The Mont Albert District - a Pictorial History 1830 to 2013

Heritage Notes

Home
Demographics
Prologue
Indigenous Heritage
Geology and Topography
Vegetation and Fauna
Climate and Hydrology
1830s
1840s to 1870s
1850s - Parish of Nunawading
1852 - Whitehorse Inn
1861 - Postal Services
1880s - Electricity Supply
1880s to 1920s
1882 - Phantom Railways to Doncaster
1883 - Residential Heritage Precinct
1884 - Broughton Park subdivsion
1884 - Brickworks
1885 - Surrey Hills district - map
1888 - Football Clubs
1889 - Gas Supply and Gasworks
1889 - Doncaster Electric Tramway and Tower
1890 - Mont Albert Railway Station
1892 - Surrey Hills Golf Club
1892 - Water Supply, Reservoirs and Sewerage
1899 - Telephone Services
1905 - The Surrey Dive
1907 - Scouts and Guides
1912 - Mont Albert Village Shopping Precinct
1914 - Mont Albert Progress Association
1916 - Californian Bungalows
1917 - Schools
1917 - Wattle Park
1924 - Early Shortwave Broadcasting from the Surrey Hills district
1924 - Black's Estate
1925 - Bus Services
1929 - Tramways
1930 - Cricket Clubs in Mont Albert
1930s - Balwyn - Beckett Park Bonfires and Wildlife Sanctuary
1948 - Grange Tennis Courts
1957 - Pioneer Park
1961 - Surrey Hills Communications Tower
1981 - Box Hill Miniature Railway
Koonung Creek Parklands
Heritage Notes
Mont Albert Road - Early History
Mont Albert Rd - the East End
Elgar Rd - north and south of Mont Albert Rd
Mont Albert Rd - View St to Elgar Rd
Bushland Reserves
Service Associations
Sporting Clubs
Box Hill Institute of TAFE
Walking Trails
Epilogue
Timeline
The Author's Websites
References and Acknowledgements

Overview

This Chapter is an assemblage of Short Notes concerning various activities in Mont Albert and Mont Albert North, gleaned principally from the Box Hill Reporter and Argus newspaper archives, and not described elsewhere in the Study.
 
Streets and Roads

Mont Albert Rd
1889 - horses and carts could not negotiate parts of Mont Albert Rd, due to transverse gutters
 
1898 - drains were built in parts of Mont Albert Rd

1902 - the road was formed
 
1913 - a villa was offered for auction on the cnr of Mont Albert and Elgar Rds. It was known as "Elaine" and the fenced property included two blocks either side. This became part of a subdivision in 1915. The villa is believed to be the first house at the eastern end of Mont Albert Rd, on the south side. Long gone.
 
1915 - there were complaints about cows trampling residents' gardens in Mont Albert Rd 
 
1926 - a new house numbering scheme was introduced
 
Rowland St
1915 - proposal to construct reinforced concrete drain 

Serpentine Street
1956 - final subdivision

View St
1918 - request for this street to be constructed
 
Union Rd
Pre-1880 - Union Rd was known as Warrington Rd
 
Footpaths
1927 - many ashphalt footpaths were replaced with concrete slabs
 
1903 - Salisbury St, Churchill St and Louise Avenue were constructed  
 
Hamilton St
1918 - Pope's Grocer and Provision Merchant store existed, telephone number was Box Hill 12, sold lime juice for one shilling and threepence a bottle
 
Elgar Rd
1922 - the original house numbering scheme was changed
 
George St
1922 - this street name was changed to Gladstone St
 
Beresford St
1909 - this street was constructed
 
Tree Plantings in Streets
1903 - plantings initiated by the Mont Albert Progress Association

1918 - new plantings at eastern end of Mont Albert Rd - residents were required to pay three shillings each for tree guards

 
 

Clubs and Societies
 
Note: In the War years from 1914-1918 here were many national womens' organizations active throughout Australia. Branches operated from many suburban locations, including Surrey Hills/Mont Albert. Some of these are mentioned below..
 
Mont Albert Girls' Club
1911-1914 - this organization had meetings and concerts in the Parish Hall
 
Red Cross League of Mont Albert
1915 - active, and collections were made 
 
Mont Albert Reading Circle
1916 -  regular meetings were held - closed down in 1969
 
Flower Shows
1917 - these were very popular and were held at the Mont Albert State School

Mont Albert Esperanto Club
1918 - met regularly and visits made to local schools
 
Australian Comforts Fund
1918 - Surrey Hills and Mont Albert Branch active, conducted market fairs near Surrey Hills station
 
Lady Mayoress Patriotic League
1918 - Surrey Hills and Mont Albert Branch active, organized Plain and Fancy Dress Dances in Surrey Hall
 
Church of England Boys Society
1918 - ognanized concerts in Surrey Hall
 
Mont Albert Gymkhanas
1925 - these were held on a paddock off Rostrevor Rd, Mont Albert North
 
Women's National League
1925 - there was an active Branch in Mont Albert 

 
 

General

Electric Light in Streets
1889 - an  electric street lamp was approved for the cnr of Mont Albert and Elgar Rds

1912 - electricity street-lighting plans were approved  by Nunawading Shire for the Box Hill district

1915 - , electric street lamps were proposed for Churchill St
 
Sewerage
1899 - sewerage was extended to the Surrey Hills district
 
Mont Albert Station
1907 a slot telephone was installed 
 
Electricity Sub-Station
A sub-station was built in 1928 near the corner of Mont Albert and Elgar Rds. This was closed in 1965.
 
Dogs 
1936/1941 - dogs were advertised for sale from 433 Mont Albert Rd
 
Buggy for Sale
1917 - a buggy was advertised for sale at 106 Mont Albert Rd (now 414)
 
National Poultry Farm
1917-1918 - this enterprise was at 106 Mont Albert Rd (now 414)
 
Box Hill Reporter
1889-1919 - this newspaper served the districts Box Hill, Blackburn, Surrey Hills and neighbouring areas 

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