In its policy of creating smaller compact groups of fire brigades the Country Fire Authority Regional Officer Harry Rothsay in 1967 requested that the following 6 brigades surrounding Mt Cottrell transfer from their respective groups. Melton and Rockbank from Bacchus Marsh Group, Toolern Vale and Sydenham from Mt Macedon Group and Truganina and Werribee from Little River Group forming a new Group to the be named Mt Cottrell Fire Brigades Group. Group Headquarters was established at the Ferris road residence of Melton Captain E W Bon Barrie, who was elected Group and Communications Officer of Mt Cottrell. E W (Eddie) Gillespie and Keith Watt of the Toolern Vale brigade were appointed Deputy Group Officer and Group Secretary respectively. Documents from the Mount Cottrell Fire Brigade Group emergency services

Invitations to the official opening of the fire station and a letter to the community about the brigade emergency services

From the earliest days of settlement in the shire, residents demonstrated their willingness to band together in times of crisis and need. "Bushfires were always a terrifying prospect and since its establishment in 1935, the local fire brigade (later the Country Fire Authority) fought hard to protect the people, homes and animals of the shire. In 1966, the Mount Cottrell Fire Brigades Group was formed as a way of consolidating the smaller groups around Melton, Rockbank, Toolern Vale, Sydenham, Truganina and Werribee. Its headquarters were established at the home of Ernest ‘Bon’ and Edna Barrie in Ferris Road, Melton. Captain Bon Barrie was a member of the Melton Fire Brigade and elected group and communications officer of the new Mount Cottrell Brigades Group.22 Wendy Barrie, daughter of Edna and Bon, remembers the fire truck parked at their house and her mother operating the fire brigade’s radio. Growing up in the fire station headquarters, Wendy and her siblings learned how to use the radio too, in case of emergencies".Rural Fire Brigade's Group List of Authorised Officers including the captains and lieutenantsemergency services

List of numbers for the fire brigades and emergency contactsemergency services

Edna Barrie was a member of the Melton Fire Brigade Ladies Auxiliary from its inception in 1968, a non-operational positionEdna Barrie's copy of Melton Fire Brigade Ladies Aux Constitution and list of membersemergency services, local identities

The Victorian Bands' League was officially founded on the 10th of April, 1931. This new organisation quickly gained the affliations of all brass bands in Victoria and took over the control of bands from the Victorian Bands' Association. The new VBL started presenting massed bands events at the MCG and ran competitions around Victoria. This program pamphlet is a unique example of the style of massed bands events that were held at the MCG with 24 brass bands all marching into the ground and performing a number of items individually or in groups. This would have been quite a spectacle! This small program is very significant to the banding history in Victoria. It provides a wealth of information as to the bands that existed in 1933 as well as what they played, and how the VBL organised events. As well as this, there is evidence of a large number of metropolitan bands as well as bands from country areas.Small printed pamphlet on thin paper.victorian bands' league, melbourne cricket ground, malvern tramway junior, malvern tramways band, stonnington city brass, coburg west boys, prahran city, kingsville and yarraville citizens', footscray city, footscray-yarraville city brass, coburg city, northcote citizens and soldiers', essendon citizens', moonee valley brass band, geelong city, terang brass, geelong west city, south melbourne city, reservoir citizens', st. kilda city, oakleigh city, oakleigh band, hawthorn city, kensington district, brunswick city, moreland city band, moorabbin shire, metropolitan fire brigade, sunshine district, sunshine community brass, kew city, kynetown town

This is an extremely significant document highlighting the operations of the Victorian Bands' League in only its third year. Here we have an Annual General Meeting notice and report which would have been sent to all bands and delegates. It outlines the business of the league up until this date and the financial details. It is evident that a number of bandsmen from all over Victoria took an interest in the league given the locations and bands of the office bearers.This AGM notice is extremely significant to the history of the Victorian Bands' League due to the information that's contained and the style of presentation. It is unclear whether other AGM notices still survive which makes this rare notice very valuable for research purposes.Printed on stiff papervictorian bands' league, brunswick city, warrnambool municipal, collingwood citizens', warracknabeal and district, mentone citizens', northcote citizens' and soldiers', heidelberg municipal, south melbourne city, williamstown city, yallourn and district, shepparton and district, geelong west city, terang brass, hamilton town, stawell brass, metropolitan fire brigade

C.E Barrie was the Urban brigade's first captain. November 19, 1975, Page 2 OBITUARY Ex-Captain C E BARRIE Over 50 firemen attended the funeral of Ex- Captain Edgar Barrie of Melton Fire Brigade who died at the age of 62 on Thursday 16th October, 1975. Edgar was a volunteer fireman for 33 years, all of this service with the Melton Rural and Urban Fire Brigades. He joined the rural brigade in February 1942 was Secretary 1942 until 1965 when he became Captain as position he held until 1973. He was the urban brigade’s first Captain when it was formed in 1970 and held this position until 1971. The fire service runs in the Barrie family, brother Bon was Captain of the rural brigade from 1953 to 1965 relinquishing the position to become Group Officer of the Mt Cottrell Group, a position he still holds. Another brother Tom has been a member since 1941, nephew Peter has been a member since 1962 and Edgar’s son Vivian has been a member since 1971. Firemen, led by Snr. A/C/O Max Taylor, A/C/O Harry Rothsay, R/O Arthur Haynes and retired R/O Jim Dinsdale formed a guard of honour at the church and cemetery. A/C/O Rothsay read the Fireman’s Funeral Ritual at the graveside. Edgar who was a farmer, leaves a wife and four children. Sympathy is extended to them in their loss. Six members from the Melton Urban Brigade including Captain C.E Barrie, Secretary Dale Blampied, Lieutenant Steve Hirt, Apparatus Officer Graham Quick and Foreman Barry Sherwell.local identities, emergency services

Coburns Road - 19th c family descendents living in Melton. Coburn Primary School Cr George Coburn. 1930’s. December 1935 Shire President Cr Geo Coburn convened meeting to form the Bush Fire Brigade. Road construction of Service road and beginnings of West Melton subdivision. West Melton-Early Division View of Coburns Road. council, local significant events

Erected 1974, dismantled 2000s. The Headquarters was operated from the family home at Ferris road at its inception, and in 1974 to the Barrie home at First Avenue Melton South. A storage office and Radio Tower was erected in the yard. A connection phone line was linked to the home of Wayne and Lynn Sullivan who lived at the rear in Kurrajong Cr later became LY remote. Wayne later became Communications Officer and the Headquarters moved location to the Melton Fire Station. The Mount Cotterill Group encompassed the Rural Fire Brigades of Melton, Rockbank, Sydenham, Toolern Vale, Truganina, and Werribee and later Diggers Rest. In the stage of transition from H.F.( High Frequency) to Very High Frequency some radio sets were non CFA Tankers when the group was established. Antenna was at 19 First Avenue, Melton.emergency services

Taken at EWS Ferris Road. The fire brigade was formed in 1970, Edgar Barrie was the Urban brigade's first Captain from 1970 to 1973. Peter Barrie joined in 1962. Barry Sherwell was foreman in 1971. Barry Sherwell, Edgar Barrie and Peter Barrie, Melton Urban fire brigade members.local identities, emergency services

Melton Urban Fire Brigade started in 1935. 1942, it had been registered with the BUSH FIRE BRIGADE COMMITTEE and a Certificate of Registration No 425 was issued. The Officers were as follows:- 1st Lieutenant E.W. Barrie 2nd Lieutenant T.L. Barrie 3rd Lieutenant Tom Knox In 1945 the C.F.A. became the controlling authority. Prior to this date D24 was the Nerve Centre of the Fire Fighting System with representatives of Country Fire Brigades, Forests Commission and D24. This information was in a typed document prepared by Edna Barrie 1975 Captains (approx dates) Constable ROY CORBETT BON BARRIE EDGAR BARRIE URBAN EDGAR BARRIE STEVE HIRT Captains who followed Roy Corbett List of known Captains 1935 – 1975 Jack Wallace Roy Corbett Bon Barrie Edgar Barrie Steve Hirt Members of Melton Urban Fire Brigadeemergency services, local identities

Handwritten notes from Edna Barrie: In its policy of creating smaller compact groups of fire brigades the Country Fire Authority Regional Officer Harry Rothsay in 1967 requested that the following 6 brigades surrounding Mt Cottrell transfer from their respective groups. Melton and Rockbank from Bacchus Marsh Group, Toolern Vale and Sydenham from Mt Macedon Group and Truganina and Werribee from Little River Group forming a new Group to the be named Mt Cottrell Fire Brigades Group. Steve Hirst and Harry Rothsay at Melton Fire Stationlocal identities, emergency services

Edna Barrie was a member of the Melton Fire Brigade Ladies Auxiliary from its inception in 1968, a non-operational position.The Ladies Auxiliary members at Melton Fire Stationlocal identities, emergency services

Bunnings and Melton Fresh replaced Magnet Store in Bakery Square.Members of the Melton Fire Brigade at the opening of the 'Magnet Store' in Bakery Squarelocal identities, emergency services, local significant events

Ladies Auxilairy members organised fundraisers and in 1977, there was a ball organised in 1977. The theme was mock debutante. Fire brigade members at their Mock Debutante ball. The members are doing the deb dance. local identities, emergency services

The memorial wall was constructed in 2010 to coincide with brigade's 75th anniversary. The wall represents the brigade members that have passed away while as members in the line of duty has served more than fifteen years of service to the Melton Fire Brigade. This wall is the relocation of the historic time capsule from the old fire station to to its new location in Henry Street. Relatives of Melton Fire brigade members at the unveiling of the memorial wall.emergency services, local identities

Ernest W (Bon) Barrie, 1909 – 1985 Melton Fire Brigade (and predecessor Bush Fire Brigade) Apparatus Officer, 1945 - 1953 Captain, 1951 - 1965 Mt Cotterill Fire Brigades’ Group Elected Group Officer, on the formation of the Group, 1967. As Group Communications Officer he operated the VL3 LY base radio station from home on a 24 hour basis for fire brigades of Melton, Rockbank, Sydenham, Diggers Rest, Toolern Vale, Truganina and Werribee. With his brother Edgar, he built the first Melton Fire Truck. It was housed on the family property until a fire station was constructed in the Melton township. Recipient of the Queens Medal, 1979 Recognised for 44 years of service on the Melton Fire Brigade Memorial Wall Plaque, dedicated May 2013 Mt Cotterell Fire Brigades G H Q and aerial was erected at No 17 - 19 First Avenue in 1974 at the home of Edna and Bon Barrie. Previously the Mt Cotterell Group VL3LY communication headquarters occupied their h ome in Ferris road at its inception in 1967. The First Avenue headquarters and map room, with radio equipment was also housed at the residence. It was operated with an additional cable connection to Fireman Wayne Sullivan (Deputy C/O) who resided at the rear in Kurrajong Cr.Section of the Melton Fire Brigade Memorial wall with brigade members who have passed away while as members. emergency services, local identities

Unveiling of the Melton Fire Brigade memorial wall eventemergency services, local significant events

Bon Barrie, Graeme Cooper, N. Gillespie, Peter Barrie, Ken Robinson, Ray Allen, Tom Barrie, John Roaers and Graeme Gilliland, members of the Mt Cottrell Fire Brigades Group In the background of the photo is the pavilion during construction, Melton Recreation Park on Reserve Road.Melton South Trailer tank, pump and Syd Coopers Car at the Shire centenarycouncil, local significant events, emergency services

Many of the brigade and group base radios were situated in private residences and operated primarily by fire fighters wives who held the position of Communications Officer, either registered as a brigade member or informally. Edna Barrie was never registered as an operational brigade member but operated informally as an assistant to her husband Bon. She was however a member of the Melton Fire Brigade Ladies Auxiliary from its inception in 1968, a non-operational position. Edna kept up to date with radio procedure following the 1967 handbook; preparing maps, plotting compass points and taking notes on weather forecasts from the SA Border and Western District. Daily notes were taken in anticipation of fire warnings. These log books and daily radio traffic were incidental to the regular radio schedules. Emergency turnouts noted, burning off times and predicted location of smoke. In the summer fire season all TBF (total fire ban days were recorded.)CFA burning off dry grassemergency services

Region 14 Mount Cotterill Fire Brigades Group. In the back row is Bon Barrie, Keith Gillespie, Ross Backhouse, Peter Barrie, Edgar Barrie, Rob Radford, David Rintoul, Jim Patterson. Front Row: Les Gillespie, Graeme Gilliland, Ray Allen, Vic Allen and Steve Hirt.Melton CFA group wearing the new maroon and white practice gearemergency services, local identities

As Group Communications Officer he operated the VL3 LY base radio station from home on a 24 hour basis for fire brigades of Melton, Rockbank, Sydenham, Diggers Rest, Toolern Vale, Truganina and Werribee. With his brother Edgar, he built the first Melton Fire Truck. It was housed on the family property until a fire station was constructed in the Melton township. Bon at his house on Ferris Road, Meltonlocal identities, emergency services

Col and Helen Busse were in the same fire brigade group with Bon and Edna Barrie.Presentation in front of t Len and Rebe Peters woolshedemergency services, local identities

Presentation at Melton Fire Brigade's pre-season dinner local identities, emergency services

Edgar Barrie, Captain of newly formed Urban Fire BrigadeIn CFA / Melton Urban Fire Brigade uniform. local identities, emergency services

The Wodonga Fire Brigade was founded in 1893 from a need to protect life and property in what was a small town straddling the Melbourne-Sydney railway line. This book traces the first 100 years of its development and service to the community.history wodonga urban fire brigade, cfa wodonga

Kangaroo Ground's first school began in 1851 with 22 pupils from the district's ten families. It was a single room school located further south on the site, which also served as a Presbyterian church. The first teacher was Andrew Ross. The school building was used as a Post Office between 1854 and 1858 and during 1857 also served as a Court of Petty Sessions. With a growing farming community, a new building was warranted and the original Sate School No. 352 was closed and a new building, State School No. 2105 was oipened October 1, 1878. A residence for Head Teacher Henry Wallace School was erected in 1879 attached to the left of the school building. That residence is now home to the Andrew Ross Museum, which opened in 1993. Covered under Heritage Overlay, Nillumbik Planning Scheme. Published: Nillumbik Now and Then /​ Marguerite Marshall 2008; photographs Alan King with Marguerite Marshall.; p35 In a corner of the Kangaroo Ground Primary School playground stands an old weatherboard building. This structure, attached to the former teacher’s weatherboard residence facing Main Road, first served as a school in 1878. The former residence, built in 1879, houses the Andrew Ross Museum, which opened in 1993. It is named after the school’s first teacher,1 who also founded The Evelyn Observer newspaper, which began on the site in 1873. Later the printing presses were moved to brick newspaper offices by the Kangaroo Ground Hotel, which became the Shire of Eltham offices. However Kangaroo Ground’s first school began in 1851 for 22 pupils from the district’s ten families, in a slab building further south on this site. Andrew Harkness and other settlers campaigned for the building, which was built on half an acre (0.2ha) donated by local farmer, James Donaldson. Builder was Samuel Furphy, father of the novelist Joseph.2 The single room measuring 30 feet x 18 feet (9m x 5.5m), was unlined and the green slabs shrank, allowing the wind and rain entry through cracks except when they were stuffed with paper.3 The building served as a Presbyterian church as well as a school, where fees were 18 pence a week for education. Young men also attended evening classes there in winter. At one stage, a corner of the room was curtained off for the schoolmaster’s living space, and the platform, which was used for sleeping, was also the pulpit during church services. Teacher Andrew Ross also took church services when the minister was unable to attend, which happened frequently as he had long distances to travel on the bad roads. In 1857 the school building was also used as the Court of Petty Sessions, and from 1854 until 1858, it served as a post office. During the gold rush fossickers on their way to the Caledonia Diggings at Queenstown (now St Andrews) prospected the district, but did not remain long, as the fields were not rich in gold. But the farming community grew, until by 1878 the population warranted the building of State School No 2105 – the present one-roomed tongue-and-groove lined building measuring 49 feet x 18 feet (15m x 5.5m), to accommodate 60 children. The old school, No 352, was closed, and the new one opened on October 1, with Henry Wallace as head teacher, assisted by work mistress Annie Johnston. Early teachers included Messrs Smith, Hamilton and Prosser, with sewing teachers Misses Sweeney, Limerock and Oliver. In the early 1920s a small room was built on the front veranda of the teacher’s residence, and used as a State Savings Bank agency until about 1934. In 1928 the schoolroom’s three-tiered floor was replaced by a flat floor and teacher’s platform (which has since been removed). A half-glassed partition wall then divided the large room into two rooms in which the old style form-type desks were replaced with dual desks. The small playground, surrounded by pine trees and a picket fence, was extended in 1931 with an additional acre or so (0.4 ha) of land. During World War Two the school faced closure because of a fall to seven in the enrolment, but by 1946 it had increased again to 45. Mr Eric Morgan was head teacher and Mrs Margaret Banks was assistant head teacher, a position she held for ten years. In 1955, under the head teacher Mr V Gardiner, who taught there for 13 years, the school won a prize for the best-kept garden and school ground in the inspectorate. A district subdivision increased the enrolment in 1968 to 65 and a bus service was established. After the hall which had been used for lessons was demolished late that year, the pupils met in the original fire brigade meeting room (now the tennis club, diagonally opposite the general store). The new school building with a storeroom and staffroom was built in 1974.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, kangaroo ground, andrew ross museum, eltham-yarra glen road, kangaroo ground primary school no. 2105, kangaroo ground state school, state school no. 2105