Mrs. McMinn, Kinglake and Country Roads Board, Neg. No. 60-1034This 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, kinglake, whittlesea-kinglake road, road gang

Back Row: 1. ?, 2. Jack Watson, 3. Pop McKay, 4. Jim Scott, 5. William Bowtell, 6. Charlie Johnson, 7. ?, 8. Peter Young, 9. Charlie D'Alton. Front Row: 1. Pat McKay ?, 2. Fred Johnson, 3. Butts Waldron (driver), 4. Tommy Carr, 5. Bill McKeon, 6. Dudley Whelan.Photo shows road gang in front of Time Keeper's Hut, at back of school. Fifteen men - some standing, others kneeling in front of canvas tents.people, road gang

Photograph showing 7 workmen with shovels.work-gang. 1930. shovels

Photo shows construction workers involved with the making of Dunkeld/Grampians Road. One man is standing on the running board of a small truck, six men are seated or standing in the tray, another man is standing on the ground at the back of the vehicle.access routes, roads, people, road gang

The relief workers as shown in the photograph were used in the Grampians for logging & road maintenance. After the Depression many hundreds of men worked on building and maintaining roads &: tracks. Some were employed by the Forest Commission of Victoria.people, road gang, structures, tents

Jack Watson left & Ernie Ward, residents of Halls Gap on holiday at Mt Buffalo in the 1930's. Jack Watson was a road worker he proposed the idea of the native wildflower show in Halls Gap.people, road gang

A work crew at the Plantation rd working on pine plantations in this areapeople, road gang

Gladys Maissie "Mace" Babb (b28/10/1889 d22/1/1982) married George Napier Myers (b29/10/1879 d23/9/1948) in 1912 in Victoria. Mace was the daughter of James Babb, a pioneer of Braybrook who worked as a caretaker and road contractor. This document is a summary of transcript of an interview between Mrs Mace Myers, aged 87 years old, of her memory of early Braybrook, Braybrook Junction and Sunshine in the early 19th century. Many of the early settlers of the Braybrook District are mentioned throughout the transcript.Interview with Mrs Mace Myers of 32 Monash Street, Footscray on 6th December 1976. Named mentioned during the interview. Lynn Myers Mr Collins (Business at back of home) Hilda Greig Newman's Land Tom Derham Newman (Blacksmith) Dempster Alf Barnett Bob Barnett Donald McLeod (Built stonework of the Braybrook School) Mrs. Holcroft (Fruit and Vegetable Shop) Tom Babb (Boot Repairer) George Costello (Stone Breaker for a Road Construction Gang) James Babb (Boss of a Road Construction Gang) Chinaman (Gardener) Darby Rockett Ted Mackie Mrs. Boyd Tom Cannon Tilly Minns (Braybrook Hotel) Miss Wolley Billy Derham Mary Jane Barnett Jack Derham John Flynn Miss. Harvey "Gabo" Jenkins Eugene Flynn Tribe Jackson Gough Mullenger Rolfe Craddock Dickson Middleton Munro (Cows, milk, etc) Freda Roberts Billy Roberts Cranwell (Grocer & butcher shop) Jack Babb Dr. Webb Gooley's Cracket Factory (Apparently later Phoenix Fireworks) Baker Mrs. Coomber Fred Hill Oscar Hill Lizzie Watson Lizzie Scott Lucy McDonough Rose Barnett Msud Barnett Victor Barnett Jimmy Barnett Alf Barnett Mary Barnett Ivy Steens Blanch Stevens Nurse Kerr Dr. Adamson Locations mentioned during the interview. Braybrook State School Braybrook Hotel Pennells Private School Pickett Street Footscray Sunshine Mechanics Hall Braybrook Public Hall Harrison's Hall (Next to the Deer Park Hotel) Maribyrnong River Fords (Mentions two fords across the river) Glengala Estatemace myers, george napier myrers, gladys maissie babb

Black and white printed postcard with a photograph believed to be of three members of the Kelly Gang seated on horses in the middle a bushland gully on a dirt road. Mountain and trees in the background."THE KELLY GANG - From an original Photograph. Steve Hart. Dan Kelly. Ned Kelly." (printed on front of postcard) "667" (black felt on reverse of postcard) "BP32" (purple felt pen on reverse of postcard)postcard, steve hart, dan kelly, ned kelly, kelly gang, edward kelly, police murders

This book tells the inside story of a high-ranking police officer in the Victorian police and includes tales of the Western District, the Kelly Gang and metropolitan Melbourne.312 p., illus. Paperback.victoria police, john sadleir

This book tells the stories of Australian bushrangers from early colonial days to the Kelly Gang in 1880.195 p., illus., maps. Paperback.bushrangers, robert coupe

Retirement Card with best wishes from Tony and the Gang, Lindsay Millington & Boys and John Dall'amico & Boys.Bruce Morgan was the first Shire Secretary (1964-1983) of the Shire of Diamond Valley. This collection was compiled by his wife, Mavis Morgan, detailing the events they attended in their official capacityCard with coloured photo on cover and black text inside with handwritten message.bruce morgan, mavis morgan, bruce morgan - retirement

ELTHAM’S GROWTH HAS BEEN RAPID IN RECENT YEARS Unknown local paper c.1960s Recent years have seen a rapid change in the appearance of Eltham’s business centre - so rapid, in fact, that the growth of premises has been almost 300%. For more than thirty-five years Eltham had little more than a dozen traders - the town's business area spreading from Pryor Street in the north, to Pitt Street in the south. The greatest density of businesses - no more than a handful of shops - were situated in the present shopping centre but other essential services such as the Post Office, were located half a mile away. As the town's population grew and the need for more shops became apparent, the growth was centralised around the railway station and Shire hall. Few of the old premises are used for their original form of business today, though many are still in existence. One of the oldest (seen clearly in the illustration) still in use is now Ferrari's Greengrocery. This shop was Eltham's butchery in early days, conducted by Jim Ryan. Up to twenty years ago, Mr. Ryan ran his business from the shop. whilst his son toured Eltham in his horse and cart, cutting his customers' orders as he went from door to door. Another business - one of the few still trading in the same goods-was Burgoyne's Hardware. This is now owned by Mr. R. Clinton, a new shop has recently been added and shortly the old premises will disappear completely. The Burgoyne family were well known to Eltham's population. The Post Office and Store (then in Main Road, near Bridge Street) was run by Mr. and Mrs. Burgoyne. The Post Office was later moved, and attached to the hardware store. OLD HOTEL In this same area was the old Eltham Hotel, almost opposite the present hotel. The building still stands, but has been converted into a house. The hitching rail can still be seen by the roadside. Back in the township was Barber's Blue Gum store, later conducted by Mrs. Burges (mother of Garnet Burges) and claimed to be Eltham's oldest shop. Further down the road, just past the hardware store, was the barber shop and billiard saloon. Next door was E. J. Andrew's news agency, library and State Savings Bank. Eltham's original chemist's shop, or dispensary as it was called, is now an electrical repair shop. On this side of the street too, was Mrs. Monteith - Draper. Mr Monteith was the owner of Eltham' s bus service. This bus service had no regular route, but deposited passengers at the point nearest their homes - a. door to door taxi service. Next to Mrs. Monteith stood another grocery - and general store, and next again, the local blacksmith. Another of Butcher Ryan's sons was Eltham's blacksmith and obviously an enterprising man he conducted a timber business next door to his smithy's shop. These two premises are still run by one man - Garnet Burges. BOOM STARTS Twenty years ago, when Thompson's took over Eltham's pharmacy they occupied the old shop adjoining the Shire hall. The building of Thompson's new premises, from which· they operate today, was the beginning of Eltham's recent growth and development. With another grocery store and a bakery at the corner of York Street, a butcher near Franklin Street, a cobbler's shop opposite the State School (did you ever wonder what that-little building attached to one of Eltham's oldest houses had been?), and an estate agency conducted by Mr. Clark, now Eltham Real Estate - only one trader remained - and today, still carries on, the only original owner of one of Eltham's .oldest established businesses - Mr. Dave Lyon, of Lyon Bros. Garage, which was formerly located in what was later used as Chenowyth's Foundry in Main Road. From the early twenties until little more than six or seven years ago that was the picture of Eltham. Some businesses had changed hands - many years before Mr. C. Rains had acquired Andrew's news agency, Mrs. Monteith's drapery had become Mrs. R. Smith's home-made cake shop, to change again and again to many other types of business. But generally, Eltham was unchanged, for nearly thirty years. Then suddenly new shops mushroomed. The new news agency and drapery, the chemist and adjoining shops, a new butcher, a green grocer and several more. POPULATION DOUBLED In the space of a few years, fifteen new shops, two banks, a restaurant and a post office were built at Eltham. New types of businesses found a ready market in an area which was quickly almost doubling its population. A little over twelve months ago, another wave of progress hit Eltham. Since then eight more shops have been built - a cake shop and fish shop in Dalton [sic – Dudley] Street - for building areas are unprocurable in the Main Street shopping centre now – have been built by Mr. D. Kimball; a new ladies’ and children’s wear shop has been opened by Rains; Eltham Dry Cleaners have another of these new shops, and Mr. R. Clinton has built elaborate new premises. Further down the road, Mr. C. Campbell has built a new butcher's shop, and next door, at present under construction, are a self service store and a shop which Mr. J. Hodges will open on completion. In addition to these new shops, Mr. J. Millett has extended his grocery to almost twice its original size. FLOURISHING Outside the central area, other businesses are flourishing. Latimer's felt factory is being developed in a picturesque rustic setting; P. J. Timber and Trading Company have recently completed a large showroom and timber yard, and in the town itself Nicholson and Merritt are now completing the extension of their foot wear factory to double its former area. This is Eltham today. Progress is moving rapidly in this rural area on the fringe of the metropolis. Less than a decade has seen vast development. The years to complete that span of time will see even greater changes and greater prosperity in this heart: of the Diamond Valley. OLD LANDMARK GOES Perhaps the most famous landmark in Eltham's' business section disappeared last Wednesday when the towering blue gum in Pryor Street at the rear of Main Road shops was felled. The tree, stated to be more than 80 feet high, was the one for which the adjoining café was named, when that business was Eltham’s only provision store, long before the turn of the century. Mr. J. Millett, who now owns the property on which the tree stood, deeply regretted its removal, but was mindful of the need for expansion in the business area. The "Old Blue Gum" was removed by Mr. A. Wilson, expert tree feller, from Heidelberg. Its proportions might be assessed by these facts – it took a gang of experienced men two days to completely fell and clear the tree, and, falling sections being brought down by cable tipped electricity wires on the opposite side of Pryor Street.andrew's news agency, bakery, barber shop, barber's blue gum store, billiard saloon, blacksmith, blue gum, burgoyne's hardware, butcher, cake shop, chemist's shop, chenowyth's foundry, cobbler's shop, dave lyon, dispensary, draper shop. mr monteith, dudley street, e. j. andrew's news agency, electrical repair shop, eltham bus service, eltham butchery, eltham dry cleaners, eltham hotel, eltham railway station, eltham real estate, eltham shire hall, eltham shopping centre, eltham shops, eltham town centre, estate agency, expert tree feller, ferrari's greengrocery, fish shop, foot wear factory, franklin street, garnet burges, general store, grocery, heidelberg, horace clark, jim ryan, ladies’ and children’s wear shop, latimer's felt factory, library, lyon bros. garage, main road, mr. a. wilson, mr. c. campbell, mr. c. rains, mr. d. kimball, mr. j. hodges, mr. j. millett, mr. r. clinton, mrs. burges, mrs. monteith, mrs. monteith's drapery, mrs. r. smith's home-made cake shop, nicholson and merritt, p. j. timber and trading company, pitt street, post office, pryor street, self service store, shopping centre, state savings bank, taxi service, thompson's pharmacy, york street

Bendigo Advertiser ''The way we were'' from 2003. The last of the gang: Mr. Wilson stands by his mine. We have been told he was the last miner in Bendigo. Bendigo Advertiser from 2003. Memories of an old miner: I think your photo depicting what could have been the very last miner in Bendigo may be that of an old timer who sunk a shaft in the Flora hill area (now Hyett Estate?) in about 1950. He was known to us as ''old Tim''. The shaft was close to an existing mine drive which children of the day referred to as ''the Devil's Den''. We regularly assisted him with the windlass winding and panning. The site consisted of a small clearing, similar to the one depicted, occupied by a small tent, the shaft and windlass. He later sank another shaft adjacent to Retreat Road, towards the Spring Gully hotel. Letter written by Ron Nancarrow, Britain street Eaglehawk.newspaper, bendigo advertiser, the way we were

At its peak the Beech Forest railway employed more than 21 staff between Colac and Crowes. Gangers (men in charge of the track gangs) tended to be promoted into the Otways but many of their subordinate repairers were local recruits. A few of the men who worked in the original construction gangs of 1900-1902 remained and obtained positions in the track gangs along the line. The track was maintained by seven three-man gangs based at Colac, Barongarook, Gellibrand, Banool, Beech Forest (2), and Lavers Hill. However, track gangs lessened as the line shortened. After 1954, the sole surviving track gang, in charge of Paddy Balcombe, stayed until the line closed.A railway track gang, with helper, trolleying to a work site, on 14 December, 1955.beech forest; railways; track gang;

At its peak the Beech Forest railway employed more than 21 people between Colac and Crowes tending the line the trains ran over. The gangers (the men in charge of the track gangs) tended to be promoted into the Otways but many of their subordinate repairers were local recruits. A few of the men who worked on the original construction gangs of 1900-1902 remained and obtained positions in the track gangs along the line. The track was maintained by seven three-man gangs based at Colac, Barongarook, Gellibrand, Banool, Beech Forest (2), and Lavers Hill. The ganger for Beech Forest 2 gang resided at Wyelangta. However, the track gangs lessened as the line shortened. Three men with spades on the line, thought to be at Barongarook, c.1925. B/W.barongarook; railways; track gangs;

Victorian Railways repairers with their NKS motor trolley outside the gang sheds at Beech Forest, Wednesday, 24 March 1954. beech forest; victorian railways; repairers; motor trolley; gang shed;

At its peak the Colac-Beech Forest-Crowes railway employed more than 21 staff tending the lines that the trains ran over. Gangers (the men in charge of the track gangs) tended to be promoted into the Otways but many of their subordinate repairers were local recruits. A few of the men who worked on the original construction gangs of 1900-02 remained and obtained positions in the track gangs along the line, but these eased out over time. The track was maintained by seven three-man gangs based at Colac, Barongarook, Gellibrand, Banool, Beech Forest (where the second Beech Forest crew was based at Wyelangta), and Lavers Hill.Track gang on an NK wagon at Beech Forest, c.1940. Snow covers the ground. B/W.colac; beech forest; crowes; railway; track gangs;

From late in 1960 VR took what were the first definite steps to close the Colac-Beech Forest line. 1,101 tonnes of freight per year flowed from Colac to Beech Forest because of increasing competition from the roads. From 1 July 1960 onwards, when pulpwood (hardwood) stopped being shipped from Beech Forest, a maximum of only 7,000 tonnes/year would be shipped to Colac. Including special trips passenger revenue earned a little more than $200 per annum. The issue of second-hand sleepers stopped entirely and the two track gangs only patrolled the track and tightened loose bolts. The line did not earn its way and on 4 November 1960 it was recommended that services over the narrow gauge line be discontinued.The rear of a goods train from Colac arrives at Beech Forest on 9 August 1961. The other line is the former Crowes line truncated at Weeaproinah in January 1955. In the background is the Beech Forest Hall and Shire of Otway offices. Colour.colac; beech forest; railway;

Until 1925 Beech Forest saw three trains or six train movements each day, from 6.50,am until 3.05 pm, and the railway personnel reflected this movement. A Station Master, porter, goods clerk, train crew, engine cleaner and track gang were employed. While economic activity slowed a little bit after this it still remained vigorous for another three years. However, the frequency of goods trains started to decrease from 1926 when the small NA class locomotives were partly replaced by a Garratt engine that had greater hauling power. Three regular train services continued to run each day, two of these being NA drawn and the other a Garratt train.B/W. Beech Forest Railway Station, a group of two men and a single man standing outside. On No.2 Road an NA locomotive, the single man watching. On No.3 Road a line of NQR open wagons.beech forest; railways; loco na;

In 1955 staff numbers were reduced to an absolute minimum with one track gang at Beech Forest and one at Colac, one of whose members resided at Gellibrand. No new sleepers were issued to the track gangs after 1955/56, cut down ones being used instead. Albert Denning, the son of a Gellibrand selector, worked at Driver's planing mill and Hitt's Lardner mill before joining Victorian Railways in 1928 as an engine cleaner at Beech Forest and Crowes, the last one in both places. He later became a track repairer at Gellibrand and worked with this and the Colac track gang until 1962. Bill Jamieson was a track repairer on the Colac-Gellibrand gang from the 1950s until 1962, and witnessed the official policy of minimum maintenance in the last years of the line.B/W. 201mm x 254mm. In c.1950, the Colac track gang near Kawarren, featuring, from left to right, Bill Jamieson, Albert Denning, and Don Loury on an NKS motor trolley..colac; kawarren; railways; track gangs;

A massive tree stump at the end of the Crowes yard served as a buffer stop for trains. In 1941 it was put to use when locomotive G41 spectacularly collided with it. On a particularly foggy night the driver became disoriented, passing unawares through Crowes station and smashing into the stump. The Garrett came to an ungainly halt, and it was three days before the work gang had the stranded locomotive re-railed. It became known locally as 'Over the Black Stump'.B/W. Locomotive G41 derailed at Crowes in 1941. A man stands where the engine is articulated.crowes; railways; locomotive g41;

B/W. Poison trolley NG No.1 on the Gang Shed siding at Beech Forest on 8 January 1958. The Gang Shed is shown. In the right background the Otway Shire Secretary's house.beech forest; railways;

Construction of the Colac-Beech Forest railway line commenced in 1900 and the first activities were the work gangs and their camps. About 100 men were engaged in laying and ballasting the track while others formed the earthworks and the building of culverts and bridges. The first camp was established eight kilometres from Colac, the second 12 km south, and the remainder spaced at similar distances as the work progressed. The camps were served by butchers and bakers from Colac that visited them as many times each week to satisfy the mens' requirements. Many of the men had their families with them. They all lived in tents that consisted of a wooden floor around which the canvas cover was built. A calico partition divided the eating and sleeping quarters, and all cooking was done in camp ovens or at open fires.B/W. 158mm x 203mm. Near Colac, a narrow gauge construction camp comprising 21 workmen, a horse, and two tipping trays.construction camp; railways; colac;

This original station on the Colac-Beech Forest line was first known as "Moorbanool" after the local parish, and then shortened to "Banool" on 1 November 1904. At first facilities consisted of a passenger shelter, a loop siding for 11 trucks, plus a residence for the ganger of the track gang based there. By 1912 with the extension of the line to Crowes increased train services on the line required a crossing station in this section of the track, and therefore Banool became a staff and ticket station with a crossing loop and home signals. However, this only lasted for two years and was abolished as an economy measure in 1916. Loading figures show that in most years the outwards tonnage at Banool was less than 150 tonnes. The station was reduced to a passenger shelter and goods loop only by 1929, and by the time of closure in 1962 most trains were steaming through.Colour. Locomotive G42 and its NQR goods wagons, loaded and unloaded, steaming past Banool station passenger shelter. 143mm x 274mm print.banool; moorbanool; railways; locomotive g42;

The railway track was maintained initially by seven three-man gangs headed by a ganger. The gangers tended to be promoted into the Otways but many of their subordinate staff of repairers were local recruits. There were two track gangs at Beech Forest until 1954, so a large number of gangers and repairers was present over the years. World War 2 with petrol and rubber rationing provided a boost to the line. The 1939 bushfire killed a great deal of timber which had to transported out of the Otways, and the commencement of a vigorous wartime pulp wood traffic from Beech Forest meant that only the railway could efficiently handle the volume of traffic. By early 1940 not only the Garratt was running a daily train to Beech Forest but an NA goods train was scheduled to run at night. As a result the track gangs were also particularly busy at the same time.B/W. In snow at Beech Forest, a track gang on a trolley at the entrance to the Way and Works shed, comprising G. Newland, Ned Hewing, Bill Taylor, Jim Gowty, and Buck.beech forest; railways; g. newland; ned hewing; bill taylor; jim gowty; snow; track gang;

Originally known as "Moorbanool" after the local parish, the name was shortened to Banool on 1 November 1904. At first facilities consisted of a loop siding for eleven trucks and a passenger shelter, plus a residence for the ganger for the track gang based there. Increasing train services on the line required a crossing station in this section of track, so in 1913 Banool became a 'Staff & Ticket' station with a crossing loop, home signals, and a station office, although this only lasted two years. Loading statistics showed that in most years the outwards tonnage at Banool was less than 150 tonnes. From 1924 the amount of timber despatched began a slow rise, but apart from a few years activity was generally slack. The crossing loop, the usually empty goods loop being used if necessary, the home signals and its status as a staff station being removed over the period 1923-27. The track ganger shelter was removed around 1929 and the station reduced to a passenger shelter and goods loop only.B/W. A goods train passing Banool Station, c.1940.