Moonee Valley Family & Local History Blog

Feeling cooped up? Try taking a virtual walk. Google Street View allows you to explore places without actually going anywhere. The perfect solution during lockdown! To use Google Street View, go to Google Maps, https://www.google.com.au/maps, and search for a place or address. A map of the place will appear, and down in the far right-hand corner there will be small yellow person icon. Click and drag this icon, and drop it onto the map at the place you'd like to begin your explorations. A photographic representation of the place will appear, and you can click on arrows to navigate around the area. Street View is great for exploring where your ancestors lived. For example, many of my ancestors lived in a town named Mandal in Norway. I've never been actually been there, yet I've enjoyed taking a peek at the pretty lanes, streets and waterways from the comfort of home. Or explore closer to home. Flemington, for example, is an excellent candidate for random roaming. It is so fu...

We have an upcoming talk on the history of public institutions in Flemington and Kensington, happening on Wednesday 18 April, 6.30pm-7.30pm, at Flemington Library. History enthusiast John Dickie, Chair of the Flemington Association Committee, will share his expert knowledge on the establishment and history of local institutions in the Flemington and Kensington area. Learn the history of our library, the police station, churches and various other local institutions. Please contact library staff in person or call 8325 1975 if you require access for a wheelchair or disability scooter before attending an event so that we can ensure appropriate seating is arranged. Moonee Valley Libraries uses Eventbrite for all event bookings. When booking, you will be required to provide your name and contact details. The Eventbrite privacy policy can be found via the Privacy link at the bottom of the page.

Essendon Town Hall with Lending Library inside. Sam Merrifield Local History Collection Local Historian Lenore Frost has been busy over the past few months researching the history of libraries in Moonee Valley. Looking at the libraries of Essendon and Flemington, Lenore tells the story of how libraries begun in our area and how they grew out of a public desire for books. If you're looking to learn about how the libraries of Moonee Valley begun, Lenore's work is a great resource. You can find the link to her time travellers website below: Essendon Time Travellers Blog