Discusses what is a neighbourhood and how is it "broken-down" for town-planning and building regulation purposes. Discusses types of dwellings, infrastructure, zone barriers, isolation of residential zones, services etc.Original manuscript of ideas for the chapter titled 'The Neighbourhood' (pp. 32-43) by Robin Boyd in the book "Living and Partly Living", by Ian McKay, Robin Boyd, Hugh Stretton and John Mant, published by Nelson, Sydney 1971.Typewritten (c copy), pencil edits, foolscap, 2 pagesneighbourhood, suburbia, neighbourhood, dwelling types, residential zones services, robin boyd, manuscript

Piles of dirt alongside dirt road, part of the light industrial area including N. J. Tillings Timber Factory, Brougham Street, Eltham. This is one of 7 B/W 8x10 inch photos with notes on obverse by Dick Crichton. Accompanying letter from Florence Chrichton 2013 : "Originally sent to Shire of Eltham Engineer, Mr. McDonald. [These photographs were part of their campaign to the Shire of Eltham in 1975] claiming that the zoning regulations were being breached by the occupants of various factories in the nearby light industrial zone [Brougham Street, Eltham] - to the detriment of those living in adjoining residential zones, and that, despite .. earlier objections and complaints, nothing was done about it." 1 black and white photograph printed with white border on three sidesInscribed on back: "View from residential premises in Brougham Street. Trees in foreground will soon be lost due to making of the main drain by M.M.B.W.. Photograph shows topographical features of the valley and how sound travels upwards and outwards to residential zones surrounding." industrial estate, brougham street, eltham, 1975, bolton street, dick crichton, n.j. tillings, timber factory, shire of eltham

City of Nunawading: review of special residential zone: seeking exemptions from residents on existing zone provisions 1973residential development, land use, city of nunawading, laburnum street, blackburn, the avenue, fuschia street, myrtle grove, linum street, acacia avenue, laurel grove, boongarry avenue, main street, gardiner street, blackburn road, jeffery street, naughton grove, special residential zone

Double sided page advertising Auction, Thursday, July 17th, 1958, (Approx.) 10 Acres, north corner of Canterbury Road and Maidstone Street, Ringwood. Agents - Victorian Realty Service Pty.Ltd., 360 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne, Phone MU7858, After Hours JA1045. Reverse side shows map of proposed subdivision by K.J. Noonan & Co., Surveyors & Engineers, 495 St.Kilda Rd, Melbourne, marked subject to approval of all interested statutory authorities.Residential zoned subdivision land for immediate development. Extensive frontage to Maidstone Street. Accompanying handwritten annotation "10 acres offered as a whole, later re-subdivided".

N. J. Tillings Timber Factory was part of the Brougham Street, Light industrial area, Eltham. Brick bulidings includes signage: Wakefield Pr... (printer?) No 17 Building C. This is one of 7 B/W 8x10 inch photos with notes on obverse by Dick Crichton. Accompanying letter from Florence Chrichton 2013 : "Originally sent to Shire of Eltham Engineer, Mr. McDonald. [These photographs were part of their campaign to the Shire of Eltham in 1975] claiming that the zoning regulations were being breached by the occupants of various factories in the nearby light industrial zone [Brougham Street, Eltham] - to the detriment of those living in adjoining residential zones, and that, despite .. earlier objections and complaints, nothing was done about it."1 black and white photograph printed with white borderInscribed on back: "Weekend photograph of factories in Brougham Street surrounded by by residential zone. On weekdays cars surround premises - these have been built approx. two years - where is the landscaping? * Undeveloped light industrial land. Careful planning needed for future. Being on high elevations backs of future buildings will be seen from Main Road Eltham and future Art Centre complex. Also Bolton Street becoming heavily used arterial road. Off street parking facilities most important." . The front of the photo has pen marks indicating points of interest.industrial estate, brougham street, eltham

The Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works (now Melbourne Water) was established in 1891. From that time, as part of their work laying water and sewerage connections, they created detailed plans of houses and other buildings in the Melbourne metropolitan area. In 1956 it acquired powers to construct and maintain highways and bridges, protect and improve the foreshores and create and maintain parks within the metropolitan region. This Interim development order comprises part of the municipalities of Brighton, Moorabbin and Sandringham and was made on 20 October 1959.brighton, moorabbin, sandringham, melbourne and metropolitan board of works, map, town planning, cartographic material, interim development order, bayside

Cr Wayne Phillips comments on the Victorian government's planning issues regarding residential zones.News clipping, black text, colour image.wayne phillips, residential planning, banyule councillors, banyule city council

Shows residential zones 3, 4 & 5 established by Residential Policy adopted 13/12/1976Black print on waxed paper. Scale: 20 chs to 1 inchG M Hutchins. $1city of heidelberg, heidelberg

Changes to residential development zones in Montmorency would effect local homeowners, according to architect Michael Scalzo.News clipping, black text.montmorency, land development

Fence yard with piles of timber. Weatherboard building in background. This is one of 7 B/W 8x10 inch photos with notes on obverse by Dick Crichton. Accompanying letter from Florence Chrichton 2013 : "Originally sent to Shire of Eltham Engineer, Mr. McDonald. [These photographs were part of their campaign to the Shire of Eltham in 1975] claiming that the zoning regulations were being breached by the occupants of various factories in the nearby light industrial zone [Brougham Street, Eltham] - to the detriment of those living in adjoining residential zones, and that, despite .. earlier objections and complaints, nothing was done about it." 1 black and white photograph printed with white borderInscribed on back: "Ryans Yard, Susan Street, (part owned by Tillings) showing Tillings surplus baulk timber (at extreme right and left) before milling. This timber is often also stored in Peel Street. Majority of baulks are stored at rear or side of Tillings main premises. Eltham High School object to transportation of this timber along Bell and Susan Streets in large semi-trailers. Trucks backing in and out of Tillings cause frequent traffic jams in Bridge Street (often around 8am)." industrial estate, brougham street, eltham, 1975, bolton street, dick crichton, n.j. tillings, timber factory, shire of eltham, susan street, bell street, eltham high school

Barclay Park in McKenzie Court Greensborough is still zoned residential with rezoning planned for 2018-19.News clipping, black text. barclay park, mckenzie court greensborough

Edge of brick building part of the light industrial area including N. J. Tillings Timber Factory, Brougham Street, Eltham. This is one of 7 B/W 8x10 inch photos with notes on back by Dick Crichton. Accompanying letter from Florence Chrichton 2013 : "Originally sent to Shire of Eltham Engineer, Mr. McDonald. [These photographs were part of their campaign to the Shire of Eltham in 1975] claiming that the zoning regulations were being breached by the occupants of various factories in the nearby light industrial zone [Brougham Street, Eltham] - to the detriment of those living in adjoining residential zones, and that, despite .. earlier objections and complaints, nothing was done about it." 1 black and white photograph printed with white border on three sidesindustrial estate, brougham street, eltham, 1975, bolton street, dick crichton, n.j. tillings, timber factory, shire of eltham

A publication of the City of Nunawading explaining the regulations applying to the Special Residential (Nunawading) Zone No 5. The regulations cover proportions of land which may be built on and identifies trees which must be preserved. An addendum issued in 1988 includes a map of the area and identifies National Trust classified streets in Blackburn and the buffer areas in which less stringent regulations apply.A publication of the City of Nunawadingcity of nunawading, national trust of australia (victoria), special residential (nunawading) zone no. 5, jeffery street, blackburn, laurel grove, linum street, boongarry avenue, hill street, land use, by-laws, town planning, acacia avenue, waratah crescent

N. J. Tillings Timber Factory was part of the Brougham Street, Light industrial area, Eltham. Brick bulidings includes signage: Wakefield Pr... (printer?) No 17 Building C. This is one of 7 B/W 8x10 inch photos with notes on obverse by Dick Crichton. Accompanying letter from Florence Chrichton 2013 : "Originally sent to Shire of Eltham Engineer, Mr. McDonald. [These photographs were part of their campaign to the Shire of Eltham in 1975] claiming that the zoning regulations were being breached by the occupants of various factories in the nearby light industrial zone [Brougham Street, Eltham] - to the detriment of those living in adjoining residential zones, and that, despite .. earlier objections and complaints, nothing was done about it."1 black and white photograph printed with white borderInscribed on back: "Photo taken from corner Bolton and Brougham Streets showing undeveloped light industrial land used as storage (of portable toilets!). In the best tradition of Robin Boyd's 'Great Australian Ugliness.' Infringement of zoning regulations." industrial estate, brougham street, eltham, portable tiolets, 1975, bolton street, dick crichton, n.j. tillings, timber factory, shire of eltham

N. J. Tillings Timber Factory was part of the Brougham Street, Light industrial area, Eltham. This is one of 7 B/W 8x10 inch photos with notes on obverse by Dick Crichton. Accompanying letter from Florence Chrichton 2013 : "Originally sent to Shire of Eltham Engineer, Mr. McDonald. [These photographs were part of their campaign to the Shire of Eltham in 1975] claiming that the zoning regulations were being breached by the occupants of various factories in the nearby light industrial zone [Brougham Street, Eltham] - to the detriment of those living in adjoining residential zones, and that, despite .. earlier objections and complaints, nothing was done about it." "The Tilling Group was established in November 1963 and began as a small factory in Eltham Victoria. The company now has large, modern offices and warehouses in most major cities across Australia" - http://www.tilling.com.au/about-us1 black and white photograph printed with white borderInscribed on back: "N.J. Tillings 3rd and recently installed extractor fan at rear of premises. Eltham Council Officers continue to state that such installations require no permit even though the installation involves a change in the nature of the firm's operations. Residents believe that this firm (and others) are no longer classifiable as 'light industrial.' Do residents have to act as watch-dogs to see that regulations are observed or will council officers in future carry out their obligations to do so." industrial estate, brougham street, eltham, 1975, bolton street, dick crichton, n.j. tillings, timber factory, shire of eltham, milling, fan

N. J. Tillings Timber Factory was part of the Brougham Street, Light industrial area, Eltham. This is one of 7 B/W 8x10 inch photos with notes on obverse by Dick Crichton. Accompanying letter from Florence Chrichton 2013 : "Originally sent to Shire of Eltham Engineer, Mr. McDonald. [These photographs were part of their campaign to the Shire of Eltham in 1975] claiming that the zoning regulations were being breached by the occupants of various factories in the nearby light industrial zone [Brougham Street, Eltham] - to the detriment of those living in adjoining residential zones, and that, despite .. earlier objections and complaints, nothing was done about it." Wire gate and fencing in foreground of photo displays signs relating to timber products and Dulux Paints. "The Tilling Group was established in November 1963 and began as a small factory in Eltham Victoria. The company now has large, modern offices and warehouses in most major cities across Australia" - http://www.tilling.com.au/about-us1 black and white photograph printed with white borderInscribed on back: "Front entrance to N,J. Tillings timber yard showing part of extractor fan system installed to facilitate milling operations. Sound intensified due to position of mill in valley. Valley acts as a natural sound bowl. Eltham Council were warned of this some years ago." Includes diagram of residences in relation to mill and statement that tooter blast at least ten times per day. "#Note Residences in close proximity to sound source. Pen marks on front of photograph indicating points of interest.industrial estate, brougham street, eltham, 1975, bolton street, dick crichton, n.j. tillings, timber factory, shire of eltham, milling, fan

A4 size 6-page multi-fold consultants' report outlining Ringwood's central structure plan for the new millennium. Topics: Traffic Circulation and Parking, Regional Retailing Focus, Entertainment Precinct, Office Precinct, Railway Precinct, Residential Conservation Zones, Retail Specialty Core, Commercial Boulevard, Possible Station Street Upgrading. Planning consultants - Wolinski Planners Pty. Ltd., were commissioned by Ministry for Planning and Environment, City of Ringwood and the Ministry of Transport in 1986 to prepare and exhibit the plan for public comment. After consideration of responses, the Working Group will make recommendations to the Council and Ministers subject to hearings of any formal submissions.

Double sided folded page advertising shop sites in Whitehorse Road, Ringwood, with locality plan, price list, terms of sale, summary of local facilities and services, and diagram showing layout of 9 retail allotments for sale. These sites were originally zoned as residential as part of the 1926 "Olive Grove Estate" subdivision. (See Vicorian Collections Reference 5169). The 9 new shops were later allocated street numbers 58 to 64 Whitehorse Road, Ringwood.Locality plan showing shop sites for sale on Whitehorse Road, Ringwood, between New Street and Olive Grove. Sole Agents: Ringwood Real Estate Co., Station Entrance, Ringwood, (Telephone) WU6661, WU6662.

The Eltham Gateway Group (EGG) was established about 1987 by some Eltham residents concerned for the development of the Eltham Gateway, defined as that historically and environmentally sensitive region of land along Main Road, Eltham extending from the roundabout at Fitzsimons Lane to Dudley Street, Eltham. The gateway was a unique urban area with a strong sense of character that provided a distinctive entrance to the Eltham Town Centre. The intention of this group was to support development that preserved both the natural and historic features of the gateway region. It encouraged development sympathetic to Eltham’s traditional association with the arts and natural environment. The group was initiated in response to a planning application in December 1986 to redevelop the then Mobil service station site at 729 Main Road, Eltham on the corner of Brougham Street. This group worked with and encouraged the Eltham Shire Council to consider rezoning to protect the gateway area. A detailed Eltham Gateway Study undertaken by Tract Consultants assisted with the establishment of the Eltham Gateway Zone, the Eltham Gateway Policy and the Eltham Gateway Design and Siting Guidelines. The State Government subsequently agreed to a planning amendment to rezone the land from a Residential Zone C to an Eltham Gateway Zone under the Eltham Planning Scheme. While zoning changes over the years have altered the mix of permitted uses within this area the Eltham Gateway still looks and feels like a predominately residential style precinct, even where non-residential type uses operate. EGG was followed by the establishment of the Eltham Protection Society in about 1989 to respond to community planning issues beyond the area of the Eltham Gateway and in effect took over the role from the EGG. Jim Connor President Eltham District Historical Society 4 July 2022 During 1986/87 I was a community member on the Shire of Eltham’s Community Consultative Committee involved with the Eltham Gateway Study, which led to the establishment of the original Eltham Gateway Zone, under the then Eltham Planning Scheme The Eltham Gateway Group was the pioneer community action group dedicated to protecting the character of the Eltham Gateway. It was succeeded by the Eltham Protection Society. When the Shire of Eltham Offices were demolished by the unelected Commissioners of Nillumbik Shire Council in July/August 1996, significant community upset and protest led to the establishement of the Eltham Gateway Action Group (EGAG) which in present day form has evolved into the Eltham Community Action Group (ECAG) focussing on issues throughout Eltham and not just the Eltham Gatewayeltham community action group, eltham gateway, eltham gateway action group, eltham gateway design and siting guidelines, eltham gateway group (egg), eltham gateway policy, eltham gateway study, eltham gateway zone, eltham planning scheme, eltham protection society, jim connor, michael wilson, rodger dalling, tony mcmanus

Notice of Ordinary Meeting 18th August 1987 Part 2 Report of the City Planner Planning Permit Application Warehouse Lot 16 Central Avenue South East Corner First Avenue Sunshine Planning Permit Application Motor Vehicle Wreaking Motor Repairs and Care Sales 149 Anderson Road Sunshine Planning Permit Application Dual Occupancy 3 Middle Road Maribyrnong Planning Permit Application Factory Warehouse Lot 33 Keith Street Southern Corner Richards Street Maidstone Planning Permit Application Ten Flats 16 Wiltshire Street Sunshine North Planning Permit Application Four Flats 4 Rose Street Braybrook Planning Permit Application Building and Works 21 Wright Street Sunshine Planning Permit Application Convenience Shop 720 Geelong Road Brooklyn Planning Permit Application Dog Breeding 15 Maroonda Court St. Albans Sunshine Shopping Centre Road Works Notice of Motion Planning Permit Application Four Flats Lots 492 - 493 Fairbairn Road Sunshine West The Planning Scheme How it Works Councillors Training Course 5th September 1987 Rezoning Application Land Bounded by Kent Street, Stewart Street, Hotham Street & Pritchard Avenue Braybrook Planning Permit Application Buildings & Works Dalgety Farmers Ltd Lot 2 & 5 Frederick Street Tottenham Planning Permit Application Illuminated Advertising Signs St. Albans Hotel McKechnie Street St. Albans Planning Permit Application Manufacturing Sales and Buildings and Works 55 Wright Street Sunshine Hazardous Material Handling Depot Douglas Parade Newport Planning Permit Application Take Away Food Premises 75 Dumfries Street Corner Salmond Street Deer Park Planning Permit Application LP gas Tank & Dispenser Victoria Produces Co-Operative Company Ltd 413 Francis Street Brooklyn Planning Permit Application Transport Depot 1 Carrington Drive Albion Planning Permit Application Three Single Storey Flats 102 Morris Street Sunshine Planning Permit Application Factory Warehouse Units Tottenham Parade Tottenham Planning Permit Application Special Accommodation Building (Nursing Home) 4 - 8 Killara Street Sunshine West Planning Permit Application Dwelling Units and Recreation Centre Building lots 1 - 7 Warrs Road and lots 21 & 22 Fabian Court Maribyrnong Melbourne Metropolitan Planning Scheme Amendment No 388 Planning Permit Application Take Away Food Premises Lot 122 Whitehill Avenue Sunshine North Proposed Amendments to Liquor Control Commission Act 1966 Sunshine Planning for the 21st Century Report Medical Practices & Home-Based Offices in Residential Zones Planning Permit Application Panel Beating, Spray Painting, Mechanical Repairs 168 McIntyre Road Sunshine North Rezoning No 133 Robinsons Road Deer Park Planning Permit Application Works Within 15m of Stony Creek 219 - 243 Sunshine Road Tottenham Planning Permit Application Subdivision Lot 2 Fourth Avenue Sunshine Amendment No 432 McGraths Quarry Duke Street Sunshine Amendment No 432 Canterbury Street Deer Park Local Government into the 1990's Economic Development Delegated Matters Plan of Strata Subdivision 2 Percy Street St. Albans Plan of Strata Subdivision 4 Kynoch Street Deer Park Plan of Consolidation 20 - 22 Cooper Street Sunshine Plan of Strata Subdivision Factory Units Lot 40 Reid Street Ardeer Plan of Consolidation 32 Studley Street Maidstone Plan of Strata Subdivision Fabian Court Maribyrnong Plan of Subdivision Grantham Parade Bounded by Belfort Street, Carlow Road and Rosslare Parade St. Albans Plan of Consolidation Lots 1 - 4 Fourth Avenue North West Corner Market Road Sunshine Two Plans of Transfer and One Plan of Consolidation Western Avenue Sunshine Connor Shea Plan of Subdivision Sunshine Road Tottenham Plan of Transfer & Consolidation, Plan of Creation of Easement, Plan of Subdivision Ashley Street, Hampden Street, Crothers Street & South Road Braybrook Draft Proposal for New Subdivision Legislation Report of the Building Surveyor Dangerous Building 252A & 252B Hampshire Road Sunshine (Fire Damaged) Dangerous Building 6 Kynoch Street Deer Park Dangerous Building 112 Billingham Road Deer Park Dangerous Building 2 Devonshire Road Sunshine (Fire Damaged) Location of Building 34 Links Street Sunshine West Dangerous Building Factories 4 & 5 18 Second Avenue Sunshine Dangerous Building 19 Duffy Street Maribyrnong Certification of Architectural Design Maribyrnong Medical Centre Proposed Additions to the Sunshine Hospital Furlong Road Certification of Architectural Design Smorgan Consolidated Industries Proposed New Corporate Headuaters and Ancillary Administration Facilities Somerville Road Brooklyn Statistical Information Building Permits Schedule for Authorising of Affixing the Common Seal of the Municipality to Documents Orders of the Day Appointment of Council Representatives to Other Bodies Council Meeting dates Standing Committees of Council Appointment of Standing & Advisory Committees Membership of Standing & Advisory Committees Deputy Mayor Community Services Objectives Planning Permit Application Hotel McIntyre Road Sunshine North Planning Permit Application Motor Repair Station Omar Street Maidstone Show Cause Notice 19 Second Avenue Sunshine Australian Institute of Health Surveyors and the New Zealand Insititute of Health Inspectors Joint Conference Melbourne / Christchurch Australian Association of Social Workers ltd Notice of Motion Corporate Management Structure Maribyrnong River Flood Mitigation North Sunshine Soccer Club Larisa Reservecentral avenue, first avenue, sunshine, anderson road, middle road, maribyrnong, keith street, richards street, maidstone, wiltshire street, sunshine north, rose street, braybrook, wright street, geelong road, brooklyn, maroonda court, st. albans, fairbairn road, sunshine west, kent street, stewart street, hotham street, pritchard avenue, dalgety farmers, frederick street, tottenham, st. albans hotel, mckechnie street, douglas parade, newport, dumfries street, salmond street, deer park, victoria produces co-operative, francis street, carrington drive, albion, morris street, tottenham parade, killara street, warrs road, fabian court, whitehill avenue, mcintyre road, robinsons road, sunshine road, fourth avenue, mcgraths quarry, duke street, canterbury street, percy street, kynoch street, cooper street, reid street, studley street, grantham parade, belfort street, carlow road, rosslare parade, market road, western avenue, connor shea, ashley street, hampden street, crothers street, south road, hampshire road, billingham road, devonshire road, links street, second avenue, duffy street, sunshine hospital, furlong road, smorgan consolidated industries, somerville road, omar street, maribyrnong river, north sunshine soccer club, larisa reserve, larisa road

Report of Committee Meetings 5th June 1979 Report of Works Committee Meeting Diamond Avenue Building final completion delayed due to electrician's strike, landscaping cannot commence until sheds erected Bon Thomas Reserve Building final completion delayed due to electrician's strike, landscaping cannot commence until sheds erected Orama Street Child Care Centre completion subject to electrician's strike Highpoint West primary steel frames have been erected Northumberland Road building complete Deer Park Ballarat Road Infant Welfare Centre new tenders being submitted Depot Amenities Block area should be ready for demolition this week Kerb & Channel King Edward Avenue completed, footpath and crossing in progress Drainage Melon Street completed, damaged kerb & channel being reconstructed Drainage Phoenix Street completed, kerb & channel reinstatement in progress Gangs have spent time in many areas correcting minor drainage problems Footpath Hall Street completed Footpath Esmond Street bridge approaches completed Footpath Millers Road commenced Area south of Churchill Avenue progressing Some men were used to make safe the fire damaged building at the Corner of City Place and Sun Crescent (Deneys) C.R.B. Works Martket Road C.R.B. Works Duke Street East Side between McGrath Quarry and Surrey Street C.R.B. Works South Road C.R.B. Works Hot Mix Cranbourne Avenue, Gerald Street, Boundary Road, Fitzgerald Road and Hulett Street Street Tree Planting 1500 trees have been planted Street Tree Pruning work progressing Bon Thomas Reserve Development levels to be provided to allow spreading of soil Report of the Finance Committee Meeting Report of the Town Clerk Fees The Hub Sports Centre Swimming Pool Instruction Sunshine North Technical School Oval Agreement Traffic Offences Court Fines Estimates Review 1978/79 Report of the Agenda & Forward Planning Committee Meeting Report of the Town Clerk Finalisation of Gooding Street Part Private Street Scheme Report of the Chief Helath Surveyor Environment Protection Authority Draft Noise Control Policy W. Pridhams (Aust) Pty Ltd Lots 12 to 16 Merino Street Laverton North Site Objection Report of the Chief By-Laws Officer By-Laws Officers Course Report of the City Engineer Policy of Service Premises in Residential and Industrial Zone Planning Permit Application Subdivision for Shop Purposes Corner Evergreen Avenue and Wintersun Drive Albanvale Planning Permit Application National Bank of Australasia Ltd Bank Extensions Hampshire Road Proposed Signals Deferred Payment of Cost Scheme Report of the Building Surveyor Building on Flood Prone Land Lot 4 Devonshire Road (Nursing Home Site)diamond avenue reserve, diamond avenue, albanvale, bon thomas reserve, quinn street, deer park, orama street child care centre, orama street, highpoint west, northumberland road, sunshine north, deer park ballarat road infant welfare centre, ballarat road, king edward avenue, albion, melon street, braybrook, phoenix street, hall street, sunshine west, esmond street, ardeer, millers road, brooklyn, churchill avenue, sun crescent, city place, deneys, martket road, sunshine, duke street, mcgrath quarry, surrey street, cranbourne avenue, gerald street, boundary road, fitzgerald road, hulett street, the hub, sunshine north technical school, gooding street, st. albans, pridhams, laverton north, evergreen avenue, wintersun drive, hampshire road, devonshire road, merino street

Centred on present day Diosma Rd, Stokes Pl, Nyora Rd and Eucalyptus Rd Historic Aerial Imagery Source: Landata.vic.gov.au Aerial Photo Details: Project No :5 Project : MELBOURNE AND METROPOLITAN AREA PROJECT Run : 36 Frame : 60546 Date : 12/1945 Film Type : B/W Camera : EAG4 Flying Height : 10200 Scale : 6000 Film Number : 195 GDA2020 : 37°42'47"S, 145°09'56"E MGA2020 : 338306, 5824438 (55) Melways : 22 C4 (ed. 42) A History of the Development of Crown Allotment 15, Section 5, Parish of Nillumbik – Stokes Orchard Crown Allotment 15, Section 5, Parish of Nillumbik (CA15) is a square allotment of 158 acres or approximately a quarter of a square mile. It lies just beyond the eastern end of Pitt Street, south of Nyora Road to the northern end of Eucalyptus Road and extends east from Eucalyptus Road to Reynolds Road. The topography of CA15 is generally steep, sloping up to a hill near the centre of the land, the ridgeline passing through the properties along the southern side of Diosma Road. Eucalyptus Road is a straight north-south road with its northern end at the north west corner of CA15. Until the end of the 1970s this road was an un-named Government Road and was largely not open to traffic. With residential development in the 1970s the road was constructed, and the council allocated the name obviously in recognition of the predominant species of the local bushland. CA15 was purchased from the Crown by George D’Arley Boursiquot, a prominent Melbourne printer, on 28th October 1852. On November 23, 1922, former Member for Gippsland and Melbourne Real Estate Agent, Hubert Patrick Keogh purchased the allotment then sold it March 13, 1925, to local farmer, Robert David Taylor, a former Shire of Eltham Councillor (1911-1920) and Shire President (1919). Taylor had extensive land holdings stretching west towards Bible Street and Main Road. The Taylor home was situated at the top of the hill in Bible Street at present day 82 Bible Street. At the time of Taylor’s purchase in 1925, CA15 was subdivided into 48 lots that could be described as small rural properties or large residential lots. A typical lot size was one hectare or 2.5 acres. The subdivision created two roads, Nyora Road, and Diosma Road, each following an irregular alignment between Eucalyptus and Reynolds Roads. However, the lots were not sold off separately nor were the roads constructed. The land effectively remained as one parcel for many further years. Robert David Taylor died November 30, 1934, and probate was granted to his son of the same name, Robert David Taylor of Bible Street, Salesman and William McLelland Vance Taylor of 73 Emmeline Street, Northcote, Clerk, with the transfer of the land into their names on July 8, 1935. Frank Stokes worked as a qualified accountant at Kennons leather factory in Burnley, while living at 1 Thomas Street, Mitcham. He suffered from migraines and wanted to return to working the land (he had previously worked on farms and orchards since coming to Australia from England in 1926, both in WA and Vic.). He first travelled to the district by train in July 1942 to find land with the intention to establish an orchard. By chance he met Arthur Bird of Bird Orchard (bounded by Pitt Street, Eucalyptus Road, and Wattle Grove) and they got talking over their common interest. Arthur put Frank up for the night and pointed out the land, 158 acres- part of the Taylor Estate- £900, Crown Allotment 15, Section 5, Parish of Nillumbik (CA15) somewhat diagonally opposite Bird Orchard. Stokes applied through the Riverina Agency to purchase the land who in turn applied for permission from Canberra to sell as there was a new government regulation introduced during the Second World War banning land sales except for immediate production. Stokes obtained a loan on his Mitcham house of £600 @ 5% and paid £450 deposit with quarterly payments of £15 spread over 5 years. Stokes was assisted and advised by Arthur Bird who farmed the neighbouring orchard. In early 1943 Stokes took possession and would catch the train out to Eltham on Fridays after work and began building a hut on the corner of Nyora Road and the Government Road (Eucalyptus Road) for shelter and to lock up tools. He established an orchard on the central western part of the land through the centre of which ran a natural waterway (part of the present-day linear park) and was able to pay a neighbour (Hawkins) to help with clearing and fencing 25 acres, and with a horse and single furrowed plough, planted approximately 2,500 fruit trees - cherries, peaches, plums, almonds, pears, apricots and lemons as well as a few apples and oranges; a massive task. Aerial photographs from the 1940s through to the 1990s clearly show the orchard with most of the larger CA15 site remaining as natural bushland. A huge problem was hares and rabbits eating all the new buds off the tiny trees. As well as laying poison he painted the trees with a mixture of cow manure and lime, often working by moonlight. Procurement of wire and wire netting was difficult because of the war but after much effort he obtained a permit from the Agricultural Department for supplies in March 1944. In February 1945 Stokes applied for a permit to build a “packing shed” as no house building was allowed. It was to be 33 feet x 21 feet and cost £312. It was constructed mostly from second-hand materials, which were hard to obtain, especially iron for roofing. Stokes finished work at Kennons on October 31, 1945, and in March 1946 he sold the family home at Mitcham for £1,230 plus £170 for furniture. On May 15, 1946, title to the CA15 property was issued to Frank Howard Alfred Stokes, Orchardist and Gladys Ethel Stokes, Married Woman, both of Pitt Street, Eltham. The family of five then moved into the very unfinished “packing shed” at Eltham, which was a struggle to weatherproof. Eventually rooms were divided off and lined with hessian bags and whitewashed. Their income was firewood (cut and sold), selling rockery stones and cut Sweet Bursaria. (It was discovered during the 1940s that Sweet Bursaria contained the sunscreen compound Aesculin. The RAAF utilised this compound from Sweet Bursaria during WW2 for pilots and gunners.) The orchard’s first fruit sale was a half-case of Le Vanq peaches in December 1947 for the price of 8 shillings. In 1956 plans for house were drawn and Glen Iris bricks purchased (1956 Olympic Rings variant). The building of the house commenced in 1957 - 12 feet of original packing shed was removed – and was completed in 1959. Water was connected from newly built pressure storage on the property at the end of 1959 and the electricity connection for the first time at 3pm on April 29, 1960. The house remains to present day (somewhat modified) at 1 Nyora Road, home to Nyora Studio Gallery. On occasions, spare remnants of the 1956 bricks have been known to be unearthed in gardens on the estate as they were utilised by Frank Stokes to fill in rabbit holes. On May 26, 1950, a parcel of land was compulsorily acquired by the Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works on the hilltop to establish an easement for a high-level service reservoir to augment Eltham’s water supply. The project also included pipe tracks for the necessary water mains. The reservoir has now been superseded by higher level water tanks east of Reynolds Road and its former site is now a public reserve. On November 27, 1964, the State Electricity Commission served notice to compulsorily acquire a further parcel through the eastern part of the land for a major electricity transmission line that augmented supply from the La Trobe Valley to Melbourne. The easement was registered February 11, 1966. The easement was widened July 18, 1969 for a second transmission line to be constructed. In 1971 Melbourne Metropolitan Planning Scheme amendments adopted Nyora Road as the boundary between a residential zone to the north and a rural zone to the south. This determined the future development of the land. In the mid-1970s the Shire of Eltham divided the orchard into numerous rate-able parcel lots, the 48 lots having been established in 1925 and the subsequent rates assessment proved unsustainable for Stokes. He commenced selling lots outside the boundary of the orchard, north of Diosma and South of Nyora. However shortly later the land between Nyora and Diosma Roads and west of the electricity easement was sold and subdivided into residential lots, a housing development by Macquarie Builders and marketed as the Stokes Orchard Estate. New streets were created, and most were named after trees, although one, Stokes Place, commemorates the former owners. The development was undertaken in two stages; Stage 1 (1975) encompassing Scarlet Ash Court, Ironbark Close and Peppermint Grove bounded by Nyora and Eucalyptus roads and Stage 2 (1978) encompassing Stokes Place, Orchard Way, The Crest and The Lookout bound by Nyora and Diosma roads. The developer, Macquarie Builders went bankrupt shortly after the release of Stage 2 leaving many purchasers to fend for themselves and arrange for their own independent builders. There were also difficulties with sewerage for the land immediately south of Diosma Road and so the conventional residential lots were abandoned in favour of larger lots. The development of Orchard Way, The Crest and The Lookout did not proceed as planned and the proposed lots were incorporated into five-acre parcels instead. These included a low-density group housing development by the Graves family and the award winning Choong House (1983) with Gordon Ford developed garden immediately next door situated on the ridge of the hill nestled amongst the original bush, Eucalypt trees and Sweet Bursaria. In 1994, Nillumbik Shire Council applied Significant Environment and Significant Landscape overlays upon the properties on the south side of Diosma Road to ensure protection of this natural bush garden environment. With the arrival of the sewer along Diosma Road in the 1990s, most of these five-acre parcels have since been subdivided multiple times. The Choong house presently sits on a 2.7-acre property, which in 2022 Nillumbik Council nominated for Cultural Significance Heritage protection and is considered potentially significant at State level. The Stokes family were also associated with the Eltham Christian Church. In the 1970s this church had met in temporary premises in Eltham. Lots of the original 1925 subdivision remained south of Nyora Road and a number of these lots were utilized for the Eltham Christian School, which was established by the Eltham Christian Church in 1981. The school operated on this site until 2000. The premises are now used by The Vine Baptist Church. By the mid-1980s the whole of CA15 had been developed for residential and school purposes, except for the sections north of Diosma Road and between the transmission lines and Reynolds Road. Sewerage issues had been resolved for the section north of Diosma Road and in 1987 it was in the process of being subdivided into residential lots. The development coincided with the discovery of colonies of the rare and endangered Eltham Copper Butterfly on the site. This resulted in a community and political campaign to save the butterfly habitat. With the co-operation of the land developer the subdivision was altered to create two bushland reserves in the critical butterfly habitat areas. In the late 1980s the State Government was investigating options for establishing a metropolitan ring road link between Diamond Creek and Ringwood. The chosen route was adjacent to Reynolds Road and so this created a freeze on development of CA15 between Reynolds Road and the electricity easement. The ring road proposal was eventually abandoned, and this part of the land was subdivided into low density residential lots. Diosma Road has been discontinued at the electricity easement and the eastern part incorporated into View Mount Court with access from Reynolds Road. The whole of CA15 has now been developed for residential or associated purposes, ranging from conventional density to quite low density south of Nyora Road. Some remnants of the orchard remain, a few cherry trees on the Graves property and a lone apple tree in Stokes Place. The butterfly reserves comprise significant areas of remnant bushland. Linear reserves through the estate link with central Eltham via the Woodridge linear reserve and with Research along the electricity easement. CA15 as it exists today has a complicated history of rural use, Government acquisition, urban development, and community action. References: • “Stokes Orchard, an incomplete history”; Russell Yeoman with Doug Orford • Correspondence, Beryl Bradbury (nee Stokes) • Aerial Photographs, 1931-1991, Landata (landata.vic.gov.au) • Certificate of Title, Vol. 4930 Fol. 985900 • Plan Number LP 10859 aerial photo, diosma road, eltham copper butterfly, eucalyptus road, ironbark close, nyora road, peppermint grove, peter & elizabeth pidgeon collection, power transmission lines, reynolds road, scarlet ash court, stokes orchard estate, stokes place, woodridge estate, frank stokes

Centred over present day Reynolds Road and Mount Pleasant Road, Eltham (including Diosma Rd, Stokes Pl, Nyora Rd and Eucalyptus Rd) Historic Aerial Imagery Source: Landata.vic.gov.au Aerial Photo Details: Project No :1931 Project : MALDON PRISON Run : 21 Frame : 3160 Date : 11/1931 Film Type : B/W Camera : F8 Flying Height : 11000 Scale : 18860 Film Number : 60 GDA2020 : 37°43'31"S, 145°10'20"E MGA2020 : 338912, 5823086 (55) Melways : 22 E8 (ed. 42) A History of the Development of Crown Allotment 15, Section 5, Parish of Nillumbik – Stokes Orchard Crown Allotment 15, Section 5, Parish of Nillumbik (CA15) is a square allotment of 158 acres or approximately a quarter of a square mile. It lies just beyond the eastern end of Pitt Street, south of Nyora Road to the northern end of Eucalyptus Road and extends east from Eucalyptus Road to Reynolds Road. The topography of CA15 is generally steep, sloping up to a hill near the centre of the land, the ridgeline passing through the properties along the southern side of Diosma Road. Eucalyptus Road is a straight north-south road with its northern end at the north west corner of CA15. Until the end of the 1970s this road was an un-named Government Road and was largely not open to traffic. With residential development in the 1970s the road was constructed, and the council allocated the name obviously in recognition of the predominant species of the local bushland. CA15 was purchased from the Crown by George D’Arley Boursiquot, a prominent Melbourne printer, on 28th October 1852. On November 23, 1922, former Member for Gippsland and Melbourne Real Estate Agent, Hubert Patrick Keogh purchased the allotment then sold it March 13, 1925, to local farmer, Robert David Taylor, a former Shire of Eltham Councillor (1911-1920) and Shire President (1919). Taylor had extensive land holdings stretching west towards Bible Street and Main Road. The Taylor home was situated at the top of the hill in Bible Street at present day 82 Bible Street. At the time of Taylor’s purchase in 1925, CA15 was subdivided into 48 lots that could be described as small rural properties or large residential lots. A typical lot size was one hectare or 2.5 acres. The subdivision created two roads, Nyora Road, and Diosma Road, each following an irregular alignment between Eucalyptus and Reynolds Roads. However, the lots were not sold off separately nor were the roads constructed. The land effectively remained as one parcel for many further years. Robert David Taylor died November 30, 1934, and probate was granted to his son of the same name, Robert David Taylor of Bible Street, Salesman and William McLelland Vance Taylor of 73 Emmeline Street, Northcote, Clerk, with the transfer of the land into their names on July 8, 1935. Frank Stokes worked as a qualified accountant at Kennons leather factory in Burnley, while living at 1 Thomas Street, Mitcham. He suffered from migraines and wanted to return to working the land (he had previously worked on farms and orchards since coming to Australia from England in 1926, both in WA and Vic.). He first travelled to the district by train in July 1942 to find land with the intention to establish an orchard. By chance he met Arthur Bird of Bird Orchard (bounded by Pitt Street, Eucalyptus Road, and Wattle Grove) and they got talking over their common interest. Arthur put Frank up for the night and pointed out the land, 158 acres- part of the Taylor Estate- £900, Crown Allotment 15, Section 5, Parish of Nillumbik (CA15) somewhat diagonally opposite Bird Orchard. Stokes applied through the Riverina Agency to purchase the land who in turn applied for permission from Canberra to sell as there was a new government regulation introduced during the Second World War banning land sales except for immediate production. Stokes obtained a loan on his Mitcham house of £600 @ 5% and paid £450 deposit with quarterly payments of £15 spread over 5 years. Stokes was assisted and advised by Arthur Bird who farmed the neighbouring orchard. In early 1943 Stokes took possession and would catch the train out to Eltham on Fridays after work and began building a hut on the corner of Nyora Road and the Government Road (Eucalyptus Road) for shelter and to lock up tools. He established an orchard on the central western part of the land through the centre of which ran a natural waterway (part of the present-day linear park) and was able to pay a neighbour (Hawkins) to help with clearing and fencing 25 acres, and with a horse and single furrowed plough, planted approximately 2,500 fruit trees - cherries, peaches, plums, almonds, pears, apricots and lemons as well as a few apples and oranges; a massive task. Aerial photographs from the 1940s through to the 1990s clearly show the orchard with most of the larger CA15 site remaining as natural bushland. A huge problem was hares and rabbits eating all the new buds off the tiny trees. As well as laying poison he painted the trees with a mixture of cow manure and lime, often working by moonlight. Procurement of wire and wire netting was difficult because of the war but after much effort he obtained a permit from the Agricultural Department for supplies in March 1944. In February 1945 Stokes applied for a permit to build a “packing shed” as no house building was allowed. It was to be 33 feet x 21 feet and cost £312. It was constructed mostly from second-hand materials, which were hard to obtain, especially iron for roofing. Stokes finished work at Kennons on October 31, 1945, and in March 1946 he sold the family home at Mitcham for £1,230 plus £170 for furniture. On May 15, 1946, title to the CA15 property was issued to Frank Howard Alfred Stokes, Orchardist and Gladys Ethel Stokes, Married Woman, both of Pitt Street, Eltham. The family of five then moved into the very unfinished “packing shed” at Eltham, which was a struggle to weatherproof. Eventually rooms were divided off and lined with hessian bags and whitewashed. Their income was firewood (cut and sold), selling rockery stones and cut Sweet Bursaria. (It was discovered during the 1940s that Sweet Bursaria contained the sunscreen compound Aesculin. The RAAF utilised this compound from Sweet Bursaria during WW2 for pilots and gunners.) The orchard’s first fruit sale was a half-case of Le Vanq peaches in December 1947 for the price of 8 shillings. In 1956 plans for house were drawn and Glen Iris bricks purchased (1956 Olympic Rings variant). The building of the house commenced in 1957 - 12 feet of original packing shed was removed – and was completed in 1959. Water was connected from newly built pressure storage on the property at the end of 1959 and the electricity connection for the first time at 3pm on April 29, 1960. The house remains to present day (somewhat modified) at 1 Nyora Road, home to Nyora Studio Gallery. On occasions, spare remnants of the 1956 bricks have been known to be unearthed in gardens on the estate as they were utilised by Frank Stokes to fill in rabbit holes. On May 26, 1950, a parcel of land was compulsorily acquired by the Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works on the hilltop to establish an easement for a high-level service reservoir to augment Eltham’s water supply. The project also included pipe tracks for the necessary water mains. The reservoir has now been superseded by higher level water tanks east of Reynolds Road and its former site is now a public reserve. On November 27, 1964, the State Electricity Commission served notice to compulsorily acquire a further parcel through the eastern part of the land for a major electricity transmission line that augmented supply from the La Trobe Valley to Melbourne. The easement was registered February 11, 1966. The easement was widened July 18, 1969 for a second transmission line to be constructed. In 1971 Melbourne Metropolitan Planning Scheme amendments adopted Nyora Road as the boundary between a residential zone to the north and a rural zone to the south. This determined the future development of the land. In the mid-1970s the Shire of Eltham divided the orchard into numerous rate-able parcel lots, the 48 lots having been established in 1925 and the subsequent rates assessment proved unsustainable for Stokes. He commenced selling lots outside the boundary of the orchard, north of Diosma and South of Nyora. However shortly later the land between Nyora and Diosma Roads and west of the electricity easement was sold and subdivided into residential lots, a housing development by Macquarie Builders and marketed as the Stokes Orchard Estate. New streets were created, and most were named after trees, although one, Stokes Place, commemorates the former owners. The development was undertaken in two stages; Stage 1 (1975) encompassing Scarlet Ash Court, Ironbark Close and Peppermint Grove bounded by Nyora and Eucalyptus roads and Stage 2 (1978) encompassing Stokes Place, Orchard Way, The Crest and The Lookout bound by Nyora and Diosma roads. The developer, Macquarie Builders went bankrupt shortly after the release of Stage 2 leaving many purchasers to fend for themselves and arrange for their own independent builders. There were also difficulties with sewerage for the land immediately south of Diosma Road and so the conventional residential lots were abandoned in favour of larger lots. The development of Orchard Way, The Crest and The Lookout did not proceed as planned and the proposed lots were incorporated into five-acre parcels instead. These included a low-density group housing development by the Graves family and the award winning Choong House (1983) with Gordon Ford developed garden immediately next door situated on the ridge of the hill nestled amongst the original bush, Eucalypt trees and Sweet Bursaria. In 1994, Nillumbik Shire Council applied Significant Environment and Significant Landscape overlays upon the properties on the south side of Diosma Road to ensure protection of this natural bush garden environment. With the arrival of the sewer along Diosma Road in the 1990s, most of these five-acre parcels have since been subdivided multiple times. The Choong house presently sits on a 2.7-acre property, which in 2022 Nillumbik Council nominated for Cultural Significance Heritage protection and is considered potentially significant at State level. The Stokes family were also associated with the Eltham Christian Church. In the 1970s this church had met in temporary premises in Eltham. Lots of the original 1925 subdivision remained south of Nyora Road and a number of these lots were utilized for the Eltham Christian School, which was established by the Eltham Christian Church in 1981. The school operated on this site until 2000. The premises are now used by The Vine Baptist Church. By the mid-1980s the whole of CA15 had been developed for residential and school purposes, except for the sections north of Diosma Road and between the transmission lines and Reynolds Road. Sewerage issues had been resolved for the section north of Diosma Road and in 1987 it was in the process of being subdivided into residential lots. The development coincided with the discovery of colonies of the rare and endangered Eltham Copper Butterfly on the site. This resulted in a community and political campaign to save the butterfly habitat. With the co-operation of the land developer the subdivision was altered to create two bushland reserves in the critical butterfly habitat areas. In the late 1980s the State Government was investigating options for establishing a metropolitan ring road link between Diamond Creek and Ringwood. The chosen route was adjacent to Reynolds Road and so this created a freeze on development of CA15 between Reynolds Road and the electricity easement. The ring road proposal was eventually abandoned, and this part of the land was subdivided into low density residential lots. Diosma Road has been discontinued at the electricity easement and the eastern part incorporated into View Mount Court with access from Reynolds Road. The whole of CA15 has now been developed for residential or associated purposes, ranging from conventional density to quite low density south of Nyora Road. Some remnants of the orchard remain, a few cherry trees on the Graves property and a lone apple tree in Stokes Place. The butterfly reserves comprise significant areas of remnant bushland. Linear reserves through the estate link with central Eltham via the Woodridge linear reserve and with Research along the electricity easement. CA15 as it exists today has a complicated history of rural use, Government acquisition, urban development, and community action. References: • “Stokes Orchard, an incomplete history”; Russell Yeoman with Doug Orford • Correspondence, Beryl Bradbury (nee Stokes) • Aerial Photographs, 1931-1991, Landata (landata.vic.gov.au) • Certificate of Title, Vol. 4930 Fol. 985900 • Plan Number LP 10859 aerial photo, diosma road, eltham copper butterfly, eucalyptus road, ironbark close, nyora road, peppermint grove, peter & elizabeth pidgeon collection, power transmission lines, reynolds road, scarlet ash court, stokes orchard estate, stokes place, woodridge estate, frank stokes

Centred on present day Diosma Rd, Stokes Pl, Nyora Rd and Eucalyptus Rd Historic Aerial Imagery Source: Landata.vic.gov.au Aerial Photo Details: Project No :65 Project : MELBOURNE AND METROPOLITAN PROJECT NO. 2 Run : 8 Frame : 71 Date : 01/1951 Film Type : B/W Camera : EAG9 Flying Height : 12200 Scale : 12000 Film Number : 1419 GDA2020 : 37°43'14"S, 145°09'46"E MGA2020 : 338081, 5823608 (55) Melways : 22 C6 (ed. 42) A History of the Development of Crown Allotment 15, Section 5, Parish of Nillumbik – Stokes Orchard Crown Allotment 15, Section 5, Parish of Nillumbik (CA15) is a square allotment of 158 acres or approximately a quarter of a square mile. It lies just beyond the eastern end of Pitt Street, south of Nyora Road to the northern end of Eucalyptus Road and extends east from Eucalyptus Road to Reynolds Road. The topography of CA15 is generally steep, sloping up to a hill near the centre of the land, the ridgeline passing through the properties along the southern side of Diosma Road. Eucalyptus Road is a straight north-south road with its northern end at the north west corner of CA15. Until the end of the 1970s this road was an un-named Government Road and was largely not open to traffic. With residential development in the 1970s the road was constructed, and the council allocated the name obviously in recognition of the predominant species of the local bushland. CA15 was purchased from the Crown by George D’Arley Boursiquot, a prominent Melbourne printer, on 28th October 1852. On November 23, 1922, former Member for Gippsland and Melbourne Real Estate Agent, Hubert Patrick Keogh purchased the allotment then sold it March 13, 1925, to local farmer, Robert David Taylor, a former Shire of Eltham Councillor (1911-1920) and Shire President (1919). Taylor had extensive land holdings stretching west towards Bible Street and Main Road. The Taylor home was situated at the top of the hill in Bible Street at present day 82 Bible Street. At the time of Taylor’s purchase in 1925, CA15 was subdivided into 48 lots that could be described as small rural properties or large residential lots. A typical lot size was one hectare or 2.5 acres. The subdivision created two roads, Nyora Road, and Diosma Road, each following an irregular alignment between Eucalyptus and Reynolds Roads. However, the lots were not sold off separately nor were the roads constructed. The land effectively remained as one parcel for many further years. Robert David Taylor died November 30, 1934, and probate was granted to his son of the same name, Robert David Taylor of Bible Street, Salesman and William McLelland Vance Taylor of 73 Emmeline Street, Northcote, Clerk, with the transfer of the land into their names on July 8, 1935. Frank Stokes worked as a qualified accountant at Kennons leather factory in Burnley, while living at 1 Thomas Street, Mitcham. He suffered from migraines and wanted to return to working the land (he had previously worked on farms and orchards since coming to Australia from England in 1926, both in WA and Vic.). He first travelled to the district by train in July 1942 to find land with the intention to establish an orchard. By chance he met Arthur Bird of Bird Orchard (bounded by Pitt Street, Eucalyptus Road, and Wattle Grove) and they got talking over their common interest. Arthur put Frank up for the night and pointed out the land, 158 acres- part of the Taylor Estate- £900, Crown Allotment 15, Section 5, Parish of Nillumbik (CA15) somewhat diagonally opposite Bird Orchard. Stokes applied through the Riverina Agency to purchase the land who in turn applied for permission from Canberra to sell as there was a new government regulation introduced during the Second World War banning land sales except for immediate production. Stokes obtained a loan on his Mitcham house of £600 @ 5% and paid £450 deposit with quarterly payments of £15 spread over 5 years. Stokes was assisted and advised by Arthur Bird who farmed the neighbouring orchard. In early 1943 Stokes took possession and would catch the train out to Eltham on Fridays after work and began building a hut on the corner of Nyora Road and the Government Road (Eucalyptus Road) for shelter and to lock up tools. He established an orchard on the central western part of the land through the centre of which ran a natural waterway (part of the present-day linear park) and was able to pay a neighbour (Hawkins) to help with clearing and fencing 25 acres, and with a horse and single furrowed plough, planted approximately 2,500 fruit trees - cherries, peaches, plums, almonds, pears, apricots and lemons as well as a few apples and oranges; a massive task. Aerial photographs from the 1940s through to the 1990s clearly show the orchard with most of the larger CA15 site remaining as natural bushland. A huge problem was hares and rabbits eating all the new buds off the tiny trees. As well as laying poison he painted the trees with a mixture of cow manure and lime, often working by moonlight. Procurement of wire and wire netting was difficult because of the war but after much effort he obtained a permit from the Agricultural Department for supplies in March 1944. In February 1945 Stokes applied for a permit to build a “packing shed” as no house building was allowed. It was to be 33 feet x 21 feet and cost £312. It was constructed mostly from second-hand materials, which were hard to obtain, especially iron for roofing. Stokes finished work at Kennons on October 31, 1945, and in March 1946 he sold the family home at Mitcham for £1,230 plus £170 for furniture. On May 15, 1946, title to the CA15 property was issued to Frank Howard Alfred Stokes, Orchardist and Gladys Ethel Stokes, Married Woman, both of Pitt Street, Eltham. The family of five then moved into the very unfinished “packing shed” at Eltham, which was a struggle to weatherproof. Eventually rooms were divided off and lined with hessian bags and whitewashed. Their income was firewood (cut and sold), selling rockery stones and cut Sweet Bursaria. (It was discovered during the 1940s that Sweet Bursaria contained the sunscreen compound Aesculin. The RAAF utilised this compound from Sweet Bursaria during WW2 for pilots and gunners.) The orchard’s first fruit sale was a half-case of Le Vanq peaches in December 1947 for the price of 8 shillings. In 1956 plans for house were drawn and Glen Iris bricks purchased (1956 Olympic Rings variant). The building of the house commenced in 1957 - 12 feet of original packing shed was removed – and was completed in 1959. Water was connected from newly built pressure storage on the property at the end of 1959 and the electricity connection for the first time at 3pm on April 29, 1960. The house remains to present day (somewhat modified) at 1 Nyora Road, home to Nyora Studio Gallery. On occasions, spare remnants of the 1956 bricks have been known to be unearthed in gardens on the estate as they were utilised by Frank Stokes to fill in rabbit holes. On May 26, 1950, a parcel of land was compulsorily acquired by the Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works on the hilltop to establish an easement for a high-level service reservoir to augment Eltham’s water supply. The project also included pipe tracks for the necessary water mains. The reservoir has now been superseded by higher level water tanks east of Reynolds Road and its former site is now a public reserve. On November 27, 1964, the State Electricity Commission served notice to compulsorily acquire a further parcel through the eastern part of the land for a major electricity transmission line that augmented supply from the La Trobe Valley to Melbourne. The easement was registered February 11, 1966. The easement was widened July 18, 1969 for a second transmission line to be constructed. In 1971 Melbourne Metropolitan Planning Scheme amendments adopted Nyora Road as the boundary between a residential zone to the north and a rural zone to the south. This determined the future development of the land. In the mid-1970s the Shire of Eltham divided the orchard into numerous rate-able parcel lots, the 48 lots having been established in 1925 and the subsequent rates assessment proved unsustainable for Stokes. He commenced selling lots outside the boundary of the orchard, north of Diosma and South of Nyora. However shortly later the land between Nyora and Diosma Roads and west of the electricity easement was sold and subdivided into residential lots, a housing development by Macquarie Builders and marketed as the Stokes Orchard Estate. New streets were created, and most were named after trees, although one, Stokes Place, commemorates the former owners. The development was undertaken in two stages; Stage 1 (1975) encompassing Scarlet Ash Court, Ironbark Close and Peppermint Grove bounded by Nyora and Eucalyptus roads and Stage 2 (1978) encompassing Stokes Place, Orchard Way, The Crest and The Lookout bound by Nyora and Diosma roads. The developer, Macquarie Builders went bankrupt shortly after the release of Stage 2 leaving many purchasers to fend for themselves and arrange for their own independent builders. There were also difficulties with sewerage for the land immediately south of Diosma Road and so the conventional residential lots were abandoned in favour of larger lots. The development of Orchard Way, The Crest and The Lookout did not proceed as planned and the proposed lots were incorporated into five-acre parcels instead. These included a low-density group housing development by the Graves family and the award winning Choong House (1983) with Gordon Ford developed garden immediately next door situated on the ridge of the hill nestled amongst the original bush, Eucalypt trees and Sweet Bursaria. In 1994, Nillumbik Shire Council applied Significant Environment and Significant Landscape overlays upon the properties on the south side of Diosma Road to ensure protection of this natural bush garden environment. With the arrival of the sewer along Diosma Road in the 1990s, most of these five-acre parcels have since been subdivided multiple times. The Choong house presently sits on a 2.7-acre property, which in 2022 Nillumbik Council nominated for Cultural Significance Heritage protection and is considered potentially significant at State level. The Stokes family were also associated with the Eltham Christian Church. In the 1970s this church had met in temporary premises in Eltham. Lots of the original 1925 subdivision remained south of Nyora Road and a number of these lots were utilized for the Eltham Christian School, which was established by the Eltham Christian Church in 1981. The school operated on this site until 2000. The premises are now used by The Vine Baptist Church. By the mid-1980s the whole of CA15 had been developed for residential and school purposes, except for the sections north of Diosma Road and between the transmission lines and Reynolds Road. Sewerage issues had been resolved for the section north of Diosma Road and in 1987 it was in the process of being subdivided into residential lots. The development coincided with the discovery of colonies of the rare and endangered Eltham Copper Butterfly on the site. This resulted in a community and political campaign to save the butterfly habitat. With the co-operation of the land developer the subdivision was altered to create two bushland reserves in the critical butterfly habitat areas. In the late 1980s the State Government was investigating options for establishing a metropolitan ring road link between Diamond Creek and Ringwood. The chosen route was adjacent to Reynolds Road and so this created a freeze on development of CA15 between Reynolds Road and the electricity easement. The ring road proposal was eventually abandoned, and this part of the land was subdivided into low density residential lots. Diosma Road has been discontinued at the electricity easement and the eastern part incorporated into View Mount Court with access from Reynolds Road. The whole of CA15 has now been developed for residential or associated purposes, ranging from conventional density to quite low density south of Nyora Road. Some remnants of the orchard remain, a few cherry trees on the Graves property and a lone apple tree in Stokes Place. The butterfly reserves comprise significant areas of remnant bushland. Linear reserves through the estate link with central Eltham via the Woodridge linear reserve and with Research along the electricity easement. CA15 as it exists today has a complicated history of rural use, Government acquisition, urban development, and community action. References: • “Stokes Orchard, an incomplete history”; Russell Yeoman with Doug Orford • Correspondence, Beryl Bradbury (nee Stokes) • Aerial Photographs, 1931-1991, Landata (landata.vic.gov.au) • Certificate of Title, Vol. 4930 Fol. 985900 • Plan Number LP 10859 aerial photo, diosma road, eltham copper butterfly, eucalyptus road, ironbark close, nyora road, peppermint grove, peter & elizabeth pidgeon collection, power transmission lines, reynolds road, scarlet ash court, stokes orchard estate, stokes place, woodridge estate, frank stokes

Centred on present day Diosma Rd, Stokes Pl, Nyora Rd and Eucalyptus Rd Historic Aerial Imagery Source: Landata.vic.gov.au Aerial Photo Details: Project No :250 Project : MELBOURNE OUTER SUBURBS PROJECT Run : 18 Frame : 94 Date : 02/1956 Film Type : B/W Camera : EAG9 Flying Height : 10000 Scale : 12000 Film Number : 1176 GDA2020 : 37°42'30"S, 145°09'44"E MGA2020 : 338008, 5824963 (55) Melways : 22 C3 (ed. 42) A History of the Development of Crown Allotment 15, Section 5, Parish of Nillumbik – Stokes Orchard Crown Allotment 15, Section 5, Parish of Nillumbik (CA15) is a square allotment of 158 acres or approximately a quarter of a square mile. It lies just beyond the eastern end of Pitt Street, south of Nyora Road to the northern end of Eucalyptus Road and extends east from Eucalyptus Road to Reynolds Road. The topography of CA15 is generally steep, sloping up to a hill near the centre of the land, the ridgeline passing through the properties along the southern side of Diosma Road. Eucalyptus Road is a straight north-south road with its northern end at the north west corner of CA15. Until the end of the 1970s this road was an un-named Government Road and was largely not open to traffic. With residential development in the 1970s the road was constructed, and the council allocated the name obviously in recognition of the predominant species of the local bushland. CA15 was purchased from the Crown by George D’Arley Boursiquot, a prominent Melbourne printer, on 28th October 1852. On November 23, 1922, former Member for Gippsland and Melbourne Real Estate Agent, Hubert Patrick Keogh purchased the allotment then sold it March 13, 1925, to local farmer, Robert David Taylor, a former Shire of Eltham Councillor (1911-1920) and Shire President (1919). Taylor had extensive land holdings stretching west towards Bible Street and Main Road. The Taylor home was situated at the top of the hill in Bible Street at present day 82 Bible Street. At the time of Taylor’s purchase in 1925, CA15 was subdivided into 48 lots that could be described as small rural properties or large residential lots. A typical lot size was one hectare or 2.5 acres. The subdivision created two roads, Nyora Road, and Diosma Road, each following an irregular alignment between Eucalyptus and Reynolds Roads. However, the lots were not sold off separately nor were the roads constructed. The land effectively remained as one parcel for many further years. Robert David Taylor died November 30, 1934, and probate was granted to his son of the same name, Robert David Taylor of Bible Street, Salesman and William McLelland Vance Taylor of 73 Emmeline Street, Northcote, Clerk, with the transfer of the land into their names on July 8, 1935. Frank Stokes worked as a qualified accountant at Kennons leather factory in Burnley, while living at 1 Thomas Street, Mitcham. He suffered from migraines and wanted to return to working the land (he had previously worked on farms and orchards since coming to Australia from England in 1926, both in WA and Vic.). He first travelled to the district by train in July 1942 to find land with the intention to establish an orchard. By chance he met Arthur Bird of Bird Orchard (bounded by Pitt Street, Eucalyptus Road, and Wattle Grove) and they got talking over their common interest. Arthur put Frank up for the night and pointed out the land, 158 acres- part of the Taylor Estate- £900, Crown Allotment 15, Section 5, Parish of Nillumbik (CA15) somewhat diagonally opposite Bird Orchard. Stokes applied through the Riverina Agency to purchase the land who in turn applied for permission from Canberra to sell as there was a new government regulation introduced during the Second World War banning land sales except for immediate production. Stokes obtained a loan on his Mitcham house of £600 @ 5% and paid £450 deposit with quarterly payments of £15 spread over 5 years. Stokes was assisted and advised by Arthur Bird who farmed the neighbouring orchard. In early 1943 Stokes took possession and would catch the train out to Eltham on Fridays after work and began building a hut on the corner of Nyora Road and the Government Road (Eucalyptus Road) for shelter and to lock up tools. He established an orchard on the central western part of the land through the centre of which ran a natural waterway (part of the present-day linear park) and was able to pay a neighbour (Hawkins) to help with clearing and fencing 25 acres, and with a horse and single furrowed plough, planted approximately 2,500 fruit trees - cherries, peaches, plums, almonds, pears, apricots and lemons as well as a few apples and oranges; a massive task. Aerial photographs from the 1940s through to the 1990s clearly show the orchard with most of the larger CA15 site remaining as natural bushland. A huge problem was hares and rabbits eating all the new buds off the tiny trees. As well as laying poison he painted the trees with a mixture of cow manure and lime, often working by moonlight. Procurement of wire and wire netting was difficult because of the war but after much effort he obtained a permit from the Agricultural Department for supplies in March 1944. In February 1945 Stokes applied for a permit to build a “packing shed” as no house building was allowed. It was to be 33 feet x 21 feet and cost £312. It was constructed mostly from second-hand materials, which were hard to obtain, especially iron for roofing. Stokes finished work at Kennons on October 31, 1945, and in March 1946 he sold the family home at Mitcham for £1,230 plus £170 for furniture. On May 15, 1946, title to the CA15 property was issued to Frank Howard Alfred Stokes, Orchardist and Gladys Ethel Stokes, Married Woman, both of Pitt Street, Eltham. The family of five then moved into the very unfinished “packing shed” at Eltham, which was a struggle to weatherproof. Eventually rooms were divided off and lined with hessian bags and whitewashed. Their income was firewood (cut and sold), selling rockery stones and cut Sweet Bursaria. (It was discovered during the 1940s that Sweet Bursaria contained the sunscreen compound Aesculin. The RAAF utilised this compound from Sweet Bursaria during WW2 for pilots and gunners.) The orchard’s first fruit sale was a half-case of Le Vanq peaches in December 1947 for the price of 8 shillings. In 1956 plans for house were drawn and Glen Iris bricks purchased (1956 Olympic Rings variant). The building of the house commenced in 1957 - 12 feet of original packing shed was removed – and was completed in 1959. Water was connected from newly built pressure storage on the property at the end of 1959 and the electricity connection for the first time at 3pm on April 29, 1960. The house remains to present day (somewhat modified) at 1 Nyora Road, home to Nyora Studio Gallery. On occasions, spare remnants of the 1956 bricks have been known to be unearthed in gardens on the estate as they were utilised by Frank Stokes to fill in rabbit holes. On May 26, 1950, a parcel of land was compulsorily acquired by the Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works on the hilltop to establish an easement for a high-level service reservoir to augment Eltham’s water supply. The project also included pipe tracks for the necessary water mains. The reservoir has now been superseded by higher level water tanks east of Reynolds Road and its former site is now a public reserve. On November 27, 1964, the State Electricity Commission served notice to compulsorily acquire a further parcel through the eastern part of the land for a major electricity transmission line that augmented supply from the La Trobe Valley to Melbourne. The easement was registered February 11, 1966. The easement was widened July 18, 1969 for a second transmission line to be constructed. In 1971 Melbourne Metropolitan Planning Scheme amendments adopted Nyora Road as the boundary between a residential zone to the north and a rural zone to the south. This determined the future development of the land. In the mid-1970s the Shire of Eltham divided the orchard into numerous rate-able parcel lots, the 48 lots having been established in 1925 and the subsequent rates assessment proved unsustainable for Stokes. He commenced selling lots outside the boundary of the orchard, north of Diosma and South of Nyora. However shortly later the land between Nyora and Diosma Roads and west of the electricity easement was sold and subdivided into residential lots, a housing development by Macquarie Builders and marketed as the Stokes Orchard Estate. New streets were created, and most were named after trees, although one, Stokes Place, commemorates the former owners. The development was undertaken in two stages; Stage 1 (1975) encompassing Scarlet Ash Court, Ironbark Close and Peppermint Grove bounded by Nyora and Eucalyptus roads and Stage 2 (1978) encompassing Stokes Place, Orchard Way, The Crest and The Lookout bound by Nyora and Diosma roads. The developer, Macquarie Builders went bankrupt shortly after the release of Stage 2 leaving many purchasers to fend for themselves and arrange for their own independent builders. There were also difficulties with sewerage for the land immediately south of Diosma Road and so the conventional residential lots were abandoned in favour of larger lots. The development of Orchard Way, The Crest and The Lookout did not proceed as planned and the proposed lots were incorporated into five-acre parcels instead. These included a low-density group housing development by the Graves family and the award winning Choong House (1983) with Gordon Ford developed garden immediately next door situated on the ridge of the hill nestled amongst the original bush, Eucalypt trees and Sweet Bursaria. In 1994, Nillumbik Shire Council applied Significant Environment and Significant Landscape overlays upon the properties on the south side of Diosma Road to ensure protection of this natural bush garden environment. With the arrival of the sewer along Diosma Road in the 1990s, most of these five-acre parcels have since been subdivided multiple times. The Choong house presently sits on a 2.7-acre property, which in 2022 Nillumbik Council nominated for Cultural Significance Heritage protection and is considered potentially significant at State level. The Stokes family were also associated with the Eltham Christian Church. In the 1970s this church had met in temporary premises in Eltham. Lots of the original 1925 subdivision remained south of Nyora Road and a number of these lots were utilized for the Eltham Christian School, which was established by the Eltham Christian Church in 1981. The school operated on this site until 2000. The premises are now used by The Vine Baptist Church. By the mid-1980s the whole of CA15 had been developed for residential and school purposes, except for the sections north of Diosma Road and between the transmission lines and Reynolds Road. Sewerage issues had been resolved for the section north of Diosma Road and in 1987 it was in the process of being subdivided into residential lots. The development coincided with the discovery of colonies of the rare and endangered Eltham Copper Butterfly on the site. This resulted in a community and political campaign to save the butterfly habitat. With the co-operation of the land developer the subdivision was altered to create two bushland reserves in the critical butterfly habitat areas. In the late 1980s the State Government was investigating options for establishing a metropolitan ring road link between Diamond Creek and Ringwood. The chosen route was adjacent to Reynolds Road and so this created a freeze on development of CA15 between Reynolds Road and the electricity easement. The ring road proposal was eventually abandoned, and this part of the land was subdivided into low density residential lots. Diosma Road has been discontinued at the electricity easement and the eastern part incorporated into View Mount Court with access from Reynolds Road. The whole of CA15 has now been developed for residential or associated purposes, ranging from conventional density to quite low density south of Nyora Road. Some remnants of the orchard remain, a few cherry trees on the Graves property and a lone apple tree in Stokes Place. The butterfly reserves comprise significant areas of remnant bushland. Linear reserves through the estate link with central Eltham via the Woodridge linear reserve and with Research along the electricity easement. CA15 as it exists today has a complicated history of rural use, Government acquisition, urban development, and community action. References: • “Stokes Orchard, an incomplete history”; Russell Yeoman with Doug Orford • Correspondence, Beryl Bradbury (nee Stokes) • Aerial Photographs, 1931-1991, Landata (landata.vic.gov.au) • Certificate of Title, Vol. 4930 Fol. 985900 • Plan Number LP 10859 aerial photo, diosma road, eltham copper butterfly, eucalyptus road, ironbark close, nyora road, peppermint grove, peter & elizabeth pidgeon collection, power transmission lines, reynolds road, scarlet ash court, stokes orchard estate, stokes place, woodridge estate, frank stokes