Boy with a Thorn Though the classical bronze that the figure was modeled has become known as Lo Spinario, both Stuart Rattle and Kevin O’Neill referred to it as The Boy with a Thorn. Information from the late Stuart Rattle and John Graham, the late Kevin O’Neill’s partner. The statue was bought by Kevin O’Neill from a South Yarra antique dealer in the 1980s. She had bought it in Europe. Stuart believed that it was cast in Berlin by Moritz Geiss who had pioneered the popular process of zinc casting of classical statues. Schinkel, the architect of early 19th Century Prussian public buildings used the process extensively. I assume that the decorations that can be seen in Berlin currently are copies of those copies, given the comprehensive destruction of the city in 1945. Unless there is a date stamped on the statue, and there might well be, there is no firm indication of its age, although Stuart and Kevin believed it was “turn of the century”. It was given to Stuart by John Graham after the death of Kevin O’Neill. Prior to its installation at Musk Farm, it was “by the dam” at Marnarnie, O’Neill’s property at Mt Macedon. It became a much photographed focal point in the sunken garden at Musk Farm. The statue is a gift from the Rattle family to The Friends of Wombat Hill Botanic Gardens who intend to give it, in turn, to Hepburn Shire to be placed in the Botanic Gardens. Both the family and the Friends see it as a memorial to Stuart’s tireless work to raise funds for the Gardens and to raise the profile of the Gardens so that their considerable significance could be more broadly acknowledged. The CMP notes that statuary has been a feature of most botanic gardens (and a notable feature of the Ballarat Botanical Gardens) and James Lowe, the head of Parks for the Shire has also commented that it is an area that could well be developed in the Gardens. This comes from his attendance at meetings of the BGANZ, the “peak professional body” for the development and maintenance of registered botanic gardens in Aus and NZ. Given the lack of funds that the Shire has been able to allocate to the Gardens, a donation of this calibre is a welcome addition to the cultural asset that the Gardens represent. A very large number of residents of the Shire are members of the Friends, have visited Musk Farm and are appreciative of the Gardens. There is a current feeling that the Gardens are undergoing a dynamic revival as a result of the success of the Café and also because of the extraordinary improvement and enhancement of the amenity that has been undertaken over the past two years by the Friends. The installation of the Boy with the Thorn is another move forward for the Gardens. The statue is cast zinc. It is sometimes referred to a white bronze. As can be seen in the photographs, it is in very good condition with no damage or apparent degeneration of the metal. The Smithsonian Institution has a lengthy document relating to the deterioration and repair of similar casts in the US where urban pollution has taken its toll but for the most part it deals with inappropriate repair rather than maintenance protocols. One of the properties of zinc that is appreciated in Australia is its ability to withstand the elements and given that the artwork has been either on Mt Macedon or at Musk for the last 30 years or more, its relocation to Wombat Hill seems to be an appropriate one. The Friends are prepared to organise and pay for the relocation of the statue. The issue of security from the point of view of theft, malicious damage and environmental impact will need to be addressed. The Ballarat Botanical Gardens have recently reinstalled statuary which has been damaged and which had been removed from the Gardens on account of this. They have used Rockworks Ballarat and Wilson’s Memorials to make plinths, secure artworks with steel pins and to provide especially robust fixings to ensure the safety of the various sculptures. The CMP (2007) makes a number of recommendations regarding security in the Gardens ranging from the installation of lighting to the locking of the gates overnight and the repair/reinstatement of appropriate fencing – not done as yet to my knowledge. Paul Bangay has also agreed to act as a consultant in the process of installing the Boy. John Graham estimates its value at $20,000 The preferred location for the work would be at the entrance to the Fernery from the lawn. The paths form an intersection at that point that could be modified to fit the statue. But this is currently a suggested location only. The statue is a gift from the Rattle family to The Friends of Wombat Hill Botanic Gardens who have gifted it to the Hepburn Shire to be placed in the Botanic Gardens. Both the family and the Friends of the Wombat Hill Botanical Gardens Daylesford see it as a memorial to Stuart’s tireless work to raise funds for the Gardens and to raise the profile of the Gardens so that their considerable significance could be more broadly acknowledged. Lo Spinario (Boy with a thorn) c. 1900 copy after the Greco-Roman Hellenistic antique bronze in Rome. c. 1900 copy after the Greco-Roman Hellenistic antique bronze in Rome (Palazzo dei Conservatori, Musei Capitolini, Rome) Manufacturer M. Geiss, Berlin Nonedaylesford, wombat hill botanical gardens, stuart rattle, kevin o'neill, john graham, boy with a thorn, lo spinario, classical sculpture, zinc, classical nude, hepburn shire, public art, sculpture, art

Shows restoration of old swimming baths, and conversion to enclosed garden nearing completion.B/W photo of old Swimming Baths in Buninyong Botanic Gardens, constructed by Shire Engineer C P Wilson c 1919 around existing pool. Photo taken during refurbishment/conversion to walled garden. Old baths filled in, preparation for sunken lawn, bluestone edging, some planting in place.buninyong, swimming baths, botanic gardens, c p wilson

Shows restoration of old swimming baths, and conversion to enclosed garden work completed.B/W photo of old Swimming Baths in Buninyong Botanic Gardens, constructed by Shire Engineer C P Wilson c 1919 around existing pool. Photo taken during refurbishment/conversion to walled garden. Old baths filled in, sunken lawn established, 2 round garden beds in place and planted, bluestone edging, two benches just visible..buninyong, swimming baths, botanic gardens, c p wilson

This photo is part of the Fred Griffith Photographic Collection documenting his time with the Australian Alpine Club and the formation of the Albury Ski Club. Frederick Charles “Fred” Griffith was born in Albury, NSW on 2 March 1910. Educated in Albury and Geelong Grammar. Beginning in 1927 he spent many years working first as a jackeroo and on a range of prominent pastoral and merino stud properties in NSW and Queensland. In 1935 he repurchased his former family property “Toonallook", Bowna, NSW and developed it to be the largest Romney Marsh stud in the world, exporting rams to Argentina. He introduced many innovative practices on his property including rabbit control measures and aerial crop dusting. He was an active member of the Albury Show Society and in 1949 established the Albury Sheep Show. Fred was also the Albury representative on the Graziers’ Association Council for over 30 years. He became a life member of both the Albury and Commercial Clubs. Fred’s greatest hobby was snow skiing. His first visit to the snow was to Kosciusko in 1919. The Albury Ski Club was formed in 1935 and Fred was an inaugural member. In 1949 they were granted a site at Falls Creek to build their own lodge. Fred guaranteed the Club for finance from the Bank of NSW. The first portion of the prefabricated building was constructed in Albury. It was transported to Falls Creek on the back of Fred’s truck and erected in one day. This was the bathroom section and the rest was completed in 1950. The original lodge was burned down in 1952 and a new one built the following year. In 1955, Fred also built the Bowna Lodge for his family in partnership with David Fairbairn. He became head of the North Eastern District Skiing Association (N.E.D.S.A.) and successfully applied to run the Australian Ski Championships. Fred also inaugurated children’s races at Falls Creek and ran them for about 20 years. He also formed the company “Falls Creek Ski Tows”. In 1956 Fred along with a group of key people selected the site for Thredbo Village. Fred and his brother sold Toonallook in sections between 1951 and 1974. He moved to Albury and set up as a landscape gardener and fencing contractor. After a serious work accident, Fred retired in 1985 and moved to Rosebud, Victoria where he died on 19 August 1992. This image is from the Fred Griffith collection which documents the early development of Falls Creek.Black and white square photograph of two people wearing snow gear in front of a hut in deep snow, one person is sunken in the snow with back to camera and the person on the right is standing higher up on snow. Skis and ski poles are next to the people. Snowy hill with some greenery is in the background with sky. Stamped - SUPER / G & D . SERVICE Pencil - 61bogong, falls creek, snow, snowfields

A property illustration by Margaret Picken Commissioned by a real estate agency for the purpose of advertising 14 Shearers Crt., Vermont Sth. This property is listed as having sold for $240,000 in 1996 Made by using Rotring ‘Rapidigraph’ drafting pens with Rotring ink on Rapidigraph polyester drafting film, double matte. Trained as a cartographic draftsman within the mining industry, Margaret Picken is an artist who worked producing property illustrations for real estate agencies in eastern suburbs of Victoria from 1983-2005. Retiring from the industry as technological changes favored coloured photography over illustrations, and commissioning companies over sole contractors.This artwork is of Historical Significance as a record of local domestic architecture.A black ink line drawing on drafters film by Margaret Picken, of a single story, L shape, brick house viewed from the tiled backyard with sunken pool. There is a hole punched semi circle cut out on the upper edge of the artwork.14 Shearers Crt., Vermont Sth Woodards - B/Burnwhitehorse historical society, schwerkolt cottage, housing, architecture, margaret picken, house, garden, real estate, vermont, vermont south