Moonee Valley Family & Local History Blog

      IN June  1932 the Essendon Gazette had an interesting article on the history of the Travancore estate up to that date.   In the 1840’s the land on which Travancore mansion once stood was part of the sheep run owned by James Watson, one of Victoria’s early squatters. In 1852 an area of this land was sold to Hugh Glass, who transformed the property with extensive landscaping and the construction of an elaborate mansion. The gardens contained a number of glasshouses, hothouses, arbours and aviaries.  A number of Australian trees and shrubs were planted together with imported varieties.  Glass experimented with a number of experimental garden plots, growing amongst other things, tea, coffee, sugarcane, bananas and rice. The grounds were also home to a variety of animals including kangaroos, ostriches, goats, llamas and camels. Camels from the estate were used in the relief expedition for Burke and Wills. In 1865, Hugh Glass was forced ...

In April 1942 articles in the Essendon Gazette reflected the unease felt in the community as Australia faced war on her doorstep.  Mr T. Pidd, the Defence Training Inspector at Essendon Technical School, drew up plans for a stirrup pump capable of pumping water out of air raid shelters. The pump was made by modifying a car pump, and his blue prints were made available to the public for 3/- Lighting restrictions were also in place. Inside lighting was only permissible if curtains, drapes or blinds obscured the windows. No   light was to be seen outside   a building between sunset and dawn. Residents were instructed to be ready to observe a total blackout at a moments notice. You can view the original articles from  the Essendon Gazette dated 16/04/1942. Available on microfilm in the Sam Merrifield Library.

In January 1920 The Essendon Gazette reported that  “accelerated and more frequent services for electric trains between Sandringham and Essendon came into operation”. Trains were to run every four minutes in peak times and every fifteen minutes “in the slack periods”. It was noted that the improved service was much appreciated. The Essendon Gazette p2, 29/01/1920 You can read the full article on microfilm in the Sam Merrifield Library.

On November 22nd  1958 the new swimming pool in Queens Park, Essendon was opened. The state of the art Olympic size pool featured an aluminium  diving board imported from England and an up to date “most efficient filtration system” ,  capable of changing the 420,000 gallons (1.55 million litres) of  water in the pool every eight hours.  In the grounds of the pool, a flat roofed dressing pavilion provides bathers with a sunbathing area and view of the pool. An area has been set aside for the parking of up to 120 bicycles. You can read further details in the 20th November edition of the  Essendon Gazette available on microfilm in the Sam Merrifield Library.