This horse collar was made and used by the family of Michael Conway who established a dairy farm of 35 acres in Wodonga in 1940. He and his wife Catherine nee Carroll settled there and raised 5 children. Before coming to Wodonga Michael carried on a bakery business at Urana. This collar was used to attach the hames, harness and chains which pulled his bakery cart. In Wodonga Michael Conway built a 2 bail dairy and milked up to 20 cows, separated the cream from the milk by hand and sold it to the local butter factory of Holdensen and Nielsen. In later years only whole milk was sold. The farm was on the outskirts of East Wodonga. Michael Conway died on 6th January 1945. The farm was later sold for residential and industrial development and includes Conway Court.This item has a clear connection to the family of Michael Conway of Wodonga, VictoriaA handmade leather horse collar padded with straw and cloth. It has metal buckles secured by leather straps which are held in place with metal studs.michael conway wodonga, horse harnesses, dairy industry wodonga

A separator is a centrifugal device that separates milk into cream and skimmed milk. Separation was commonly performed on farms in the past. Most farmers milked a few cows, usually by hand, and separated milk with a hand operated machine for domestic use. The milk was poured into the bowl on the top and the handle had to then be turned fast enough to get the separator up to speed adequate to separate the cream and the milk. The milk would come out of one spigot and the cream out of the other. In general practice some of the skimmed milk was consumed by the family, while the rest may have been used to feed calves and pigs. Enough cream was saved to make butter, and the excess was sold. In many cases excess could be bartered or swapped with neighbours for other items of produce. ALFA-LAVAL SEPARATORS The principal works and head office of Aktiebolaget Separator was established by Gustaf de Laval in Stockholm. The first Laval milk separator was patented in1884. In Australia three old established firms commenced pioneering the Alfa Laval cream separators in about 1885. These were A. W. Sandford & Co. Ltd., in Adelaide, J. Bartram & Son, of Melbourne, who have ever since been the Victorian agents of Aktiebolaget Separator. In New South Wales and Queensland, the pioneering firm was Waugh & Josephson Ltd. J. Bartram & Son, the distributor of the separator in this collection, established their business in Melbourne in 1881. In 1892 Bartram & Son estimated that 1,130 of these machines were operating throughout Victoria. This item is significant as it is representative of domestic and dairying machinery used throughout rural areas of Australia in the early to mid 20th century.The separator is made in 3 sections. The base is made from cast iron. The cover and vat are made from silver painted tin. There are 2 outlet spouts. The detachable handle, made from cast iron and wood, is held in place by a screw. A name plate featuring the Victorian distributor, J Bartram & Son of Melbourne and a plate outlining patent information are attached to the base by screws.Around edge of wheel "Aktiebolaget Separator Stockholm/ 2236"dairying industry, dairy machinery, milk separators

North east Victoria was a major dairy producing region in the late nineteenth century. The Wodonga Butter Factory Ltd was established in 1892. Many families living in the town or on farms also owned their own cow for family needs and produced their milk and butter. This churn is representative of the equipment they used to process their own dairy products at home. This churn was made by E. Cherry & Sons which was established in Gisborne, Victoria in 1858. Edward Cherry (1830-1910) arrived in Australia from Hertfordshire, England, in 1855. The business manufactured churns and in 1875 opened a larger factory. On his death, the business was taken over by his son and continued to operate until the 1970s.This item has strong links to the history of Wodonga and north east Victoria. It has interpretative potential in the areas of local agricultural history, and the social history of food and farming.A wooden butter churn with metal turning handle and removable lid. The wooden paddle inside is attached to the turning handle which rotates to churn the butter. The model number is T1. It was probably made by E Cherry & Sons of Gisborne although the brand is blurred.On one side in black: "T 1"butter churns, dairying industry, domestic appliances, e. cherry churns

North east Victoria was a major dairy producing region in the late nineteenth century. The first iteration of the Wodonga Butter Factory Ltd was established in 1892. Dairy was sent from farmers across the district for processing at the factory in Wodonga in the 1890s. Victorian creameries regularly exported frozen butter to London, stock was transported by rail for sale in Melbourne, and of course sold and consumed locally. E.W. Manns, of the prominent local Wodonga family, was a shareholder and was closely involved in the establishment of the Wodonga Butter Company. Many families living on farms also owned their own cow, and had equipment to process their own dairy products at home. Milk cans such as this one were used to store and transport milk from farms to dairies and butter factories for processing.This item represents the history of local industry in Wodonga and north east Victoria. A large metal milk can with handlesmilk, butter, cream, dairy, milk can, farming, farm, cow, rural, agriculture, wodonga