The area of Eltham around Diamond Street to the west of the Diamond Creek is one that contains all of the elements of what is often referred to as the “Eltham Character”. They include the hilly terrain, extensive indigenous tree cover, some unmade streets and a significant proportion of “character houses”, many of which are built of mud brick (adobe) or pise (rammed earth) construction.
In the 1940s journalist turned builder, John Harcourt, built a number of pise houses in this area known to locals as “the hill”. He also built in stone and mud brick. Other houses in these materials include the work of renowned local designer and builder Alistair Knox and many owner built houses.
The area includes the 1924 subdivision of the Stanhope Estate that set the pattern of development of “the hill”.
Source: Eltham District Historical Society July 2013
