Lyon Bros. Ford was a redvelopment of the Lyon Bros. Eltham Motor Garage and Shell Petrol outlet erected some time after the war at what was known up until the mid 1960s 283-287 Main Road. Pencil notes reflect potential visual heights of replacement buildings. Barber shop is now Fletchers Real Estate.Black and white photograph951 main road eltham, 953 main road eltham, 1972, barber, eltham, eltham shopping centre, eltham shops, fletchers real estate, lyon bros ford (eltham), main road eltham, shopping centre, shops, tattersalls

Poduced as a supplement to the Diamond Valley News in celebration of the centenary of the Shire of Eltham in 1971. Contains stories of historical note about people and places of the shire as well as numerous advertisng by local businsesses. Also on page 1 lists the program of events commencing Friday, April 2 commencing with a dinner and previewing of paintings by Justus Jorgensen at Montsalvat attended by the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. W. H. McMahon running through to the publication of Pioneers & Painters edited by Alan Marshall. Contents: Page 1 Program of Events Page 2 Wingrove . . man of Eltham Page 3 Council people of 100 years Page 5 Capt. Sweeney, Eltham’s first Irish settler Page 6 Station a tribute to ex-concillor Page 7 Eltham 25 Years Ago just a street Page 9 Kangaroo Ground – once the hub of the shire Page 10 Festival of Arts and Crafts at Montsalvat Page 11 Obelisk honours their memory Page 11 Henry Dendy – an Eltham venture Page 12 Free by rail – if they worked Page 12 The long shadow of Ween Cameron Page 13 McMahon’s – a momentous era Page 14 50 Years Ago . . . Lyon Bros Ford Page 15 Beer at 3d. a pint Page 17 Oldest Home Built in 1850 Page 19 History in black and white . . . . Page 20 Historical Pigeon Bank Page 22 Bridge over log crossing Page 22 Pioneer shot by outlaw Page 23 Milestone for Smith Family Page 24 The Eltham Chamber of Commerce Mardi Gras Advertisers: F.J. & R. Favier (Butcher & Delicatessen Lower Plenty) Eltham Hotel Country Art Store (Eltham) A.R. Warren (Eltham) Heidelberg Travel Service Williams Butcher (Lower Plenty) Greensborough Bulk Store Mac’s Meats (Eltham) Buxton Garden Ornaments (Eltham) Hugh Fisher Photographer (Eltham) Para (Mach. Trading Co. (Greensborough) Westfield Shoppingtown (Doncaster) Clinton’s (Eltham) Gillespie & Lewis P/L (Soft Furnishings Greensborough) T. Hutchinson’s Engineers (Greensborough) Knox & Hellemons Pty Ltd (Builders) Angliss Butchers (Eltham) Rainbow Real Estate (Research) Research Licensed Supermarket Gibsons Research Meat Supply Owen Holmes Motors (Greensborough) Research Pharmacy R. & P. Humphries Delicatessen (Eltham) Montsalvat Eltham Apex Mowerama (Eltham) R.H. Dean & Son Real Estate (Greensborough) L.J. & J.D. Avery Butchers (Eltham) Deylen & Torikov (Motor Engineers Eltham) George Lovitt & Co. Pty Ltd Precision Engineers and Toolmakers Montmorency) Fred’s Mower Repairs (Lower Plenty) Gray’s Milk Bar (Montmorency) Maranne Beauty Salon (Montmorency) Evans Bros. & Newell Pty Ltd (Printing Greensborough) La Ronde Restaurant (Eltham) Terry & Margaret’s Garage (Caltex Lower Plenty) Kevin Dawson Building & Joinery Contractors (Eltham) Montmorency Authorised Newsagency Eltham Produce Store (W.J. Cameron) Consolidated Aluminium (Aust.) Pty Ltd (Eltham) Briar Hill Timber & Trading Co. Pty Ltd Diamond Valley Coaches (Eltham) Lyon Bros Ford (Eltham) The Natural Development Association (Eltham Shire) Alan Whitmore R.E.S.I. (Eltham) Keith Wilkie’s Mensland (Montmorency) Eltham Home Supplies (Eltham) Safeway (Greensborough) Lower Plenty Fish Supply Blue Gum Milk Bar (Eltham) W. Hutchinson Sand Soil & Gravel Suppliers (Greensborough) Keyzers Milk Bar (Greensborough) P.J. Timber & Trading Pty Ltd (Eltham) Diamond Valley Motocycles (Honda Macleod) Neville F. Emerson Real Estate (Lower Plenty) Edon Engineering (Eltham) Mobil Service Centre (Eltham) C.A. & J.M. Kohlman (Panton Hill General Store) C.A. & J.M. Kohlman (Smiths Gully General Store) ANZ (Eltham) Diamond Valley Demolition (Eltham) Volkswagen Specialists (D. Young Greensborough) N.F. Thorpe Pty Ltd Precision Engineers (Briar Hill) Ashley’s Milk Bar (Montmorency) J. Turnbull (General Blacksmith Greensborough) Airlook Service Station (Montmorency) A. & L. Mallios (Grocer Hurstbridge) United Refrigeration Pty Ltd (Greensborough) Peter McDougall & Associates Real Estate (Eltham) Hurstbridge Bus & Taxi Service Pty Ltd Browne Bros. Safeway (Eltham) St Andrews Hotel Eltham Real Estate Pty Ltd Eltham Chamber of Commerce B.P. Evergreen Service Station (Eltham) A.R. Warren Fuel Merchant (Eltham) W. Penna Chemist (Eltham) PPH Produce Paint Hardware (Eltham) Eltham Cake Kitchen (Eltham) Fred Ramak Continental Hairdresser (Eltham) Clinton’s (Eltham) Thompson’s Pharmacy (Eltham) Tillings Timber Supermarket (Eltham) Lyon Bros Ford (Eltham) Bob Clarke’s Men’s Wear (Eltham) Eltham Glen Service Station (Eltham) Miss V. Rampton Naturopath (Eltham) Eltham South Milk Bar (Eltham) Eltham Jewellers (Eltham) Baines Supa-Valu Supermarket (Eltham) Sibbel Builders P/L (Eltham) G. & E. Reivers Fly and Shower Screens (Eltham) Kenton Shoeland (Eltham) Eltham Newsagency (Eltham)One copy marked '1971' on fronta. & l. mallios (grocer hurstbridge), a.r. warren (eltham), a.r. warren fuel merchant (eltham), airlook service station (montmorency), alan whitmore r.e.s.i. (eltham), angliss butchers (eltham), anz (eltham), ashley’s milk bar (montmorency), b.p. evergreen service station (eltham), baines supa-valu supermarket (eltham), blue gum milk bar (eltham), bob clarke’s men’s wear (eltham), briar hill timber & trading co. pty ltd, browne bros. safeway (eltham), buxton garden ornaments (eltham), c.a. & j.m. kohlman (panton hill general store), c.a. & j.m. kohlman (smiths gully general store), clinton’s (eltham), consolidated aluminium (aust.) pty ltd (eltham), country art store (eltham), deylen & torikov (motor engineers eltham), diamond valley coaches (eltham), diamond valley demolition (eltham), diamond valley motocycles (honda macleod), edon engineering (eltham), eltham apex, eltham cake kitchen (eltham), eltham chamber of commerce, eltham glen service station (eltham), eltham home supplies (eltham), eltham hotel, eltham jewellers (eltham), eltham newsagency (eltham), eltham produce store (w.j. cameron), eltham real estate pty ltd, eltham south milk bar (eltham), evans bros. & newell pty ltd (printing greensborough), f.j. & r. favier (butcher & delicatessen lower plenty), fred ramak continental hairdresser (eltham), fred’s mower repairs (lower plenty), g. & e. reivers fly and shower screens (eltham), george lovitt & co. pty ltd precision engineers and toolmakers montmorency), gibsons research meat supply, gillespie & lewis p/l (soft furnishings greensborough), gray’s milk bar (montmorency), greensborough bulk store, heidelberg travel service, hugh fisher photographer (eltham), hurstbridge bus & taxi service pty ltd, j. turnbull (general blacksmith greensborough), keith wilkie’s mensland (montmorency), kenton shoeland (eltham), kevin dawson building & joinery contractors (eltham), keyzers milk bar (greensborough), knox & hellemons pty ltd (builders), l.j. & j.d. avery butchers (eltham), la ronde restaurant (eltham), lower plenty fish supply, lyon bros ford (eltham), mac’s meats (eltham), maranne beauty salon (montmorency), miss v. rampton naturopath (eltham), mobil service centre (eltham), montmorency authorised newsagency, montsalvat, mowerama (eltham), n.f. thorpe pty ltd precision engineers (briar hill), neville f. emerson real estate (lower plenty), owen holmes motors (greensborough), p.j. timber & trading pty ltd (eltham), para (mach. trading co. (greensborough), peter mcdougall & associates real estate (eltham), pph produce paint hardware (eltham), r. & p. humphries delicatessen (eltham), r.h. dean & son real estate (greensborough), rainbow real estate (research), research licensed supermarket, research pharmacy, safeway (greensborough), shire of eltham centenary, sibbel builders p/l (eltham), st andrews hotel, t. hutchinson’s engineers (greensborough), terry & margaret’s garage (caltex lower plenty), the natural development association (eltham shire), thompson’s pharmacy (eltham), tillings timber supermarket (eltham), united refrigeration pty ltd (greensborough), volkswagen specialists (d. young greensborough), w. hutchinson sand soil & gravel suppliers (greensborough), w. penna chemist (eltham), westfield shoppingtown (doncaster), williams butcher (lower plenty), a. roy ford, a.g. thomas, agnes bell, albert h. price, andrew ross, anton w. brinkkotter, arthur brindley, b. bessant, b.w. plant, bell family, charles wingrove, culla hill, dave lyon, david w. bell, e.j. andrew, edwin smith, eltham court house, eltham obelisk, ewen hugh cameron, f.e. griffith, f.v. squire, frank mcmahon, george green, george stebbing, h. eric rundle, harold e. bartlett, henry dendy, henry hurst, henry stooke, herbert a. davies, herbert hewitt, i.g. smedley, j.a. mcdonald, jack baker, jack williams, james k. brice, james rossiter, john lyon, john s. smedley, justus jorgensen, kangaroo ground, larry burke, martin mcmahon, menzies jackson, mott family, mrs andrew, mrs harper, p. harmer, p.j. lester, patrick joseph mcmahon, r.j. galbraith, robert burke, robert charles harris, rosehill, s. willey, shillinglaw cottage, shire of eltham war memorial tower, thomas sweeney, tiny carroll, tom orford, w.b. thomas, william morris

Broadbent's Guide "Melbourne's Mountains" no date, pp20-21: Eltham Motor Garage and Celina Cafe. Business card: Eltham Bookshop, Meera Govil. Invitation; An evening with Robert Dessaix, Eltrham Bookshop, 7 Dec 1998 Newspaper advertisement: Diamond Valley Leader, 3 November 2004, Miko. Miko Customer Loyalty Card Nov. 2004 Newspaper advertisement: Leader Associated Newspapers, Eltham Centenary Supplement, March 30, 1971, Lyon Bros Fordmain road, eltham, property, shops, businesses, eltham motor garage, celina cafe, eltham bookshop, meera govil, miko beautiful child, lyon bros ford (eltham)

Advertisement for Lyon Bros Ford of Eltham and Greensborough. Copied from a Diamond Valley Football League football record from 1971.Digital copy of advertisement from booklet.diamond valley football league, lyon bros ford, para road greensborough

Advertisement for Lyon Bros Ford of Eltham and Greensborough. Copied from a Diamond Valley Football League football record from 1972.Digital copy of advertisement from booklet.diamond valley football league, lyon bros ford, grimshaw street greensborough

Advertisement for Lyon Bros Ford of Eltham and Bundoora. Copied from a Diamond Valley Football League football record from 1973.Digital copy of advertisement from booklet.diamond valley football league, lyon bros ford, grimshaw street bundoora

Photo taken at corner of Arthur Street looking across to Lyon Bros. Ford dealership on site of original Lyons Garage. The new post office is visible to the right of the dealership.Two colour photographs looking diagonally across Main Road, Eltham towards Lyon Bros Ford dealership. One photo shows a 1935 Datsun driving past the gatherered crowd in the medium strip, the other shows a 1974 XB Ford Falcon utility with bunting and a sign on the side advertising ''Sausage Sizzle'eltham, festivals, main road, lyon bros ford, post office

Three colour photographs; two looking diagonally across Main Road, Eltham towards Lyon Bros Ford dealership with the Wizard of Oz float and Institute of Linguistics float. The third photo looking further down Main Road showing the Wizard of Oz float approaching the viewing point.eltham, festivals, main road, lyon bros ford

Three colour photographs near the corner of Arthur Street and Main Road; two looking diagonally across Main Road, Eltham towards Lyon Bros Ford dealership showing the general Festival parade; one looking further down Main Road from the centre median showing the newsagency and general crowd.eltham, festivals, main road, lyon bros ford

Three colour photographs near the corner of Arthur Street and Main Road; two looking diagonally across Main Road, Eltham towards Lyon Bros Ford dealership showing the general Festival parade; one looking directly across Main Road showing Real Estate agency (photo blurred from movement but gives a general perspective of the scene). Parade participants include Montmorency Primary School. Eltham High Schooleltham, festivals, main road, lyon bros ford, montmorency primary school, eltham high school

Printed on textured paper which has suffered significant colour degradation towards orange/red. Colour photograph1976, eltham festival, festivals, parade, lyon bros ford, fire station, margaret ball

Printed on textured paper which has suffered significant colour degradation towards orange/red. Colour photograph1976, eltham festival, festivals, parade, lyon bros ford, fire station, margaret ball

Printed on textured paper which has suffered significant colour degradation towards orange/red. Colour photograph1976, eltham festival, festivals, parade, lyon bros ford, fire station, margaret ball

Photo taken at corner of Arthur Street looking across to Lyon Bros. Ford dealership on site of original Lyons Garage. The new post office is visible to the right of the dealership.Two colour photographs looking diagonally across Main Road, Eltham towards Lyon Bros Ford dealership. One photo shows a 1935 Datsun driving past the gatherered crowd in the medium strip, the other shows a 1974 XB Ford Falcon utility with bunting and a sign on the side advertising ''Sausage Sizzle'eltham, festivals, main road, lyon bros ford, post office

Three colour photographs; two looking diagonally across Main Road, Eltham towards Lyon Bros Ford dealership with the Wizard of Oz float and Institute of Linguistics float. The third photo looking further down Main Road showing the Wizard of Oz float approaching the viewing point.eltham, festivals, main road, lyon bros ford

Three colour photographs; two looking diagonally across Main Road, Eltham towards Lyon Bros Ford dealership with the Wizard of Oz float and Institute of Linguistics float. The third photo looking further down Main Road showing the Wizard of Oz float approaching the viewing point.eltham, festivals, main road, lyon bros ford

Three colour photographs near the corner of Arthur Street and Main Road; two looking diagonally across Main Road, Eltham towards Lyon Bros Ford dealership showing the general Festival parade; one looking further down Main Road from the centre median showing the newsagency and general crowd.eltham, festivals, main road, lyon bros ford

Three colour photographs near the corner of Arthur Street and Main Road; two looking diagonally across Main Road, Eltham towards Lyon Bros Ford dealership showing the general Festival parade; one looking further down Main Road from the centre median showing the newsagency and general crowd.eltham, festivals, main road, lyon bros ford

Three colour photographs near the corner of Arthur Street and Main Road; two looking diagonally across Main Road, Eltham towards Lyon Bros Ford dealership showing the general Festival parade; one looking directly across Main Road showing Real Estate agency (photo blurred from movement but gives a general perspective of the scene). Parade participants include Montmorency Primary School. Eltham High Schooleltham, festivals, main road, lyon bros ford, montmorency primary school, eltham high school

Three colour photographs near the corner of Arthur Street and Main Road; two looking diagonally across Main Road, Eltham towards Lyon Bros Ford dealership showing the general Festival parade; one looking directly across Main Road showing Real Estate agency (photo blurred from movement but gives a general perspective of the scene). Parade participants include Montmorency Primary School. Eltham High Schooleltham, festivals, main road, lyon bros ford, montmorency primary school, eltham high school

Printed on textured paper which has suffered significant colour degradation towards orange/red. Colour photograph1976, eltham festival, festivals, parade, lyon bros ford, fire station, margaret ball

Feature news story about 1979 Eltham Parade with photo of Society members Joh Ebeli and Russell Yeoman pushing Peter Bassett-Smith along in a wheelbarrow. Others featured were Eltham Rugby club float and Anne Mandel of the Slovenian Association of Melbourne. Other story on "Council elections provide shocks" featured the defeat of Eltham sitting councillors, Ken Hines and Helen Wells with Shire president Cr, Robert Marshall returned with a commanding majority. Reverse side (p2) story "Laughing cop no softy" is a feature article on Tony Zalewski of Greensborough CIB who was the key policeman involved in a hour-long siege in Norfolk Crescent, Bundoora in 1978 and for which he received the Victoria Police Valour AwardNewsprint page1979, anne mandel, ansell and muir, bundoora, elections, eltham festival, eltham rugby football club, greensborough cib, helen wells, joh ebeli, ken hines, lyon bros ford, norfolk crescent, parade floats, peter bassett-smith, robert marshall, russell yeoman, shire of diamond valley, shire of eltham, shire of eltham historical society, siege, slovenian association of melbourne, tony zalewski, victoria police valour award

Mary Tenbosch lived in Eltham for 40 years and died 1968. Contents Newspaper article: "She saw the spacious era pass: Death of an early Elthamite", Diamond Valley News, 21 May 1968. Life of Mary Tenbosch. - Obituary for Mrs Mary Tenbosch, former wife of W.B. Bassett-Smith who lived for 40 years at the top of York Street.Newspaper clippings, A4 photocopies, etcmary tenbosch, york street eltham, bridge street eltham, brougham street eltham, eltham telephone exchange, lyon brothers eltham, millette's eltham, research hotel, eltham fire brigade, percy leason, wiregrass cartoons, henry street eltham, blue gum milk bar (eltham), brougham steet, eltham, eltham public hall, eltham shops, ford model t, ford wagonette, henry street, lyon bros. garage, millett's foodland, montevideo, newsagency, obituary, police station, post office, table talk, telephone exchange, uruguay, w.b. bassett-smith, york street

Lyon Bros Eltham Motor Garage originally opened as an old tin shed garage in 1923 alongside Dave Lyon’s weatherboard home, a Californian bungalow at present-day 856 Main Road, Eltham in the dip between York and Henry Streets - there was a wood yard and garage at the back. That house remains standing today (2026). It later became a Chiropractor’s practice now operating as Eltham Cosmetic Clinic. Earliest advertisements for the business date from March 1923 – advertise that they have opened a motor garage near the post office, where a car or petrol may be procured day or night, and repairs effected. (The Advertiser, 2 March 1923) Between May 1942 and December 1945 [based on a newspaper article "Eltham Killed in Brownout" (1942, May 15). Eltham and Whittlesea Shires Advertiser (Vic. : 1940 - 1942), p. 3. Retrieved May 23, 2026, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article57496549 and aerial photos taken in December 1945], the brothers relocated the business to 283-287 Main Road Eltham, opposite Arthur Street. The garage was an official RACV Road Service Station and offered vehicles for hire in addition to conducting repairs. It was also an Agent for Shell petrol. During the war Dave was working in the garage one night with a motor running. He was almost unconscious, and Jack Burgoyne happened to stop off with his truck and went and dragged him out. John Lyon used to live on the comer of Bridge Street and Main Road on top of the cliff. He was later killed in an accident at Rosanna railway crossing 29th Feb, 1960 [Source: Doug Orford]. This photo is dated circa 1964 and the address is clearly 283-287 Main Road however by 1971 street numbers had been revised to present-day numbering and by the time the site had been redeveloped as Lyon Bros. Ford the address was 953 Main Road. Community memories after posting this photo on Facebook include: "I can remember my dad putting 2 shilling pieces into a bowser to get petrol after hours."This photo forms part of a collection of photographs gathered by the Shire of Eltham for their centenary project book, "Pioneers and Painters: 100 years of the Shire of Eltham" by Alan Marshall (1971). The collection of over 500 images is held in partnership between Eltham District Historical Society and Yarra Plenty Regional Library (Eltham Library) and is now formally known as the 'The Shire of Eltham Pioneers Photograph Collection.' It is significant in being the first community sourced collection representing the places and people of the Shire's first one hundred years.Digital image 4 x 5 inch B&W Neg953 main road eltham, 1963, automobiles, businesses, eltham, eltham lyon, eltham motor garage, lyon bros. garage, main road eltham, motor vehicles, racv road service station, shell service station, shire of eltham pioneers photograph collection

Lyon Bros Eltham Motor Garage originally opened as an old tin shed garage in 1923 alongside Dave Lyon’s weatherboard home, a Californian bungalow at present-day 856 Main Road, Eltham in the dip between York and Henry Streets - there was a wood yard and garage at the back. That house remains standing today (2026). It later became a Chiropractor’s practice now operating as Eltham Cosmetic Clinic. Earliest advertisements for the business date from March 1923 – advertise that they have opened a motor garage near the post office, where a car or petrol may be procured day or night, and repairs effected. (The Advertiser, 2 March 1923) Between May 1942 and December 1945 [based on a newspaper article "Eltham Killed in Brownout" (1942, May 15). Eltham and Whittlesea Shires Advertiser (Vic. : 1940 - 1942), p. 3. Retrieved May 23, 2026, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article57496549 and aerial photos taken in December 1945], the brothers relocated the business to 283-287 Main Road Eltham, opposite Arthur Street. The garage was an official RACV Road Service Station and offered vehicles for hire in addition to conducting repairs. It was also an Agent for Shell petrol. During the war Dave was working in the garage one night with a motor running. He was almost unconscious, and Jack Burgoyne happened to stop off with his truck and went and dragged him out. John Lyon used to live on the comer of Bridge Street and Main Road on top of the cliff. He was later killed in an accident at Rosanna railway crossing 29th Feb, 1960 [Source: Doug Orford]. This photo is dated circa 1964 and the address is clearly 283-287 Main Road however by 1971 street numbers had been revised to present-day numbering and by the time the site had been redeveloped as Lyon Bros. Ford the address was 953 Main Road. Just featured is an XL Falcon manufactured 1962-1964 Community memories after posting this photo on Facebook include: "I can remember my dad putting 2 shilling pieces into a bowser to get petrol after hours." A similar photo is featured in the Shire of Eltham Pioneers Photograph Collection, SEPP_0664Black and white photograph of Lyon Bros. Eltham Motor Garage 283-287 Main Road Eltham c.1960953 main road eltham, 1963, automobiles, businesses, eltham, eltham motor garage, ford xl falcon, george w. bell collection, lyon, lyon bros. garage, main road eltham, racv road service station, shell service station