Hurstbridge in the 1970’s was a small town which felt a little bit ‘separate’ and different from the creeping urban sprawl for a number of reasons. People were attracted to the area in the move to ‘the land’ as the ‘back to earthers’ moved into farm houses and rental cottages in the area. These properties were hard to find in an era of low rentals and were highly sought after. Often decrepit and overpriced, they housed students from LaTrobe Uni and young people interested in alternative ways of making an income. In those days the road was a winding affair with a couple of sharp corners where sometimes trucks would blow their horns to alert oncoming traffic.
The railway existed but on weekends the carriages would be reduced to a little single red engine and compartment which would make the return trip to Eltham. The train driver would lift a small screen and payment for your ticket would be made straight to him. Not everyone had cars at that time and it was absolutely commonplace for people to hitchhike on a daily basis. The town had 2 milkbars, ‘Darky’ Lemin’s petrol station, GloBrite hardware run by the Stubley family, Alan Saunders garage, a Post Office and there was much interest when the first fish and chip shop opened.
Craft shops where people sold their spinning and weaving projects and pottery were around at this time. Very few people had phones in that time so the public phone booths outside the post office and further along the Main Road where highly used. Telegrams were delivered by the Post Office if urgent contact was needed.
Photo: Red Rattler, 1983, Reflections of Diamond Valley Collection, Yarra Plenty Regional Library. Photographer: Kevin Patterson
