Large group of men carrying out Railway Line Construction in Stawell area.stawell railways transport

Black and white photograph"Written on back of photograph" Rail line -Ringwood area. 4th from left- Max Miller

Group of three photos from of men constructing railway cutting Wildcat Hill beside Napier Street. Norn Gray born Stawell 1911 and his father Robert worked on the cutting during the depression.stawell railways transport

Correspondence and information from the State Government about the Hurstbridge Line upgrade 2010. Also includes newspaper articles, Nillumbik Shire Council minutes report, map and contextual information regarding the Eltham Major Activity Centre structure Plan 2009. The main area of concern was the plan to reconfigue the Eltham stabling yard.23 documents, 62 pages of news clippings, photocopies and colour political fliersHG Folders 108 and 115harry gilham collection, railway line construction, hurstbridge line, hurstbridge railway line, eltham railway station, eltham station carpark, train stabling yard

Announcement by Premier Daniel Andrews, Minister for Public Transport, Jacinta Allan and Member for Eltham, Vicki Ward mad alongside the Eltham Railway Trestle Bridge. MEDIA RELEASE "More Trains And Fewer Delays On The Hurstbridge Line" https://www.premier.vic.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/180801-More-Trains-And-Fewer-Delays-On-The-Hurstbridge-Line-1.pdf Commuters on the Hurstbridge line will have more trains, more seats and fewer delays with a re-elected Andrews Labor Government to continue its massive upgrade of the Hurstbridge line. The Andrews Labor Government said it would deliver locals in Melbourne’s north-east more peak hour train services and less time stuck at boom gates, and we have. The first stage of the Hurstbridge Line Upgrade has been delivered – six months early and on budget. This includes the new Rosanna Station, duplicated track between Heidelberg and Rosanna and the removal of the dangerous level crossings at Alphington and Rosanna. There’s more to do and only Labor will deliver the next stage of the Hurstbridge Line Upgrade to give local commuters more train services and a more comfortable commute. The $530 million project will include a brand new train station at Greensborough and the duplication of three kilometres of track between Greensborough and Montmorency, and 1.5 kilometres of track between Diamond Creek and Wattle Glen to allow more train services during the morning peak. This will allow trains to run every six and a half minutes at Greensborough, every 10 minutes at Eltham and Montmorency, and every 20 minutes at Hurstbridge, Diamond Creek and Wattle Glen – as well as two extra Hurstbridge express services. Locals on the Labor Government’s new Mernda line will also get five extra train services during the morning peak, with a major upgrade of the Clifton Hill junction where the Mernda and Hurstbridge lines connect. Labor will also protect the Eltham Trestle Bridge – the last remaining timber bridge on Melbourne’s electric train network – which has local heritage protection and is an important part of the area’s character. The Liberals will leave this bridge to rot and demolish the nearby childcare centre and football club with their under-cooked and under-costed promise to upgrade the Hurstbridge line. Only Labor will protect this important piece of Melbourne’s history with planning work to be carried out for a long-term solution as part of the project. Stage two of the Hurstbridge Line Upgrade will create more than 950 jobs, with construction to start in 2020 and finish by 2022. Quotes attributable to Premier Daniel Andrews “We said we’d upgrade the Hurstbridge line and remove dangerous and congested level crossings at Rosanna and Alphington and we did – but there’s more to do.” “Only Labor will deliver the next stage of the Hurstbridge Line Upgrade with a new Greensborough Station and more trains, more often.” Quote attributable to Minister for Public Transport Jacinta Allan “The former Liberal Government promised new train lines but didn’t deliver a single kilometre of track – now they’re promising a half-baked upgrade of the Hurstbridge line with rubbery figures that don’t add up.” Quote attributable to Member for Eltham Vicki Ward “As a fifteen year old hopping on Red Rattlers at Eltham I wanted to do something to make the Hurstbridge line better. It’s taken me a few decades but finally our line will offer the frequency of services that are expected and needed in a 21st century city.”Born digital image (qty 27)jacinta allan, minister for public transport, panther place, premier daniel andrews, press announcement, railway line construction, trestle bridge, vicki ward mp for eltham, victorian parliament

Published: The opening of the railway line by His Excellency The Governor General, The Weekly Times, June 14, 1902, p10. Governor General was John Hope, Earl of Hopetoun THE HEIDELBERG TO ELTHAM RAILWAY. OPENING CEREMONY. The opening of the railway line from Heidelberg to Eltham took place on the 6th inst. The special train, containing a large number of members of Parliament, including Mr Trenwith, the Minister for Railways, left Prince's Bridge at half-past eleven, and arrived at Eltham at twenty minutes past twelve. The party was accompanied by Mr Fitzpatrick, Acting Commissioner for Railways; Mr Lockhead, the Traffic Manager; and Mr Norman, Engineer for Existing Lines. On arrival, the visitors were entertained at a banquet in the marquee, of which a photograph is given, erected close to the railway station. Mr E. H. Cameron, M.L.A., the member for the district, occupied the chair, and, seated on his right, was Mr Mason, the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, and on his left the Minister of Rail-ways. After the banquet His Excellency the Governor-General arrived, and was received and welcomed by Mr Cameron, the local State school children singing the National Anthem. The Governor-General, in declaring the line open, said that he felt highly honored at being asked to perform the opening ceremony, and he trusted that the railway would be a source of great convenience to the inhabitants of the district. He was sorry to say that this would be the last opportunity he would have of seeing them. It cost him a great deal to leave them. (Hear, hear.) He had a great many friends amongst all sections of the community, and he could hardly bear to trust himself to speak about leaving them. (Hear, hear.) He was sorry Lady Hopetoun was on the high seas, and unable to accompany him that day. Mr Cameron thanked his Excellency for performing the opening ceremony, and hoped the trip home would have the effect of restoring His Excellency to good health again. In replying. Lord Hopetoun thanked them sincerely for the cordial vote of thanks. He hoped Providence would shower her blessings over them, and that they would have a series of good seasons. He would always keep a warm corner in his heart for the people of Victoria. (Loud cheers.) THE COUNTRY. In our illustrations, views are given of a couple of sections of the new line, and glimpses of the surrounding country are shown. The line is eight miles in length, and cost £51,000 in construction. Eltham, which is the terminus, possesses many of the features that go to make a favorite holiday resort. It is a quiet picturesque little hamlet, snugly ensconced on the slope of one of many sombre-tinted hills by which it is sur-rounded. Even when viewed under ad-verse conditions one could not fail to be-impressed with the natural, rugged beauty of the place. It is situated about sixteen miles from Melbourne, and the line takes a circuitous course through a continuation of pretty undulating country. At intervals on the slopes of the surrounding green-mantled hills, patches of brown, freshly tilled soil indicate that for all its serene reposeful-ness Eltham possesses its phases of industrial life as well. Looking down into this valley from the main road which skirts the slope of a hill, distant something less than a quarter of a mile from the railway station is one of the prettiest pieces of scenery in the district. Verdure-clad hills ascend on all sides, whilst beneath stretches a broad expanse of carpet-like green sward, dotted here and there with picturesque homesteads, each with its patches of tilled soil. In the township itself the dwelling-houses are comparatively few, the larger portion of the inhabitants residing in the scattered homesteads. Eltham is as yet only in its youth, but energetic and un-tiring public men can effect wonders in a community's prosperity, and Eltham, whatever other real or imaginary advantages it may lay claim to, certainly possesses this one. The railway is the result of their endeavor. 1902 'THE HEIDELBERG TO ELTHAM RAILWAY.', Weekly Times (Melbourne, Vic. : 1869 - 1954), 14 June, p. 14. , viewed 26 Sep 2018, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article221230719This 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 Negative black and white film 120 6x9 format 2 stripsAgfa APX 100sepp, shire of eltham pioneers photograph collection, eltham, heidelberg-eltham railway extension, earl of hopetoun, john hope, opening day, railway line construction

Information compiled on the centenary of the railway extension in 2002.Hand written transcription of article from the Heidelberg Historical Society newsletter, undated but thought to be 2002. Includes reference to a "collection of extension items in the then Heidelberg News of the 1890s - 1900s". Includes reference to opening of the line in June 1902. 4 pages. Second and third folder includes transcriptions of newspaper articles and notes from Public Records Office Victoria archives and illustrations HG Folders 14, 58 and 105harry gilham collection, heidelberg-eltham railway extension, railway line construction

The Silver Street Bridge, 1901 Butty Gang workers excavate a rock cutting near the Silver Street bridge prior to laying of track. The Butty Gang system versus the Contract System was subject to public debate regarding cost benefits at the time of the Eltham line construction. Butty gang workers were a group of men who take a contract for a part of a work, as in the construction of railroads, etc., the proceeds being equally divided between them, with something extra to the foreman. Some hold picks, a couple of horses and carts are lined up probably for carting the broken rock away, dirt, rocks and shale lay at the bottom. A pair of small wooden buckets are evident, most likley to provide drinking water. The timber Silver Street bridge crosses the cutting in the background. The opening of the railway line from Heidelberg to Eltham took place on the 6th June 1902. Similiar to 810. Source: Mrs. Dandy, Montmorency and Miss McColl, 8 Anderson St., HeidelbergThis 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 120 format B&W negativeshire of eltham pioneers photograph collection, eltham, railway workers, 1901, butty gang, overpass, railway construction, railway line construction, silver street bridge

The railway was extended from Eltham to Hurstbridge in 1912. This bridge is most likely near Allendale Road, Diamond Creek. It was one of four original trestle bridges in the stretch north of Allendale Road, which were all burnt out in January 1969 (replaced by two steel bridges and two corrugated iron culverts).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 One 4 x 5 inch B&W negative One 9 x 12.5 cm printshire of eltham pioneers photograph collection, hurstbridge, allendale road, hurstbridge railway extension, railway bridge, railway line construction, trestle bridge, diamond creek (creek)

Labourers excavate a cutting for the new railiway extension from Eltham to Hurstbridge. Men are working with shovels and buckets, dropping dirt into horse and carts. A pile of newly cut sleepers sit on the sidelines waiting to be laid. The new extension is approx. seven miles in length and opened on 2 January, 1912.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 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 imagesepp, shire of eltham pioneers photograph collection, diamond creek, hurstbridge, wattle glen, railway line construction, railroad construction workers, railroad construction

Large group of railway workers stand in a line, in a cutting, some holding shovels. The track has not been laid yet. The opening of the railway line from Heidelberg to Eltham took place on the 6th June 1902. 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 imagesepp, shire of eltham pioneers photograph collection, montmorency, eltham, greensborough, railway line construction, cutting, railway workers, hurstbridge railway line

New bridge in foreground. Old bridge in background before demolition. 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 35 mm B&W negativesepp, shire of eltham pioneers photograph collection, montmorency, briar hill, bridge, para road, railway bridge, railway line, road construction, sherbourne road, bridge construction

One of a collection of photographs taken of the Nunawading Railway Station prior to the lowering of the railway line and building of the new railway station on the western side of Springvale Road so that the Springvale Road Rail Crossing can be eliminated. Black & white photograph of the precinct surrounding the Nunawading Station and the Springvale Road Railway crossing. This photograph is of the Site Office for the work associated with lowering of railway line and construction of new railway station. See NP 3545 to NP3567for the complete set of photographsnunawading railway station, redevelopment of railway line/springvale road., springvale road nunawading

Silvan Gully area showing the cleared line for railway construction. The railway was extended from Eltham to Hurstbridge in 1912.Roll of 35mm colour negative film, 4 stripsKodak Safety 5035upper diamond creek, silvan gully, wattle glen, railway construction

Stripping of the foundations commenced in 1948 and the first concrete in the dam was poured in May, 1949. With the suspension for the winter months of work on the High Plains, it was possible to increase the number of men, and work then proceeded at a steady pace for the remainder of the year. Some interruption was caused by a flood in September, which over topped the rockfill coffer dam. By the end of 1950 17,000 yards of material had been excavated from the foundations and 4,000 cubic yard of concrete placed. Work at Clover Dam was completed in 1953, but two bays were left open for flood emergency. The pondage was filled on the 16th August, 1954. A pictorial record of the placing of concrete foundations of Clover Dam and also shows the methods of construction used at this site in 1949.Black and white photograph taken during the construction of Clover Dam. Shows early stages of the concrete foundations, cranes and the railway line which was constructed to bring materials to the site. Handwritten in blue ink of back of photograph "Clover Dam Foundations"dam, foundations, concrete, construction

The building of the original Wright Trestle Bridge in the late 1890s as part of the construction of the narrow-gauge railway from Ferntree Gully to Gembrook, was a significant engineering achievement for its time. The railway (now known as Puffing Billy) was closed in the 1950s. When it re-opened in the 1960s it terminated at Emerald Lake. In the 1990s, it was decided to rebuild the section of the line from Emerald Lake to Gembrook - this was completed in 1998. The major project challenge was to rebuild the historic Wright Trestle Bridge which traversed a very steep gully in Wrights Forest, Avonsleigh. These photographs have been provided by Graeme Smith who supplied the concrete to build the foundations of the bridgeThese photos show the foundation stage of the rebuilding of the historic Wright Trestle Bridge as part of the larger reconstruction of the Puffing Billy line from Emerald Lake to Gembrook.Five color photographs all depicting concrete foundations laid up and down a steep gully as part of the rebuilding of the Wright Trestle Bridge.On back of VEMUP1091 3/5, hand-written: 'Graeme Smith / Unloading on / Puffing Billy line / in Wright Forest / Concrete supplied / from P B M Packham'wright trestle bridge, 1998, puffing billy

Cream and brown coloured hard cover with an illustration on the front cover of emaciated men working on railway bridge construction. 302 pages.books, military history, pow's

This item was made for the Orbost Railway 100 Years Exhibition held at Orbost in March, 2016. It is a copy of an original paper delivered by Maurice Kernot to the Victorian Institute of Engineers in 1917. Maurice Edwin Kernot was the vice president and managed the construction of the Bairnsdale-Orbost Railway in 1912. The Bairnsdale-Orbost railway was opened in 1916 to serve the agricultural and timber industry. Because of the decline in traffic and heavy operating costs, the line was finally closed in August, 1987.This item is associated with the history of the Orbost-Bairnsdale railway line and therefore reflects the role that the rail line played in the social and economic history of Orbost.Seventeen pages of photocopied document in a black plastic folder. The pages are in separate sleeves. On the back is a price sticker $1 flat file Marbig Single - Red Orbost Authorid News.orbost-bairnsdale-railway east-gippsland-railway kernot-maurice railway

On 23 December an act was passed to authorise the construction by the State (Victoria) of a line of railway from Orbost to Brodribb. Even as late as 1913 the railway was still expected to go through Orbost and beyond. In the Orbost area a committee was formed called the Bairnsdale to Orbost Railway Trust. The business of the trust was to acquire the land necessary for the railway and levy a rate on the property owners. The other cost to the area wanting a railway was the guarantee against loss in working expenses of the railway, the Orbost Shire had to provide up to £3000 per annum. The line was never constructed and the Bairnsdale to Orbost Railway terminated on the western side of the Snowy River. This item is associated with the history of the Orbost-Bairnsdale railway line and therefore reflects the role that the rail line played in the social and economic history of Orbost.A round copper disc with a metal seal on top. "Orbost to Brodribb Railway Construction Trust - 1928"seal railway orbost-bairnsdale-railway

Alistair Knox Park, an oasis of peace and beauty. Covered under National Trust of Australia (Victoria) Landscape Significance and Heritage Overlay, Nillumbik Planning Scheme. Published: Nillumbik Now and Then /​ Marguerite Marshall 2008; photographs Alan King with Marguerite Marshall.; p173 It is hard to imagine that the Alistair Knox Park, an oasis of peace and beauty beside busy Main Road, Eltham, was once the township’s rubbish dump. It was only in the 1970s that the tip was transformed into this beautiful six hectare space, which later earned it a National Trust Landscape classification. Before its life as a dump, the area was used for small farms. Thanks largely to the foresight and efforts of local environmental builder Alistair Knox, the park was designed sympathetically with the character of the wider Eltham landscape. Then, appropriately, the park was named after Knox, who was an Eltham Shire Councillor from 1971 to 1975 and Shire President in 1975. The park designers were four major forces in the urban bush landscape garden –Knox, landscape designer Gordon Ford, artist Peter Glass and landscaper Ivan Stranger. The National Trust citation for the park, originally called Eltham Town Park, includes the Eltham railway trestle bridge and the Shillinglaw Cottage. The citation states ‘the semi-natural setting of the parkland provides a landscape which is evocative of the history of the area’. Manna Gums (Eucalyptus viminalis) and Candlebarks (Eucalyptus rubida) are significant features. Most of the park’s construction was directed by Bob Grant, Superintendent of the Parks and Gardens Department for the Eltham Shire Council. First plantings occurred in Arbour Week in 1973, then the lake and botanic area were completed in 1975, with Federal Government funding, and the toilet block in 1978. Bounded by the Eltham railway line, Panther Place, Main Road, Bridge and Susan Streets, the park is in a valley about a kilometre wide overlooked by steep hills at the east and west. The Diamond Creek flows through it and the picturesque historic timber trestle railway bridge edges the north. Informal plantings of Australian indigenous and native species in open and undulating grassed settings blend with the natural landscape of the Diamond Creek to the west. The bush-style plants, particularly around the creek, balance with open lawns, paths and a cascade flowing from a small lake to another below. A footbridge over the creek leads to the park’s west. The park includes an adventure playground and barbecue areas. The park stands on part of the land bought from the Crown in 1851 by Josiah Holloway, who subdivided it into allotments and which he called Little Eltham. Most of the land was subdivided into residential lots, but the creek valley, on which the park stands, was subdivided into farm-size lots, used mainly for orchards and grazing. One of the earliest owners was John Hicks Petty, who in 1874 bought a plot from Holloway. Other families who owned properties in that area, included Rees, Clark, Waterfall, Graham, Hill and Morant. In 1901 the railway was built through the area. Jock Read, an Eltham resident since around 1920, remembers several farms in the 1920s and ’30s that occupied the site of today’s park. A poultry farm, which extended from present day Panther Place, was owned by the Gahan family. Next to that farm was another for grazing cattle owned by Jack Carrucan. Beside this was land owned by John Lyon. A doctor lived beside this, and at the north-west corner of Bridge Street and Main Road stood a memorial to the soldiers who died in World War One, which was later moved to the RSL site. Mr Read also remembers other farms and orchards west of the creek In the early 1960s the Eltham Council began buying these farms and in the late 1960s turned the areas east of the Diamond Creek into a garbage tip. When this was filled above the creek’s flood plain, the tip was moved to the west of the creek.This collection of almost 130 photos about places and people within the Shire of Nillumbik, an urban and rural municipality in Melbourne's north, contributes to an understanding of the history of the Shire. Published in 2008 immediately prior to the Black Saturday bushfires of February 7, 2009, it documents sites that were impacted, and in some cases destroyed by the fires. It includes photographs taken especially for the publication, creating a unique time capsule representing the Shire in the early 21st century. It remains the most recent comprehenesive publication devoted to the Shire's history connecting local residents to the past. nillumbik now and then (marshall-king) collection, alistair knox park, eltham

Update of 1st editon by Jock Ryan published in March 2003. 2nd edition (Revised) Nillumbik Historical Society December 2017 Brief history of the agitation and eventual extension and opening of the Hurstbridge Railway line from Eltham to Diamond Creek, Wattle Glen to Hurstbridge, which was opened in June 1912. Includes details of events thereafter including Wattle Day and Railway accidents. Profusely illustrated with black and white photographs from the collection of the Nillumbik Historical Society (Diamond Creek). Agitation for a railway extension began in 1888 when a meeting was held at Arthurs Creek to press for the construction of a railway line from Heidelberg to Kinglake. The Chairman Mr Charles Draper said this was necessary because this was the best fruit growing district in Victoria. Mr Cameron M.P. pointed out that whatever route the line took it would have to follow the Diamond Valley from Eltham. At the same time another meeting was pressing for the line to be extended to Queenstown (St Andrews). However when detailed surveys were made it was discovered that the only possible route was to Hurstbridge because of the hills. In 1912 the railway was opened terminating at Hurstbridge. Bound with orange covers. Text with black and white illustrations. 30 pages.hurstbridge railway line,diamond creek,wattle glen,hurstbridge, nillumbik historical society

Murray's Bridge over the Diamond Creek on the Diamond Creek Trail just prior to demolition and replacement with a new steel bridge. Heritage advice obtained by Nillumbik Shire Council, following a suggestion by the Eltham District Historical Society (EDHS), is that the original bridge appears to have been a simplified version of the Country Roads Board’s (CRB) standard timber bridge design of the early-to-mid 1920s. In c1990 Murray’s bridge was renovated with three recycled steel girders as part of a bike/pedestrian path in the reserve. During these alterations many parts of the bridge were removed, and some were replaced. Heritage advice indicates the condition of Murray’s bridge is poor. The remaining original parts are all in poor condition, with severe weathering, splitting and rot, especially to the stringers retained on the bridge. Heritage advice is that Murray’s Bridge does not have sufficient significance in the cultural history of the Nillumbik area to warrant inclusion in the Nillumbik Shire Heritage Overlay and also does not have sufficient significance as a rare survivor to warrant inclusion in the Nillumbik Shire Heritage Overlay. There are no indications in the historical record that this site was individually important to the cultural history of this area. EDHS is comfortable with the heritage advice provided to Council and has worked closely on this project with Council. EDHS has suggested some of the removed timbers be used in the vicinity of the bridge for landscaping and possibly seating, so as to retain these remnants close to the site of the original bridge, which is the last old timber bridge along the lower reaches of the Diamond Creek. Mary (Sweeney) Murray and John Wright Murray selected 80 acres, Lot C Section 16 and Lot 5 Section 17 Parish of Nillumbik, under an occupation license in 1866. John died in 1867 and freehold was granted to his son John in 1873. The farm was known as ‘Laurel Hill’. John Junior was an Eltham Shire councillor and sometime president from 1887 up until 1897. He added Lot A Section 16 to the farm in ca1888. John and his younger brother James arranged to rent/purchase Lot B Section 17, across Diamond Creek to the west, in ca1900. It appears that John and James farmed separately for a few years, with a new homestead built for James ad family on the high point of Lot B Section 17 in ca1910. John sold off Lot 5 Section 17 in 1912. When John died in 1912 James took over the land on both sides of the Diamond Creek. The old homestead on the west side of the Creek disappeared. A farm bridge over Diamond Creek from this period may have been located close to the northern boundary of the farm. John Langlands, owner of the farm known as ‘Ihurst’ on the west side of Diamond Creek to the south of the Murray’s land, died in 1907. In 1909 his land was then subdivided into 100 lots to become the ‘Glen Park Estate’. Other similar subdivisions of nineteenth century farms around Eltham in this period included the ‘Franktonia (or Beard’s) Estate’ to the northeast and ‘Bonsack’s Estate’ between Eltham and Greensborough. Soon after the opening of the railway extension line from Eltham to Hurstbridge in 1912, Glen Park and nearby residents including James Murray agitated for a railway station or siding to be located half-way between Eltham and Hurstbridge, so that the Glen Park residents who used the railway daily did not have to walk into the Eltham or Hurstbridge stations. Some believed Coleman’s Corner (opposite Edendale Farm) was an appropriate spot for the platform. James Murray was among those who thought the railway should be located on his land, closer to half-way between Eltham and Hurstbridge stations. The Railways Commissioners warned that the locals would have to fund these works themselves. The Glen Park Estate residents initially had difficulty accessing Eltham by road, with only an old low-level bridge over Diamond Creek at the south end of their estate. A new timber trestle bridge across the creek, now on Wattletree Road, was opened in 1915. Road access to the north was gained in 1927 when the new Murray’s Road, which crossed the Murray’s land, was built. Residents continued to agitate for a Glen Park station. By 1926 the Railways Commissioners’ preferred site was on the Murray’s land. They arranged an estimate of cost of a full-length platform. The estimate was too much for the locals, who in 1928 argued unsuccessfully for a shorter and hence cheaper platform. By 1929 Murray had agreed to donate the land, but the locals would still have to fund the works. Murray decided, unilaterally it would appear, to commence work on a timber trestle road bridge over Diamond Creek to link the new Murray Road to the proposed station. Late in 1929 he stopped work on the bridge, for reasons unknown, but started work again and completed the bridge in 1931. There is no further newspaper evidence of the campaign for the Glen Park station until 1939, when Murray and another local, Mr Maxwell, met the Railways Commissioner. The Glen Park locale now included 45 homes on the west side of the creek and 20 on the Eltham side. Most of the residents used the train every day. The Commissioner remained adamant that only a full-length platform could be built for safety reasons. It appears the campaign dissolved at this point. The increasing move to cars may have had an impact. There is no evidence of Murray’s bridge ever being connected to Murray’s Road, or of it having wide use for any purpose by locals. James Murray died in 1947 and the farm was taken over by his son James (Jim). Jim started to sell off parts of the farm in the 1980s, retaining a few acres around the ca1910 homestead and building a new house there. Recreation reserves were established along the creek. In ca1990 Murray’s bridge was renovated with steel girders as part of a bike/pedestrian path in the reserve. The old farmhouse was demolished in ca2014. * * * A theory posted on local community Facebook groups was that the bridge was built in the 1860s and was built to be more robust than was necessary for the movement of cows from one side of the creek to the other. It was suggested the robustness was necessary to support the weight of gold ore being transferred from a mine on Murray’s land to a railway siding near Murrays Bridge (presumably for transfer and processing at Diamond Creek). Perhaps this may have been one of the motivators for Murray, who really knows? Knowing when mining operations ceased on his land and how that fits the overall timeline would be useful but at the time the bridge was built, local gold production was minimal at best. The known facts are: • The railway line came to Eltham in 1902. • The extension of the railway from Eltham to Hurstbridge was constructed in 1912 so no railway line even existed through Murray's property until 1912 and the Victorian Railways maps at the time show no such siding on Murray’s property. • In 1923 a new company was formed in anticipation of the old Diamond Creek Gold Mine being re-opened. The mine had been previously closed and flooded. It was noted in the press at the time that the mine was within a mile of the railway. Nothing really came of this. • Construction of Murrays Bridge was commenced by James Murray in early 1929 in anticipation of a proposed flag station being nominated on his land, but work ceased shortly afterwards. The proposed flag station was commonly referred to as Glen Park as the residents of the Glen Park Estate wanted Option 1, located near them with the platform adjacent to Colemans corner. This was probably never going to fly as it was virtually in eyesight of Eltham station. Allandale Road was the third option, but the Commissioners' preferred option was No. 2 - on Murray's property. • The Railway Commissioners were not going to finance any such station and the works had to be funded by private landowners and residents, hence Murray investing in this himself. • Murray recommenced work two years later and finished his bridge in 1931 but unfortunately for him, the proposed flag station never eventuated. The bluestone siding you reference may well have been built by Murray as part of the proposed station platform. • Up until then, apart from the Main Road bridge, which was washed away in 1924, virtually all local crossings over the Diamond Creek were low lying bridges – Kaylocks Bridge at Brougham Street, Diamond Street bridge, Glen Park Road bridge. It is expected that Murray also had a low-lying bridge to connect his land either side of the creek. These were all washed away or severely damaged multiple times in the 1920s. Lessons were learnt, and Murrays Bridge appears to have been built in accordance with Country Road Board standards of the time. Flood damage was ongoing, and even more recently constructed raised bridges kept getting washed away, e.g., the new Wattle Tree Road bridge in 1958 just months after completion. Murray’s bridge was reinforced with steel some 30 years ago presumably to provide additional floodwater resistance, given the history of bridges disappearing in floodwaters. • In March 1932 it was reported in the Advertiser that there were still some prospectors operating around Eltham North who apart from further scarring the face of the earth over the previous two years had gained significant experience but little gold - hardly a driving factor for constructing a dedicated railway siding and bridge to transfer gold ore. It is far more probable that James Murray was hoping to have the railway station located on his property and invested his money by building the bridge to lead to it as well as a station platform. Had the station eventuated, it may well have driven up the value of his land for subdivision and new housing estates like the Glen Park Estate. That did not eventuate. Whilst the bridge was indeed old (90 years), the core structure being completed in 1931, it had been modified substantially from original and hence had no significant historic value – i.e., it was not a representative example of its type, construction, and age. Given that the bridge was not worthy of saving, the Eltham District Historical Society with Council’s support, and the Eltham Woodworkers group endeavoured to see what suitable sized timbers were salvageable to fabricate a commemorative seat. Unfortunately, the experts at the Woodworkers group were unable to salvage any suitable length/width timbers to fabricate the seat due to the presence of rot. Last remaining wooden trestle bridge on the Diamond Creek Trail just prior to demolition and replacementBorn digital image (27)diamond creek (creek), diamond creek trail, murrays bridge, ‘laurel hill’, john wright murray, mary (sweeney) murra, john murray jnr, james murray, john langlands, ‘ihurst’, ‘glen park estate’, beard's estate, franktonia, bonsack's estate, glen park estate, glen park railway station

Railway construction gang with horses possibly working on the Eltham to Hurstbridge line extension near Eltham North, c.1910Black and white printrailways, workers, horses, eltham north, butty gang, construction gang, plough, railway construction

Black and white photograph printeltham, sherbourne road, railway bridge, construction, montmorency

This photograph is part of the Caulfield Historical Album 1972. This album was created in approximately 1972 as part of a project by the Caulfield Historical Society to assist in identifying buildings worthy of preservation. The album is related to a Survey the Caulfield Historical Society developed in collaboration with the National Trust of Australia (Victoria) and Caulfield City Council to identify historic buildings within the City of Caulfield that warranted the protection of a National Trust Classification. Principal photographer thought to be Trevor Hart, member of Caulfield Historical Society. Most photographs were taken between 1966-1972 with a small number of photographs being older and from unknown sources. All photographs are black and white except where stated, with 386 photographs over 198 pages.Victorian Heritage Database - Hotham Street Road Overbridge HO116 Heritage Overlay - City of Glen Eira https://vhd.heritagecouncil.vic.gov.au/places/43557 (as of 04/07/2021) The Hotham Street road overbridge is located on the Sandringham railway line between Ripponlea and Elsternwick railway stations. It is presumed to have been built by contractors Sharp and Campbell who signed a contract on 25th . November, 1881 to construct a second line of railway between Windsor and Elsternwick. This contract was completed during 1882 and the bridge may have been designed in the year when Robert Watson took over from William Elsdon as engineer in chief for the Victorian railways. It is historically, aesthetically and technically significant. It is historically significant (Criterion A) to the extent that it demonstrates the standards of construction adopted by the Victorian Railways Department when it rebuilt the lines acquired from the private railway companies, (compare the Geelong and Melbourne Railway Co's line from Newport to Geelong, acquired in 1860). It is aesthetically significant (Criterion E) as an intact nineteenth century structure of its type, many similar girder bridges having been renewed with concrete girders in recent years. The bluestone abutments demonstrate high standards of stone masonry and are representative of Departmental work of the period. This bridge forms one of a group of historic structures on the railway to Brighton Beach and therefore contributes to the line's cultural importance as a whole. The survival of the riveted iron girders with their bellied angle iron struts is important since these elements are representative of the civil engineering practices of the Victorian Railways at the time and constitute the technical significance (Criterion F) of the structure.Page 96 of Photograph Album with three photographs (one portrait and two landscape) from Hotham Street - two external views of one house and a railway bridge.Handwritten: Hotham Street [top right] / 112 HOTHAM ST [under top left photo] / BRIDGE OVER SANDRINGHAM RAILWAY [under top right photo] / 112 HOTHAM ST CNR MELBY AVE [under bottom left photo] / 96 [bottom right]trevor hart, elsternwick, hotham street, caulfield, houses, brick, bay windows, verandahs, railway bridges, tunnels, gardens, bluestone, civil engineering, victorian railways, sharp and campbell, contractors

13 April 1972. Bendigo Says Good-bye to the Trams. A1 sheet - double sided. Tramway history 1890 - 1972, 2 copies. At the stroke of 5 pm from Eaglehawk Town Hall clock 82 years of history will end as the last tram makes its sentimental journey to the city, while at the Bendigo Cemetery - the Quarry Hill line terminus - another tram will be leaving for its last resting place. Other articles include: Four Eras, of trams. The Trammies, covering Ballarat, Geelong in the form of a poem. 1927 and all that, by Basil Miller, remembering his 45 years of service with the trams. How it all started, The twin communities of Sandhurst and Eaglehawk were relatively early in considering the possibility of operating street tramways within their boundaries. Cabs, Battery Cars, Construction, Strikes, Bendigo 1890 to 1972 - Tramways. Man and his Mates, continued from previous page, Explosion, Touchy Task, A Quickey, Horrors. Electric in 1903, There was excitement galore in the City during April, 1903 - and the Advertiser recorded the progress of the new-fangled electric machine. One man's Memories, Tough times, humour, tragedy and comradeship - they all came flooding back as former Bendigo tramway-man Tom Griffiths recently turned the clock back. Keb Sir Keb Sir? 'Keg sir? Tram off the line,' was the call of the cabbies when a train pulled in at the Bendigo railway station. Altered Shopping Trend, With advent of the electric tram in Bendigo came change in shopping habits.bendigo trams

Leading up to the opening of Greensborough Plaza, traffic along Main Street was affected by the part closure due to the construction of a road bridge over the railway line.Significant infrastructure changes in Greensborough at the time of the opening of Greensborough Plaza in 1978.Photocopy of news clipping (Item 958). Text and black and white images.

Receipts for rates payable to the Heidelberg and Eltham Railway Construction Trust, 1916. Owners are Benjamin Partington and William Partington.Copy of receiptswilliam james partington, benjamin partington, heidelberg and eltham railway construction trust, hurstbridge rail line

Account of the background to the construction of the extension of the railway line between Heidelberg and Eltham, and the effects of the railway service on the Greensborough, Briar Hill and Montmorency areas.3 p. OCR transcript of original article (copied from Trove)railways, hurstbridge rail line