Photo taken immediately after the Wiregrass gallery closed at the end of November. The property was purchased in October 2004 for $565,000 by a local investment company, Sentinel Equities run by local residents Jethro and Suzanne Still. Plans to redevelop the property into offices and a gallery designed by Robert Marshall and supported by a number of local artists met with opposition from Eltham Gateway Action Group in 2007 over the proposed new building size and insufficient parking provision given the proposed reliance on the VicRoads reserve on Main Road for parking. The development proposal was finally approved by VCAT in January 2008 subject to VicRoads approving the use of the road reserve for parking. That did not happen and the property remains undeveloped 15 years later (August 2023).fay bridge collection, 559 main road eltham, 2004-12-05, eltham, eltham gallery, graffiti, main road, wiregrass gallery

Newspaper advertisement: Diamond Valley News, 27 May 1980, Exhibition, Peter Accadia, pottery, and Helen Webber, tapestries. Newspaper article: Five for the price of one, Diamond Valley News, Tuesday, July 8, 1986, p27; exhibition of five artists at Eltham Gallery. On reverse, numerous advertisements for food and entertainment Newspaper advertisement: The Age ,17 June 1989, Exhibition, Donald Ramsay "Watching the river flow". Newspaper article: Landmark gallery says goodbye, Diamond Valley Leader, 24 November 2004, Gallery site sold to Sentinel Equities, present tenant Julie Skate, quotes from former part-owner Val Murray. Newspaper article: Rift over gallery plans, Diamond Valley Leader, 21 February 2007, purchasers Jethro Tull and Suzanne Still plan to build offices, gallery and cafe; Eltham Gateway Action Group objected while supporting need for a gallery elsewhere. Newspaper article: New try for gallery-cafe ready soon, Diamond Valley Leader, 18 April 2007, purchaser Jethro Tull to have a new plan ready in two weeks for gallery and cafe. Newspaper article: Gateway for artists, Diamond Valley Leader, 25 May 2007, Jenni Mitchell opened a new gallery pending decision by Nillumbik Council. Newspaper article: Art gallery proposal rejected, Diamond Valley Leader, 30 May 2007, Nillumbik Council against planned new building. Newspaper article: Artful win for gallery, Diamond Valley Leader, 30 January 2008, VCAT approved mudbrick art gallery. Newspaper article: Rocky road to create a landmark, Diamond Valley Leader, 13 February 2008, VCAT approved Robert Marshall's design, artists's impression, Eltham Gateway Action Group opposed.main road, property, businesses, eltham gallery, wiregrass gallery, eltham gateway action group, robert marshall, mud brick building, eltham (vic), 559 main road eltham, artists, bernhard rust, bob smith, jan neil, john adams, marian sussex, michael wilson, tony dopheide, 47-55 main street diamond creek, 50 were street montmorency, 55 rattray road montmorency, 410 main road lower plenty, abbey of diamond creek, adams north riding restaurant, advertising, eltham barrel, montmorency, mustard seed restaurant, peking house restaurant, st andrews, tamara's

35mm colour positive transparency (1 of 9) Mount - Kodak KodachromeProcess Date MAY 88Meltham, main road, art gallery, eltham gallery

Eltham Gateway, View to 559 Main Road, Eltham opposite Eltham Lower ParkTomorrow's history documented todayeltham, jim connor collection, main road, eltham gateway

Eltham Gateway, View to 559 Main Road, Eltham opposite Eltham Lower ParkTomorrow's history documented todayeltham, jim connor collection, main road, eltham gateway

Eltham Gateway, View to 559 Main Road, Eltham opposite Eltham Lower ParkTomorrow's history documented todayeltham, jim connor collection, main road, eltham gateway

John Dudley was a well-known local artist who lived in the Shire during the 50s, 60’s and 70s. He was represented by Wiregrass Gallery in Eltham. Formerly two separate galleries: The Eltham Gallery and The Wiregrass Gallery. The Wiregrass Gallery opened on 4th February 1977 at Station Entrance, Eltham, Victoria and closed on the 19th November 1989 when its lease expired. The gallery then moved in early 1990 to 559 Main Road Eltham, the premises of the Eltham Gallery and from then on operated under the name Eltham Wiregrass Gallery. This work is of the local environment and an excellent example of the artist’s work practice.A visual language of shape, form and colour (abstract) to create a composition referencing the physical and emotional experience of landscape. Blended colours of dark blues in background and warm yellows in foreground. Signed 'Dudley' red paint, lower left.landscape, abstract, eltham