The first engines to run on the Colac-Beech Forest line between 1900 and 1902 as work trains were A Class locomotives, otherwise known as 'Coffee Pots'. They were based and serviced at Colac, but coal stages were erected at Barongarook and Wimba water tanks because of the lengthy periods of waiting time required to unload sleepers and rails or to load ballast.An A Class train on a revetment hauling timber and men to build the Colac-Beech Forest railway, with a steep hillside in the background.. B/W.colac; beech forest; railway; timber;

Colac was the centre of a spidery rail network over which were carted anything and everything by Victorian Railways, the common carrier throughout the area. The main line through the region was the 35 km rail route from Birregurra (and thence to Geelong) though Colac to Pirron Yallock (and thence to Warrnambool and Port Fairy) from March, 1877, to July, 1883. The first branch line ran from Irrewarra to Beeac in 1889, which then extended in stages to Cressy and on the Ballarat. The second branch line was the 31 km long Birregurra to Forrest in 1891. The cost of building railways into mountainous terrain meant the third branch line was a narrow-gauge 2 foot 6 inch line, first of all to Beech Forest in 1902, and then to Crowes in 1911, for a total of 71 km. The final rail connection was the 16 km branch from Colac to Alvie to facilitate the transport of onions, opening in 1923. Each line had its own character and peculiarities derived from its foundation, geography and economic base. As a general rule, the loadings on the branch lines had greater output tonnage than inwards, the reverse of the main line. The lines traversed agricultural and timber areas where inputs like seed, grass, fertiliser and labour were minor, compared with the output, timber, wool, cream, butter, cheese fruit, potatoes, onion, grain and livestock.Rail Centre Colac. Rail stations in the Colac Otway Shire, 1877 to 2014. Norman Houghton. 1st ed. Norman Houghton; Geelong (Vic); 2014. vi, 262 p.; illus., maps, index. Soft cover.colac; cressy; forrest; beech forest; crowes

B/W, 122mm x 226mm. Transfer Shed and livestock wagon.colac; railways;

The Altar at Colac decorated for Holy Thursday 1934. Prior to the 1955 reforms of Pope Pius XII the Mass of the Lord's Supper and the Easter Vigil were celebrated in the morning of Thursday and Saturday respectively, and Holy Week and Lent were seen as ending only on the approach of Easter Sunday. The Altar is highly decorated and the ceremony focused upon as following the Mass of Holy Thursday Mass is not celebrated on Good Friday and the communion distributed at the Celebration of the Lord's Passion on Good Friday is consecrated on Holy Thursday.Caligraphy to board "St Mary's Colac Holy Thursday 1934".holy thursday, st mary's colac, easter, 1934.

In 1955 staff numbers were reduced to an absolute minimum with one track gang at Beech Forest and one at Colac, one of whose members resided at Gellibrand. No new sleepers were issued to the track gangs after 1955/56, cut down ones being used instead. Albert Denning, the son of a Gellibrand selector, worked at Driver's planing mill and Hitt's Lardner mill before joining Victorian Railways in 1928 as an engine cleaner at Beech Forest and Crowes, the last one in both places. He later became a track repairer at Gellibrand and worked with this and the Colac track gang until 1962. Bill Jamieson was a track repairer on the Colac-Gellibrand gang from the 1950s until 1962, and witnessed the official policy of minimum maintenance in the last years of the line.B/W. 201mm x 254mm. In c.1950, the Colac track gang near Kawarren, featuring, from left to right, Bill Jamieson, Albert Denning, and Don Loury on an NKS motor trolley..colac; kawarren; railways; track gangs;

The official opening of the Colac-Beech Forest railway took place on Wednesday, 26th February, 1902. On a typical Beech Forest wet day the train halted at the bottom of Gardner Hill for the opening party led by the State Governor, Sir George Sydenham Clarke, to walk up to the Ditchley Park Hotel for the official banquet in the adjoining hall. The menu of four courses plus coffee was assembed by the caterer, Chas. D. Straker. The toast list was led as usual by a toast to the King, followed by 18 toasts concluded by the Acting Commissioner of Railways.B/W. The menu and toast list at the opening of the Colac-Beech Forest Railway on Wednesday, 26th February, 1902, at Beech Forest. 128mm x 264mm actual

Magenta coloured soft covered souvenir booklet.provided by Nicki Shea, Granddaughter of Stan & Jo Bridgman of Eastwood Cycles Editorial introductions by Alf Stumbles, President, Federation of Wholesale Cycle Traders and Manufacturers' Association of Australia, Ted Waterford, Director of Promotions, and Owen R. Browne, Chairman of Victorian Milk Board.

St John's Anglican Church was dedicated to St John the Evangelist. The current church replaces an earlier building and was constructed from plans prepared by Henderson and Davidson and was opened on 8 May 1870, and was consecrated on 18 April 1882. Stained Glass Window recognizing the Australian Commonwealth Military Forces, and the death of Lieutenant Benjamin Meredith who was killed in action at Beersheba.To the Glory of God in loving memory or our dear parents John jenner Meredith - Born 29th Nov 1929 Died 30th March 1914. Margaret Meredit - Born 14th Jan 1843 Died 16th August 1915 and our dear brother Lt Benjamin P.G. Meredith Born 9th July 1882 killed in action at Beersheeba 31st Oct 1917. Erected by Annie F.T. and Charlie Meredithst john's colac, colac, john jenner meredith, margaret meredith, benjamin meredith, annie meredith, charles meredith, world war one, beersheeba

regatta, lake colac, colac

colac war memorial, colac, colac gardens

Gradient diagram. Colac to Beech Forest to Crowes. 2'6" gauge.colac; tulloh; coram; barongarook; water tanks; birnam; karwarren; hitt's siding; lovat; gellibrand; banool; wimba; mcdevitt; dinmont; devitt bros' siding; ditchley; beech forest; buchanan; ferguson; weeaproinah; pettitt bros' siding; j & m knott siding; kincaid siding; wyelangta; pettitt's siding; stalker; macknott; laver's hill; crowes; gradient;

While the first train arrived at Beech Forest on 17 February, 1902, as a special train for a race meeting at Beech Forest Turf Club, two special trains ran for the official opening of the railway by the State Governor, Sir George Sydenham Clarke, KCMG, R.E., F.R.S., that took place on 27 February, 1902. After seeing round the area the guests attended a celebration of the opening at a banquet at Beech Forest. The menu included four impressive courses, coffee and cognac, and included a number of toasts - The King, the Governor, the Minister and the Parliament of the State, Success to the Beech Forest Railway, the Colac Shire Council and the Railway Trust, and the Railway Department, a total of 19 people speaking. The official guests then returned to Colac.B/W. Opening banquet for the Colac-Beech Forest railway line in 1902. The State Governor, Sir George Sydenham Clarke, KCMG, the Premier of Victoria, Hon. A.J. Peacock, MLA, and a number of other important people seated at the top table, with other guests seated to the left and right.beech forest; railways; banquet; colac;

The story of Catholic education in Colac. Soft cover. 60 p.; illus. ca. 1988.catholic education; colac; roman catholics; st mary's catholic church; st mary's presbtery; st mary's school; st joseph's college; convent of mercy;

B/W. A reverse or S curve on the Colac-Beech Forest railway line, taken in 1901.colac; beech forest; railways;

Born in the Otways at Tanybryn in 1929 where he spent the bulk of his life he started writing poems in 1999 and since then has had over 100 poems listed. While many poems are memories of what has gone in Paddy's past he also pens about current day events, such as "Bob and Betty", or just about life as he sees it, such as "Diamonds in the Sky".Paddy's poems. The poetry of Paddy O'Connor, the Otway poet. P.J. O'Connor; Apollo Bay (Vic); 2004. vii, 121 p.; illus. Soft cover. ISBN 0 646 44331 3Paddy & Betty O'Connor 61 Wallace Street Colac VIC 3250paddy o'connor; poems; otways;

Locomotive G41 on a trestle bridge at Colac Station with two enginemen. Another G class locomotive sits in the background. B/W.colac; beech forest; railway; locomotive g41;

Refer to other Cat. ATTWOOD JR documents.1. THIS IS A POCKET SIZE BOOKLET. NUMBERED v3530. CARDBOARD COVER, INSIDE ALL THE RATION SHEETS HAVE BEEN REMOVED. THE FRONT COVER HAS BEEN PRINTED WITH BLACK INK. 2. IS A BROWN OHMS ENVELOPE WITH 2 STAMPS. FRANKED IN MELBOURNE, IT HAS A RED CROSS RULED ACROSS FRONT AND BACK. 3. CANTEEN SERVICE CARD ISSUED TO ATTWOOD JR. SGT. 11 AUST MAINT, PL. THE CARD HAS NUMEROUS CLIP HOLES WHERE USED.THE OWNER WAS ATTWOOD JR, 104 MURRAY STREET, COLAC - WRITTEN IN BLACK INK,ww2, documents, ration book

Technical linguistic grammar of Wathawurrung and the Colac Language. Includes a classification of Victorian languages and an English glossary for both languages with suggested phonetic transcriptions.maps, word listswathaurong, wada wurrung, watjawurrung, wathawurrung, gulidjan, tjapwurrung, djab wurrung, bunganditj, buandig, western victorian language, warrnambool language, central victorian language, colac, geelong, ballarat, barry blake, ian clark, sharnthi krishna-pillay, julie reid

Station facilities for the travelling public on the narrow gauge line at Colac Railway Station were non-existent for many years. Tickets were purchased from the broad gauge booking office and the travellers then had to walk with their luggage over the rough, potentially ankle-twisting, stone approaches, through the goods yard and wait in the open amongst the mud holes alongside the narrow gauge departure track. In 1922 a footbridge was erected over the broad gauge lines, and a passenger shelter and small goods shed were built on the departure track.B/W. At Colac Railway Station, an locomotive 8A with five NQR wagons, an NM livestock wagon and a NBDBD combined passenger and brake van destined for Beech Forest, with either the driver or the fireman peering out of the engine, three youths standing at the front of the engine, and a group of people, including a woman, standing near the livestock wagon. A multi-storied shed and two houses are in the background. 179mm x 280mm picture.colac; railway; narrow gauge; na locomotive;

Souvenir booklet of Back to Otway Football from 1907 until 1980, with an emphasis from 1921 onwards, intends to restore and preserve at least some of the history of Otway football.Otway football in review, 1907-1980. Mark Kempton (ed.). 1st ed. Colac (Vic); Herald Print; 1981. 48 p.; illus. Soft cover.otways; football; history; wyelangta; beech forest; carlisle; lavers hill; gellibrand; johanna;

Based on people whose lives had an impact on education in Lavers Hill in Victoria, it is a community that has faced challenges and achievements, overcoming everything that has been thrown there way - except for the weather which has not changed in fifty years.Where there's a will there's a way. The story of education in Lavers Hill. Ellise M. Angel. E.M. Angel; Colac; 2003. 72 p.; illus. Soft cover.Signed by author.lavers hill; education; ellise m. angel;

The Garratts were approaching 35 years of age and needed constant repairs to keep them in service, the other rolling stock was between 45 and 60 years old, the track was generally in poor condition, and the amount of traffic offering was only a faction of that carried previously and came from one station, Beech Forest. A further sign of decay was in the transfer of goods between the gauges. Where eight or nine men had worked full-time transferring between gauges only one man was seen by 1960, with several other men hired on the basis of '$2 a truck', assuming they could be found. In 1961 VR announced its intention to close the line which it did on 30 June 1962. Colour. On 9 August 1961 a G42 locomotive and goods train departing for Colac with the coal stage on the left, the saw mill and Gangers Shed on the right, and houses in the right background.. beech forest; railways;

A black and white staged photograph of the Albert Park Maiden Eight who won at the Colac Regatta. The photograph is in a brown wooden frame with a gilt edge and is on beige cardboard mounting.On reverse: H.R. Duncan (cox), C. Monteath (s), W. Chambers (7), W. McIlroy (6), C.P. Leslie (5), M.B. Harry (4), W. Paxton (3), J. Moorhead (2), J. Faraday (b)rowing, apsm rowing club, albert park rowing club, south melbourne rowing club, albert park lake, monteath, charles, duncan, henry robert, chamber, w, mcilroy, w, leslie, cp, harry, mb, paxman, w, moorhead, j, brady, j

A souvenir booklet of memories of the early days of the Otways giving some idea of the hardships, humour and identities that were an essential part of those times.Memories of Lavers Hill and district. Reunion Ball and switching on of S.E.C. power to Lavers Hill and Johanna districts, July 24, 1964. Colac (Vic); np; 1964. 20 p.; illus. Soft cover."Pop, Jim & I", Ray Milnes.otways; lavers hill; johanna; state electricity commission; memories; anecdotes;

Written on mounting board: Fr Ryan indicating the priest upper left and below image "Picnic Phillips Track" Verso has "Colac & Beech Forest."

Awarded by Colac Shire Council 1920Historical itemRound Medal with Red, White and Blue ribbon attachedObverse:- ??, Reverse:- ??

James Robbins was born on 9 February, 1869. He married Martha Owen (nee Burch) on 9 October, 1889, in Adelaide, South Australia. After having two children by her first marriage James and Martha went on to have seven children of their own, all except one surviving. James settled in Beech Forest in 1887, travelling to and from Tatura for two years before finally settling in Beech Forest. He had a number of jobs including Director of the Beech Forest Butter Factory, farmer, bullock wagon driver, and butcher. He died in Colac. James' predecessors and his successors are spelt out.Ancestors and descendants of the family of James and Martha Robbins, 1760-1990. Doris Robbins. Self published; Colac (Vic); 1990. 67 p.; illus. Soft cover.james robbins; martha owen; beech forest; tatura; colac; rushworth;