Tuesday 29 November 2011

Where Were Those Landmarks?

I lived in Box Hill from around the age of 4 through to 7 from 1960 - 1964 (or thereabouts) and moved to QLD in the 1970s and don't get to visit Melbourne very often. When I do I like to retrace old steps but I am stumped regarding where a couple of particular locations might be exactly. We lived behind the golf course at 46 Penrose Street, Box Hill South and my father often took me for drives whenever he had to go somewhere and there are three distinct landmarks of which I cannot recall the exact locations; one was a large indoor pool with oval windows at the deeper end where I had swimming lessons...this pool burned down and I still remember the surreal charred ruins. Another is a Nissen Hut housing complex; these homes were small arched corrugated structures that were neatly lined in rows. The last was a massive neon sign with a soft drink bottle (Tarax probably) filling and emptying with soft drink. I think these landmarks were near Box Hill and all on major roads. I have quite a few memories of Box Hill; Zig and Zag at the petrol station, my primary school (Warrawong) on Richmond Street and the Technical College on Middleborough Road. I also witnessed a terrible car accident on the way to school where people were thrown from their cars (no seat belt laws then); this was on the corner of Joy Hill Ave and Cornfield Grove and have never forgotten it. I was the only witness but was very young so I just continued on my way to school in shock; I probably could have aided the investigation in some way. My fond memories are of playing in the large storm water drains down the bottom of the street near the Bowater Scott factory. We ventured up the drains rain, hail or shine and I nearly lost my 2 year old brother in a small torrent on one excursion...quite shocking when I think about it now, haha.