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Have a question? Contact Whittlesea Historical Society Inc.
The age of the bluestone quarry at Mernda is uncertain, it is believed to date from the early times of settlement in the area, in the mid 19th century. Nearby bluestone buildings such as Mayfield Presbyterian Church and the butter factory at Mayfield may have been sourced from here. Both of these buildings were constructed by Moses Thomas, a very early settler and previous owner of this land.
Photo, copy, coloured ink on paper
C. 1860’s. Grant’s Morang Hotel, Morang
2019, Bear's Castle, Yan Yean Reservoir
Whittlesea State School No. 2090 (date unknown)
To celebrate the 31st anniversary of the of the closure of the Whittlesea rail line, Robert Aquilina organised an historic journey from the Spencer Street railyards to the Epping terminus.
3 pages newsprint with images.
Epping All Aboard
whittlesea rail line, robert aquilina, epping rail terminus, number 55 rail motor, mrs rosemary hall, ray jeffrey, arthur jeffrey, ken jeffery
Horticultural Pioneer Charles Draper of Charnwood, Arthurs Creek. By Bruce Draper. Published in Australian Garden History Vol. 15 No. 5 May/June 2004.
6 pages photocopied.
Horticultural Pioneer Charles Draper of Charnwood, Arthurs Creek. By Bruce Draper.
charles draper, draper family, bruce draper, charnwood arthurs creek, fruit grower, reid family
Horticultural Pioneer Charles Draper of Charnwood, Arthurs Creek. By Bruce Draper. Published in Australian Garden History Vol. 15 No. 5 May/June 2004.
.pdf document
Horticultural Pioneer Charles Draper of Charnwood, Arthurs Creek. By Bruce Draper.
charles draper, draper family, bruce draper, charnwood arthurs creek, fruit grower
A newspaper article on the restoration of the historic Farm Vigano in South Morang. Florentino chef Guy Grossi agreed to become a patron of Farm Vigano.
Historical building of South Morang.
1 page newsprint with coloured images.
Chef joins Vigano fight
farm vigano, vigano family, south morang, maria theresa vigano, mario vigano, italian immigrants, guiliana mercoli
A newspaper article on the Train Studio Artists holding their third annual art show at the Mernda Mechanics Institute.
1 page newsprint with coloured images.
Train Studio Artists
train studio artists, mernda, mernda mechanics institute, old train carriage, judy siragusa, jackie edwards, lisa dallest, thelma cardwell
A newspaper article on the closure of the livestock market site at Mernda.
History of Australian Agriculture
1 page newsprint with coloured images.
Saleyards finale
mernda market, mernda saleyards, rod carnegie, quiney family, quiney mawbey, thomas beesely
A newspaper article on the closure of the livestock market site at Mernda. Allan Lloyd from Beveridge and Bessie McMahon of Kinglake are pictured attending the last day of the market.
1 page newsprint with coloured image.
Going going gone
mernda market, mernda saleyards, rod carnegie, allan lloyd, bessie mcmahon
A newspaper article on the closure of the 117-year-old livestock market at Mernda.
Historic buildings of Mernda.
2 pages newsprint with coloured images.
Closed for the last time
mernda market, mernda saleyards, rod carnegie, quiney family, neil clark
A newspaper article on the relocation of the Findon Pony Club from the Mernda site with some financial assistance from the Whittlesea Council.
The Findon Pony Club have been at the Mernda site since 1965.
2 pages newsprint with coloured images.
Kelly House Rescued
findon pony club, bernice muldoon
A newspaper article on stabilisation works on Ned Kelly's childhood home in Beveridge by heritage architects.
1 page newsprint with coloured images
Kelly House Rescued
ned kelly house, kelly house at beveridge, beveridge, john kelly, sharon consiglio
One of a series of photographs taken in 1988-1989 around the Shire of Whittlesea by Evan Meades.
Photograph print also digital image.
Zimmer Farmhouse Wollert Apr 89.
evan meades collection, wollert, zimmer farmhouse, zimmer family
One of a series of photographs taken in 1988-1989 around the Shire of Whittlesea by Evan Meades.
Photograph print also digital image.
Zimmer Farmhouse Wollert Apr 89.
evan meades collection, wollert, zimmer farmhouse, zimmer family
One of a series of photographs taken in 1988-1989 around the Shire of Whittlesea by Evan Meades.
Photograph print also digital image.
Zimmer Farmhouse Wollert May 89.
evan meades collection, wollert, zimmer farmhouse, zimmer family
One of a series of photographs taken in 1988-1989 around the Shire of Whittlesea by Evan Meades.
Photograph print also digital image.
Zimmer Farmhouse Wollert April 89.
evan meades collection, wollert, zimmer farmhouse, zimmer family
One of a series of photographs taken in 1988-1989 around the Shire of Whittlesea by Evan Meades.
Photograph print also digital image.
Zimmer Farmhouse Wollert May 89.
evan meades collection, wollert, zimmer farmhouse, zimmer family
One of a series of photographs taken in 1988-1989 around the Shire of Whittlesea by Evan Meades.
Photograph print also digital image.
Shultz Farmhouse Apex Quarries Wollert July 89
evan meades collection, wollert, shultz family, shultz farmhouse, apex quarry wollert, bluestone house
An article on the dilapidated state of the original childhood home of Ned Kelly, in Kelly Street, Beveridge. Originally built by Ned's father, John Kelly, in about 1859, and now part-owned by Sharon Consiglio.
1 page newsprint with 2 coloured images
Ned's des. res.
ned kelly house, kelly house at beveridge, beveridge, john kelly, sharon consiglio
Stabilisation work to save Ned Kelly's childhood home in Beveridge.
1 page newsprint with image
Kelly's home to rise anew.
ned kelly house, kelly house at beveridge, beveridge
The original Whittlesea Primary School was torn down on 7 August 2010.
Historical building in Whittlesea since demolished.
Newsprint 1 p. text with colour photograph.
Whittlesea dies a little more
whittlesea primary school, demolished
A giant pine tree blew over at the Thomastown Lutheran Church Cemetery and obliterated the tombstones of the Shultz and Siebel plots. Sylvia Shultz and her son Paul, descendants of both settlers, are pictured.
Newsprint 1 p. text with colour photograph.
Australia Day honour for Whittlesea legend, Les Russell.
thomastown lutheran church cemetery, shultz family, siebel family, sylvia shultz, paul shultz
Les Russell was posthumously awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia as part of the Australia Day honours list.
Newsprint 1 p. text with colour photograph.
Australia Day honour for Whittlesea legend, Les Russell.
les russell, russell family, order of australia, whittlesea, australia day honour
Les Russell was posthumously awarded a medal of the Order of Australia for his services to the community of Whittlesea.
Newsprint 1 p. text with colour photograph.
les russell, russell family, order of australia, whittlesea
A4 print copy of photograph
Steamrail Mernda Special along Hawkstowe Straight, South Morang, 6th July, 2019
steam train, mernda
Lindsay Mann recalls his memories of the day it snowed at Yan Yean on July 19, 1951.
Stapled 3 pages and .pdf file.
The Magic of Snow! A Tribute to School Days at Yan Yean Primary. By Lindsay Mann.
lindsay mann, yan yean school, snow at yan yean, snow, 1951
Photograph showing members of the Carlton Football Club with two cars outside the Commercial Hotel in South Morang.
A4 print copy of photograph
a. g. baldwin, commercial hotel south morang, pub, hotel, cars, carlton football club
The foundation stone of a new bridge over the Plenty River at Morang (now Mernda) was laid by Mrs. John Wilton of Wilton Vale, in August 1866. The silver trowel was presented to Mrs. Wilton by Moses Thomas, chairman of the road board. The bluestone bridge was officially opened by Moses Thomas on the 12th of February 1867.
The location of the silver trowel in this rare image is unknown.
A4 single page (double sided) with image and a list of items numbered 461 - 495.
Item 486. Important Australian Silver Presentation Trowel., inscribed "Presented to Mr John Wilkin of Wilkin Dale Morang on the Occasion of the Laying of the Foundation Stone, the Bridge of the Plenty River at the Junction of the Parishes of Morang and Yan Yean by the Morang District Road Board, August 1866, Fine Engraved Scroll Decorated Border, Turned Ivory Handle, Maker R. R. Illustrated Page 27.
silver trowel, morang bridge, mernda bridge, john wilton, wilton family, moses thomas, wilton vale
Gordon Keith's truck carting a log outside Connell's Whittlesea Tea Rooms in Whittlesea. After leaving the air force when World War II ended, Gordon Keith started driving trucks. He carted logs and sawn timber from Kinglake, Yea, and Murrindindi to Whittlesea Sawmill, Grange Timber in Northcote, and Fairfield Paper Mills.
Photograph print
gordon keith, federal truck, whittlesea tea rooms, connell family, keith family
Victorian Collections acknowledges the Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the first inhabitants of the nation and the traditional custodians of the lands where we live, learn and work.
