This Plateway Wagon was built by Pengelly's Carriage Works, North Brighton 1883. The wagon was owned by the Corrigan family, market gardeners in Noble Park. It is an original, timber horse-drawn wagon that used the the Plateway or Wheelway from 1890. These heavily laden market gardener’s carts could travel relatively smoothly and safely, along the steel rails on the main roads of Moorabbin Parish to Melbourne and St Kilda markets to sell their produce, at a time when the road surfaces were rutted and hazardous.After the Henry Dendy Special Survey of the Parish of Moorabbin in 1841, land was sold to pioneer settlers who developed market gardens, vineyards and fruit gardens ( orchards ). These market gardeners took their produce in heavily laden horse-drawn Wagons along the steel Plateway to the markets in St Kilda and Melbourne. An original, timber horse-drawn wagon of a type that used the Plateway or Wheelway. The steel rails of the Plateway played such an important role from the 1890’s in the transportation of produce along the City of Moorabbin’s major roads, (including Centre Road, Bentleigh), to reach the markets in St Kilda and Melbourne. Heavily laden market gardener’s carts , drawn by a horse, could travel relatively smoothly and safely, along the steel rails to city markets, at a time when the road surfaces were rutted and hazardous. horse, melbourne, brighton, moorabbin, steel, henry, dendy, fruit, gardens, roads, plateway, wheelway, bentleigh, vineyards, orchards, draught, markets, st kilda, wagons

By the later 1800s the dirt roads in the then out-lying areas of the City of Moorabbin became dangerous, and almost impassable due to huge potholes and muddy swampy areas. The heavily laden market gardener’s carts regularly broke axles and wheels, and horses foundered on their way to the Melbourne markets. Even worse, the heavier “iron maidens”, carrying their malodorous loads of sewage from Melbourne’s inner suburbs for dumping in the outlying areas of the City of Moorabbin, also got bogged in the mire. It was decided that a practical solution to this problem was to install a metal plateway on the side of the problematic roads. In about 1887 the Moorabbin Shire Centre Road, in the Brighton East area, two parallel metal rails were installed so that the wheels of carts could run along smoothly, the horse travelled in the filled, middle area between the rails. Point Nepean Road plateway was removed in 1930 and Centre Dandenong Road plateway was removed in 1934-35. The worn plateway along Centre Road, East Brighton (now known as Bentleigh), was gradually taken up in several pieces, commencing in the the1920s, when its condition deteriorated and it caused a hazard to bikes, pedestrians, motor-cycles and the few early cars. The early steel plateway, constructed by David Munro, and opened on 23rd March 1885 by Thomas Bent, was built along Nepean Highway, between Asling St. and Bay St. The Point Nepean Track was subsequently extended into Moorabbin with branches along Centre, Cumins, South, Wickham, and Keys Roads, the total length was 13 miles. In 1908-1909 plates were laid along Centre Dandenong Road to Ross Street Bentleigh This innovative solution proved successful and was used until gradually the main roads were upgraded, and motorised vehicles started to appear. Two parallel metal rails were installed in the right hand side of a few main roads in the Shire of Moorabbin so that the wheels of heavily-loaded market gardener's carts on their way to markets in Melbourne could run along smoothly. The horse pulling the carts travelled in the filled, middle area between the rails. The Steel Plateway was constructed by David Munro, and opened on 23rd March 1885 by Thomas Bent. The wheelway first only ran along Nepean Highway, but it soon extended from Centre Dandenong Road, along Nepean road to its junction with Chapel Street, St Kilda. Later branch lines were built along Centre Road, Bentleigh as far as Warrigal Road and, according to early photographs, along Wickham Road Moorabbin as well. This innovative solution proved successful and was used until gradually the main roads were upgraded, and motorised vehicles started to appear. There was a problem with the wheelway : there was only a single set of rails and this was established on the right-hand side of the Nepean Road, travelling towards the city. Traffic FROM the city travelled on the correct or left-hand side of the road. The exception to this rule was the malodorous iron-clads, heavily riveted iron carts, generally travelling in convoy, carrying several tons of human effluent out of Melbourne to be trenched-in in the sandy soil of the Moorabbin district. Moorabbin City Council donated and installed a small section of Plateway at Box Cottage Museum in 1984melbourne, brighton, moorabbin, roads, plateway, wheelway, transport, st kilda, bent thomas, munro david, market gardens, steelway, carts horse-drawn, iron maidens, point nepean track

The Peterson family were early settlers in Moorabbin Shire and established a market garden in East Boundary Road East Bentleigh. Vic Peterson and family loaded the crop - cabbages - onto the horse drawn wagon and set off to the Melbourne market using the Plateways that ran along Centre Road and Nepean Highway. The early settlers like the Petersons , in the Parish of Moorabbin County of Bourke after Henry Dendy's Special Survey Brighton 1841, established market gardens, fruit & flower gardens, poultry & dairy farms, vineyards as well as shop businesses, blacksmiths, chemists, nursing homes and schools & Churches.Black & White photograph showing Vic Peterson beside the horse drawn wagon loaded with 35dozen ( 12x 35) cabbages setting off to market c 1900 Original re-digitised by H Stanley 2005Back Hand written informationwagons, vulcan trucks, draught horses,, peterson vic, marriott dick, cabbage crops, vegetable crops, poliomyelitis epidemics 20thc , elster creek, plateways moorabbin shire, 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, mckinnon, 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 stephen, highett william, ormond francis, maynard dennis, market gardeners, vineyards, orchards

The Peterson family were early settlers in Moorabbin Shire and established a market garden in East Boundary Road East Bentleigh. Horse drawn wagons traveled along Plateways to take their crops to the Melbourne Markets . With the advent of the motorcar the market gardeners gradually purchased trucks to transport their crops. Roads were being surfaced but ruts and flooding caused upsets and bogging of these trucks. The journey was quicker but unlike the Horses, these trucks could not drive themselves back to the farm.The early settlers like the Petersons and Marriotts, in the Parish of Moorabbin County of Bourke after Henry Dendy's Special Survey Brighton 1841, established market gardens, fruit & flower gardens, poultry & dairy farms, vineyards as well as shop businesses, blacksmiths, chemists, nursing homes and schools & Churches.Black & White photograph of a Vulcan truck driven by Vic Peterson, loaded with Cauliflowers from his market garden in East boundary Road East Bentleigh c 1929.Back Handwritten information unsgnedwagons, vulcan trucks, draught horses,, peterson vic, marriott dick, cauliflower crops, vegetable crops, poliomyelitis epidemics 20thc , elster creek, plateways moorabbin shire, smith j l; smith mary ann, stanley helen, smith vic chaff cutter, horse drawn carts, toll gates brighton, motor cars 1900, steam engines, early settlers, bentleigh, mckinnon, 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 stephen, highett william, ormond francis, maynard dennis, market gardeners, vineyards, orchards

The, horse drawn metal scoop ,guided by a man, was used to clear earth for road making. Well before the introduction of motorised, mechanical graders and trucks the painstaking, labour-intensive work was undertaken by large teams of sturdy men using strong horses such as the draught horse. Roads were needed by the market gardeners to transport their produce to market. Later as the heavy wagon loads continually caused ruts and general degradation of the roadways a Plateway system was installed so that the wagon wheels could roll along the rails thus protecting the roadways. August 31st 2021 Ron Nash, from WA, informs us "The men and horses pulling earth scoops in the photo are not moving earth for road making - they are excavating an "earth tank", or dam, as described in common nomenclature today. This skill was known as "tank sinking", and tank sinkers were active in many rural and remote areas in the 1800's and early 1900's, establishing sizeable dams for important water reserves for community and farm and railway use. With the advent of mechanised equipment such as bulldozers, the trade of tank sinking was still carried out, but on a faster basis. I am a former tank sinker and earth moving contractor, now long retired." Early settlers in Moorabbin Shire had to build the roads, plateways, drains, as the settlement of the land, in Dendy's Special Survey 1841 Brighton, spread and market gardeners need to transport their produce to market. Their most valuable possession was the draught horse that was used for ploughing, drawing carts and these scoops.Black & White photograph showing many horses pulling metal scoops guided by men to move earth for road making in Moorabbin Shire c 1900Back Handwritten Informationplateway, roadworks moorabbin shire, draught horses, metal scoops, paviers, box alonzo, smith j l; chaff cutter, horse drawn carts, toll gates brighton, motor cars 1900, steam engines, early settlers, bentleigh, mckinnon, 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 stephen, highett william, ormond francis, maynard dennis, market gardeners, vineyards, orchards

A chamber pot is a portable toilet, meant for nocturnal use in the bedroom. It was common in many cultures before the advent of indoor plumbing and flush toilets. A typical chamber pot used in City of Moorabbin c1950White enamel chamber pot c 1950chamber pots, toilets, nightcarts, iron maidens, septic tanks, sewerage, sandringham, city of moorabbin, county of bourke, moorabbin roads board, parish of moorabbin, shire of moorabbin, henry dendy's special survey 1841, were j.b. bent thomas, o'shannassy john, king richard, charman stephen, highett william, ormond francis, maynard dennis, early settlers, pioneers, post world war 2 estates, plateway,

A horse collar is a part of a horse harness that is used to distribute the load around a horse's neck and shoulders when pulling a wagon or plough. The collar often supports and pads a pair of curved metal or wooden pieces, called hames, to which the traces of the harness are attached. The collar allows the horse to use its full strength when pulling, essentially enabling the animal to push forward with its hindquarters into the collar. It is a padded appliance that conforms well to the shape of the horse's body and is constructed so that at all points of contact with the body of the horse it avoids the air passage.The early settlers in Moorabbin Shire depended on the draught horse to pull the equipment need to plough the fields, grade the roads, pull their wagons of produce and small carts for transport as they developed the land after the Henry Dendy Special Survey 1841Horse Collar, 20thC mediumearly settlers, pioneers, draught horse, ploughs, farm equipment, saddles, leatherwork, blacksmiths, cheltenham, sandringham, city of moorabbin, county of bourke, moorabbin roads board, parish of moorabbin, shire of moorabbin, henry dendy's special survey 1841, were j.b.; bent thomas, o'shannassy john, king richard, charman stephen, highett william, ormond francis, maynard dennis, market gardeners, horse drawn wagons, plateway, vegetables, poultry farms, dairy farms,

shoulders when pulling a wagon or plough. The collar often supports and pads a pair of curved metal or wooden pieces, called hames, to which the traces of the harness are attached. The collar allows the horse to use its full strength when pulling, essentially enabling the animal to push forward with its hindquarters into the collar. It is a padded appliance that conforms well to the shape of the horse's body and is constructed so that at all points of contact with the body of the horse it avoids the air passage.The early settlers in Moorabbin Shire depended on the draught horse to pull the equipment need to plough the fields, grade the roads, pull their wagons of produce and small carts for transport as they developed the land after the Henry Dendy Special Survey 1841 Horse Collar small 20thCearly settlers, pioneers, draught horse, ploughs, farm equipment, saddles, leatherwork, blacksmiths, cheltenham, sandringham, city of moorabbin, county of bourke, moorabbin roads board, parish of moorabbin, shire of moorabbin, henry dendy's special survey 1841, were j.b.; bent thomas, o'shannassy john, king richard, charman stephen, highett william, ormond francis, maynard dennis, market gardeners, horse drawn wagons, plateway, vegetables, poultry farms, dairy farms,

A horse collar is a part of a horse harness that is used to distribute the load around a horse's neck and shoulders when pulling a wagon or plough. The collar often supports and pads a pair of curved metal or wooden pieces, called hames, to which the traces of the harness are attached. The collar allows the horse to use its full strength when pulling, essentially enabling the animal to push forward with its hindquarters into the collar. It is a padded appliance that conforms well to the shape of the horse's body and is constructed so that at all points of contact with the body of the horse it avoids the air passage.The early settlers in Moorabbin Shire depended on the draught horse to pull the equipment need to plough the fields, grade the roads, pull their wagons of produce and small carts for transport as they developed the land after the Henry Dendy Special Survey 1841Horse Collar large 20thCearly settlers, pioneers, draught horse, ploughs, farm equipment, saddles, leatherwork, blacksmiths, cheltenham, sandringham, city of moorabbin, county of bourke, moorabbin roads board, parish of moorabbin, shire of moorabbin, henry dendy's special survey 1841, were j.b.; bent thomas, o'shannassy john, king richard, charman stephen, highett william, ormond francis, maynard dennis, market gardeners, horse drawn wagons, plateway, vegetables, poultry farms, dairy farms,

The Peterson family were early settlers in Moorabbin Shire and established a market garden in East Boundary Road East Bentleigh. Vic Peterson - waistcoat, with Dick Marriott seated - ( brother in -law ), 2 unknown men and 7year old Geoff Peterson - Poliomyelitis as a baby- sitting in front with his walking sticks. The crop is cabbages that would be harvested and sent to the Melbourne markets.The early settlers like the Petersons and Marriotts, in the Parish of Moorabbin County of Bourke after Henry Dendy's Special Survey Brighton 1841, established market gardens, fruit & flower gardens, poultry & dairy farms, vineyards as well as shop businesses, blacksmiths, chemists, nursing homes and schools & Churches.Black & White photograph of Vic Peterson and 3 men & boy on his market garden in East Boundary Road East Bentleigh c1925 re-digitised 2005back ; handwritten information unsignedwagons, vulcan trucks, draught horses,, peterson vic, marriott dick, cabbage crops, vegetable crops, poliomyelitis epidemics 20thc , elster creek, plateways moorabbin shire, 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, mckinnon, 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 stephen, highett william, ormond francis, maynard dennis, market gardeners, vineyards, orchards

The City of Moorabbin Historical Society was formed c 1960 by a group of Moorabbin area residents who were concerned that the history of the area should be preserved. The approaching Centenary of the area as a Municipality in 1962 , - formation of the Moorabbin Roads Board 1862, - encouraged interest in the ‘History of Moorabbin’ and the Mayor Doug Clark was persuaded to call a public meeting for the formation of an Historical Society. Thirty citizens attended this meeting in November 1960 at which Mr Latham , Royal Historical Association, encouraged them to do so. Mr Tom .A. Sheehy, Author of ‘Battlers tamed a Sandbelt - Moorabbin 50 years a City ‘, moved for the formation of the ‘City of Moorabbin Historical Society’, and was seconded by Councillor E A Le Page. A vote was taken among attendees and Mr Tom A Sheehy was elected Foundation President, Cr E A Le Page Vice President, Mr J A Stretton Secretary and they and the other members “ began a programme of research in order to have reliable information available in time for the Centenary.” p148 Following a call for donations of items of Historical interest, the residents of the City of Moorabbin donated a wide variety of artefacts, photographs, household goods, farm machinery, letters, documents, clothing, and personal effects which have been carefully preserved by succeeding CMHS members and are displayed at Box Cottage Museum. 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 Newslletter is an important record of the activities of CMHSA4 paper printed both sides x1 This is the first of the bi-monthly, City of Moorabbin Historical Society Newsletter produced by Society member and Secretary, Mrs Helen Stanley in April 2007. An introductory paragraph is followed by notification of upcoming meeting in May 27th 2007 at which Ms Vicki Court, RVHS, will talk about small historical groups and on 28th October 2007 Dr Graham Whitehead, City of Kingston Historian, will discuss ‘Murder’ in Moorabbin Shire. A photocopy of an advertisement, in the ‘Cheltenham Leader’ September 17th 1887, by Chemist J.H.Niemann , of Middle Brighton.. On the reverse side of the Newsletter Helen provides quotes from a Box Cottage Museum library book “ The Colonial Child” describing ‘larrikins’ in the streets of Melbourne c1880 and the damage to roadways caused by the heavily laden horse-drawn lorries. A roster of members is given for attendance at Box Cottage monthly open daysCITY of MOORABBIN HISTORICAL SOCIETY / APRIL 2007 NEWSLETTERcity of moorabbin historical society, sheehy tom a, le page e a, stretton j a, clark doug, stanley helen, court vicki, whitehead graham, neimann j a, chemists, pharmacy, druggists, melbourne, moorabbin, brighton, cheltenham, ormond, bentleigh, cheltenham leader newspaper, sharpe valma, sturt lesley, lawson nan, featherstone guy, the colonial child, box cottage museum, battlers tamed a sandbelt, moorabbin roads board, steel plateway, market gardeners, pioneers, early settlers, moorabbin shire