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Ashburton Stories: A History of the Melbourne Suburb now available.

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The Borderlands: A brief history of Glen Iris Park
How the cows and sheep gave way to the network of valuable sports fields of the Glen Iris Valley.

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Nov 148 min read


Red means Stop, Green means Go: the History of Kew Traffic School
A short history of Kew Traffic School.

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Jun 218 min read


2024: Ashburton in Retrospect
Its the end of 2024! Join me for a round up of local news.

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Dec 13, 202415 min read


A brief history of Wattle Park – Part 2
In Part 2 of the history of Wattle Park, how it acquired a Lone Pine, Clock and the famous Tram shell picnic shelters.

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Dec 6, 20248 min read


A History of Wattle Park: Part 1
Let’s examine how Wattle Park’s creation involved the murder of an inconvenient peacock.

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Nov 22, 202411 min read


The Nine Rules of the Halloween Lolly Harvest … in Ashburton
The cheat's guide to doing Halloween in Ashburton.

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Oct 24, 20245 min read


In honour of History Month: the vital significance of Burwood Bulletin
How a few community-minded friends got together in 1981 to create the custodial publication of local history: Burwood Bulletin.

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Oct 11, 20249 min read


Meals on Wheels in Ashburton
The untold story of Meals on Wheels in Ashburton

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Sep 20, 20247 min read


Kooyong Koot (Gardiner's Creek) in Pictures
The collection of photographs and pictures I have acquired concerning Kooyong Koot/Gardiner's Creek.

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Aug 14, 20243 min read


The Tragedy of the ‘Chadstone Sniper’
The story of a how a kind, highly intelligent and well-loved young man became known as the 'Chadstone Sniper'.

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Oct 12, 202311 min read


Why is the Matthew Flinders Hotel a local institution?
How beer, AC/DC, violence and pokies created a local institution.

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Mar 23, 202315 min read


Ashburton's Icons: J & T Electrical Services
Update 5 May 2024: After 47 years, J & T Electrical Services in Ashburton closed its doors for the last time. Wishing Peter a long and...

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Feb 23, 20236 min read


Ashburton's icons: Ken Ross Jewellers
Over the summer – should that ever arrive – I hope to run a series on some of Ashburton’s longest continuously operated shops. On High...

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Dec 9, 20223 min read


The Stocks Family and the Ashburton Dairy
If you’re a reader of a certain age, you may remember waking up very very early in the morning – far too early for your mother’s liking –...

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Nov 22, 20228 min read


The History of the Outer Circle Linear Park/Anniversary Trail
In this post, I’m taking a break from writing about Ashburton’s growing list of murderers to cover something far more pleasant: the...

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Oct 17, 20229 min read


For Book Week: a brief history of Camberwell and Ashburton libraries
It’s Book Week! Or, as I call it in my house, F#@king Book Week. I love books. I love them so much I wrote one. You don’t become a...

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Aug 25, 20229 min read


The battle to play sport in Camberwell on Sunday
I recently presented on this topic at the Royal Historical Society of Victoria. Just as High Street turns down the hill towards Glen Iris...

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Jul 29, 202213 min read


Ashburton and the rise of Chadstone Shopping Centre
This is the second post in my series on interesting things I find in Ashburton’s old community newspaper Progress Press (1946-63) In the...

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Jul 8, 20228 min read


Eight new things I learnt about Ashburton reading Progress Press (1946-56)
Once upon a time in Ashburton, there was a community newspaper called Progress Press. This was a locally produced and edited publication...

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Jun 17, 202210 min read


A History of Ashburton’s Green Spaces
Recently, I’ve begun doing some research for the Ashburton Willows Cricket Club. My role in the research is more on the “Ashburton” side...

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Mar 28, 202223 min read
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