Walter Withers was a significant Australian landscape artist and a member of the Heidelberg School of Australian Impressionists. In 1903 Withers bought 'Southernwood', a house on 2½ acres (1 ha) at Eltham, to which he added a studio. Because of ill health, he lived during the week at his studio in Oxford Chambers, Melbourne, and on weekends and holidays with his family at Eltham until his death in 1914. The Eltham rail bridge is a unique and valuable historic relic of an earlier steam locomotive transport era in the Diamond Creek Valley and has long formed an important part of a magnificent Eltham landscape. When built in 1902 it was close to the terminus point of the Heidelberg-Eltham rail extension, on the route of the proposed Diamond Valley Railway that was then planned to continue much further up the valley towards Kinglake. This bridge is situated in attractive river-valley parkland amidst the tall and spreading manna gums and candlebarks of the Diamond Creek Valley. The Alistair Knox Park river-valley landscape, of which the timber trestle bridge is an important visual component, has been classified by the National Trust. Large manna gum and candlebark trees adorn the adjacent creek banks, and historic Shillinglaw Cottage is also part of this much-prized Eltham landscape. Eltham is home to a historic wooden railway trestle bridge. Mainly of timber-pier and timber-beam construction, but varied by a few longer steel-joists spans on timber piers at the main stream channel, this substantial bridge has almost two hundred metres of timber deck. Built in 1902, it is the only railway bridge of predominantly timber construction that is still in regular use as an integral part of Melbourne's metropolitan electric railway network and one of extremely few timber rail bridges in the State that still carry trains. Apart from its important continuing social function as a carrier of rail transport for the Hurstbridge line, this impressive bridge and its beautiful parkland environs contribute much to the character of Eltham township and that town's special reputation as an historic centre of environmental and conservation concerns. This section of the Diamond Creek Valley was the subject of a Walter Withers painting in the earliest years of the twentieth century and has strong historic links with our Heidelberg School of painters. Watercolour painting on paper of Eltham's Trestle Bridge in the middle of the day. A small section of the wooden bridge is located to the left of the painting. The focus is predominately on the wattle, manna gum and candlebark trees that is to the right of the bridge. The golden hues typically represent the australian sunlight and landscape. "W.W" in gothic script on the lower right side of the painting. Not dated. withers, eltham, trestle bridge, railway, watercolour

Copy of plan of subdivision by Patrick Riley of Section 77, Parish of Nunawading 'Springfield Township' 1861. Bounded by Whitehorse Road, Walker's Road, (now known as Springvale Road) and Springfield RoadCopy of plan of subdivision by Patrick Rileyland sales, riley, patrick, whitehorse road, nunawading, walkers road, springfield road, black street, robertson street, sandy street, burnt street, luckie street, bridge street, creek street, koonung street, thompson street

Black and white photograph of the first road bridge over the Mitchell River at Bairnsdale, Victoria.township, waterways

Black and white photograph of aerial view of Kalimna escarpment, Princes Highway, road to Kalimna Hotel, scattering of buildings including Gainsborough House, in distance is North Arm bridge, footbridge to undeveloped Bullock Island with rock groynes in place. Part of eastern pier of entrance at Lakes Entrance, Victoria.jetties, waterways, topography, township

Another copy Black and white 7 x 8.5 with inscription'View showing the Entrance, Lakes Entrance, Vic'Black and white photograph of Bullock Island, the New Works, township and entrance from Bass Strait to the Gippsland Lakes. Taken at high tide. Lakes Entrance Victoriaislands, waterways, bridges, topography

Black and white double size postcard of Bullock Island. It shows a glimpse of the Princes Highway in foreground, wooden foot bridge to Bullock Island, houses on the hummocks, entrance and Bass Strait in background, boat entering lakes. Lakes Entrance VictoriaPanorama of Lakes Entrance from Princes Highwaywaterways, islands, township, civil engineering

Hand coloured postcard of Bullock Island and the man made entrance from Bass Strait to the Gippsland Lakes. Also shown the small township, unofficially known as Carpentertown at the entrance works. Photo taken from Kalimna Hill, shrubbery in foreground. Lakes Entrance VictoriaBullock Island, Lakes Entrancewaterways, bridges, islands, jetties

Also two black and white copies, One Colour tinted copyBlack and white photographic postcard of bridges over North Arm, showing town, electricity and telephone poles. Cunninghame Arm, sand hummocks, sand flat at entrance to town. Post and rail fence beside sealed highway. Lakes Entrance Victoriatownship, fences, topography

Township of Lakes Entrance from Jemmys PointBlack and white photograph of view from Kalimna Heights, showing part of the North Arm concrete bridge, Bullock Island and western side of entrance. Truck parked on approach to bridge. Lakes Entrance Victoriatownship, jetties, guesthouses, islands, hotels

This volume of maps is believed to have been compiled by staff at the Shire of Bacchus Marsh and was presumably used to inform and assist Shire staff and Councillors in the carriage of their duties.This collection of maps are significant due to their rarity as many of them are unique maps made for local purposes in the Bacchus Marsh region. They are also of strong research value containing a wide variety of information including landholders, land sales, infrastructure, such as roads, bridges, public, commercial and private buildings, houses, land use, and geographic features over multiple decades from the late nineteen century into the middle part of the twentieth century.One bound volume of maps comprising cadastral maps, (indicating property owners and land boundaries), land plans and real estate auction plans and advertising material, and other maps indicating major infrastructure like proposed roads and irrigation areas. Most of the maps and plans are of Bacchus Marsh and nearby areas but some maps are of nearby towns such as Melton, Ballan and Blackwood. The volume comprises 52 pages. Most pages have a single map or plan pasted onto it but some contain 2 or 3 different maps. There are 81 maps in total. Map 1 Liquidators Sale 1896. Map 2. Woodside Estate Sale 1913. maps, maps bacchus marsh, maps bacchus marsh region

The railway was commenced in 1900 and passed through the middle of the Shillinglaw farm. The line to Eltham opened in 1902. This view shows the the new Catholic Church, St Mary's in Henry Street (near Main Road, then Maria Street) and Shillinglaw Cottage visible in background past where Eltham Town Park and later the Eltham library (1994) was built. The church site had been relocated from further south along Main Road (near Wingrove Cottage) in order to be more central to the congregation following the shifting of the township away from Little Eltham and closer to the railway station. It was subsequently destroyed by fire in 1961.Black and white photographeltham, trestle bridge, bridges, catholic church, henry street, bridge, shillinglaw cottage, shillinglaw trees, shillinglaw farm

This photo taken from township side (northern side looking southward)Color photograph of the footbridge across Cunninghame Arm. It shows the shortened footbridge with the path and recently established lawn and trees. Surf lifesaving club on sand dunes in background. Lakes Entrance Victoria waterfront, bridges

Sepia toned small format postcard of a view from Jemmys Point, showing the road cutting around Kalimna Hill, North Arm bridge, town of Lakes Entrance, Cunninghame Arm and sand hummocks, Lakes Entrance VictoriaLakes Entrancewaterways, township, roads and streets

This photo taken from south side (looking towards township on northern side)Colored photograph of the footbridge over the Cunninghame Arm, taken from the path on the southern shore. It shows sand, scrub, treated pine fences and rubbish bin, town in the distance on northern shore. Lakes Entrance Victoriawaterfront, topography, bridges