The most recent edition of this book, first published as "Eltham now and then" profiles historic buildings, people and places within the Shire with a double page spread for each including colour photographs. Terrific resource for upper primary school age and up.

Review fom HEIDELBERG HISTORIAN, newsletter of the Heidelberg Historical Society NO. 252 JUNE 2009 Nillumbik Now and Then By Marguerite Marshall; photographs by Alan King with Marguerite Marshall Research, MPrint Publications. 2008 198pp Available, Eltham Bookshop, $30 This is an updated and much extended edition of Nillumbik Now and Then: Eltham and Beyond published in 2002 covering the whole area of the Nillumbik Shire northeast of Melbourne with its centre in Eltham. It is designed as a series of two page chapters, with a large historical or present-day photograph or photographs on one page accompanied by relevant text on the opposite page. Contemporary photos were taken by the authors, but older photos are provided by Nillumbik and Eltham Historical Societies and local community groups. The range of topics is extensive covering every part of the present shire with numerous historical themes—important sites, significant buildings, notable residents, quite every feature in the shire which would be regarded as "heritage' and which could be visited by anyone interested in the history of the shire. Many of the stories told in this book will be familiar to our members from talks given at our meetings or visited on excursions, but some are not so well known and would provide interest for visitors to the old sites. Here are Kangaroo Ground and its memorial tower, Montsalvat, gold-mining sites at St Andrew's, the Maroondah Aqueduct and the Batman Apple Tree, and notable cemeteries at Eltham, Hurstbridge and Diamond Creek. There are places to explore such as the Watson's Creek trail and the Plenty Gorge Park. There are places mentioned which sadly have been damaged in the recent bush fires such as Strathewen, Arthur's Creek and the Kinglake National Park. Many notable homes are mentioned, Hazel Glen, Allwood, the Sweeney's property, Wingrove Cottage, Pigeon Bank at Kangaroo Ground and popular stopping places like Weller'sPub. The life and work of the district is captured in the stories of fruit-growing, gold mining and there are many places in Eltham discussed with accounts of hotels, schools and churches in the area and the popular miniature railway. There are references to the mud-brick homes, and to many notable residents such as Alan Marshall, Alastair Knox, the Christensens, Clifton Pugli, and Tim Burstall. Each story is appropriately illustrated with fine photographs. An index would have been helpful as well as a map showing locations, a thought for another edition. This is a valuable record of the district for anyone who lives in the Shire or who has lived there or has known it well.