Historic photos of Melbourne, Victoria, Bellarine and Mornington Peninsula and more

[admin]

As many know, I am a bit of a history and research buff and the other day while Googling for a photo, I came across a site that is selling historic photo images.
They actually have the images on their site, and although water marked , give an incredible look back in time as 95% of the photos are of excellent quality for the times and I presume were taken professionally, possibly for government purposes. Anyone wanting to purchase an image, the site is

Anyone got a request for a pic of a particular area from what I put in the thread title ? I am pretty sure mango would be interested in a few from melbourne if he sees this thread

* Clicks thanks if you enjoy these and want to see more. There is no point me posting these if there is no interest.

Here is one for Ocean Boy from his local area. " The General Store at Ocean Grove, Victoria with an FJ Holden in the foreground. The store has signage including J.A. & E.M. Skinner. Also on the left is a dry cleaning shop and the "Do Duck Inn" restaurant. On the right is the National Bank. C.1950s. "

[admin]

" Main Street, Queenscliff, Victoria looking toward Swan Bay. Signage from the left reveals a bank, J.H.V. Siddle's Central Store, a drapery, a news agency, Romey's Pharmacy and a delicatessen. C.1940s. "

[admin]

There is actually quite a lot, if you are from Sydney or NSW and are interested in a suburb or town, yell out and I will do a search and see if I can find a pic. Its quite fascinating if you you are near the area in the photo and can actually see some items that are still there.

[admin]

2 thanks from PZ, I know you are from NSW mate, any area you are interested in seeing ?

[admin]

South Melbourne 1875



I have many ancestors from South and Port Melbourne and its very interesting to see their towns as they would have seen them at the time.


Looking over the streets of South Melbourne to the bay with many sailing ships visible. The view is looking down Ferrars Street, crossing Dorcas Street, just over the bridge. The two storey building on the corner used to be a Masonic Hall and is now the home of the Melbourne Camera Club. The building adjacent to the Masonic Hall has signage "J.Lube Painter Glazier".

EDit : I think I just saw Mango in that shot !

[admin]

I see mkhannah lurking, here is a WA shot for him Hay St in perth circa 1920's

[admin]

How good a pic is this ? Darling Harbour 1871. Fantastic.

[gordon_s1942]

Not much around the suburbs I lived in and passed through (Inner Sydney) have changed much in the last 60 years except the plethora of posters around City Road have been changed.

Watching the end of the Oz Movie, 'Their a Weird Mob' circa 1966 they fly from East to West 'Up the Harbour' and shows the Circular Quay areas as I first remember it pre Opera House, Railway station and the Cahil Express way with no buildings more than 5 stories high in the CBD.
All of Sydney and most of the close suburbs had generally narrow and winding roads through them and it wasnt until you really got out to find wider straighter street like you see in those pics of Victoria posted above.

There must have been a Law in NSW that no road or street was to be straight for more than a 100 paces, narrow and not level by using every natural feature where possible to achieve this criteria.
If there was a Hump, go over it, a tree or rock, go around it, natural watercourses had to have as steep as possible banks on both sides and the bottom was to be left as scoured out by the flowing water.
I base this theory on a now bypassed section of roughly one kilometer of the Great Western Highway between Hartley and Lithgow that is locally known as the '40 Bends' because it does and its steep as well.
During one period of its life, it was used to hold Hill Climbs on because it was perfect for such events.

[admin]

I thought I might try and post a comparison of my local area.



Rosebud Victoria 1940's.

A Google Maps streetview image of 2010.



The little Milk Bar on the extreme left is now Harcourts Real Estate and Chadwick's is now Norris Real Estate.

[admin]

Not much around the suburbs I lived in and passed through (Inner Sydney) have changed much in the last 60 years except the plethora of posters around City Road have been changed.

Watching the end of the Oz Movie, 'Their a Weird Mob' circa 1966 they fly from East to West 'Up the Harbour' and shows the Circular Quay areas as I first remember it pre Opera House, Railway station and the Cahil Express way with no buildings more than 5 stories high in the CBD.
All of Sydney and most of the close suburbs had generally narrow and winding roads through them and it wasnt until you really got out to find wider straighter street like you see in those pics of Victoria posted above.

There must have been a Law in NSW that no road or street was to be straight for more than a 100 paces, narrow and not level by using every natural feature where possible to achieve this criteria.
If there was a Hump, go over it, a tree or rock, go around it, natural watercourses had to have as steep as possible banks on both sides and the bottom was to be left as scoured out by the flowing water.
I base this theory on a now bypassed section of roughly one kilometer of the Great Western Highway between Hartley and Lithgow that is locally known as the '40 Bends' because it does and its steep as well.
During one period of its life, it was used to hold Hill Climbs on because it was perfect for such events.

Whats the biggest town/s near you Gordon ? I will see what I can produce.

[exited]

South Melbourne 1875

That chimney on the far left of screen is still there; the power station itself was converted to flats.

[exited]

2 thanks from PZ, I know you are from NSW mate, any area you are interested in seeing ?

Cheers. Area I'm most interested in is Blue Mountains Wentworth Falls area, lived in a 1913 building on station st for a few years. Not sure if it's available though

[admin]

Cheers. Area I'm most interested in is Blue Mountains Wentworth Falls area, lived in a 1913 building on station st for a few years. Not sure if it's available though

Here you go, circa 1940's



The Zig Zag railway circa 1883



Jenolan Caves House circa 1940

[admin]

Sydney

Circular Quay circa 1920



Cicular Quay circa 1900

[admin]

Bondi, circa 1930. We now have the descendants of these rich people still dining there 85 years later. cant see any of Adam Goodes family though




Bondi circa 1940's

[gordon_s1942]

Admin, Lithgow is the town but I can assure you there are myriads of pictures taken of the Town, Mines, Railway, Power Station, Smalls Arms Factory from the late 1880's onward.
The local Red Rooster outlet has pictures taken of the 'Cooee March' of WW1 era when a group of men decided to March to Sydney from Out Coonamble way and call on the Men of the districts they passed through to join up and enlist for service in WW1.
McDonalds has street scenes of Lithgow, the Mines, Labour Day Marches and the Steam Engine that all most fell off the cliff at the Zig Zag Top Points around 1900.

Unlike those previously shown, most of the pictures of Lithgow are very dark partly because it was a dirty, smokey, coal dust covered heavily industialised town where the first Steel was made in Australia along with making tons of Pottery items such as pipes, chimney pots etc that were sold Australia wide.

[admin]

Coogee beach, 1920's. Its interesting to see how orderly everything is with everyone with their beach chairs in rows and lots of men wearing full suits.

[gordon_s1942]

Bondi, circa 1930. We now have the descendants of these rich people still dining there 85 years later. cant see any of Adam Goodes family though

Any ancestors of his would have been located down the coast a few miles at a place on the North Head of Botany Bay called La Perouse, named after the Frenchman who sailed into Botany Bay a day or 2 after James Cook arrived.
In between La Perouse and Bondi is Long Bay which was and still is one of the main Prisons rather like the now closed Victorian Pentridge was.

[admin]

Here is an interesting one, a Druid's Coronation procession circa 1912

[admin]

Circa 1909