Ronald Leslie Schorey Dickinson RAAF No 439212. He initially enlisted as a RAAF Cadet age 16 years on 27.2.1942, Cpl 17.11.1942, Sgt 17.6.1943, S/Sgt 8.10.1943. At age 18 he enlists on 29.2.1944 with the rank A/C 2 and soon with the rank LAC (leading Aircraftsman). He is posted to places like Geraldton & Kalgoorlie WA, Benalla & Tocumwal VIC. From 23.9.1945 he is listed with postings at 54 Mile NT, Darwin in two different units, Winellie and Ransford. He is discharged with the rank of LAC on 20.5.1946. Records are hard to follow but it appears he could have been Aircrew as an LAC. Refer also Cat No 7263PThis is a hard cover book. The colour of the front cover is a purplish hue. The spine has a blue buckram binding. It was Airforce Form A.18. Inside are a large number of pages covering such subjects as; Pilot Certification, Aircraft flown, Hours, Locations. Dates - range from 1944-2017. Possibly some pages are missing. 1942 - 1944. It has records for RAAF Flying and Civilian Flying Post WW2.Written on bottom of book pages is name "DICKINSON R.L.S.raaf, flying log

Certificate awarded to H.M. Day.Certificate - heavy paper. Original document. Black print with Australian Coat of Arms at top and "AUSTRALIA REMEMBERS/ 1945 - 1995" emblem below print. Signed by Prime Minister, Minister for Veteran Affairs and Federal Member. Print on beige background with decorative edge and emblem in green and gold colours.On certificate - On the 50th Anniversary/ of the end of the Second World War/ a grateful nation expresses it's thanks to/ H.M. Day/ for contributing to the war effort and the coming peace.certificate, ww2, anniversary

Title plan of Fortuna property depicting the initial acquisition in 1951 plus additional areas acquired during 1955 and 1957. The accompanying notes show details of the acquisitions, when they occurred and the costs. The plan is foolscap in size whilst the Notes are a single smaller sheet. Includes one foolscap size page, probably part of a larger (more page) document.Title plan of Fortuna property depicting the initial acquisition in 1951 plus additional areas acquired during 1955 and 1957. The accompanying notes show details of the acquisitions, when they occurred and the costs. The plan is foolscap in size whilst the Notes are a single smaller sheet.Top right hand corner - "Certificate of Title entered in the Register Book Vol. 8159 Fol. 690, Signature Illegible, Assistant Registrar of Titles". Towards the bottom right hand corner - "No ENDOURSEMENTS (some unreadable Signatures) H.D. Draper 24.11.75, R.B? 26.11.75, ? 3.12.75. Near bottom of Page - Initials?" "THE MEASUREMENTS ARE IN LINKS"royal australian survey corps, rasvy, fortuna, army survey regiment, army svy regt, asr

These pages of accounts are from the firm of Mackay Taylor, Lawyers, a prominent firm in Warrnambool for over 100 years. The Warrnambool legal businesses of George Mackay and James Fletcher merged in 1893 and was known as Fletcher and Mackay. In the 1920s Mr Mackay took J. McD Taylor as a partner and the premises at 131 Kepler Street were built about that time, with the firm being known as Mackay and Taylor. After the original partners died there was a succession of partners with the legal firm continuing as Mackay Taylor until the 1990s. These account sheets from a prominent 20th century legal firm in Warrnambool are of considerable importance as they document the legal records of many Warrnambool and district personalities from the early 20th century. The information contained in the sheets will therefore add to the known history of many local people from the past and will be very useful to researchers.These are handwritten accounts for bills to be paid to Mackay Taylor Lawyers for services rendered. The accounts are described in detail and are written on quarto size paper with the requisite red lines already printed on the pages. There are over 100 sheets and they date from 1938 to 1940. There are also two original Certificates of Title for Eva Willis (1916, portion of land in Cramer Street) and Archie Jackson (1924, portion of land in Cramer Street). warrnambool, warrnambool lawyers

This is a licence issued to Leslie Palmer in 1918. It gives him authority to operate a motor boat across the banks of the Hopkins River near the mouth and to carry passengers. As there is a bridge at the mouth of the river it is assumed that this motor boat was used to go across the river from a private house, making it more convenient than going by road to cross the bridge. It was, and still is, a common practice to use boats to cross the river from private homes built along the banks of the Hopkins River.This is a significant item as it is an original certificate and is interesting because the licence was a restricted one, for use only in crossing the Hopkins River. This is a paper licence issued by the Marine Board of Victoria in 1918. The certificate has printed material and entries written in black ink. It has the seal of the Marine Board and the signature of the SecretaryWritten material: ‘Leslie Alfred Palmer of Warrnambool, oil, on the Hopkins River within a line bearing east from Point Ritchie on the western side of the mouth of such river to the opposite shore, 6th December 1918’ motor boat licence 1918, warrnambool, leslie palmer, hopkins river

This is an original Elector’s right certificate of 1900 for the Warrnambool Electoral District. This entitled the owner to vote at elections held for the Legislative Assembly in the Government of Victoria. The voter had to be male and resident in the electorate( in this case Warrnambool).This certificate was issued to Aden Armstrong an undertaker with a business in Timor Street opposite the Old National Bank which was at the corner of Kepler and Timor Streets. The Registrar who signed the certificate was Richard Geilhofer. The certificate was one of the items in the Henri Worland collection of historical society in 1973 by the Warrnambool City Council via Keith Arnel the Town Clerk. The timeframe of this document is on the cusp of major electoral change in Australia with the Federation of Australian states happening in 1901 and the granting of the vote for Australian women in the various states over the next decade.This item would have been a common item at the time as all those entitled to vote had to present same. It has local significance with Aden Armstrong being in business in Warrnambool for a number of years.Cream coloured paper with black text. Victorian coat of Arms at centre top of document. Drawing of lady holding shield on left side Handwritten information is written in faded black ink. Blue stamped number 137050 on top right corner. Back is printed with notes for the elector.Signature and date 1/11/00 at top left. Warrnambool is stamped in dark blue twice at top. Aden Armstrong of Lava St Warrnambool, Undertaker is written on the form with his signature at bottom right. Also signed by the registrar of the day, Richard Geilhofer. Date is also included 24th January 1900 elector's right certificate, aden armstrong, warrnambool, warrnambool undertakers

Augustus Bostock was the 9th child of Robert & Rachael Bostock of Vaucluse Epping Forest, Van Diemen’s Land. He was only 4 years old when his mother died. He was inspired by his father to seek his fortune in the Western District of Victoria. He arrived around 1850. He married Margaret Aitkin in July 1865. Augustus owned several properties in the district and leased others. He sat on the court of Warrnambool, Mortlake or Hexham as required. He resided at Marramook in Hawkesdale and later moved to Vaucluse in Hopetoun Road Warrnambool, where he died in 1920 at the age of 87. He was involved in many aspects of life in the Western District, racing, cricket, and social activities to name a few. The Yambuk Cheese and Butter factory operated until around 1917 when it failed financially and was wound up by liquidators. It was operated for a short period by Murrays of NZ but they too succumbed to the poor financial situation. This is one of a number of documents which relate to the Bostock family who were one of the most important pioneering families of the Western District. They owned and leased various properties around Warrnambool and were involved in many aspects of social and business life. The document itself is indicative of its time and provides an insight into the details and terms of such documents at the time.Small white sheet with purple printing. Items filled in with black pen. Serrated edge on one side. Transfer form printed on the reverse in purple. Stamped seal in bottom right hand corner.Signed by Augustus Bostock, G Ritchie. Stamped no 27 in top left corner.warrnambool, augustus bostock, yambuk cheese and butter factory, shareholders yambuk cheese factory 1893,

Augustus Bostock was the 9th child of Robert & Rachael Bostock of Vaucluse Epping Forest, Van Diemen’s Land. He was only 4 years old when his mother died. He was inspired by his father to seek his fortune in the Western District of Victoria. He arrived around 1850. He married Margaret Aitkin in July 1865. Augustus owned several properties in the district and leased others. He sat on the court of Warrnambool, Mortlake or Hexham as required. He resided at Marramook in Hawkesdale and later moved to Vaucluse in Hopetoun Road Warrnambool, where he died in 1920 at the age of 87. He was involved in many aspects of life in the Western District, racing, cricket, and social activities to name a few. This death certificate is for Margaret Bostock, the wife of Augustus Bostock. She was the daughter of James and Mary Aitkin and one of three sisters to marry three of the Bostock brothers. Margaret and Augustus had six children, Jane, James, Ernest, John Augustus, Mary and Rachel. Margaret died in 1919. This is one of a number of documents which relate to the Bostock family who were one of the most important pioneering families of the Western District. They owned and leased various properties around Warrnambool and were involved in many aspects of social and business life. This death certificate of Margaret provides family history information.Rectangular white paper overprinted with light green pattern stating State of Victoria. Blue stamp dated 16 Mar 1989. Dated 1919 in top left corner. Typed form filled in in black handwritingRegistered by Robert R Macfarlane, date stamped 16 Mar 1989. Extract no 15370.bostock, warrnambool, margaret bostock

Augustus Bostock was the 9th child of Robert & Rachael Bostock of Vaucluse Epping Forest, Van Diemen’s Land. He was only 4 years old when his mother died. He was inspired by his father to seek his fortune in the Western District of Victoria. He arrived around 1850. He married Margaret Aitkin in July 1865. Augustus owned several properties in the district and leased others. He sat on the court of Warrnambool, Mortlake or Hexham as required. He resided at Marramook in Hawkesdale and later moved to Vaucluse in Hopetoun Road Warrnambool, where he died in 1920 at the age of 87. He was involved in many aspects of life in the Western District, racing, cricket, and social activities to name a few. Augustus was the son of Robert and Rachel Bostock. He spent the first 17 years of his life in Tasmania before living in Victoria for 70 years.This is one of a number of documents which relate to the Bostock family who were one of the most important pioneering families of the Western District. They owned and leased various properties around Warrnambool and were involved in many aspects of social and business life. This death certificate of Augustus provides family history informationRectangular white paper overprinted with light green pattern stating State of Victoria. Blue stamp dated 16 Mar 1989. Dated 1920 in top left corner. Typed form filled in, in black handwriting.Registered by Robert R Macfarlane, date stamped 16 Mar 1989. Extract no 12644augustus bostock, margaret aitkin, warrnambool

These are personal documents that belonged to Henry Roberts Parrington. They include statements regarding his preliminary and final examinations that qualified him as a lawyer in England (1867, 1873), annual certificates of registration as a lawyer in New Zealand (1876-1886), personal affidavits presented to the Supreme Court of Victoria and permission to practise as a lawyer in Victoria (1886). Henry Roberts Parrington qualified as a lawyer in England in 1873 and worked as a barrister and solicitor in New Zealand from 1876 to 1886. He then came to Australia and worked for the legal firm of Messrs Higgins in Geelong and Bayly and Higgins in Warrnambool. The business in Kepler Street, Warrnambool later became known as Higgins and Parrington and, in 1900, as Parrington and Tait (partner John Sym Tait). When John Tait retired in 1901 Henry Parrington was the sole proprietor of the practice. He died in Melbourne in 1926. These documents have some significance as they are original papers documenting Henry Parrington’s early years as a lawyer. He was a prominent lawyer in Warrnambool in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. These sixteen paper documents relate to the lawyer, Henry Roberts Parrington. They are all original documents from England, New Zealand and Australia (Victoria). Most have printed material on them. All have statements and information handwritten in black ink and many have stamps relating to the country concerned. Some are foolscap size and are printed on blue paper. Others are quarto and envelope size. All have some staining and are crinkled where they have been folded. henry roberts parrington, history of warrnambool

This certificate would have been used in the Warrnambool business of Swintons Pty Ltd. in the 20th century. It is a certificate that, when filled in, would have been given to anyone who had worked for some time as an unapprenticed tradesman’s assistant. William and Ann Swinton migrated to Australia in 1854 and for a decade William Swinton worked as a builder and carpenter in the Warrnambool district, erecting many buildings, including the Wangoom Presbyterian Church. In 1865 he opened a store in Timor Street, Warrnambool, selling groceries, china, glassware and hardware. By 1888 the business was known as William Swinton and Sons. Branch stores were opened in Wangoom, Cudgee, Nullawarre, South Warrnambool and West Warrnambool. After William Swinton’s death his son Robert became the first managing director of Swintons Pty Ltd. In 1934 the business split, with George Swinton and Sons selling clothing, furnishings and glassware and Swintons Pty Ltd selling hardware, seeds and produce. Today the Swinton family still operates a furniture and bedding store in Timor Street. This certificate is of minor interest as an example of a form used by businesses such as Swintons Pty Ltd to give to employees leaving the business. The current Swinton business in Timor Street, Warrnambool is the oldest family business in Warrnambool and, with the name Swinton associated with Timor Street businesses for 152 years, it is amongst the oldest family businesses in Australia.This is a sheet of buff-coloured paper with printed black lines and printed headings. The sheet is unused and slightly bent. ‘Certificate of Employment as an Improver’ swinton, history of warrnambool, warrnambool

This certificate recognizes the contribution of Corporal H E Swan to the effort of World War 2 by the President, councillors and ratepayers of the Warrnambool Shire.A link to a local person and is representative on many given to soldiers of the district.Coloured certificate mounted on a metal backing and covered with a plastic type material. It has a photo of the king flanked either side by flags at the top with the flags of the Australian states and other countries of the Commonwealth placed in a border of green gum leaves on brown. Shire of Warrnambool, Signed by Albert Henderson, L* Crawleyworld war 2 certificate, warrnambool shire, corporal h e swan

The Australian Comforts Fund was formed during the first World War and was an amalgamation of various organisations which were sending items of comfort such as toiletries, clothing and food to Australian troops who were fighting overseas. It ceased its work and was dissolved in 1920 at the ceasation of the war but was started again to continue the same work in 1939.In Australia it rivalled the work of the red Cross and many of the volunteers involved were women. As well as making and providing items themselves there was major fundraising to purchase further items. Over the course of the war they provided over 1.5 million hampers. This certificate was presented to Mrs Steward for valuable services rendered to the Australian Comforts Fund during World War 1939-1945. The Australian Comforts fund was wound up in June 1946.This certificate recognises the work of one of our residents to a fund which was Australia wide and would have been one of numerous certificates presented around the country. The Australian Comforts fund was an organisation with which numerous people would have been affiliated and which also assisted many soldiers over the years. Cream certificate with black text, highlighted with red. The name Mrs Steward has been written in in blue ink. In comes enclosed in a dark grey soft card folder.Mrs Steward. Signed Valerie Heinze, Lady mayoress of Melbourne. Thomas S Neu*tefold, Hermen W *ohn, On front of grey folder "Mrs Steward Warrnambool.warrnambool, warrnambool history, australian comforts fund, mrs steward warrnambool

This certificate relates to the registration of an individual in association with a business. In this case Mr Gilbert Kingsley Thomas operating Sambell's Corner Pharmacy. The Sambell name has long been associated with pharmacies in Warrnambool. For the most part these pharmacies were at different places in fairy Street. From the block below Koroit St to Monaghans on the corner of Lava and Fairy Street. This business name of MR Gilbert Thomas operated from the corner of Fairy and Koroit St. This certificate has links to one of Warrnambool's longest established pharmaciesCream coloured framed certificate with black text and personal items typed into the form.Rectangular black painted frame.Gilbert Kingsley Thomas: 30th October 1950: Registration number 113490: Sambell's Corner Pharmacy:warrnambool, warrnambool chemists, gilbert kingsley thomas, gil thomas chemist

These items are connected to the Warrnambool Cheese and Butter Factory. One is a share certificate from the company issued in 1909 to John Bergin of Nirranda and the other is a 1970 handwritten note, possibly from the Tait legal firm in Warrnambool indicating that John Bergin was no longer a shareholder. He may have been deceased or the shares may have been sold previously. The Warrnambool Cheese and Butter factory in Allansford is the oldest surviving dairy company in Australia. It was established in 1888 and is now operated by the Canadian firm Saputo. These items are of minor interest as mementoes of the early share certificates of the Warrnambool Cheese and Butter Factory, a major dairying business in the Warrnambool district for over 100 years. .1 This is a certificate extracted from a booklet of similar certificates. The printing is red with handwritten material inserted in black ink. There is a seal on the right side of the certificate. .2 This is a sheet of white paper with a handwritten note regarding the certificate described above. John Bergin Nirrandawarrnambool cheese and butter factory company

1. Certificate of Title of Lot 22 on Plan of Subdivision No. 7894 and other material pertaining to Mary Frances Carrucan (nee Sweeney) and family connections (Digital file only)eltham, 60 kent hughes road, certificate of title, mary frances carrucan (nee sweeney)

Series consists of 50 colour photographs taken at Youth Art Award Presentations, with Cr John Graves officiating. Photographs include shots of winners receiving certificates, artworks on display, members of the Y AA committee, a selection of prize-winning entries.shire of eltham archives, series listing

The Eltham Beer Barrel Drinking Contest This is to certify that Rex "Young Pommy" Whitworth Has successfully downed 10 Grogs, and is still standing to sign this certificate! Signed R. Whitworth Dated this eventful 19th day of July 1974 Manager (signature illegible) Rex, a carpenter, was registered to vote in 1963 and was recorded as living in Storey Avenue, Research. He was still living at the same address in 1980. Given Rex had to be at least 21 years of age in 1963 (to be eligible to vote), that would make him at least 32 in 1974.Rex "Young Pommy" Whitworth signature, date and signature of Managereltham barrel, rex whitworth, certificate, beer drinking contest, award

Thomas McDonald was born in Hobart in 1836; in 1856 in Heidelberg, he married Mary Anne Maloney, born in County Clare Ireland c1836; Thomas was living in Diamond Creek and Mary Anne on Plenty River. They moved to Eltham and raised a family. Descendant Dan Delmo was researching this family's time in Eltham. Contents Photocopies of emails from Dan Delmo providing details of his family research; certificates of marriages, birth, deaths; letter 4 November 2010 from Lucille Andel with details of Eltham Rate Books. Photocopies of emails from Jim Connor, Eltham District Historical Society, listing McDonald children attending Eltham Primary School.Newspaper clippings, A4 photocopies, etcdan delmo, thomas mcdonald, mary anne mcdonald (nee maloney)

Newspaper notice: Diamond Valley Leader, 31 January 2018, Calls for submissions re removal of reserve status and rezoning, Reserve 1 on Plan of Subdivision 213452R, Certificate of Title Volume 9879 Folio 829 and Reserve 2 on Plan of Subdivision 134133 Certificate of Title Volume 09434 Folio 620.main road, eltham, property

Copy Certificate of Title, plan of subdivision Part of Crown Portion 12 Section 4 Parish of Nillumbik County of Evelyn.main road, eltham, property, houses, shops, businesses

(Cancelled) Certificate of Title originally issued for Crown Portion 15, Section 5 to Robert David Taylor, of Eltham, County of Evelyn, Farmer, 13 March 1925. It is with this title that the land allotment was subdivided into 48 lots. The title shows the issuance to Robert David Taylor with encumbrance placed upon it by immediate former owner, Hugh Patrick Keogh, a former member for Gippsland and Melbourne Real Estate Agent. Following Taylor's death in 1934 the title passes to his Executors, sons Robert David Taylor of Bible Street, Eltham and William McLelland Vance Taylor of Northcote. The property is then sold to Frank Stokes who develops the Stokes Orchard. Compulsory acquisitions by the Melbourne Metropolitan Board of Works and State Electricity Commission show provisions of easemenst for town water supply and high voltage power transmission lines. Subsequent lots are then sold off with the development of the Stokes Orchard Estate residential development in the mid to late 1970s. A History of the Development of Crown Allotment 15, Section 5, Parish of Nillumbik – Stokes Orchard Crown Allotment 15, Section 5, Parish of Nillumbik (CA15) is a square allotment of 158 acres or approximately a quarter of a square mile. It lies just beyond the eastern end of Pitt Street, south of Nyora Road to the northern end of Eucalyptus Road and extends east from Eucalyptus Road to Reynolds Road. The topography of CA15 is generally steep, sloping up to a hill near the centre of the land, the ridgeline passing through the properties along the southern side of Diosma Road. Eucalyptus Road is a straight north-south road with its northern end at the north west corner of CA15. Until the end of the 1970s this road was an un-named Government Road and was largely not open to traffic. With residential development in the 1970s the road was constructed, and the council allocated the name obviously in recognition of the predominant species of the local bushland. CA15 was purchased from the Crown by George D’Arley Boursiquot, a prominent Melbourne printer, on 28th October 1852. On November 23, 1922, former Member for Gippsland and Melbourne Real Estate Agent, Hubert Patrick Keogh purchased the allotment then sold it March 13, 1925, to local farmer, Robert David Taylor, a former Shire of Eltham Councillor (1911-1920) and Shire President (1919). Taylor had extensive land holdings stretching west towards Bible Street and Main Road. The Taylor home was situated at the top of the hill in Bible Street at present day 82 Bible Street. At the time of Taylor’s purchase in 1925, CA15 was subdivided into 48 lots that could be described as small rural properties or large residential lots. A typical lot size was one hectare or 2.5 acres. The subdivision created two roads, Nyora Road, and Diosma Road, each following an irregular alignment between Eucalyptus and Reynolds Roads. However, the lots were not sold off separately nor were the roads constructed. The land effectively remained as one parcel for many further years. Robert David Taylor died November 30, 1934, and probate was granted to his son of the same name, Robert David Taylor of Bible Street, Salesman and William McLelland Vance Taylor of 73 Emmeline Street, Northcote, Clerk, with the transfer of the land into their names on July 8, 1935. Frank Stokes worked as a qualified accountant at Kennons leather factory in Burnley, while living at 1 Thomas Street, Mitcham. He suffered from migraines and wanted to return to working the land (he had previously worked on farms and orchards since coming to Australia from England in 1926, both in WA and Vic.). He first travelled to the district by train in July 1942 to find land with the intention to establish an orchard. By chance he met Arthur Bird of Bird Orchard (bounded by Pitt Street, Eucalyptus Road, and Wattle Grove) and they got talking over their common interest. Arthur put Frank up for the night and pointed out the land, 158 acres- part of the Taylor Estate- £900, Crown Allotment 15, Section 5, Parish of Nillumbik (CA15) somewhat diagonally opposite Bird Orchard. Stokes applied through the Riverina Agency to purchase the land who in turn applied for permission from Canberra to sell as there was a new government regulation introduced during the Second World War banning land sales except for immediate production. Stokes obtained a loan on his Mitcham house of £600 @ 5% and paid £450 deposit with quarterly payments of £15 spread over 5 years. Stokes was assisted and advised by Arthur Bird who farmed the neighbouring orchard. In early 1943 Stokes took possession and would catch the train out to Eltham on Fridays after work and began building a hut on the corner of Nyora Road and the Government Road (Eucalyptus Road) for shelter and to lock up tools. He established an orchard on the central western part of the land through the centre of which ran a natural waterway (part of the present-day linear park) and was able to pay a neighbour (Hawkins) to help with clearing and fencing 25 acres, and with a horse and single furrowed plough, planted approximately 2,500 fruit trees - cherries, peaches, plums, almonds, pears, apricots and lemons as well as a few apples and oranges; a massive task. Aerial photographs from the 1940s through to the 1990s clearly show the orchard with most of the larger CA15 site remaining as natural bushland. A huge problem was hares and rabbits eating all the new buds off the tiny trees. As well as laying poison he painted the trees with a mixture of cow manure and lime, often working by moonlight. Procurement of wire and wire netting was difficult because of the war but after much effort he obtained a permit from the Agricultural Department for supplies in March 1944. In February 1945 Stokes applied for a permit to build a “packing shed” as no house building was allowed. It was to be 33 feet x 21 feet and cost £312. It was constructed mostly from second-hand materials, which were hard to obtain, especially iron for roofing. Stokes finished work at Kennons on October 31, 1945, and in March 1946 he sold the family home at Mitcham for £1,230 plus £170 for furniture. On May 15, 1946, title to the CA15 property was issued to Frank Howard Alfred Stokes, Orchardist and Gladys Ethel Stokes, Married Woman, both of Pitt Street, Eltham. The family of five then moved into the very unfinished “packing shed” at Eltham, which was a struggle to weatherproof. Eventually rooms were divided off and lined with hessian bags and whitewashed. Their income was firewood (cut and sold), selling rockery stones and cut Sweet Bursaria. (It was discovered during the 1940s that Sweet Bursaria contained the sunscreen compound Aesculin. The RAAF utilised this compound from Sweet Bursaria during WW2 for pilots and gunners.) The orchard’s first fruit sale was a half-case of Le Vanq peaches in December 1947 for the price of 8 shillings. In 1956 plans for house were drawn and Glen Iris bricks purchased (1956 Olympic Rings variant). The building of the house commenced in 1957 - 12 feet of original packing shed was removed – and was completed in 1959. Water was connected from newly built pressure storage on the property at the end of 1959 and the electricity connection for the first time at 3pm on April 29, 1960. The house remains to present day (somewhat modified) at 1 Nyora Road, home to Nyora Studio Gallery. On occasions, spare remnants of the 1956 bricks have been known to be unearthed in gardens on the estate as they were utilised by Frank Stokes to fill in rabbit holes. On May 26, 1950, a parcel of land was compulsorily acquired by the Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works on the hilltop to establish an easement for a high-level service reservoir to augment Eltham’s water supply. The project also included pipe tracks for the necessary water mains. The reservoir has now been superseded by higher level water tanks east of Reynolds Road and its former site is now a public reserve. On November 27, 1964, the State Electricity Commission served notice to compulsorily acquire a further parcel through the eastern part of the land for a major electricity transmission line that augmented supply from the La Trobe Valley to Melbourne. The easement was registered February 11, 1966. The easement was widened July 18, 1969 for a second transmission line to be constructed. In 1971 Melbourne Metropolitan Planning Scheme amendments adopted Nyora Road as the boundary between a residential zone to the north and a rural zone to the south. This determined the future development of the land. In the mid-1970s the Shire of Eltham divided the orchard into numerous rate-able parcel lots, the 48 lots having been established in 1925 and the subsequent rates assessment proved unsustainable for Stokes. He commenced selling lots outside the boundary of the orchard, north of Diosma and South of Nyora. However shortly later the land between Nyora and Diosma Roads and west of the electricity easement was sold and subdivided into residential lots, a housing development by Macquarie Builders and marketed as the Stokes Orchard Estate. New streets were created, and most were named after trees, although one, Stokes Place, commemorates the former owners. The development was undertaken in two stages; Stage 1 (1975) encompassing Scarlet Ash Court, Ironbark Close and Peppermint Grove bounded by Nyora and Eucalyptus roads and Stage 2 (1978) encompassing Stokes Place, Orchard Way, The Crest and The Lookout bound by Nyora and Diosma roads. The developer, Macquarie Builders went bankrupt shortly after the release of Stage 2 leaving many purchasers to fend for themselves and arrange for their own independent builders. There were also difficulties with sewerage for the land immediately south of Diosma Road and so the conventional residential lots were abandoned in favour of larger lots. The development of Orchard Way, The Crest and The Lookout did not proceed as planned and the proposed lots were incorporated into five-acre parcels instead. These included a low-density group housing development by the Graves family and the award winning Choong House (1983) with Gordon Ford developed garden immediately next door situated on the ridge of the hill nestled amongst the original bush, Eucalypt trees and Sweet Bursaria. In 1994, Nillumbik Shire Council applied Significant Environment and Significant Landscape overlays upon the properties on the south side of Diosma Road to ensure protection of this natural bush garden environment. With the arrival of the sewer along Diosma Road in the 1990s, most of these five-acre parcels have since been subdivided multiple times. The Choong house presently sits on a 2.7-acre property, which in 2022 Nillumbik Council nominated for Cultural Significance Heritage protection and is considered potentially significant at State level. The Stokes family were also associated with the Eltham Christian Church. In the 1970s this church had met in temporary premises in Eltham. Lots of the original 1925 subdivision remained south of Nyora Road and a number of these lots were utilized for the Eltham Christian School, which was established by the Eltham Christian Church in 1981. The school operated on this site until 2000. The premises are now used by The Vine Baptist Church. By the mid-1980s the whole of CA15 had been developed for residential and school purposes, except for the sections north of Diosma Road and between the transmission lines and Reynolds Road. Sewerage issues had been resolved for the section north of Diosma Road and in 1987 it was in the process of being subdivided into residential lots. The development coincided with the discovery of colonies of the rare and endangered Eltham Copper Butterfly on the site. This resulted in a community and political campaign to save the butterfly habitat. With the co-operation of the land developer the subdivision was altered to create two bushland reserves in the critical butterfly habitat areas. In the late 1980s the State Government was investigating options for establishing a metropolitan ring road link between Diamond Creek and Ringwood. The chosen route was adjacent to Reynolds Road and so this created a freeze on development of CA15 between Reynolds Road and the electricity easement. The ring road proposal was eventually abandoned, and this part of the land was subdivided into low density residential lots. Diosma Road has been discontinued at the electricity easement and the eastern part incorporated into View Mount Court with access from Reynolds Road. The whole of CA15 has now been developed for residential or associated purposes, ranging from conventional density to quite low density south of Nyora Road. Some remnants of the orchard remain, a few cherry trees on the Graves property and a lone apple tree in Stokes Place. The butterfly reserves comprise significant areas of remnant bushland. Linear reserves through the estate link with central Eltham via the Woodridge linear reserve and with Research along the electricity easement. CA15 as it exists today has a complicated history of rural use, Government acquisition, urban development, and community action. References: • “Stokes Orchard, an incomplete history”; Russell Yeoman with Doug Orford • Correspondence, Beryl Bradbury (nee Stokes) • Aerial Photographs, 1931-1991, Landata (landata.vic.gov.au) • Certificate of Title, Vol. 4930 Fol. 985900 • Plan Number LP 10859 neil webster collection, diosma road, eltham copper butterfly, eucalyptus road, ironbark close, nyora road, peppermint grove, power transmission lines, reynolds road, scarlet ash court, stokes orchard estate, stokes place, woodridge estate, frank stokes, certificate of title

Born at Nursery Terrace, Aston Manor in the District of Erdington in the County of Warwick, England True copy of Entry 397/1854 issued 17 April 1888.1854, birth certificate, edwin withers, sarah withers (nee welsh), walter herbert withers, john withers collection

Born at Soho Hill in the District of Handsworth in the County of Stafford, England True copy of Entry 473/1858 issued 17 April 1888.birth certificate, 1858, fanny flinn, fanny withers (nee flinn), george frederick flinn, mary whitehead flinn (nee mcclare), john withers collection

Marriage solemnized at the Parish Church in the Parish of Handsworth, in the Couthy of Stafford Witnessed by Frederick George Flinn, Ethel Creswell, M.W. Flinn, Walter Flinn, Alice E. Flinn, Charles E. Withers1887, alice e. flinn, charles e. withers, edwin withers, ethel creswell, fanny flinn, fanny withers (nee flinn), frederick george flinn, m.w. flinn, marriage certificate, walter flinn, walter herbert withers, john withers collection

Born August 16, 1888, daughter of Walter Herbert and Fanny Withers of Kew, Victoria1888, baptism certificate, emily gladys withers, fanny withers (nee flinn), john withers collection, walter herbert withers

1888, emily gladys withers, john withers collection, vaccination certificate, walter herbert withers