Celebrating Nillumbik Women 2009 - Nillumbik Shire Council

Elean Dansey
Nominated by Sue Dyet
Elean Dansey and her husband Bill ran the
General Store in Wattletree Road Eltham
near Eltham North Park. Bill bought the store
in 1933, they married in 1934 and Elean,
aged 20, started her long association with
Eltham.
Elean and Bill had cows in the paddock
running down to the Diamond Creek and sold
fresh milk at three pence a pint. At that time,
not many people had cars, so Bill used to
deliver orders to Eltham North with a horse
and cart. The grocery supplies arrived at the
store in sacks and had to be repacked by the
Danseys in one and two pound measures
into brown paper bags.
The old house they lived in next to the store,
originally did not have electricity, sewerage or
town water. The house and store that exists
today was a dream that was not realised
until well after the death of her husband in
1971. The existing house and store was
built in 1983-1984. Elean continued running
the general store on her own into the 21st
century.
As well as running the store seven days
a week for 14 hours a day during winter
and longer in summer, Elean developed a
talent for baking and had up to 25 orders
a weekend for sponges, Swiss rolls and
lamingtons.
Elean remarkably found time to contribute
to the community through volunteer work as
well. She was the Treasurer of Eltham North
Primary School for 11 years and also wrote
for Diamond Valley News. She was known
to many thousands of Eltham people both
as the storekeeper and dispenser of local
wisdom.
Elean never left Victoria but was a
cornerstone of the Eltham North community.
Some of her family still live in the area today.