Moonee Valley Family & Local History Blog

From as early as 1912, buses have been an efficient way for Melburnians to get from A to B. Who were the Moonee Valley locals who drove the first buses from Essendon Station? From what we can tell, it was very much a local family affair! Which perfectly fits August's theme of National Family History Month. The story begins in 1915 with a marriage between a young man from Moonee Ponds and a young lady from Essendon. Sergeant Herbert Vivian Memery, of the 29th Infantry Battalion, married Mona Grant on the 20th of November, 1915 . Shortly afterwards, Sergeant Memery embarked for war in February 1916, along with his brothers John and Samuel, and brother-in-law Edward. Mona was pregnant with their first child, and was living with her father James Grant at his property on Mount Alexander Road while her husband was deployed. Herbert and Mona’s first daughter was born there in 1916. Sadly, Sergeant Memery was injured in battle, but returned home to Mona in 1917. They welcomed a second da...

To help raise funds for the restoration of the Moonee Ponds Courthouse the Essendon Rotary Club and Essendon Historical Society are holding a steam train ride day on Sunday 20 November 2016.  Departing from Essendon Station there are 5 trips going to:  Box Hill return  Wyndham Vale return  Broadmeadows return   Newport via Broadmeadows one way  Prices vary between $25 - $50 for an adult ticket with children and family booking available. For bookings visit:  www.trybooking.com H Class Steam Locomotive hauling Albury Express passenger train at Essendon in 1949. Sourced from PROV (www.prov.vic.gov.au) with written permission.