Alan Marshall (1902-1984) is one of Eltham’s favourite sons. A well known Australian author, his association with Eltham began in 1918 when his family moved to Diamond Creek. In 1920 he got his first job as junior clerk at the Shire of Eltham Offices in Kangaroo Ground. He lived in the fibro-cement bungalow behind the house which was owned by his sister Elsie, from about 1955 to 1980, during which time he wrote Pioneers and Painters. The bungalow is of a very basic nature, which reflected his “no fuss” approach to life. He wrote his first book These are my People in a bark hut on a block he had bought in Research. His niece remembers that for a while Alan lived in a caravan owned by Neil Douglas on the same property that is now the playing fields for Eltham College, and it is here in 1955 that he wrote I can jump puddles, his famous autobiographical work. Alan suffered from polio as a child and these books are inspirational, demonstrating his courage, tenacity and love of the bush.
This article is part of a series for the Nillumbik Cultural Bus Tour program at Eltham Library November 2013
Photo: Author Alan Marshall seated in office. Circa 1970
Shire of Eltham Pioneers Photograph Collection. Yarra Plenty Regional Library in partnership with Eltham District Historical Society. SEPP_5204
