In 1971 when we moved to Elder St Greensborough to the house that we had built at the East end, the road was unmade. I looked at an old survey map and saw that we were in the original Elder St which was from Henry St down to the creek. In 1971 the street from Henry […]
Earning an extra quid in Nillumbik
Reproduced here with permission of the author, Kevin. This article first appeared in two parts of the “Nillumbik Custodian” newsletter of the Nillumbik Historical Society Inc. August and November 2008. By the start of the 20th Century the big pastoral runs of first settlement in the Nillumbik area had become small holdings of farms and […]
Earlier times spent at Apollo Bay
The following article was contributed following a reminiscences session held at Watsonia library June 2008, on the topic “Holidays”. In earlier days my parents purchased a block of land in Apollo Bay (quite a time before Apollo Bay became a well known tourist destination) and my father decided to have a tiny place built on […]
Cracknell family of Panton Hill
The following article was submitted by Lois Kennett, family historian of the Cracknell family of Panton Hill June 2008. Samuel Cracknell The family connection with Panton Hill starts with Sam and Carolline Cracknell, and their children William, Samuel, Alfred, Ruby and Beatrice. Sam, Ruby and Beatrice have the longest associations with the area. Sam and […]
Country Life in Mahoneys Lane
When I was in the fifth grade, in the early fifties my life seemed to be changed forever. .. By Mary Renshaw (nee Eastman) The family left the busy suburb of Moonee Ponds to go to Keon Park where there were dirt roads, no electricity, no telephone, wood stove and copper and miles treed paddocks. […]
Migrating to Australia
Toula was born in Greece and migrated to Australia in 1958 to marry her husband, who had seen her photo and wished to marry her. Travelling to a new country as a young woman to marry and start a new life was both exciting yet terrifying -Toula was not really sure what to expect. In […]
Around the house in 1930’s
Laundry The washing was done in a big copper pot under which a fire was lit to heat the water and boil the clothes. It was all stirred with a wooden stick. Bathroom The toilet was outside. Instead of toilet paper, newspaper was used. The more wealthy people had old phone directories to use. Kitchen […]
Bundoora Homestead Ghosts
Bundoora Homestead staff have investigated the ghosts that are said to haunt it. The homestead, built in 1900, is now an arts centre but had previous lives as a horse stud, convalescent farm and mental repatriation hospital. It used to reside in the former Shire of Whttlesea but is now located in the corner of […]
Ivanhoe Ghost Story
There are no ghost horses in Ivanhoe but a story told to members of the Ivanhoe Returned Services League members could explain a strange sighting at their offices. On a Friday night 20 years ago, as Ivanhoe RSL president Fred Cullen walked towards the offices to finish some club reports, he was greeted by two […]
Greensborough ghost story
In March 2004 the Age reported on a Mrs Bell who had come to live in Greensborough in 1943 with her one year old son. The house they moved into dated back to the 1840s. They grew their own vegetables and fruit, caught fish from the river and shot rabbits. They had no electricity or […]