Early settlers in the Parish of Moorabbin, County of Bourke, established market gardens and farms in the area of Henry Dendy's Special Survey 1841 Brighton. Small communities grew near Churches & Schools and shops and businesses were established. Following the opening of the Railway line from Caulfield to Mordialloc 1881 the shops and business moved from the Tucker Road /Centre Road ( East Brighton ) East Bentleigh area to be close to the transport. Shops, businesses and housing developed along Centre Road between Thomas Street and Jasper Road. Mr Arthur Moore established his 1st shop in 395 Centre Road c1930 and later moved along the road to a site next to Coles Variety Store.Following the opening of the Railway line from Caulfield to Mordialloc 1881 the shops and business moved from the Tucker Road /Centre Road East Bentleigh area to be close to the transport. Shops, businesses and housing developed along Centre Road between Thomas Street and Jasper Road. Mr Moore established his 1st shop in 395 Centre Road c1930 and later moved along the road to a site next to Coles Variety Store.Black & White photograph of Mr Arthur Moore's 1st Chemist Shop, 384 Centre Road Bentleigh c 1930 back Handwritten information unsignedbentleigh shopping centre c1930, east brighton, railway line caulfield -mordialloc 1881, chemists, pharmacy, moore's 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

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

Henry Dendy , a farmer from Sussex England, purchased 5,120 acres of land in the area of a 'Special Survey 1841' that extended from Brighton bayside North Road, East Boundary Rd to South Road. This area became known as Dendy's Brighton and as part of the sale 139 emigrant workers arrived in 1842 however Dendy was unable to find work and lodgings for these people. J.B.Were, financier took over the management of the 'Special Survey 1841' area and began to sell and lease allotments. 1850 the Squatter King brothers sold land south of Dendy's 'Special Survey 1841' to Josiah Holloway who sectioned it into 2 acre lots @ £10 each for market gardens - 'Two Acre Village' and Charles Whorral opened a small hotel - 'The Cheltenham Inn' on the main Road - Arthur's Seat Rd, later Point Nepean Rd, now Nepean Highway. Notable settlers who moved into the area were Keys, Charman, Bruton, Le Page, Fairlam, Meeres and 1862 saw the separation from Brighton and the formation of the Mooorabbin Roads Board District. .By 1879 1000settlers were living in 'Cheltenham' serviced by a Post Office with Bank, Mechanics Institute, State School No 84,Keys Hotel, Meeres Store, Sir Thomas Bent ensured the new Railway Line from Caulfield to Mordialloc went through his constituency of Cheltenham 1881 and this changed the development to the bayside area of Cheltenham away from the 'Two Acre Village ' side causing some dissention, However Cheltenham as whole prospered and this house in Pine St is typical of the cottages built c 1890- 1900 in the area. This weatherboard house c 1890-1900 in Pine St Cheltenham is typical of those built for early settler families. Photo taken 1981 by CMHS member 3 x Colour photographs of an early c 1900 weatherboard house in Pine St Cheltenham taken by CMHS member 1981Kodak Aug. 81 / Handwritten Pine St Cheltenhamkeys robert, holloway josiah, king brothers, smith j l; smith mary ann, stanley helen, 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 stephen, 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