The City of Moorabbin Historical Society was formed c 1960 by a group of Moorabbin residents who were concerned that the history of the area should be preserved. A good response to a call for items related to the historical area of Moorabbin Shire brought donations of a wide variety of artefacts which are now preserved by the current members of CMHS at Box Cottage Museum . Helen Stanley, Secretary of CMHS, began producing a Newsletter for members in April 2007 to provide current information and well researched items of historical interest.Helen Stanley has produced a bi-monthly Newsletter, 2007 - 2013, for the members of the City of Moorabbin Historical Society that contains well researched interesting historical items, notification of upcoming events, current advice from Royal Australian Historical Society , Museums Australia Victoria and activities of Local Historical Societies. The Newsletter is an important record of the activities of the CMHS. Tom Sheehy, past President of CMHS, was an Historian and Author of ‘Battlers Tamed the Sandbelt’. A4 paper printed both sides x1. Issue 7 of the bi-monthly, City of Moorabbin Historical Society Newsletter produced by Society member and Secretary, Mrs Helen Stanley in June 2008. Notice for meeting June 29th and August 31st at which Ms Dorothy Booth’s topic will be ‘The Historical Mentone Railway Gardens’. Another excerpt from the CMHS Newsletter November 1965, by Tom Sheehy, President, called ‘Memories of Old Cheltenham’ This is the story ‘as told’ to Tom Sheehy by Jack McCarthy b 1890, a member of CMHS, and includes a photocopied photograph of passengers on SS Hygeia c 1900 on a trip across the Bay to the Geelong area. CITY of MOORABBIN HISTORICAL SOCIETY / JUNE 2008 NEWSLETTERcity of moorabbin historical society, stanley helen, melbourne, moorabbin, brighton, chelsea, cheltenham, ormond, bentleigh, market gardeners, pioneers, early settlers, moorabbin shire, sheehy tom, box cottage museum, highett, cheltenham railway station victoria, mccarthy jack, power maurice j., charman road state school, standard certificate education, cheltenham post office, point nepean road, sports, moorabbin show, processions, parades, mentone ice skating rink, sheperd’s café, bourke street, horse tram, sandringham, beach road, ss hygeia, ss courier, ss edina, mechanics hall, memorial hall, magic lantern shows, crooks mr., engine drivers strike 1903, park road cheltenham, booth dorothy, mentone railway station gardens

The City of Moorabbin Historical Society was formed c 1960 by a group of Moorabbin residents who were concerned that the history of the area should be preserved. A good response to a call for items related to the historical area of Moorabbin Shire brought donations of a wide variety of artefacts which are now preserved by the current members of CMHS at Box Cottage Museum . Helen Stanley, Secretary of CMHS, began producing a Newsletter for members in April 2007 to provide current information and well researched items of historical interest. Helen Stanley has produced a bi-monthly Newsletter, 2007 - 2013, for the members of the City of Moorabbin Historical Society that contains well researched interesting historical items, notification of upcoming events, current advice from Royal Australian Historical Society , Museums Australia Victoria and activities of Local Historical Societies. The Newsletter is an important record of the activities of the CMHS. The Blackman family were early settlers in Moorabbin Shire A4 paper printed both sides x1. Issue 8 of the bi-monthly, City of Moorabbin Historical Society Newsletter produced by Society member and Secretary, Mrs Helen Stanley in August 2008. Notices of a talk by Dorothy Booth, “ The Historic Mentone Railway Gardens’ on August 31st and a request for volunteers to begin an Inventory of the Box Cottage artefacts and to assist at upcoming Open Days. An excerpt from the CMHS Newsletter March 1965 ‘ Three Pieces of Paper’, by Mrs Nance Blackman, a member, describing items from “The Moorabbin News” ‘ 1907 that included The Cheltenham Butter Factory, and advertisements aimed at the local people and their occupations. Note is made of 3 businesses run by Women – butcher, milk delivery and a ‘delicatessen’ - and an ‘Oriental Laundry’ in Cheltenham, as well as the trading hours for shops and weekly wages. Gas light and candles were in common use because Electricity did not come to Bentleigh until 1916 and several Fire Brigades were formed in the Shire. A photocopied photograph of an Electric Power pole c1930.CITY of MOORABBIN HISTORICAL SOCIETY / AUGUST 2008 NEWSLETTER city of moorabbin historical society, stanley helen, melbourne, moorabbin, mentone, mordialloc, cheltenham, ormond, bentleigh, market gardeners, farmers, dairymen, confectioner, pioneers, early settlers, moorabbin shire, blackman nance, box cottage museum, highett, booth dorothy, mentone railway station gardens, cheltenham butter factory, beazley hannah, redstron mrs., bickerton mrs., oriental laundry cheltenham, biehl mr., matthews mr., gas-light, electric light, smith j.l., journeaux james, king george, grommann’s hotel mordialloc, telephones, fire brigades

44 p. : ill. (some col.), maps, ports. non-fiction"This book celebrates the great community contribution of the Friends of Mentone Station & Gardens Inc. over the last decade. The group's hard work and co-operation with many other community, local, state and federal governments and commercial organisations has resulted in many community awards and grants. Numerous community gatherings and soirées are held in the gardens." -- Back cover.mentone, mentone railway station gardens, friends of mentone station & garden, railroad stations

Although the Railway line had been planned for some time Sir Thomas Bent MP was responsible for making it happen in order to revitalize the fortunes of the Moorabbin Shire that he had represented for so long. The train line opened in 1881with 8 Stations between Caulfield and Mordialloc.The first Steam engine carried dignitaries and local residents. Bent also ensured that the Station houses in his constituency were built in a distinctive decorative cottage style. Bent faced severe criticism for diverting the rail line through his local area and for the expenditure on the Stations. Local residents established and cared for Gardens at the Stations and Cheltenham was awarded Best Garden c1910. The arrival of the Railway Line saw the traders move from Point Nepean Rd to Charman Rd and by 1910 various shops and business were present. 2016 - current has seen large protest rallies against the destruction of Mentone Station and Cheltenham Station as the Victorian State Government proceeds to remove Railway Level Crossings. A compromise to retain the Station buildings whilst placing the Rail Line underground is desired.Cheltenham Railway Station is one of the original cottage style stations ordered by Sir Thomas Bent when the rail line was extended from Caulfield to Mordialloc 1881Photograph Black & White Postcard showing the entrance to Cheltenham Railway Station c1920Valentine &Sons Pub Co Ltd Melb railways, cheltenham station, mentone station, south brighton station, railway level crossing removal 2016 -19, smith j l; smith mary ann, stanley helen, smith vic, smith harry redvers, chaff cutter, horse drawn carts, toll gates brighton, motor cars 1900, steam engines, early settlers, bentleigh, parish of moorabbin, city of moorabbin, county of bourke, moorabbin roads board, shire of moorabbin, henry dendy's special survey 1841, were j.b.; bent thomas, o'shannassy john, king richard, charman s, highett william, ormond francis, maynard dennis, market gardeners, vineyards, orchards

Cheltenham station was built in 1898 and serviced a primarily rural, market gardening community.The late 1870s saw the beginning of a massive program to construct railway lines throughout Victoria. One of these lines was from Caulfield to Frankston. A survey undertaken by J P Madden, an engineer employed by the railways, established the route, although this was later modified. At the time of the official opening of the line to Mordialloc no station buildings had been constructed despite the fact that tenders had been called in the Government Gazette of 26 May 1881 and subsequently in the Argus newspaper on 30 August 1881 for what became stations at Glenhuntly, Ormond, Bentleigh, Moorabbin, Highett, Cheltenham, Mentone and Mordialloc. However platforms and sidings were completed, ready to receive passengers. Cheltenham station opened in 1898.Black and white photograph of Cheltenham Railway Station with the two platforms separated by two sets of tracks. Each platform has a station house on it, and the one on the right hand side also has a garden and park bench.Handwritten in red ink on reverse: A7 / 75%cheltenham, trains, railway, railway station, railway crossing, suburbs