This pair of navigational lamps or lights was fitted to the vessel S.S. Rowitta when it was renovated to become a display passenger ferry at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village from 1976-2015. Navigation lamps are used to indicate a vessel’s position and direction of travel to other vessels nearby. This system of coloured lamps is standardised throughout the world for all marine vessels, red is for port and green for starboard, (red is for the boats right hand side). These navigation lamps were not the original fittings for this vessel but had come from a similar vessel of the same era of the early 1900’s. The history of the lamp fittings at this time is unknown. SS ROWITTA: - The 1909 steam ferry, SS Rowitta, was installed as an exhibit at Flagstaff Hill in 1975 and was enjoyed by many visitors for 40 years. Rowitta was a timber steam ferry built in Hobart in 1909 using planks of Huon and Karri wood. She was a favourite of sightseeing passengers along Tasmania’s Tamar and Derwent rivers for 30 years. Rowitta was also known as Tarkarri and Sorrento and had worked as a coastal trading vessel between Devonport and Melbourne, and Melbourne Queenscliff and Sorrento. In 1974 Rowitta was purchased by Flagstaff Hilt to convert into a representation of the Speculant, a historic and locally significant sailing ship listed on the Victorian Heritage Database. (The Speculant was built in Scotland in 1895 and traded timber between the United Kingdom and Russia. Warrnambool’s P J McGennan & Co. then bought the vessel to trade pine timber from New Zealand to Victorian ports and cargo to Melbourne. She was the largest ship registered with Warrnambool as her home port, playing a key role in the early 1900s in the Port of Warrnambool. In 1911, on her way to Melbourne, she was wrecked near Cape Otway. None of the nine crew lost their lives.) The promised funds for converting Rowitta into the Speculant were no longer available, so she was restored back to her original configuration. She represented the importance of coastal traders to transport, trade and communication in Australia times before rail and motor vehicles. Sadly, in 2015 the time had come to demolish the Rowitta due to her excessive deterioration and the high cost of on-going repairs. She had given over 100 years of service and pleasure to those who knew her. These lamps are an historical example of navigational equipment used in the early 20th century, adhering to a navigational standard that is worldwide, and a design similar to what is still being used today. They were used on the display vessel at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village as an aid to maritime education. The Rowitta represents the importance of coastal traders to transport, trade and communication along the coast of Victoria, between states, and in Australia before rail and motor vehicles. The vessel was an example of a ferry built in the early 20th century that served many different roles over its lifetime of over 100 years. Two side navigation ship's lamps, quarter circle shaped metal boxes with glass window and removable lid. The lid attaches to the box using four brackets, wingnuts and screws that swing down out of the way. The window of double-thickness glass is inserted on the curved side of the box and attached by screws around the frame. The inner glass panel is coloured according to the lamp’s use; port is red and starboard green. The port lamp has a round hole cut into each of the two straight sides and an electrical fitting inside. The starboard lamp also has a hole in each straight side (one with a threaded fitting). Its lid has an additional cross bar on top that has a circular space in the centre, nuts and screws fit through holes in the ends and a folding handle is attached across the centre space. The lamps were once fitted onto the vessel Rowitta. The starboard lamp has an inscription stamped into the metal. Impressed on 3689.2; “STARBOARD PATT 8025” flagstaff hill, warrnambool, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, flagstaff hill maritime village, navigation lamp, navigation light, navigation equipment, starboard patt 8025, ship’s fitting, rowitta, tarkarri, speculant, purdon & featherstone of hobart, passenger ferry 1909, vessel, display rowitta, display passenger ferry, sorrento

Needlework Illustrated is issue 196 and cost 1/-. it was published quarterly. Australian Home Journal is the May 1963 issue. Women’s magazines just after WWII played a “reflecting role,” including topics of readers’ interests as well as containing news items. Women’s employment rate had grown during WWII. However, even though the number of women working outside the home grew rapidly most of them were still engaged entirely in homemaking. Therefore women’s magazines centered mostly home crafts. Articles as well as advertisements presented information on keeping the family healthy with guidelines for thrifty shopping and advice on how to look good through it all. Patterns and instructions were provided for women to create home articles and clothing. The main sources for kntting and needlework designs available to women were in journals, magazines and pattern books. Embroidery was an affordable way to personalise and add aesthetic value to domestic linen and examples of embroidered and crocheted pieces could be found in most Australian homes. These are examples of women's magazines. They give practical advice on needlework / knitting and evidences the widespread interest in contemporary fashion. In doing so it shows what were the fashionable, but broadly affordable, women's and children's clothing styles of their day. These magazines also reflect women's interests --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Two magazines. 3097.1 contains patterns, instructions, advertisements and photographs. It has a coloured cover - a pink background, black print an drawings of a woman wearing a top embroidered with roses and examples of needlework. 3097.2 contains patterns, advertisements, correspondence, and stories. It has a coloured cover with a photograph of a woman wearing a knitted jumper and three sewing patterns.magazine- needlework-illustrated magazine-australian-home-journal

Item in the BCOF Association Collection, refer Cat No 7625This is a single page document printed both sides. It has been laminated. Side one - typed wording in black ink. Headlines are:- "BCOF COMMANDMENTS", "THE GENERAL'S PRAYER" and "REHAB CORNER" Side Two - A map showing Japan at the top, Australia at the bottom. It shows the course the ship HMAS MANOORA took to come home. Numbers along the way show 1800 hrs and the day/date at that time.japan, japan occupational forces, hmas manoora

This typewriter case allowed the Olivetti typewriter to be securely and free from contaminants to be totally mobile. The Olivetti typewriter company was founded in Italy in 1908 and became a leader in portable dependable typewriters.This particular typewriter contained is a Olivetti Lettera 22, oblique front stroke and portable manufactured after 1950. During the 1950s and 1960s was a time when British and European manufactured goods were still purchased by many Australian consumers. After the 1970s however, there was a shift, mainly in the cities, to Japanese made goods. The invasion of Japanese manufactured goods was relatively slower, especially in rural areas. The demand for long lasting and dependable merchandise was in the rural area still the most important criteria. The ease of setting up this typewriter and its compact mobility was its major benefit to trades people and travelling professionals, e.g. rural doctors, other medical professionals, accountants, lawyers and educators. This item(carrying case) facilitated the growing numbers of professional nomads requiring a relatively light office stationery package e.g. travelling novelist, writer, businessman and academics. This typewriter needed no electrical or battery power to operate it therefore the inside compartment did not require additional storage pockets . Outback Australia, where at this point in time, good available electrical power reticulation and battery power, was a scarce and therefore could not be totally measured as a highly efficient office environment. The protective carrying bag provided the only mobile way to operate in some business and home locations.Although this typewriter cover and its typewriter was purchased from a business in Penrith, Sydney, N.S.W., it is significant that it travelled easily to the Kiewa Valley, demonstrating the mobility of certain sections of the community. This typewriter cover protected the expensive typewriter it contained which was designed by an Italian industrial designer, Marcello Nizzoli, in line with the art deco style of the 1930s and the colour and flexibility of the vibrant 1950s. The underlying theme of manufacturing in the 1950s was to produce equipment that was more efficient than what was inherited from the earlier period of 20th century. Improvements were made to this Olivetti typewriter by Giuseppe Beccio by reducing the number of parts made from 3,000 to 2,000. Protection of such a typewriter was of an utmost necessity. The need for mobile expensive typewriters waned as less expensive typewriters became available. This was the major principle of the Japanese manufacturing juggernauts of the post World War II. Efficiency and low cost material was becoming prime factors in the success of rural industries from the 1960s. Competition from overseas producers was starting to affect rural industries and the removal of the large range of tariff protection, especially rural products, required not only a shift of farm management but a more efficient cost savings modus operandi.This is a semi hard cover (cloth over cardboard on inside, plastic over cardboard on outside), camel coloured outside and tartan cloth covered pattern inside the typewriter case. the case can be opened up by "unzipping" the top from the bottom halves of the case. For carrying purposes the case has two plastic covering metal handles with brass fittings. There are two stitched on brown reinforcement straps encompassing both sides of the case. The two reinforcing straps are brown in colour and a securing strap with a press button at one end to allow an extra securing tongue to keep the cover secure. The top inside of the case has a three quarters long paper compartment (flap style). See KVHS 0455 for Olivetti Lettera typewriter.commercial, protective carry bags/cases for mobile office equipment, mechanical typewriter

Fly killer liquid was used in manually operated sprays to kill insects in the home. This was used prior to aerosol cans being available.Common household item used before availability of aerosol cans.Insecticide. Brown straight sided glass bottle with tin screw lid. Base is rectangular in shape. Two thirds of the way up the sides taper to a round opening. The front and two sides are covered with a yellow paper label which is covered with mostly black writing. The title of the label is Rawleigh's Pyrethro Fly Killer Back of bottle at base - embossed: '2' Base - embossed: 5/F1837/Minsecticide; bottle; household item

This candle mould was used in the past to make six candles. Molten wax or tallow, together with a central thread or cotton, were poured into the columns and when set were removed from the moulds. Until the advent of electricity in the 1920s in Warrnambool, candles, lanterns and lamps were an important source of lighting in homes. Few homes had gas lighting. Many householders made their own candles from waste fat etc. This mould is retained as an example of the way householders in the past made their own candles to assist lighting in the home. This is a mould with a rectangular base and six cylindrical hollow columns with pointed ends affixed to the mould base. The columns are topped by a rectangular metal tray with the openings of the columns in the base of the tray. There is a metal clip attached to one end of the tray. The mould is very rusty warrnambool history, candles

Laughing Waters Walk, 7 Sep 2013 This Society excursion was a follow up to the Laughing Waters Story told to us by Jane Woollard at our Annual General Meeting in March 2013. It involved a walk commencing from the corner of Laughing Waters and Overbank Roads along Laughing Waters Road to its eastern end and returning partly over the same route - a total distance of about 2.5km. On the way we visited the two artist in residence properties, River Bend and Birrarung, to view the houses on them that are associated with Alistair Knox, Gordon Ford and others in the local mud brick and artistic community. We also able to walk around the derelict ruin which was once home to Gordon and Sue Ford, Boomerang House. An unexpected afternoon tea was offered to us by the artists in residence at Birrarung House and we had a brief opportunity to view inside the house. River Bend was designed and built by Alistair Knox for Rosemary and Bill Cuming in 1968. It sits in a deep cutting on a steep slope above the Yarra River and features floor to ceiling windows and glass doors set into mission brown timber frames and walls of reclaimed bricks in pinkish hue. Rosemary laid the brick paving around the house, a copy of the shell paving found in the ancient French town of Colmar, where the family had lived for a period. The kitchen was equipped with a 1960s stove as well as a cast iron wood stove reclaimed from Rosemary's sister's home in Armadale. Max and Tini Huygens, migrants from Holland, purchased the property in 1975 and named it Tilwinda from an Aboriginal word meaning 'hole in a rock'. In late 1981 Tini died after a short illness, but Max continued to live at Tilwinda until he moved to a retirement village in 2000 and the property was sold to Parks Victoria. Renamed River Bend, the property became part of the Laughing Waters Artist in Residency Program in 2008. Nillumbik Shire Council upgraded the property in 2012 with solar panels, a heat pump for hot water and double glazing to improve the comfort of the artists in residence and make the house more energy efficient. For a more in-depth description of the property and biographies of the various artists in residence commencing from 2008 to 2015, see Jane Woollard's book, "Laughing Waters Road; Art, Landscape & Memory in Eltham" published 2016.2013-09-07, activities, artists in residence, eltham district historical society, heritage excursion, jim connor collection, laughing waters road, river bend house

Laughing Waters Walk, 7 Sep 2013 This Society excursion was a follow up to the Laughing Waters Story told to us by Jane Woollard at our Annual General Meeting in March 2013. It involved a walk commencing from the corner of Laughing Waters and Overbank Roads along Laughing Waters Road to its eastern end and returning partly over the same route - a total distance of about 2.5km. On the way we visited the two artist in residence properties, River Bend and Birrarung, to view the houses on them that are associated with Alistair Knox, Gordon Ford and others in the local mud brick and artistic community. We also able to walk around the derelict ruin which was once home to Gordon and Sue Ford, Boomerang House. An unexpected afternoon tea was offered to us by the artists in residence at Birrarung House and we had a brief opportunity to view inside the house. Birrarung is situated near the end of Laughing Waters Road. It was built in 1974 by Graeme Rose for Gordon Ford who he had asked to build him a small ‘bach’. Builder Peter Jarvis who did his apprenticeship with Alistair Knox for a couple of years recalled there were no drawings. It evolved as more funds became available. Graeme would source second-hand building materials around which he would shape the house. The fireplace was built with chicken wire over which it was rendered with faro cement. A brick floored glass studio, added later, faces a wall of boulders pressed into a manmade cliff, a large pond the link between the rock wall and glass studio. A waterfall, fed by river water, no longer functions. The property became part of the Laughing Waters Artist in Residency Program with the first artist taking up residency in 2001. For a more in-depth description of the property and biographies of the various artists in residence commencing from 2001 through to 2015, see Jane Woollard's book, "Laughing Waters Road; Art, Landscape & Memory in Eltham" published 2016.2013-09-07, activities, artists in residence, eltham district historical society, heritage excursion, jim connor collection, laughing waters road, birrarung house

Laughing Waters Walk, 7 Sep 2013 This Society excursion was a follow up to the Laughing Waters Story told to us by Jane Woollard at our Annual General Meeting in March 2013. It involved a walk commencing from the corner of Laughing Waters and Overbank Roads along Laughing Waters Road to its eastern end and returning partly over the same route - a total distance of about 2.5km. On the way we visited the two artist in residence properties, River Bend and Birrarung, to view the houses on them that are associated with Alistair Knox, Gordon Ford and others in the local mud brick and artistic community. We also able to walk around the derelict ruin which was once home to Gordon and Sue Ford, Boomerang House. An unexpected afternoon tea was offered to us by the artists in residence at Birrarung House and we had a brief opportunity to view inside the house. Gordon Ford and photographer Sue Winslow were married in 1965. They set up home in an old log cabin on the property Gordon had purchased in 1954 on Laughing Waters Road. Situated between the Yarra River and Overbank Road, Gordon had built a small mud-brick shack on the river and a pontoon. Over the decades the shack has been locally referred to as “the love shack”, the “rooting shack” or simply “Gordon’s shack”. Gordon and Sue commissioned local builder Graeme Rose to do a wattle and daub renovation and extension to the old log cabin on the north side of Laughing Waters Road. The work had only just been completed in 1965 when a bushfire swept through the area and destroyed the cabin. Gordon and Sue relocated to his property, Fulling, in Pitt Street, Eltham. In 1970 work started on a new house at the Laughing Waters property. Originally known as the Banana House, it is now known as Boomerang. Designed by Alistair Knox, the mud-brick house includes iron window grilles made by Matcham Skipper that puncture the curved mud walls. The grilles were made from ‘off-pressings’ from the Sidchrome tool works in Heidelberg. Gordon, Sue and family moved into the house in 1972. Their marriage fell apart and Sue moved to Sydney with the children around the same time Gordon commenced building Birrarung just below Boomerang on the Laughing Waters Road block. After the Fords moved out, Boomerang it was rented out to various share households of students, musicians, artists and environmentalists for twenty-four years. Gordon Ford sold Birrarung and Boomerang to Melbourne Water in 1999. The Laughing Waters Artist in Residence Program was developed as a partnership between Parks Victoria and Nillumbik Shire Council. Boomerang was deemed unfit for habitation so was used as a day studio only. By 2001 Boomerang was in a poor state of repair and by 2002 the last artist in residence was to use the house as a studio. Nillumbik Shire Council had been granted funds from the Melbourne Community Fund to restore both Boomerang and Birrarung but it was apparent in early 2003 that the funds would be insufficient to restore both houses. Boomerang was infested with termites which presented a risk to any occupants and so the decision was made to close Boomerang and concentrate funding on Birrarung. Boomerang was fenced off for safety and to prevent intrusion and remains ‘caged’ today (2023). However, it is readily apparent the property has been occupied by squatters over the years. By 2023 it was clear that the squatters had abandoned the property and sections of the roof structure have given away in some areas and collapsed internally. For a more in-depth description and history of the property and that of Gordon and Sue Ford, see Jane Woollard's book, "Laughing Waters Road; Art, Landscape & Memory in Eltham" published 2016.2013-09-07, activities, eltham district historical society, heritage excursion, jim connor collection, laughing waters road, boomerang house, gordon ford

Laughing Waters Walk, 7 Sep 2013 This Society excursion was a follow up to the Laughing Waters Story told to us by Jane Woollard at our Annual General Meeting in March 2013. It involved a walk commencing from the corner of Laughing Waters and Overbank Roads along Laughing Waters Road to its eastern end and returning partly over the same route - a total distance of about 2.5km. On the way we visited the two artist in residence properties, River Bend and Birrarung, to view the houses on them that are associated with Alistair Knox, Gordon Ford and others in the local mud brick and artistic community. We also able to walk around the derelict ruin which was once home to Gordon and Sue Ford, Boomerang House. An unexpected afternoon tea was offered to us by the artists in residence at Birrarung House and we had a brief opportunity to view inside the house. Gordon Ford and photographer Sue Winslow were married in 1965. They set up home in an old log cabin on the property Gordon had purchased in 1954 on Laughing Waters Road. Situated between the Yarra River and Overbank Road, Gordon had built a small mud-brick shack on the river and a pontoon. Over the decades the shack has been locally referred to as “the love shack”, the “rooting shack” or simply “Gordon’s shack”. Gordon and Sue commissioned local builder Graeme Rose to do a wattle and daub renovation and extension to the old log cabin on the north side of Laughing Waters Road. The work had only just been completed in 1965 when a bushfire swept through the area and destroyed the cabin. Gordon and Sue relocated to his property, Fulling, in Pitt Street, Eltham. In 1970 work started on a new house at the Laughing Waters property. Originally known as the Banana House, it is now known as Boomerang. Designed by Alistair Knox, the mud-brick house includes iron window grilles made by Matcham Skipper that puncture the curved mud walls. The grilles were made from ‘off-pressings’ from the Sidchrome tool works in Heidelberg. Gordon, Sue and family moved into the house in 1972. Their marriage fell apart and Sue moved to Sydney with the children around the same time Gordon commenced building Birrarung just below Boomerang on the Laughing Waters Road block. After the Fords moved out, Boomerang it was rented out to various share households of students, musicians, artists and environmentalists for twenty-four years. Gordon Ford sold Birrarung and Boomerang to Melbourne Water in 1999. The Laughing Waters Artist in Residence Program was developed as a partnership between Parks Victoria and Nillumbik Shire Council. Boomerang was deemed unfit for habitation so was used as a day studio only. By 2001 Boomerang was in a poor state of repair and by 2002 the last artist in residence was to use the house as a studio. Nillumbik Shire Council had been granted funds from the Melbourne Community Fund to restore both Boomerang and Birrarung but it was apparent in early 2003 that the funds would be insufficient to restore both houses. Boomerang was infested with termites which presented a risk to any occupants and so the decision was made to close Boomerang and concentrate funding on Birrarung. Boomerang was fenced off for safety and to prevent intrusion and remains ‘caged’ today (2023). However, it is readily apparent the property has been occupied by squatters over the years. By 2023 it was clear that the squatters had abandoned the property and sections of the roof structure have given away in some areas and collapsed internally. For a more in-depth description and history of the property and that of Gordon and Sue Ford, see Jane Woollard's book, "Laughing Waters Road; Art, Landscape & Memory in Eltham" published 2016.2013-09-07, activities, eltham district historical society, heritage excursion, jim connor collection, laughing waters road, boomerang house, gordon ford, gordon's shack, love shack

Laughing Waters Walk, 7 Sep 2013 This Society excursion was a follow up to the Laughing Waters Story told to us by Jane Woollard at our Annual General Meeting in March 2013. It involved a walk commencing from the corner of Laughing Waters and Overbank Roads along Laughing Waters Road to its eastern end and returning partly over the same route - a total distance of about 2.5km. On the way we visited the two artist in residence properties, River Bend and Birrarung, to view the houses on them that are associated with Alistair Knox, Gordon Ford and others in the local mud brick and artistic community. We also able to walk around the derelict ruin which was once home to Gordon and Sue Ford, Boomerang House. An unexpected afternoon tea was offered to us by the artists in residence at Birrarung House and we had a brief opportunity to view inside the house. Birrarung is situated near the end of Laughing Waters Road. It was built in 1974 by Graeme Rose for Gordon Ford who he had asked to build him a small ‘bach’. Builder Peter Jarvis who did his apprenticeship with Alistair Knox for a couple of years recalled there were no drawings. It evolved as more funds became available. Graeme would source second-hand building materials around which he would shape the house. The fireplace was built with chicken wire over which it was rendered with faro cement. A brick floored glass studio, added later, faces a wall of boulders pressed into a manmade cliff, a large pond the link between the rock wall and glass studio. A waterfall, fed by river water, no longer functions. The property became part of the Laughing Waters Artist in Residency Program with the first artist taking up residency in 2001. For a more in-depth description of the property and biographies of the various artists in residence commencing from 2001 through to 2015, see Jane Woollard's book, "Laughing Waters Road; Art, Landscape & Memory in Eltham" published 2016.2013-09-07, activities, artists in residence, eltham district historical society, heritage excursion, laughing waters road, birrarung house, fay bridge collection

References to McLean family, Hector John McLean and Louisa Frances (nee Green) and six daughters who lived in Eltham during the period 1930 to 1934 inclusive. Lived in the former Evelyn Hotel at the time it was destroyed by fire and being part of the Centenary Parade in 1934 where the family won the Group Section for their entry “Pioneers of Eltham” Reminiscences provided by Edith Jones (nee M1934 flood, ballroom, baptism, barber shop, bittern, boy scouts, bremner's flat, burgoyne's shop, cable tram, cemetery road, centenary celebrations, centenary parade, christening, coach house, collis grocery, dalton street, depression, dole, dorothy jean mclean, edith jones (nee mclean), eltham fire brigade, eltham high school, eltham higher elementary school, eltham lower park, eltham railway station, eltham state school no. 209, evelyn hotel, fire damage - buildings, flinders naval depot, fordham, gladys evelyn mclean, gold mining, gwenneth mae mclean, gwladys evelyn mclean, headmistress, hector john mclean, isherwood house and shop, louisa frances mclean (nee green), metery road, methodist church, miss finnin, miss grant cottage, motor bike races, mrs barrett, mrs bremner, mrs hurley, olive isabel mclean, parade, phoebe lillian mclean, picnic, pioneers of eltham, pitt street, research fire brigade, rev. r.g. arthur, shed, shops, st margarets church hall, st margaret's church, stables, state savings bank of victoria, susso books, todaro, vinnie willet, warrandyte bridge, warrandyte, wingrove park, yarra river

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

[Five views of Thursday Island, including] Thursday Island from Military Barracks, The T.S. Hospital, Darnley Island Torres Straits, Main Street, Native Feast, [ca. 1917-1920] See https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/catalog/3117659 Dear Mum A few lines to let you know I've arrived at the top end of Aussie safely & now on my way down the coast towards Sydney. I'll be over on leave about the eighth Sept cheer up dont forget to send the suitcase about the second of Seot it will give me time to pack it then remember me to all & best love to yourself and Dad, your son Bill.This item, a souvenir from Thursday Island from between the wars (circa 1923) was brought home to Research, Victoria by Bill Teagle who was serving in the Royal Australian Navy (1919-1945). According to Bill's neice Valerie Waller (nee Feldbauer, daughter of Violet and Theodore 'Curly' Feldbauer), her Uncle Bill would always bring some sort of souvenir home from his travels for family members. The item ( along with a series of postcards from Japan of the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1 September 1923) was possibly given by Bill Teagle to his sister Margaret Rose (formerly Ingram) who later married Richard Edward (Eddie) Fielding in early 1948. (Eddie had been engaged to someone else before he went to war, but his fiancée broke it off before his return to Australia.) It was cared for by the Teagle/Fielding family for approximately one hundred years. It is of particular significance given the family's connection to the Eltham War Memorial through 'Curly' Feldbauer and the significance of that memorial to the local community and represents that despite the horrors of war, former friends then foes can become friends again.tom fielding collection, postcard, thursday island

Various news articles pertaining to the January 1962 Victorian bushfires in the Dandenong and Healesville districts which by the third day had encompassed large areas of the State. Specific Eltham Shire districts mentioned include Warrandyte on page 1, St. Andrews and Smith’s Gully on page 2, St. Andrews on page 3 and 43, Panton Hill and Warrandyte on p23 and Hurstbridge on page 44 • It's Now Safe in Fire Areas; Death Toll Reaches 8, p1 (Illust.) • How they died, pp1-2 • It was “heaven” in the bush … Boys stayed on . . . to die, pp1-2 (Illust.) • Towns take stock as danger drops, p2 • £5400 to the relief fund, p2 • Fire now threat to Otways, p2 • Pensioners lose all, p2 • “…If Only The Rain Had Come” … and then it came to town, p3 (Illust.) • Our best rain since May • It halted at Grandma’s front gate, p5 (Illust.) • Now that the rain has come; It’s time for the clean-up, p6 • Wisps of smoke where flames danced, p7 • Charitry’s a loser, p7 • War Service homes claim, p7 • Help’s on way, p7 (Illust.) • Came with their gifts …, p7 • Fire summons for youth; “sparked the rest”, p9 • Three gaoled, p9 • They had to camp out at Wye River, p9 (Illust.) • “Probe Fires” – Stoneham, p9 • The Fourth Day: Scorched Earth!, pp22-23 (Illust.) • This home was saved but - , p22 (Illust.) • Relief Centre, p23 (Illust.) • Homeless, p23 (Illust.) • So little was left, p43 (Illust.) • Tommy saved his cat, p43 (Illust.) • Some were lucky … and some were tired, p44 (Illust.) tom fielding collection, victorian bushfires - 1962, victorian bushfires – 1962, ronald ockwell, geoffrey ockwell, woori yallock, william ockwell, leslie ockwell, linda may ockwell, black friday, victorian bushfires – 1939, warrandyte, arthur brown, harold vernon betton, bloom road, william smith, olinda, bushfire relief fund, yarra glen, healesville, railway line, st. andrews, smith’s gully, otway ranges, eric watts, edith varty, inverness road, mt. evelyn, wye river, panton hil, heather sullivan, warrandyte hall, montrose, kalorama, mrs e. tucker, shirley tucker, margaret tucker, joane tucker, roger tucker, trevor tucker, ann quinton, tom dunstan, hurstbridge hall

A community-led project to contribute to a vision for the Shire of Nillumbik. Between October 2011 and June 2012, Nillumbik Shire Council undertook a community information gathering project to ask residents "what is your vision for your local community?” Picture Nillumbik represents a collection of responses from community groups, schools and households via online submissions, photos, interviews and workshop contributions. The resulting document provides a snapshot of the values, ambitions and resilience of Nillumbik communities. The project aimed to inform community planning and identify how Council can work better with residents. The resulting document provides a snapshot of the values, ambitions and resilience of Nillumbik communities. Aimed to inform community planning and identify how Council can work better with residents. Further that the document be inspiring, stimulating and a reminder that the future is worth planning for. Includes a number of case studies of local organisations and projects including: Christmas Hills - Butterfly Studios, Strathewen Tree Project, St Andrews mosaic seat, Eltham & District Woodworkers Inc., Edendale Farm - Home harvest, Hurstbridge, Bend of Islands, Bendigo bank, Dunmoochin - Cottles Bridge, Artists Open Studios Program, World Matters and Past Matters, Nillumbik Reconciliation Group, Boots for all. Chapters include: Deep connection and resilient community, local village life, Balance with nature, a sustaining and evolving economy, creative expression, art and cultural exchange, experience discovery and fulfilment and stewarding the Nillumbik way. Each chapter includes further questions for discussion.Spiral bound document printed in landscape format. Includes text and colour photographs. 196 pagesSmall piece of paper headed "DRAFT" included at the front of the document when bound.shire of nillumbik, planning, future, christmas hills, strathewen tree project, st andrews, eltham & district woodworkers inc., edendale farm, bend of islands, dunmoochin, artists open studios program, nillumbik reconciliation group, community groups, vision, strategy

Vol. 3, No. 3, Jun-Jul 1998 CONTENTS BANNERS MAKE A MARK Whittlesea lifts its arts profile 2 THE DROVER'S BOY A new play by Ray Mooney 3 HOME AWAY FROM HOME Nillumbik finally discovers a new tourist potential 5 OUT OF DESIGN, INTO ART A tour of Tony Clark's public and private paintings at Heide 7 BOOK REVIEW The Blue Gate, by Alison Groggon 11 THE ACCIDENTAL ARCHIVE The work of Jenni Mitchell 12 GOING IT ALONE David Moore make a critical decision 14 ENTERTAINMENT Pictorial round-up of local artists 16 A WAY WITH BOOKS Kay Sagar sets the scene in schools 18 SHORT STORY BY JON WEAVING 19 THEATRE WITH CAROLYN PICKETT 22 BOOK REVIEW - NICE TRY 25 CD REVIEW 26 PLEASURE IN ART Interview with Marian Sussex, aged 82 27 FRESH APPROACH TO SHAKESPEARE 29 ARTS SERVICES & TEACHING 30 WINING, DINING & ENTERTAINING 31 New looks in local parks 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, were street cafe, sam alessi, plenty ranges arts and convention centre, ray mooney, dymocks booksellers, adams of north riding, bed and breakfasts, b&b, eltham garden retreat, tony clark, eltham library community gallery, alison croggan, ian mcbryde, ward sagar, jenni mitchell, emma lew, ken taylor, pietro ristorante grossi, david moore, dynamic vegies, yarra valley country club, tim mclean, petery haydon, mirth, volumes, cate bailey, songlines, jane mcgeogh-brittan, azure, margaret roadknight, mezze restaurant warrandyte, andre mcauley, robbie grieg, melanie shanahan, ricky ozimo, george dreyfus, sebastian jorgensen, angie mcmillan, kay sagar, jon weaving, heidelberg thearte company, carolyn pickett, llobex image wizards, shane moloney, michelle lonsdale, birrarung, anglea abbot, don james, john wakefield, la piazza restaurant bar & cafe, eltham high school, kavisha mazzello, robbie grieg, recherche speciality picture framing, marian sussex, maree wesols, anne maree graham, art in public places, albert tucker, museum of modern art at heide, montsalvat

Frank Stokes first traveled to the district by train in 1944 to find land with the intention to establish an orchard. By chance he met Arthur Bird of Bird Orchard (bounded by Pitt Street, Eucalyptus Road and Wattle Grove) and they got talking over their common interest. Arthur put Frank up for the night and pointed out the land, part of Crown Allotment 15, Section 5, Parish of Nillumbik (CA15) somewhat diagonally opposite Bird Orchard. Frank bought the land and for the next two years would travel by train from Melbourne to Eltham every weekend establishing Stokes Orchard and building a home for his family, which they eventually moved into in 1946. In the mid 1970s the Shire of Eltham divided the orchard up into numerous rate-able parcel lots, which became affordable for Frank. As a consequence Stokes Orchard was turned into a housing development by Macquarie Builders and marketed as the Stokes Orchard Estate in two stages; Stage 1 encompassing Scarlet Ash Court, Ironbark Close and Peppermint Grove bounded by Nyora and Eucalyptus roads c.1976 and Stage 2 encompassing Stokes Place, Orchard Way, The Crest and The Lookout bound by Nyora and Diosma roads c.1979. The development of Orchard Way, The Crest and The Lookout did not proceed as planned due to the lack of the sewer along Diosma Road and so many of the proposed lots were incorporated into five-acre parcels instead.Representative of the orchard growing areas of ElthamDigital file only - Digitised by EDHS from a scrapbook (containing commercially printed photos of digital scans) on loan from Beryl Bradbury (nee Stokes), daughter of Frank Stokes.1944, beryl bradbury (nee stokes), beryl bradbury (nee stokes) collection, dorothy stokes, eltham, frank stokes, nyora road, stokes orchard

Frank's mother Florence was visiting from England at the time. Frank Stokes first traveled to the district by train in 1944 to find land with the intention to establish an orchard. By chance he met Arthur Bird of Bird Orchard (bounded by Pitt Street, Eucalyptus Road and Wattle Grove) and they got talking over their common interest. Arthur put Frank up for the night and pointed out the land, part of Crown Allotment 15, Section 5, Parish of Nillumbik (CA15) somewhat diagonally opposite Bird Orchard. Frank bought the land and for the next two years would travel by train from Melbourne to Eltham every weekend establishing Stokes Orchard and building a home for his family, which they eventually moved into in 1946. In the mid 1970s the Shire of Eltham divided the orchard up into numerous rate-able parcel lots, which became affordable for Frank. As a consequence Stokes Orchard was turned into a housing development by Macquarie Builders and marketed as the Stokes Orchard Estate in two stages; Stage 1 encompassing Scarlet Ash Court, Ironbark Close and Peppermint Grove bounded by Nyora and Eucalyptus roads c.1976 and Stage 2 encompassing Stokes Place, Orchard Way, The Crest and The Lookout bound by Nyora and Diosma roads c.1979. The development of Orchard Way, The Crest and The Lookout did not proceed as planned due to the lack of the sewer along Diosma Road and so many of the proposed lots were incorporated into five-acre parcels instead.Representative of the orchard growing areas of ElthamDigital file only - Digitised by EDHS from a scrapbook (containing commercially printed photos of digital scans) on loan from Beryl Bradbury (nee Stokes), daughter of Frank Stokes.1950, beryl bradbury (nee stokes), beryl bradbury (nee stokes) collection, david stokes, dorothy stokes, eltham, flatbed truck, florence stokes (nee west), frank stokes, nyora road, stokes orchard

Taken from outside the family home on the southest corner of the intersection of Nyora Road and Pitt Street with Eucalyptus Road, looking northeast across the Stokes Orchard L-R: David, Howard, Beryl (kneeling), Dorothy and Gladys Stokes with Gladys's mother sitting in Gladys's father's car with Spot the dog, Nyora Road, Eltham, c.1952 Frank Stokes first traveled to the district by train in 1944 to find land with the intention to establish an orchard. By chance he met Arthur Bird of Bird Orchard (bounded by Pitt Street, Eucalyptus Road and Wattle Grove) and they got talking over their common interest. Arthur put Frank up for the night and pointed out the land, part of Crown Allotment 15, Section 5, Parish of Nillumbik (CA15) somewhat diagonally opposite Bird Orchard. Frank bought the land and for the next two years would travel by train from Melbourne to Eltham every weekend establishing Stokes Orchard and building a home for his family, which they eventually moved into in 1946. In the mid 1970s the Shire of Eltham divided the orchard up into numerous rate-able parcel lots, which became affordable for Frank. As a consequence Stokes Orchard was turned into a housing development by Macquarie Builders and marketed as the Stokes Orchard Estate in two stages; Stage 1 encompassing Scarlet Ash Court, Ironbark Close and Peppermint Grove bounded by Nyora and Eucalyptus roads c.1976 and Stage 2 encompassing Stokes Place, Orchard Way, The Crest and The Lookout bound by Nyora and Diosma roads c.1979. The development of Orchard Way, The Crest and The Lookout did not proceed as planned due to the lack of the sewer along Diosma Road and so many of the proposed lots were incorporated into five-acre parcels instead.Representative of the orchard growing areas of ElthamDigital file only - Digitised by EDHS from a scrapbook (containing commercially printed photos of digital scans) on loan from Beryl Bradbury (nee Stokes), daughter of Frank Stokes.1948-1951 vauxhall velox, 1948-1951 vauxhall wyvern, 1952, beryl bradbury (nee stokes), beryl bradbury (nee stokes) collection, david stokes, dorothy stokes, eltham, gladys stokes, nyora road, spot (dog), stokes orchard

Taken from outside the family home on the southest corner of the intersection of Nyora Road and Pitt Street with Eucalyptus Road, looking northeast across the Stokes Orchard Frank Stokes with children, Dorothy (left), Beryl and David Frank Stokes first traveled to the district by train in 1944 to find land with the intention to establish an orchard. By chance he met Arthur Bird of Bird Orchard (bounded by Pitt Street, Eucalyptus Road and Wattle Grove) and they got talking over their common interest. Arthur put Frank up for the night and pointed out the land, part of Crown Allotment 15, Section 5, Parish of Nillumbik (CA15) somewhat diagonally opposite Bird Orchard. Frank bought the land and for the next two years would travel by train from Melbourne to Eltham every weekend establishing Stokes Orchard and building a home for his family, which they eventually moved into in 1946. In the mid 1970s the Shire of Eltham divided the orchard up into numerous rate-able parcel lots, which became affordable for Frank. As a consequence Stokes Orchard was turned into a housing development by Macquarie Builders and marketed as the Stokes Orchard Estate in two stages; Stage 1 encompassing Scarlet Ash Court, Ironbark Close and Peppermint Grove bounded by Nyora and Eucalyptus roads c.1976 and Stage 2 encompassing Stokes Place, Orchard Way, The Crest and The Lookout bound by Nyora and Diosma roads c.1979. The development of Orchard Way, The Crest and The Lookout did not proceed as planned due to the lack of the sewer along Diosma Road and so many of the proposed lots were incorporated into five-acre parcels instead.Representative of the orchard growing areas of ElthamDigital file only - Digitised by EDHS from a scrapbook (containing commercially printed photos of digital scans) on loan from Beryl Bradbury (nee Stokes), daughter of Frank Stokes.1950, beryl bradbury (nee stokes), beryl bradbury (nee stokes) collection, david stokes, dorothy stokes, eltham, frank stokes, horse, nyora road, sled, stokes orchard

Taken from outside the family home on the southest corner of the intersection of Nyora Road and Pitt Street with Eucalyptus Road. Frank Stokes first traveled to the district by train in 1944 to find land with the intention to establish an orchard. By chance he met Arthur Bird of Bird Orchard (bounded by Pitt Street, Eucalyptus Road and Wattle Grove) and they got talking over their common interest. Arthur put Frank up for the night and pointed out the land, part of Crown Allotment 15, Section 5, Parish of Nillumbik (CA15) somewhat diagonally opposite Bird Orchard. Frank bought the land and for the next two years would travel by train from Melbourne to Eltham every weekend establishing Stokes Orchard and building a home for his family, which they eventually moved into in 1946. In the mid 1970s the Shire of Eltham divided the orchard up into numerous rate-able parcel lots, which became affordable for Frank. As a consequence Stokes Orchard was turned into a housing development by Macquarie Builders and marketed as the Stokes Orchard Estate in two stages; Stage 1 encompassing Scarlet Ash Court, Ironbark Close and Peppermint Grove bounded by Nyora and Eucalyptus roads c.1976 and Stage 2 encompassing Stokes Place, Orchard Way, The Crest and The Lookout bound by Nyora and Diosma roads c.1979. The development of Orchard Way, The Crest and The Lookout did not proceed as planned due to the lack of the sewer along Diosma Road and so many of the proposed lots were incorporated into five-acre parcels instead.Representative of the orchard growing areas of Eltham. One of the rare times it has snowed in ElthamDigital file only - Digitised by EDHS from a scrapbook (containing commercially printed photos of digital scans) on loan from Beryl Bradbury (nee Stokes), daughter of Frank Stokes.1951, beryl bradbury (nee stokes) collection, eltham, eucalyptus road, nyora road, snow, stokes family home

Taken from outside the family home on the southest corner of the intersection of Nyora Road and Pitt Street with Eucalyptus Road. Frank Stokes first traveled to the district by train in 1944 to find land with the intention to establish an orchard. By chance he met Arthur Bird of Bird Orchard (bounded by Pitt Street, Eucalyptus Road and Wattle Grove) and they got talking over their common interest. Arthur put Frank up for the night and pointed out the land, part of Crown Allotment 15, Section 5, Parish of Nillumbik (CA15) somewhat diagonally opposite Bird Orchard. Frank bought the land and for the next two years would travel by train from Melbourne to Eltham every weekend establishing Stokes Orchard and building a home for his family, which they eventually moved into in 1946. Marjorie North remembered well the winter of 1951, when she took children, including son John together with the Shallard and Squire children “in the Austin A40 up the Main Rd., Eltham to farmer Bell’s property alongside the Eltham College. They were able to make a snow man and throw snowballs. (Diamond Valley News, August 5, 1986.p.42) In the mid 1970s the Shire of Eltham divided the orchard up into numerous rate-able parcel lots, which became affordable for Frank. As a consequence Stokes Orchard was turned into a housing development by Macquarie Builders and marketed as the Stokes Orchard Estate in two stages; Stage 1 encompassing Scarlet Ash Court, Ironbark Close and Peppermint Grove bounded by Nyora and Eucalyptus roads c.1976 and Stage 2 encompassing Stokes Place, Orchard Way, The Crest and The Lookout bound by Nyora and Diosma roads c.1979. The development of Orchard Way, The Crest and The Lookout did not proceed as planned due to the lack of the sewer along Diosma Road and so many of the proposed lots were incorporated into five-acre parcels instead.Representative of the orchard growing areas of Eltham. One of the rare times it has snowed in Eltham.Digital file only - Digitised by EDHS from a scrapbook (containing commercially printed photos of digital scans) on loan from Beryl Bradbury (nee Stokes), daughter of Frank Stokes.1951, beryl bradbury (nee stokes) collection, eltham, nyora road, eucalyptus road, snow, stokes family home

Viewed from near the Stokes family home at 1 Nyora Road looking northeast across Ironbark Close to Scarlet Ash Court with Peppermint Grove in the distance. Frank Stokes first traveled to the district by train in 1944 to find land with the intention to establish an orchard. By chance he met Arthur Bird of Bird Orchard (bounded by Pitt Street, Eucalyptus Road and Wattle Grove) and they got talking over their common interest. Arthur put Frank up for the night and pointed out the land, part of Crown Allotment 15, Section 5, Parish of Nillumbik (CA15) somewhat diagonally opposite Bird Orchard. Frank bought the land and for the next two years would travel by train from Melbourne to Eltham every weekend establishing Stokes Orchard and building a home for his family, which they eventually moved into in 1946. In the mid 1970s the Shire of Eltham divided the orchard up into numerous rate-able parcel lots, which became affordable for Frank. As a consequence Stokes Orchard was turned into a housing development by Macquarie Builders and marketed as the Stokes Orchard Estate in two stages; Stage 1 encompassing Scarlet Ash Court, Ironbark Close and Peppermint Grove bounded by Nyora and Eucalyptus roads c.1976 and Stage 2 encompassing Stokes Place, Orchard Way, The Crest and The Lookout bound by Nyora and Diosma roads c.1979. The development of Orchard Way, The Crest and The Lookout did not proceed as planned due to the lack of the sewer along Diosma Road and so many of the proposed lots were incorporated into five-acre parcels instead.Housing development in Eltham as an extension to the Woodridge EstateDigital file only - Digitised by EDHS from a scrapbook (containing commercially printed photos of digital scans) on loan from Beryl Bradbury (nee Stokes), daughter of Frank Stokes.1976-07, beryl bradbury (nee stokes) collection, building construction, ironbark close, nyora road, peppermint grove, scarlet ash court, stokes orchard estate, houses

Viewed from near the end of Stokes Place where the linear reserve now runs between 8 and 9 Stokes Place just visible through trees in foreground, 24 Nyora with red roof is the first house in middle of view. Frank Stokes first traveled to the district by train in 1944 to find land with the intention to establish an orchard. By chance he met Arthur Bird of Bird Orchard (bounded by Pitt Street, Eucalyptus Road and Wattle Grove) and they got talking over their common interest. Arthur put Frank up for the night and pointed out the land, part of Crown Allotment 15, Section 5, Parish of Nillumbik (CA15) somewhat diagonally opposite Bird Orchard. Frank bought the land and for the next two years would travel by train from Melbourne to Eltham every weekend establishing Stokes Orchard and building a home for his family, which they eventually moved into in 1946. In the mid 1970s the Shire of Eltham divided the orchard up into numerous rate-able parcel lots, which became affordable for Frank. As a consequence Stokes Orchard was turned into a housing development by Macquarie Builders and marketed as the Stokes Orchard Estate in two stages; Stage 1 encompassing Scarlet Ash Court, Ironbark Close and Peppermint Grove bounded by Nyora and Eucalyptus roads c.1976 and Stage 2 encompassing Stokes Place, Orchard Way, The Crest and The Lookout bound by Nyora and Diosma roads c.1979. The development of Orchard Way, The Crest and The Lookout did not proceed as planned due to the lack of the sewer along Diosma Road and so many of the proposed lots were incorporated into five-acre parcels instead.Housing development in Eltham as an extension to the Woodridge EstateDigital file only - Digitised by EDHS from a scrapbook (containing commercially printed photos of digital scans) on loan from Beryl Bradbury (nee Stokes), daughter of Frank Stokes.1977, beryl bradbury (nee stokes) collection, nyora road, stokes orchard estate, stokes place

Viewed from near the end of Stokes Place where the linear reserve now runs between 8 and 9 Stokes Place looking slightly east of south towards Nyora Road. The new Christian Church on Nyora now the Baptist Church visible in middle view. Frank Stokes first traveled to the district by train in 1944 to find land with the intention to establish an orchard. By chance he met Arthur Bird of Bird Orchard (bounded by Pitt Street, Eucalyptus Road and Wattle Grove) and they got talking over their common interest. Arthur put Frank up for the night and pointed out the land, part of Crown Allotment 15, Section 5, Parish of Nillumbik (CA15) somewhat diagonally opposite Bird Orchard. Frank bought the land and for the next two years would travel by train from Melbourne to Eltham every weekend establishing Stokes Orchard and building a home for his family, which they eventually moved into in 1946. In the mid 1970s the Shire of Eltham divided the orchard up into numerous rate-able parcel lots, which became affordable for Frank. As a consequence Stokes Orchard was turned into a housing development by Macquarie Builders and marketed as the Stokes Orchard Estate in two stages; Stage 1 encompassing Scarlet Ash Court, Ironbark Close and Peppermint Grove bounded by Nyora and Eucalyptus roads c.1976 and Stage 2 encompassing Stokes Place, Orchard Way, The Crest and The Lookout bound by Nyora and Diosma roads c.1979. The development of Orchard Way, The Crest and The Lookout did not proceed as planned due to the lack of the sewer along Diosma Road and so many of the proposed lots were incorporated into five-acre parcels instead.Housing development in Eltham as an extension to the Woodridge EstateDigital file only - Digitised by EDHS from a scrapbook (containing commercially printed photos of digital scans) on loan from Beryl Bradbury (nee Stokes), daughter of Frank Stokes.1977-07, beryl bradbury (nee stokes) collection, eltham, eltham christian church, stokes orchard estate, stokes place

Gwendoline (Gwenda) Grace Watson Davies, only daughter of Mr. William Watson Davies and Mrs. Grace Davies (nee Hayes) of Arthur Street, Eltham was born in Newport, 18 February 1908. Gwenda grew up in Arthur Street and when she left school she was employed as an officer at the State Bank of Victoria, Chief Accountants Department, Head Office, Elizabeth Street, Melbourne. During 1933-1934 in her early to mid-twenties, Gwenda wrote a series of poems which were captured in three books: one a leather bound three-ring binder with personalised gold embossing on the cover and two paper booklets held together by pink ribbon. These poems are a reflection of her childhood days, home, her mother, her environment, pioneering days and other miscellaneous subjects including one example titled “EIGHTEEN YEARS TO-DAY”, an homage to the brave men of Gallipoli. On October 20, 1937 after ten years of service, Gwenda submitted her letter of resignation effective November 26th as she was to be married in the near future to Fred Jones. Frederick Geoffrey Jones, born 7 January 1911, third son of Mr. and Mrs. W. Jones of Napoleon Street, Eltham, married Gwenda at the Eltham Methodist Church on 27 November 1937. They made their home at ‘Llangollen’, Arthur Street, Eltham, a new house Fred had constructed earlier that year opposite the Shire Offices. Their residence was recorded in the Electoral Rolls from 1963-1980 as 6 Arthur Street, Eltham which was situated on the corner of Arthur Street and present-day Commercial Place. In the 1970s their home was sold and demolished to make way for the new shops. They built a new home at the top of the hill in Bible Street. In the Electoral Rolls for 1943-1980, Frederick’s occupation was recorded as a Plumber’s Assistant. Fred was also a long-standing member of the Eltham Cemetery Trust. He was first appointed 26 April 1944 and resigned 17 July 1957 to be appointed to the Warringal and Eltham Joint Trust where he served till February 1980. He then re-joined the Eltham Cemetery Trust and served a further 14 years till his resignation on 24 August 1994. In total, Fred represented the interests of Eltham Cemetery for 50 years (1944-1994). Gwenda and Fred were blessed with a son, Frederick William Jones in March 1942. Sadly, Frederick only lived two days and was buried at Eltham Cemetery on March 11. It is not known whether his grave is marked. A second son, Geoffrey Morris Jones arrived 25 November 1944 but he sadly contracted polio as a child. A fall down the front steps of Fred and Gwenda’s new home in Bible Street culminated in Geoff’s death from a heart attack whilst in transit to the Austin Hospital on February 6, 1979, at age 34. He was also interred in the Eltham Cemetery. Geoff was posthumously awarded the British Empire Medal for his services to fire safety at the CFA. A small man, handicapped from his childhood polio, he had figured prominently in the area as an active Apex member and as group officer for the 13 local brigades in the CFA Lower Yarra Group. His work for the CFA, all voluntary, included writing a fire-fighting manual and the innovation of aerial fire spotting and weekly fire reports. Gwendoline and Fred were presented with Geoff’s B.EM. award at Government House. Four years later on the anniversary of Geoff’s death, Gwenda could not sleep and collapsed in the hallway at home from a heart attack, 6 February 1983 at age 74. She was interred with her son Geoff, at Eltham Cemetery on February 9th. Fred died 31 July 1997 at age 86 and was also interred at Eltham Cemetery. A memorial plaque to Gwenda, Fred and Geoff lies within the lawn cemetery at Eltham Cemetery. In February 2022 Gwenda’s book of Poems along with a copy of her letter of resignation from the State Bank of Victoria and a news clipping about the Autumn Show held in the Public Hall at Eltham (opposite her home with Fred) in which Gwenda is listed as having entered Cream Puffs and a Swiss Roll into the Cooking section, were donated to the St Vincent’s de Paul Society in Bega, N.S.W.. A dedicated volunteer there researched their origins and desirous for these items to return ‘home’, posted them to the Eltham District Historical Society for which we are most appreciative. EIGHTEEN YEARS TO-DAY “Tell me why you’re dreaming, Daddy” Said my little son to me, So, I told him all about it, As he sat upon my knee. I told him of that Sunday morn, ‘Twas eighteen years to-day, When the men of Australasia, Joined the mighty fray. How they landed on that foreign shore, And fought the gallant fight, Of how they nobly won the day, And put the Turks to flight. We saw the cliffs before us, To be scaled ‘mid shot and shell, And our comrades fell around us - - - - I remember it - - - so well. There are some who’ll sleep forever, On a hill that’s called Lone Pine, And the twenty-fifth of April, Is famous for all time. And so to keep their memory green, We march each Anzac Day, To pay tribute to those Heroes, Who gave their lives that day. - Anzac Day 1933 And in reflections to Gwenda’s childhood home in Arthur Street: HOME Where do my thoughts ever wander? Where do my thoughts always roam? To a little old house, on the top of a hill, To the place, that I call “Home Sweet Home.” No matter where-ever I travel, On land, or away on the foam. My thoughts will return, and my heart ever yearn, To the place, that I call “Home Sweet Home”. - 2/7/1933 Sources: Book of Poems, G. Davies Letter of Resignation, 1937, Oct. 20, G.G.W. Davies Births Deaths and Marriages Victoria New House at Eltham (1937, September 10). Advertiser (Hurstbridge, Vic. : 1922 – 1939), p. 6. Retrieved May 12, 2022, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article56845735 Family Notices (1937, December 17). Advertiser (Hurstbridge, Vic. : 1922 – 1939), p. 3. Retrieved May 12, 2022, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article56846386 Geoff Jones, Proud Memory, unknown newspaper clipping, 1979 1979 Birthday Honours, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1979_Birthday_Honours Australian Electoral Rolls, Ancestry.com Family Trees, Ancestry.com Eltham Cemetery, Deceased Search findagrave.com Personal recollections, Joan Castledine The poetry by Gwendoline Davies provides an insight into life growing up in Eltham and the early 1930s. A long time resident, Gwendoline, her husband Fred Jones and son Geoff Jones were fully dedicated to the Eltham community for over 50 years.1. Brown leather bound three-ring binder with personalised gold embossing on the cover 20.5 x 14.5 cm, Walkers Loose Leaf Book, pages typed with some pasted in colour illustrations, alphabeticised dividers (some tabs missing), 21 leafs (some blank) 2. Two paper booklets held together by pink ribbon 15.5 x 12 cm, typed, some with colour illustrations, pages numbered (rh only) 12 pages and 25 pages and paper cover 3. Newspaper clipping 4. Letter sized hand written page in ink folded in three and damaged by foxing and insectsanzac day, arthur street, napoleon street, cfa, eltham cemetery, eltham cemetery trust, frederick geoffrey jones, geoffrey morris jones b.e.m., grace davies (nee hayes), gwendoline grace watson jones (nee davies), llangollen, lower yarra group, poems, william watson davies

Fred, Gwenda and Geoff Jones Contents 1. Proud memory; Geoff Jones, Diamond Valley News, 21 Nov 1979 2. Sudden death of 'much loved man', Diamond Valley News, 13 Feb 1979 3. Honor for a community friend, Diamond Valley News, 8 March 1995 (On reverse, 'Diverse program to entice riders' about St Andrews Saddle Club and fgeatures a photo of Debbie Jones) Gwendoline (Gwenda) Grace Watson Davies, only daughter of Mr. William Watson Davies and Mrs. Grace Davies (nee Hayes) of Arthur Street, Eltham was born in Newport, 18 February 1908. Gwenda grew up in Arthur Street and when she left school she was employed as an officer at the State Bank of Victoria, Chief Accountants Department, Head Office, Elizabeth Street, Melbourne. On October 20, 1937 after ten years of service, Gwenda submitted her letter of resignation effective November 26th as she was to be married in the near future to Fred Jones. Frederick Geoffrey Jones, born 7 January 1911, third son of Mr. and Mrs. W. Jones of Napoleon Street, Eltham, married Gwenda at the Eltham Methodist Church on 27 November 1937. They made their home at ‘Llangollen’, Arthur Street, Eltham, a new house Fred had constructed earlier that year opposite the Shire Offices. Their residence was recorded in the Electoral Rolls from 1963-1980 as 6 Arthur Street, Eltham which was situated on the corner of Arthur Street and present-day Commercial Place. In the 1970s their home was sold and demolished to make way for the new shops. They built a new home at the top of the hill in Bible Street. In the Electoral Rolls for 1943-1980, Frederick’s occupation was recorded as a Plumber’s Assistant. Fred was also a long-standing member of the Eltham Cemetery Trust. He was first appointed 26 April 1944 and resigned 17 July 1957 to be appointed to the Warringal and Eltham Joint Trust where he served till February 1980. He then re-joined the Eltham Cemetery Trust and served a further 14 years till his resignation on 24 August 1994. In total, Fred represented the interests of Eltham Cemetery for 50 years (1944-1994). Gwenda and Fred were blessed with a son, Frederick William Jones in March 1942. Sadly, Frederick only lived two days and was buried at Eltham Cemetery on March 11. It is not known whether his grave is marked. A second son, Geoffrey Morris Jones arrived 25 November 1944 but he sadly contracted polio as a child. A fall down the front steps of Fred and Gwenda’s new home in Bible Street culminated in Geoff’s death from a heart attack whilst in transit to the Austin Hospital on February 6, 1979, at age 34. He was also interred in the Eltham Cemetery. Geoff was posthumously awarded the British Empire Medal for his services to fire safety at the CFA. A small man, handicapped from his childhood polio, he had figured prominently in the area as an active Apex member and as group officer for the 13 local brigades in the CFA Lower Yarra Group. His work for the CFA, all voluntary, included writing a fire-fighting manual and the innovation of aerial fire spotting and weekly fire reports. Gwendoline and Fred were presented with Geoff’s B.EM. award at Government House. Four years later on the anniversary of Geoff’s death, Gwenda could not sleep and collapsed in the hallway at home from a heart attack, 6 February 1983 at age 74. She was interred with her son Geoff, at Eltham Cemetery on February 9th. Fred died 31 July 1997 at age 86 and was also interred at Eltham Cemetery. A memorial plaque to Gwenda, Fred and Geoff lies within the lawn cemetery at Eltham Cemetery.Newsprint clippingscfa, eltham cemetery, eltham cemetery trust, frederick geoffrey jones, geoffrey morris jones b.e.m., gwendoline grace watson jones (nee davies), lower yarra group, debbie jones, st andrews saddle club

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

View from Grace Mitchell's shop at the corner of Mount Pleasant Road and Main Road. Grace Mitchell was probably best known for her Eltham shop at the corner of Mt Pleasant Road and Main Road. Grace's memories covered many local identities who were patrons of her shop between 1954 and 1971. From the elevated position of her shop and home Grace was able to view a varied passing parade of Eltham events from ERSILAC, Easter and Eltham Festival parades passing on their way to Eltham Lower Park, circuses in Wingrove Park (then Bremner’s Reserve), roadworks and other happenings. Bremner's Reserve was renamed Wingrove Park c.1970 This photo was from a series of images presented by Grace Mitchell at a Society talk 10 March 1993 on the theme of “My Eltham”.35mm Kodak 5052 TMX Black and White transparency, 1 strip, 6 frames Black and white print 17 x 25.4 cmashtons circus, bremner's flat, circus, grace mitchell, main road, mount pleasant road, wingrove park