Carlo attends a demonstration on the use of gelignite

On June 12, 1909, Major Charles Campbell (1), hosted a demonstration of the use of gelignite to remove trees at his property, Amesfield Park, in Mornington. Amesfield Park, was originally called Manyung and owned by Richard Grice (2) and was located at the 31-mile post on the Melbourne to Sorrento Road. (3).  Major Campbell had purchased the 288 acre property six months previously, in December 1908,  for £5,000. (4) He invited his neighbours and a number of officials, including Carlo Catani, to this demonstration.

Amesfield Park, previously Manyung, the property where Carlo saw the gelignite demonstration.

"Manyong" [i.e. Manyung, home of] Mrs. A. L. Grice, Mornington, 1895. 

State Library of Victoria image  H93.64/20 

It was an impressive attendance list  and Carlo was in the company of  Mr Reid, Surveyor General; Mr Crooke, Forestry Department; Dr. Cherry and Mr Kenyon, Agricultural Department; Mr. Barber, Victorian Railways; Mr W. H. Irvine, M.H.R.; Mr Livingston, M.L.A.; Mr. R. G. Fincham, National bank manager; Colonel Stanley, Victorian commandant;  Mr. Aitken and Mr. Drake from Dalgety and Co.; Mr W.F. Weigall, Brighton councillor; Mr. J.H. Taylor, the town clerk of Brighton and  Mr James Minifie from the Millers' Association. These guests were conveyed from the Frankston station to the scene of operations by cabs and drags, Mr J. Millard having been entrusted with the "transportation" arrangements. (5)

The Mornington and Dromana Standard of June 19, 1909 explained why Major Campbell decided to use gelignite - Since, purchasing the well-known property, "Amesfield Park," some few months back, Major Campbell has spent considerable time and capital in removing a great many of the thickly studded trees on the estate, erecting wire netting, installing windmills, etc., and in numerous ways going in for big improvements. The modern method of blasting has been chosen to remove the trees, and, in conjunction with Messrs Dalgety and Co., (as agents for Nobel Glasgow high explosives) the squire of Amesfield Park gave a demonstration on a large and effective scale. (6)

The paper continued their report with -
The object of the demonstration was to show how easily and cheaply trees could be grubbed by the use of gelignite, exploded by electricity. Mr R Sprague (of Dalgety and Co.) and Major Campbell superintended operations, and the agents were also represented by Messrs Allan and Dorecket. The first "blow up" was a "double event," two trees being removed by connecting the charges by wires, which were attached to the main cable and thence to the battery. When all was ready the crowd retired to a safe distance 150 yards away, and there was much speculation as to the result. Many were certain that the effect would be to merely shift the tree, but do no further damage to the butt. The signal to "Let her go" was given, the handle on the battery raised and lowered, and in an instant there was a terrific explosion. A shower of earth and chips shot into the air, and the trees heeled over and crashed to the ground. An examination of the result showed that the butt had been lifted clean out of the ground and shattered in pieces, and the trunk was opened up in numerous pieces. Two other trees were blasted out together, and three more were removed singly. The manner in which each tree was blown out of the ground was highly satisfactory, and the method is a vast improvement on the old style of grubbing by hand. The seven trees were treated with varying quantities of the explosive, and the cost would average about 3/6 per tree. The agents claim that trees can be removed by the Nobel-Glasgow method at from 50 per cent to 80 per cent cheaper than by hand labour. (7)

An advertisement for Nobel explosives for land clearing.

The Leader, April 10, 1909 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article196899229

There were some finer details provided, in case you are interested in removing trees and have some sticks of gelignite lying around; even though apparently the sale of gelignite is now highly regulated and highly restricted -
In blasting trees or stumps, the first thing done is to find with a crowbar the best place between the roots to get under the body of the stump. If the tree is not too large, an ordinary charge, well situated and carefully tamped, will take it out, but if the stump is large and deep in the ground the hole must be larger than can be made with the crowbar, and charges must be carefully distributed in the best possible situation so as to get the best results. The operator digs down by the side of the stump, and then makes horizontal holes under the bottom of the stump as near to the centre as possible, disturbing the natural earth as little as possible. The charges are placed close to the wood; then are put in the primers and tamp. After putting the charges and detonators in, a little wet clay or dirt is placed at the bottom of the holes and in contact with the stump, thus filling up the entire opening. If the charges are not well under the stump, a small dam is made and filled with water. Wherever the charges are they must be well supported with water, mud, damp clay, or some other compact and weighty material. (8)

The article concluded with -
At the conclusion of the demonstration at large number of the visitors were the recipients of Major Campbell's hospitality, and the opportunity was taken by Mr Dorecket (of Dalgety and Co.) to thank Major and Mrs Campbell for their kindness, and to express the pleasure the visitors derived from the trip. The health of the host and hostess was drunk enthusiastically. Major Campbell acknowledged the sentiment, and expressed himself as pleased that they had found the demonstration interesting. He would always be happy to show anyone the details of the method, and if they were much interested they could bore the hole and fire the charge themselves. (Laughter and applause). The visitors returned to Melbourne by the evening train. (9)

I wonder what Carlo got out of the day? He was interested in land settlement and sympathetic to farmers, so he would have been able to add this new information about gelignite to remove trees to his store of knowledge and disseminate it when required.

Footnotes

(1) Major Charles Campbell  (1867-1936). Clearly the name Amesfield held some significance to Major Campbell as he used that name for three of his properties. Sale of Amesfield Park, Mornington - Dandenong Advertiser, February 17, 1916, see here; living at Amesfield, Huntingtower Road, Malvern - Frankston & Somerville Standard, August 27, 1924, see here;  Obituary - at the time of his death, at the age of 68,  he was living at Amesfield Park, Upper Beaconsfield -  The Age October 31, 1936, see here. See also his entry in Residents of Upper Beaconsfield - https://upperbeaconsfieldhistory.au/g0/p47.htm#i1384

Major Campbell's death notice

The Argus, October 29, 1936  http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article11930638

(2) Richard Grice (1813-1882) Australian Dictionary of Biography entry, see here. I have written about his son, Richard (1858-1911) here    https://victoriaspast.blogspot.com/2024/02/richard-grice-1858-1911-of-eirruc.html

(3) Mornington & Dromana Standard, June 12, 1909, see here.

(4) The Argus, December 3, 1908, see here.

(5) Guest list compiled from these reports -  The Age, June 14, 1909, see here;  The Argus, June 14, 1909, see here and Mornington & Dromana Standard, June 19, 1909, see here. The quote about Mr Millard and transportation came from the Mornington & Dromana Standard.

(6) Mornington & Dromana Standard, June 19, 1909, see here

(7) Mornington & Dromana Standard, June 19, 1909, see here

(8) Mornington & Dromana Standard, June 19, 1909, see here

(9) Mornington & Dromana Standard, June 19, 1909, see here

Carlo and the Pental Island levee banks

Pental Island, near Swan Hill, is surrounded by the Murray River, the Little Murray/Marraboor River and the Lodden River, so as you can imagine, is quite prone to flooding. There had been a dispute between Victoria and New South Wales as to who 'owned' Pental Island and this was settled in 1872, when the issue came before the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in England and they declared it to be part of the Colony of Victoria. (1)  

Pental Island

Detail of Victoria fire map, 1:100 000 map series. Swan Hill  / published by the Department of Crown Lands and Survey Victoria for the Country Fire Authority, 1960s.

State Library of Victoria https://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/4309598

In 1885, Pental Island came under the control of the Council of Agricultural Education, which was established in 1884 under the Agricultural Colleges Act. (2) The Weekly Times reported that its central principle is the reservation of specified areas of Crown lands as sources of endowment for agricultural colleges and experimental farms. This would allow the Council of Agricultural Education to implement a scheme of scientific and experimental training for agriculturists (3).  

By the early 1900s, the Government wanted to take back control of Pental Island and to subdivide it into smaller blocks. It was at this time that Carlo Catani had some involvement with Pental Island, as The Age reported in March 1902 -

Pental Island. The question of control. Now that the Council of Agricultural Education, in defiance of the general demand that the control of Pental Island should be vested in a more competent authority, has decided to subdivide and lease the area without regard to the question of effecting necessary improvements, the Minister of Lands has at last resolved to step in. He sent a letter to the council yesterday making a definite offer in cash in order to induce the council to give up its control of the island. In doing this, the Minister states that he has been fortified with a report from Mr. Catani, the engineer of the Public Works department, which was originally prepared on behalf of the Council of Agricultural Education. There are in all some 16,140 acres in the island. In order to make virtually the whole of this suitable for settlement, levees will have to be constructed, which Mr. Catani estimates will run into a matter of some £8000 at £200 a mile for 40 miles of embankment, 4 feet 6 inches wide at the top. In addition, a bridge will have to be constructed over the Little Murray, and other incidental works will bring the cost of putting the island into a fit condition for settlement probably very near £10,000, according to the departmental estimate. This is an expenditure the Agricultural College Council could not undertake, and its proposal for escaping interference by pretending to make the Pental Island available for settlement is therefore farcical in the extreme. It is thought possible by the Minister of Lands however, that he can induce the council to part with the island for a consideration. At present it returns that body about £750 a year in rentals. Mr. Duggan is offering what he considers to be sufficient to compensate the council for a fair proportion of this. Whether it will be deemed enough to compensate the members for depriving them of one of their chief playthings remains to be seen. If that body is agreeable to his proposal, Mr. Duggan will as speedily as possible have Pental Island adapted for purposes of closer settlement. He has been given to understand that the suggested levee works will be the means of protecting the island permanently against inundations. (4)

Another report had the dimensions of Carlo's levee banks as -  4 feet 6 inches high and 4 feet 6 inches wide at the top, with a batter of 2 feet to 1 and a further report has this information -  the average height of the banks is about 11 feet above summer level, and that the highest flood mark is about 14 feet above the summer level. This would leave the island at flood time about 3 feet under water. Mr Catani estimates that a bank about 4 feet 6 inches high would be necessary to keep the flood waters off the land. (5) 

It does not appear that the Minister for Lands was successful in wrestling control of Pental Island from the Council of Agricultural Education, and in August 1902 it was reported that -
The outcome of the conference was a meeting of the Premier and the Minister for Agriculture yesterday, and it was subsequently announced that it had been determined to agree to the issue of the leases for the full term of 14 years, and at the rentals specified in the conditions laid down by the council. These rentals average 2/5¾ per acre. A modification, subject to ratification by the trustees, was made, however, to the effect that the leases will be liable to resumption by act of Parliament at any time after three years, provided that at least 12 months' notice of intention to resume is given to the lessees; the lessees to be entitled to compensation for any improvements that may then be in existence, based on their value at the time of resumption. (6)   

Carlo's levee banks were  not built at the time and even in 1914, the opinion of the Kerang New Times was that each new lease on Pental Island will probably contain a clause making it compulsory on the lessee to construct a levee bank to prevent flooding. (7)  In 1916, Pental Island was flooded although the settlers had been hard at work building up embankments against the flood waters. (8)

Levee banks of some description were in place in the 1920s - but these caused another problem, as reported in The Australasian -

on the Victorian side, particularly along Pental Island, levee banks have been built by the settlers, and they fear that the level of the river will be dangerously raised if banks are erected opposite their own, thus controlling the river in a narrow channel. This belief is so strongly held that cases are frequently quoted where settlers on the opposite banks have cut through the levees to relieve their on inundation. (9)

A flood occurred in 1931, when Pental Island was part of Dookie Agricultural College, even though it is protected from flooding by levee banks, which in flood time have frequently been found broken. (10).  Twenty years later, in 1951, there was another flood, the highest Murray River flood since the 1931 floods, when the flood waters were lapping perilously near the top of the levees desperately raised by the island’s farmers, working waist-deep in water. (11)

This is a very sad state of affairs for the farmers and 1951 wasn't the last flood they suffered.  We don't know if Pental Island could have been safe from floods if Carlo's proposed levee banks were constructed in 1902;  but, not for the first time, his recommendations and plans were ignored by the Government of the day.

Footnotes
(1) Geelong Advertiser, September 21, 1872, see here. 
(2) The Age, October 28, 1885, see here 

(3) The Weekly Times, November 8, 1884, see here.
(4) The Age, March 19, 1902, see here.

(5) The Age, August 28, 1902, see here; Ballarat Star, March 20, 1902, see here.

(6) The Australasian, August 23, 1902, see here.
(7) Kerang New Times, March 24, 1914, see here.
(8) The Age, October 5, 1916, see here.
(9) The Australasian, May 31, 1924, see here.
(10) The Argus, August 6, 1931, see here. 

(11) Sun News-Pictorial, August 7, 1951, see here. This, and the 1931 flood, are not an exhaustive list of Pental Island floods, just two examples which refer to the levee banks.

Carlo and the Moonee Ponds Creek

 In January 1900, the first case of Bubonic Plague was reported in Sydney. As a result, effected or suspected people were put into quarantine; parts of the City were cleaned up or demolished and a rat extermination programme was established.  The first case in Victoria was reported in the May and the the family from Collingwood were sent to the quarantine station at Point Nepean. (1)

However, even before this case the authorities were making efforts to minimise the chance of the plague taking off in Victoria. Rats around the wharves were being destroyed;  the Coburg Tip was inspected and the rubbish covered over on a daily basis as the tip was said to be the source of the rats entering the Pentridge Prison and other local councils also stepped up efforts to remove rubbish, clean drains and exterminate rats. (2)

One particular area of concern was the Moonee Ponds Creek, described in 1886 as being a deadly fever- breeding poison; in 1888 as a pestilential drain and in 1899 as a festering menace to public health. (3) Thus in March 1900, a Government deputation, which included Carlo Catani, made an inspection of this creek. The North Melbourne Courier reported -
Inspection of the Moonee Ponds Creek
On Tuesday forenoon the Minister of Public Works (Mr. Graham), accompanied by Mr. Davidson (Inspector-General of Public Works) and Mr. Catani of the department, met representatives of North Melbourne and Flemington and Kensington at the Arden-street bridge at 10 a.m. There were present the Hon. W. A. Watt, Postmaster General and Parliamentary representative for North Melbourne; Cr. G. M. Prendergast, and Crs. G. W. Debney and A. Crighton of Flemington; Mr. W. McCall, town clerk of Flemington; and Mr. G. Offen, borough inspector of Flemington. Starting from the Arden-street bridge, the party inspected the creek at the Macaulay-road bridge and then proceeded to Barwise-street (4), and from there were driven to Brunton's mills in Laurens-street.

Owing to the recent heavy rains the creek was flushed, and there was no nuisance observable by the nasal sense, although some of the fluid in the side drain had a dark-tinged look. Some cows cropping the herbage from the black ooze between the mound on the Flemington side and the channel gave rise to anything but pleasant thoughts as to the quality of their milk, and the minister came to the conclusion with little hesitation that the work of channelling the creek as far as Brunton's drain should be proceeded with at once. This will cost £1500, and it is claimed by the officers of Mr. Graham's department that, although the complete scheme provides for the drainage of the creek to the dock, this will abate the nuisance, but it is questionable whether their expectations in this respect will be fulfilled. Brunton's mills are fifteen inches below flood level, and the owner, who erected them at a cost of £60,000, has to place barriers across his Laurens-st. entrance to stop the inflow of water at flood time, owing to the fact that the barrel drain which runs across the railway reserve is too small to carry off the water, and an open and larger drain across the reserve is needed.

The minister said he would place the matter before the Cabinet that afternoon, and endeavor to get the work of continuing the channelling to Brunton's drain put in hand forthwith. We have been informed by the Hon. the Postmaster-General that the Cabinet have decided to push on the work of channelling the creek as quickly as possible, in view of the great menace it is to the public health in its present state and the prevalence of the plague in New South Wales. (5)

These two maps are from the 1912 Moultons directory of streets for Melbourne and suburbs.   On the left of the North Melbourne map, you can see Barwise Street near the Flemington Bridge; it's a continuation of Racecourse Road (and was later renamed Racecourse Road (4)); the Macaulay Station,  is at Macaulay Road, even though it is not marked on the North Melbourne map, but you can see it on the Kensington/Flemington map, below.  Further south, is Arden Street, where Carlo and his colleagues started their inspection of the Moonee Ponds Creek in March 1900.

1912 Moultons directory of streets for Melbourne and suburbs. 

State Library of Victoria https://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/246064

This channelling was a continuation of previous work on the Moonee Ponds Creek, which had been a concern for many years as The Age noted in their report of Carlo's visit to the Creek -

For nearly a quarter of a century the neighboring councils have been endeavoring to get the existing powers to do something to improve the condition of the creek; and the policy of how not to do it has never, perhaps, been more forcibly illustrated than in this case. Correspondence with the Railway department, visits by the Board of Health, representations by the local councils, deputations to the Government, and other public acts have helped to keep the nauseous subject dangling before the eyes
of the public; and when it is stated that the whole cost only amounts to £6700, the absurdity of the thing is sufficiently apparent. The original cost was estimated at £6000, but a start was made in the winter, so as to give the unemployed something to do, and that had the effect of increasing the cost of the work. Probably, had it not been for the unemployed the work would still be in its initial stages, instead of being, as it is, about three-parts completed. The amount already expended is stated to be £5200, and the estimated cost of the remaining portion [to Brunton's drain] is £1500. (6)

I don't believe the channelling was carried out at this time, but the creek was not cleaned up and in 1905 The Age reported that -

The creek itself is silted up in several places, most noticeably between Flemington-bridge and Barwise-street, where the silt fills the canal to within 6 or 8 inches of the top. Bagging, boulders, decaying vegetables, tins of all sorts and sizes, and the carcases of defunct dogs and goats interfere with the flow of the drainage. (7)

From this 1906 report, it appears that Carlo had designed a beautification scheme for the much maligned Creek - 

In the Public Works Department, some time ago, a scheme for the improvement of the northern approach to the city by rail was formulated. The Moonee Ponds Creek was to be the centre of rockeries and palm plantations, and the whole locality was to be transformed into a charming little garden, with miniature walks and fascinating vistas. Mr Catani, in his enthusiasm. for the project, labelled the plan, 'Houi soit qui Moonee Ponds Creek'.  Whether this mutilation of the old motto has any evil effect on the proposed beautification of the unsightly stream is not admitted, but the work has never gone on

with. Instead, the railway authorities have taken the matter in hand, and are effecting some prosaic alteration. (8)

We have one more reference to Carlo and his work on the Moonee Ponds Creek, in a report of a meeting of the Moonee Ponds and Aberfeldie People's Association held in July 1914 - 

The subject of cleansing the Moonee Ponds creek was also under review of the [Railway] Commissioners, who claim that, although in railway territory, that Department is not responsible for having the matter attended to. As a slight solatium, Mr. Catani was to be invited to report on the question of hiding the unsightly and unsavoury area by a judicious mantling of shrub growth. (9)

Nothing came of this, and resources were obviously directed elsewhere during the Great War. In 1919, a letter from Mr Butler of Kensington, published in The Age described the creek as -

in a filthy condition, it is seldom, if ever, cleaned out. Debris and filth lay along it, being a menace to the health of people who live in the locality.....and the only time that the creek seems to get a clean out is when a flood comes down, and then the locality becomes flooded and the filthy water flows in and under the houses adjacent to the creek, causing them to become damp and unhealthy. There has been 18 inundations in this locality in two years. Most of these floods could have been avoided if the creek had been kept in a clean and proper condition, but who is responsible for looking after this creek? (10)

If  it was still the Public Works Department's responsibility by then Carlo had, as we know, retired and then sadly passed away on July 20, 1918, so he could no longer provide his professional expertise on improvements on the Moonee Ponds Creek. These days, the Tullamarine Freeway, which opened in 1970 (11) essentially runs along the course of the Moonee Ponds Creek, so the landscape has changed considerably since the time Carlo and his colleagues inspected the creek in March 1900.

The Friends of Moonee Ponds Creek have an interesting website, with links to historical material, amongst other more recent material - https://www.mooneepondscreek.org.au/

Footnotes

(1) National Museum of Australia https://www.nma.gov.au/defining-moments/resources/bubonic-plague; Bairnsdale Advertiser, May 10, 1900, see here.

(2) The Argus, March 28, 1900, see here.

(3) North Melbourne Advertiser, July 30, 1886, see here; Footscray Independent, January 7, 1888, see here; North Melbourne Courier, March 31, 1899, see here.

(4) Barwise Street, which ran between Flemington Road and the Moonee Ponds Creek in North Melbourne was renamed Racecourse Road around 1928. (The Age, March 16, 1928, see here).  Racecourse Road in Flemington was the other side of the Creek to Barwise Street, as you can see in the maps, above. Barwise Street was named for John Barwise, J.P. You can read his obituary in the North Melbourne Courier of January 29, 1909, here. 

(5) North Melbourne Courier,  March 30, 1900, see here.

(6) The Age, March 28, 1900, see here.

(7) The Age, June 16, 1905, see here.

(8) Footscray Independent, January 6, 1906, see here.

(9) Flemington Spectator, August 6, 1914, see here.

(10) The Age, January 30, 1919, see here.

(11) eMelbourne https://www.emelbourne.net.au/biogs/EM01255b.htm

Carlo defends his work on Red Bluff

Carlo faced some criticism both during his career and posthumously;  not in this blog, of course, because that's not I am here for, I only write positive things about the greatest Civil Engineer who ever worked in Victoria. (1)

The following article was published in The Age in May 1917, a few weeks after his retirement on April 28, 1917. Carlo defended his work, especially the removal of Red Bluff  at Point Ormond and also criticised the Brighton Council over the foreshore drive. 

Foreshore Improvements Mr Catani's Work 
Mr. C. Catani was the guest of St. Kilda council on Monday night, and received the congratulations of that body on the beautification works carried out by him as a public officer in St. Kilda and other parts of the State. The Mayor, (Cr Barnet), expressed his satisfaction that Mr Catani was retaining his position as Government representative on the Foreshore Trust. 

Mr. Catani, in acknowledging the compliment paid to him, said he retired from the Government service for private reasons, his domestic arrangements had been changed by the war. After referring to the various works carried out at St. Kilda, he said that he had been blamed for spoiling the Red Bluff but that was a dangerous place for children before he reduced its cliffs to a gentle slope. He had laid the foundation for a foreshore drive from Port Melbourne to Sorrento. Brighton objected to the drive, but the foreshore was as much public property as the sunshine that warmed them. He had carried out Alexandra-Avenue on the same principle. The first section reached Church-street-bridge, but he had established another five-mile section between Ivanhoe and Heidelberg. There was nothing to stop those two sections being connected. One thing he greatly regretted was that St. Kilda was attracting some very undesirable visitors - brutes who not know how to behave themselves in broad daylight. That evil would have to be dealt with a very firm hand. (2)  

The Red Bluff landscaping/removal/destruction works (whatever your views on the subject are) took place in 1904 and the rock was removed for road gravel and railway ballast. (3)  Carlo had his supporters at the time for this work. The Leader published these photographs in August 1905 with the caption - 

The Red Bluff (Point Ormond), St. Kilda, no longer exists. It has been improved off the face of the earth. The picture reproduced gives a representation of it as it was 20 years ago, and the photograph shows the place as it now appears. (4)

The Red Bluff, St Kilda.

The Bluff 20 -Years Ago. From a Painting by J. R. Williams, St. Kilda. 2. The Bluff at the Present Time.

The Leader, August 26, 1905  http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article198193075

In 1926, The Argus, published an article, under the headlines Beautifying Melbourne: Our debt to Mr Catani - maker of playgrounds and had this to say -  

and turning his attention to the bare eyesore that was once the Red Bluff, transformed it into the Point Ormond of to-day.  (5) 

So here we have it - Red Bluff was considered dangerous, an eyesore and a hazard for little children. I understand the criticism of the Red Bluff works, but they need to be looked at in the context of the time; like much of the country, it was seen as a resource to be exploited. Nor was it the only landscape 'tidied up' or beautified.  Foreshore reclamation works, such as those at St Kilda (6) markedly changed the natural environment and yet there does not seem to be any criticism of those works. The Sun News Pictorial, under the headline - From Reeking Marsh to Garden Beauty: St. Kilda’s Foreshore Represents Miracle of Achievement, described this area as a noisome expanse of marsh which was transformed into the vistas of lawns, gardens and shrubberies that extend for nearly two miles along the sea-front and are unsurpassed by anything else of the kind in Australia. (7) This foreshore park was later named the Catani Gardens, after Carlo. Would St Kilda have the reputation as a desirable and fun destination if the foreshore was still a reeking marsh?

Ref Bluff in its natural state.

Red Bluff St. Kilda: at present Point Ormond c. 1874-1886. Artist: Elizabeth Parsons. 
State Library of Victoria image H36676/18

Point Ormond, the transformed Red Bluff.

Point Ormond Beach, Elsternwick, c. 1910s. Elwood was often referred to as Elsternwick in the past.

Photographer: Rose Stereograph Co. 

Image: A labour of love : the public works of Carlo Catani, Victoria 1876 - 1918 by Isaac Douglas Hermann 

(published by author in 2021)

Footnotes

(1) Yes, that is tongue in cheek.

(2) The Age, on May 23, 1917, see here

(3) Hermann, Isaac Douglas  A Labour of Love: the public works of Carlo Catani Victoria 1876-1918 (published by the author in 2021)

(4) The Leader, August 26, 1905, see here.  

(5) The Argus, January 4, 1926, see here.

(6) St Kilda Foreshore works https://victoriancollections.net.au/stories/carlo-catani-an-engineering-star-over-victoria/st-kilda-foreshore-gardens

(7) Sun News-Pictorial, August 23, 1932, see here.