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 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.jim connor collection, laughing waters road, boomerang house, gordon ford

[article in EDHS Newsletter No. 123, November 1998:] MUD BRICK HERITAGE EXCURSION AND THE FUTURE. A small group of members attended the excursion on 4th October. We visited a number of earth houses listed by the Eltham Heritage Study in a very pleasant day's outing. The first visit was to the home of Jenny and Brian Ellis in York Street, formerly the home of Jenny's father Professor William McMahon Ball. We were made very welcome with inspection of the inside and outside showing the various stages of construction. We then walked through the grounds of "Kinloch", the Jelbart property in Arthur Street where we saw their large mud brick house and barn. Lunch was at Marion and Russell Yeoman's house in Peter Street. This pise house was built by the Moore family in the early 1950's. In the afternoon we visited the home of artist Jenni Mitchell in Fordhams Road, one of the last examples of the work of Alistair Knox. Then we travelled to Laughing Waters Road where we saw two interesting houses owned and built by well known landscape gardener Gordon Ford. Along the way we stopped to view a number of other properties from the street.Colour photographactivities, eltham, heritage excursion, mud brick, boomerang house, laughing waters road

[article in EDHS Newsletter No. 123, November 1998:] MUD BRICK HERITAGE EXCURSION AND THE FUTURE. A small group of members attended the excursion on 4th October. We visited a number of earth houses listed by the Eltham Heritage Study in a very pleasant day's outing. The first visit was to the home of Jenny and Brian Ellis in York Street, formerly the home of Jenny's father Professor William McMahon Ball. We were made very welcome with inspection of the inside and outside showing the various stages of construction. We then walked through the grounds of "Kinloch", the Jelbart property in Arthur Street where we saw their large mud brick house and barn. Lunch was at Marion and Russell Yeoman's house in Peter Street. This pise house was built by the Moore family in the early 1950's. In the afternoon we visited the home of artist Jenni Mitchell in Fordhams Road, one of the last examples of the work of Alistair Knox. Then we travelled to Laughing Waters Road where we saw two interesting houses owned and built by well known landscape gardener Gordon Ford. Along the way we stopped to view a number of other properties from the street.Colour photographactivities, eltham, heritage excursion, mud brick, boomerang house, laughing waters road

[article in EDHS Newsletter No. 123, November 1998:] MUD BRICK HERITAGE EXCURSION AND THE FUTURE. A small group of members attended the excursion on 4th October. We visited a number of earth houses listed by the Eltham Heritage Study in a very pleasant day's outing. The first visit was to the home of Jenny and Brian Ellis in York Street, formerly the home of Jenny's father Professor William McMahon Ball. We were made very welcome with inspection of the inside and outside showing the various stages of construction. We then walked through the grounds of "Kinloch", the Jelbart property in Arthur Street where we saw their large mud brick house and barn. Lunch was at Marion and Russell Yeoman's house in Peter Street. This pise house was built by the Moore family in the early 1950's. In the afternoon we visited the home of artist Jenni Mitchell in Fordhams Road, one of the last examples of the work of Alistair Knox. Then we travelled to Laughing Waters Road where we saw two interesting houses owned and built by well known landscape gardener Gordon Ford. Along the way we stopped to view a number of other properties from the street.Colour photographactivities, eltham, heritage excursion, mud brick, boomerang house, laughing waters road

Designed by Alistair Knox and Gordon FordRoll of 35mm colour negative film, 10 strips Kodak Gold 100-6 Cross Ref: 00659 (print) and 03182 (negative)gayle blackwood collection, houses, mudbrick, eltham, alistair knox, boomerang house, gordon ford, laughing waters road

Designed by Alistair Knox and Gordon FordRoll of 35mm colour negative film, 10 strips Kodak Gold 100-6gayle blackwood collection, houses, mudbrick, eltham, alistair knox, boomerang house, gordon ford, laughing waters road

Designed by Alistair Knox and Gordon FordRoll of 35mm colour negative film, 10 strips Kodak Gold 100-6gayle blackwood collection, houses, mudbrick, eltham, alistair knox, boomerang house, gordon ford, laughing waters road

Designed by Alistair Knox and Gordon FordRoll of 35mm colour negative film, 10 strips Kodak Gold 100-6gayle blackwood collection, houses, mudbrick, eltham, alistair knox, boomerang house, gordon ford, laughing waters road

Designed by Alistair Knox and Gordon FordRoll of 35mm colour negative film, 10 strips Kodak Gold 100-6gayle blackwood collection, houses, mudbrick, eltham, alistair knox, boomerang house, gordon ford, laughing waters road

Designed by Alistair Knox and Gordon FordRoll of 35mm colour negative film, 10 strips Kodak Gold 100-6gayle blackwood collection, houses, mudbrick, eltham, alistair knox, boomerang house, gordon ford, laughing waters road

Designed by Alistair Knox and Gordon FordRoll of 35mm colour negative film, 10 strips Kodak Gold 100-6 Cross Ref: 00659 (print) and 03182 (negative)gayle blackwood collection, houses, mudbrick, eltham, alistair knox, boomerang house, gordon ford, laughing waters road

Designed by Alistair Knox and Gordon FordRoll of 35mm colour negative film, 10 strips Kodak Gold 100-6 Cross Ref: 00659 (print) and 03182 (negative)gayle blackwood collection, houses, mudbrick, eltham, alistair knox, boomerang house, gordon ford, laughing waters road

Designed by Alistair Knox and Gordon FordRoll of 35mm colour negative film, 10 strips Kodak Gold 100-6 Cross Ref: 00659 (print) and 03182 (negative)gayle blackwood collection, houses, mudbrick, eltham, alistair knox, boomerang house, gordon ford, laughing waters road

Designed by Alistair Knox and Gordon FordRoll of 35mm colour negative film, 10 strips Kodak Gold 100-6 Cross Ref: 00659 (print) and 03182 (negative)gayle blackwood collection, houses, mudbrick, eltham, alistair knox, boomerang house, gordon ford, laughing waters road

Designed by Alistair Knox and Gordon FordRoll of 35mm colour negative film, 10 strips Kodak Gold 100-6 Cross Ref: 00659 (print) and 03182 (negative)gayle blackwood collection, houses, mudbrick, eltham, alistair knox, boomerang house, gordon ford, laughing waters road

Designed by Alistair Knox and Gordon FordRoll of 35mm colour negative film, 10 strips Kodak Gold 100-6 Cross Ref: 00659 (print) and 03182 (negative)gayle blackwood collection, houses, mudbrick, eltham, alistair knox, boomerang house, gordon ford, laughing waters road

Designed by Alistair Knox and Gordon FordRoll of 35mm colour negative film, 10 strips Kodak Gold 100-6 Cross Ref: 00659 (print) and 03182 (negative)gayle blackwood collection, houses, mudbrick, eltham, alistair knox, boomerang house, gordon ford, laughing waters road

Designed by Alistair Knox and Gordon FordRoll of 35mm colour negative film, 10 strips Kodak Gold 100-6 Cross Ref: 00659 (print) and 03182 (negative)gayle blackwood collection, houses, mudbrick, eltham, alistair knox, boomerang house, gordon ford, laughing waters road

Designed by Alistair Knox and Gordon FordRoll of 35mm colour negative film, 10 strips Kodak Gold 100-6 Cross Ref: 00659 (print) and 03182 (negative)gayle blackwood collection, houses, mudbrick, eltham, alistair knox, boomerang house, gordon ford, laughing waters road

Designed by Alistair Knox and Gordon FordRoll of 35mm colour negative film, 10 strips Kodak Gold 100-6 Cross Ref: 00659 (print) and 03182 (negative)gayle blackwood collection, houses, mudbrick, eltham, alistair knox, boomerang house, gordon ford, laughing waters road

Designed by Alistair Knox and Gordon FordRoll of 35mm colour negative film, 10 strips Kodak Gold 100-6 Cross Ref: 00659 (print) and 03182 (negative)gayle blackwood collection, houses, mudbrick, eltham, alistair knox, boomerang house, gordon ford, laughing waters road

Designed by Alistair Knox and Gordon FordRoll of 35mm colour negative film, 10 strips Kodak Gold 100-6 Cross Ref: 00659 (print) and 03182 (negative)gayle blackwood collection, houses, mudbrick, eltham, alistair knox, boomerang house, gordon ford, laughing waters road

Designed by Alistair Knox and Gordon FordThirteen colour prints Cross Ref: 00649 (print) and 03182 (negative)houses, mudbrick, laughing waters road, eltham, gayle blackwood collection, alistair knox, 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

Acquired by Parks Victoria3 documents,3 pages A4 For photos - Cross Ref: 00649 (print) and 03182 (negative)gayle blackwood collection, houses, laughing waters road, eltham, boomerang house

This work was completed during Harper's Laughing Waters residency at Boomerang House, 2001. The Laughing Waters Artist in Residence Program was run by Nillumbik Shire Council (in partnership with Parks Victoria) 2001-2015. "This painting is a part of a series based on Rudolph Steiner form drawings. The lines are meant to be drawn in a single continuous and rhythmic movement. I have made the composition a bit more complicated by dividing up the painting into small blocks. The 'form drawing' is the organic looping shape that is a continuous organic line. It becomes meshed into small coloured blocks almost disguising the form." Melinda Harper was the first artist-resident at Boomerang House through this program. Formerly the house was the home and studio of Sue Ford and Gordon Ford. "My painting is about colour and form, and their relationship. I am interested in what one colour does to another colour, the weight of a colour and the feeling of a colour. Colour is very complex; I am looking and responding to what I see and what interests me." Melinda Harper in Artist Profile journal article by Melissa Pesa, 2015.The painting is representative of Harper's artistic practice and the vivid colours and abstraction particular to her work. Small-medium sized oil painting of vivid, bold, coloured shapes arranged in a kaleidoscope pattern. There is an array of colours each placed in proximity to each other to create a vibrant, lively atmosphere. Anna Schwartz sticker on back of canvas. harper, untitled, 2002, contemporary, laughing waters, boomerang, abstract

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. 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

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