Found under the floor of the Eltham Courthose during renovations

Painted for the Shire of Eltham Historical Society by Audrey Cahn, a member of our Society for many years and Vice President till 1978. Audrey was the sister of the late Charis Palling, founding president of our Society. She had remained a member for many years although she had moved from her family home at Warrandyte to live with her daughter in New South Wales. Audrey had been blind for some years but maintained a local interest by having our Newsletter read to her. Audrey's associations with Warrandyte started because her father Professor Osbourne had bought 60 acres in 1904. " Gold mining was beginning to die out and Warrandyte was a decaying area. Land was cheap because of the lack of transport and the soil was poor for farming” Audrey said. Audrey first attended school in the city at the Church of England Girls Grammar School and was always a bit rebellious. “If I felt some restrictions were unfair or some judgement unjust, I resented it”. Audrey got into Agricultural Science at Melbourne University and in 1928 was the second women to get such a degree. Audrey married in 1926, and later divorced Leslie Cahn an architect. They had twin daughters whom she left with her parents in Warrandyte while she studied dietetics during the depression. She found employment as a microbiologist at the Kraft/Walker Milk and Cheese Factory in Drouin - she drove home at weekends to see her daughters who were then at boarding school. During the war Audrey was in charge of catering at the Heidelberg Military Hospital – again the appointment of a women caused some unrest. She was in the army for more than 4 years and achieved the rank of General which-made her the most highly-ranked-woman at the hospital. After the war she became a senior lecturer in Dietetics at Melbourne University, again being aware of the limitations her gender brought to promotion possibilities. During her time at the university, she undertook a series of studies in nutritional biochemistry. Of especial note is the analysis of common dietary foods so that the composition and calorific value, the data that was needed for inclusion in Food tables - that professional sports people and weight-watchers so avidly follow today! She was an early proponent of the need to reduce fat intake and to substitute saturated fats with polyunsaturated fatty acids. In the 1950's Audrey and fellow workers established norms for the growth of Australian children to be compared with British and American children. Over 17 years they concluded that Australian children were overweight and inactive - what is new! She bought a cottage in Warrandyte as her home. In 1968 she retired to further develop her other interests as a potter and painter. Audrey was a foundation member of the group of potters that set up Potters Cottage. Audrey died in 2008 aged 102. (Ref:Newsletter No. 185 March 2009)art, artwork, audrey cahn, eltham, old bakery, york street

Visit to Dunmoochin prior to Clifton Pugh's home being destroyed by fire in 2002. Following military service in the second world war, Clifton Pugh studied under artist Sir William Dargie at the National Gallery School in Melbourne as well as Justus Jorgensen, founder of Montsalvat. For a while he lived on the dole but also worked packing eggs for the Belot family saving sufficient to purchase six acres (2.4 ha) of land at Barreenong Road, Cottles Bridge. He accumulated more land and persuaded several other artists and friends to buy land nearby, resulting in a property of approximately 200 acres, stablishing it as one of the first artistic communes in Australia alongside Montsalvat in Eltham. It was around 1951 that Pugh felt he had '"done moochin' around" and so the name of the property evolved. He bought timber from Alistair Knox to build his house on the crest of a hill. Inspired by local goldminer's huts, it was a one room wattle-and-daub structure with dirt floor. Over the years it expanded with thick adobe walls made from local clay, high ceilings and stone floors. All materials other than the local earth were sourced from second hand materials, most found at wreckers' yards. Artists from across the nation were drawn to Dunmoochin, with several setting up houses and shacks on the property, maintaining their independence but sharing their artistic zeal. Artists who worked or resided at Dunmoochin included Mirka Mora, John Perceval, Albert Tucker, Fred Williams, Charles Blackman, Arthur Boyd and John Olsen. In 2002, Pugh's house along with its treasure trove of art and a library of some 20,000 books was destroyed by fire. Traces of Pugh's home remain with the presence of the Victorian doorframe archway with leadlight of intricate design, procured from a demolished Melbourne mansion; and two bronze life-sized female statues created by Pugh and cast by Matcham Skipper. In place of Pugh's house rose two double-storey mud-brick artists' studios topped with corrugated iron rooves curved like the wings of a bird with accommodation for seven. The original studios, gallery and other buildings survived the fire.fay bridge collection, 1995, barreenong road, cottles bridge, dunmoochin

Following military service in the second world war, Clifton Pugh studied under artist Sir William Dargie at the National Gallery School in Melbourne as well as Justus Jorgensen, founder of Montsalvat. For a while he lived on the dole but also worked packing eggs for the Belot family saving sufficient to purchase six acres (2.4 ha) of land at Barreenong Road, Cottles Bridge. He accumulated more land and persuaded several other artists and friends to buy land nearby, resulting in a property of approximately 200 acres, stablishing it as one of the first artistic communes in Australia alongside Montsalvat in Eltham. It was around 1951 that Pugh felt he had '"done moochin' around" and so the name of the property evolved. He bought timber from Alistair Knox to build his house on the crest of a hill. Inspired by local goldminer's huts, it was a one room wattle-and-daub structure with dirt floor. Over the years it expanded with thick adobe walls made from local clay, high ceilings and stone floors. All materials other than the local earth were sourced from second hand materials, most found at wreckers' yards. Artists from across the nation were drawn to Dunmoochin, with several setting up houses and shacks on the property, maintaining their independence but sharing their artistic zeal. Artists who worked or resided at Dunmoochin included Mirka Mora, John Perceval, Albert Tucker, Fred Williams, Charles Blackman, Arthur Boyd and John Olsen. In 2002, Pugh's house along with its treasure trove of art and a library of some 20,000 books was destroyed by fire. Traces of Pugh's home remain with the presence of the Victorian doorframe archway with leadlight of intricate design, procured from a demolished Melbourne mansion; and two bronze life-sized female statues created by Pugh and cast by Matcham Skipper. In place of Pugh's house rose two double-storey mud-brick artists' studios topped with corrugated iron rooves curved like the wings of a bird with accommodation for seven. The original studios, gallery and other buildings survived the fire.fay bridge collection, 2016-05-14, art gallery, barreenong road, clifton pugh, cottles bridge, dunmoochin, maurice hurry

Devils' Bank was situated some two miles from Eltham. It is probably the section along the Yarra River where there are a series of rapids stretching past Petty's Orchard to Griffiths Park and the confluence with the Diamond Creek. Only three properties existed in this area in 1945 aerial maps, Worlingworth and the adjoining property on the bank of the Diamond Creek in Banoon Road and No. 2 Kent Hughes Road. Devils' Bank. The death of Ann Edwards, 77 years, an old resident of the district was reported who lived in an old hut at Devil's Bank who had been found dead in her bed on 13 May 1897 FOUND DEAD IN BED. (1897, May 28). Evelyn Observer, and South and East Bourke Record (Vic. : 1882 - 1902), p. 2 (MORNING.). Retrieved September 3, 2022, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article60696388 A very similar view was published in the Leader paper in January 1908 - Devil's Bank Falls, Eltham VIEWS ON THE UPPER YARRA. (1908, January 11). Leader (Melbourne, Vic. : 1862 - 1918, 1935), p. 28. Retrieved September 3, 2022, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article198106006 On the reverse of the postcard it appears to be postmarked Eltham, Dec 27, 1907 addressed to Mrs Christie Millmoss of Bull Street, Bendigo "Arrived here 10.45 am - ? ? raining cause of ? - ? till evenings it is lovely - but quite fresh after the (rain - crossed out) great ? - I may assume it all go well"Digital file only Postcards scanned from the collection of Michael Aitken on loan to EDHS, 2 Sep. 2022michael aitken collection, devils bank, eltham, postcards, rapids, yarra river

Neil Douglas (1911 - 2003) was an artist and conservationist. In 1964 he founded a co-operative consisting of families who wished to live in harmony with the bush and indigenous wildlife at Bend of Islands, Kangaroo Ground. Contents: 1. Photocopy from unknown community newspaper October 1978: "The Balancing of Nature" an interview with Neil Douglas. Page also includes an article" Ecology" about plans being drafted for the construction of a completely biodegradable 100% organic school which refers to the unnamed Eltham College. 2. Folio depicting six artworks by Neil Douglass produced by Toorak Art Gallery, South Yarra. The paintings are: “Summer Creek”, “Eighteen Emus", "The Strange Australian Presence" (Black and white), "Ways before the Whiteman - Kangaroo Pad" (Wyperfeld National Park), (back and white) with caption, "Swipers Gully" and “Bush in Drought” (date unknown).neil douglas, paintings, etham college

Newspaper article: Was woman found in well put in it? Diamond Valley Local, 16 February 1954, story of wife of baker found in well before Burgoyne family purchased bakery. Newspaper article: Bakery goes ... locals protest, The Valley Voice, 18 July 1979, Joh Ebeli protests about planned destruction, history of building memories of Alistair Knox. Note on demolition of Eltham Bakery building, 1979, by Joh Ebeli who tried to save front of house with friend names Elwers. Photocopy newspaper article: Murder mystery at bakery, History comes to life for old building, 4 November 1979, Harry Burgoyne remembers his grandfather John James Thomas Neville Burgoyne bought bakery in 1896 at time of body found in well, bakery build 1860-1864, sold in 1921. Photocopy newspaper article: Public meeting called over Eltham restaurant proposal, Diamond Valley News, 4 October 1988, protests re proposal for motel and restaurant. Photocopy newspaper article: Fresh tales at an old mine, Diamond Valley News, 4 October 1988, Ausminde Pty Ltd applied for renewal of exploration licence at Old Tree Hill Mine, last mined by Stan Bone and Bill Wallace, photograph of Russell Yeoman at site. Photocopy of line drawing, The Bakery, by Joh Ebeli, 1978. Photocopy of photograph, Old Bakery, next to house built 1880. Photocopy of photograph with Old Bakery in background. On August 12, 1902, appearing before T. Smallman, Esq,. Police Magistrate, and Messrs. W. Duncan and W.J. Taylor, Justices of the Peace is Luther Haley, baker. Wilfred Henry Johnston, by his agent Stanley Ernest Elder had applied for a warrant of ejectment under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1890 against Luther Haley from the bakery premises at the corner of Main Road and York Street. From the evidence presented it is made known that Mrs Burgoyne of Eltham had purchased the property some months earlier from Mr Johnston, which consisted of a store and bakery establishment at Eltham occupied by Mr. Luther Haley, and whose lease expired some little time back, and up to the present time, Mr. Haley was not prepared to leave. He informed the court that he was unable to secure at Eltham a suitable house in which to carry on his business, but he was building a place near the railway station which he expected to be done in about three weeks time, at which time he would give up possession of the bakery. Mr Smallman informed the defendant, Luther Haley, that he would have to quit the premises in three weeks from the present date, and that a warrant of ejectment would be issued. However he also informed Mr Haley that he would order the warrant to lie in the office for three weeks from that date. The premises under construction refered to by Luther Haley in court were situated on the western side of Main Road, near the railway station slightly opposite present day Arthur Street. It was opened around September 1902 as a General Store, Bakery and Tea Rooms. In June 2024 Annie Hackrath shared a memory of living in the old bakery: "My husband and I lived in the old bakery for 18 months in 1978-9 , husband Geoff used the old bakery out the back as a wood workshop, making turnery and handcrafted furniture. The front shop was operated as a “sometimes” art gallery which we called “Gouge and Grain”. There were old sheds against the back fence which we thought were probably stables from the bakery days. Lovely memories of the old place which had so much character and seemed to attract a multitude of interesting creative people! Sad that it was pulled down; a friend salvaged some of the lead light glass in the old doors and included it in a new door panel for us."main road, eltham, property, shops, businesses, eltham bakery, burgoyne family, joh ebeli, alistair knox, harry burgoyne, john james thomas neville burgoyne, one tree hill mine, stan bone miner, bill wallace miner, russell yeoman, henry rech, ausminde pty ltd, john street, bridge street, judy paynter, art gallery, gouge and grain, annie hackrath, geoff hackrath

Job 56M431 Rock strata foundations This is what the bridge is founded on downstream side Kinglake abutment November 1959 Contractor W.E. WolfRecord of various Shire of Eltham infrastructure works undertaken during the period of 1952-1962 involving bridge and road reconstruction projects, sometimes with Eltham Shire Council Project Reference numbers quoted. It was during this period that a number of significant improvements were made to roads and new bridges constructed within the shire that remain in place as of present day (2022). In many situations, the photos provide a tangible visible record of infrastructure that existed throughout the early days of the Shire. The album was put together by or under the direction of the Shire Engineer, J.A. McDonald.infrastructure, shire of eltham, bridge construction, heidelberg-kinglake road, road construction, yow yow creek, 1959-11

Elizabeth (Lizzie) Ann Shillinglaw born August 15, 1879 at Bundoora, Victoria was the fith child of Phillip Shillinglaw and Sarah Ann (nee Kidd). She commenced school at Eltham State School No. 209 (Register No. 391) in 1883 at age 3 years, her final year being 1892. She was engaged to a local Eltham lad who enslisted in the First World War and presented her with a gold ring with Lizzie inscribed on it. He never returned from war and Lizzie never married. Lizzie was quite involved with the local Methodist church where father Phillip was a Lay Preacher. She also had a dress making business in Smitrh Street, Collingwood. At the time of her father's death in 1914 she was living at 18 Stanley Street, Richmond. She returned to Wattle Brae in Eltham where she and her unmarried sisters, Mary and Ada and brother Ernest Samuel continued to live. Mary Shillinglaw born November 5, 1880 at Bundoora, Victoria was the sixth child of Phillip Shillinglaw and Sarah Ann (nee Kidd). She commenced school at Eltham State School No. 209 (Register No. 423) in 1885 at age 4 years. Mary did not marry and spent most of her life at Wattle Brae (Shillinglaw Cottage). In his Will, Phillip Shillinglaw provided that any of his unwed sisters would be able to live at Wattle Brae, rent free. When Eltham Shire Council aquired the property in 1963 to build new Shire Offices, both Mary and her sister Lizzie (also unmarried) were still living at the cottage. Council paid for the women to relocate. Mary moved to Elizabeth House, a nursing home in Ivanhoe but found it very hard to adapt to her new surroundings and living condtions. She died there only a few months after departing Eltham on October 29, 1963 at age 83 years. Lizzie died June 28, 1972 at age 93 years."Mary Shillinglaw"marg ball collection, 1908, elizabeth (lizzie) ann shillinglaw (1879-1972), mary ann shillinglaw (1880-1963), stewart & co photographers bourke st melbourne

Full page newspaper clipping featuring the March 1965 Victorian bushfires. Items include: Photograph - TWO-WOMAN BUCKET BRIGADE, Mrs Henry Marsden (left) and Mrs Moureen Ellis, whose fire-fighting efforts yesterday were highly praised today by their Eltham neighbours, carry out mopping-up operations Photograph - DOGS MADE HOMELESS by the fire in North Eltham yesterday are being cared for at First-Constable Doug. Mummery's kennels at Eltham and here is kennel maid Helen Oliver, 17, with some of them today. The two basset hounds are owned by Mr Bill Guy who lost about 100 daschund and basset hound puppies and dogs in the fire. Photograph - He died at Eltham [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. 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 Other news stories of the day:  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, doug mummery, helen oliver, mrs henry marsden, mrs moureen ellis

AUSTRALIAN LANDSCAPE ART. A FINE COLLECTION. The late Mr. Walter Withers was one of the little band of landscapists that Included Streeton Condor, who pioneered the "plein-airiste" movement In Victoria thirty years ago. Mr. Withers had been trained in Paris, but practically all his artistic life was spent in Australia, and examples from his easel are to be found in all the leading Australian galleries. He belonged to a brilliant little coterie of men whose works have since been eagerly sought for at ever-rising prices. And now collectors have an opportunity of acquiring examples of his art for a thoroughly characteristic collection of his work, both in oils and in water-color, will be open to-day In the fine art gallery at Anthony Horderns', in George Street. The collection includes 28 paintings in oil by the late Mr. Walter Withers, and 32 of his water-color drawings, while smaller collections by his daughter, Miss Margery Withers, and by his son, Mr. Meynell Withers, are also added. Among the landscapes in oils by the deceased artist may be seen examples of many moods, and also many phases of his artistic development. At different times he was a realist, a romanticist, an idealist. In his fine picture "The Easter Moon" the emotional appeal to the homing instinct is direct and compelling. This delightful work, low in tone and charming in its feeling of repose, suggests the sentiment of Gray's "Elegy." Entirely different in range, intention, and feeling, are two brilliantly-painted pictures entitled "The Young Gardener," and "The Dividing Fence," Mr. Withers here displays an unusual gift for placing effective notes in an admirably harmonised color scheme. "Sunlight in the Forest" is a pastoral poem in color. Most of these pictures were painted in the Eltham or Warrandyte country, while the "marines" are impressions at Phillip Island or on the shores of the bay. The artist was well equipped with technical knowledge and experience. His pictures are full of air and sunlight, and his realisation of cloud-forms is most convincing. The watercolor drawings which he did in the full maturity of his powers have, a softness, richness, and depth of color quite unusual. His son, Meynell Withers, shows a collection of landscapes of striking merit, recalllng his father's handling of color and selective taste In composition. Miss Margory Withers shows a charming group of watercolor portraits, and also some meritorious landscapes. The pictures have been hung with fine artistic discrimination in the grouping of the subjects, and so skilfully that in each group an essential harmony of tone has been preserved. The exhibition will be open to the public from to-day. AUSTRALIAN LANDSCAPE ART. (1918, November 18). The Daily Telegraph (Sydney, NSW : 1883 - 1930), p. 4. Retrieved August 22, 2023, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article239575164Journal inscribed: "Mrs Withers 463 Collins St. West Melbourne"art exhibition, art review, artist, john withers collection, walter herbert withers

On reverse: "Old Heidelberg, Along road to Eltham I found I had 2 of these" Many items in this collection have suffered from significant water damage and black mouldjohn withers collection, heidelberg, eltham

Vol. 9, No. 4, Sep-Oct 2004 CONTENTS Comment 2 Short Story 'The Heavy Dress' 3 Wattle Festival at Hurstbridge 6 'Language of creation' by Kath Armour 8 Neil Douglas by Jack Henseleit 10 Poetry Overload - Fiona Seivers 11 Book Reviews 12 'Paradise Lost, Found' - Ausra Larbey 15 Music 16 Exhibitions 18 Short Story 'A Last Goodbye ... ?' 20 CD Reviews 22 Artin' About 25 Wining & dining 30 Listings 32 "Peter Dougherty has been involved in the local art scene for many years. As publisher and editor of the arts magazine Artstreams, his comments on the various branches of the arts are widely respected. His "The Arts" column in the Diamond Valley Leader presents a brief summary for a much wider cross section of the local community. Peter also operates his own gallery and the Artstreams Cafe at the St Andrews market. Peter has a wealth of knowledge about present day and historical aspects of local art and artists." - Eltham District Historical Society Newsletter No. 161, March 2005Colour front and back cover with feature articles and literary pieces with photographs and advertisements printed in black and white. 36 pages, 30 cm. Vol. 1, no. 1 (Nov. 1996) - Vol. 10, no. 5 (summer ed. 2005/​06) art streams, art streams gallery, julia inglis, alan marshall short story award, sushi wushi eltham, plenty of colour, bundoora homestead, wattle day, montsalvat, pam andrews, kath armour, bahnhof cafe, eltham gourmet poultry & game, jack henseleit, neil douglas, poetry, fiona sievers, dynamic vegies, hurstbridge & districts community bank branch, ausra larbey, jacques l'affrique, wellers of kangaroo ground, stephen cummings, joe camilleri, organic produce store, jessica benaim, eltham wiregrass gallery, latrobe university, congo systems, bulleen art & garden centre, hurstbridge galleries, frames for art of hurstbridge, il primo restaurant carlton, thompsons amcal pharmacy, aurora kurth

L-R (facing camera): Irene Gerard, - , David Essex, Faye Shepard, Peter Bassett-Smith, Harry Gilham. Wal Delaney on far right. 40th Anniversary Celebrations of the founding of Eltham District Historical Society (formerly Shire of Eltham Historical Society) in 1967Colour photo print 100 x 150mm40th anniversary, celebrations, david essex, eltham courthouse, eltham district historical society, fay shepherd, harry gilham, irene gerard, peter bassett-smith, wal delaney

L-R: - , David Essex, Faye Shepard, Sue Law, Peter Bassett-Smith, Irene Gerard, Harry Gilham, Margaret Ball, Alison Delaney, Jim Connor (back to camera), Wal Delaney, - ,. Two members centre front (back to camera) unidentified. 40th Anniversary Celebrations of the founding of Eltham District Historical Society (formerly Shire of Eltham Historical Society) in 1967 Colour photo print 100 x 150mm40th anniversary, alison delaney, celebrations, david essex, eltham courthouse, eltham district historical society, faye shepard, harry gilham, irene gerard, jim connor, margaret ball, peter bassett-smith, sue law, wal delaney

Launch of "Pioneers and Painters: One Hundred years of Eltham and its Shire" by Alan Marshall. The history was commissioned by the Shire of Eltham and published as part of the Shire of Eltham centenary celebrations. Cr. G.C. Dreverman, Cr. A.F.C. Glover and Mr Robert W. Fell, M.L.A. for the electorate of Greensborough. Fell was a founding councillor for the Shire of Diamond Valley in 1964. He served as M.L.A. 1970-1973. This photo forms part of a collection of photographs gathered by the Shire of Eltham for their centenary project book, "Pioneers and Painters: 100 years of the Shire of Eltham" by Alan Marshall (1971). The collection of over 500 images is held in partnership between Eltham District Historical Society and Yarra Plenty Regional Library (Eltham Library) and is now formally known as 'The Shire of Eltham Pioneers Photograph Collection.' It is significant in being the first community sourced collection representing the places and people of the Shire's first one hundred years.Digital imagebook launch, cr. a.f.c. glover, cr. g.c. dreverman, robert w. fell, painters and pioneers, shire of eltham pioneers photograph collection, sepp, member of parliament, councilors, shire of diamond valley, greeting, municipal officials

Published: "The Melbourne Post" page 369, 22 November 1866. Reproduced Page 76 "Pioneers and Painters" One wet and miserable October night in 1866 a well-spoken young Irish braggart, who was wearing a poncho or riding cloak, knocked on the door of the home of Mrs. James Russell (nee Haughton) in Russell Road, Warrandyte. Realising that he was weary and hungry, Mrs. Russell gave the young visitor food and a bed in a hut up the back yard. The next morning she found he had gone as Harry Houghton had obligingly rowed him across the river in a mining punt. The man was Robert Burke (aka Bourke but real name Clusky), a known bushranger, who was being hunted by the police. Burke went to Kangaroo Ground where he stayed at Wellers Hotel before moving onto Hurstbridge. At Hurstbridge some hours later, he was eating breakfast given him by Miss Ellen Hurst, whose suspicions were aroused when she noticed a pistol in his pocket. Hastily she informed her brother, who loaded a shot gun and confronted Burke, an argument broke out and Burke produced a pistol. Hurst fired his shotgun, but missed. The two scuffled and during the scuffle, the pistol fired, wounding both Hurst and Burke. Burke was over-powered by some station hands and placed under arrest. Hurst, unfortunately, died later that day. Poor young boastful Burke - he was found guilty of murder and hanged, despite a strong recommendation for mercy and a large petition signed by Melbourne citizens claiming that he reacted in self defence. Edited extract from ‘Warrandyte a Brief History’ by Bruce Bence 1991. (Posted to Warrandyte Historical Society Facebook page 27/01/2021)This photo forms part of a collection of photographs gathered by the Shire of Eltham for their centenary project book,"Pioneers and Painters: 100 years of the Shire of Eltham" by Alan Marshall (1971). The collection of over 500 images is held in partnership between Eltham District Historical Society and Yarra Plenty Regional Library (Eltham Library) and is now formally known as 'The Shire of Eltham Pioneers Photograph Collection.' It is significant in being the first community sourced collection representing the places and people of the Shire's first one hundred years.Digital image Print 16.5 x 22 cmhurstbridge, illustration, robert burke, fight, bushranger burke, other areas, pioneers and painters, sepp, shire of eltham pioneers photograph collection, bushranger

The gatehouse, one of the heritage buildings on the grounds of Montsalvat, the artists' colony in Eltham founded in 1934. This area was built 1939/41 originally as a garage, store and cool room with a painting studio above.This photo forms part of a collection of photographs gathered by the Shire of Eltham for their centenary project book, "Pioneers and Painters: 100 years of the Shire of Eltham" by Alan Marshall (1971). The collection of over 500 images is held in partnership between Eltham District Historical Society and Yarra Plenty Regional Library (Eltham Library) and is now formally known as 'The Shire of Eltham Pioneers Photograph Collection.' It is significant in being the first community sourced collection representing the places and people of the Shire's first one hundred years.Digital image Print 16 x 21 cm (Held at Eltham Library)P.M.G. Department (Neg. No. 4695J)eltham, shire of eltham pioneers photograph collection, montsalvat, sepp, gatehouse

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