Historical information

Road construction and sealing of southern end of Bible Street, Eltham, 1968 [Photo: Fred Mitchell]
House on left just behind truck is on corner of Bible and York streets (70 Bible Street). Next house (number 72) no longer exists, replaced by two units.

From 1965 to 1968 the Shire of Eltham undertook extensive improvements to Bible Street; sealing the road surface, new concrete curb and channeling, footpaths and stone masonry work to a number of adjoining property boundaries following construction of the footpaths. The work was broken into two stages, the northern half from the top of the hill to Grove street was completed first in 1965-67 and then the southern end to Dalton Street in 1966 to 1968.

This image is taken just south of the highest point near 71 and 74 Bible Street where we see the work in progress. The curb and channeling has been completed as has the footpath on the eastern side and on the western side further south. A load of gravel is being delivered for final grading of the road surface prior to sealing. The footpath in the foreground on the western side has yet to be constructed. On the eastern side we can also see how the land has been cut into to form the footpath. Bible Street, like many other streets in the shire has stonework edges for gardens abutting footpaths where the road and footpath have been cut into the terrain. Much of this stone masonry work was undertaken for the council by C.J. Watson and Sons.

In December 1963, Eltham Shire Council approved the Arthur Street Group Private Street Construction Scheme which included parts of Arthur Street, Bible Street, Brownes Crescent, Grove Street, Luck Street and Taylor Street. Cost was between £13-14 per foot with each abutting owner to share half. Total cost £102,000. All streets are part of Holloway’s 1851 sub-division and as such are considered private streets on what was private land, not Crown land hence the shared cost.

In January 1965 Council accepted the tender of Jack Legge Constructions Pty Ltd of £99,578 for construction of Stage 1 of the Arthur Street Group Private Street Construction Scheme involving construction of Arthur and Luck Streets, parts of Bible, Henry and Grove and fully construct Brownes Crescent and Taylor Street and a right-of-way between Taylor and Henry Streets. Construction work commenced around November 1965 which included Bible Street to a point south of Taylor Street.

Stage 2 (this photo) was commenced in the second half of 1966 and involved the continuation of Bible Street through to Dalton Street, Bridge Street, Pitt Street and Brougham Street. Pitt Street was constructed to the western arm of View Hill Crescent and Bridge and Brougham Streets to their present ends. Total length of this stage was just under two miles (3.2km) and cost about £150,000.


- Research by Peter Pidgeon, EDHS, July 2026

Physical description

Digital copy of colour photograph