alan gardner collection

This ledger was used by the Shire of Orbost from 1906 to 1910. The item was donated to Orbost & District Historical society from P.R.O.V. as a Place of Deposit (POD) item for safe keeping by a local history group or museum. The shire covered an area of 9,347 square kilometres and existed from 1892 until 1994 when it became part of the East Gippsland Shire Council. Orbost was at first included in the Bairnsdale Shire from 1882 and was later part of the Tambo Shire. Because of travelling distances the Croajingalong Shire was created in 1892 (name changed to Orbost Shire 17.2.1893 with James Cameron as the first Shire President. In 1994 it amalgamated to become part of East Gippsland Shire Council. In Australian suburbs and rural towns where the sewer wasn't connected, people usually had an outside toilet. The toilet seat was made of a plank of wood secured at its ends to the walls of the building with a large round hole in the middle. Underneath was the removable sanitary pan and on a regular basis, usually weekly, the full pan was taken away and replaced with an empty one. This was the job of the sanitary carter. the sanitary depot was in Martins Lane, Orbost Development of the Orbost Wastewater Treatment Facility began in the 1960’s with the construction of four treatment lagoons. Shortly after the construction of the lagoons the sewerage system was installed throughout Orbost.This item is a record of accounting for the local government. The collection of sanitary pans was a necessary service before the Orbost township was had its own wastewater treatment facility.A large register of pan fees for the Shire of Orbost. A black hard cover book with red binding and marbled end pages. Entries are hand-written in black ink.On spine - "PAN FEES REGISTER: in gold lettering. In centre of front cover in gold - "SHIRE OF ORBOST (underlined) PAN FEES REGISTER"orbost-shire-council ledger-pan-fees sewage orbost-township-sanitary-service

As the Yarra became unsuitable as a source of water, several attempts were made to find alternative sources for the growing population of Melbourne. It was not until 1891 that the efforts to sewer Melbourne came to fruition with the setting up of the Melbourne Metropolitan Board of Works (MMBW), now known as Melbourne Water. From 1891 until 1992, it was the responsibility of the MMBW to safeguard public health by providing a sewerage system and a safe water supply system. In 1992, The MMBW merged with a number of smaller urban water authorities to form Melbourne Water. The township of Cocoroc was created in 1894 at the Metropolitan Sewage Farm (now the Western Treatment Plant) to house the workers it employed. The name 'Cocoroc' means 'frog' in the language of the Wathaurung people — the Traditional Owners of the land the treatment plant was built on. By the early 1950s there were nearly 100 houses, a town hall, football ground (and team), swimming pool, tennis courts, four schools and a post office, and by the 1970s some 500 people were living in Cocoroc. As it became too expensive for the MMBW to subsidise, Cocoroc was abandoned. By 1973 most of the houses and other buildings were demolished or moved to Werribee. All that is left now of Cocoroc are two small, empty, concrete swimming pools, a few weatherboard sheds and a big iron water tank. This photograph detailing an exterior view of the North Cocoroc State Primary School, is historically significant as it captures children at play within a purpose built community. The School that was one of four was built to educate the children of the MMBW workers. As the school no longer exists, this photograph is the only tangible evidence left of the building, also showcasing the style of buildings in this era. cocoroc, township, school, mmbw, melbourne metropolitan board of works, melbourne water

Frank Sedgman Reserve could become a giant sewage farm servicing householders in Manningham.Frank Sedgman Reserve could become a giant sewage farm servicing householders in Manningham.frank sedgman reserve, yarra valley water, sewerage and sanitation

"James Pinkerton, described by fellow settler Isaac Batey as ‘a fine old Scotish [sic] gentleman’, and his wife Margaret established ‘Chamois Ponds’ on Kororoit Creek in the Keilor district in 1840.44 After a fire in 1848, the Pinkerton family moved further west to a holding called Yaloke, on the Werribee River in the Melton district.45 Today, the Surbiton Park water treatment plant operates on part of the Yaloke run. The Pinkerton family is remembered in Melton in part due to the historic graves of the original settler, Margaret Pinkerton, and four of her grandchildren, which were marked by a memorial cairn in 1931. Changes to sewage flood zoning in the area in the 1990s necessitated that these burials be relocated. Members of the Melton & District Historical Society oversaw a project to relocate the Pinkerton graves and cairn 200 metres from their original site to their current resting place at Mount Cottrell. This relocation ceremony took place on 8 November 1992, with the participation of local school students and with Pinkerton descendants playing a central role. This occasion also marked the opening of the Pinkerton Forest Project, which saw 50 hectares of degraded woodland in Surbiton Park protected for regeneration".Photograph of Jame Pinkerton featured in the the Telegraphlocal identities, pioneer families