Maria

Bus stop, Doncaster Road, Trentwood Drive-in Shopping Centre

Greythorn has a friendly atmosphere, and since the 1950s residents and proprietors have volunteered their time to improve the centre and its facilities. The former RSL Memorial Hall, now part of the Greythorn Community Hub, was the result of the efforts of the first committee of the North Balwyn RSL Sub-Branch who helped save costs by excavating the site themselves. The hall was built at a cost of £17,343, which included a billiard room, refreshment room and a ladies’ room.[29] When its hall opened in 1959, it became a hub for servicemen and women re-establishing their lives after World War 2. This statue is inspired by Greythorn’s op-shop volunteers. Yours Now Mine (321 Doncaster Road), was established in 1999 and raises funds for San Carlo Homes for the Aged.

The statue’s plaque reads:

Hi, I am Maria, I’ve bought all your favourites at Greythorn for our special family dinner. We have amazing Middle Eastern entrees, some Asian dishes including Chinese, Malaysian and sushi, a Greek salad and some pizza and chippies which the kids will love! Just waiting for the bus now.

Something to think about:

See the red poppy on Maria’s coat? It’s known as the remembrance poppy or Flanders Field poppy. In the years following WW2 newly-arrived European migrants and returning soldiers settled in Greythorn; local residents established the North Balwyn RSL Sub-Branch in 195 2. Maria’s scarf is decorated with violets, an ‘old fashioned’ flower symbolising modesty. A field of violets was one of the attractions at Greythorn’s Wildlife Sanctuary, which occupied the site of an earlier violet farm. Flowers can symbolise love, loss, hope,and joy. What’s your favourite flower? Do you know what it symbolises? 29 Outer Circle Mirror, 30 September, 1958.

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