Thousands of elderly people at this centre have contributed much. Published: Nillumbik Now and Then /​ Marguerite Marshall 2008; photographs Alan King with Marguerite Marshall.; p161 Thousands of elderly people, who have contributed much to Nillumbik and beyond, have made their home in the treed Eltham Retirement Centre. The centre, which opened in 1956, has housed the disadvantaged in particular, through good times and hard, including floods, fire and even burglaries. As part of the Melbourne Citymission, a non-denominational Christian organisation that cares for people living with disadvantage, the centre was built to celebrate 100 years of the Melbourne Citymission’s work since 1854. Standing on a former poultry farm called Willandra (Still Waters), the centre includes independent units, hostel, nursing home accommodation and a Day Therapy Centre, which is available for non-residents as well. Despite being metres from the busy Main Road and railway station, the centre provides a quiet oasis on 6.8 hectares bordered by the Diamond Creek to the west, and the railway line to the east. The centre was originally named Judge Book Memorial Village after Judge Clifford Book, Deacon of the Collins Street Baptist Church. Book was also President of the Baptist Union of Victoria and Grand Master of the Masonic Lodge. He was so respected that, at his death, several Pentridge prisoners asked to attend his funeral. In 1993 the centre’s name was changed to clarify that it was part of the Melbourne Citymission. However Judge Book’s name continues in the Judge Book Memorial Garden, opened in 2006. The Diamond Creek has flooded the centre several times, however rarely causing serious damage. Volunteer Alan Field recalls a flood in 1974 when the resident manager Reverend Norman Pearce and his wife, were rescued by boat from their home with their budgerigar. On February 3, 2005, when the creek almost flooded Metzner Hall, 35 ambulances evacuated residents to nearby nursing homes, hostels and local homes. Residents were also evacuated during the 1965 bush fire, but fortunately a change of wind direction saved the centre. Residents have also endured several burglaries. Despite much rebuilding and modernisation over the years, traces of the original farmhouse remain in the administration areas. In 1991 the Willandra Hostel was built and in 2001 the Eltham Lodge Nursing Home with each room having a garden view. Several buildings are named after people who have given special service to the centre including the Norman Pearce Day Hospital after general manager and pastor Rev Pearce. Metzner Hall was named after the Metzner family who had been active in the auxiliary since it began and had donated generously to the Recreation Hall fund.3 A bridge was named after Sister Lila Murray who had worked at the village for 42 years in various capacities including as relieving manager. Field remembers Sister Murray as ‘the Mother Teresa and soul of what the village aspired to, with love and care’. Since 1957 the Eltham Auxiliary, later called the Residents’ Association, has worked to improve the residents’ quality of life by volunteering and raising funds. An outstanding volunteer, Field, who was drawn to the centre in 1971 with his wife Chris, has held positions on the early Eltham boards, auxiliaries and Residents’ Association. Much of his work has been supporting people with no family and those of limited means. He says he and his wife look at their work as having shared ‘our lives with amazing people’. The wealth of experience and wisdom in the Retirement Village has benefited many people, including local school children. Residents have acted as proxy grand-parents at local schools, by assisting small learning groups or telling their life stories. Conversely, students from local schools have visited to perform, or to assist in programs like craft activities. Resident Val Bell, whose mother Rose Bullock lived at the centre before her, sums up the centre’s most important attribute for her: ‘The Christian care. They could not be more caring’.This 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, diamond street, eltham, eltham retirement centre, eltham retirement village, judge book memorial village

Two guides or leaflets: 1. A Cherry Growing in Victoria Bulletin 67 from The Department of Agriculture, Victoria, Australia. Pp. 24. It has full details and photographs for cherry growing contributed by several writers. Advertisements for agriculture are inside the front and back covers. Price 3D. is printed towards the bottom of the front cover. 2. A very damaged four page leaflet titled, Fruit Spraying Guide for the Home Gardener compiled by two contributors, (Reprinted from The Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Victoria.) It has several tables for various fruits, diseases, symptoms and treatment. (It is reprinted from The Journal of the department of Agriculture, Victoria.) Two Invoices are included in this entry: 1. F.W. Britton & Son Timber and Hardware Merchants. Invoice No. 2441 12 June 1948 for three items sold. 2. An account Sales Note Barrow Bros. Commission Agency Proprietary Limited Produce & Dairy Produce merchants and Manufacturers in Melbourne. Four items were sold, plus cartage on 23.3.50.non-fictionThe Cherry Growing in Victoria booklet and Fruit Spraying Guide for the Home Gardener leaflet were useful for understanding how to grow the local produce in Victorian conditions at the time. dockets, receipts, sales records, leaflets, information sheets, information booklets, instruction leaflets, fruit growing, fruit pests

Set of newspaper clipping featuring derailed or incidents. .1 - "Off the tracks" - The Age 25/11/2005 with a photo of a city circle car being pushed to clear a section insulator. .2 - "Jumper leads, anyone" - Herald Sun 6/12/2005 - tram C 3001 - derailed at the corner of Flinders and Spencer Streets. Photo Ellen Smith .3 - "Extensive damage to derailed tram" - The Age 20-05-2004 - derailment of a C Class tram at the Victoria Gardens shunt, and hitting a pole with heavy damage to the centre section. Quotes the CE Hubert Guyot. Picture John Woudstra.trams, tramways, derailments, accidents, spencer st, c class, city circle, passengers, overhead, victoria st, victoria gardens, tram 965

Handwritten notes and typed copy of same, on a fire at Ironbark. From the Bendigo Advertiser 1/1/1894 (Page 2). Destructive Fire at Ironbark. A Mining Engine House Destroyed. Shortly before 12 o'clock Sat. night a fire broke out in the engine-house of the North Garden Gully & Passby Company. Flames first noticed by neighbours. Contacted Capt. J Walker - Temperance Brigade. Building was of brick. Interior of building completely gutted. Winding plant appears to be not altogether destroyed. End of one of the compressors was blown out, and the wire ropes damaged somewhat. Albert Richardson Collection. document, gold, north garden gully & passby company, north garden gully & passby company, bendigo advertiser 1/1/1894 page 2, capt j walker, temperance brigade

Items in the collection relating to C.J.C. McQuie MM, refer Cat No 9680P for his service details. .1) .2) Dated 5.9.19, appears to be McQuie's hand writing. .3) Has 3 letter signature unclear, talks about leaving for Ostend at 10.15pm. .4) Dated 8.9.19, to McQuie's Father, talks about leaving for Amsterdam, having a good time. .5) Dated 15.9.19, to Mr McQuie, talks about having a good time. .6) On the rear has a full page description of the Catacombs. .7) Dated 22.9.19, to McQuie's Father. .8) Dated 26.9.19. .9) Dated 20.9.19, to McQuie's father, talks about visiting Rome, Naples, Mt Vesuviuos and Pompei, leaving for Paris. .10) Dated 26.9.19. .11) dated 17.9.19, to Lieut F.J.Terry Paris France, from is unclear. Ten postcards different views, different tones, all dated over 2019. .1).2) Sepia tone, views over Southampton, text on rear in black. .3) Sepia tone, Bomb damage scene Dunkirk, text on rear in black. .4) Sepia tone, view of Rotterdam, text on rear in black. .5) B&W, view of Venice, text on rear in black pen, has two green stamps. .6) B&W Plan of the Catacombs of Callistus with description on rear. .7) Colour enhanced, scene over a river, text in black, two red stamps on. .8) B&W, Water garden in Versailles, text on rear in black. .9) B&W, view over Rome, text on rear in black, one red stamp on. .10) B&W, water scene Versailles, text on rear in black. .11) Sepia water fall scene, text on rear in black, one stamp in red..1) On rear, "5.7.19, Crossed this in error". .2) "5.7.19". .3) "Sept 3/19 Dunkirk". .5) "Venice 15.9.19". .6) "16.9.19". 7) On front in red "BOPPARD"postcards, photos, mcquie

Handwritten quote from W. Abraham, Inspl of Mines, Bendigo. He had been at the Great Northern Company's mine when the engine driver was hauling water from the 1.780 feet level, with a tank on one side and a cage on the other, broke the cross-head and two motion-bars; the drums reversed and desecended about 50 feet. The driver applied the air-brakes. The drums were brought a standstill, without any further damage. The Insp. Was in favour of the air -brakes and thought every should be compelled to use them in shafts below 1,000 feet in depth. Also a list of companies who have had these brakes fitted to their winding plants and a list of the companies who intend to fit them. Also mentioned is the price of fitting which was from 30 to 50 pounds.document, gold, mining reports, mining reports, air brakes, secretary mines report 1900 page 69, w abraham, great northern company, harkness & co, james mitchell, princess dagmar g m coy, confidence extended g m coy, victoria reef quartz coy, new moon g m coy, great southern garden gully g m coy, francis ormond g m coy chewton