Contents: • Next meeting, guest speaker; Dr Charlie Fox: Boosters, Bodies and Buildings; Exhibitions and the public bath • Annual General Meeting Agenda • Guest Speaker • Records/Research Workshops • Melbourne City Excursion • Heritage Week • Society Program • Society Incorporation • Time Capsule Certificates The Shire of Eltham Historical Society was formed in October 1967. The first newsletter of the Society was issued May 1978 and has been published continuously ever since on a bi-monthly basis. With the cessation of the Shire of Eltham in late 1994, the Society's name was revised to Eltham District Historical Society and this name first appeared with issue No. 103, July 1995. The collection of the Society's newsletters provides a valuable resource on the history of the Society's activities, office bearers and committee members, guest speakers and subjects of historical interest pertinent to the former Shire of Eltham and the Eltham District.A4 photocopied newsletter distributed to membersnewsletter, eltham district historical society, shire of eltham historical society

Documents related to the sale of 33 Fifth Street Black Rock, including two colour photocopies with the external and internal views of a shed said to be a former tram shed associated with the Sandringham to Black Rock horse tram line. Includes the City of Bayside heritage report and Hocking Stuart sales sheets for an auction on Saturday 4 August 2007. It would appear from Google Earth that all buildings were demolished.Yields information about the sale of a property said to be associated with the Black Rock tramway.Four A4 sheets - two colour and one colour sheet providing auction details.trams, railways, vr trams, sandringham, black rock tramway, sale of land, 33 fifth st black rock

Formerly Barr's drapery shop, this building was the home of Bob Albert at the time the photograph was taken. It is still in use as a private home and has been considerably restored. Taken April 23-24 1988, during Heritage Week.Colour photograph of historic brick building with ornamentation on top. The name "JAMES BARR" over the shop front windows.buildings, shops, houses, james barr, barr's drapery, bob albert's house

The photograph was included in an exhibition organised by the former Sunbury & District Heritage Association in March 2001. The red-brick Federation building for Sunbury State School No. 1002 in Macedon Street opened on 2nd May 1912. It replaced an earlier building that was on the same site. It originally had two classrooms and an office but as Sunbury's population began to grow another room was added. The school continued to function in Macedon Street until 1999 when it took occupancy of refurbished rooms at the former Industrial School in the Asylum Grounds at Jascksons Hill. The building in Macedon Street has been incorporated into the Sunbury and Cobar Community Health Centre. The red-brick Federation Style Sunbury building has served the educational needs of the Sunbury Community for 112 years as it is now an Educational facility for people with disabilities.A non-digital coloured photograph go a red-brick federation school building with cream trims around the windows and doors.Two trees are growing in the foreground.sunbury state school no. 1002, macedon street, education, schools

The wooden outhouse was erected in the former Sunbury Asylum grounds and was a popular outdoor building where the patients and staff relaxed while walking around the grounds.Patients were encouraged to spend time outdoors and the extensive and elevated grounds provided plenty of space. The photograph was included in a collection that was put together for a photograph competition organised by the former Sunbury & District Heritage Association in March 2001.A non-digital coloured photograph of a wooden and corrugated iron outhouse with a trellis covering half of a wall. Two large cypress trees are behind the building.sunbury asylum, outbuildings, sunbury

The photograph was included in a completion organised by the former Sunbury & District Heritage Association in March 2001. It is photograph of the lake at The Nook that served as Sunbury's swimming pool from the time outdoor swimming became acceptable until 1965 when a new Olympic sized outdoor swimming pool and aquatic centre was opened in Ligar Street. The modern pool was built as a result of the Sunbury Community raising funds for the project. Since 1965, the local council has added an indoor pool and a heated pool to the site as well as a gymnasium. Prior to the building of the new pool in 1965, The Nook site was where swimming carnivals and other aquatic events took place. It is now a popular passive recreation area.A non-digital coloured photograph of a lake with trees growing around its banks and a hillside in the distance.the nook, swimming, swimming clubs, sunbury

On 15 December 1994 the former Shire of Eltham ceased to exist following the Liberal Kennett Government local council amalgamations. A new Nillumbik Shire Council was established with unelected commissioners appointed. That Council sold the former Eltham Shire Council Offices and land at 89S Main Road Eltham to Dallas Price Homes Pty. Ltd. the sale being conditional upon the granting of a planning permit for a petrol station/convenience store, fast food and video outlet. The sale was conditional that if the permit was not granted by 30 August. 1997, the contract could be avoided by either the purchaser or the vendor. The proposed development consisted of a petrol station with undercover fuelling facilities, convenience shopping, a drive through service facility for fast food, an 80 seat cafe, automated banking, a children's play area and retail space. In addition, the proposal included a 200 square metre community facility for Council use, provision of on site carparking over 2 levels for 83 vehicles, and advertising signage. An Advisory Committee consisting of Dimitry Reed and Margaret Pitt was appointed under Section 151 of the Planning and Environment Act 1987 to hear submissions on the proposal to develop the land at 895 Main Road Eltham, the site of the former Eltham Shire Offices. In September 1996, two applications were made by Contour Consultants Australia Pty Ltd on behalf of Dallas Price Homes Ply Ltd, to Nillumbik Shire Council. After extensive notification, the Council received 213 objections and a petition of over 1400 signatures. On October 9, 1996, Nillumbik Shire Council issued Notices of Decision to Grant Permit on Applications number 96/03376 and 96/0377 for the use and development of the land as a convenience Centre consisting of a petrol station, convenience store, cafe/takeaway food premises, a retail facility and a community facility, with associated advertising signs. Objectors to the proposals lodged Planning Appeals number 96/40724 and 96/40812 with the Administrative Appeals Tribunal on November 1, 1996. The grounds of appeal can be summarised as: inappropriate development, insufficient carparking, traffic and access issues, unsatisfactory design, inadequate permit conditions, the proposal being out of character with the area. and being contrary to the purpose and orderly development of the Eltham Town Centre, excessive noise, lack of consultation and unsuitable signage. On November 13, 1996, the Minister for Planning and Local Government directed the Registrar of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal. under Section 41 (1) (a) of the Planning Act 1980, to refer the Appeals to the Governor in Council for determination without a hearing or recommendation by the Tribunal. The Minister for Planning and Local Government called in the Appeals as he considered that they raised major issues of policy relating to the facilitation of development in accordance with the objectives set out in Section 4 of the Planning and Environment Act 1987, and that determination of the Appeals could have a substantial effect on the achievement of these planning objectives. The Minister required the Advisory Committee to consider the planning merits of the proposed use and development, and to address the issues raised in the objections. The Advisory Committee was required to produce a report providing: • The Committee's response to the matters detailed; • Relevant supporting information for the Advisory Committee's recommendation; and • A description of the proceedings conducted by the Advisory Committee and a list of those consulted or heard by the Committee. In March 1997, elections were held in the Shire of Nillumbik and the view of the new Council to this proposal differed from the view held by the earlier Council Hence the Submission made to the Committee by the Shire was against the decision by the Shire of Nillumbik to issue the Notices of Decision to Grant a Permit. The Recommendations of the Advisory Committee were: i. The cafe and take away food premises are as of right uses and are therefore allowable, but that shop and petrol station are unacceptable uses. A community facility is a discretionary use and is acceptable. ii. A development of the type and scale proposed is totally inappropriate for this land and that the Applications number 96/03376 and 96/0377 for the use and development of the land as a convenience Centre consisting of a petrol station, convenience store, café/takeaway food premises, a retail facility and a community facility, with associated advertising signs, be refused. iii. The land should be rezoned for public purposes and should remain in the community's ownership for community use. Following this, the Minister for Planning and Local Government, the Hon. Robert Maclellan, appointed Mr. Paul Jerome as an Advisory Committee under section 151 of the Planning and Environment Act 1987 to consider a Convenience Centre and an alternative proposal by Iha Shire of Nillumbik being the Eltham Gateway Community Precinct Concept Plan for the site of the former Shire of Eltham municipal offices at 895 Main Road, Eltham. In summary, the terms of reference for the Advisory Committee required it to: • consider the merits of the Council proposal • examine the merits of both proposals in terms of net community benefit • address the report of the previous Advisory Committee on the Convenience Centre proposal The Advisory Committee inspected the site and considered all the material before It including submissions made by all parties to the previous Advisory Committee and correspondence received by the Department of Infrastructure both before and after that Committee submltted its report. The Advisory Committee also held discussions with the following people: • Cr. Robert Marshall • Cr. Margaret Jennings • Cr. Lex de Man • Mr. Dallas Howgate of Dallas Price Properties, also Dallas Price Homes • Mr. Barry Rochford, CEO, Shire of Nillumbik • Ms. Yvonne Rust, Planning Officer, Shire of Nillumbik • Mr. Gregory Burgess, Architect of the Eltham Library and of Council’s Community Precinct Concept Plan • Mr. Jim Connor representing Mrs Thelma Barkway of the Eltham Senior Citizens Club Having considered all the material before it, the Committee arrived at two basic conclusions. First, the DPP proposal should be rejected because, on its merits, It does not sufficiently satisfy the requirements of the planning scheme which is a statutory document. The planning scheme requires that, before making a decision on the permit applications for the DPP proposal, a range of matters must be considered. It follows that consideration of these matters should Influence the decision. These matters include local policies relating to character and amenity. In particular, these policies seek • to conserve and enhance the bushland/country atmosphere, artistic heritage and strong sense of community of the Eltham Town Centre by ensuring that the design and height of any new development is sympathetic to existing buildings • to achieve a pleasing physical environment within the Eltham Town Centre by encouraging a high standard of architecture and urban design • to encourage Improvement to pedestrian amenity through such facilities as open and shattered rest areas and meeting places, crossing facilities, pedestrian arcades, pedestrian links to car parks and pedestrian weather protection • to reduce conflict between vehicular traffic and pedestrian flows, and • to encourage pedestrian thoroughfares It is submitted, as set out In the main body of this report, that the DPP proposal fails substantially to meet these policies and In so doing does not merit the exercise of discretion In Its favour with the Issuing of a permit. This finding is not offset by the investment and employment attributes of the proposal. They do not override the need to comply with the planning scheme. Second, the Council proposal, on Its own merits, substantially meets all statutory requirements applicable to this site with a possible reservation about car parking and traffic management which need further definition and assessment as the concept is refined. The Council proposal, however, has a serious weakness in that Its financial viability has not been adequately tested. The Committee refers to 'financial' rather than 'commercial' viability in recognition that Council owns the land and may enter into a range of agreements and partnerships to realise its concept some of which may be truly commercial and some of which may involve an element of subsidy arising from Council's involvement as a public body acting on behalf of its community. The Committee concludes that Council should be given the opportunity, within a reasonable timeframe to establish the financial feasibility of its concept and should develop a strategy for the future of Its land asset at 895 Main Road in the event that Its concept for the site cannot be realised. 895 main road, advisory committee, dallas price homes, eltham, eltham shire office, nillumbik shire council, planning application, administrative appeals tribunal