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From the 1930s to the 1960s Eltham residents
borrowed books from several different locations
including a mobile library, then the Eltham
Newsagency and later in a room at the Baby
Health Centre on Main Road. In 1965 the
Heidelberg Regional Library Service was formed
and embraced the shires of Heidelberg, Diamond
Valley and Eltham. The first service for Eltham
was a mobile book van. It wasn’t until 1971 that
Eltham acquired its first purpose-built library
attached to the shire offices near Panther Place.
The growing population of Eltham brought
pressure for a bigger library. Behind the scenes,
ideas were being thrown around by the people
of Eltham, librarians and anyone with an
interest in a decent library befitting the needs
of people in this area. In 1994, the new library
was opened. Designed by multi-award winning
architect Greg Burgess, this heritage listed
library comprises a spacious circular building
with surrounding verandas and an elegant
interior timber roof. This award-winning library
was constructed using sustainable natural
materials including earth and recycled timbers.
This modern yet rustic masterpiece celebrates
some of the best elements of Eltham.
The plant selected for this panel is prickly tea-tree
or
Leptospermum continentale
which is a butterfly
attracting shrub with beautiful white ‘blossom-like’
flowers that appear from October to March.
Library
AND PRICKLY
TEA TREE
PHOTOGRAPH
Eltham Library
Shire of Eltham Pioneers
Photograph collectionYarra
Plenty Regional Library Service
in partnership with the Eltham
District Historical Society
INFORMATION
Marshall, Marguerite.
Nillumbik Now andThen
(2008)