A little bit of Tuscany in Moonee Ponds

If there's anything we like in Moonee Ponds it is a good place for coffee - and this is a very good place for coffee.   Garden Tuscany is quiet hideaway in a small lane off Young Street.  Enjoy the home-made chocolates and little cakes, and have a pizza for lunch if you like.

Garden Tuscany can be found at 32 Young Street Moonee Ponds VIC 3039 (03)9375 2896.

An earlier Essendon Grammar School

The original Essendon Grammar School was established in 1867 by Charles Dyer.  In time the school was taken over by Samuel Craig who had this building purpose built in Park Street, Moonee Ponds, on the corner of Parry Street, in 1889.  The Grammar School closed at the end of 1905, and the premises taken over by Laurence McShane who opened a co-education school called Essendon College.  This school was shortlived, and by 1908 the premises was occupied by John Hill, MA, principal of the newly established St Thomas' Grammar School.  The principal and boarders lived at the house in Park Street.  John Hill was replaced in 1910 by George Gresham Robinson when the school merged with Carlton College.  The principal and boarders continued at the premises until a house was purchased by St Thomas' Grammar in Fletcher Street, Essendon in 1915.  At this time the house became a private residence.   Restored in recent years to its glory days, the building remains standing in Park Street.

Living the fairy tale in Essendon

What do they plan to do with small boys in that witches' house in Nicholson Street, Essendon?

"Eye of newt, and toe of frog,
Wool of bat, and tongue of dog,
Adder's fork, and blind-worm's sting,
Lizard's leg, and howlet's wing,--
For a charm of powerful trouble,
Like a hell-broth boil and bubble."

 The new PEGS Hall, digitally enhanced, but only a little bit.  Architects are now going to storybooks for their inspiration.

Christmas in Hall Street

Christmas comes to Hall Street with a tree decorated by the Year Three boys from Penleigh and Essendon Grammar School.  Nice work, boys!

Rain promotes tallness

Welcome rain has produced luscious growth in the gardens of Moonee Valley.  These incredibly tall Triffid-relatives are outside Essendon Station.

Domestic Gothic house in Victoria Street

Domestic gothic architecture in Victoria St, Moonee Ponds.  The details of this house are very appealing - including the mouldings below the front window:

A lion's head in the centre, accompanied by gryphens let loose in a grape vine.

Farmers' Market

Only 8.30 am, but the customers are starting to arrive in Lincoln Park for the Farmers Market.  Every second Saturday of the month.

Dog-walkers are always about for the bargains.  Actually, there are no bargains, but it is delicious food.

Homes and Hedges

There's probably a home behind this hedge.  Once upon a time hedges were quite a popular feature of Essendon gardens, but only a few remain to remind us of this particular garden pleasure.  The postie must have an interesting time getting past this house. 

Australiana - early kookas

A charming haven for wildlife in the suburbs - kookaburras!

Cute Australiana in Essendon.

Art Deco gem in Moonee Ponds

Is it because the Art Deco architects were not locked in to symmetry that they were able to use interesting solutions for awkward shaped and corner blocks?  This pair of houses occupies a triangular block on a bend in Trinafour Street, Moonee Ponds.  The contrast of the decorative brickwork with the stark white render, along with the interesting shapes of the walls, makes these two very engaging houses.

The decorative motif around the windows is quite striking.

The small windows on either side of the chimney with a fan-shaped leadlight design are really gorgous.

Pyramid-shaped roofs was a feature of the "Moderne" style of architecture.

Unit One film crew in Essendon

A Unit One film crew is ensconced in the Raleigh Street car park at Windy Hill. What are they filming, we wonder?

Let's do some more Art Deco

This Art Deco two-storey building on the corner of Fletcher and Nicholson Streets, Essendon, makes a triumph out of a narrow frontage to Fletcher Street with a bold frontage to Nicholson Street.

Oh no! Not the giraffes!

The Moonee Valley Leader reports that two of the three giraffes at Poynton's have been stolen! 

How could any thief sink so low?

The Schools that ate Moonee Ponds

Another large and prominent property in Moonee Ponds has fallen into the capacious property portfolio of a local school. Rumour has it that Hillebrand's tennis centre in Park Street, Moonee Ponds, has been purchased by Lowther Hall CEGGS.  A house in Sherbourne Street said to be owned by Lowther Hall has recently been demolished.  The school reputedly owns other houses in Sherbourne Street.

Penleigh and Essendon Grammar School Park Street campus is busy purchasing properties in Park Street and Ardmillan Road, and St Columba's is snapping up houses in Buckley Street and Lorraine Street.

It can't be long before they all meet in the middle.

Rather more insidious than property developers, these schools are quietly chewing up our suburbs - perfectly good homes are now empty awaiting the implementation of some Master Plan. 

Is any responsible planning body taking note, I wonder?  Do we want three super-campuses in the centre of Moonee Ponds/Essendon?  Is three enough? 

Where is Save Our Suburbs now?

Wonder Woman

She seems to have stars on her headband, like Wonder Woman.  A detail from the Terrace in Miller St.

I just like terraces

This cute little terrace can be seen in Miller St, Essendon with many decorative features intact.

There is something appealing about the smart Lego designs with the orange tiles which contrasts with....just about everything, but somehow I prefer the whimsical mock Roman decoration of the Pioneer Store.  Don't you just love the fake balustraded balconies?  I wonder if the Stonz building will be still there in 120 years? 

.....And the new.

Stonz cafe on the corner of Buckley Street and Washington Street, Essendon, diagonally opposite the Pioneer Store.

The old.......

The Pioneer Store, 1890, on the corner of Buckley Street and Clarinda Road, Essendon.

Art deco architecture No 2

Each pair of cottages has it's name festooned across the entrance vestibule.  This one is "Arcadia".  The pair at the western end are called "Quamby".

Art Deco Architecture No 1

I find this row of single-storey art deco cottages rather cute.  You can find these in Smith Street, Moonee Ponds. The festoon of cables crossing the street would have struck the early home purchaser as signalling every home comfort.  The cottages appear to be in fairly original condition on the outside apart from an altered fence at the far western end.

More posting styles

This old style letterbox is back in service on the corner of Mt Alexander Rd and Thorn Street, Essendon.  These old pillar boxes have been out of service for letter writers for some years, used instead by Australia Post leaving bags of mail to be collected by posties, and I am surprised and pleased to see that they have been returned to the job they were made to do - receiving letters.  It is interesting to see the different styles of boxes.  This one has been made by "E Chambers, Prahran".  A previous pillar box on this blog was manufactured by "H Anderson and Sons, Makers, Jeffcott Street, Melbourne".  I wonder when each of them was made?

UPDATE  I notice there are some photos of early-style pillar boxes on the Walking Melbourne Forum.

Back to nature

Butterflies and ladybirds in Bulla Rd, Essendon.

High security facility for children

This facility can be seen in Bulla Road, Essendon.

Old style posting

This lovely red pillar box with it's crown on top is still in use on the corner of Darling St and Holmes Rd, Moonee Ponds.

Future champions #2

A mighty kick at Aberfeldie Park.

Future champions

Auskick in action at Aberfeldie Park, Saturday morning.

The footbridge, looking west

Looking west across the bridge towards the re-vegetated Pipemaker's Park. Click for a larger picture.

From the footbridge

The view from the footbridge, looking north.  Click to see a large picture.

The footbridge has re-opened!

Much excitement now that the footbridge between Pipemaker's Park and the Riverside Golf Club has re-opened.  Walkers have quickly re-colonised the bridge.

Modern rock art

A new form of Aboriginal rock art, Pipemaker's Park, Maribyrnong.

Dolphins return

Dolphins frolic in Pipemaker's Park, Maribyrnong, celebrating the return of dolphins to the river (no date).

Maribyrnong Mirror

The river is so still it presents a perfect mirror for the trees on the Maribyrnong side of the river.  Click on the photo for a wider view.

Gardening tip #2

If you are having trouble with those crocodiles you acquired to scare the birds out of the garden beds, giraffes could be a good option.  Seen at Poynton's, Moonee Ponds,  on Saturday.

Not only does the Devil wear Prada...

...she drives a panel van.  Spotted in Buckley Street, Essendon.

Gardening tip

To prevent birds scratching through garden beds and making a mess on the paths, keep a crocodile on hand.  Keen gardeners in Richardson Street, Essendon have started the trend.

A little rain is a wonderful thing

After several years of two-toned wood-chips in this Queen's Park garden bed, Council has decided to risk planting some low water-using shrubs.  A considerable improvement. 

Problem solved

Tree in the way?  Not a problem in Kernan Street, Strathmore.

Showing your colours in Essendon

A telephone junction box on the corner of Park Cres and St Kinnord St, Essendon.

Another view of the Blair Street Raingarden

Raingardens in Moonee Valley

Moonee Valley Council installed this Raingarden in Blair St, near the corner of Robinson Street, Moonee Ponds.

The Raingardens Program is sponsored by Melbourne Water: