major development of road transport infrastructure during the 1970s with the construction of the Eastern Freeway. The photographer also took care to annotate and date most of his slides which enable the researcher to pinpoint temporal and spatial locations.Nilron setford, photographs -- kew (vic.) -- 1960s, yarra river -- kew east (vic.)

Ron Setford and his wife Grace Setford lived in Tanner Avenue, East Kew, from c.1946 to c.1995. A keen photographer, he recorded the changing face of Kew over a 20 year period. Apart from 30 photographs of built structures and places in Kew dating from 1960 and 1961, 145 of his 35mm colour slides chronicle the development of the Eastern Freeway through the Yarra Valley over a five year period from c.1972 to c.1977. This important collection was donated to the Society by his granddaughter in 2025.This collection of 175 35mm slides is of local and statewide significance, owing to its subject matter, particularly the major development of road transport infrastructure during the 1970s with the construction of the Eastern Freeway. The photographer also took care to annotate and date most of his slides which enable the researcher to pinpoint temporal and spatial locations.Nilron setford, photographs -- kew (vic.) -- 1960s, willsmere park

Plum Cottage is covered by Heritage Overelay HO256 in the Nillumbuk Planning Scheme This two-lot land holding was created as a subdivision and sold to Charles Stuart McNeil by May 1955. Sometime in the period 1955-1960, the builder-designer, John Harcourt had created a pise house on the site, straddling the two subdivision lots. The designer, John M. Harcourt was a pioneer builder in pise-de-terre and mudbrick in the Eltham Shire, Eltham being synonymous with alternative lifestyles and building practises until the onset of suburbia in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. This hipped-roof house is set high above Main Road on a V-shape plan characteristic of the Arts & Crafts style, with rammed earth or pise walls, timber joinery and a cement tiled roof. The V shape plan was used by important English and Eltham Arts & Crafts designers. The use of natural materials such as stone and timber construction is an essential part of the Arts & Crafts style and Harcourt’s work. So too is the application of the style on both the exterior and interior of the house as a holistic concept. The house adjoins the Lim Joon adobe house built and designed by Alistair Knox in the same era (HO119), thus forming a distinctive pair, both using an uncommon plan form. This house was identified in the Shire of Shire of Eltham Heritage 1992 as contributory to the Eltham Gateway Conservation Area, then proposed as an urban conservation area (now Heritage Overlay Area). Land Ownership Emily Jane Smith of 12 Woodside Street Fitzroy owned Crown Allotments 1 & 2 Sections 14, 27 by August 1918, selling to William Henry Smith of 12 Woodside Street, Nth Fitzroy May 1921. (John) James Isherwood of Main Road, Eltham owned the property by 1928 (the year of his death) with the beneficiary of his estate and next owner of this site being his widow, Minnie Maria Isherwood of Cemetery Road, Eltham. His holding in Main Road included parts of what was described in rate records as allotments1 & 2 Section E6. In the late 1930s, early 1940s her son Alfred John Isherwood was also rated for the land around this site, with the rated nett annual value varying between £2 and £5. Alfred Isherwood also lived at Main Road, Eltham with his wife Ellen: her early death at the age of 24 was reported in the Argus of 1923. Part of the Isherwood land was divided off and sold to Charles Stuart McNeil by May1955. Sometime in the period 1955-1960, the builder-designer, John Harcourt had created a pise house on the site, straddling the two subdivision lots. The house is visible on an aerial photograph from 1960s. Reputedly the house was called Plum Cottage and erected for Harcourt’s mother-in-law. A garage was added in 1959. Charles McNeil died in1971 aged 87: he was the son of Don McNeil and Margaret Arkell. Available rate records from the construction era start in the of the 1970s (1972-3) and list Mr H.C. & M/S A.V. Charity at 616 Main Road Eltham of this property with a nett annual value of $740. More recent valuer's data describes the property as lots 1 & 2 LP25668, located in the Central Riding of Eltham Shire, owned by Ann Valerie Charity and later, in 1990, by the Chincarini family. Building Description This hipped roof 11 .5 square house is set high above Main Road on a characteristic-shape plan and has rammed earth or pise walls, timber joinery and a cement tiled roof. The V-shape plan was used by Important designers such as C.F.A. Voysey (UK) who interpreted medieval domestic architecture as part of the Arts & Crafts style of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The pise walls are covered with a textured render while the cement roofing tiles are also seen in the Harcourt Hill examples. Reputedly the ceiling joists are of a deep section and span long lengths with no need for hanging beams in the roof space. The ceilings are low and panelled in main rooms with apparently Caneite soft board infill panels between the exposed ceiling beams. These are painted white but may have been stained at one time. The focus of the house is the large living area with its vast random stone fireplace. Significance Plum Cottage is significant to the locality of Eltham because: Historically: • Plum Cottage is closely associated with the important historical theme of earth construction evident in Eltham and elsewhere in the Shire since theear1y Arts & Crafts inspired creations at Penleigh Boyd's The Robins (1912, HO101) and those at Montsalvat (1934-, HO82) but more prominent from the Second War period when earth building in Eltham was promoted in national periodicals as an alternative building method that avoided the building materials shortages of that era; • The choice of the earth building technique also expresses the theme of refuge or alternative living, synonymous with Eltham in the early to mid 20th century; • as a good example of domestic architecture from John Harcourt who was the first major post Second War figure in an important phase of Eltham’s earth building development, using his characteristic Old English or Arts& Crafts style that relies in this case on the pise wall construction, pitched roof forms, exposed ceiling joists, half timbering, random stonework, and panelled internal wall finishes. Architecturally: • Plum Cottage's pise wall construction is uncommon among the early earth-walled structures in the Shire, that are mainly of adobe or mud brick, and as a building material is uncommon among the Shire’s suburban dwellings generally which are clad typically with either fired clay bricks or timber boarding. Aesthetically: • Plum Cottage is a good and well preserved example of a modern Old English or Arts & Crafts style earth-walled building in the Shire • For the proximity of the significant Lim Joon adobe house designed by Alistair Knox adjoining to the north, providing a distinctive earth wall house pair, with uncommon plan forms. Reference Heritage Assessment of Plum Cottage, 616 Main Road, Eltham; Graeme Butler & Associates 2010main road, eltham, property, houses, (john) james isherwood, alfred john isherwood, ann valerie charity, arts and crafts style, charles stuart mcneil, chincarini family, eltham gateway zone, emily jane smith, h.c. charity, heritage assessment, john harcourt, john m. harcourt, lim joon house, main road eltham, minnie maria isherwood, pise construction, plum cottage

Ron Setford and his wife Grace Setford lived in Tanner Avenue, East Kew, from c.1946 to c.1995. A keen photographer, he recorded the changing face of Kew over a 20 year period. Apart from 30 photographs of built structures and places in Kew dating from 1960 and 1961, 145 of his 35mm colour slides chronicle the development of the Eastern Freeway through the Yarra Valley over a five year period from c.1972 to c.1977. This important collection was donated to the Society by his granddaughter in 2025.This collection of 175 35mm slides is of local and statewide significance, owing to its subject matter, particularly the major development of road transport infrastructure during the 1970s with the construction of the Eastern Freeway. The photographer also took care to annotate and date most of his slides which enable the researcher to pinpoint temporal and spatial locations.The Kew City Hall in Cotham Road, designed by Harold Bartlett, was intended as the initial phase in a scheme to develop an entire civic precinct. This was representative of a widely-held belief, of the immediate post-war era, that a district's civic centre should be precisely that – not just a single grand building for official use, but a dedicated precinct providing a range of community facilities as well as an administrative function. The Kew masterplan was later abandoned. The City Hall was designed to cater for public or official functions. Its interior had a small stage at one end for intimate theatrical productions, a larger stage at the other (with sunken orchestra pit) for musical performances, plus the most up-to-date equipment for live TV transmission.Nilron setford, photographs -- kew (vic.) -- 1960s