Receipts for rates payable to the Heidelberg and Eltham Railway Construction Trust, 1916. Owners are Benjamin Partington and William Partington.Copy of receiptswilliam james partington, benjamin partington, heidelberg and eltham railway construction trust, hurstbridge rail line

The Heidelberg and Eltham Railway Trust arranged a dinner to be held to celebrate the opening of the railway line to Eltham. A "few" invitations were issued by subscription. i.e., those desirous of being present may obtain tickets on payment of a sum of money to attend.Photocopy of invitation cardinvitation, eltham railway station, heidelberg & eltham railway construction trust, heidelberg-eltham railway extension, opening ceremony

Cr. John Herbert served three terms as Eltham Shire President A3 photocopy of 3 documents with note at bottom of page - Cr. John Herbert 1. Federal Convention, The Government of Victoria request the honor of the Company of the The President, Eltham Shire & Lady to a Garden Party at Parliament House Melbourne on Friday February 4th 1898 at 3 o'clock. 2. Heidelberg & Eltham Railway Construction Trust, Ticket No. 87, Dinner in celebration of the opening of the Railway to Eltham, will be given in the Marquee on the Station Ground, Eltham on Thursday, 5th June, 190212.30 o'clock, H.J. Price, Secretary 3. Post card addressed to Miss Flora Herbert, "Blair Athol", Nutfield P.O., Victoria, Australia - France 12/12/17 - Dear Floss, Just a card to let you know I have not forgotten you. Tell "Mum" I am quite well, but a bit cold, I remain yours sincerely, Will"Photocopy A3 page; all three items on one page aif, blair athol, councillors, cr. john herbert, eltham railway station, eltham shire council, federal convention, first world war, flora herbert, government of victoria, heidelberg & eltham railway construction trust, invitation, nutfield, opening ceremony, parliament house, postcards, shire president

Walter Withers was a significant Australian landscape artist and a member of the Heidelberg School of Australian Impressionists. In 1903 Withers bought 'Southernwood', a house on 2½ acres (1 ha) at Eltham, to which he added a studio. Because of ill health, he lived during the week at his studio in Oxford Chambers, Melbourne, and on weekends and holidays with his family at Eltham until his death in 1914. The Eltham rail bridge is a unique and valuable historic relic of an earlier steam locomotive transport era in the Diamond Creek Valley and has long formed an important part of a magnificent Eltham landscape. When built in 1902 it was close to the terminus point of the Heidelberg-Eltham rail extension, on the route of the proposed Diamond Valley Railway that was then planned to continue much further up the valley towards Kinglake. This bridge is situated in attractive river-valley parkland amidst the tall and spreading manna gums and candlebarks of the Diamond Creek Valley. The Alistair Knox Park river-valley landscape, of which the timber trestle bridge is an important visual component, has been classified by the National Trust. Large manna gum and candlebark trees adorn the adjacent creek banks, and historic Shillinglaw Cottage is also part of this much-prized Eltham landscape. Eltham is home to a historic wooden railway trestle bridge. Mainly of timber-pier and timber-beam construction, but varied by a few longer steel-joists spans on timber piers at the main stream channel, this substantial bridge has almost two hundred metres of timber deck. Built in 1902, it is the only railway bridge of predominantly timber construction that is still in regular use as an integral part of Melbourne's metropolitan electric railway network and one of extremely few timber rail bridges in the State that still carry trains. Apart from its important continuing social function as a carrier of rail transport for the Hurstbridge line, this impressive bridge and its beautiful parkland environs contribute much to the character of Eltham township and that town's special reputation as an historic centre of environmental and conservation concerns. This section of the Diamond Creek Valley was the subject of a Walter Withers painting in the earliest years of the twentieth century and has strong historic links with our Heidelberg School of painters. Watercolour painting on paper of Eltham's Trestle Bridge in the middle of the day. A small section of the wooden bridge is located to the left of the painting. The focus is predominately on the wattle, manna gum and candlebark trees that is to the right of the bridge. The golden hues typically represent the australian sunlight and landscape. "W.W" in gothic script on the lower right side of the painting. Not dated. withers, eltham, trestle bridge, railway, watercolour