Melton District Historical Society Inc | Non-profit organisation

Melton District Historical Society Inc

Phone: +61 409 306 640

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25.01.2022 Don’t forget to book ! 10 th Dec Contact Melton City Library.

24.01.2022 It's History Week! Who can identify the landmarks shown in these aerial shots of Melton from 1976? Created by Charlie Gruer and loaned to us by the Melton and ...District Historical Society, these images are part of our online Community Heritage Collection of digital images, searchable through our library catalogue: https://bit.ly/2OLkaz0 We've got some great history related events coming up throughout History Week. Today's Click Go the Shears event has booked out, but you might still get a seat at the Maddest Place on Earth: Melbourne's Early Asylums event on Thursday: https://bit.ly/2IEeLWi Or why not start researching your family tree with free help from the Melton Family History Group at Melton Library between 9am-12pm this Wednesday? The group are on hand every week, and no bookings are required.

20.01.2022 Earlier this year we posted on the mystery lonely grave at ‘Greenhills' at Toolern Vale and the response was overwhelming. Everyone was curious about the forgo...tten girl who sleeps in the wooded folds of the Green Hills. So, we’ve asked Michelle Berry an academic and conservator to investigate. She'll discuss the lives of women without means in colonial Victoria with a focus on Ellen Batman and her six sisters, who were daughters of provocative figure John Batman. Ellen Batman is rumoured to be the women in the lonely grave and Michelle Berry will lay out the evidence for us. Join us online Thursday 10 December, 6:30pm for The Lonely Grave Investigation: Ellen Batman and Her Sisters at Toolern Vale. This is a 16 Days of Activism talk. Bookings: Call 9747 5330. Email [email protected] Register online with your library card https://bit.ly/LonelyGrave

20.01.2022 Join us this History Month for a virtual ribbon cutting for the ebook launch of 'Growth, Progress and Community Spirit: a history of Melton and districts'. H...annah Watt's great-great granddaughter Beck Hart will be launching the book right here on facebook this Friday at noon on 30 October. To celebrate we're giving five lucky City of Melton residents their own hardcopy delivered to their door of this very special and beautiful coffee table book. Simply email [email protected] with the heading EBOOK LAUNCH to win

19.01.2022 Parish of Melton HistorySt Dominic’s Church, Melton is a Catholic Church located in the Melbourne suburb of Melton, Victoria, Australia. It is located at 10 Unitt Street.

19.01.2022 While we're hot on History Week, new Melton resident Geoff Parsons has been having fun exploring the area, photographing some heritage sites. I’m absolutely ...amazed at the amount of old buildings and ruins everywhere in the Melton area and only 35km from the city, Geoff reports. For the history buffs, we present photographs by Geoff of some of his favourite local bridges. See more

18.01.2022 There are many lonely graves on properties from the time before the Melton cemetery opened in 1861. However the best known is the forgotten girl who sleeps in ...the wooded folds of the Green Hills at Toolern Vale. Although the person whose remains lie in the grave is thought to have been a young woman who died in the 1840s, her identity remains a mystery. The oldest and most enduring story is that it contains the remains of Ellen Batman, daughter of John Batman; another that it was a governess, perhaps a Miss Bateman, who pined away waiting for her sailor love to return. Yet another that it was Miss Collier, a friend or relative of an early station owner who died of a lingering illness. The traditional belief is that this grave contains the remains of Ellen Batman one of the seven daughters of John Batman, a notorious and divisive personality in the history of Victoria. The hillside and valley were a favourite location of hers, and one that she often painted. Three of the daughters, Eliza, Adelaide and Ellen ended up in Toolern Vale at the properties of John Aitken and the Collyer brothers and Ellen died at Greenhills Station in 1851. Their mother was murdered in Geelong in 1852. In the 1920s there was a debate in the Herald newspaper about who lay there. John Gilby thought with some confidence that, is that of a young governess at the station probably sometime in the forties. She had a sailor lover with whom on his visits to the station she used to walk often across the green hillside. He went away to sea for just one more trip and was not heard of again. The young lady waited long in vain for her lover’s return. Before her death she expressed an earnest desire to be buried there. Herald journalist James Corrigan suggested that the grave belonged to Miss Collier, who was a friend (and perhaps a relative) of a family named Macintosh who owned Green Hills station . Miss Collier contracted a lingering illness, and it was her request to be buried there. Mrs Macintosh was a relative of John Batman. Corrigan added a further poignant touch: I have seen graves on sandhills in Western Riverina, and of those who died out west of the Darling. I have seen tombstones huddled together at St Pancras almost in the heart of London. I have seen bodies stitched in canvass go down to the depths of the sea. But perhaps the most lonesome grave of all is that of the forgotten girl who sleeps in the wooded folds of the Green Hills. Station owners, while not knowing the name of the person buried there, always kept the grave in repair. It is a tradition that was continued when the Melton District Historical Society Inc repaired the grave fence in the early 1970s. We may never know for sure who the grave belongs to but we do know that ‘women without means’, in colonial society faced many difficulties. If you're interested in hearing local stories from our past join our Virtual Tour of Melton Cemetery on 27 October at 10am http://bit.ly/MeltonCemeteryTour Public Libraries Victoria #librarieschangelives

17.01.2022 After last week's hugely popular post around the lonely grave at Toolern Vale we thought we’d share some fascinating news on the other numerous graves known abo...ut, lost and recently rediscovered. Local anecdotal history said Melton cemetery contained unmarked graves of early settlers buried between 1860 and 1896 and remains of Aboriginal people that were exhumed and relocated from the Greenhills Station in Toolern Vale after its purchase by Matthew Ingle Browne in 1869. Earlier this year Hunter Geophysics undertook an intensive geophysical survey using ground penetrating radar of the south-eastern corner of Melton cemetery. A total of 112 unmarked graves were discovered. A grove of self-sown Acacia trees marks the site. This section is one of the earliest operating sections of the cemetery. Early wooden memorials have been destroyed by bushfires and time. The "Shire of Melton Heritage Study", states the following: "At the south east corner of the cemetery, rest the bones of Aboriginal people found on Greenhills Station. Matthew Ingle Browne had the remains removed to the Melton Cemetery, and paid for the Presbyterian minister to read a prayer. The interment book (lost) indicated the ‘bones of aborigines,’ but it is not known how many bodies these representedClose by are the bones of workers from the old Rockbank quarry, killed when the shot exploded unexpectedly. Buried beside the Kororoit, their remains were exposed several times after folds. Eventually, Sir WJ Clarke had them brought to the Cemetery." The geophysical survey verified historical records and now allows us to appropriately commemorate and acknowledge the presence of the remains. The south-east corner is currently not used, has no landscaping features and there is no public acknowledgement or markers to indicate the presence of graves. A report adopted by the council on 17th August 2020 recommended the site be formally protected, beautified and acknowledged as a place of rest for early settlers and for the Aboriginal people relocated from the Toolern Vale property. There will be no disruption or removal of any remains from their current resting place. While the Melton Public Cemetery is located on recognised traditional lands of the Wurundjeri people, there is no evidence to indicate the Aboriginal heritage of those remains relocated to the cemetery. Once advice from Aboriginal Victoria is received community consultation will be undertaken to inform landscaping and commemoration works. Find out more stories from the cemetery at the Virtual Tour of Melton Cemetery, part of History Month celebrations at Melton City Libraries. 27 October, 10am http://bit.ly/MeltonCemeteryTour The survey report can be found in the minutes of the Melton City Council meeting on 17 August https://www.melton.vic.gov.au//About-Counc/Minutes-Agendas

15.01.2022 Pre restoration

14.01.2022 Toolern Vale Store

13.01.2022 Researching your family history? The Births, Deaths and Marriages office have discounted certificates for the month of March. This is a saving of $4.50 per cert...ificate. Ask an expert for help from the Melton Family History Group at our weekly Wednesday drop-in Genealogy Help sessions. 9.00am - 12.00pm at Melton Library. Apply online for your Victorian certificates here: https://www.bdm.vic.gov.au/resea/search-your-family-history

13.01.2022 HARMONY DAY EVENT - MELTON - 14TH MARCH 2020 The Willows Historical Park, Reserve Road, Melton The Melton City Council will be hosting a free Harmony Day event, this is a family friendly event with free activities for the whole family.

12.01.2022 Do you want to promote local heritage projects, drive programs that encourage an appreciation of heritage in the City of Melton and assess applications for the ...City of Melton Heritage Assistance Fund and the City of Melton Heritage Awards? The Heritage Advisory Committee is seeking two committee members! Applications close Friday 28 May. Find out more and apply: www.melton.vic.gov.au/heritagecommittee

12.01.2022 Melton(3337, 36 km W, Melton Shire)

11.01.2022 Come along and demonstrate your support towards a safer, more respectful and equal community at the Walk With Her event. The whole community is invited to Walk With Her at Hannah Watts Park on Sunday March 1 in the lead up to International Women's Day.

08.01.2022 Melton South Brooklyn Road

07.01.2022 Calling all past, present and maybe even future students and staff of Toolern Vale and District Primary School. Come and catch up with friends and locals as we celebrate this wonderful school turning the big 150!

07.01.2022 Melton South Brooklyn Road former United Church (Methodist Church )

05.01.2022 Here's a special spot you may be lucky to have in your 5km bubble... The little known but fabulous stained glass window at the east end of the Melton Uniting Ch...urch still lights the building the same as it has since 1867. It creates an amazing kaleidoscope of coloured patterns over the floor when the sunlight strikes it at the right time. The window is of four lights with smaller tracery windows above to complete the design and is a typical design by Ferguson & Urie from that period. The two centre lights have the ribbons/scrolls in the centre with the following two pieces of scripture: Christ is all and in all (Colossians 3:11) Worship God in the Spirit (Philippians 3:3) What is unusual is that the tracery windows above the big four lancets have no depiction of the Burning Bush (Presbyterian Motto). Image: Ray Brown http://wp.me/p28nLD-2Fz

05.01.2022 Great to have the Boys in Blue from Eyewatch - Melton Police Service Area at the Walk with Her supporting the event!

05.01.2022 The life of dashing James McAra Mitchel was full of secrets adventures, politics, death, pioneer challenges, bankruptcies and the occasional happy story to tell.... In the late 1800s, Mitchel was the Station Manager at Rockbank Estate, one of the largest land owners in Victoria. At the time the property stretched all the way to Lancefield. Life took a dramatic turn and in 1900 he was taken to the Kew Insane Asylum with anxiety over business. At a special online event hosted by our Libraries next week, Mitchel's descendant and local author Janeen O’Connell will reveal the secrets uncovered in her journey to learn more about him and his contribution to the Melton district. The event will take place live online via Zoom on Wednesday 26 August at 2pm. Bookings essential: https://bit.ly/meltonlibraryevents See more

04.01.2022 Heritage Month starts tomorrow check out the Events in the Melton Area. Don’t forget to book if required. Check out nationaltrust.org.au for other events further afield. Hope to see you at The Willows during this National event.

03.01.2022 Australian Heritage Festival 2021 has kicked off and there is plenty to discover within the City of Melton! Don't miss your opportunity to visit the arche...ological dig at Heritage-listed Rockbank Inn http://bit.ly/RockbankInn Before you go, check out the amazing story and images at 'Heartbreak at Rockbank Sheep Station' we recorded last year with Melton's own Janeen Ann O'Connell - Author

03.01.2022 You may have been to Hannah Watts Park but do you know the story of Hannah Jane Grannie Watts? In 2019 Hannah’s great-granddaughter Beck Hart came to Melton L...ibrary and give an incredibly moving talk about Grannie’s story. Hannah died 99 years ago tomorrow on the 21 October 1921. Showing the high regard she held in the community, her obituary in the Melton Express called her doctor, philosopher and friend to all. Hannah was left with three very small children and another on the way when her husband died after a flighty horse threw him against the wall of a Melton pub. She rolled up her sleeves and supported her family as a dairy farmer and midwife and started Melton’s first hospital. Her practice records document an incredible 442 births between August 1886 and July 1921, and 180 deaths from July 1886 to November 1920. Hannah is buried with her husbands George and William, and sister Mary at Melton Cemetery. If you’re interested in finding out more watch Beck Hart’s moving tribute here: http://bit.ly/HannahBeck Join the Virtual Tour of Melton Cemetery 27 October when we'll visit Grannie's grave. We're taking bookings here: bit.ly/MeltonCemeteryTour or email [email protected] or call 9747 5300.

02.01.2022 Mechanics Institute High Street Melton built 1910