This is a photograph of the pupils at the Diggers rest State School No. 2479 taken on 18th March 1924.A sepia photograph of the students at Diggers Rest Primary School No. 2479schools, education, teaching, classrooms, diggers rest, clark, kath, le nephew, ernie, education department, mcpherson, archie, duncan, george, davis, velda, howie, russel, cullinan, urania, george evans collection

THe Trophy was discovered in a box of donated goods at the Druin Anglican Church Op SHop and was donated by them to the museum. A response to inquire in the local Leader newspaper established that the trophy was won by Les Pullyblack, who lived in Northcote. He would have been 18 or 19 years old when he won the trophy at Lilydale ANA Day Carnival. Les' great-nephews, Stuart, Mark and Brett went to school in Lilydale. The family had not known that Les was a swimmer as well as a runner. THe Trophy was discovered in a box of donated goods at the Druin Anglican Church Op SHop and was donated by them to the museum. A response to inquire in the local Leader newspaper established that the trophy was won by Les Pullyblack, who lived in Northcote. He would have been 18 or 19 years old when he won the trophy at Lilydale ANA Day Carnival. Les' great-nephews, Stuart, Mark and Brett went to school in Lilydale. The family had not known that Les was a swimmer as well as a runner. The Trophy was discovered in a box of donated goods at the Druin Anglican Church Op SHop and was donated by them to the museum. A response to inquire in the local Leader newspaper established that the trophy was won by Les Pullyblack, who lived in Northcote. He would have been 18 or 19 years old when he won the trophy at Lilydale ANA Day Carnival. Les' great-nephews, Stuart, Mark and Brett went to school in Lilydale. The family had not known that Les was a swimmer as well as a runner. sporting clubs, sports events, torphies, lilydale swimming club

Wickliffe State School, No. 948, circa 1900. Back: Lawrie Ford, Percy Morrow, Les Ford, Percy Almond (teacher's nephew), Evelyn Farrell, Nellie Ford, Bessie Grimmer, Alice Wileman, Violet Morrow. Front: Murray Ford, Lou Ford, Alf Ford, Eddie Gale, Lily Smith, Mary Ford, Mary Wileman, Bessie Ford. Teacher: Mr W.F. Friday. Photograph courtesy Keith Grimmer.wickliffe, state school no 948, almond, gale, farrell, ford, friday, grimmer, morrow, smith, wileman

Bennie Simcox first came to the Monbulk area about 1860, following the first important gold discovery at the end of 1858. As the gold rush was short lived Simcox returned to Collingwood but later came back to Monbulk, built himself a hut to live in and become its first known permanent resident. The hut was burnt in the 1913 fires. Monbulk was thrown open to selection in 1894, and that's when the first farmers including Bennie Simcox went into Monbulk. It was a big, timbered country in those days. Once Ben had cleared some of his land he started to grow raspberries on it. He would be up before daylight ready to start picking. Ben also picked for a local family, the Camms to help make ends meet. When Ben Simcox was virtually at the retired stage, he wanted to develop his bit of the gully as a tourist attraction, As his nephew Fred Gay who owned the 10 acres below Ben wanted to farm, he was happy to swap his treed block with Ben. At a time when most settlers were clearing their properties, Ben Simcox, by contrast, cultivated the native plants and planted most of the large trees seen on the property today. And so Nathania Springs was developed as a tourist resort, and a mini-botanical garden. He diverted the natural water supply to form ornamental garden pools stocked with trout and tame native black fish. There were many visitors came to the Dandenongs, Some arriving in motor cars others in converted furniture vans lined with seats or charabancs with the long extended chassis and the open canvas roofs. Identities such as Billy Hughes, Madame Melba would often come to look through Nathania Springs. Bennie sold Nathania Springs to Councillor Ferdinand Thomas Le Juge, a boarding house proprietor and later the town baker in 1909 then in about 1921 Ben’s nephew Fred and his wife and family continued to open Nathania Springs to the public. It was not unusual in around 1924-25 for up to a thousand people a day to arrive at Nathania Springs to go through the gardens. At sixpence a time, that was a lot of money in those days. This photo is part of a collection of historic and social significance of the early settlement of Monbulk. Copies of photographs can be purchased from the Monbulk Historical Society.simcox, nathania springs, monbulk, 1860, berries