The success of any flock is through the strength of its females and Blossom, a Border Leicester/Merino Cross ewe is an excellent example. Border Leicester rams are mated with Merino ewes to produce fat lamb mothers. These first cross ewes are mated with meat sheep, such as Dorsets to produce hybrids that pass on quality wool characteristics to their offspring. The Border Leicester/Merino crosses produce good quantities of wool which, despite being of stronger micron than most Merino fleece wool (34 to 38 microns), is still in demand in the marketplace. The Border Leicester sheep takes its name from the border country between England and Scotland, the area in which the breed was first developed in the late 18th century.Border Leicester/Merino Cross ewe. Long body with white fleece. The nose is black and she has large ears, upright and alert. The head and legs are free of wool.drysdale, sheep, new zealand

Standing proud, still here, the spirit of ten ancestral matriarchs adorned in contemporary ceremonial cloaks. Representing our women past, present and future, her Spirit, our culture, our Country (spelt with a capital for its importance and this is part of First Peoples protocols on acknowledging Country, our strength, our resilience and healing towards a sustainable future). The colours of this cloak refer to natural pink ochre and indigenous flowering plants on Wadawurrung Dja. The pink ochre is sourced by Deanne Gilson at Black Hill in Ballarat, Victoria. Men also made woven dilly bags to hold their possessions in. The basket making was an ongoing aspect of daily life for Wadawurrung people and often done in cooler months when the weather was too bad to go outside. Many women and family groups had their own style and techniques that were traded amongst other groups. Wadawurrung women had a particular stitch they used and incorporated elaborate symbols into the basket designs. Tammy Gilson’s weaving represents this stitch. This cloak pays homage to them and the changing seasons as they created, particularly the cooler months leading into the warmer season when several gum blossom flower. This cloak was worn once by artist Deanne Gilson at a formal opening at the Art Gallery of Ballarat in 2022. A Welcome to Country ceremony was performed while wearing it.Pink native flower in baskets motif on a pink background on outer cloak, pink and white diamond and circle design in lining. Solid black trimming. Cloak is machine sewn and handstitched with hand stitching on shoulder seam.deanne gilson, wadawurrung dja, first nations art

For the wedding of Dorothy Williams in 1958'Schiaparelli' stockings in red box with pink tissue paper around inside the box. Style 'Magnifique', Colour 'Blossom'. Size 10 1/2Schiaparelli 'Magnifique', 'Blossom'. 10 1/2costume accessories, footwear accessories

Frances Burke: Designer of Modern Textiles Australia’s most influential and celebrated textile designer of the mid-20th century, Frances Burke (1904-1994), employed Australian native flora, garden flowers, marine subjects, Indigenous culture and increasingly, abstract motifs in her stunning modern fabrics. A confident, determined designer and businesswoman; Burke made the shift from fine art to design in 1937. While she began by designing dress fabrics for Melbourne’s fashionable Georges Department store, printing them on linen using lino blocks, she was an early adopter of the screen-printing process and during the war years began printing on cotton. Burke’s furnishing fabrics took their place in influential modern buildings Australia-wide through collaborations with leading architects and interior designers. They included Robin Boyd’s 1949 House of Tomorrow, Roy Grounds’ Quamby flats, Guilford Bell’s Royal Hayman Island Resort for Ansett Airlines, and Yuncken, Freeman Brothers, Griffiths and Simpson’s Canberra Civic Centre Theatre. In the post-war period, Burke made regular trips to the United States and Europe, on her return advising homeowners and manufacturers on the latest trends in products, colours and home design in lectures and interviews. At New Design her fabric showroom and interior design consultancy Burke introduced furniture by emerging designers Clement Meadmore and Grant Featherston in the early 1950s and presented local and imported homewares, mostly from the United States. She was enthusiastic about the convenient and comfortable lifestyle experienced by ordinary American women. Her fabrics and advice were regularly featured in Australian Home Beautiful, Australian House and Garden and the newspapers of the day. Some of Burke’s designs had remarkable longevity. Tiger Stripe (1938) for example, continued to be produced in a wide range of colours until 1970 and Crete (1946) remained a popular choice for interiors into the 1960s. Drawing from a rich variety of sources including Indigenous culture in Goanna (c.1954) and Pacific Island tapa cloth designs in Bird and Tree (1940), Burke also looked to Japan in designs such as Plum Blossom (1948) and Zen (1965). She loved exploring the potential of native flora, seen in designs including Waratah (1955) and Flannel Flower (1955), while garden flowers were the source for many other designs including Belladonna (1940), Periwinkle (n.d.) and Rose (1947). Burke’s clever interplay of a single striking printed colour with lively gestural lines revealing the white base fabric, gave her designs a vibrancy that characterised the optimistic post-war era. This can be seen in Burke’s fabrics for Hayman Island including Angel Fish and Seapiece (both 1949) which expressed the freshness and excitement of the luxurious new tropical resort and led to further commissions. Burke’s three decades in business (1937-1970) were an unparalleled success in the story of Australian design. Her fabrics have been collected by the NGA, the Powerhouse Museum, NGV, RMIT Design Archives and Sydney Living Museums in addition to Ararat Gallery TAMA. Written by Nanette Carter and Robyn Oswald-Jacobs.

Frances Burke: Designer of Modern Textiles Australia’s most influential and celebrated textile designer of the mid-20th century, Frances Burke (1904-1994), employed Australian native flora, garden flowers, marine subjects, Indigenous culture and increasingly, abstract motifs in her stunning modern fabrics. A confident, determined designer and businesswoman; Burke made the shift from fine art to design in 1937. While she began by designing dress fabrics for Melbourne’s fashionable Georges Department store, printing them on linen using lino blocks, she was an early adopter of the screen-printing process and during the war years began printing on cotton. Burke’s furnishing fabrics took their place in influential modern buildings Australia-wide through collaborations with leading architects and interior designers. They included Robin Boyd’s 1949 House of Tomorrow, Roy Grounds’ Quamby flats, Guilford Bell’s Royal Hayman Island Resort for Ansett Airlines, and Yuncken, Freeman Brothers, Griffiths and Simpson’s Canberra Civic Centre Theatre. In the post-war period, Burke made regular trips to the United States and Europe, on her return advising homeowners and manufacturers on the latest trends in products, colours and home design in lectures and interviews. At New Design her fabric showroom and interior design consultancy Burke introduced furniture by emerging designers Clement Meadmore and Grant Featherston in the early 1950s and presented local and imported homewares, mostly from the United States. She was enthusiastic about the convenient and comfortable lifestyle experienced by ordinary American women. Her fabrics and advice were regularly featured in Australian Home Beautiful, Australian House and Garden and the newspapers of the day. Some of Burke’s designs had remarkable longevity. Tiger Stripe (1938) for example, continued to be produced in a wide range of colours until 1970 and Crete (1946) remained a popular choice for interiors into the 1960s. Drawing from a rich variety of sources including Indigenous culture in Goanna (c.1954) and Pacific Island tapa cloth designs in Bird and Tree (1940), Burke also looked to Japan in designs such as Plum Blossom (1948) and Zen (1965). She loved exploring the potential of native flora, seen in designs including Waratah (1955) and Flannel Flower (1955), while garden flowers were the source for many other designs including Belladonna (1940), Periwinkle (n.d.) and Rose (1947). Burke’s clever interplay of a single striking printed colour with lively gestural lines revealing the white base fabric, gave her designs a vibrancy that characterised the optimistic post-war era. This can be seen in Burke’s fabrics for Hayman Island including Angel Fish and Seapiece (both 1949) which expressed the freshness and excitement of the luxurious new tropical resort and led to further commissions. Burke’s three decades in business (1937-1970) were an unparalleled success in the story of Australian design. Her fabrics have been collected by the NGA, the Powerhouse Museum, NGV, RMIT Design Archives and Sydney Living Museums in addition to Ararat Gallery TAMA. Written by Nanette Carter and Robyn Oswald-Jacobs.

Japanese Shi-gunto Army Officers sword and scabbard. The guard is rectangular in shape with cherry blossom motifs. The hilt is encased in Shark skin (?) Scabbard is made of painted steel. Brass fittings on the wooden scabbard encased in an enamel painted metal sheathWorld War Two Japanese NCO/Officer sword and scabbardCherry Blossom inscription on guardjapanese sword officer scabbard shi-gunto samuri cherry blossom

Montsalvat Youth Photography Prize 2023 The Montsalvat Youth Photography Competition 2023 was opened to young people aged 14 - 18, based in Victoria. Entrants were invited to explore the grounds, buildings, people, and activities of Montsalvat – to capture its essence and bring their own imagination to the process. First Prize: $1000 sponsored by Future Leaders The winner’s work printed and framed by Montsalvat for display in the Barn Gallery for a three-week exhibition slot. Second Prize: $500 Ten artists were shortlisted and placed on rotational display on Montsalvat’s website and screened in the Barn Gallery for a three-week digital exhibition. In sponsorship with Eltham District Historical Society, the shortlisted works were also to be catalogued and preserved, providing a permanent display of work for young photographers. KEY DATES: Entries opened: Monday the 3rd of April 2023 Entries closed: Friday 8th September - Midnight Finalists advised: Friday 15th September The winners were formally awarded their prize at Montsalvat on Sunday, October 8, 2023. The winners: • 1st place – Yirong Huang Enliven • 2nd place - Rhys Humphries, The Countess • 3rd Place- Jemimah Lavis Windowmontsalvat youth photography prize 2023, montsalvat

The September 5, 1912 issue of Table Talk celebrated "Wattle Day" where new plantings are made of the national flower and featured images from both Melbourne as well as the first excursion to Hurstbridge. Those from Hurstbridge were photographed by notable WW1 photographer, J.E. Barnes. Also digitised and accessible via National Library of Australia Trove website - (1912, September 5). Table Talk (Melbourne, Vic. : 1885 - 1939), p. 23. Retrieved July 28, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-page17413107 See an article on reflections about Wattle Day on page 29 - SOME REFLECTIONS UPON WATTLE DAY. (1912, September 5). Table Talk (Melbourne, Vic. : 1885 - 1939), p. 29. Retrieved July 28, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article146180986 The inaugural Hurstbridge Wattle Day Festival was held Saturday, September 1, 1912 when a specially commissioned train brought 1,000 visitors to the district to enjoy the splendour of the wattle in bloom. “Melbourne’s first “Wattle Day” Campaign, the day when Australia’s national flower was to be all pervading in the streets of the metropolis, and sold in sprigs and bunches by hundred of lady volunteers, for purposes of charity, was not blessed with happy climatic conditions on Monday [2 Sep 1912]” - WATTLE DAY. (1912, September 7). Leader (Melbourne, Vic. : 1862 - 1918, 1935), p. 39. Retrieved July 28, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article198116738 “In connection with Wattle Day celebrations a special train conveyed a thousand people to Hurst's-Bridge last Saturday afternoon [1 Sep 1912]. Lengthy reports of the excursion appeared in the daily papers last Monday. - WATTLE DAY. (1912, September 6). Evelyn Observer and Bourke East Record (Vic. : 1902 - 1917), p. 2 (MORNING.). Retrieved July 28, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article60656027 See a review of the excursion to Hurst’s-Bridge - HURST'S-BRIDGE EXCURSION. (1912, September 2). The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954), p. 9. Retrieved July 28, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article196255907 The excursion to Hurst’s-Bridge was considered such a success that the Railway department arranged to run another special train to the station on Saturday, October 5, 1912 - HURST'S-BRIDGE EXCURSION. (1912, October 2). The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954), p. 10. Retrieved July 28, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article203325447Inaugural Hurstbridge Wattle Day Festival held 1 September 1912d3-class steam locomotive, hurstbridge wattle festival, special train, tait train, tourism, wattle day campaign, wattle day festival, david smyth collection

Tells te story of the first Japanese 'war bride' to be admitted entry to Australia after World War II. This book was owned by Ruby Fort.161 pages. b&w photographs. Brown dust jacket with drawing of bamboo.On fly leaf: "Ruby Fort Emily Rough"world war ii, japanese war brides, cherry parker

Purchased, 1982Watercolour on papergippsland, artwork, permanent collection

Frank and Esma Barr had an orchard on the south (uphill) side of Gatters Road and the Colellas had an orchard on the other side of Gatters Road

Principal's Residence, Prunus pollardii syn. Amygdalis pollardii in blossom. T.H. Kneen's car parked in the driveway.principal's residence, blossom, t.h. kneen, car, driveway, prunus pollardii

Japanese gunto steel sword and scabbard possibly worn by a NCOJapaneseSword and Scabbard - 1944Cherry Blossomjapanese sword scabbard shi-gunto samuri cherry blossom

Two newspaper cuttings pasted onto a sheet of paper. (1) "Golden fruit - girl students at the Burnley Horticultural College gathering a fine crop of oranges in the orchard." in The Argus, 16th July 1931.(2) student examining some blossom, with the caption: "Searching for thrips: the thrips menace has made its appearance again on fruit blossom in some districts of Victoria. This photograph, taken today at the Burnley Horticultural School, shows one of the girl students with a magnifying glass looking for the minute insects. A few isolated thrips have been discovered on the buds of some of the trees at the school."female students, oranges, thrips, students working outside, fruit, orchard, field station, blossom

2 identified as, Joy Leitch (M.J. Leitch? 1939) and Eleanor Parsons (1939).The Sun News - Pictorial, 1939. Photograph of 6 girls gathered around a tree in blossom, some pruning or gathering blossom.Handwritten on it, "1938-1939 Class, 1939."female students, eleanor parsons, students working outside, june de chaneet, joy leach, m j leitch

Wax orange blossoms on a circular wire frame

Photograph made by A.P. Winzenried as a possible illustration for, "Green Grows Our Garden." Caption reads, "A Touch of Spring. " Note by T.H. Kneen 18 March 1992," Query: Student identified as Hilda Dance has dark hair - we always knew Hilda as being fair haired!"Colour photograph. Copy of a newspaper article made by A.P. Winzenried. Caption reads, "A Touch of Spring. " Students working near a dry stone wall in the Orchard shown in a 1926 Site Plan. Fruit trees in blossom behind the wall. Handwritten underneath, "J.Teed, H. Dance, E. Pearce, M. Fisher, B. Levick. "The Argus." 18-8-35." On reverse, "Dry stone wall at Burnley.""j.teed, h. dance, e. pearce, m. fisher, b. levick, green grows our garden, a. p. winzenried, orchard, dry stone wall, students working outside, blossom, tools, wooden wheelbarrow

Slide, Garden (Flowers) 12 Hope Street.Apple blossom.slide, bendigo, garden (flowers) 12 hope street., garden (flowers) 12 hope street.