Newsletter No. 216, May 2014 May Excursion – The 1901 Eltham Railway Walk The railway from Heidelberg to Eltham was opened in 1902. Over the previous year railway construction cut a curving swathe through Josiah Holloway’s 1851 Little Eltham subdivision. The survey plans for the railway show the owners and occupiers of land within Little Eltham affected by the railway alignment and for some distance each side. The plans show houses and other buildings but development at that time was rather sparse. Copies of these plans from the State Library of Victoria collection have been provided to the Society by Alan Sheehan. For our walk on 3rd May we intend to follow the railway from the Eltham Station to Ryans Road, which was the boundary of the adjoining Montmorency Farm. The return will be by way of nearby streets. Along the way we will discuss the details shown on the railway plans as well as more recent railway documents and photographs. At the conclusion and if time permits we can inspect the historical display at the Eltham Station. The walk is about 3 km in length and will take about 2.5 hours. It will start at 2 pm at the Eltham Railway Station car park (east/Main Road side) (Melway Ref. 21 J5).Born Digitalheritage excursion, activities, eltham district historical society, eltham railway station, eltham library, trestle bridge

Newsletter No. 216, May 2014 May Excursion – The 1901 Eltham Railway Walk The railway from Heidelberg to Eltham was opened in 1902. Over the previous year railway construction cut a curving swathe through Josiah Holloway’s 1851 Little Eltham subdivision. The survey plans for the railway show the owners and occupiers of land within Little Eltham affected by the railway alignment and for some distance each side. The plans show houses and other buildings but development at that time was rather sparse. Copies of these plans from the State Library of Victoria collection have been provided to the Society by Alan Sheehan. For our walk on 3rd May we intend to follow the railway from the Eltham Station to Ryans Road, which was the boundary of the adjoining Montmorency Farm. The return will be by way of nearby streets. Along the way we will discuss the details shown on the railway plans as well as more recent railway documents and photographs. At the conclusion and if time permits we can inspect the historical display at the Eltham Station. The walk is about 3 km in length and will take about 2.5 hours. It will start at 2 pm at the Eltham Railway Station car park (east/Main Road side) (Melway Ref. 21 J5).Born Digitalheritage excursion, activities, eltham district historical society, eltham railway station, eltham library, trestle bridge

Newsletter No. 216, May 2014 May Excursion – The 1901 Eltham Railway Walk The railway from Heidelberg to Eltham was opened in 1902. Over the previous year railway construction cut a curving swathe through Josiah Holloway’s 1851 Little Eltham subdivision. The survey plans for the railway show the owners and occupiers of land within Little Eltham affected by the railway alignment and for some distance each side. The plans show houses and other buildings but development at that time was rather sparse. Copies of these plans from the State Library of Victoria collection have been provided to the Society by Alan Sheehan. For our walk on 3rd May we intend to follow the railway from the Eltham Station to Ryans Road, which was the boundary of the adjoining Montmorency Farm. The return will be by way of nearby streets. Along the way we will discuss the details shown on the railway plans as well as more recent railway documents and photographs. At the conclusion and if time permits we can inspect the historical display at the Eltham Station. The walk is about 3 km in length and will take about 2.5 hours. It will start at 2 pm at the Eltham Railway Station car park (east/Main Road side) (Melway Ref. 21 J5).Born Digitalheritage excursion, activities, eltham district historical society, eltham railway station, eltham library, trestle bridge

Newsletter No. 216, May 2014 May Excursion – The 1901 Eltham Railway Walk The railway from Heidelberg to Eltham was opened in 1902. Over the previous year railway construction cut a curving swathe through Josiah Holloway’s 1851 Little Eltham subdivision. The survey plans for the railway show the owners and occupiers of land within Little Eltham affected by the railway alignment and for some distance each side. The plans show houses and other buildings but development at that time was rather sparse. Copies of these plans from the State Library of Victoria collection have been provided to the Society by Alan Sheehan. For our walk on 3rd May we intend to follow the railway from the Eltham Station to Ryans Road, which was the boundary of the adjoining Montmorency Farm. The return will be by way of nearby streets. Along the way we will discuss the details shown on the railway plans as well as more recent railway documents and photographs. At the conclusion and if time permits we can inspect the historical display at the Eltham Station. The walk is about 3 km in length and will take about 2.5 hours. It will start at 2 pm at the Eltham Railway Station car park (east/Main Road side) (Melway Ref. 21 J5).Born Digitalheritage excursion, activities, eltham district historical society, eltham railway station, eltham library, trestle bridge

EDHS Member Doug Orford stands by a yarn bombing installation. ewsletter No. 216, May 2014 May Excursion – The 1901 Eltham Railway Walk The railway from Heidelberg to Eltham was opened in 1902. Over the previous year railway construction cut a curving swathe through Josiah Holloway’s 1851 Little Eltham subdivision. The survey plans for the railway show the owners and occupiers of land within Little Eltham affected by the railway alignment and for some distance each side. The plans show houses and other buildings but development at that time was rather sparse. Copies of these plans from the State Library of Victoria collection have been provided to the Society by Alan Sheehan. For our walk on 3rd May we intend to follow the railway from the Eltham Station to Ryans Road, which was the boundary of the adjoining Montmorency Farm. The return will be by way of nearby streets. Along the way we will discuss the details shown on the railway plans as well as more recent railway documents and photographs. At the conclusion and if time permits we can inspect the historical display at the Eltham Station. The walk is about 3 km in length and will take about 2.5 hours. It will start at 2 pm at the Eltham Railway Station car park (east/Main Road side) (Melway Ref. 21 J5).Born Digitalheritage excursion, activities, eltham district historical society, eltham railway station, eltham library, trestle bridge, yarn bombing, doug orford

Newsletter No. 216, May 2014 May Excursion – The 1901 Eltham Railway Walk The railway from Heidelberg to Eltham was opened in 1902. Over the previous year railway construction cut a curving swathe through Josiah Holloway’s 1851 Little Eltham subdivision. The survey plans for the railway show the owners and occupiers of land within Little Eltham affected by the railway alignment and for some distance each side. The plans show houses and other buildings but development at that time was rather sparse. Copies of these plans from the State Library of Victoria collection have been provided to the Society by Alan Sheehan. For our walk on 3rd May we intend to follow the railway from the Eltham Station to Ryans Road, which was the boundary of the adjoining Montmorency Farm. The return will be by way of nearby streets. Along the way we will discuss the details shown on the railway plans as well as more recent railway documents and photographs. At the conclusion and if time permits we can inspect the historical display at the Eltham Station. The walk is about 3 km in length and will take about 2.5 hours. It will start at 2 pm at the Eltham Railway Station car park (east/Main Road side) (Melway Ref. 21 J5).Born Digitalheritage excursion, activities, eltham district historical society, eltham railway station, eltham library, trestle bridge

View at Eltham, Vic. Looking from Main Road near Henry Street towards Montmorency showing the railway trestle bridge. Henry Street road reserve on west side of Main road in foreground. c.1920 Copy of Rose Series Postcard P. 4348. (The Rose Stereograph Company) George Rose founded the Rose Stereograph Company in 1880 and was joined by Herbert (Bert) Cutts in the early 20th Century. The pair formed a lifetime working partnership and strong personal friendship. Assisted by George’s two sons, Herbert George and Walter, and later by Neil Cutts, the Rose Stereograph Company continued its operations for more than 140 years. The company was initially built on stereographs, but as cinema took over and stereographs fell out of fashion, the Rose Stereograph Company developed Australia’s first commercially viable photographic postcard business. Specialising in postcards of iconic historical moments and significant landmarks, The Rose Stereograph Company became a staple of the Australian travel industry. This photo forms part of a collection of photographs gathered by the Shire of Eltham for their centenary project book,"Pioneers and Painters: 100 years of the Shire of Eltham" by Alan Marshall (1971). The collection of over 500 images is held in partnership between Eltham District Historical Society and Yarra Plenty Regional Library (Eltham Library) and is now formally known as 'The Shire of Eltham Pioneers Photograph Collection.' It is significant in being the first community sourced collection representing the places and people of the Shire's first one hundred years.Digital image 4 x 5 inch B&W Negbridge street, eltham, eltham railway trestle bridge, postcard, rose stereograph company, shire of eltham pioneers photograph collection, trestle bridge

Digital copy of colour photographfred mitchell collection, 2005, diamond creek, electric train, eltham, floods, trestle bridge

Digital file only; created from original colour positive slide transparencyrussell yeoman collection, eltham, railway line, trestle bridge, steam train

Contents: • Every place has a history by Jim Connor • Annual General Meeting - 11th April 2018 • May Excursion - Edendale Environs • Eltham 1950s – Childhood Reminiscences – Part 3 by Ann Constable • Eltham Trestle Bridge by Richard Pinn • My Early Eltham Recollections – Part 2 by Alex Smith • Connect with us • Eltham Community Centre Opening by Russell Yeoman (Newsletter No.1, May 1978) • Annual General Meeting Notice • Hamish Knox and Associates • Contacts for the Eltham District Historical Society The Shire of Eltham Historical Society was formed in October 1967. The first newsletter of the Society was issued May 1978 and has been published continuously ever since on a bi-monthly basis. With the cessation of the Shire of Eltham in late 1994, the Society's name was revised to Eltham District Historical Society and this name first appeared with issue No. 103, July 1995. The collection of the Society's newsletters provides a valuable resource on the history of the Society's activities, office bearers and committee members, guest speakers and subjects of historical interest pertinent to the former Shire of Eltham and the Eltham District.A4 newsletter distributed to membersnewsletter, eltham district historical society

View looking up from near the Eltham Railway Trestle Bridge over what was to become the Eltham Common at Shillinglaw Cottage in its new location prior to restoration. The former Gahan house, seen in the background was demolished in 1968 when the Main Road was duplicated in this section. The Eltham Common was taken over with the construction of the new Eltham Library which opened in 1994.Shillinglaw Cottage is itself historically, aesthetically and socially significant to the Shire of Nillumbik and is registered on the Victorian Heritage Database. This photo forms part of a collection of photographs gathered by the Shire of Eltham for their centenary project book, "Pioneers and Painters: 100 years of the Shire of Eltham" by Alan Marshall (1971). The collection of over 500 images is held in partnership between Eltham District Historical Society and Yarra Plenty Regional Library (Eltham Library) and is now formally known as 'The Shire of Eltham Pioneers Photograph Collection.' It is significant in being the first community sourced collection representing the places and people of the Shire's first one hundred years.Digital image 4 x 5 inch B&W Negsepp, shire of eltham pioneers photograph collection, eltham, shillinglaw cottage, eltham shire office, gahan house, derril, gahan, george w. bell collection, houses, main road

Shillinglaw Cottage was relocated in 1963 from its former site a few hundred metres up Main Road to make may for new shire offices built in 1964. It was situated near the Eltham Railway Trestle Bridge on a site that was developed into the Eltham Common. The new Eltham Town Park was constucted opposite on the other side of what was to become Panther Place. In 1993/94 the new Eltham Library was constructed on the Eltham Common. This picture, though out of focus still gives a reasonable impression of the cottage at the time.35 mm colour positive transparency Mount - Kodak Kodachrome Cardeltham common, shillinglaw cottage

Shillinglaw Cottage on its original site (present day 895 Main Road) showing old picket fence c.1964. The cottage and land were purchased by the Shire of Eltham as the site for a new shire office building. The cottage was destined for demolition but members of the community concerned at losing one of the areas earlist buildings (built c.1859) initiated a fund-raising campaign to save the cottage. In 1964 the cottage was dis-assembled, all the bricks numbered and reassembled several hundred meters to the south on a site between the Gahan house and the Eltham Railway Trestle Bridge (present-day Panther Place), which bcame known as the Eltham Common.This photo forms part of a collection of photographs gathered by the Shire of Eltham for their centenary project book,"Pioneers and Painters: 100 years of the Shire of Eltham" by Alan Marshall (1971). The collection of over 500 images is held in partnership between Eltham District Historical Society and Yarra Plenty Regional Library (Eltham Library) and is now formally known as the 'The Shire of Eltham Pioneers Photograph Collection.' It is significant in being the first community sourced collection representing the places and people of the Shire's first one hundred years.Digital image 4 x 5 inch B&W Negsepp, shire of eltham pioneers photograph collection, eltham, shillinglaw cottage, fences, george w. bell collection, houses, main road

Shillinglaw Cottage on its original site (present day 895 Main Road) showing old picket fence c.1964. The cottage and land were purchased by the Shire of Eltham as the site for a new shire office building. The cottage was destined for demolition but members of the community concerned at losing one of the areas earlist buildings (built c.1859) initiated a fund-raising campaign to save the cottage. In 1964 the cottage was dis-assembled, all the bricks numbered and reassembled several hundred meters to the south on a site between the Gahan house and the Eltham Railway Trestle Bridge (present-day Panther Place), which bcame known as the Eltham Common.This photo forms part of a collection of photographs gathered by the Shire of Eltham for their centenary project book,"Pioneers and Painters: 100 years of the Shire of Eltham" by Alan Marshall (1971). The collection of over 500 images is held in partnership between Eltham District Historical Society and Yarra Plenty Regional Library (Eltham Library) and is now formally known as the 'The Shire of Eltham Pioneers Photograph Collection.' It is significant in being the first community sourced collection representing the places and people of the Shire's first one hundred years.Digital image 4 x 5 inch B&W Negsepp, shire of eltham pioneers photograph collection, eltham, shillinglaw cottage, fences, george w. bell collection, houses, main road

Contents: • Next meeting • Other coming events o Eltham Living Forum o Historical Exhibition o Smiths Gully Excursion o Committee meeting o Next year • Early Eltham house, Ely Street • Kinglake National Park • Kangaroo Ground School • Pioneers and Painters • Railway Trestle Bridge, Eltham • Local History Series • Yemmerrawannie The Shire of Eltham Historical Society was formed in October 1967. The first newsletter of the Society was issued May 1978 and has been published continuously ever since on a bi-monthly basis. With the cessation of the Shire of Eltham in late 1994, the Society's name was revised to Eltham District Historical Society and this name first appeared with issue No. 103, July 1995. The collection of the Society's newsletters provides a valuable resource on the history of the Society's activities, office bearers and committee members, guest speakers and subjects of historical interest pertinent to the former Shire of Eltham and the Eltham District.A4 photocopied newsletter distributed to membersnewsletter, eltham district historical society, shire of eltham historical society

Visible are Trestle Bridge, Eltham Shire Offices with south wing extension, duplicated Main Road, Panther Place and the pathway through the park. Shillinglaw Cottage in Eltham Common on the other side of Panther Place is hidden from view by the tree-capped grassy knoll. The two ponds were in construction during the Arbor Day native tree planting by local school children in October 1973.Black and white photographeltham town park, eltham shire office, main road, shillinglaw trees, trestle bridge

Announcement by Premier Daniel Andrews, Minister for Public Transport, Jacinta Allan and Member for Eltham, Vicki Ward mad alongside the Eltham Railway Trestle Bridge. MEDIA RELEASE "More Trains And Fewer Delays On The Hurstbridge Line" https://www.premier.vic.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/180801-More-Trains-And-Fewer-Delays-On-The-Hurstbridge-Line-1.pdf Commuters on the Hurstbridge line will have more trains, more seats and fewer delays with a re-elected Andrews Labor Government to continue its massive upgrade of the Hurstbridge line. The Andrews Labor Government said it would deliver locals in Melbourne’s north-east more peak hour train services and less time stuck at boom gates, and we have. The first stage of the Hurstbridge Line Upgrade has been delivered – six months early and on budget. This includes the new Rosanna Station, duplicated track between Heidelberg and Rosanna and the removal of the dangerous level crossings at Alphington and Rosanna. There’s more to do and only Labor will deliver the next stage of the Hurstbridge Line Upgrade to give local commuters more train services and a more comfortable commute. The $530 million project will include a brand new train station at Greensborough and the duplication of three kilometres of track between Greensborough and Montmorency, and 1.5 kilometres of track between Diamond Creek and Wattle Glen to allow more train services during the morning peak. This will allow trains to run every six and a half minutes at Greensborough, every 10 minutes at Eltham and Montmorency, and every 20 minutes at Hurstbridge, Diamond Creek and Wattle Glen – as well as two extra Hurstbridge express services. Locals on the Labor Government’s new Mernda line will also get five extra train services during the morning peak, with a major upgrade of the Clifton Hill junction where the Mernda and Hurstbridge lines connect. Labor will also protect the Eltham Trestle Bridge – the last remaining timber bridge on Melbourne’s electric train network – which has local heritage protection and is an important part of the area’s character. The Liberals will leave this bridge to rot and demolish the nearby childcare centre and football club with their under-cooked and under-costed promise to upgrade the Hurstbridge line. Only Labor will protect this important piece of Melbourne’s history with planning work to be carried out for a long-term solution as part of the project. Stage two of the Hurstbridge Line Upgrade will create more than 950 jobs, with construction to start in 2020 and finish by 2022. Quotes attributable to Premier Daniel Andrews “We said we’d upgrade the Hurstbridge line and remove dangerous and congested level crossings at Rosanna and Alphington and we did – but there’s more to do.” “Only Labor will deliver the next stage of the Hurstbridge Line Upgrade with a new Greensborough Station and more trains, more often.” Quote attributable to Minister for Public Transport Jacinta Allan “The former Liberal Government promised new train lines but didn’t deliver a single kilometre of track – now they’re promising a half-baked upgrade of the Hurstbridge line with rubbery figures that don’t add up.” Quote attributable to Member for Eltham Vicki Ward “As a fifteen year old hopping on Red Rattlers at Eltham I wanted to do something to make the Hurstbridge line better. It’s taken me a few decades but finally our line will offer the frequency of services that are expected and needed in a 21st century city.”Born digital image (qty 27)jacinta allan, minister for public transport, panther place, premier daniel andrews, press announcement, railway line construction, trestle bridge, vicki ward mp for eltham, victorian parliament

Contents: • How We Remember by Jim Connor • Our Next Meeting – Our Christmas Function, 7.30pm Wednesday 14th December 2022 • Victorian Collections Cataloguing Award, Volunteer-run organisations • Eltham – The DIY Years by Diana Bassett-Smith • Eltham Railway Line (The Argus, December 12, 1911) • Railway Trestle Bridge, Eltham (EDHS Newsletter November 1978) • Court Jottings; “A Good Carver” (The Advertiser, Friday, July 8, 1932) • Eltham Races (The Argus, December 15, 1855) • Horse Racing in Eltham • Eltham Cemetery Stories by Liz Pidgeon o Harriet Agrita Falkiner, 1848-1923, Eltham Pioneer The Shire of Eltham Historical Society was formed in October 1967. The first newsletter of the Society was issued May 1978 and has been published continuously ever since on a bi-monthly basis. With the cessation of the Shire of Eltham in late 1994, the Society's name was revised to Eltham District Historical Society and this name first appeared with issue No. 103, July 1995. The collection of the Society's newsletters provides a valuable resource on the history of the Society's activities, office bearers and committee members, guest speakers and subjects of historical interest pertinent to the former Shire of Eltham and the Eltham District.A4 newsletter distributed to members (Digital and A4 photocopy)newsletter, eltham district historical society

Black and white photograph of bulldozer excavating the former Shillinglaw Cottage site for new Shire Offices. 'Shillinglaw Trees' in background. The cottage and land were purchased by the Shire of Eltham as the site for a new shire office building. The cottage was destined for demolition but members of the community concerned at losing one of the areas earliest buildings (built c.1859) initiated a fund-raising campaign to save the cottage. In 1964 the cottage was dis-assembled, all the bricks numbered and reassembled several hundred meters to the south on a site between the Gahan house and the Eltham Railway Trestle Bridge (present-day Panther Place), which became known as the Eltham Common. The new shire offices at 895 Main Road were opened in 1965. Following the Kennett Government amalgamation of local government areas in 1994, the Shire of Eltham ceased to exist, and a new Shire of Nillumbik was created 15 December 1994 from the former Eltham shire and parts of the Diamond Valley shire. The former West Riding which included parts of Montmorency, Lower Plenty and Briar Hill were ceded to the new City of Banyule. Commissioners were appointed for several years and the new Council occupied the former offices of the Shire of Diamond Valley in Greensborough. The former Eltham Shire offices remained vacant until August 1996 the Commissioners suddenly elected to have the former Shire offices demolished immediately and the site has remained vacant ever since. It was not until 1997 before the community was allowed to democratically elect new Councillors to represent them. This photo forms part of a collection of photographs gathered by the Shire of Eltham for their centenary project book,"Pioneers and Painters: 100 years of the Shire of Eltham" by Alan Marshall (1971). The collection of over 500 images is held in partnership between Eltham District Historical Society and Yarra Plenty Regional Library (Eltham Library) and is now formally known as the 'The Shire of Eltham Pioneers Photograph Collection.' It is significant in being the first community sourced collection representing the places and people of the Shire's first one hundred years.Digital image 4 x 5 inch B&W Negeltham, eltham shire office, excavation, george w. bell collection, main road, municipal offices, shillinglaw cottage, shillinglaw trees, shire of eltham pioneers photograph collection, shire offices, significant tree

Contents include short articles and illustrations of historic properties within the municipalities of Banyule, Nillumbik and Whittlesea. Including The Griffin House, Rosehill, Lower Plenty, The Austin Hospital, Heidelberg, St John's Church, Heidelberg, Banyule, Heidelberg, Trestle Bridge, Eltham, Diamond Valley railway, The Shillinglaw Cottage, Eltham, Montsalvat, Old England Hotel, Heidelberg, Eltham Primary School, Mud brick homes, Eltham, Sweeney's Cottage, Eltham, Pound Pend Tunnel, The Gold Memorial, Potter's Cottage, Memorial Tower, Charterisville, Weller's Pub, The Barrel, Eltham, Hassall's Gallery, The Old Bridge, Greensborough, Diamond Valley Shire Offices, Greensborough, St Katherine's Chapel, Yan Yean Reservoir, Mernda Hotel, Mernda Mechanics Institute, Old Barn, Mernda, Parade College, La Trobe University.Hardback with jacket ; 63 p. : ill., maps ; 22cm. diamond valley shire, shire of nillumbik, city of whittlesea, city of banyule, shillinglaw cottage, weller's hotel

Alistair Knox Park, an oasis of peace and beauty. Covered under National Trust of Australia (Victoria) Landscape Significance and Heritage Overlay, Nillumbik Planning Scheme. Published: Nillumbik Now and Then /​ Marguerite Marshall 2008; photographs Alan King with Marguerite Marshall.; p173 It is hard to imagine that the Alistair Knox Park, an oasis of peace and beauty beside busy Main Road, Eltham, was once the township’s rubbish dump. It was only in the 1970s that the tip was transformed into this beautiful six hectare space, which later earned it a National Trust Landscape classification. Before its life as a dump, the area was used for small farms. Thanks largely to the foresight and efforts of local environmental builder Alistair Knox, the park was designed sympathetically with the character of the wider Eltham landscape. Then, appropriately, the park was named after Knox, who was an Eltham Shire Councillor from 1971 to 1975 and Shire President in 1975. The park designers were four major forces in the urban bush landscape garden –Knox, landscape designer Gordon Ford, artist Peter Glass and landscaper Ivan Stranger.1 The National Trust citation for the park, originally called Eltham Town Park, includes the Eltham railway trestle bridge and the Shillinglaw Cottage. The citation states ‘the semi-natural setting of the parkland provides a landscape which is evocative of the history of the area’. Manna Gums (Eucalyptus viminalis) and Candlebarks (Eucalyptus rubida) are significant features. Most of the park’s construction was directed by Bob Grant, Superintendent of the Parks and Gardens Department for the Eltham Shire Council. First plantings occurred in Arbour Week in 1973, then the lake and botanic area were completed in 1975, with Federal Government funding, and the toilet block in 1978. Bounded by the Eltham railway line, Panther Place, Main Road, Bridge and Susan Streets, the park is in a valley about a kilometre wide overlooked by steep hills at the east and west. The Diamond Creek flows through it and the picturesque historic timber trestle railway bridge edges the north. Informal plantings of Australian indigenous and native species in open and undulating grassed settings blend with the natural landscape of the Diamond Creek to the west. The bush-style plants, particularly around the creek, balance with open lawns, paths and a cascade flowing from a small lake to another below. A footbridge over the creek leads to the park’s west. The park includes an adventure playground and barbecue areas. The park stands on part of the land bought from the Crown in 1851 by Josiah Holloway, who subdivided it into allotments and which he called Little Eltham. Most of the land was subdivided into residential lots, but the creek valley, on which the park stands, was subdivided into farm-size lots, used mainly for orchards and grazing. One of the earliest owners was John Hicks Petty, who in 1874 bought a plot from Holloway. Other families who owned properties in that area, included Rees, Clark, Waterfall, Graham, Hill and Morant.2 In 1901 the railway was built through the area. Jock Read, an Eltham resident since around 1920, remembers several farms in the 1920s and ’30s that occupied the site of today’s park. A poultry farm, which extended from present day Panther Place, was owned by the Gahan family. Next to that farm was another for grazing cattle owned by Jack Carrucan. Beside this was land owned by John Lyon. A doctor lived beside this, and at the north-west corner of Bridge Street and Main Road stood a memorial to the soldiers who died in World War One, which was later moved to the RSL site. Mr Read also remembers other farms and orchards west of the creek In the early 1960s the Eltham Council began buying these farms and in the late 1960s turned the areas east of the Diamond Creek into a garbage tip. When this was filled above the creek’s flood plain, the tip was moved to the west of the creek.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, alistair knox park, eltham

Flood damage resulting from a late afternoon storm on Christmas Day 2011. A flash flood occurred from significant rain fall and hail, which accumulated along an old waterway with floodwater submerging cars along Valonia Drive then down Grove Street flooding houses, through the Bible Street Reserve where it then submerged Main Road washing away the small railway trestle bridge opposite the reserve then flooding the Judge Book Village before finally entering the Diamond Creek..fay bridge collection, 2011-12-26, bible street reserve, flood damage, floods, floodwater, main road, nillumbik medical centre

A late afternoon storm on Christmas Day 2011. A flash flood occurred from significant rain fall and hail, which accumulated along an old waterway with floodwater submerging cars along Valonia Drive then down Grove Street flooding houses, through the Bible Street Reserve where it then submerged Main Road washing away the small railway trestle bridge opposite the reserve then flooding the Judge Book Village before finally entering the Diamond Creek. Widespread damage occured from hail and flash flooding.fay bridge collection, 2011-12-26, eltham, flood damage, floods, grove street, main road, valonia drive

A late afternoon storm on Christmas Day 2011. A flash flood occurred from significant rain fall and hail, which accumulated along an old waterway with floodwater submerging cars along Valonia Drive then down Grove Street flooding houses, through the Bible Street Reserve where it then submerged Main Road washing away the small railway trestle bridge opposite the reserve then flooding the Judge Book Village before finally entering the Diamond Creek. Widespread damage occured from hail and flash flooding.fay bridge collection, eltham, 2011-12-27, flood damage, floods, floodwater

A late afternoon storm on Christmas Day 2011. A flash flood occurred from significant rain fall and hail, which accumulated along an old waterway with floodwater submerging cars along Valonia Drive then down Grove Street flooding houses, through the Bible Street Reserve where it then submerged Main Road washing away the small railway trestle bridge opposite the reserve then flooding the Judge Book Village before finally entering the Diamond Creek. Widespread damage occured from hail and flash flooding.fay bridge collection, eltham, 2011-12-27, flood damage, floods, floodwater

A late afternoon storm on Christmas Day 2011. A flash flood occurred from significant rain fall and hail, which accumulated along an old waterway with floodwater submerging cars along Valonia Drive then down Grove Street flooding houses, through the Bible Street Reserve where it then submerged Main Road washing away the small railway trestle bridge opposite the reserve then flooding the Judge Book Village before finally entering the Diamond Creek. Widespread damage occured from hail and flash flooding.fay bridge collection, eltham, flood damage, floods, floodwater

A late afternoon storm on Christmas Day 2011. A flash flood occurred from significant rain fall and hail, which accumulated along an old waterway with floodwater submerging cars along Valonia Drive then down Grove Street flooding houses, through the Bible Street Reserve where it then submerged Main Road washing away the small railway trestle bridge opposite the reserve then flooding the Judge Book Village before finally entering the Diamond Creek. Widespread damage occured from hail and flash flooding.fay bridge collection, eltham, flood damage, floods, floodwater, main road, research fire brigade

EXPLORING THE UPPER YARRA (Newsletter No. 105, November 1995, by Bettina Woodburn) We enjoyed the Spring Excursion, this year "Exploring the Upper Yarra" - in spite of the constant rain and the countryside under the cloud cover, especially in the valleys, being mainly shiny shades of green. The occasional fields of buttercups, clumps of arum lilies and splendid rhododendron and other flowering bushes became very special. The Cobb and Co coach was warm and a cosy retreat as we zig-zagged on the highways and byways to glimpse the Yarra River, upstream and down, its secret places, and particularly the many bridges. Russell excelled as 'Poet Laureate', reading from Dacre Smyth's book. This 1979 publication includes paintings of all the bridges along the river with poems and brief descriptions of each one. Some of the bridges are in out of the way places and are not very well known. We looked forward to hearing the poetry as much as seeing the ' constructions'…Big Pat (was he short or tall, lean or fat? He did win the two hundred pound reward for discovering gold and had the creek named after him), about the 'Eddies'?, and the disliked 'meccano' bridge in Warburton, etc. etc. The hot roast lunch in the old Reefton Hotel was also most welcome. It was easy to imagine it peopled by miners and early settlers. Starting by crossing the new (1974) concrete bridge at Warrandyte we headed through Wonga Park with views to the Christmas Hills and to the escarpment of the Yering Gorge, which causes flood waters to back up through the Yarra Glen plain, so avoiding disasters downstream. At the end of a long driveway we found the wooden, privately owned Henley Bridge (1935 after the 1934 floods). This facilitates access to different parts of Henley Farm and to Lilydale. Everard Park, named after Blanche Shallard's father, a State Member for 17 years, below the Highway Yarra crossing was in need of care. It is 10 miles from Yarra Glen by road but, as "Yarra Marra” canoeists well know, 32 winding miles down by water. After more delightful countryside scenes we joined the Warburton Highway at Woori Yallock. From the old Railway Station at Launching Place the Centennial Trail for walkers, cyclists and ' horse riders has replaced the rails. The line from Lilydale was opened in 1901, and the last diesel freight train ran to Warburton in 1965. It continued to rain as we had morning tea in Warburton in a shelter between footbridges. From here we continued upstream past the Bridge to O'Shannasy Lodge and Reservoir, Starvation Creek, and the Peninsular tunnel (miners dug it as at Pound Bend) which we visited (scrambling down those steps!) on our return after lunch. Our furthermost point was the Upper Yarra Dam Reserve (and vast catchment area). Finished in 1957 after ten years work and 100 years after Yan Yean, it supplies much of Melbourne's water. After crossing the 30m Launching Place Bridge to the Eltham side of the Yarra and Healesville, we saw in the distance the Yarra Glen Timber Trestle Bridge over the river flats "the longest for years in the land it was said!" Harry's dream of "better weather over the Divide" unfortunately didn't come true, but I'm sure we 36 members will retain happy memories of a day that was wet and green and filled with Bridges. Bettina Woodburn - October 1995 Record of the Society's history of activities - Spring 1995 excursionColour photographshire of eltham historical society, activities, upper yarra dam, henley bridge

Digital file only - Digitised by EDHS from a scrapbook on loan from Beryl Bradbury (nee Stokes), daughter of Frank Stokes.beryl bradbury (nee stokes) collection, eltham community centre, eltham library, little eltham, montsalvat, railway line, t.m. holloway, trestle bridge