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.

--
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.

For more images like this visit us at https://www.facebook.com/olddandenong/

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

For more images like this visit us at https://www.facebook.com/olddandenong/

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

For more images like this visit us at https://www.facebook.com/olddandenong/

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

For more images like this visit us at https://www.facebook.com/olddandenong/

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.

For more images like this visit us at https://www.facebook.com/olddandenong/

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.

For more images like this visit us at https://www.facebook.com/olddandenong/

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.


For more images like this visit us at https://www.facebook.com/olddandenong/

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.

For more images like this visit us at https://www.facebook.com/olddandenong/

Lonsdale Street, Dandenong, undated.

Looking towards the Clow Street intersection. Guests furniture was still proudly on the corner. Maples still occupied the store further up the road where the small park now stands. 

McCrae street was still a road, the section between Clow and Walker would later be converted into Palm Plaza, with the war memorial being moved from outside the post office on Lonsale Street to this end of McCrae/PalmPlaza.

Image by , Graham Southam

For more images like this visit us at https://www.facebook.com/olddandenong/

Kendalls Dairy, Corner Robinson and Rodd Streets, Dandenong, undated.

Who remembers the old dairy on corner of Robinson and Rodd Streets, it was later occupied by an engraving business in early 1960s, before it was pulled down to make room for flats.

Image supplied by: Hans Van Dyk

For more images like this visit us at https://www.facebook.com/olddandenong/

Cheney, 15-23 Langhorne Street, Dandenong, undated.

Cheney once stood where the Dandenong Hub arcade now stands in Langhorne Street, opposite the Post Office. Later the business would merge with Patterson Motors to form the present business. The local Cheney was opened in 1949 at temporary premises in Pultney Street, later (by 1950) moving to this location in Langhorne Street.

Cheney was originally founded by Sydney Albert Cheney), car salesman, born on 22 March 1883 at Smithfield, South Australia, fifth son of Samuel Cheney, labourer, and his wife Mary Ann, née Goodger.

In 1920 Cheney decided to take up a Chevrolet agency, left his Adelaide company and founded S. A. Cheney Pty Ltd in Melbourne; he soon climbed Mount Buffalo in thirty-seven minutes in top gear to demonstrate what a Chevrolet could do. In 1922 in South Melbourne he set up the first assembly line in the Australian motor industry. However, when General Motors themselves opened assembly works in 1926, Cheney switched to selling Austin and Morris cars, launched an advertising campaign to 'Buy British and be proud of it!', and persuaded William Morris (Lord Nuffield) to visit Australia to see why his cars were unsuited to local conditions.

Early in the Depression, after successful efforts to place his employees elsewhere, Cheney closed down his business in good order, and had a year's holiday. He then began selling used cars and in 1932 took an agency for Vauxhall cars and Bedford trucks, which he continued until the late 1950s when he finally took a Holden agency. He had also operated Sanderson & Cheney Pty Ltd as a large service station enterprise. During World War II he was active, with governmental support, in promoting gas-producers and charcoal production. In Adelaide in 1965 he published his autobiography From Horse to Horsepower.

Photo supplied by  Stuart Jordan

For more images like this visit us at https://www.facebook.com/olddandenong/

Dandenong Railway Station - pre 1922

Dandenong Railway Station - pre 1922

For more images like this visit us at https://www.facebook.com/olddandenong/

Turnpike/Turntable, Dandenong Station, undated.

The Dandenong steam loco turntable and sheds were located on the former site of the Southern Aurora Hotel, Which now forms part of the Bus interchange and the adjacent carpark. The old signal box can bee seen in the background, which has also been removed.

For more images like this visit us at https://www.facebook.com/olddandenong/

Mayfair, 170 Thomas Street, Dandenong, undated.

This is the Mayfair Cinema (previously called The Boomerang) that used to be at 170 Thomas Street, Dandenong (where the old Target store later stood, and the new Council Buildings/Library now stand.
It first opened in 1924 as The Boomerang, and was renamed The Mayfair in 1951.

My Dad took the original photo (this is a photo of that). He started work there as an Assistant Projectionist when he was 16 (1950) and went on to show movies at various Cinemas & Drive-Ins until his mid-60s.

Photo by; R. Trewin
Supplied by; Terri Trewin


For more images like this visit us at https://www.facebook.com/olddandenong/

Dandenong Girls' High School, 23 Ann Street, Dandenong, undated.

The old Dandenong Girls High School, initially situated at the former site of the Eclarte tweed mill on Princes Highway, was built as a girls high school in 1957 with the motto, Above Renown, and the Olympic Torch as its logo. Later the school would include boys and be renamed to Cleeland Secondary College.

In 2007 Cleeland Secondary College along with Doveton Secondary College merged with the nearby Dandenong High School to form one school based at the Dandenong High School and Cleeland Secondary College locations.

The school was also known as Dandenong Girl's Secondary School and Dandenong North High School at various times in it's history.

Thank you Colleen Duggan-Bailey for providing this image

For more images like this visit us at https://www.facebook.com/olddandenong/

Sound Shell, Dandenong Park, undated.

The Sound Shell structure was constructed at Dandenong Park in 1967, after some strong lobbying by the Dandenong R.S.L and Citizens Band. In 1964 the band was invited to present a deputation to the Public Works Committee to express their concerns about accommodation at the old Memorial Hall, where they stored their instruments and practiced. They presented adeputation to the Council in January 1965. In May 1965 the Council decided to build a concert auditorium in the Dandenong Park to cater for community groups such as the Dandenong R.S.L. and the Citizens Band.

In February 1966 the Public Works Committee assigned the design and development of the sound shell (with public toilets and a band room) to Alsop and Duncan P/L with a note or condition that the council would decide on the location and approximate area for the structure. The location was at the rear of the bowling club with the shell fronting Foster Street and conveniently situated between two paths forming a triangle.

In April 1967 the architects Alsop and Duncan P/L submitted working drawings and specifications for ‘A Sound Shell, Conveniences etc at the Dandenong Park’ to Council and called for tenders that closed on the 18th May 1967. Tender documents described the location of the sound shell as follows:
“...in front of the large cypress tree which borders along the
western side of the Croquet Lawn and is sited so that only one
tree in the Park, which can be replanted will be interfered with.”

The sound shell and toilets were intended to replace two antiquated toilets, which were causing so much concern due to dilapidation. The plans were shown to the community and on 8 May the council recommended that the plan be adopted as there had been no objection from the public and the work could be carried out under the supervision of the design architect.

In June 1967 the tender of Ajax Contractors for $21,585 was accepted, following a recommendation from the architects, and the shell was constructed as a brick, steel and concrete structure. The estimated cost of the works, including architects’ fees, was $22,000. The opening of the sound shell on the 5th November 1967 was marked by an outdoor Catholic Mass celebrated by five priests, two of whom representing missionaries of the Sacred Heart Movement. It was to be the first outdoor mass ever celebrated in Dandenong. Father O’Donnell, parish priest of St Mary’s, Dandenong, presided at the mass.

After all of the lobbying and eventual success in having the shell built, the R.S.L. and Citizens Band were denied full access to it for practice sessions and storage. Council’s time restrictions (one night per week only and no use between 12pm Saturday to 4pm Sunday) were not satisfactory to the band. Nevertheless, after long negotiations between the band and the council, the band became a regular user of the shell. Other users of the auditorium were Carols by Candlelight, Dandenong Assembly of God, St Mary’s Parish, Salvation Army, Australia Day Committee and other community groups.

On the 5 June 1988 the sound shell was named after Mr Stan Prior, a Dandenong identity and the city’s oldest practicing band man. Stan was born in South Melbourne on 19 July 1890 and went to school at Eastern Rd Primary School in South Melbourne. His 100th birthday was celebrated by the community of Dandenong and hosted by the Mayor Cr B. J. Powell in the Dandenong Town Hall on 22 July 1990. Mr Prior played the cornet with the City of Dandenong Band until he died in August 1992. By the end he was more of a mascot than a musician but his great age and his status as a veteran of two world wars meant he was a household name in Dandenong. He loved visiting the local nursing homes to play music for the old folk.

As part of the master plan to revitalize the Dandenong Park precinct, the stage was demolished in late June 2016, along with the Bowling Club, Croquet Club and Kindergarten located within the surrounding area. The intent to build a boulevard path and redesign the gardens within the park required removal of all existing structures.

Demolition, June 28th-29th, 2016.

For more images like this visit us at https://www.facebook.com/olddandenong/

Tin Shed, 18 Scott Street, Dandenong, undated

These photos were kindly supplied by Kelly Baker Bennett, She writes "Hi I thought I would send you a couple of old photos my mother in law has of the tin shed in Dandenong. Her name is Kathy Bennett and her father in-law owned it his name was Vic Bennett."

For more images like this visit us at https://www.facebook.com/olddandenong/

Armytage Own, First Dandenong Scout Hall, 61 Princes Highway, Dandenong, undated.

The First Dandenong Scout Group (Armytage's Own) was formed in March, 1928 by Mr Ted Swords, the first scout master. Apparently a prior group existed for some time in 1917, before their scout master was sent off to serve in the A. I. F. The scout troop called themselves Armytage's Own, as a tribute to Miss Ada Armytage of Holm Park, Beaconsfield (her country house) and Como House, South Yarra.

During the Second World War, the scout hall and the park, which must have been partially cleared,was used by the American Armed Forces as a hospital base, associated with their encampment at Rowville. The hall was partitioned and servicemen were treated in the hall and five other huts erected around it. After the War the High School utilised the hospital huts as classrooms, gymnasium and for school social functions. All but one of the huts were later moved across the road to the school grounds. The wider community also made good use of the hall for meetings, dances, exhibitions and community events.

 Chris Simmins writes.. old Dandenong local ,Mr Alan Trounson, tells me that the original Dandenong rubbish tip for the township was located at the back of Hemmings park. Also the Australian Army Recuperation Camp Hospital No 21 was based at Hemmings Park. 

In relation to the Armytage building, this snippet via Trove... Australian Woman's Weekly 26 Jan 1935 p23.DANDENONG Scouts have a fairy godmother. She is Miss Ada Armytage,of Como, South Yarra, and Holm Park, Beaconsfield, after whom the 1st Dandenong Group is called. 'Armytage's Own' She has always been interested in their movement, and was largely instrumental in building the Scout Hall on the Princes Highway at Dandenong. She wears 'The Gold Thanks' badge. Though the hall has been built four years, the foundation-stone was laid during the recent jamboree in the presence of more than a hundred Scouts of 29 nationalities.Miss Armytage was the founder of the 'Pass It On Club', and has always been busy with philanthropic work.Early in 1914 she had innumerable tiny Belgian flags made and sold them in aid of the Belgians, and out of her charming idea grew the 'flag days', and later, the 'button days', that raised such huge sums during the war. Miss Armytage, who was born at Fulham, Balmoral, had an aboriginal nurse, a daughter of the king of the tribe at Fulham, and the old queen remembered the landing of the first white men.When the white men asked "What is that animal jumping about?" the king answered, "Kan ga roo,"...meaning... "I do not know what you say" and,according to the story Miss Armytage heard, that is how the kangaroo got its name.


For more images like this visit us at https://www.facebook.com/olddandenong/

Funeral Procession by Garnar Undertakers, Lonsdale Street, Dandenong, undated.

Garnars Undertakers – a prominent Dandenong funeral business in Walker St, Dandenong - was owned and operated by James William Garner (1851-1913) and featured a mortuary in Crump Lane.
Garnar himself would often lead the funeral processions through town.

After his death in 1913, James Garner’s eldest son, William, and his grandson Len, took over the business, changing its name to W.J. Garnar & Son. William Garner was known for leading funeral possessions (on foot) along Lonsdale Street (as pictured).

In the 1930s, a severe flood hit the streets of Dandenong – and when Garnar opened his flood effected mortuary he discovered that two coffins, one empty and one occupied, had been swept away. They were later recovered from the creek in Mordialloc.
Although the family name was spelled ‘Garner’, James altered it to ‘Garnar’ in order to distinguish himself from other people associated with the ‘Garner’ spelling. The W.J. Garnar & Son business was sold to Le Pine Funerals in 1950. Garnar Lane in Dandenong is named after the family.

Image and information courtesy of:
Greater Dandenong City Council
http://www.facebook.com/greaterdandenong

For more images like this visit us at https://www.facebook.com/olddandenong/

Town Hall, Lonsdale Street, Dandenong, undated.

There were poets in Dandenong in the very early times, and from an old “Journal” the following writing was taken. The author was at one time likely the licensee of Dunn’s Hotel, as the name fits in with several incidents connected with the friendly intercourse between the police and the publicans, when food, etc., was scarce, and in a neighbourly fashion they borrowed from each other.

"A township sweet and beautiful,
With homes pretty and neat;
Gardens decked with flowers rare,
And clean in every street.

With hills each side where we look,
Close by ranges rising high;
A running brook, so clear, so clear,
Continuously running by.

Where a forest large and wild once stood,
Where the black man lived for years;
Where the kangaroo so oft’ was killed,
With the long and pointed spears.

Where corrobboree so oft’ was held.
Around the blazing pile;
Where, when in battle stealthy crept,
The warriors in single file.

The white man camped long, long ago,
And Dunbar with the natives laid
A consultation with the then great men,
When he taught them good from bad.

Where children were kidnapped from homes,
But now all these have gone;
And reminding us of the days of yore,
Stands the township — Dandenong!"

For more images like this visit us at https://www.facebook.com/olddandenong/