Murray's Bridge over the Diamond Creek on the Diamond Creek Trail just prior to demolition and replacement with a new steel bridge. Heritage advice obtained by Nillumbik Shire Council, following a suggestion by the Eltham District Historical Society (EDHS), is that the original bridge appears to have been a simplified version of the Country Roads Board’s (CRB) standard timber bridge design of the early-to-mid 1920s. In c1990 Murray’s bridge was renovated with three recycled steel girders as part of a bike/pedestrian path in the reserve. During these alterations many parts of the bridge were removed, and some were replaced. Heritage advice indicates the condition of Murray’s bridge is poor. The remaining original parts are all in poor condition, with severe weathering, splitting and rot, especially to the stringers retained on the bridge. Heritage advice is that Murray’s Bridge does not have sufficient significance in the cultural history of the Nillumbik area to warrant inclusion in the Nillumbik Shire Heritage Overlay and also does not have sufficient significance as a rare survivor to warrant inclusion in the Nillumbik Shire Heritage Overlay. There are no indications in the historical record that this site was individually important to the cultural history of this area. EDHS is comfortable with the heritage advice provided to Council and has worked closely on this project with Council. EDHS has suggested some of the removed timbers be used in the vicinity of the bridge for landscaping and possibly seating, so as to retain these remnants close to the site of the original bridge, which is the last old timber bridge along the lower reaches of the Diamond Creek. Mary (Sweeney) Murray and John Wright Murray selected 80 acres, Lot C Section 16 and Lot 5 Section 17 Parish of Nillumbik, under an occupation license in 1866. John died in 1867 and freehold was granted to his son John in 1873. The farm was known as ‘Laurel Hill’. John Junior was an Eltham Shire councillor and sometime president from 1887 up until 1897. He added Lot A Section 16 to the farm in ca1888. John and his younger brother James arranged to rent/purchase Lot B Section 17, across Diamond Creek to the west, in ca1900. It appears that John and James farmed separately for a few years, with a new homestead built for James ad family on the high point of Lot B Section 17 in ca1910. John sold off Lot 5 Section 17 in 1912. When John died in 1912 James took over the land on both sides of the Diamond Creek. The old homestead on the west side of the Creek disappeared. A farm bridge over Diamond Creek from this period may have been located close to the northern boundary of the farm. John Langlands, owner of the farm known as ‘Ihurst’ on the west side of Diamond Creek to the south of the Murray’s land, died in 1907. In 1909 his land was then subdivided into 100 lots to become the ‘Glen Park Estate’. Other similar subdivisions of nineteenth century farms around Eltham in this period included the ‘Franktonia (or Beard’s) Estate’ to the northeast and ‘Bonsack’s Estate’ between Eltham and Greensborough. Soon after the opening of the railway extension line from Eltham to Hurstbridge in 1912, Glen Park and nearby residents including James Murray agitated for a railway station or siding to be located half-way between Eltham and Hurstbridge, so that the Glen Park residents who used the railway daily did not have to walk into the Eltham or Hurstbridge stations. Some believed Coleman’s Corner (opposite Edendale Farm) was an appropriate spot for the platform. James Murray was among those who thought the railway should be located on his land, closer to half-way between Eltham and Hurstbridge stations. The Railways Commissioners warned that the locals would have to fund these works themselves. The Glen Park Estate residents initially had difficulty accessing Eltham by road, with only an old low-level bridge over Diamond Creek at the south end of their estate. A new timber trestle bridge across the creek, now on Wattletree Road, was opened in 1915. Road access to the north was gained in 1927 when the new Murray’s Road, which crossed the Murray’s land, was built. Residents continued to agitate for a Glen Park station. By 1926 the Railways Commissioners’ preferred site was on the Murray’s land. They arranged an estimate of cost of a full-length platform. The estimate was too much for the locals, who in 1928 argued unsuccessfully for a shorter and hence cheaper platform. By 1929 Murray had agreed to donate the land, but the locals would still have to fund the works. Murray decided, unilaterally it would appear, to commence work on a timber trestle road bridge over Diamond Creek to link the new Murray Road to the proposed station. Late in 1929 he stopped work on the bridge, for reasons unknown, but started work again and completed the bridge in 1931. There is no further newspaper evidence of the campaign for the Glen Park station until 1939, when Murray and another local, Mr Maxwell, met the Railways Commissioner. The Glen Park locale now included 45 homes on the west side of the creek and 20 on the Eltham side. Most of the residents used the train every day. The Commissioner remained adamant that only a full-length platform could be built for safety reasons. It appears the campaign dissolved at this point. The increasing move to cars may have had an impact. There is no evidence of Murray’s bridge ever being connected to Murray’s Road, or of it having wide use for any purpose by locals. James Murray died in 1947 and the farm was taken over by his son James (Jim). Jim started to sell off parts of the farm in the 1980s, retaining a few acres around the ca1910 homestead and building a new house there. Recreation reserves were established along the creek. In ca1990 Murray’s bridge was renovated with steel girders as part of a bike/pedestrian path in the reserve. The old farmhouse was demolished in ca2014. * * * A theory posted on local community Facebook groups was that the bridge was built in the 1860s and was built to be more robust than was necessary for the movement of cows from one side of the creek to the other. It was suggested the robustness was necessary to support the weight of gold ore being transferred from a mine on Murray’s land to a railway siding near Murrays Bridge (presumably for transfer and processing at Diamond Creek). Perhaps this may have been one of the motivators for Murray, who really knows? Knowing when mining operations ceased on his land and how that fits the overall timeline would be useful but at the time the bridge was built, local gold production was minimal at best. The known facts are: • The railway line came to Eltham in 1902. • The extension of the railway from Eltham to Hurstbridge was constructed in 1912 so no railway line even existed through Murray's property until 1912 and the Victorian Railways maps at the time show no such siding on Murray’s property. • In 1923 a new company was formed in anticipation of the old Diamond Creek Gold Mine being re-opened. The mine had been previously closed and flooded. It was noted in the press at the time that the mine was within a mile of the railway. Nothing really came of this. • Construction of Murrays Bridge was commenced by James Murray in early 1929 in anticipation of a proposed flag station being nominated on his land, but work ceased shortly afterwards. The proposed flag station was commonly referred to as Glen Park as the residents of the Glen Park Estate wanted Option 1, located near them with the platform adjacent to Colemans corner. This was probably never going to fly as it was virtually in eyesight of Eltham station. Allandale Road was the third option, but the Commissioners' preferred option was No. 2 - on Murray's property. • The Railway Commissioners were not going to finance any such station and the works had to be funded by private landowners and residents, hence Murray investing in this himself. • Murray recommenced work two years later and finished his bridge in 1931 but unfortunately for him, the proposed flag station never eventuated. The bluestone siding you reference may well have been built by Murray as part of the proposed station platform. • Up until then, apart from the Main Road bridge, which was washed away in 1924, virtually all local crossings over the Diamond Creek were low lying bridges – Kaylocks Bridge at Brougham Street, Diamond Street bridge, Glen Park Road bridge. It is expected that Murray also had a low-lying bridge to connect his land either side of the creek. These were all washed away or severely damaged multiple times in the 1920s. Lessons were learnt, and Murrays Bridge appears to have been built in accordance with Country Road Board standards of the time. Flood damage was ongoing, and even more recently constructed raised bridges kept getting washed away, e.g., the new Wattle Tree Road bridge in 1958 just months after completion. Murray’s bridge was reinforced with steel some 30 years ago presumably to provide additional floodwater resistance, given the history of bridges disappearing in floodwaters. • In March 1932 it was reported in the Advertiser that there were still some prospectors operating around Eltham North who apart from further scarring the face of the earth over the previous two years had gained significant experience but little gold - hardly a driving factor for constructing a dedicated railway siding and bridge to transfer gold ore. It is far more probable that James Murray was hoping to have the railway station located on his property and invested his money by building the bridge to lead to it as well as a station platform. Had the station eventuated, it may well have driven up the value of his land for subdivision and new housing estates like the Glen Park Estate. That did not eventuate. Whilst the bridge was indeed old (90 years), the core structure being completed in 1931, it had been modified substantially from original and hence had no significant historic value – i.e., it was not a representative example of its type, construction, and age. Given that the bridge was not worthy of saving, the Eltham District Historical Society with Council’s support, and the Eltham Woodworkers group endeavoured to see what suitable sized timbers were salvageable to fabricate a commemorative seat. Unfortunately, the experts at the Woodworkers group were unable to salvage any suitable length/width timbers to fabricate the seat due to the presence of rot. Last remaining wooden trestle bridge on the Diamond Creek Trail just prior to demolition and replacementBorn digital image (27)diamond creek (creek), diamond creek trail, murrays bridge, ‘laurel hill’, john wright murray, mary (sweeney) murra, john murray jnr, james murray, john langlands, ‘ihurst’, ‘glen park estate’, beard's estate, franktonia, bonsack's estate, glen park estate, glen park railway station

Construction work on replacement of Murray's Bridge over the Diamond Creek on the Diamond Creek Trail Mary (Sweeney) Murray and John Wright Murray selected 80 acres, Lot C Section 16 and Lot 5 Section 17 Parish of Nillumbik, under an occupation license in 1866. John died in 1867 and freehold was granted to his son John in 1873. The farm was known as ‘Laurel Hill’. John Junior was an Eltham Shire councillor and sometime president from 1887 up until 1897. He added Lot A Section 16 to the farm in ca1888. John and his younger brother James arranged to rent/purchase Lot B Section 17, across Diamond Creek to the west, in ca1900. It appears that John and James farmed separately for a few years, with a new homestead built for James ad family on the high point of Lot B Section 17 in ca1910. John sold off Lot 5 Section 17 in 1912. When John died in 1912 James took over the land on both sides of the Diamond Creek. The old homestead on the west side of the Creek disappeared. A farm bridge over Diamond Creek from this period may have been located close to the northern boundary of the farm. John Langlands, owner of the farm known as ‘Ihurst’ on the west side of Diamond Creek to the south of the Murray’s land, died in 1907. In 1909 his land was then subdivided into 100 lots to become the ‘Glen Park Estate’. Other similar subdivisions of nineteenth century farms around Eltham in this period included the ‘Franktonia (or Beard’s) Estate’ to the northeast and ‘Bonsack’s Estate’ between Eltham and Greensborough. Soon after the opening of the railway extension line from Eltham to Hurstbridge in 1912, Glen Park and nearby residents including James Murray agitated for a railway station or siding to be located half-way between Eltham and Hurstbridge, so that the Glen Park residents who used the railway daily did not have to walk into the Eltham or Hurstbridge stations. Some believed Coleman’s Corner (opposite Edendale Farm) was an appropriate spot for the platform. James Murray was among those who thought the railway should be located on his land, closer to half-way between Eltham and Hurstbridge stations. The Railways Commissioners warned that the locals would have to fund these works themselves. The Glen Park Estate residents initially had difficulty accessing Eltham by road, with only an old low-level bridge over Diamond Creek at the south end of their estate. A new timber trestle bridge across the creek, now on Wattletree Road, was opened in 1915. Road access to the north was gained in 1927 when the new Murray’s Road, which crossed the Murray’s land, was built. Residents continued to agitate for a Glen Park station. By 1926 the Railways Commissioners’ preferred site was on the Murray’s land. They arranged an estimate of cost of a full-length platform. The estimate was too much for the locals, who in 1928 argued unsuccessfully for a shorter and hence cheaper platform. By 1929 Murray had agreed to donate the land, but the locals would still have to fund the works. Murray decided, unilaterally it would appear, to commence work on a timber trestle road bridge over Diamond Creek to link the new Murray Road to the proposed station. Late in 1929 he stopped work on the bridge, for reasons unknown, but started work again and completed the bridge in 1931. There is no further newspaper evidence of the campaign for the Glen Park station until 1939, when Murray and another local, Mr Maxwell, met the Railways Commissioner. The Glen Park locale now included 45 homes on the west side of the creek and 20 on the Eltham side. Most of the residents used the train every day. The Commissioner remained adamant that only a full-length platform could be built for safety reasons. It appears the campaign dissolved at this point. The increasing move to cars may have had an impact. There is no evidence of Murray’s bridge ever being connected to Murray’s Road, or of it having wide use for any purpose by locals. James Murray died in 1947 and the farm was taken over by his son James (Jim). Jim started to sell off parts of the farm in the 1980s, retaining a few acres around the ca1910 homestead and building a new house there. Recreation reserves were established along the creek. In ca1990 Murray’s bridge was renovated with steel girders as part of a bike/pedestrian path in the reserve. The old farmhouse was demolished in ca2014. Born digital image (5)diamond creek (creek), diamond creek trail, murrays bridge, ‘laurel hill’, john wright murray, mary (sweeney) murra, john murray jnr, james murray, john langlands, ‘ihurst’, ‘glen park estate’, beard's estate, franktonia, bonsack's estate, glen park estate, glen park railway station

John Lawrence Coleman (1934-1965) born January 10, was the son of Raymond John Coleman and Hanna May (Gillet) Coleman. He married Margaret Frances Dare in 1955 and was the father of two children. He died whilst attempting to rescue an older man trapped in the bushfire at North Eltham on March 3, 1965 He died at Eltham (Herald, 4 March 1965, p3) [Picture of John Lawrence Coleman] Builder Mr John Lawrence Coleman, 31, of Main Rd., Eltham, one of three men burnt to death yesterday in the fire at North Eltham. The other two were XXXXX, 33 who lives opposite the Colemans and Mr William Elwers, 64 of Batman Rd., Eltham. * * * Frank Martin was a volunteer with the Eltham rural fire brigade at the time of the 1965 bushfires which burnt Eltham North and Research. Frank was asked to assist with the removal of three bodies from the back gully (now Orchard Avenue). They were badly burnt and one was found stuck under a fence as though trying to escape. Volunteers John Coleman Jnr, William Elwers and George Crowe were killed trying to protect Eltham from bushfire – they were local heroes. At the time, John Coleman Jnr was survived by his wife Margaret and two young children – John 11 and Vicky 2. Margaret Coleman lived in the family home until 1992 when she sold it and moved to Tasmania to be close to her son. She died in 1997 aged 65 years. 75 yr old Ken Gaston grew up on Edendale farm, which was originally a poultry farm but is now owned and run by the Shire of Nillumbik as an educational farm for schools and visitors. He was Captain of the Eltham rural fire brigade in 1965 when John Coleman Jnr was burnt to death in the Eltham North bushfires serving as an unofficial volunteer. He was able to draw where the original Wattletree Road was and at the time was verified with the location of some remaining bitumen and a post from the original bridge over the Diamond Creek located near the junction of the Diamond Creek and another small creek which is further down from Research or Christmas Creek as locals refer to it. The original Main Road ran behind Colemans before the railway line was built beyond Eltham in 1912. (Information recorded by Harry Gilham, President EDHS c.2011) * * * Bushfires rage in Victoria, Snowy: Three dead (1965, March 4). The Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995), p. 1. Retrieved May 19, 2022, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article131758981 Includes two photos of the fire in North Eltham “Firemen make for safety as fire rages in Upper Glen Park Road, North Eltham, Victoria. The smoke hides a house.” and “A house explodes into flames at North Eltham, Victoria. Firemen said bottled gas went up.” Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995), Thursday 4 March 1965, page 1 ________________________________________ Firemen make for safety as fire rages in Upper Glen Park Road. North Eltham. Victoria. The smoke hides a house. A house explodes into flames at North Eltham. Victoria. Firemen said bottled gas went up. Bushfires rage in Victoria, Snowy: Three dead MELBOURNE, Wednesday.—Three people died today in a bush» fire which raged through North Eltham, about 15 miles from Melbourne. The victims were three men. A fourth man is feared to be dead. Another bushfire. sparked off by the heatwave sizzling over south-eastern Australia, is burning out of control in the Kosciusko State Park, in the Snowy Mountains. Firefighters fear that if it reaches pine forests up the Yarrangobilly River, they will be powerless to stop it. The three victims of the North Eltbam fire were trapped by flames in a valley. Their bodies were found only a few yards apart. They were named by police tonight as Mr. George Crowe, 78, of North Eltham, William John Ewers, 64, and John Laurence Coleman, 31, both of Eltham. The other two have not been identified. They are believed to be a man aged about 40 and an 18-year-old youth. At least 12 homes were destroyed by the fire, the worst in Victoria since 1962, when eight lives were lost and hundreds of homes burnt down at Warrandyte. At one time the township of Eltham was threatened, but a cool change swept in from the south and held back the wall of flames. More than 100 dogs, worth about £4,000, died when the fire raced through two kennels in Short Street, Eltham. and Upper Glen Park Road, North Eltham. A trickle of water Residents ran into the streets as the blaze raced towards their houses. Others frantically dug firebreaks around their homes. Mrs. Sue Recourt wept when firemen arrived while she was vainly trying to stop the flames with a trickle of water from the garden hose. A stack of firewood was blazing, but the firemen managed to save the house and rescue four goats. Many homes in Eltham were saved after flames had crept to within feet of their fences. Students at North Eltham State School had to be evacuated when the blaze threatened the building. Fire fighters were severely hampered by lack of water and narrow roads. The blaze, which began in above century heat, turned toward Wattle Glen, where two houses were gutted. Then the flames raced towards Hurstbridge to the north. Firemen battling desperately, controlled the fire late this afternoon. Five forest fires were still burning in Victoria tonight.   IN VICTORIA THIS WEEK Tragic lack of central fire authority (1965, March 9). The Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995), p. 2. Retrieved May 19, 2022, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article131759928 Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995), Tuesday 9 March 1965, page 2 ________________________________________ IN VICTORIA THIS WEEK Tragic lack of central fire authority From Rohan Rivett It was the worst week for Victorian fire fighters since Black Friday 27 years ago. On that day one pilot up in a spotter plane said afterwards: "It seemed at times that half the State was on fire." This time, for three days on end, Gippsland men, women and children had moments of conviction that their towns would have blackened into anonymity before the weekend was out. The week began with horror at Eltham on the North-eastern edge of Melbourne. Eltham today is something of an artists' colony. Oil painters, water colourists, potters and sculptors proliferate. A number of University folk have emulated the example of Professor MacMahon Ball who pioneered the way by moving to Eltham and carving a home out of the bush in the thirties. Innermost Eltham is barely 14 miles from the G.P.O. Farthest Eltham stretches miles beyond. It served to illustrate the tragi-ludicrous truncation of Victoria's fire control. Part of Eltham is under the protection of the Melbourne Fire Brigade. But this responsibility ceases at some invisible and incomprehensible line — apparently determined by the meanderings of the water mains. At this point everybody's property throughout the rest of Eltham is dependent on the Country Fire Authority. Half an hour before midday on Wednesday, a fire suddenly started on the West side of Upper Glen road on the edge of Eltham. Before the fire brigade could arrive, it was burning on a widening front through timber and high grass north of Eltham. Two wind changes in rapid succession saw the fire leaping Diamond Creek. With a freshening wind it struck home after home in three streets. More than one of them exploded suddenly as if hit by an incendiary bomb. There is no piped gas in the Eltham area, hence many housewives use bottle gas. The flames outside caused the bottles to explode. Altogether twelve homes were completely incinerated and four more were badly damaged. Thirty prize dogs perished. About three hours after the fire started it raced suddenly down a gully hillside trapping an elderly man. Two other men apparently raced to the rescue. Flames caught the three men within yards of each other, not 200 yards off the Upper Glen Park Road where safety lay. They were burned to death. Next evening an angry and convincing secretary of the Fire Brigade Union, Mr. W. M. Webber, came on television and appealed to the people of Victoria to end the ridiculous and dangerous dualism in fire-fighting control. The Eltham fire, he said, had precisely illustrated the situation. The Metropolitan Fire Brigade area touched Eltham, but where the fire had gutted and killed, was just outside its area. Mr. Webber said his union had constantly urged one authority for the State with a complete reorganisation of fire protection. On Wednesday the union had repeated its call for an inquiry into fire protection in Victoria to the Chief Secretary, Mr Rylah. "No matter how close the liaison between the two organisations, there are always divided sections of thinking," Mr. Webber told viewers. "I don't know how much tragedy the com-munity can take before it demands that it is properly protected." Rumours that differences in gauge between taps and hose nozzles (as between the two authorities) accentuated the damage were denied by fire chiefs who said that all appliances were now carrying adaptors so that hoses could be linked to mains everywhere. But there is grave concern in the Metropolitan Fire Brigade's higher councils at the action of several Federal authorities with projects in and around Melbourne. They are installing non-standard equipment without reference to the State authorities or any dovetailing of appliances and equipment. Public alarm was not diminished by the publication on Friday and Saturday of a heart tearing letter from the young widow of John Lawrence Coleman, 31 year old father of two, who had died in the flames apparently trying to rescue the old man trapped in the gully. By that time, a Vast area of Gippsland was in flames and the troops had been sent in to back up the overworked and often helpless fire-fighters. By Saturday, the Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Stoneham, who has previously demanded a Royal Commission into fire-fighting arrangements, repeated his demand. To add to the Chief Secretary's worries he was publicly rebuked for allegedly implying on television that lives had been lost at Eltham because people went to the wrong place at the wrong time. In a letter to the Press, Professor MacMahon Ball pointed out that two of the men involved were experienced bushmen who had gone "to help an old man in great danger fully aware of the danger to themselves". As Victoria faced its sixth day of total State-wide fire ban, it looked likely that even official resistance was not going to silence the demand for one central authority to control the fire fiend. At the moment, the 400 square miles where two million Victorians live in Greater Melbourne are divorced from the rest of the State in planning, communications, equipment and control of personnel. No one doubts the whole-hearted co-operation and willingness to back each other up of the M.F.B. and the C.F.A., both at top-level and among the firemen themselves. However, when a city straggles so deeply into the country side, the absence of a single authority, to oversee and analyse the fire threat as a whole, suggests suicidal policy of divide and fuel. Emphasis of the tragic loss of a member of a pioneering family who died whilst helping others in his communitybushfire, cfa, country fire authority, fire brigrade, glen park road, heroes, john lawrence coleman, north eltham, victorian bushfires - 1965, volunteers, william john elwers, fire fighter, frank martin, george john crowe, ken gaston, orchard avenue

20th Eltham Community Festival and last under the auspices of the Shire of Eltham. The Grand Parade focussing on the theme "Echoes of Eltham - Celebrating the visions of Eltrham from the past and into the future" was headed by Jock Read on his horse Lofty who had been filmed in an Anzac Day Parade on an earlier horse which had featured in the television show Matlock. The parade travelled north along Main Street to just past the Post Office then back south to Panther Place. Parade participants included 1st Eltham Brownies, 1st Eltham Venturers, 2nd Eltham Sea Scouts, 2nd Eltham Venturers, 3rd Eltham Brownies, Australian Democrats, Briar Hill Primary School, Circus Chaos, Country Fire Authority, Diamond Valley People for Disarmament, Diamond Valley Railway, Eltham Community Health Centre, Eltham District Horse and Pony Club, Eltham East Primary School, Eltham Fire Brigade, Eltham Junior Football Club (Panthers), Eltham Little Theatre, Eltham North Primary School, Eltham Playhouse Co-op, Eltham Pre-school, Eltham Roller Skating Club, Eltham South Pre-School Centre, Eltham Steam and Stationary Engine Society, Greenhills Neighbourhood House, Heidelberg Municipal Band, Hurstbridge Learning Co-op, Jocklebeary Farm, Kangaroo Ground Primary School, Learning Co-op Primary School, Lower Plenty Primary School, Main Road, Montmorency Gardening Club, Montmorency South Primary School, North Warrandyte Fire Brigade, Plenty Valley 88.6 FM, Research Pre-school, Research Primary School, Ron Sampson, Salvation Army Band (Briar Hill), Sherbourne Primary School, Shire of Eltham, State Emergency Service (Eltham) and Woodridge Pre-school. The parade commentary was provided by Plenty Valley FM 88.6 with guest commentator, Shire President Cr. John Graves. Following the parade is video footage from a helicopter of Alistair Knox Park, displays along Main Road and activities in Alistair Knox Park and the Rugby oval along with stationary engines, helicopter joyrides, Eltham People's Choir, music entertainment. Scenes also from the Diamond Valley Railway at Eltham Lower Park and finishing with the fireworks display. At the end of the video is a promotional video for Dynavision Video Production, a local video production company that produced the video and Diamond Photos (Kodak Express). One of the highlights of the festival was a tree planting ceremony in Alistair Knox Park to celebrate 123 years of the Shire of Eltham led by Shire President Cr. John Graves and representatives of the Wurrundjeri, traditional land owners of the area.VHS Video cassette (poor quality) Converted to MP4 file format 45:01, 535MB1st eltham brownies, 1st eltham venturers, 2nd eltham sea scouts, 2nd eltham venturers, 3rd eltham brownies, 1994, aerial photographs, alistair knox park, arthur street, australian democrats, briar hill primary school, circus chaos, country fire authority, diamond valley people for disarmament, diamond valley railway, eltham community health centre, eltham district horse and pony club, eltham east primary school, eltham festival, eltham fire brigade, eltham junior football club (panthers), eltham little theatre, eltham lower park, eltham north primary school, eltham people's choir, eltham playhouse co-op, eltham pre-school, eltham roller skating club, eltham south pre-school centre, eltham steam and stationary engine society, grand parade, greenhills neighbourhood house, heidelberg municipal band, hurstbridge learning co-op, jock read, jocklebeary farm, john graves, kangaroo ground primary school, learning co-op primary school, lofty (horse), lower plenty primary school, main road, matlock police (tv show), montmorency gardening club, montmorency south primary school, nicholaus lauder estate, north warrandyte fire brigade, plenty valley 88.6 fm, research pre-school, research primary school, ron sampson, salvation army band (briar hill), sherbourne primary school, shire of eltham, state emergency service (eltham), video recording, woodridge pre-school

Poor video quality (noise and interference), incomplete and unedited raw footage. A video documenting the demolition of the Shire of Eltham offices at 895 Main Road Eltham under the direction of the Commissioners appointed for the new Shire of Nillumbik and some of the communities activities surrounding the event. The building was demolished exactly 25 years after the southern wing housing Engineering and Planning on the upper level and the Eltham Library on the ground level was opened in celebration of the Shire of Eltham's centenary. Video has lots of distortion and noise, and sections of clips dubbed over. Immediate initial footage of Jenni Mitchell talking about asbestos claims in the Shire Offices (Sigmund Jorgensen standing behind her) advising Council did a review of the building several years previously and had been cleared of health problems. Cuts to group of people standing outside front door of offices but possibly voice dub over not related ? Then the date 27 Jul 1996 on a scene flashes on screen immediately followed by an edited clip intro of title and credits with classical music track. It then opens with Jenni Mitchell driving to the Shire Offices on Saturday 27 July 1996 at 11.00am. Footage of Main Road past Pitt Street, Alistair Knox Park then entering Shire Office driveway which is fenced off and contractor signs hanging up. Scenes at rear of building showing some internal demolition has commenced. View of the Administration wing. More clips of road driving, Alistair Knox Park, Eltham Library and visitor car park for Shire Offices. Cuts to a group of people standing in access to visitor carpark with new Eltham Library in background, one being immediate former Shire of Eltham President, John Graves. Scenes of people looking through chain link fence and security guard checking front door. John Graves being filmed that someone informed him the Shire was offering the building to the Community Health Centre for $2.3 million and that if they had been offered a price of $1.1 for what it apparently was sold for they would have snapped it up. View of truck loaded with brick rubble literally struggling to ascend the hill of Library Place to exit into Main Road. Cuts to a scene looking at Eltham War memorial Hall through the Memorial Gate, then the Shillinglaw trees and large banner sign ‘Delta Demolitions’ hanging on office façade. Views of front door, old library and bluestone wall. Scene (31 Jul 1996) filmed at night of several white crosses with “RIP Community” and “RIP Democracy”. Scene (1 August 1996) again driving along Main Road towards the Shire Offices then scenes of the offices showing substantially more demolition to exterior, groups of people standing on footpath outside watching, Delta heavy demolition machines, woman holding sign “Democracy where have you gone …”, the odd person in full protection gear and breathing apparatus hand carrying materials out to place on rubbish pile in front of people standing on footpath watching (with no protection) and then stamping on it to break it creating dust, security person in hard hat (no other protection) wandering around, many groups standing around watching, news film crew, person standing on roadside edge holding signs facing traffic stating “Pirate Planning” and “ Grant us your ears” also sign on back of parked car “Elthams High Jacks”, another sign “Community Democracy”, views of crosses in Main Road median strip “RIP Community”, groups of people on footpaths and reporters conducting interviews, footage of unknown person standing with Jenni Mitchell and Sigmund Jorgensen advising people have the right to protest, Jenni Mitchell urging people to ask questions of local MP and Council and Sigmund Jorgensen referring to the three historic Shillinglaw trees with demolition machinery operating in background, Jenni Mitchell and others installing more crosses in median strip; demolition machines operating inside and outside the building, more views of onlookers including Sigmund Jorgensen then Police approaching on footpath, workers and machinery continuing to operate, views of the old library being demolished, the former Community Services department, security personnel. Scene (2 August 1996) more heavy demolition machinery in operation smashing building up, people standing around southern wing watching, view overlooking Eltham Library of train pulling in to Eltham station. Scene (7 August 1996) more heavy demolition and people wandering around with only hard hat protection, no dust protection, comments from one operator dumping a bin of material stating “wait till there’s a Hungry Jack’s here, you’ll be laughing, fuel, videos, hamburgers. You’ll be up with the rest of the world soon, you’ll have electricity and everything here, ha ha ha ha”, more heavy machinery demolition and breaking up of materials, view of Hitachi train going by and Administration wing, view inside the front door opening of the staircase leading to upper level, person walking around operating heavy machinery with a hose spraying rubble (no protective gear other than hard hat interspersed with edit cuts of meeting of Commissioners and independent observers on panel as well as members of the community in public gallery. Nillumbik Shire CEO Barry Rochford addressing the meeting., Chief Commissioner Don Cordell directly addressing Jenni Mitchell with respect to permission to take photographs, Barry Rochford continues to address the question asked of Council about the valuation of the former Shire of Eltham Office building/site, public gallery calling out asking why was building demolished, what was the urgency. Scene (14 August 1996) views of southern wing, previous single demolition operator again mocking people filming, operators working in and around building, Shillinglaw trees and largely demolished front, heavy demolition equipment at work, piles of building rubble, hose spraying water over rubble, large trucks arriving for rubble removal and loading of truck. Scene (21 August) more of the same, building virtually down, Shillinglaw trees standing tall and alone, water spraying on rubble and wattle in bloom. Cuts to Council meeting with public onlookers. Barry Rochford walks out, Wayne Phillips addresses meeting explaining one or two people shouting, members of the community challenging Council (Commissioners) about why due process appear to have been subverted. Former Shire President Robert Marshall in public audience, cuts back to Shire office carpark entrance site and sign hung on fence in front of library “Think Again!” and people standing around observing awaiting a protest demonstration erecting a large sign on stilts stating “Shell No!”, people singing a revised version of God Save the Queen (God Save Us All), Sigmund Jorgensen in attendance, Jenni Mitchell, Sigmund Jorgenson and others address the protest crowd, followed by people mingling, music being played then people standing around the cleared site circumference all with arms linked (video very broken up with noise) then chants “Save the Gateway” and “No Shell for Eltham” and more music and singing “Put up a parking lot”. The crowd then proceeds to walk along the footpath of Main Road. Scene (15 Sep 1996) meeting at Montsalvat in Great Hall addressed by Sigmund Jorgensen discussing a recently published list of the Commissioner’s to senior Council Officers of banned Nillumbik people, others encouraging people to view proposed plans for the site and lodge objections. Specific issues regarding asbestos claims are also addressed. Harry Gilham addresses the meeting on the subject of the Eltham War Memorial and Memorial Gardens and how Council believe a roundabout in the vicinity is of greater importance. Views of various artworks on display (for auction) and music performance in the Barn Gallery. Meeting addressed by Sigmund Jorgensen discussing an appeal against Council granting a permit to Dallas Howgate to develop the site and that the Minister has called the matter in to be decided by the governing council. This is followed by an auction of paintings.VHS Video cassette (poor quality) Converted to MP4 file format 45:01, 535MBvideo recording, 895 main road, alistair knox park, artworks, auction, barn gallery, barry rochford, community health centre, dallas howgate, delta demolitions, demolition, don cordell, eltham, eltham library, eltham shire office, eltham war memorial, eltham war memorial gate, eltham war memorial hall, great hall, harry gilham, jenni mitchell, john graves, library place, main road, memorial gardens, mervyn hannan, montsalvat, pitt street, protest, robert marshall, roundabout, shell oil, shillinglaw trees, sigmund jorgensen, sign, wayne phillips

Shire of Eltham Archives: Series 69, Item 4 This video was produced for the Shire of Eltham by IMP Productions and provides a description of the shire, 277 square km on a north/northeast axis, some 25 km northeast of the centre of Melbourne with a population of around 40,000. Scenes include Yarra River, rural settings and urban settings, housing estates, Shillinglaw Cottage, Pigeon Bank at Kangaroo Ground, the Eltham Railway Trestle Bridge with reference to the fight by locals in the 1970s to save it from replacement, Montsalvat, mudbrick making and its use as a building material, the use of mudbrick in the Eltham Community Centre blending harmoniously with the environment. Emphasises people living in the area due to the qualities of life provided. Also the Living and Learning Centre, St Andrews Markets and other local markets, the Eltham Leisure Centre, cricket and horse riding at Eltham Lower Park, the Infant Welfare Centre (part of the Eltham War Memorial), how residents are mindful of protecting their historical heritage, the CBA bank and Allwood House at Hurstbridge, Tracey Naughton about the Eltham "As we are" Community Banner project and the “River of Life banner”, the Parks and Gardens office in the former Police Residence building (now the Local History Centre), Alistair Knox Park, road planning and types of roads, tree canopy, Peck's Dam, green carparks, road drainage, Gordon Ford's garden and natural landscapes, and Were Street shops in Montmorency. Planning for shopping facilities and carparks with a population of 40,000 growing to 55,000, Arthur Street Mall and carpark, local village feel in the shopping centre. Councillors and Council staff featured include Mary Grant, Bob Manuell, Rodney Roschellor, John Cohen, Alan Baker. Also scenes of Commercial Place, Diamond Valley Railway, Eltham Galley, Riverclay and canoeing on the Yarra intermingled with images of the shire from the Shire of Eltham Pioneers Photograph collection.VHS Video cassette Converted to MP4 file format 00:11:56; 79MBshire of eltham, video recording, shire of eltham archives, alistair knox park, allwood house, arthur street, arthur street mall, bob manuell, canoeing, carparks, cba bank, commercial place, council staff, councillors, cr. mary grant, cricket, diamond valley railway, eltham community banner project, eltham community centre, eltham galley, eltham leisure centre, eltham living and learning centre, eltham lower park, eltham railway trestle bridge, eltham war memorial, gordon ford garden, horse riding, housing estates, hurstbridge, infant welfare centre, john cohen, kangaroo ground, local history centre, montmorency, montsalvat, mudbrick, parks and gardens, peck's dam, pigeon bank, police residence, river of life banner, riverclay, road drainage, road planning, rodney roschellor, shillinglaw cottage, shire of eltham pioneers photograph collection, st andrews market, tracey naughton, tree canopy, were street, yarra river, alan baker

In 1919 J.B. North, a violinist with the then Melbourne Symphonic Orchestra, and Monsieur Leon Lambert, a French architect, who later designed the Glaciarium Ice Skating Rink, purchased three available farms, Looker's, Wright's and Taylor's, approximately 60 acres, the area running along the creek and being bordered by the present day Ryans Road, Karingal Drive and Sherbourne Road. The farms were used for orchards and market gardens. Leon Lambert designed and built two homes on the farm site, one for the North family, ‘Tralford’, and the other, ‘Glen Ellen’, for himself and his wife. The homes were considered as "brother and sister" and they each included in their design an identical bay window in the main living area. "Glen Ellen" originally comprised kitchen, lounge room, inglenook, dining room, bath room and sleepout. Although the home has been extended over the years, much of the original architecture has been retained including timber panelling and three fireplaces. The land was subdivided in approximately 1966 with "Glen Ellen" retaining approximately one half acre of land fronting Meruka Drive. The property then passed from the Charleston family to Gerald and Margaret Sutton in 1976 and again was sold in 1980 and lastly sold again in 1994. The Norths named their house 'Tralford'. According to Marjorie North, the name Meruka was suggested by Alan Gardner and so was apparently not used by the North family. The name appears to be of Indian origin and its connection with the land is not known. ‘Tralford’ stayed in the North family for many years. Eltham Council acquired the house to create Meruka Park. The house was used for some years by the Council as a community arts facility and as emergency accommodation. It fell into disrepair and was demolished about 1990. The Meruka Child Care Centre has been built on the site and incorporates some of the architectural features of the old house. The Co-op was opened in April 1994. The original drive flanked by large old cypress trees remains. These trees are considered to be of local heritage significance and for this reason Meruka Park is covered by a Heritage Overlay under the Nillumbik Planning Scheme. Part of the park has been preserved as habitat for rare local flora. LL's house, named ‘Glen Ellen’, remains in a well-preserved state and fronts Meruka Drive.eltham, meruka child care co-operative, meruka house, meruka park, cr. john cohen

Series consists of a large collection (over 1150) of negatives of scenes, activities and staff of the Shire of Eltham. Many of the films were taken for publicity purposes and necessarily cover a broad range of topics. The films or individual strips have been organised into Scenes, Activities and Staff groupings, however there are many overlaps. 1) Scenes includes: Parks and Roads including Alistair Knox Park, Tree Planting, Trees and Flowers, general Shire Scenes. One of the Alistair Knox Park films also contains shots of the Shire President (John Graves?) in the Chambers wearing the Presidential Chain. 375 negatives. 2) Activities documented include: Fire Safety workshop and massage, Leisure Centre activities including pool construction, Living and Learning Centre, Pottery, Netball, Shire Offices, Elderly Citizens, Buildings, Youth Services, Sporting Facilities, Parklands, Community Arts, Childca re, Childrens Week Book Launch 23/ 10/1991 , Environment Week Launch 19/9/1991 , Childrens Services and Activities, Buy A Book Campaign Launch November 1990, Thelma Barkways' Birthday 1990, Engineering activities including Waste Collection, Building and Health Services activities including water testing, examples of new housing, blocks of land, letter box numbers. Also in this section are Shire Office and Handbook shots, nature shots including butterflies (Eltham Copper Butterfly?), wheelchairbound CEO Rodney Roscholler, Community Services Xmas Lunch 1991. 607 negatives. 3) Staff including many groups and individuals to be identified, Rodney Roscholler, Thelma Barkway, Councillors, Shire President Pamela Sladden, Roma O'Callaghan, Irene in the Kitchen/Entertainment Area, also Farm Scenes. 169 negatives.shire of eltham archives, series listing

In 1981 the Shire of Eltham Historical Society was asked by the Victorian Place Names Committee to comment on a proposal by the Shire of Eltham to assign names to parklands in Eltham as follows:- "Eltham Common" - the area between the municipal offices, Main Road, the Eltham railway -line, and Panther Place and containing Shillinglaw Cottage. The Shire has advised that this name has been used locally for the site since about 1975. "Alistair Knox Park" - the area bounded by the Eltham railway -line, Panther Place, Main Road, Bridge Street, and Susan Street, and through which flows the Diamond Creek. The area has been known locally as "Eltham Town Park" The proposed name "Alistair Knox Park" had created some local controversy with a number of reversals of the Council's decision and letters to the local paper both for and against the proposal. The society was reluctant to be drawn into this controversy particularly as there were known to be members with strong views both for and against the proposed name. The society appreciated the work done by Alistair Knox both in the formulation of the park concept and in its development but because of the controversy generated by the proposed naming and also because of the wide general use of the park by the public·, the name Eltham Town Park was felt more appropriate. The society noted that there was no outstanding historical associations with the land comprising the park which would warrant naming the park after any particular person, place or event. No objection was raised to the Eltham Common proposal as set-out above. The decision was made in the knowledge that Alistair Knox had been associated with the society over many years and was a prominent figure in the recent history of Eltham. He was regarded as a key figure in the environmental building movement and in particular was renowned for his use of mud bricks as a building material. He served as a councillor of the Shire of Eltham from 1971-1975, his final year as Shire President. It was during these years that the proposals to create the park in its present form were shaped and Alistair played a leading part in the decision to make it a landscaped passive recreational park rather than a sporting area. The parklands comprise a section of the Diamond Creek valley. The creek itself flows through the centre of the area which is overlooked by steep hills on each side. The parks form part of the land purchased from the Crown in 1851 by J.M. Holloway and then subdivided into allotments and called "Little Eltham". While most of the area was subdivided into residential lots the creek valley was subdivided into lots suitable for small farms. Some further subdivision took place over the years and the whole of the parks now comprises eight separate titles. A list of some of the former owners has been compiled but exhaustive research on all owners has not been carried out. The ownership of one parcel has been traced back to when it was purchased from Holloway by John Hicks Petty in 1874, long after it was subdivided. Other families owning land within the area over the years included Lyon, Rees, Clark, Waterfall, Carrucan, Graham, Hill and Morant. The character of the valley area has remained rural while development occurred on each side. Early photos show the area as orchard and grazing land. In 1901 the railway was constructed through the area resulting in the timber trestle bridge across the Diamond Creek. which is an important feature of the park landscape. A memorial obelisk to the Eltham servicemen killed in World War 1 was erected at the south eastern corner of the park. The site is now within the intersection of Main Road and Bridge Street and the memorial was shifted in the 1950s to the Eltham R.S.L. clubrooms. Following the financial failure of the local sub-branch, the memorial obelisk was again relocated to the Eltham War Memorial building precinct in 2011. During the early 1960's the Council started purchasing the land which now comprises the parks. In the late 1960's the area to the east of the Diamond Creek was used as a garbage tip and filled above the flood plain of the creek. When this area was filled the tip was transferred to the west side of the creek. From the early 1970's the area has been progressively developed as a park for passive recreation with ornamental lakes, extensive tree planting and landscaping. The character of the valley before the days of the tip has been recreated and this has earned a Landscape classification from the National Trust, an unusual honour for a man-made landscape. The parks are not only attractive in appearance. The large number of people using them, particularly at weekends and holidays is evidence of their popularity and the foresight and careful planning of local residents, Councillors and Council Staff. 35mm colour positive transparency (1 of 23) Mount - Kodak EktachromeProcess Date MAY 88Meltham, main road, alistair knox park, eltham town park

Quercus Robur (English Oak) - Was planted by John Donaldson from seed collected from Windsor Great Park in 1878.35mm colour positive transparency Mount - Black and Whitedonaldson road, donaldson's oak, heritage tree, kangaroo ground, significant tree

Information regarding the circumstances of the eleven men of the Shire of Eltham who died serving their country in the Second World War and for whom the Eltham War Memorial was dedicated. Their names are listed on the Eltham Roll of Honour in order of rank. The image portrayed shows the eleven men (left to right, top to bottom) by date of fatality: CASTLEDINE, George Ernest, Spr., VX10044 (KIA 18 Apr 1941, Greece) GAHAN, Studley Manston, Capt., VX48379 (KIA 17 May 1941, Tobruk, Libya) RUTTER, David, Flying Off., 833 (400833) (KIA 9 Dec 1941, Bir El Gubbi, Libya) CLERKE, Alfred Charles, Cpl., VX23112 (KIA 2 Feb 1942, Laha, Ambon Island) DUNLOP, Cuthbert Douglas, Sgt., VX15252 (KIA 22 Nov 1942, Gona, New Guinea) INGRAM, Lester Neil, Flt. Sgt., 410236 (DOD 22 Apr 1943, Longworth, England) McLEAN, Stanley, Flt. Sgt., 419844 (KIA 7 Oct 1944, Emmerich, Germany) FELDBAUER, Theodore, Sgt., VX51733 (DOD 27 Mar 1945, Borneo) RUTTER, Donald Hemphill, Flt. Lt., 410262 (KIA 5 Apr 1945, Varrelbusch, Germany) FIELD, Kevin Francis, Pte., VX144763 (KIA 28 Jun 1945, Bougainville, PNG) BUTHERWAY, Jack Herbert, Pte, VX37645 (DOD 8 Jul 1945, Borneo)eltham war memorial, roll of honour, second world war, eltham, eltham roll of honour, shire of eltham, 2/4 field workshop, 22 independent brigade group ordnance workshop, a.i.f., australian army ordnance corps, australian corps of electrical and mechanical engineers, changi, falkiner street, florence mary butherway, jack herbert butherway, prisoner of war (pow), ranau number 1 jungle camp, sandakan death march, singapore, thomas james butherway, vx37645, 2/2 field company, 6th division, abington, annie castledine, arthur frederick castledine, george ernest castledine, greece, jean simonson, lower plenty, old eltham road, royal australian engineers, vx10044 sapper g. e. castledine, 2/23 bn, derril, gahan house, main road, rats of tobruk, studley manston gahan, tobruk, vx48379, 3 squadron r.a.a.f., aboukir, alamein memorial, beulah alice (simpson) rutter, bir el gubbi, broken hill aero club, david rutter, egypt, hubert rutter, libya, yarra braes, 2/21 bn, 23rd australian infrantry brigade, 8th division, alfred charles clerke, ambon island, battle of ambon, bidgeland park estate, inga caroline (nicholls) clerke, inga mary nicholls, laha airfield, nora ann clerke, rose matilda clerke, vx23112, william charles clerke, 2/14 bn, 2/16 bn, 21st brigade, 7th division, cuthbert douglas dunlop, gona, gona war cemetery, henry street, janet dunlop, kokoda track, new guinea, palestine, papua new guinea, port moresby (bomana) war cemetery, reuben cuthbert dunlop, syria, vx15252, 10 operational training unit, 410236, ada (key) ingram, berkshire, bomber command, england, group no. 91, john ingram, lester neil ingram, longworth, n.1374, r.a.a.f., r.a.f., r.a.f. abington, research (vic.), whitley v bomber, 419844, 514 bomber squadron, emmerich, germany, gordon stanley mclean, ji-g2, kleve, lancaster lm735, lucy mclean, mount pleasant road, r.a.f. waterbeach, reichswald forest war cemetery, stanley mclean, 2/10 ordnance workshops, albert feldbauer, eltham cricket association, eltham girls club, frank street, henry feldbauer, jessie margarette feldbauer, june feldbauer, ken ingram, margaret (feldbauer) ingram, montmorency imperials, research cricket club, research state school, sandakan number 1 camp, sandakan number 2 camp, theodore albert feldbauer, valerie (feldbauer) waller, violet amelda (teagle) feldbauer, vx51733, 247 ‘china-british’ squadron, caithness, cloppenburg, donlad hemphill rutter, essen, gloucester, hanover war cemetery, hanover-limmer british military cemetery, holten-lochem, oldenburg, r.a.f. castletown, r.a.f. station lealing, stoppenburg, typhoon ib jp443, typhoon ib sw526, 15th australian infantry brigade, 1940 cup, 3rd division, 57th/60th bn, best and fairest, bougainville island, buin road, mary field, mayona road, mivo river, mobiai river, montmorency, vx144763, william field

"The house (centre) at North Eltham in which Mr. and Mrs. William Frizell, an elderly couple, were marooned by flood waters. When this photograph was taken late yesterday afternoon the couple were still inside the house, and through a ventilator they had stuck a red flag which they waved from time to time. The house on the left belongs to Mr. Leads, who also was marooned." - The Argus 1 December 1934. John William Frizell, painter and his wife Sarah Jane are registered at Glen Park, Eltham in the 1924 Electorial Roll This was most probably the Diamond Creek in flood. In 1934 extensive flooding of the Yarra River and Diamond Creek sets new records for flood plain level (via Chronology of Eltham, EDHS) flood, frizell, leads, argus, glen park, eltham north, flooding, marooned, diamond creek

Thursday, December 15, 1949, the quiet little bank was embroiled in an infamous wild shoot-out between a daring thief and two bank officers. Today, the building still carries the scars ; a bullet hole remains visible in a cedar bench testifying to the events that played out that day. 3.30 a.m., Friday, December 9. The manager of the Commercial Bank branch at Greensborough, Mr Harry Wallace and his wife are asleep in their bedroom of the little house behind the branch. Harry is awakened by a noise and sees an intruder in a corner of the bedroom. He calls out but the intruder who has switched off the power in anticipation flees through a side door and scarpers down Main Street. Harry summons the police but a search by First Constable Thomas of the Greensborough Police assisted by a wireless patrol car is unsuccessful. A report is filed noting the theft of a .25 calibre pistol from the wardrobe. Thursday, December 15th. It is 1pm and the Commercial Bank has just opened. The branch is only open Mondays and Thursdays from 1-3pm. The morning started off a little cool with some scattered showers but it has fined up and the temperature is now around 61 degrees (16 C). A new grey Singer sports car with soft-top pulls up on the opposite side of the road and a young man, neatly dressed in a dark blue suit, wearing a grey hat and carrying a brief case exits the vehicle. He looks around then crosses the road and walks up the steps and through the door into the bank. There are three people inside; Mr. Jack Burgoyne whose grocery store is situated just 50 yards up the road, Mr. Lindsay A. Spears, the Eltham Agency Receiving Officer and by chance, Mr Harry Wallace, manager of the Greensborough branch. Jack Burgoyne takes note of the young stranger; thinking to himself he appears nervous. The man approaches the counter and introduces himself as John Henderson of Greensborough and explains that he wishes to open a new account. He places his hat and £3 on the counter. Mr Spears attends to the paperwork. He asks the young man to sign two forms, which he does but then he withdraws from the counter and starts walking towards the door. Suddenly he spins around pulling an automatic pistol from his right-hand pocket. He exclaims forcefully; “The game’s on! I’ll take the lot!” Spears appears to comply by pretending to open a drawer. The man shouts loudly, “Keep your hand away from that drawer.” Spears instead reaches for a pistol in his pocket and challenges the man, “Here it is. Come and get it!” At the same time, Harry Wallace pulls a pistol from his pocket as well. The bandit fires a shot but misses, the bullet striking the counter. Both Spears and Wallace open fire and Jack Burgoyne ducks for cover. As the bandit turns and runs for the door leaving his £3 behind, he fires another shot, which strikes the ceiling. Spears fires back, and thinks he may have hit him in the foot. The bandit flees the bank and heads for the grey Singer car, registration NO-106, parked opposite. Wallace and Spears pursue him to the door and open fire again, striking the car three times around the driver’s door. Spears lets off eight shots and Wallace, seven before his gun jams. The getaway car initially heads slowly down Main Road towards Bridge Street. About 100 yards down the road, Dave Adams, a PMG employee, who has heard the shots, throws a steel manhole step at the driver. It hits the roof of the car nine inches above the driver’s head and tears the hood. Another witness claims to have seen the door blow open and the driver raise his hand. The car gathers speed and swings left into Bridge Street racing along at about 60 miles an hour careering recklessly past council employee, Mr. Percy Williams, who is driving a dray along Smarts Road [believed to be Bridge Street]. At the end of the road the Singer fails to get round the sharp turn and crashes into an embankment skidding to a stop outside the home of Mr John Clifford. One side of the car is wrecked. Mr Clifford, an aircraft engineer hears the fast travelling car bump heavily into the road bank at about 1.25 p.m. Hearing the whine of an engine he goes outside to find the grey Singer parked at the side of the road. Jack George also lives at the corner and hears the car crash. “The bandit opened the car door, ran 50 yards, and suddenly turned back,” exclaims Jack. “He took something from the car. It might have been a gun.” In his haste, the bandit drops his grey felt hat, size 6 7/8, on the road and dashes up Sherbourne Road for about 200 yards then disappears into the scrub carrying a brief case and a bundle in which a sailor’s cap can be seen. About 3 p.m., Mr H.D. Pettie of Mountain View Road, Montmorency is looking through his field glasses and notices a young man walking through thick scrub on private property some distance from his house. The man is wearing a sailor’s cap and disappears along the railway track toward Montmorency. As the day progresses, ten police cars, one motor cycle, and about 40 police led by Det. Sgt. McMennemin of Malvern CIB are searching for him. They believe he is hiding in thick scrub along the bank of the creek about half-a-mile outside Eltham township. Wireless patrol cars, four mobile traffic cars and the CIB area cars from Malvern and Kew are taking part. Police check the thief’s car and discover it was stolen from Helen Baxter, of Doncaster Road, North Balwyn from outside Victoria Barracks. Harry Wallace informs the police that he believes he recognised the bandit as the man who took his pistol from his bedroom the previous Friday morning. As night falls, armed police are posted at strategic points in the Eltham-Greensborough district. Police in cars are watching the roads. Others are searching the bush and checking passengers on trains. Little do they realise the young man has already slipped out of the net. SEQUEL YOUTH OF 19 CHARGED WITH ATTEMPTED ARMED ROBBERY OF BANK AT ELTHAM Weekly Times, Wednesday 15 February 1950, page 6 Detectives who raided a house in Bell St., Coburg, Melbourne, charged a 19-year-old youth, of South Yarra, with attempted armed robbery at the Commercial Bank’s Eltham (Vic.) receiving depot on Dec. 15. Police say they recovered a loaded automatic pistol, diamond and signet rings worth more than £200, a complete set of house-breaking instruments, a sailor’s uniform, and chloroform gauze in the raid. The youth was charged that while armed with an offensive weapon, he attempted to rob Lindsay George Spears of a sum of money. He was further charged on six counts of breaking, entering and stealing. Police allege that the person who tried to hold up Mr Spears in the Commercial Bank receiving depot at Eltham on December 15. escaped in a stolen car, after Mr Spears and Mr Henry Wallace, manager of the bank’s Greensborough branch, had fired at him. After the car crashed, he escaped into thick scrub and is alleged to have changed into a sailor’s uniform. On December 9 an automatic pistol was stolen from Mr Wallace’s bedroom at the Greensborough bank. The chloroform pad recovered is alleged to have been stolen from the Dental Supply Company, Plenty Road, Preston. The rings are alleged to have been taken in a £513 burglary from the shop of James Paton. Sydney Road, Coburg. Det. Sgt. H. McMennemin conducted the investigations with Senior Dets. R. Newton and M Downie, Detectives l. Dent, R. Rayner, P. Pedersen and M. Handley and First Constable A. Thomas. The youth will appear at Eltham Court on February 22. Manager’s Gun Used in Holdup at Bank The Age, Thursday 23 February 1950, page 4 It was stated in Eltham court yesterday that a youth who robbed a bank manager of his pistol, later used it in an attempt to hold-up the bank. Kay Arthur Morgan, 19, draftsman, of Castle-street, South Yarra, was committed for trial on charges of breaking and entering, and stealing a pistol and attempted robbery while armed with an offensive weapon. He pleaded guilty. The manager of Eltham branch of the Commercial Bank of Australia Ltd., Henry Clifton Cabot Wallace, said he disturbed someone in the bedroom, in which he and his wife were sleeping, at 3 a.m. on December. 9, 1949. Later he found that his automatic- pistol was missing. On December 15 a youth, who said his name was John Henderson, entered the bank and opened a new account. As the youth was leaving the bank he turned round with a pistol in his hand and said: — “I want the lot.” Spear indicated a drawer under the counter; and said.— “Here it is. Come and get it.” The youth said:— “Keep your hand away from that drawer.” Witness said Spear then drew his pistol from his hip pocket. The youth fired at them, and Spear returned the fire. “I pulled my pistol and fired, too” said witness. The youth fired again, ran out to a car and drove off. Witness and Spear fired several shots at the car. The youth was the accused Morgan, sitting in court, witness said. Evidence was given that one bullet was found in the celling and the other in the bank. Morgan was allowed £100 bail on each charge. Morgan ended up serving three years for the failed armed robbery and became a notorious criminal. He had twin sons, Peter and Doug and even though only ten years old, Morgan would get his sons to act as lookouts whilst he committed burglaries. The lads became building contractors but when the industry suffered a downturn in 1977 and they were short on cash, they returned to the family business. Over the following 23 months they undertook 24 raids on country and outer-suburban TABs and banks. Whilst robbing one country bank for the third time, just like their father, it all went wrong ending up with a police officer shot. They were nick-named the “After-dark” bandits and are considered to be Australia’s last bushrangers. They were convicted and served 17 years in prison.5 x A4 photocopied pagesbank hold-up, cba bank, det sgt mcmennemin, eltham, h.d. pettie, harry wallace, jack burgoyne, kay arthur morgan, lindsay a. spears, main road

GC advised that when they first arrived in Eltham in the late 1960s, he would enjoy driving out to Yarra Glen. The Eltham-Yarra Glen road was unmade at the time. He passed this residence on the north side of the road. It was totally remote. GC found the juxtaposition of this little cottage with its surburban wire gate out in the remoteness of the landscape intriguing. Since then the road has been reconstructed and diverted away from the cottage which is now owned by Parks Victoria.Digital TIFF file Scan of 35mm Ilford HP4 black and white transparencyIlford HP4birch cottage, christmas hills, early settlers, edwin samuel birch, eltham-yarra glen road, honor mary birch, honor mary williams, john hill, watsons creek

GC advised that when they first arrived in Eltham in the late 1960s, he would enjoy driving out to Yarra Glen. The Eltham-Yarra Glen road was unmade at the time. He passed this residence on the north side of the road. It was totally remote. GC found the juxtaposition of this little cottage with its surburban wire gate out in the remoteness of the landscape intriguing. Since then the road has been reconstructed and diverted away from the cottage which is now owned by Parks Victoria.Digital TIFF file Scan of 35mm Ilford HP4 black and white transparencyIlford HP4birch cottage, christmas hills, early settlers, edwin samuel birch, eltham-yarra glen road, honor mary birch, honor mary williams, john hill, watsons creek

GC advised that when they first arrived in Eltham in the late 1960s, he would enjoy driving out to Yarra Glen. The Eltham-Yarra Glen road was unmade at the time. He passed this residence on the north side of the road. It was totally remote. GC found the juxtaposition of this little cottage with its surburban wire gate out in the remoteness of the landscape intriguing. Since then the road has been reconstructed and diverted away from the cottage which is now owned by Parks Victoria.Digital TIFF file Scan of 35mm Ilford HP4 black and white transparencyIlford HP4birch cottage, christmas hills, early settlers, edwin samuel birch, eltham-yarra glen road, honor mary birch, honor mary williams, john hill, watsons creek

One of a series of postcards of photographs taken by socialite photographer Nicholas John Caire. N.J. Caire had a great love for the area and in the late 1800's took many photographs of Marysville and its surrounds.One of a series of postcards of photographs taken by socialite photographer Nicholas John Caire. N.J. Caire had a great love for the area in and surrounding Marysville and in the late 1800's took many photographs of Marysville and its surrounds. N.J. Caire was born in 1837 in Guernsey. He arrived in Adelaide about 1860 along with his parents who encouraged his early interest in photography. He opened a studio in Adelaide in 1867 after traveling extensively throughout the Gippsland taking photographs. After marrying in 1870 he moved to Talbot in Victoria until 1876 when he opened a studio in the Royal Arcade in Melbourne. After 1885 N.J. Caire gave up his city work and made his home in South Yarra and devoted the rest of his life to outdoor photography, specializing in the bush, the gullies and the mountains of south-eastern Victoria. Many thanks for P.C./ I am sorry to have kept you/ waiting so long. J. Morris/ Brighton/ Victoria POST CARD [THIS SPACE MAY BE USED FOR COMMUNICATION] ]FOR WRITING ADD (rest has been removed when stamp was removed) Mr Herman Frock/ Petersgaard/ Langebak Street/ Denmark Date Stamp/ MELBOURNE/ FEB 2?/ 4.33/ 1906 Date Stamp/ MASNEDSUND/ KALLEHAVE/ 24.3.06.1.4 Stamp/ BILL HOPKINS COLLECTION/ 21 KENSINGTON PARK ROAD W11/ NOTTING HILL GATE LONDON marysville, victoria, nicholas john caire, bill hopkins collection, postcard, souvenir

An early black and white photograph of Steavenson Falls in Marysville in Victoria.An early black and white photograph of Steavenson Falls in Marysville in Victoria. The Steavenson Falls is named after the Victorian Assistant Commissioner of Roads and Bridges, John Steavenson who arrived in Victoria in the early 1860s.Post Card The Address to be written on this side. This space may be used for Correspondence/ within the Commonwealth at 1d rate./ Foreign, charged ordinary letter rate. May 1st./ Australia/ Many happy returns of the Day/ A.F. Mrs. H. Clutterbuck/ 15 Ealing Road/ South Ealing/ London Date Stamp MELBOURNE/ PM/ 2.15/ 4.4.06 Stamp/ BILL HOPKINS COLLECTION/ 21 KENSINGTON PARK ROAD W11/ NOTTING HILL GATE LONDONsteavenson falls, marysville, victoria, postcard, souvenir, john steavenson

A postcard in a series produced by the Rose Stereograph Company in Victoria, Australia as a souvenir of Marysville.A black and white photograph taken along Lady Talbot Drive, Marysville, in Victoria, of the Taggerty River. Lady Talbot Drive is a 24 kilometer scenic rainforest car journey which passes a number of walks and waterfalls in the Yarra Ranges National Park. Lady Talbot Drive is named after Lady Sarah Elizabeth, the wife of Sir Reginald Talbot, who was the Governor of Victoria from 25th April, 1904 to 6th July 1908. This postcard was produced by the Rose Stereograph Company as a souvenir of Marysville.POST CARD The "Rose " Series/ De Luxe A Real Photograph/ Produced in Australia Published by the Rose Stereograph Co./ Armadale, Victoria. Dear John,/ I am writing this note in my room/ at Mt. Kitchener House before sallying forth for/ dinner. Unfortunately space does not permit/ me to tell you much, but I must let you know/ that yesterday morning (Monday), a blanket of/ snow covered the township of Marysville to a/ depth of three or four inches. Further up, near/ Keppel's Lookout, which we visited yesterday, it/ was nearly a foot deep everywhere, and it snowed/ the whole time we were walking./ Will tell you all later, your friend, Billtalbot drive, marysville, victoria, taggerty river, p. 2308, rose series postcard, postcard, souvenir, sir reginald talbot, lady sarah elizabeth talbot

A black and white photograph taken outside at Barton's Store in Marysville in Victoria.A black and white photograph taken outside at Barton's Store in Marysville in Victoria. Thomas John Barton was born in 1836 in Gloucestershire and after his father died in 1850 arrived in Melbourne in 1852 along with his mother, adult sisters, younger brothers, his uncle, his uncle's wife Suzanna, and their family. Thomas tried gold mining at Woods Point but found it too difficult. He then partnered with Ewen Hugh Cameron to provide the miners with meat. In 1864 they purchased a plot of land in Marysville and set up a butchers/abattoirs and from there began their business of taking supplies to the miners at the nearby Woods Point and Jamieson goldfields. In 1865 the business was firmly established and Thomas married Selina Croker at Heidelberg and brought her back to Marysville. Their first home was 'The Chestnuts', which included the store and was situated on the town side next to the Steavenson River. Sadly, in 1876 Selina died of complications after giving birth to their sixth child. Thomas was in need of a nanny to care for his six children, including the newborn baby, and so he employed Emily Ada Sparke, who is the eldest daughter of the local school teacher. Thomas and Emily subsequently married in 1878 and they go on to have a further 10 children over the next several years. Thomas assisted in the establishment of the first school in Marysville in 1870 and remained a very active member of the community including as a Councillor for the Shire of Healesville, Shire President, and he was also appointed as a Justice of the Peace. Thomas died in Carlton in 1911. After their father's death, his sons Fred and Frank took over the family business, which was then known as Barton Bros Store which continued to operate until sometime in the 1970s. The photograph shows a McKenzies Tourist Bus Service bus parked out the front of the Barton's Store. McKenzie Tourist Bus Services has been operating for over 90 years after Loronza Reilly McKenzie purchased a Hudson car in Sydney. It became the foundation vehicle for what, over the next 80 years, became a fleet of modern buses carrying tourists and school children around the Yarra Valley and beyond.marysville, victoria, barton's store, thomas john barton, ewen hugh cameron, woods point, jamieson, gold mining, goldfields, selina croker, the chestnuts, emily ada sparke, shire of healesville, fred barton, frank barton, barton bros store, francis adam barton, frederick john barton, photograph, mckenzies tourist services, barton's garage

John Murphy VX15580 in 2/7 Australian Infantry Battalion, 5th March 1940 and was discharged on 3rd October 1945 at Royal Park. Refer Cat 512.2 for Service Details.Certificate of Discharge No. 193910, Parchment Paper, light yellow colour with black print. Coat of Arms at top with form giving details of Name, No, Unit, Length o Service, Enlistment Date, Discharge Date, Description of Soldier, Location of Discharge & Signature of both Discharging Officer and Soldier Discharged.Some unrelated numbers written on back and front in pencil.discharge certificate, ww2

"PRISONER OF TWO WARS" is far more simply the story of/ an Australian - possibly the only Australian - to become a prisoner in two World Wars.Soft cover book. Soft cover - cardboard, white and pale blue print on front, spine and back. Background blue and black with front illustration a collection of eight portrait photographs. 211 pages, paper, cut, plain, white. Illustrated black and white photographs, maps and correspondence.books, biography, pow's

The plan was photo-lithographed at the Departmen tof Lands and Survey, MelbourneA parish plan of Buninyong, including Robert Scott's Mt Buninyong Pre-emptive Right, Mt Buninyong Public Park, Thomas Learmonth's land, John Learmonth's land, Scotchan's, Yendon. The Buninyong POst Office is Allotment 1. Pisition of tracks in 1859 have been marked on the plan in red.buninyong, scotchman's, mt buninyong, robert scott, clarendon, lal lal creek, yendon, warrenheip, yarowee, enfield, thomas learmonth, john learmonth, archibald fisken, g. schloo, george innes, peter inglis, durham lead, j. fry, j. forrest, parkin lee, buninyong recreation reserve

The cards relate to Cyril John Johnson VX36298 died as a POW. Refer 3144 for his service history..1) Imperial Japanese Army POW card to Next of Kin. Plain cardboard. Address side has From/Sender Park-Camp at Moulmein, Burma. .2) Imperial Japanese Army POW card to Next of Kin. Plain cardboard. Address side has From/Sender Park-Camp at Moulmein, Burma. .3) Imperial Japanese Army POW card to Next of Kin. Plain cardboard. States he is interned in POW Camp Moulmein, Burma. .1) - .3) Red stamped Japanese characters & stamped passed by censor. .1) Handwritten address side: To Mrs J Johnson Laanecourie Victoria Australia Signed: C J Johnson Handwritten bottom address side: 2nd Card .2) Handwritten address side: To Mrs J Johnson Laanecourie Victoria Australia Signed: Cyril John Johnson POW No 2954 .3) Handwritten address side: To Mrs J Johnson Laanecourie via Maldonpost cards, japanese

Ballarat School of Mines Students' Magazine was a Students' Association magazine. The president was G.N. Hart and the 1964 editors were Kelvin Whitford and Armand Krastins. The cover was designed by Colin Jellet. Advertising was obtained by Jon McDonald and Peter Smith. Active collaborators were John Costa, Ken Delany, Roger Lonsdale, John Byrne and Bobby Ong Gim Sen. Harry Arblaster retired in 1964 as the Principal of the Ballarat School of Mines, and E.J. Barker was appointed in his place. The Vice-Principal was H.J. TrudingerYellow/orange soft covered book of 96 pages. Articles include: Initiation, The creative Personality, Folk Singing by the Miners, SMB Silent Movies Inc., Red Roar and the Commie Threat, Paleopyrology, Conventional Wisdom, B-Day, The Malaysian Student in Australia, Moral Heresy, Sport, The Past and the Future?, The Possibility of Fusion Power, School Council, Members of Staff, list of full time diploma students. Those who had diplomas conferred were listed, as were the prize winners. Snippets: D.M. Pollard won the R.W. Richards Medal; John Costa was SRC Secretary, Jon McDonald was SRC President Images are named and include student activities Advertisement include: Ronaldson Brothers and Tippett; Electrolytic Zinc Company, Myers, Mount Isa Mines, Austaluco Aluminium, Owen's of Ballarat, Alexandria Tea Rooms, Roy Brack's Men's Wear, Lamanz, A.J. William Electrical Instruments, H.B. Selby, M.G. Taylor, T.J. Coutts, Ballaarat Gas Company, H.A. Davis Motor Service, Henderson-Palmer, Coca-Cola, Philps Electrical Industries, the Wattle, Eclipse Motors, BHP, M.B. John & Hattersley, Sheffield's Record Bar, Andrew Gault, Tait Book Company, Broken Hill Associated Smelters, Ballarat Colour Centre, Morsheads, Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation, J.J. Mortimer, Ewins, Gallery 321, J.a. Hoskinballarat school of mines, students' association, ray windmill, kelvin whitford, jennifer boyd, malcolm park, jutta bacsak, noel brady, gloria medlyn, ken felstead, jan butterworth, wayne collins, diana berry, lora richter, arblaster, stephen drew, judi woodward, michael moissinac, marilyn barclay, jon mcdonald, gloria roberts, ratnam nachiappan, jeni milbourne, daila berzins, bernard livingston, trudinger, barker, ballarat asian students' association, margaret leong, yew har ong, william cheng, elen leong, joan wright, poh teck shen, kristine goodier, kok fong ho, robert grub, tan joo lim, craig's royal hotel, tim joo lim

The Greenhill Enterprise Centre is on the Ballarat Technology Park, Mount Helen.Soft covered booklet featuring a number of Ballarat Industriesindustry, ballarat, techcast, coonara, c.e. bartlett, haymes paint, skilled equipment manufacturing, drake, ballarat group training, wiltronics research, greenhill enterprise centre, university of ballarat, powercor, workcover, maxitrands, macain foods, ballarat meat company, hakabaku, mars confectionary, sunicrust bakeries, hancock victorian plantations, john valves, valcor australia, f.j.& a.m. benney, learmonth road smash repairs, david miller, greenwaste,