Foreword: Back in 1996, I was contacted by Progress Leader about writing weekly articles on Boroondara history, which I had previously done as 'History Watch' in 1992/3 for the then Progress Press. It was always such fun, with the articles then as 'Reflections', 'Heritage' and 'Memory Lane', sometimes edited - with new headings, extra snippets, ideas, or photographs taken by Leader staff or from Boroondara libraries - then often followed with requests for more information about people, places and names. I must say that I really enjoyed the opportunity, and was very grateful to the many people involved with the newspaper over the years - like Steve Foley, Stuart Howie, Jackie Mackay, Brendan Gifney, Greg Best, Russell Robinson, Anne Styles, Wayne Buttner, and photos by Steve Tanner, Valeriu Campan and Renae Payne.
Some months ago I came upon copies of some of the articles, and thought that with additional pictures, and photographs by my husband Ian, we could produce a booklet which people - probably of our generation, or even international students - might enjoy, and we have recently received some encouragement from editors Scott Abrahams and Dimity Barber.
Contents: In the Wilderness 1. Palms and Pews 2. A Wattle Road 3. A Village Inn 4. High-Powered 5. A Hawthorn Nursery 6. Souvenir de Mon Ami Johnson 7. Courthouses 8. A Wattle Park 9. Clifton Again 10. The Sport of Kings 11. Railways 12. Fountains 14. Canonbury 15. Gwendolen Hamer Swinburne 16. Kinkora 17. A Fair Price for a Fair Home 19. St John’s Wood 20. Great Grand-dad's Army 21. School Days 22. Spring Hay Fever 23. Athenaeum 24. Balwyn 25. Urquharts All 27. Boats on the River 28. Bragging 30. Chateau 31. Non-Smoking Chimneys 32. Travelling East 33. Too Many Cooks 34. Country Roads 35. On the Country-Road 36. People near Glass Creeks ... 38. Another Creek 40. Eucalyptii 42. Henrietta Who ? 43. The Convent Bell 44. A Fair Cow 45 A Cato Cow 46. Kindergartens 47. Down the Lane 48. Mornane's Paddocks 49. No Queues 52. Post Offices 54. Clock Faces 56. Boroondara Libraries 57. Gums, Gunns, and a Manning Tree 58. Tinker, Tailor ? 61. Amazing Grace 62. Archer of Maryvale and Mary Street 64. Walshing 65. Skating Around 66. Undertaking 67. A Pleasant Place 68. Paterson 69. Once One Tree Hill 70. Street Names 72. Lord Nelson 74. Milk by the Bottle 75. Miles Away 76. Mad Maps 78. Bricks to Colleges 79. Lights 81. A Green Builder 82. Football 83. In for a Penny 84. Evansdale Road 85. Erasmus 87. No Deep Snow Story 88. Dear Georgiana 89. Brickbats 90. From China 92. More Belle 93. Let's Stand for the Band 98. The Goldings 99. Warramunda 100. Henry Handel Richardson 101. Churches 102. Index 103.