Covered under National Trust of Australia (Victoria) State Significance and Heritage Overlay, Nillumbik Planning Scheme. Published: Nillumbik Now and Then /​ Marguerite Marshall 2008; photographs Alan King with Marguerite Marshall.; p103 The Eltham railway trestle bridge is the only one of its kind still regularly used in Melbourne’s metropolitan railway network. Opened in 1902, it is also one of Victoria’s very few timber rail bridges that still carries trains.1 The bridge is part of the railway line extension from Heidelberg - extended to Hurstbridge in 1912. This extension resulted in one of the greatest social changes experienced in Eltham Shire, as it considerably lessened its isolation attracting tourists, artists and suburban commuters particularly after World War Two.2 The bridge has been classified by the National Trust as historically, scientifically, aesthetically and socially significant at state level. But this has not always been recognised, and in 1977, locals fought to save it from destruction. The Victorian Railways proposed to replace the bridge with an earth embankment and large culverts to avoid maintenance problems and fire. This was rejected by the Eltham Council who protested that the bridge helped maintain the area’s rural character, historic link and beauty, as well as avoiding possible serious flooding on the flood plain if a culvert was blocked. The bridge stands as part of a National Trust classified landscape which includes the Alistair Knox Park, named after the local conservationist and architect who helped to make Eltham famous for its mud-brick houses. The landscape includes tall and spreading manna gums and candlebarks, and the historic Shillinglaw Cottage. Artist Walter Withers, one of the Heidelberg School of painters, painted the bridge early in the 20th century. The 38 span single-track railway bridge over creek and road has 34 timber-beam spans and four steel-joist spans, supported by four-pile timber piers and timber abutments. It has almost 200m of timber deck. All of the timbers have been replaced over the years, but the only change to the bridge’s character was the addition of pylons and wiring for electric trains in 1923. A petition for a railway to the shire was first made in 1883. A large deputation of local citizens to the Commissioner of Railways proposed a route passing through Alphington to midway between Greensborough and Eltham up the Diamond Creek valley towards Queenstown and Kinglake. As a result the Princes Bridge-Heidelberg Railway was opened in 1888. From 1888 locals demanded a railway extension. Kangaroo Ground farmers in particular, led by Shire Councillor and Member for Evelyn, Ewen Cameron, said it would assist local farmers and orchardists send their produce to the Melbourne market. In 1890, before the severe economic Depression, an extension of the line to Hurst’s Bridge (now Hurstbridge) was included in a new Railways Bill. The parliamentary delegations were regaled with a banquet at Hurst’s barn and entertained by the Diamond Creek Brass Band, but the extension was abandoned when the Depression struck in 1892-1893. The extension of the railway to Eltham, completed in 1902, was one of the few built in those hard times. That is why the Eltham timber-trestle railway bridge is a rare example of a broad-gauge rail bridge constructed between 1893 and 1910. At the opening, despite persistent drizzle, 300 children waving flags and banners were among the large crowd welcoming the first train, carrying official dignitaries, to Eltham. It had taken 24 years to bring the railway to Eltham. From then Eltham became a popular destination for outings. Mr Orford of Eltham recalled that after the railway came to Eltham ‘the craze for picnics on weekends and holidays began…. During the wattle season, wattle trains came to Eltham frequently. The visitors roamed the creek pulling great armfuls of wattle blossom to take back with them to Melbourne’.3 In 1926 the railway line was electrified as part of the metropolitan rail network. But the Victorian Railways decided not to complete the formerly planned Diamond Valley Railway to Queenstown (now St Andrews) and Kinglake.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, eltham railway trestle bridge, eltham trestle bridge

fay bridge collection, eltham, eltham railway trestle bridge, trestle bridge

fay bridge collection, eltham, eltham railway trestle bridge, trestle bridge, eltham trestle bridge, hot rods

jim connor collection, eltham railway trestle bridge, eltham trestle bridge

Part of a slide show presentation "Bridges & Waterways of the Shire" by Russell Yeoman to the 13 September 1989 Society meeting. The presentation included slides of historic photos from the Shire of Eltham Pioneers collections as well as several recent views.35mm colour positive transparency (1 of 33) Mount - Agfa CS System grey 8 dotsProcess Date Sep 1989eltham railway trestle bridge

Part of a slide show presentation "A Trip Down the Diamond Creek" by Russell Yeoman to the Eltham District Historical Society meeting of 14 Nov. 200135mm colour positive transparency Mount - Black and Whiteeltham, eltham railway trestle bridge, eltham trestle bridge, trestle bridge

Part of a slide show presentation "A Trip Down the Diamond Creek" by Russell Yeoman to the Eltham District Historical Society meeting of 14 Nov. 200135mm colour positive transparency Mount - Black and Whiteeltham, eltham railway trestle bridge, eltham trestle bridge, trestle bridge

Part of a slide show presentation "A Trip Down the Diamond Creek" by Russell Yeoman to the Eltham District Historical Society meeting of 14 Nov. 200135mm colour positive transparency Mount - Black and Whiteeltham, eltham railway trestle bridge, eltham trestle bridge, trestle bridge

Colour photographic print1984-03, eltham, panther place, trestle bridge

Special excursion vintage train. Same engine (K-184) that hauled the vintage train for the Shire of Eltham Centenary celebrations in 1971. K 184 was used on railtour duty by Steamrail Victoria until 1980. It has since been stored at Newport Workshops.35mm colour positive transparency Mount - Grey and White (Fuji)eltham trestle bridge, k-184, k-class steam locomotive (vr newport workshops), red rattler, steam engine, steam train, trestle bridge

Special excursion vintage train. Same engine (K-184) that hauled the vintage train for the Shire of Eltham Centenary celebrations in 1971. K 184 was used on railtour duty by Steamrail Victoria until 1980. It has since been stored at Newport Workshops.35mm colour positive transparency Mount - Grey and White (Fuji)eltham trestle bridge, k-184, k-class steam locomotive (vr newport workshops), red rattler, steam engine, steam train, trestle bridge

35mm colour positive transparency Mount - Black and Whiteeltham trestle bridge

Born digital imageeltham, metro trains, panther place, trestle bridge

Born digital imageeltham, panther place, trestle bridge

Born digital imageeltham, panther place, trestle bridge

Born digital imageeltham, panther place, trestle bridge

Born digital imageeltham, panther place, trestle bridge

Born digital imageeltham, panther place, trestle bridge

Born digital imageeltham, panther place, trestle bridge

Born digital imageeltham, metro trains, panther place, trestle bridge

Digital TIFF file Scan of 35mm Ilford HP4 black and white transparencyd639, d-639, eltham trestle bridge, red rattler, steam engine, tait train

Digital TIFF file Scan of 35mm Ilford HP4 black and white transparencyd639, d-639, eltham trestle bridge, red rattler, steam engine, tait train

Former Eltham Shire Council offices in backgroundDigital TIFF file Scan of 35mm Kodak Safety 5063 black and white transparencyeltham shire office, eltham trestle bridge, harris (blue) train, princes bridge railway station

Former Eltham Shire Council offices in backgroundDigital TIFF file Scan of 35mm Kodak Safety 5063 black and white transparencyeltham shire office, eltham trestle bridge, harris (blue) train, princes bridge railway station

Former Eltham Shire Council offices in backgroundDigital TIFF file Scan of 35mm Kodak Safety 5063 black and white transparencyeltham shire office, eltham trestle bridge, harris (blue) train, princes bridge railway station

Former Eltham Shire Council offices in backgroundDigital TIFF file Scan of 35mm Kodak Safety 5063 black and white transparencyeltham shire office, eltham trestle bridge, harris (blue) train, princes bridge railway station

Former Eltham Shire Council offices in backgroundDigital TIFF file Scan of 35mm Kodak Safety 5063 black and white transparencyeltham shire office, eltham trestle bridge, harris (blue) train, princes bridge railway station

Digital TIFF file Scan of 9 x 13 cm black and white print575m, eltham trestle bridge, harris (blue) train, panther place

Digital TIFF file Scan of 9 x 13 cm black and white print747m, eltham trestle bridge, harris (blue) train, panther place

Digital TIFF file Scan of 9 x 13 cm black and white print747m, eltham trestle bridge, harris (blue) train, panther place