Dandenong Mechanics Institute in 1878.

Later, about 1880, a brick building was built in front of this, facing Lonsdale Street. In 1890 the Town Hall was opened, taking over the site of this and the brick building, with the Mechanics Institute obtaining rights to part of the first floor.

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Dandenong South Primary School Class Photos.

Various class photos from Dandenong South Primary/State School.

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Dandenong South Primary School late 1963

Dandenong South Primary School officially opened on April 5, 1961, as Dandenong South State School and was renamed Dandenong South Primary School in 1970. The school was established to serve the growing population in the area, with initial construction beginning in 1960. 

Photo supplied by Kay Kay.

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Dandenong Technical School, 1967.

Bruce Robinson wrote:

Staff at Dandenong Technical School in 1967.

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Staff at Dandenong Technical School 1969

I remember, when sitting in Mr. Scott-Branagan's class, a Mr. Favaloro, hopefully correct spelling, came in with a student with suspected broken wrist from getting the strap. The two teachers had a contest in front of us, two pieces of chalk were broken so they were both the same, first Mr. Scott-Branagan swung his strap and the chalk was crumbled, then Mr. Favaloro swung his strap, his piece was dust.

Supplied by Bruce Robinson.

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Dandenong High in 1964

Pam Kirby wrote:

The teaching staff at Dandenong High in 1964. Who can ever forget Mr. Barry Jones.

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Dandenong North Primary School 1959.

Pam Kirby writes:

My father, Mr Vern Edgoose, taught at Dandenong North Primary school for over 20 years, until the early 1970s, I still have some of his Grade photos and some of my own from there too. Amazingly I can remember a lot of the kids name.

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Thuruna, 60 Clow Street, Dandenong, undated.

Hidden in the middle of the former R.S.L. aged housing area on Clow Street, Thuruna was originally built in about 1904/05, and was the home of William Peter Cadle.

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William Peter Cadle was a descendent of Joseph Cadle. Joseph Cadle and his family had operated wind and steam mills in Little Brighton prior to moving to Dandenong in the 1860s. They purchased a flour mill in Langhorne Street from William Monger, a builder who had constructed the mill in the early 1850s. The business was managed by the Cadle family until 1918, when William Peter Cadle retired. Cadle Bros. remained the registered name for the business until 1958.

William Peter Cadle purchased the land at the corner of Clow and Foster Streets in 1903 and proceeded to have this house built, calling it Thuruna. He personally supervised its injury. The original garden at Thuruna was large with lawns and flower beds, shrubs and large trees. The gravel drives curved in from double gates on Clow and Foster Streets and continued along the sides of the house and between the lawns to the front paddock.

When William P Cadle retired from his business in 1918, he frontages to Clow Street and Walker Street. It was about this time that he subdivided the land and put Ruddock Street through the property. The subdivision date is not recorded but the contract for the sale of one of the first blocks dates November 1920.

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Lonsdale Street, Dandenong, Late 1960s

Lonsdale Street, Dandenong, Late 1960s

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Town Hall, Lonsdale Street, Dandenong, 1933.

Cookery Demonstration and Exhibition in the Town Hall. The demonstration and exhibition was organised by the Colonial Gas Association, most of the demonstrations being done by local ladies. 

Dandenong Journal - Thu 8 Jun 1933 - Page 5: http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article201300579

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Market, corner of Clow and Cleeland Streets, Dandenong, 1972.

The old market buildings of this era are long gone, but memories still retain the atmosphere of what was a country market, with all the hustle of what was becoming city life, the market helped to remind locals of the roots of this town. The furniture store still occupied the right corner, whilst Cardens hadn't moved into the top floor on the left side.

A few years later, in 1975, the market site was redeveloped with the old produce hall demolished and new brick produce and fruit halls built further along Cleeland Street. A plaque on the corner of Cleeland and King Street commemorates their opening in 1976. The council was keen to retain the rural atmosphere and European market style and an open air section was retained and it was marketed with the slogan 'City shopping with a country atmosphere.'

This photo and some of the information above is courtesy of the Dandenong Market facebook team.

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Parkmore Estate, Keysborough,1964.

On the corner of Cheltenham and Chandler roads, this sale saw the subdivision of 119 blocks. Georgina Lowe writes that her parents bought lot number 87 for 1275 pounds in 1964.

Photos supplied by Georgina Lowe

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Rover Den, next to Scout Hall, Princes Hwy, Dandenong

The old Rover Den on the left of the scout hall now gone, Lonsdale Rovers (affiliated with 1st dandy) met there for many years and was later joined by Tanjenong Rovers(affiliated with 9th Dandy) in the early 80's - then renamed to Ecks-Calibre Rovers that met there well into the 90's and possibly later.

Rover Scouts, also known as Rovers, is the fifth and final youth section of Scouts Australia, Rover Scouts are adults aged between 18 and 25 years of age and are organised into local Crews, which can be associated with a Scout Group or operate stand-alone.

Rover Scouts began in 1918, and are based on founder Baden-Powell's book Rovering to Success and the theme of knighthood. Rover Scouts are actively encouraged to become better citizens through taking part in Scouts Australia's training programs, developing leadership skills, participating in outdoor activities, attending national and international events, providing service to the community and generally building their life skills.

Rover Scouts are distinguished by a red shoulder panel on the blue Scout uniform shirt, with green badges on each shoulder if the wearer is a fully invested/knighted member, as well as the traditional 'knot' of five ribbons (tan for Joeys, yellow for Cubs, green for Scouts, maroon for Venturers and red for Rover Scouts) – this distinguishes Rovers from every other section.

Photo and info supplied by: Brad Farrell

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Pultney Street, Dandenong, 1916 Floods.

Below is an except from the " South Bourke and Mornington Journal, Thu 28 Sep 1916, Page 2"

On Thursday night, 21st inst., rain commenced to fall, and there was every indication of a heavy downpour, and, unfortunate to relate, the outcome was the heaviest flood experienced for upwards of twenty years. All parts of the State have been similarly affected, the amount of damage is almost beyond calculation, and to this must be added the many sad fatalities which have been recorded at different centres.

At Dandenong the rain was almost continuous until Saturday night, and by that time the creek had overrun its banks, and at Carrum a washaway occurred, in consequence of which many of the residents will suffer severe loss. The "straight cuts" made some time ago near the Dandenong creek certainly enabled the flood waters to get away from beyond the railway embankment, although it did not tend to improve matters in the Carrum area.

On Sunday the Main road, from the blue stone bridge, almost to the Cranbourne road junction, was under water, in places up to five feet, and quite a crowd of people went to view the scene. The low lying portion of Gordon Park and the Grange Estate (near Kidd's bridge) were inundated to a great extent, whilst at McLeod road, in the South riding, there is said to have been a depth of 10 feet of water.

The ti-tree flat on the Cranbourne road was a vast expanse of water, and one of the bridges nearby on the Main road was damaged, and had to be hastily attended to by the Cranbourne shire daymen late on Saturday night and on Sunday. On Monday morning the water had practically cleared from the Main road, and from then on the rainfall moderated somewhat.

Up till 6 o'clock on Saturday 5 inches 23 points were registered at Dandenong, and at 9 a.m. on Wednesday. the total had reached 6 inches 59 points.

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Receipt, purchase of property in Parkmore estate, 1964.

Receipt, purchase of property in Parkmore estate, 1964.
Georgina Lowe writes that her parents bought lot number 87 for 1275 pounds in 1964.
                  *** A plan of the estate can be seen here. **

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Dandenong Council Offices, 1967

Photo taken by Graham Southam.
The building as it was then has seen many changes creating the building that now stands, but you can still see some of the original design showing in the present building.

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Dandenong Sewerage Authority, 205 Thomas Street, Dandenong, 1968.

Although not the most exciting place to work at, many did this job, and did it well, from it's earliest inception the authority played an important role in creating and maintaining what we today take for granted. Sewerage was first controlled by a committee in the local council, before the authority was created.

But perhaps the foreground distracts you too much, we can't help but wonder how it happened.

Dandenong Sewerage Authority became Dandenong Springvale Sewerage Authority then taken over by MMBW to become South East Water. 

Photo taken by the wonderful Graham Southam.

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Frank Facey, 254 Lonsdale Street, Dandenong, undated.

Frank Facey was born in Cranbourne, Victoria and after a career in coach building , started a Real Estate business in Dandenong which commenced trading in 1917. In 1945 a new site was purchased and a new office built in Lonsdale Street. In 1982 they joined the First National Real Estate Group. In 1990 Hall & Partners took control and they began trading as Hall & Partners First National from the same Lonsdale Street Location.

Advocate - Sat 21 Jun 1913 - Page 19

Frank Facey purchased the well know Coach business started by John Hemmings, in Pultney street, but by 1917 he had started his real estate business in the shop to the left of Crumps store on Lonsdale street. Frank’s son Angus joined his father in the business in 1930. His son Andrew followed in his footsteps and joined his father in the business in 1968 and took over the management in 1974. In 1956, with his son Angus now in charge, Facey Real Estate moved into their new premises at 254 Lonsdale street.

The present form of the local business, Hall & Partners First National, is still located at 254 Lonsdale street, although extensive changes to the front of the building make it almost impossible to recognise now. To the left was the Bank Of New South Wales, now home to the Westpac bank.

Image supplied by Geraldine Kyte

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Gladstone House, corner Langhorne and Foster Streets, Dandenong.

Gladstone House hydropathic hospital on the corner of Langhorne and Foster streets (153 Foster Street) Dandenong opened in 1896, working on the theory of water therapy, no medicine or operations. Her husband passed away in 1911 at 77, around similar time Dr Barclay Thompson obtained control of the practice. Mrs Orgill remaining on in some capacity.

Elizabeth Mary Orgill (nee Gladstone) operated Gladstone House until at least 1911, along with another hydropathic hospital (Birthwood) on Cheltenham road. She was the daughter of William Gladstone (Nephew of William Ewart Gladstone, UK prime minister in 1874).

Around 1912 Dr A. E. Taylor took over the location from Dr. Barclay Thompson. Mrs Orgill was still working here but no longer controlled the prectice, having given it up to Barclay. Taylor served as medical officer for the Shire for before his death in 1939. After Taylor's death Dr. T. C. Reeves bought his practice in 1939, later that year being appointed medical officer,

Gladstone Road in Dandenong is named after her family, who owned and occupied a farming paddock in the area on former Police Paddock ground, the Police reserve having earlier been reduced back to Stud Road.

Hydropathy (now known as Hydrotherapy) and also called water cure, is a part of medicine and alternative medicine, in particular of naturopathy, occupational therapy and physiotherapy, that involves the use of water for pain relief and treatment.

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Royal Hotel, Lonsdale/Walker Streets, Dandenong, 1897

Located on the corner where Dunbar's hotel once stood,later it would be occupied by the AMP building, and presently it is home to the Dandenong Civic Centre. Over the years, since Dunbar built his first hotel, this corner has seen many changes. The hotel pictured was built by Mr Charles Henry Dawson.

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The following is an extract from the Weekly Times, Sat 20 Nov 1897, Page 17.
"The Royal Hotel. Dandenong, which is occupied and owned by Mr C. H. Dawson, is a fine two-storied brick building, situated at the corner of Walker and Lonsdale streets, having a frontage to both. It is within five minutes' walk of the railway station .and the visitor to Dandenong, on putting up at the Royal, will be surprised to find such a spacious hotel in a town of its size. The building contains 43 rooms. and covers an acre of ground. There is a fine large dining room, where meals are served in a tasty manner, and the commercial rooms and parlours are nicely furnished and cosy."

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Furniture World, Lonsdale Street, Dandenong, 1970s

Furniture world used to be Partons drapery store. Whites shoes was located to the right with the old Gas Centre on the left, Furniture world also occupied the old Wessex building on the corner of Walker and Langhorne streets for some time before it was demolished.

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Walker and Langhorne Street, Dandenong, 1950-60

This view shows the intersection of Walker and Langhorne streets between 1950 and 1960, with Walker street running from left to right and Langhorne street running from top to bottom. On the lower corner can be seen the Wessex, with Maggs following at the bottom. The name of the business between Maggs and Wessex is unknown to us at this time.

The small hut on the upper corner was the Rest Hut (built in 1943), until late in 1953, the local branch of the R.S.L. met here. In November of 1953 they officially moved to their new rooms further up Walker Street. Sadly with the extensions of the Capital Centre, forming the Dandenong Plaza, Westwood was demolished, now forming part of the carpark.

With little tables, chairs, couches and easy chairs grouped about it, and a fire place in the centre of the room, the hall had been very comfortably furnished and was much admired. The land was supplied by Mr. Tom Caroll, as a generous offer of the use of the land on which the hut stood “to do as they liked, for as long as they liked.” With the locals working on it every Saturday afternoon for the four months it took to build.

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Springvale (main street) in the early 1970's

The name Springvale arose from a permanent water source for stock and travellers between Melbourne and Dandenong that was in the vicinity of the intersection of Dandenong and Centre/Police Roads.

It was near the springs in the 1850s that the Spring Vale hotel was built alongside the newly surveyed route between Oakleigh and Dandenong. From this hotel came the name of Springvale as we use it now.

The first Springvale Post Office opened on 12 September 1864 and closed in 1892. This office had been superseded by Springvale Railway Station office (opened 1887) which was renamed Springvale in 1902. A Springvale North Post Office was also open between 1946 and 1978.

In 1886, land was subdivided near the railway station and the area began to grow. By the 1920s the Spring Vale community had a lodge, brass band, a recreation reserve, a mechanics' institute, a few shops and some houses in the township.

A picture theatre opened in 1924. At the outbreak of the second world war Springvale was a pastoral, residential and industrial township with market gardens in the surrounding areas. Sand extraction industries were active, lasting until the 1990s.

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Walker and Langhorne Streets, Dandenong,1878-83.

Jones's New Dandenong bakery was the joy of .J. T. Thorpe, in the early days he was the only baker in Dandenong. He established his bakery in about 1878/79, and by 1883 had moved the bakery to new and bigger premises in Keys Buildings on Lonsdale Street. In 1896 R. F. Meyer took control of the bakery.

The small building used for the bakery was originally built by Mr Bowman In 1857. In turn it was occupied by butchers, bakers and other tradesmen. A baker named Gatling had it for a time, but the tenant occupying it prior to its being demolished was J. T. Thorpe. He baked there for many years, eventually removing to Keys’ Buildings.

Jones and his wife later moved to Cranbourne, where they continued to be involved in the bakery field, opening a local bakery. In the 1950s the Cranbourne business was still being carried on by Jack Thorpe, at the time it was the oldest bakery in Cranbourne.

Eventually the Twiss family took over the Dandenong Bakery, running it for some years.They later took over the Railway refreshment rooms at the Dandenong station from Mrs. Clinch, who took over from Miss Bottril (we believe the first to conduct them).

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Langhorne Street, Dandenong, Anzac Day 1970

Looking up Langhorne Street towards Foster street, from close to Princes highway. This shot shows part of the Anzac Day march in 1970. Sadly we don't have any names for the people.

The Dandenong Hub now stands where Cheney was, note that at this time Clark Rubber was in Langhorne street. They would also find a home in the corner building on McCrae Street and Princes Highway. Cheney later merged with Patterson to form the present Patterson Cheney business on Cheltenham road.

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Telephone Exchange, McCrae Street, Dandenong, undated.

This is after the building was extended from the original wooden structure to the present brick one. You can see the Dandenong Hub in the edge of the right side. This section of McCrae street is now a pedestrian mall. The photo would have been taken from in front of the former Myer building.

Looking from the other side of Walker street.

Between 1950-60. This view shows the original building before being extended into the present brick one, looking up McCrae street, with Walker running across the bottom. Behnd the Telephone Exchange is the rear of Cheeney, now occupied by the Dandenong Hub.

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Dandenong Primary (state) School, 174-182 Foster Street, Dandenong.

Interestingly this undated photo includes the fence missing in most images, which leaves us curious of the date range for the quaint wooden fence.

The first Dandenong state school was built at the corner of Robinson and Foster Streets and officially opened its doors on 4 May 1874. Not long after the Railway was built to Dandenong, safety became an issue with the schools proximity to the station, so it moved to its present site on Foster Street in 1881 and welcomed about 200 students.

The Gothic-inspired building took nine months to construct and at the time its ornate style was considered to add significantly to the township’s architecture. It had three rooms – one for boys, one for girls and a gallery – and modern fittings for the day including a porch, a hat rack and ventilation.

But not everyone was pleased with the new school. Joseph Harris, the St Kilda MP at the time, said that although the building was pleasing, he felt the expenditure on school buildings in the colony was too lavish. He said that if more unpretentious buildings were erected, surplus finance could be used to open schools in more sparsely-populated districts.

A classroom, head teacher’s office and lavatory were added in 1901 and another four classrooms were completed in 1909. Further classrooms were added in the 1940s and 1950s to cope with expanding enrollments, which topped 760 pupils in 1960. The school today has over 300 students from families representing 45 different nationalities.

Image courtesy of D.D.H.S.
http://www.ddhs.com.au/

 — at Dandenong Primary School.


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Springvale Hotel, Princes Highway, Springvale, undated.

The name Springvale arose from a permanent water source for stock and travellers between Melbourne and Dandenong that was in the vicinity of the intersection of Dandenong and Centre/Police Roads. It was near the springs in the 1850s that the Spring Vale hotel was built alongside the newly surveyed route between Oakleigh and Dandenong. 

The hotel's proprietor chose that name because of the natural springs and his association with a place near the Bog of Allen in his native Ireland. It was expected that a village would spring up around the hotel but this did not eventuate until the primary school was opened at the top of the hill in 1867, and even then it never grew to its full potential at this location.

In 1886, land was subdivided and sold alongside a stopping place where Spring Vale Road and the Gippsland railway line (opened 1879) intersected. This land was nearly two kilometres south of the hotel and school on Princes Highway and it was here that the main Springvale township developed.

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Lonsdale Street, Dandenong, 1913

Looking towards the Town Hall (behind the tree) from just after Clow street. The photo is titled "Market Day - 26/8/13". Look at the size of that crowd. At this time the market was still located on Lonsdale street, from the Clow street intersection, to about where the tree is. The stock was penned in an open section on the corner of Lonsdale and Clow. Tuesday was Market Day.

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Bridge, Lonsdale Street, Dandenong, early 1930s

Looking across the bridge over the Dandenong Creek towards the intersection of Foster Street in the early 1930's. the Peace Memorial Bridge was opened for traffic on the 24th August 1919. The bridge commemorates the declaration of peace in 1919 and is also dedicated to those who gave their lives to save 
civilisation.

The Treaty of Versailles was one of the peace treaties at the end of World War One. It ended the state of war between Germany and the Allied Powers. It was signed on 28 June 1919, exactly five years after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. The other Central Powers on the German side of World War One were dealt with in separate treaties. Although the armistice signed on 11 November 1918, ended the actual fighting, it took six months of negotiations at the Paris Peace Conference to conclude the peace treaty.

Once described as ‘one of the best bridges in Victoria. With the park facing wall removed, the bridge still carries a portion of the Princes Highway over the Dandenong Creek on the railway side.
Over the years ‘the rapids of Dandenong’, so described once by the poet Adam Lindsay Gordon, have swept away more than one bridge in the area. The first bridge over Dandenong Creek was constructed in 1840. A flood swept this away ten years later and it was replaced.

The stone bridge, built in 1866, probably by Robert Huckson, lasted 52 years. Part of it was granite, quarried locally from the vicinity of Wedge and Power Streets. The integrity was undermined by repeated floods, rendering the bridge unsafe for use. Some of the stones were scattered along the creek to build it up after the erosion damage that had been caused by previous flooding.

When the Highway was duplicated, land taken from the Dandenong Park side of the Highway, as it continues from Foster Street, past the creek towards Webster Street, was used for the extra lanes. When duplicating the Dandenong Creek Bridge, the park facing wall of the Peace Memorial Bridge was removed, as the extra bridge/carriageway was added on the Park side creating the present bridge.

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