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Shops
The first shop in The Basin was built in 1924 by Mr. R. B. Smith on the corner of Basin-Olinda Road and Mountain Highway and was known as “Smith’s Store”.
Smith started his store from a room off his house which was situated about halfway between The Basin Primary school and the first The Basin Post Office along Mountain Highway. He sold sweets and grocery items from his house. As a child attending The Basin Primary School, Emily Stephen could recall occasionally spending a halfpenny there on her way home from school. A Mrs. Collier served in the shop at the time. Emily was the daughter of Brigadier J. R. Stephen who was manager of the Salvation Army Home No. 1 from 1914 to 1932.
Smith added a barn to the rear of his shop in 1926. He purchased a grain store that belonged to Bob & Bert Cox near the corner of Toorak and Warrigal Roads and had it hauled to The Basin on a large jinker by a team of 9 horses (see photographs on page 2).
Barn dances became a fashion in the 1920’s and what better spot could be found than Smith’s Barn? Many dances were held here to provide entertainment and raise finances for building the Basin Progress Hall.
Mr. Smith was a leading figure in district activities and was instrumental in the formation of The Basin Tennis Club. He built two tennis courts at the rear of his property where competition tennis was played for many years.
Later owners of the store included Poulter, Davies, Spong, Horsfield, and Youl.
The store, and barn were demolished when the new shopping centre was built in 1963. The tennis courts were built over in a later property development.
In 1955, Keith and Mary Youl took on a five year lease on ”Smith’s Store” from the owner Mr Horsfield (see “A glimpse of History at The Basin Store” on page ). He promised to improve the store which was in a dilapidated state. After the lease ran out and the promised improvements never eventuated, the Youl’s purchased land in Forest Road opposite the current Fire Brigade and built a new store there.
Smith's Store - etching depicting store in 1920's
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Cox's Barn - PhotoCox's Barn on Jinker - Photo
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They ran the new store for about 7 years but could see the demise of corner stores so they sold the business to Kevin Hevey. He later applied for a license to sell alcohol in the store but was refused because of the store’s proximity to the Infant Welfare Centre and Kindergarten. Kevin later discovered that if he moved his business to the new shopping centre he could obtain a license - which he did. The licensed grocer has been there ever since.
Kevin Hevey also moved the newsagency out of his shop and started the Newsagency in The Basin as a separate concern.
After Kevin Hevey moved his shop, Youl’s Store had various tenants before becoming “The Moonshiners” restaurant in the early 1970’s and later on the “Calendula” restaurant.
In the 1930’s a small shop operated from a house at No.16 Basin-Olinda Road and was run by Mrs Vic. Webber who was affectionately known as the “Lolly Lady”.
She apparently well looked after the interests of visiting scouts and local children. The original house was built on the edge of the land with a serving window.
Youl's Store - a glimpse of history
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On the Triangle, on the corner of Mountain Highway and Church Street, a small grocer and lolly shop was built in 1926 by S. Cain. Local boys and girls met there and drank soft drinks.
Attractive signs featuring a Kookaburra, Koala and Lyrebird were on the walls of the shop (see photographs on page 5). Written on the wall above the Kookaburra at the front of the shop was the saying:
On this wall
The wise I see
This shop right here
At the back of me.
Around 1929, a verandah of the shop was closed in and the building extended to form a hall beside the shop. The hall was constructed with horizontal timbers and on one side it was open in the way some verandahs were built with roll-up canvas blinds. On hot nights, when the blinds were raised to let in any breeze, moths and mosquitoes also appeared. In 1933, the first Church of England service was held there.
In 1930, the shop and hall were leased to Mrs Mary Ann Gretton and run by her son Bert.
Charles and Mary Ann Gretton bought a holiday house in The Basin at 32 Conyers Street in 1924. In the late 1920’s, they moved to The Basin permanently. In 1930, at the height of the depression, Charles had work but his son Bert did not. Mrs Gretton decided to lease the shop and let her son run it.
When they took over the shop and hall lease, the hall had a mini-golf course inside, complete with hills and bunkers. The Grettons removed the mini-golf course as there were many other potential uses for the hall. Mrs Gretton instigated many activities at the hall to provide entertainment for local people and the unemployed. These included euchre parties, socials, and on special occasions, a “Spider Web Night”, where strings were tied to a central ring from the ceiling, woven in and out of other strings before being attached to the wall with a prize of chocolate awaiting its owner.
Mrs Gretton also introduced regular dances in the hall and it became known as “The Glideaway”. In the days when dancers wore soft leather soled dancing shoes, an impeccably polished floor was essential. The method of polishing the floor was simple but arduous. Candle shavings were spread across the floor and a hessian bag was put under a wooden box weighted with bricks. With a rope around the box, Bert dragged the box over and over the floor until it shone like glass.
Smith's Store - when owned by the Poulter Family
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Cain's Store - photoGlideaway Hall - photo
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From its spot at the corner of Church Street and Mountain Highway the strains of the orchestra could be heard echoing across The Ravine until early hours. Just the same, these dances were much rivalled by those held in the Bayswater Hall. This hall, opened in 1892, has been the scene of many well known functions.
In 1934, Mrs Gretton left the shop and the Bennet family bought it. They ran it for about 5 years but business declined and they left.
Later on, a guitar and mandolin manufacturer operated in the Glideaway Hall, and from 1942 - 1967 the building was a base for the manufacture of clothing and swim suits (see page 17).
Around 1969, for a few years, “Terry Wilde’s Boxing Academy” used the hall.
In the 1970’s, Knox Council purchased the land and the remnants of Cain’s store and the Glideaway Hall were demolished as part of Council’s plan to turn the Triangle into a passive park.
A block of land on the corner of Forest Road and Conyers Street was once owned by Mrs Mary Ann Gretton. When her lease on “Cain’s Store” ran out in 1934, her son Bert built a one room shop on the property and operated it for a year or two. The property was then bought by Mrs Gretton’s son Frank. He sold it to Mr. W. J. Wallis (who later donated it and the adjacent block to the Council).
Very close to Wrights Store on the corner of Forest Road and Old Forest Road was the “Junction Store” run by the Felder family and later by McNeillys (mother and daughter). It operated from the early 1930’s to the 1940’s.
The term “Junction” was attached to the Junction Store and the Junction Dairy. At the time, Forest Road had just been created (in the Forest Heights Estate) from the corner of Old Forest Road to The Basin main centre, so this area became an important “Junction” of roads.
School Store - photo
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For a while, the original “Junction Store” sign was still visible at the top of the building even after the store closed, but repainting has since hidden it.
It seems strange that the “Junction Store” and “Centre Store” could operate effectively so close but this may be the reason the Junction Store closed.
In 2008, the original Junction Store building was still intact.
Langdon’s Store in Mountain Highway, just up from Clevedon, was built and operated by George Langdon from 1938 to 1950 (see photograph on page 9). His mother owned the house behind the store.
In the 1920’s and 1930’s, most houses in the area were only holiday homes and “weekenders” would ask his mother for small stores. The requests became so frequent that she opened a small store from her verandah. When her son married, she gave him the land adjacent to her house and suggested he build a store there - which he did.
The store was taken over by a Mr. and Mrs. Usher for about one year and then later by Rod Travis and his wife. Rod was a journalist for the Sun and Herald newspapers before moving to The Basin. The store closed in 1965.
Opposite the Basin Primary School in Mountain Highway, where the original school crossing was, there once was a store that operated from 1949 to the late 1960’s (see photograph on page 6).
Built and first run by Eddie and Alice Williams in 1949, it competed with stores in The Basin supplying lunches for the Primary School and the needs of local residents.
The Williams family sold out to the Davis family in 1952 who operated it for another 10-15 years. It eventually closed and was demolished.
The Phone Box beside the store remained for several years after the store closed but was eventually removed. The Post Box was moved to near the new school crossing location.
The original store on the corner of Forest Road and Wright Street was built in the 1930’s by Gandinnie and was first known as “The Centre Store”. Later owners included Davey, Weidner’s and Walker Bros when it became known as “Walker’s Store”.
Langdon's Store - photo
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In earlier days, tables and chairs and a miniature golf course were available for use by customers. The store was later known as “Wright’s Store” when owned by Bill and Blon Wright from 1949 to 1972 (see photograph on page 9). Wright street was named after the Wrights.
The store sold a wide range of supplies, including kerosene, briquettes, groceries, stamps, wheat and bran. The public phone box near the store was the only phone in the area.
The Wright’s did not just run a shop, the store was the centre of most activities in the area and open seven days a week. On a Saturday, after the football had finished and the pubs had closed, residents often waited at the store for delivery of “The Sporting Globe” (The Sporting Globe was a small green coloured newspaper produced late on a Saturday that contained all the sporting results of the day. It was produced quickly and rushed to stores. It ceased production in the mid 1970’s.) Heated discussions between rival footy supporters sometimes occurred and many a time blows were exchanged.
Many people called in for a chat and a gossip. It was a social outing to come to the store. The store had a long verandah with chairs where people would sit and talk.
In the early 1950’s, there was no reticulated electricity, but the buses ran seven days a week and late at night. Buses left from the store and people would come down at night with their hurricane lamps to see visitors off on the bus.
The Wright’s raised seven children whilst running the store. Bill Wright was also involved in many local activities including the Progress Association, Fire Brigade, Football Club, The Basin Centenary Celebrations (for which he won an award) and he was a Justice of the Peace. Bill’s numerous voluntary involvements makes him one of the towns “Distinguished Residents”. His profile is detailed on page 8.
In 1970, Bill had plans of upgrading the store. The plan involved leaving the old style front section of the store in its original state and rebuilding the rear to a more modern state. Blon was not keen on the idea as it meant at least another 8 years in the store. Also, preliminary discussions with the local Council on the idea were not fruitful. Bill decided to sell the store in 1972 to Peter Papageorgiou who demolished the old store and built a new store which in 2008 is the current building.
Bill and Blon retired to live in Boronia. Blon passed away in 1991.
In the early 1980’s, the area in front of the store was sealed and a parking area and median strip created.
In 2000, the store was internally remodelled create a take-away food section. The owners retained the old store name by calling the take-away section “Wright’s Fish and Chips”.
In 1956 a butcher shop and dwelling was built by a Mr. F. Thoren on the corner of Forest Road and Conyers Street. The shop was set up and operated as a butcher by Ron Granger and his father for about one year. Roy Ritchie took over this shop 1n 1957.
Distinguished Resident - Bill Wright
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Roy Ritchie took over Grangers Butchers when he moved to The Basin with his family in 1957.
In the early 1960’s he divided the shop into two shops and continued running the butcher in one. The other shop had various tenants until 1971 when he opened a milk bar in it. With the help of Mrs Radford he operated both shops until 1978 when he decided to close the butcher shop after an operation made it difficult for him to continue.
He continued to operate the milk bar with the help of Mrs Radford until early 1987 when it closed. Various tenants have since occupied each shop.
Over the years, Roy has been involved in many voluntary organisations in The Basin making him one of the towns “Distinguished Residents”. His profile is detailed on page 12.
A butcher shop run by a Mr. Clarke operated from the middle 1920’s to the middle 1930’s a little up from the Basin Progress Hall on Mountain Highway. He also home delivered meat and sometimes carved it up on the spot on his chopping block in the back of his vehicle.
Before opening his shop, Mr. Clarke was employed felling trees in Doongalla, digging the “1 in 20" road (Mountain Highway) and at the saw-mill in The Ravine.
Mr. Clarke closed his butcher shop due to ill health. Another butcher opened sometime later across the road and a house was built on and used as a residence. In this house, Bill Borthwick lived for a time. He later became an M.P.
Another resident of this house was a Mrs. Theresa Woodyatt. She was lost in the hills for a couple of days around 1948. Search parties were organised and she was found in the gully behind where the water tank in Bayview Crescent is now located. She was carried down the hill to Walker’s (Wright’s) store where she was bathed and fed.
The Last Straw - a tale about Roy Ritchie
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In the 1950’s a shop was built in Forest Road, roughly opposite where the scout hall is now located. This shop was first operated as “Howe’s Greengrocers” by Mr. Howe.
In 1962, the business, which was then a milk bar, was taken over by Mrs Radford. In 1970, it was sold back to Mr Howe who continued to operate it for a year or two before closing. It then became the Forest Lodge Restaurant which closed in 1997.
Main Shopping Centre
In 1963, The Basin’s shopping facilities were greatly increased when a centre of 13 shops was built, organised by Pages Real Estate. The tenants have changed over the years but have included a chemist, butcher, grocer, hardware, fish café, draper, bread shop, greengrocer, milk bar, hairdresser, newsagency and doctor’s surgery.
The Basin Central opened in 1985 in Forest Road opposite Church Street on the site which was once the petrol station operated by Thompson. The complex consists of four shops which have been occupied with various tenants over the years.
George Leake has the distinction of being the longest serving shop proprietor in The Basin, having operated the chemist shop from 1963 to 1999, a total of 36 years.
George retired in 1999 and closed the chemist shop. The Basin Progress Association organised a function for George where members of The Basin community paid their respects to George for his service over the years. Over 100 people attended the function where George was presented with awards from The Basin Progress Association and The Basin Rotary.
Petrol Stations
The Thompson family ran a horse cab service between Boronia and The Basin in the 1910’s. The base for this operation was their property on Mountain Highway near where St. Bernadettes School is now located. This service was mainly operated by Mr Thompson Senior.
Thompson's Garage - photo
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In the 1930’s, he built a garage opposite Church Street on Forest Road. The garage was also a depot for hire cars. The Thompson family siblings, Alf, Dick, Edith and Ernie, ran various aspects of the business.
In the 1950’s, the garage was sold to the Cook family who ran it for a while and in 1962 relocated it to the corner of Miller’s Road and Mountain Highway. They sold the business to the Parr family.
In 1997, this station was demolished and a modern new service station erected complete with car wash.
Around the early 1950’s, in Mountain Highway, adjacent to the “Glideaway” in front of Clarke’s (the butcher) home, once stood a Neptune service station owned by Benson. It is thought this station was only open for about five years.
In 1965, a new service station on the site of the old post office was built and opened by Fritz Vanderlee. Later owners have included Hart and Riley.
In 2008, this service station is still in operation.
Dairies
Hornby’s Dairy, run by Victor Hornby, operated between the early 1930’s and early 1940’s at 310 Forest Road almost opposite Canarvon Avenue.
Victor owned 2 or 3 blocks of land between Forest Road and Old Forest Road. The Dairy, a garage and a small grazing area, had “Junction Dairy” painted on the doors. He grazed and milked his own cow but also obtained milk from the Salvation Army.
The dairy was also known as the “Basin Dairy” (painted on the milk cart). See photograph on page 11.
Hornby's Dairy - photo
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Victor did milk rounds on his cart and his son, Russell, did a milk round with a lidded pail.
The dairy ceased operating in the early 1940’s when shops began selling milk.
Les Day is one local business man whom few people were up early enough to see. Les was the “milko” in The Basin for about 40 years, from the days when every household had their milk delivered to the front gate.
After his discharge from the Air Force in 1945, he began delivering to The Basin by horse-drawn cart, when Brown’s Dairy of Boronia had three delivery men. By 1975, there were 16 carts criss-crossing the foothills. In that year Brown’s sold out to Model Dairies and home deliveries were discontinued. Delivery contractors were hired to deliver to shops, cafes and commercial premises.
For many years after then, Les did runs from The Basin to Tremont, Monbulk and Belgrave, with two trucks working from midnight to early morning.
Salvation Army
The Salvation Army home in The Basin is known to have supplied milk at various times to local dairies. The home has from time to time grazed dairy cows and had their own milking machines.
Restaurants
The Moonshiners opened in the early 1970’s in the shop once know as Youl’s Store on Forest Road opposite the Fire Station. The restaurant provided entertainment and by the mid 1970’s was very well patronised, particularly on a Wednesday evening when folk singing was introduced.
The Moonshiners closed in 1998.
The Forest Lodge restaurant opened in the shop once known as Howe’s greengrocer on Forest Road opposite the Fire Station. It closed in the mid 1990’s.
Situated in the old Moonshiners building in Forest Road, Calendula opened in 2001 operated by Kate Hall and Jamie Liebe.
Small Businesses
Mrs. Helen Walker operated a Real Estate Agency from around 1950 to 1965 in Mountain Highway, just up from Wicks Road.
Les Greenwell lived on the corner of Forest Road and Harrison Street and operated a case making factory there from around 1960 to 1973. Prior to this he grew sprouts on the property for a couple of years.
Many Basin youngsters earned pocket money working in the case making factory. Les was also was the local scrap dealer. On the opposite side of Forest Road, on the Stuart Street corner he also operated a wood merchant yard from around 1950 to 1960.
Industries
For a community to hold its settlers and to gradually grow, a source of employment is necessary. Obviously the farms, nurseries and orchards have kept many families together but various other ways of turning a coin have been found.
Distinguished Resident - Roy Ritchie
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In the early years, The Basin was a prodigious producer of a variety of flowers and fruits.
Boronia was introduced to the district well before World War One and William Chandler is credited with propagating the first Boronia in The Basin district. Others of the Chandler family including John and Don Maguire, Alfred Chandler and John Chandler grew Boronia. Wally Goodwin grew Boronia on his property on the corner of Millers road and Mountain Highway but later changed to growing apples. Production was at its peak in the district in the 1920’s and 30’s. There was a setback in 1932 when a rust disease decimated most of the Boronia in the area.
The variety of Boronia that was principally grown was the Boronia Megistigma (sweet smelling brown Boronia). It was not a striking flower, but had a beautiful scent that made it popular. It was marketed as a cut flower and sent state wide and interstate.
Daffodils and Liliums were grown by Michael Spry on his property in The Basin. In 1964 he was awarded the Australian Daffodil Championship and was once president of the Australian Lilium society.
A variety of fruits have always been grown on the Dobson property in Liverpool Road. In 2008, they are the only fruit growers left in The Basin.
William Chandler selected property in The Basin in 1873, after consultation with his friend Baron Von Mueller. Previously he worked with his father William in his nursery and market garden in Glenferrie Road, Malvern which was established in the 1850’s. William Chandlers selected property was bounded by the Basin-Olinda road, Sheffield road and Doongalla road. William and later generations grew vegetables, fruit and flowers on The Basin property and is credited with propagating the first Boronia in the district.
William and his wife Kate had eleven children, most of whom worked on the property until they married, when they were given land, mostly in The Basin/Kilsyth areas. William died in 1911 and the property was inherited by brothers Wref and Bert who conducted a partnership which became unsatisfactory. Bert purchased Wref’s share in 1919. It was around this time that the concept of a specialised nursery was conceived and began development. This nursery became know as “Como Nurseries” after the name given to the Chandlers second house, which was built in the 1870’s.
Bert and Jessie had three sons, Fergus, Geoff and John. Not long after Jessie’s death in 1931, the two elder sons found it necessary to leave Como. John, after finishing school at Burnley Horticultural College, worked continuously at Como, only being away for the three years he spent in the A.I.F. during the Second World War. In 1948, Bert after helping his two older sons in business and to obtain part of the original Como property, formed a partnership with John as Bert Chandler & Son.
The association of Bert and John was always a close one from the mid thirties. They both had a deep love of the property, their vocation and enjoyed working together improving Como Nurseries, collecting new plants and propagating less common trees and shrubs which they shared with friends and sold to the public.
By the time of Bert’s death in 1970, Como Nurseries was a well known and respected nursery. John inherited the property from his father’s estate and soon after formed a company called “Bert Chandler & Son Pty. Ltd., Como Nurseries” with his wife Margaret and family. The family were all given shares in the new company.
In 1976, a six acre display garden was created at the “Mail Bag Corner” paddock at the corner of Basin-Olinda and Sheffield Roads and named by the family the “Bert Chandler Gardens”. The garden contained a large collection of less common trees and shrubs which were collected over the years. The plants were all named and listed in a plant catalogue printed every two years so the public could find plants in which they were interested. The gardens were open every day except Christmas and Good Friday and knowledgeable staff were always on hand or available as the retail sales were conducted from the garden.
Como Nurseries was requested by the newly formed Ornamental Plant Collections Assoc. Inc., to have the Prunus Serrulata collection and also applied for the Magnolia collection. The Association also requested that the Bert Chandler Gardens be used as the venue for the official launching of the Ornamental Plant Collections Assoc. Inc., the headquarters of which are established at the Royal Botanical Gardens, Melbourne.
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The gardens were made available to people wanting to have their weddings in the grounds and were becoming popular with plant lovers both local, interstate and overseas. Walking tracks were formed up along the creek with its fern gully and up the hill through natural bush where maiden-hair fern has grown for over 100 years.
A number of outstanding plants came out of Como Nurseries over the years. Two of note are firstly, Pieris Japonica Bert Chandler. This plant originated in a tray of seedlings grown by Bert, as a tiny thing less than 1cm tall. It had a pale leaf which went yellow and most people at this stage would pull it out as being a freak or sick. Bert saved it. Immediately after the Second World War the first stock was propagated by layering and Bert named it Pieris Japonica Chandleri.
When it was finally produced in quantity, a plant was sent to Hilliers Nurseries, Winchester, England. Mr. Hillier wrote back and asked if the name could be changed to Pieris Japonica Bert Chandler to comply with the new International nomenclature laws that were being formed around the world. Another nurseryman, Mr. Cyril Isaacs requested permission from Bert to nominate it for a Gold Medal from the Federation of Australian Nurseryman. This was awarded in 1964. This plant is now grown and catalogued in many countries around the world.
The second outstanding plant to the history is a Magnolia imported from England in 1956. This plant takes 18 years to flower and was not found true to its name; it was a garden hybrid which was regarded unusual at the time. The Magnolia grows into a beautiful upright plant with magnificent mauve-pink flowers 25-30cm in diameter. After consultation with an International authority on Magnolias, it was named “Magnolia Como”.
John and Archibald Chandler also developed special Boronia seedling types that were accepted by the Australian Cultivar Registrar. These were the Red Megastigma Boronia.
One of the most pleasing features of the Chandlers over the years was the close association and friendship with their staff.
In 1988 it became apparent that Como Nurseries could not continue with all family members being involved and sadly it was agreed that the only solution was for Como Nurseries to be sold. John made the announcement to the staff on 5 September 1988. A local lad who started with the Chandlers in 1978 directly from school, Mark Hall, was appointed new manager.
After 117 years, Como Nurseries no longer belonged to the Chandler family. John Chandler moved out of the area.
In the early 1990’s the remaining Chandler property was subdivided. Two one acre allotments were created on the corner of The Basin-Olinda road and Sheffield road. A 15 acre allotment incorporating the Bert Chandler Gardens was sold in 1996 to George and Pat Hetrel. Over the next two years they built a home overlooking a man-made lake. A large shed was built to house a large historical car collection and motor memorabilia.
In consultation with John Chandler, they rejuvenated the Bert Chandler Gardens that were originally created by John in 1976. A miniature train track was constructed that runs through the gardens and over trestle bridges which cross the creeks that pass through the property.
Bob and Jean Harrison bought the 10 acres of land in Mountain Highway, The Basin in about 1937 or 1938. Bob was a sales rep for Noel P Hunt & Co, textile machinery agents. When WWII started he was rejected for military service and put in charge of machinery parts procurement to keep the textile industry going in Australia, South Africa and New Zealand for the war effort. It was impossible to get new parts from Britain as they were likely to end up at the bottom of the ocean thanks to German U boats. Bob had an inventory of all machinery parts, new and second-hand, held by all textile mills in Australia and New Zealand. He was able to issue orders for their compulsory acquisition for the war effort and have them shipped to where they were required to keep vital machinery running.
In 1947 Bob and Jean decided to start a textile mill at The Basin. As there had been no industry in The Basin or Bayswater this was the first real “industry” in the whole area. As building materials were still in short supply because of the war, he purchased an old barn at Cranbourne, had it dismantled, transported to The Basin and erected.
Six Crabtree (basic pick and pick) weaving looms and a warp mill and creel were purchased from a mill in Sale. The first contracts were for the supply of army blankets for the military as they were in short supply. All blankets sent overseas with troops were never brought back. Many thousands were produced. Blankets for the domestic market were also produced for the well known brands “Laconia” and “Invicta”.
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The business grew fairly quickly and a new factory was built around the old barn. More modern looms capable of creating complex fashion fabrics were purchased. Bobs wife Jean worked in the mill as a weaver. Eldest son Robert (jnr) joined the mill when he left school in 1955 aged 15.
As the demand for blankets fell, the old pick and pick looms were used for weaving of cotton cleaning cloths. Two carding machines and a pair of spinning mules were added, allowing for the conversion of raw wool to yarn.
By 1956 Locksley Textiles employed 100 people and worked 24 hours a day and Bob took on a partner to facilitate further expansion. Promised performance from the partner in securing new contracts fell short of expectation. In 1959 Bob sold his remaining share in the business to a colleague of his partner.
Christmas 1960 - Bob and Jean decided on a “tree change” to a small farmlet at Glenburn, moving in March 1961. In April 1961 son Robert was killed on Boronia railway level crossing. Ironically, mother Jean had been hit by a train on the same crossing in 1952.
A credit squeeze in 1961 saw Locksley Textiles go to the wall. Bob and Jean were never paid for the final share of the business sold. Expecting this to pay for their little farm and their retirement, they returned to Melbourne and rejoined the workforce once again in the textile industry.
Bob and Jean finally retired in 1979 aged 75 and 61 respectively, moving back to the farm at Glenburn which had become a weekender for many years. Jean passed away in March 1986 aged 69, Bob finally succumbed in October 1995 aged 91.
Les Lowe, the founder of Lowline Industries, started his business in 1946 as Lowline Canopies. He first built plywood canopies in his parents back yard in Croydon eventually building a factory on the site. He then manufactured plywood, fibreglass and aluminium canopies, sun visors, tow bars, bull bars and roof racks.
Jim Stephens Working at Locksley Textiles
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In the late 1950’s he branched out into selling caravans which were becoming popular. In 1962, Les purchased an existing caravan yard in Ringwood and started LowLine Caravans, Sales and Hire. Canvas work was a speciality at this site. Sales did not suit Les, so he concentrated on hiring caravans.
In 1974, he purchased the 10 acre site in The Basin that was once Locksley Textiles. He sold 6 acres, retaining the 4 acres that included the original Locksley Textiles factory, and moved his Lowline Canopies business to this site.
In the 1980’s, he moved Lowline Caravans to The Basin site and merged the two businesses to become Lowline Industries.
Les Lowe passed away on the 10th November 1998 at the age of 75. His son Dennis took over the business and his daughter Jayne works in the office.
In 2008, Lowline Industries produce high quality canopies, roof racks and hire caravans, pop tops and camper trailers. They have the largest hire fleet in the Metropolitan area.
In 1952, Dunlop’s Aviation Division was opened in Bayswater. British Nylon Spinners (first known as Fibremakers) opened in November 1958, and at the time employed a large number of people from The Basin.
Logging and Sawmills
Scars are still evident on some properties around The Basin Olinda Road and Old Coach road when logging cleared most of this area in the 1860’s.
There was a sawmill in The Ravine that operated between 1919 and 1923. In the 1990’s, the property that was the site of the mill still had the scars of the mill visible and traces of sawdust could be found. Nearby, were the original houses of the paymaster and the mill workers. Apparently, the mill was a good source of Blackwood Timber. Timber in and out of the mill was carted along the “Mill Track” which ran from Claremont Avenue around the back of Clevedon onto the Basin-Olinda Road.
“The big engine went up to the saw-mill today, drawn by 6 horses. I am afraid a saw mill will spoil the look of the mountain.”
After Doongala was burnt in 1932, the property was sold to four Smith brothers in 1935 for 2,000 pounds. They built a saw mill initially sited behind the ruined house and over the years logged much of the unburnt mountain ash and messmate which remained on the property.
About 30 metres up from the last bus terminal in Mountain Highway there was once a log loading bay used when the slopes of One Tree Hill were last logged in the 1930’s. Traces of the bullock track that the logs were drawn along could still be found in the 1990’s.
Along Mountain Highway opposite Millers Reserve, there was once a quarry on J. J. Millers land. It has since been filled in and is not visible except that the roadside fence has a peculiar bend around the site.
Depression Workers
During the 1930’s, depression days work was long and hard. One nursery worker was paid one shilling and three pence for picking 20,000 daffodils. Some became sustenance workers working for the Government. The stone wall on Mountain Highway was built by these men, as were many local roads including Old Forest Road.
There is no official record of large amounts of gold having been discovered in The Basin area. However, there have been traces of gold found in some of the local streams and shafts have been sunk into some of the nearby mountains.
A miner named Gaunt sunk some shafts on the northern side of Schneider’s Hill but do not locate any gold veins. It is thought that he dug the shafts after some traces of gold were discovered in Old Joes Creek which sources in that area.
A nugget of gold was once discovered by a Miss Hayes between Hazel Dell and Sassafras. Miss Hayes lived at Hazel Dell around 1890 with her parents who ran Hazel Dell as a guesthouse. It is reported that she was walking up a track after a heavy rain and noticed the nugget on the track. Hazel Dell was located on a well used packhorse track to the top of the Dandenongs and it is most likely that this nugget had fallen from the pack of a miner using the track as no other gold has been found in this area.
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Sources of Information |
Specks of gold have been found in Dobsons Creek which sources behind Hazel Dell and runs alongside the Basin-Olinda road, across the Salvation Army flats and into the Dandenong Creek. The creek was sluiced, but no gold was discovered.
Other Small Industries
A guitar and mandolin manufacturer once operated in Church Street in the building previously known as “The Glideaway” and turned out about 50 - 60 instruments a month.
From 1942 to 1967, the Fellina Swim Suit Co. operated in the Glideaway building and employed up to 10 people making clothing and swimsuits. Sabrina, a well known English actress in that day, actually modelled bikinis there (see insert on page 16).
Sources of Information
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Index |
Index
B
Basin Badminton Club
Roy Ritchie President 12
Basin Central
opened 1985 10
Basin Elderly Citizens Club
Roy Ritchie trustee 12
Basin Primary School
and the School Store 7
Basin Progress Association
Roy Ritchie President 12
Basin Progress Hall
barn dances in 1
Clarke’s Butchers close to 9
Basin Tennis Club
first tennis courts in The Basin 1
formed by R. B. Smith 1
Basin-Olinda Road
first shop in Basin on 1
Lolly Lady shop on 3
Mail Bag Corner on 13
Mill Track came into 15
Batterham Reserve
Roy Ritchie trustee 12
Bayswater Hall
opened in 1892 6
Bennet family
took over Cain’s Store 6
Benson’s Petrol Station
about 11
Bert Chandler Gardens
corner of Basin-Olinda and Sheffield Roads 13
Bert Gretton
ran Cain’s Store 4
Boronia (plant)
about growing in The Basin 13
Boronia Rotary Club
Roy Ritchie charter member 12
Borthwick, Bill
lived in Basin for a time 9
Brown’s Dairy
operated home deliveries in The Basin 12
sold out to Model Dairies 12
C
Cain, S.
built and operated Cain’s Store 4
Cain’s Store
about 4
hall built beside called “The Glideaway” 4
inscription on front 4
photo 5
photo of rear 5
run by Bert Gretton 4
Case making factory
run by Les Greenwell 12
Centre Store
See Wright’s Store
Chandler, Alfred
grew Boronia in Basin 13
Chandler, Bert
developed the Magnolia Como plant 14
developed the Pieris Japonica Bert Chandler plant 14
ran Como Nurseries in partnership with Wref Chandler 13
Chandler, John
grew Boronia in Basin 13
took over running Como Nurseries in 1970 13
Chandler, William
grew Boronia in Basin 13
Chandler, Wref
ran Como Nurseries in partnership with Bert Chandler 13
Church Street
Basin Central shops opposite 10
Cain’s Store on 4
guitar and mandolin manufacturer on 16
Thompson’s Petrol Station opposite 11
Claremont Avenue
Mill Track ran into 15
Clarke, Mr.
felled trees in Doongalla 9
ran Clarke’s Butchers 9
Clarke’s Butchers
about 9
Clevedon
Mill Track near 15
near Langdon’s Store 7
Collier, Mrs.
served in first shop in Basin 1
Como Nurseries
about 13
closed 14
land subdivided after closing 14
Conyers Street
Granger’s Butchers on 8
Gretton’s Shop on 6
Cook
took over Thompson’s Petrol Station 11
Cox, Bob & Bert
Smith’s barn purchased from 1
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Index |
D
Dairies
Day’s 12
Hornby’s 11
Salvation Army 12
Davey
later owner of The Centre Store 8
Davies
later owner of Smith’s Store 1
Day, Les
ran Day’s Dairy 12
Day’s Dairy
run by Les Day 12
Dobson family
fruit growers in Basin 13
Dobson, Janet
Diary entry about saw mill in Ravine 15
Dobsons Creek
traces of gold found in 15
Dunlop’s Aviation Division
opened in 1952 15
F
Felder family
operated the Junction Store 6
Fellina Swim Suit Company
about 16
Fibremakers
opened in 1958 15
Flower growing
in Basin 13
Forest Lodge Restaurant
formaly Howe’s Greengrocers 10
Forest Road
Basin Central shops on 10
case making factory on 12
Granger’s Butchers on 8
Gretton’s Shop on 6
Hornby’s Dairy on 11
Howe’s Greengrocers on 10
Junction Store on 6
Thompson’s Petrol Station on 11
Wood merchant yard on 12
Wright’s Store on 7
Fruit growing
in Basin 13
G
Gandinnie
built the Centre Store 7
Gaunt
dug gold shafts near Schneiders Hill 15
Glideaway Hall
Benson’s Petrol Station near 11
formation 4
how used 4
photo of rear 5
site of guitar and mandolin manufacturer 6, 16
site of the Fellina Swim Suit Company 16
Gold
discovery in Basin area 15
Goodwin, Wally
grew apples in Basin 13
grew Boronia in Basin 13
Granger, Ron
ran Granger’s Butchers 8
Granger’s Butchers
about 8
became Ritchie’s shop 9
Greenwell, Les
ran case making factory 12
ran wood merchant yard 12
was local scrap dealer 12
Gretton, Bert
ran Cain’s Store 4
ran store in Conyers Street 6
Gretton, Frank
owned shop in Conyers Street 6
Gretton, Mrs Mary Ann
about 4
land and store in Conyers Street 6
leased Cain’s Store 4
photo sitting front of Cain’s Store 5
Gretton’s Shop
about 6
H
Hall, Mark
once manager of Como Nurseries 14
Harrison Street
case making factory on 12
Harrison, Robert
started Locksley Textiles 14
Harrison’s Weaving Mill
See Locksley Textiles
Hart, Colin
took over Vanderlee Petrol Station 11
Hayes, Miss
discovered gold nugget near Hazel Dell 15
Hazel Dell
discovery of gold nugget nearby 15
Henderson, Beatrice
photo of outside School Shop 6
Hetrel, George and Pat
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Index |
incorporated the Bert Chandler gardens in their property 14
Hevey, Kevin
opened first licensed grocer in Basin 3
opened first newsagency Basin 3
Hornby, Russell
father ran Hornby’s Dairy 12
Hornby, Victor
photo of in Milk Cart 11
ran Hornby’s Dairy 11
Hornby’s Dairy
about 11
photo of milk cart 11
Horsfield
later owner of Smith’s Store 1
Howe, Mr.
ran Howe’s Greengrocers 10
Howe’s Greengrocers
about 10
J
Junction Store
about 6
operated by the Felder family 6
Junction, The
describes corner Forest and Old Forest Roads 6
L
Langdon, George
owned Langdon’s Store 7
Langdon’s Store
about 7
photo 7
Leake, George
ran Chemist Shop in The Basin for 36 years 10
retirement function 10
Locksley Textiles
about 14
Logging
bullock track used for 15
log loading bay on Mountain Highway 15
Lolly Lady
about 3
was Mrs Webber 3
Lowe, Les
founded Lowline Industries 14
Lowline Industries
about 14
M
Maguire, Don
grew Boronia in The Basin 13
Maguire, John
grew Boronia in The Basin 13
Mail Bag Corner
corner of Basin-Olinda and Sheffield Roads 13
McNeilly family
operated the Junction Store 6
Mill Track
used by sawmill in Ravine 15
Miller, John James
Quarry on land 15
Model Dairies
Brown’s Dairies sold out to 12
Mountain Highway
Benson’s Petrol Station on 11
Cain’s Store on 4
Clarke’s Butchers on 9
first shop in Basin on 1
Langdon’s Store on 7
Locksley Textiles on 14
log loading bay on 15
Quarry on 15
School Shop on 7
Stone Wall on 15
Thompson’s Petrol Station on 11
Walker’s Estate Agency on 12
O
Old Forest Road
built by Depression workers 15
Junction Store on 6
Old Joes Creek
gold traces discovered in 15
One Tree Hill
and logging 15
P
Pages Real Estate
developed new shopping centre in 1963 10
Papageorgiou, Peter
1972 - purchased Wright’s Store 8
built new store in place of Wright’s Store 8
Petrol Stations
Benson’s 11
Thompson’s 10
Vanderlee 11
Poulter
later owner of Smith’s Store 1
Q
Quarry
on Mountain Highway 15
R
Radford, Mrs.
assisted in Ritchie’s Shop 9
took over Howe’s Greengrocers 10
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Index |
Ravine, The
sawmill in - 1919 15
strains of music from The Glideaway 6
Restaurants
Calendula 12
Forest Lodge 12
Moonshiners 12
Riley, Ken
took over Vanderlee Petrol Station 11
Ritchie, Roy
Basin Badminton Club President 12
Basin Elderly Citizens Club trustee 12
Batterham Reserve trustee 12
Boronia Rotary Club charter member 12
CFA Good Conduct Medal 12
CFA Queens Long Service Medal 12
Distinguished Resident 12
owned Ritchie’s Shop 9
took over Granger’s Butchers 8
Wicks Reserve trustee 12
Ritchie’s Shop
about 9
Ritchie’s Shop
tale of “The Last Straw” 9
S
Salvation Army Home
Brigadier Stephen manager 1
supplied milk for Hornby’s Dairy 11
Sawmill
in Doongalla 15
in Ravine - 1919 15
Schneider’s Hill
gold shafts sunk in 15
School Store
about 7
built and first run by Eddie and Alice Williams 7
photo 6
sold to the Davis family 7
Seville, Mrs
photo sitting front of Cain’s Store 5
Sheffield Road
Mail Bag Corner on 13
Shops
Basin Central 10
Cain’s Store 4
Centre Store 7
Chemist Shop 10
Clarke’s Butchers 9
first in The Basin 1
Granger’s Butchers 8
Gretton’s Shop 6
Howe’s Greengrocers 10
Junction Store 6
Langdon’s Store 7
Lolly Lady 3
Ritchie’s Shop 9
School Store 7
Smith’s Store 1
Wright’s Store 7
Youl’s Store 1
Smith brothers
purchased part of Doongalla land 15
Smith, R. B.
built first store in Basin 1
formated Basin Tennis Club 1
Smith’s Store
about 1
barn dances in barn behind 1
barn purchased from Cox Bros. 1
demolished 1
first started in house 1
Smith’s Store
barn at rear - photo. 2
etching 1
Spong
later owner of Smith’s Store 1
Spry, Michael
grew Daffodils and Liliums 13
Stephen, Brigadier J. R.
manager Salvation Army Home No. 1 1914 - 1932 1
Stephen, Emily
first shop in The Basin memories 1
Stone wall
built by Depression workers 15
Stuart Street
Wood merchant yard on 12
T
Thompson, Dick
photo outside Thompson’s Garage 10
Thompson’s Garage
about 10
moved in 1962 11
photo 10
Thoren, Mr. F.
built Granger’s Butchers 8
Timber mill
See sawmill
Travis, Rod
later owner of Langdon’s Store 7
Turner, Eileen
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Index |
photo at rear of Glideaway 5
U
Usher, Mr. & Mrs.
later owner of Langdon’s Store 7
V
Vanderlee, Fritz
Petrol Station owner 11
Von Mueller, Baron
friend of William Chandler 13
W
Walker Brothers
owned “Walker’s Store” 8
Walker, Mrs. Helen
ran Walker’s Estate Agency 12
Walker’s Estate Agency
about 12
Walker’s Store
formally known as “The Centre Store” 8
See Wright’s Store
Wallis, Mr. W. J.
donated land to Council 6
Webber, Mrs Vic.
the “Lolly Lady” 3
Weidners
later owner of The Centre Store 8
Wicks Reserve
Roy Ritchie trustee 12
Williams, Alice
photo of outside School Shop 6
Williams, Eddie & Alice
built and first operated the School Store 7
Woodyatt, Mrs. Theresa
lost in hills near Basin 9
Wright Street
named after Bill Wright 8
Wright’s Store on 7
Wright, Bill
1st Lieutenant of Fire Brigade 8
Basin Progress Association President 8
Distinguished Resident 8
Justice of the Peace for 32 years 8
Knox Citizen of the year - 1967 8
member of Wicks Reserve Committee 8
owned Wright’s Store 8
President of The Basin Centenary Committee 8
Wright Street named after 8
Wright’s Store
1970 - upgrading plans 8
about 7
close to Junction Store 6
delivery of Sporting Globe 8
first known as 8
photo 9
Y
Youl
later owner of Smith’s Store 1
Youl’s Store
about 1
later became Moonshiners Restaurant 3
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