Historical information

NILLUMBIK SHIRE COUNCIL
ORAL HISTORY PROJECT
Interview: Russell Yeoman

Date: Monday 25 March 2024

Place of Interview: Russell’s home in Eltham

Interviewer: Katherine Sheedy; Way Back When Consulting Historians

In 2023 Nillumbik Shire Council agreed to support two Oral History projects associated with local history groups within the shire.

One project was training sessions for group members on undertaking oral history recordings, which occurred in November 2023.

The other project involved a professional historian recording two selected history group members, which occurred in March 2024. The interviews were undertaken by Katherine Sheedy of Way Back When Consulting Historians.

Russell Yeoman, a life member of the Eltham District Historical Society, first came to Eltham in 1964 when he was employed in Engineering and later as a Town Planner with the former Shire of Eltham. Following Council amalgamation and the establishment of the new Shire of Nillumbik (December 1994), Russell carried over to Nillumbik for a brief period. Russell was a founding member of the Shire of Eltham Historical Society in 1967 which following Council amalgamation was renamed the Eltham District Historical Society. Russell is the Society Secretary and has held that volunteer position for more than 55 years. Russell discussed his arrival in Eltham in the 1960s, working as an engineering and then town planner for the shire, changes in Eltham over time including from a town planning perspective, the unique character of Eltham and challenges this led to, the book Pioneers & Painters, forming the Shire of Eltham Historical Society, the Local History Centre, and what is unique about Eltham.

Physical description

MP3 file; 84.8 MB, 00:57:29
WAV file, 646.8 MB 00:57:29
PDF Transcript of interview