An original photograph donated to the Kew Historical Society by the City's Engineering Department before the amalgamation of Kew into the City of Boroondara in 1994.While not all of the photographs are of Studley Park, Kew or East Kew, each photo provides a fine snapshot of the work of local government engineering departments of the period. They reveal they types of labour conducted, the techniques used and the equipment and machinery in the possession of the local government authority. Public works. A close-up photograph of a grader being pulled by a truck. road construction building, city of kew, city of kew (engineering department), bituminising, grader

Studley Park Road, like most streets in Kew, was originally a dirt road. Street works during the Great Depression included bituminising major roads in the district. This photograph of Council works originated in the City of Kew Engineers Department as a record of works undertaken. It was given to the collection by a Mrs Fisher in 1998.Well provenanced photograph of Council-funded public works in Kew during the Great Depression. Original sepia monochrome positive of Council workers spreading bitumen in Studley Park Road, Kew.Typed reverse: "B4 / Kew C.C. / Spreading premixed material on Studley Park Road with drag spreader, March 1934"roadworks -- kew (vic.), street works -- kew (vic.), public works kew (vic.), studley park road -- kew (vic.), city of kew -- engineers department, city of kew -- public works -- great depression -- 1930s

Studley Park Road, like most streets in Kew, was originally a dirt road. Street works during the Great Depression included bituminising major roads in the district. This photograph of Council works originated in the City of Kew Engineers Department as a record of works undertaken. It was given to the collection by a Mrs Fisher in 1998.Well provenanced photograph of Council-funded public works in Kew during the Great Depression. Original sepia monochrome positive of Studley Park Road, Kew.Typed reverse: "B4 / Kew C.C. / Studley Park Road after surfacing with one coat of premixed material spread with drag, March 1934"roadworks -- kew (vic.), street works -- kew (vic.), public works kew (vic.), studley park road -- kew (vic.), city of kew -- engineers department, city of kew -- public works -- great depression -- 1930s

Studley Park Road, like most streets in Kew, was originally a dirt road. Street works during the Great Depression included bituminising major roads in the district. This photograph of Council works originated in the City of Kew Engineers Department as a record of works undertaken. It was given to the collection by a Mrs Fisher in 1998.Well provenanced photograph of Council-funded public works in Kew during the Great Depression. Original sepia monochrome positive of Council workers standing on and beside a dray in Studley Park Road, Kew while resurfacing of the street was taking place. The Kew Junction is just visible behind the men.Typed reverse: "B4 / Kew C.C. / Spreading premixed material on Studley Park Road with drag spreader, view from rear of machine, March 1934"roadworks -- kew (vic.), street works -- kew (vic.), public works kew (vic.), studley park road -- kew (vic.), city of kew -- engineers department, city of kew -- public works -- great depression -- 1930s

Studley Park Road, like most streets in Kew, was originally a dirt road. Street works during the Great Depression included bituminising major roads in the district. This photograph of Council works originated in the City of Kew Engineers Department as a record of works undertaken. It was given to the collection by a Mrs Fisher in 1998.Well provenanced photograph of Council-funded public works in Kew during the Great Depression. Original sepia photographic positive of a drag used to spread bitumen in Studley Park Road, Kew.Typed reverse: "B4 / Kew C.C. / Drag spreader used for premixed material on Studley Park Road, showing end of strip just with spread, with unsurfaced work on left and completed section on right, March 1934"roadworks -- kew (vic.), street works -- kew (vic.), public works kew (vic.), studley park road -- kew (vic.), city of kew -- engineers department, city of kew -- public works -- great depression -- 1930s

Studley Park Road, like most streets in Kew, was originally a dirt road. Street works during the Great Depression included bituminising major roads in the district. This photograph of Council works originated in the City of Kew Engineers Department as a record of works undertaken. It was given to the collection by a Mrs Fisher in 1998.Well provenanced photograph of Council-funded public works in Kew during the Great Depression. Original sepia photographic positive of Studley Park Road, Kew while resurfacing of the street was taking place. The Kew Junction is just visible in the distance. Boys sitting on a drum at right. Behind them is the brick fence and front entrance to Tara Hall.Typed reverse: "B4 / Kew C.C. / Studley Park Road showing drag spread surfacing with premixed material, unrolled material on the right, March 1934"roadworks -- kew (vic.), street works -- kew (vic.), public works kew (vic.), studley park road -- kew (vic.), city of kew -- engineers department, city of kew -- public works -- great depression -- 1930s

Studley Park Road, like most streets in Kew, was originally a dirt road. Street works during the Great Depression included bituminising major roads in the district. This photograph of Council works originated in the City of Kew Engineers Department as a record of works undertaken. It was given to the collection by a Mrs Fisher in 1998.Well provenanced photograph of Council-funded public works in Kew during the Great Depression. Original sepia photographic positive of Studley Park Road, Kew while resurfacing of the street was taking place. Typed reverse: "B4 / Kew C.C. / Spreading premixed material on Studley Park Road with drag spreader, March 1934"roadworks -- kew (vic.), street works -- kew (vic.), public works kew (vic.), studley park road -- kew (vic.), city of kew -- engineers department, city of kew -- public works -- great depression -- 1930s

The Yarra Scenic Boulevard stretching from Hawthorn to the Chandler Highway was completed as a major project between 1933 and 1936 during a period of significant unemployment. Key dates in the construction this section the road include: 1933 when Kew Council supported the construction of the road from Studley Park to the Kew Asylum; and 1936 when the road from the Johnston Street Bridge to the Chandler Highway was opened. The inscription on the reverse of the photo 'Boulevard Fairfield' is misleading as there is no section of the Boulevard in Fairfield. A more likely interpretation is that it is a photograph of the Kew section of the Yarra Boulevard with the factories of Fairfield in the distance.Rare early photograph of the Yarra Boulevard, taken one year after the opening of the road. The photograph is an important historical record of the results of 'Susso' labor in the creation of major works in Melbourne by the Victorian Government. Original, black and white positive print of the Boulevard at Kew in 1937. Key aspects to note about the photograph is that the road is bituminised; that the gutters are concreted; that the kerb is constructed of concrete blocks; and that there is an unmade footpath on what appears to be the right hand side of the road. The landscape is sparsely treed, and those trees that remain are presumably remnant vegetation. At the right, the land is fenced. The land at the left falls away sharply to the river below. On the horizon, at left, there is an industrial complex including a tall chimney that is burning fuel creating smoke. "Boulevard Fairfield" great depression, susso projects, roads -- kew (vic.), yarra boulevard, yarra valley

The Rob Roy Hill Climb originated in 1935 on the property of former Heidelberg Mayor, William Clinton, where he reared the Rob Roy breed of miniature ponies. He established Pleasure Grounds on part of the property attracting groups of Sunday visitors from Melbourne's inner suburbs. Visitors enjoyed a picnic area, pony rides, a dance hall and a tap room. Young men would ride their BSA or Harley Davidson motorcycles to the property which led to regular club-organised hillclimb meetings between 1930 and 1936. In 1935 Clinton offered the use of his property to the Light Car Club of Australia for their hillclimbs. The track was sealed that same year and the hillclimb at Clintons Road was one of only three specially designed bitumen surface hillclimbs in the world, the others being Shelsey Walsh and Prescott Hillclimbs in the UK. The first Light Car Club of Australia hillclimb was held at Rob Roy in February 1937. Covered under Heritage Overlay, Nillumbik Planning Scheme. Published: Nillumbik Now and Then /​ Marguerite Marshall 2008; photographs Alan King with Marguerite Marshall.; p133 About six times a year the unlikely sound of car engines emerges from deep in the heart of Christmas Hills.* Usually a quiet retreat, the Hills are home to one of the world’s oldest purpose-built motor sport venues - the Rob Roy Hillclimb. When sealed in 1939, the hillclimb at Clintons Road was one of only three specially designed bitumen surface hillclimbs in the world, the others being Shelsley Walsh and Prescott Hillclimbs in the UK.1 The Rob Roy Hillclimb originated in 1935 on the property of former Heidelberg mayor, William Clinton, where he reared the Rob Roy breed of miniature ponies. Rob Roy was the Scottish folk hero and outlaw. On part of his property Clinton established Pleasure Grounds, attracting Sunday parties from Melbourne’s inner suburbs. Visitors enjoyed a picnic area, pony rides, a dance hall and a tap room.2 Young men riding on their BSA or Harley Davidson bikes led to club-organised regular hillclimb meetings, between 1930 and 1936. In 1935 Clinton offered his property to the Light Car Club of Australia for their hillclimbs. In February 1937, the first Light Car Club of Australia hillclimb meeting was held at Rob Roy. Jack Day achieved the fastest time that day for the 760 yard (695m) track at 36 seconds in a Ford V8 engined Bugatti Special. At first the climb was just a dusty gravel track, but in 1939 it was up-graded and bituminised. Today the 695 metre track begins on a slight incline, proceeds through a sharp right turn, which formerly passed a rusty iron shed, now remembered by the name Tin Shed Corner. The track continues down a slight incline to a level stretch along the top of an embankment holding back a half-acre (0.2ha) dam, then up to a one-in-three gradient. The track then winds uphill through several left turns to the finish line. In 1939 Frank Kleinig reduced the record to 29.72 seconds in an MG Hudson. Throughout World War Two the Rob Roy Hillclimbs were suspended, but were resumed in 1947. The hillclimbs consistently attracted crowds averaging 500 to 600 people, peaking at 2000, until the hillclimb was destroyed by the 1962 bushfires. The meetings included nine Australian Hillclimb Championships, with the first in 1938 won by Peter Whitehead in his ERA. Eight of the Outright and Class record holders were Australian Grand Prix winners including Jack Brabham, who became a triple F1 World Champion. The Light Car Club of Australia held 61 meetings at Rob Roy. Events usually included Touring, Gran Turismo, Production, Sports, Racing and Vintage cars and in the latter years Go-carts. These meets suddenly stopped after the 1962 bushfire destroyed the access bridge on the property leading to the track area, although fortunately Clinton saved his home. The club then established the Lakeland Hillclimb venue close to Lilydale.3 From 1979 to 1987 the MG Car Club ran hill climbs at the Templestowe Hillclimb until the land was to be sub-divided. In 1991 the MGCC approached the Shire of Nillumbik about using the derelict Rob Roy venue. In 1992, after much lobbying, the club signed a ten-year lease from Melbourne Water, which has been renewed. The original track was faithfully reconstructed. Access roads were improved and guard rails were installed on the causeway. Permanent structures were rebuilt and tonnes of rubbish removed. This was made possible by an immense amount of voluntary work by MGCC members and financial support from the newly formed Friends of Rob Roy. In February 1993 the first Return to Rob Roy Historic Meeting was run with a huge spectator attendance of around 1000 enthusiasts. In September 2007, the Nillumbik Shire Council gave the hillclimb heritage protection. This acknowledged the property’s significant contribution to early Australian motor sport with its social connection to William Clinton and the local community.4 *Christmas Hills was named after emancipated convict and shepherd David Christmas, lost in these hills.This collection of almost 130 photos about places and people within the Shire of Nillumbik, an urban and rural municipality in Melbourne's north, contributes to an understanding of the history of the Shire. Published in 2008 immediately prior to the Black Saturday bushfires of February 7, 2009, it documents sites that were impacted, and in some cases destroyed by the fires. It includes photographs taken especially for the publication, creating a unique time capsule representing the Shire in the early 21st century. It remains the most recent comprehenesive publication devoted to the Shire's history connecting local residents to the past. nillumbik now and then (marshall-king) collection, rob roy hill climb, clintons road, light car club of australia, william clinton