Friends of Merri Creek have been conducting oral history interviews with residents who have lived on the Creek before 1970. The interviews form the Merri Creek Oral History Project. This is an interview with Pauline Atkins, who lived on the Oakover Estate, West Preston, from the 1930’s to the 1950’s. The interviewer is Des Shiel, and […]
John Jordan – Merri Creek at North Coburg
Friends of Merri Creek have been conducting oral history interviews with residents who have lived on the Creek before 1970. The interviews form the Merri Creek Oral History Project. This is an interview with John Jordan, who has lived near the Merri Creek in Bakers Road North Coburg since boyhood. The interviewer is Des Shiel. The […]
Joe Garita – Market Gardener on Merri Creek
Friends of Merri Creek have been conducting oral history interviews with residents who have lived on the Creek before 1970. The interviews form the Merri Creek Oral History Project. This is an interview with Joe Garita who worked his market garden beside the Merri Creek in Harding Street Coburg for many years. Also contributing is […]
Plenty Church
After many long years, The former Plenty Uniting Church was moved mid August, from its site on the corner of Yan Yean Road, Plenty surrounded by trees – to the Heritage Park alongside the Plenty Hall. With the huge impact of the road realignment and loss of 2800 trees, the church has been saved for […]
Whittlesea’s Invisible Farmers
This story has been inspired by the Invisible Farmer Project. This is the largest ever study of Australian women on the land. It aims to create new histories of rural Australia, reveal the hidden stories of women on the land and document the diverse, innovative and vital role of women in agriculture. Yes, Whittlesea has […]
Diamond Valley Library – 40 years
Diamond Valley Library celebrated 40 years on the 7 December 2013. The Library’s official date of opening was 6 December 1973. Open ceremony was performed by the Member for Greensborough R.M. “Monty” Vale M.P. The original building the library was housed in, is now the Shire of Nillumbik Council Offices. A new and separate building […]
Pioneers of Heidelberg
The following names appear in Heidelberg: the land and its people 1838-1900 by Don Garden (1972) “Although Heidelberg was one of the first parts of the Port Phillip District to be settled, and became important and prestigious in the early years of the colony, its history has been largely neglected. The beauty and fertility of […]
Martha Wike – Local Historian
Martha Wike was a very proud “Australian by Choice”. Here her daughter Amanda pays tribute to this Shire of Nillumbik local historian and community volunteer who recently passed away. Martha was born in Cairo, Egypt with Greek nationality. In My Mother’s Words; “I arrived at Tullamarine airport, on a Saturday morning with my parents when […]
Portrait of Harriet
Harriet Wright was a pioneer and settler in the Plenty District. It is often difficult to find records of women at this time but for Harriet a hint of her pedigree is given on her headstone in Yan Yean Cemetery (Whittlesea): Sacred To the memory of HARRIET WRIGHT Second daughter of JOSEPH WRIGHT ESQ. Artist […]
Northcote’s Underground Rivers
Virtually anyone who has lived in Northcote for any period of time could fail to notice the impact of the Merri, and to a lesser extent, Darebin Creek on the suburb. But few will be aware of the third and probably fourth major waterway – which may or may not have existed – and may […]