Showing 5937 items matching "buildings - victoria"
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The Beechworth Burke MuseumPhotograph, c. 1910
Taken approximately 1910, this black and white photograph shows the interior of the surgery and consulting rooms at the Mayday Hills mental hospital known at that time as a lunatic asylum in Beechworth. Mayday Hills Hospital, then known as the Beechworth Lunatic Asylum was constructed between 1864-67 designed by The Public Works Department. The hospital is made up of a number of buildings, landscaping, ha-ha, workshops, laundry, administrative facilities and farmland, it was constructed in 'Italianate' style by a team of up to two hundred and fifty workers (Woods p. 122). The asylum was established in response to the need for the regional shire to locally care for those particularly affected by their time working the Ovens goldfield during the Indigo Shire gold rush era where poor living conditions and isolation were significantly affecting the welfare of a great many people through poverty and lack of resources. The gaol and orphan labour systems were not able to effectively support to give housing, rehabilitation and ongoing care for the mentally ill, and transporting to Melbourne by waggon was a time consuming and counter-productive solution when the metro facilities were already overcrowded. According to Woods (A Titan's Field p. 122), between 1901 and 1911 a large percentage (thirty five percent in 1901 and twenty four in 1911) of the Beechworth population were either patients or inmates of Beechworth institutions, Mayday Hills accounted for some six hundred and seventy four patients in 1901, Beechworth's Mayday Hills was chosen as the site of Victoria's newest asylum, at the time, due to the landscape and altitude. The hilltop atmosphere and the native fauna, it was argued, would assist in the cure of the patients kept at the hospital (Wood 1985, 122). The positioning of the hospital had a beneficial effect on the rural town and the large volume of people living at the hospital and contributing to this population growth is counted as reason for the survival of Beechworth as a regional township. Mayday Hills continued to function as a mental hospital up until 1995 when it was sold to LaTrobe university. The building and grounds are listed on the Victorian Heritage Register under criterion A, B, D, E and F. Although grainy, the image gives a good indication of a functioning interior space of a surgery and consulting room at Mayday Hills in the early 1900's, from which we might interpret (from the types of tools and furniture present), the medical practices being performed at the time.Black and white rectangular photographmedical, asylum, surgery, hospital, beechworth, mayday hills, mayday hills asylum, mayday hills hospital, mental hospital, beechworth lunatic asylum, beechworth institutions, social welfare, public works department, consulting room -
The Beechworth Burke MuseumPhotograph - Postcard, George Rose, c. 1910
Produced c. 1910 by The Rose Stereograph co. This colourised photographic postcard shows the exterior of the administrative buildings at Mayday Hills mental hospital with three young boys in the foreground. This postcard forms part of the extensive Rose Series. (P. 4689) of postcards being produced by the Rose Stereograph co. which depicted landmarks from across Australia. Despite the early date attributed to this image, according to Walsh dates from this series place the postcards being produced typically between 1920-54. Mayday Hills Hospital, then known as the Beechworth Lunatic Asylum was constructed between 1864-67 designed by The Public Works Department. The hospital is made up of a number of buildings, landscaping, ha-ha, workshops, laundry, administrative facilities and farmland, it was constructed in 'Italianate' style by a team of up to two hundred and fifty workers (Woods p. 122). The asylum was established in response to the need for the regional shire to locally care for those particularly affected by their time working the Ovens goldfield during the Indigo Shire gold rush era where poor living conditions and isolation were significantly affecting the welfare of a great many people through poverty and lack of resources. The gaol and orphan labour systems were not able to effectively support to give housing, rehabilitation and ongoing care for the mentally ill, and transporting to Melbourne by waggon was a time consuming and counter-productive solution when the metro facilities were already overcrowded. According to Woods (A Titan's Field p. 122), between 1901 and 1911 a large percentage (thirty five percent in 1901 and twenty four in 1911) of the Beechworth population were either patients or inmates of Beechworth institutions, Mayday Hills accounted for some six hundred and seventy four patients in 1901, Beechworth's Mayday Hills was chosen as the site of Victoria's newest asylum, at the time, due to the landscape and altitude. The hilltop atmosphere and the native fauna, it was argued, would assist in the cure of the patients kept at the hospital (Wood 1985, 122). The positioning of the hospital had a beneficial effect on the rural town and the large volume of people living at the hospital and contributing to this population growth is counted as reason for the survival of Beechworth as a regional township. Mayday Hills continued to function as a mental hospital up until 1995 when it was sold to LaTrobe university. The building and grounds are listed on the Victorian Heritage Register under criterion A, B, D, E and F. Through the colourisation of the photograph and through the unusual choice of the subject matter being used as a postcard, we can get a good indication of aesthetic interests of the time.Rectangular coloured photograph printed as postcardObverse: Beautiful / Beechworth / (Vic.) / 1800 ft. / above / Sea / Level / - / Asylum / for / insane / (Front / View) / Copyright. / F. / Foxcroft / Photo Reverse: 1997.2454 / Postcard / THIS / SPACE / MAY / BE / USED / FOR / CORRESPONDENCE: / THIS / SPACE / FOR / NAME / AND / ADDRESS / STAMPpostcard, rose series, mayday hills hospital, mayday hills, beechworth lunatic asylum, photographic postcard, george rose, the rose stereograph co., social welfare, welfare services, ovens goldfield, lunatic asylum, the public works department, australian landmark, regional shire, indigo shire council, gold rush, beechworth institution, victorian heritage register -
The Beechworth Burke MuseumAnimal specimen - Scarlet Tanager (male), Trustees of the Australian Museum, 1860-1880
The Scarlet Tanager is an American songbird of medium size with bright coloured plumage. They are commonly located in eastern North America and in northwestern South America. They can often be found within woodlands that have oaks. On occasion, the Tanager can be seen in suburban areas including parks and gardens. These birds are sociable and often join with other foraging flocks. They are carnivores (insectivores) and feed on insects including wasps, ants, moths, beetles, butterflies and grasshoppers. The numbers of these birds in America are declining due to exposure and starvation during the colder months. These birds can also die from collisions with man made objects which includes the TV and radio towers, buildings and cars. They also have high rates of predation and brood parasitism. However, at current the IUCN classifies this species as Least Concern and note that their numbers are stable. This specimen is part of a collection of almost 200 animal specimens that were originally acquired as skins from various institutions across Australia, including the Australian Museum in Sydney and the National Museum of Victoria (known as Museums Victoria since 1983), as well as individuals such as amateur anthropologist Reynell Eveleigh Johns between 1860-1880. These skins were then mounted by members of the Burke Museum Committee and put-on display in the formal space of the Museum’s original exhibition hall where they continue to be on display. This display of taxidermy mounts initially served to instruct visitors to the Burke Museum of the natural world around them, today it serves as an insight into the collecting habits of the 19th century.This specimen is part of a significant and rare taxidermy mount collection in the Burke Museum. This collection is scientifically and culturally important for reminding us of how science continues to shape our understanding of the modern world. They demonstrate a capacity to hold evidence of how Australia’s fauna history existed in the past and are potentially important for future environmental research. This collection continues to be on display in the Museum and has become a key part to interpreting the collecting habits of the 19th century.The Scarlet Tanager specimen stands perched on a wooden platform looking towards the ground. It has bright red/orange feathers on the main body and head with dark black feathers on the tail and wings. Overall, whilst retaining a bright appearance the bird has faded in contrast to it's original colouring This particular specimen has disheveled feathers and is missing one leg. The bill is short and pale and the specimen has been provided with glass eyes made in a dark colour. The specimen has two paper identification tags attached to the damaged leg.Swing tag: 114a / unnamed / catalogue, page 59 Cotton tag: A.4440 /taxidermy mount, taxidermy, animalia, burke museum, beechworth, australian museum, skin, reynell eveleigh johns, bird, australian birds, american, american birds, scarlet tanager, tanager, medium bird, small bird -
The Beechworth Burke MuseumAnimal specimen - Satin Bowerbird (male), 1860-1880
The Satin Bowerbird is commonly located around the eastern and south-eastern coast of Australia. They reside in wetter forests and woodlands, and nearby open areas. They feed mostly on fruits throughout the year but in summer will supplement their food supply with insects and in winter with leaves. The Satin Bowerbird is most commonly known for it's practice of building and decorating it's bower. They will often collect objects of bright blue to decorate the bower including straws, clothes peg, parrot feathers, pens, marble, string, glass and bottle tops. This decoration is done by a male Bowerbird in the effort to attract females. This specimen is part of a collection of almost 200 animal specimens that were originally acquired as skins from various institutions across Australia, including the Australian Museum in Sydney and the National Museum of Victoria (known as Museums Victoria since 1983), as well as individuals such as amateur anthropologist Reynell Eveleigh Johns between 1860-1880. These skins were then mounted by members of the Burke Museum Committee and put-on display in the formal space of the Museum’s original exhibition hall where they continue to be on display. This display of taxidermy mounts initially served to instruct visitors to the Burke Museum of the natural world around them, today it serves as an insight into the collecting habits of the 19th century.This specimen is part of a significant and rare taxidermy mount collection in the Burke Museum. This collection is scientifically and culturally important for reminding us of how science continues to shape our understanding of the modern world. They demonstrate a capacity to hold evidence of how Australia’s fauna history existed in the past and are potentially important for future environmental research. This collection continues to be on display in the Museum and has become a key part to interpreting the collecting habits of the 19th century.This taxidermy Satin Bowerbird specimen has dark black/blue glossy plumage and a pale coloured bill of small size. The bird is of a medium size compared to other species of birds and has pale legs with short talons. The eyes are made of strikingly blue coloured glass which represents the violet-blue iris of this bird while living. The bird has a short tale and has been stylized in a leaning/crouched position with it's back arched upwards and head out long. This specimen stands on a small platform and there is some deterioration to the tail feathers which protrude beyond the platform which may have otherwise provided some protection. Donor - Mr. E.T. / BH. RO. /taxidermy mount, taxidermy, animalia, burke museum, beechworth, australian museum, skin, reynell eveleigh johns, bird, australian birds, bower, bowerbird, satin bowerbird -
The Beechworth Burke MuseumAnimal specimen - Scarlet Tanager (male), Trustees of the Australian Museum, 1860-1880
The Scarlet Tanager is an American songbird of medium size with bright coloured plumage. They are commonly located in eastern North America and in northwestern South America. They can often be found within woodlands that have oaks. On occasion, the Tanager can be seen in suburban areas including parks and gardens. These birds are sociable and often join with other foraging flocks. They are carnivores (insectivores) and feed on insects including wasps, ants, moths, beetles, butterflies and grasshoppers. The numbers of these birds in America are declining due to exposure and starvation during the colder months. These birds can also die from collisions with man made objects which includes the TV and radio towers, buildings and cars. They also have high rates of predation and brood parasitism. However, at current the IUCN classifies this species as Least Concern and note that their numbers are stable. This specimen is part of a collection of almost 200 animal specimens that were originally acquired as skins from various institutions across Australia, including the Australian Museum in Sydney and the National Museum of Victoria (known as Museums Victoria since 1983), as well as individuals such as amateur anthropologist Reynell Eveleigh Johns between 1860-1880. These skins were then mounted by members of the Burke Museum Committee and put-on display in the formal space of the Museum’s original exhibition hall where they continue to be on display. This display of taxidermy mounts initially served to instruct visitors to the Burke Museum of the natural world around them, today it serves as an insight into the collecting habits of the 19th century.This specimen is part of a significant and rare taxidermy mount collection in the Burke Museum. This collection is scientifically and culturally important for reminding us of how science continues to shape our understanding of the modern world. They demonstrate a capacity to hold evidence of how Australia’s fauna history existed in the past and are potentially important for future environmental research. This collection continues to be on display in the Museum and has become a key part to interpreting the collecting habits of the 19th century.The Scarlet Tanager specimen stands perched on a wooden platform looking forwards in a raised position. It has bright red/orange feathers on the main body and head with dark black feathers on the tail and wings. Overall, whilst retaining a bright appearance the bird has faded in contrast to it's original colouring. The bill is short and pale and the specimen has been provided with glass eyes made in a dark colour. The specimen has two paper identification tags attached to the right leg.Swing tag: 143a / unnamed / catalogue page 59 Metal tag: A4439 /taxidermy mount, taxidermy, animalia, burke museum, beechworth, australian museum, skin, reynell eveleigh johns, bird, australian birds, american, american birds, scarlet tanager, tanager, medium bird, small bird -
The Beechworth Burke MuseumAnimal specimen - Common Starling, Trustees of the Australian Museum, 1860-1880
The Common Starling is an introduced species to Australia (as well as widely throughout the world), and is considered a pest due to its attacks on fruits and seedlings, as well as competing with the native bird population. It was introduced to Victoria in 1861, and has since become abundant, whose sheer numbers cause many problems. These birds are a social species, which can mass in very large flocks (murmations), and show spectacular synchronised aerobatic displays. This species has a distinctive plumage, with glossy black bodies, white spots on their backs and wings, and a purple and green tinge to their underparts and wings. This species, when moving across the ground, has a distinctive 'walk' or 'run' rather than the traditional hopping of many other bird species. This bird is a noisy species, often becoming a nuisance to people. Starlings prefer to nest in holes in trees or buildings, yet there are at least two recorded cases of this species nesting on the backs of living sheep. This specimen is a good and intact example of this species. As the white spots are large and visible, as well as the purple and green shine, this specimen likely died close to Autumn and the breeding season, when these birds get their new bright plumage. This specimen is part of a collection of almost 200 animal specimens that were originally acquired as skins from various institutions across Australia, including the Australian Museum in Sydney and the National Museum of Victoria (known as Museums Victoria since 1983), as well as individuals such as amateur anthropologist Reynell Eveleigh Johns between 1860-1880. These skins were then mounted by members of the Burke Museum Committee and put-on display in the formal space of the Museum’s original exhibition hall where they continue to be on display. This display of taxidermy mounts initially served to instruct visitors to the Burke Museum of the natural world around them, today it serves as an insight into the collecting habits of the 19th century. This specimen is part of a significant and rare taxidermy mount collection in the Burke Museum. This collection is scientifically and culturally important for reminding us of how science continues to shape our understanding of the modern world. They demonstrate a capacity to hold evidence of how Australia’s fauna history existed in the past and are potentially important for future environmental research. This collection continues to be on display in the Museum and has become a key part to interpreting the collecting habits of the 19th century.This adult Common Starling has glossy-black plumage with a metallic sheen, and white speckles throughout. The plumage has a purple and green shine. The irises are white. Its beak is black and pointed. This specimen appears to be male, with less white spots on its underparts. This specimen stands upon a wooden platform and has an identification tag tied around its leg, and a metal tag tied around its foot.Swing-tag: 139a. / Starling / Catalogue Page, 59 / Metal-tag: 1250 (?)taxidermy mount, taxidermy, animalia, burke museum, beechworth, australian museum, skin, reynell eveleigh johns, bird, sheep, common starling, starling, murmations, pest, australian bird -
The Beechworth Burke MuseumPhotograph, c1999-2000
This photograph taken c1999/2000, depicts the Burke Museum’s granite façade and vestibule entrance. The museum's large red door is closed and there is a white sign is attached to the door. The museum site dates to the 1857 founding of the Beechworth Public Library and Athenaeum by a newly formed Young Men's Association (YMA). In 1863 the museum was dedicated as a memorial to former Beechworth police superintendent (1854-1858) and explorer Robert O’Hara Burke, following Burke’s death from malnutrition on the Burke and Wills expedition in 1861. Funded by the Victorian Government and the Royal Society of Victoria, the officially titled 'Victorian Exploring Expedition' was tasked with being the first European party to traverse Australia from south to north. The Burke Museum holds objects from the famous expedition and explores the multi-layered history of Beechworth and surrounds from the gold rush era to the present.This photograph is historically significant for its depiction of the Burke Museum c1999/2000. The Burke Museum is Australia’s oldest regional museum and part of Beechworth's Historic and Cultural Precinct, one of Australia’s best preserved historic-town sites and a popular tourist destination. Once the government centre for a vast gold fields region, this collection of nationally significant buildings tells the story of how Australia grew and prospered. The frequent use of honey-coloured local granite as a building material, which can be seen in the museum's fabric, gives Beechworth’s historic buildings a distinct and cohesive local character. This photograph captures this distinctive character and may be compared and studied alongside other images of historic buildings in the Burke Museum Photographic Collection.Rectangular colour photograph printed on photographic paper.Reverse: 7031 / Label: Burke Museum / 1999/2000 /burke museum, indigo shire, beechworth athanaeum, beechworth library, beechworth historic building, historic precinct, burke museum exhibition, from the liedertafel to the skating rink, honey-coloured local granite, robert o'hara burke, victorian gold fields, historic towns in victoria, colonial australia, liedertafel, colonial entertainments, beechworth brass band, historic victorian architecture, australia's oldest regional museum, burke and wills expedition, first europeans to cross australia, yound mens associations, beechworth tourism, things to see in beechworth, beechworth historic trail, young men's associations -
The Beechworth Burke MuseumPhotograph, Unknown
This undated photograph depicts two people standing in the vestibule entrance at the Burke Museum, Beechworth. The museum site dates to the 1857 founding of the Beechworth Public Library and Athenaeum by a newly formed Young Men's Association (YMA). In 1863 the museum was dedicated as a memorial to former Beechworth police superintendent (1854-1858) and explorer Robert O’Hara Burke, following Burke’s death from malnutrition on the Burke and Wills expedition in 1861. Funded by the Victorian Government and the Royal Society of Victoria, the officially titled 'Victorian Exploring Expedition' was tasked with being the first European party to traverse Australia from south to north. The Burke Museum holds objects from the famous expedition and explores the multi-layered history of Beechworth and surrounds from the gold rush era to the present.This photograph is historically significant for its depiction of the Burke Museum and Loch Street streetscape. The Burke Museum is Australia’s oldest regional museum and part of Beechworth's Historic and Cultural Precinct, one of Australia’s best preserved historic-town sites and a popular tourist destination. Once the government centre for a vast gold fields region, this collection of nationally significant buildings tells the story of how Australia grew and prospered. The frequent use of honey-coloured local granite as a building material, which can be seen in the museum's fabric, gives Beechworth’s historic buildings a distinct and cohesive local character. This photograph may be compared and studied alongside other images of historic buildings in the Burke Museum Photographic Collection.Rectangular colour photograph printed on photographic paper.Reverse: 3440burke museum, beechworth athenaeum, beechworth library, beechworth historic precinct, robert o'hara burke, australia's oldest regional museum, indigo shire, beechworth athanaeum, beechworth historic building, historic precinct, honey-coloured local granite, victorian gold fields, historic towns in victoria, victoria's high country, colonial australia, beechworth tourism, things to see in beechworth, beechworth historic trail, historic victorian architecture, burke and wills expedition, first europeans to cross australia, young men's associations -
The Beechworth Burke MuseumPhotograph, Estimate 1999
This photograph was taken in 1999 at 'The Harvest' exhibition at the Burke Museum for members of Baking Industry Victoria. The grain mill, manufactured by B.M. Purshouse in Wolverhampton, England, was of special interest.This photograph is of primary social significance to the Beechworth community because it depicts a 19th-century grain mill, manufactured by B.M. Purshouse in Wolverhampton, England, which was probably used at flour mills in the Ovens District, such as that at Tarrawingee, which opened in 1866. The purchase of agricultural machinery such as the grain mill accompanied the expansion of agriculture, including grain growing, in the Ovens District following the gold mining prosperity of the 1850s. This photograph may be of interest to researchers who wish to observe an image of the Purshouse grain mill.Colour rectangular photograph printed on matte AGFA photographic paper.Obverse: THE HARVEST / THE HARVEST Reverse: 2854beechworth, burke museum, promoting settlement, living in country towns, making regional centres, preserving traditions and commemorating, farming and agriculture, exhibitions, burke museum exhibitions, building local economies, transforming land, victorian agricultural history, marketing and promoting agricultural products, the harvest exhibition, harvests, victorian gold rush towns, grain mill, bm purshouse, crops and grain, baking industry victoria -
The Beechworth Burke MuseumPhotograph, c1990
Taken in the 1990's, this photograph depicts a row of shop fronts in the 'Street of Shops' exhibition in the Burke Museum in Beechworth. This exhibition was created and opened in 1979 and was intended to reflect and imitate a historic peirod in the town's past. The time period decpicted is that of the Gold Rush which swept through many Victorian towns from the 1850's onwards. For the town of Beechworth, the gold rush began in 1852, when gold was discovered in Spring Creek, drawing in many new residents seeking to make a fortune and transforming a once remote town into a bustling centre brimming with hope and opportunity. By 1857, the town contained over 200,000 residents and with this, the need for more amenities and intsitutions arose. Multiple churches, banks, schools, shops, hospitals and other essential buildings appearing over the years. The wealth acquired through the gold rush is largely responsible for the vast development of the town and many of its significant buildings which still remain to this day. This photograph also highlights the significance of this type of exhibition, providing a new mode of experiencing and learning about the past. The street depicts the many supporting trades and industries that arose from the mass migration during the gold rush. The creation of the Street of Shops in 1979 was envisioned by Roy Harvey who was the curator at the time, with the intention of recreating an authentic feel to the environment while collecting from the community to accurately portray the multiculturalism that is ingrainded in many towns and communities of Victoria. This photograph contains historical significance as it relates to and portrays an especially important period of time within Beechworth and Victoria's history. The gold rush phenomena ushered in a wave of hope and prosperity for citizens and immigrants alike. It provided many with the opportunity to strike it rich, while the town prospered and grew in many ways. This widespread development that accompanied the gold rush occured throughout Victoria and holds great historical importance when recording the social, economic and communal developments that occured throughout the time period which gave way to the beloved towns and communities we know today. Beechworth itself is acknowledged as Victoria's best-preserved gold mining town and deserves recognition of its significance. it also showcases the great significance of social develpment and globalization that occured throughout the state during this period. Coloured rectangular photograph printed on matte photographic paper and unmounted. Obverse: Dancing every night 8pm-6am [mirror] / Gold Diggers Arms Hotel façade / Star / Beechworth Gold / J. Davidson / Saloon Reverse: 3306 beechworth, burke museum, street of shops, gold rush, indigo shire gold rush, 1850s beechworth, burke museum exhibitions, saloon, gold buyer, hotel, historical streetscape, gold rush immigration -
The Beechworth Burke MuseumPhotograph, 1997
This photograph is recorded as having been taken in the North East Victoria Regional Tourist Authority, Wangaratta and depicts an exhibition display of items and interpretative labels associated with the Kelly Gang. The display was reportedly laid out as part of a Vic Tour Stamp, with items from the Burke Museum Collection.This photograph is of social significance due to its connection with the Burke Museum as well as the Kelly Gang. The Kelly Gang story is integral to the formation of the Australian identity and highlights the Irish oppression during the 1880s. Ned Kelly is an Australian icon, mythologised in Australian literature, art, folklore and history, and the Kelly Gang permeates Australia's national consciousness. The significance of the Burke Museum is also highlighted here, as the photograph shows the importance of the Kelly story to the Beechworth area and local identity, as well as its significance within the museum collection. The photograph is of strong research potential due to its depiction of the Kelly Gang history in Australia and its presentation of a historical museum exhibition which toured from Beechworth to other Victorian locations. With a depiction of the exhibition and associated label, the photograph provides insight into how the language and historical interpretation of Kelly Gang has developed, and how cultural and social opinions which are often shaped by exhibition displays, have shifted. Black and white rectangular photograph printed on matte photographic paper.Obverse: Gold Cradle / History / Claim 1835 / The north east is rich in history. It was the home of Ned Kelly, the 'Man from Snowy River' and (???) dog Mogan. Century old buildings are common and (???)nders of the gold rush days are everywhere / V. R. / £8000 Reward / Robbery and Murder / (indeterminate) Reverse: The historical display laid out in VICTOUR / 1997 3135 / North East Victoria/ Regional Tourist Authority/ P.O. Box 250/ Wangaratta. 3577 /BMMA03324burke museum, ned kelly, kelly gang, museum collection, exhibition, display, gallery, museum, exhibit -
The Beechworth Burke MuseumPhotograph - Stereoscopic Photograph, Unknown c1875
Depicted in the photograph is Newtown Bridge or the Newtown Falls Bridge, in Beechworth, Victoria. Noted for its location, detailed craftsmanship and stonemasonry by Scottish stonemasons the Newtown Bridge was built in the 19th century provincial town of Beechworth (completed in 1875). The bridge was built over Spring Creek, spanning 6.3 meters wide and 24.8 meters tall. Beechworth held a distinct role in the administrative and commercial management of Victoria's north-eastern goldfields, with many objects and structures still well preserved from the towns establishment. The bridge indicates the growth of the town, replacing a previous timber structure as well as its association to the mining activity in the area and the rapid increase in Australia's economy that led to investment and development of roads and railways. The local granite used in the construction of the single arch Newtown Bridge makes the bridge and other buildings made with the granite unique to the area, the honey-toned material distinct to Beechworth. This photograph is historically significant as it provides insight into the industrial development of Beechworth and the surrounding area, contributed to by the goldfields. The photograph further captures the representation of vernacular engineering traditions and Scottish stonemasonry.Two sepia-toned rectangular photographs featuring a bridge in the background printed on matte photographic paper mounted on card.Reverse: 97.2324/ Newtown Bridge/ Beechworthbridge, newtown beechworth, newtown bridge, newtown, beechworth, beechworth falls bridge, beechworth mining district, spring creek, -
The Beechworth Burke MuseumGeological specimen - Granite
Gabo Island sits off the coast of East Gippsland in Victoria, with cliffs of granite in a relatively unique red/pink colour. Early attempts to build a lighthouse on the island were abandoned due to poor foundations, but when a ship ran aground on the nearby Tullaberga Island in 1853 and led to the death of 37 people, efforts were reignited. Construction of a new lighthouse was completed by 1858, using Gabo Island granite. The lighthouse is Australia's second tallest in Australia and continues to play an important role in guiding boats around the coast as they journey between Melbourne and Sydney. The distinct pink colour from the granite means the lighthouse continues to be a defining feature of the island. Gabo Island granite was also used to construct the Treasury Building at 117 Macquarie Street in Sydney, now the Intercontinental Hotel.Granite in the pink colour of this specimen is relatively rare. The connection to the lighthouse on Gabo Island also gives the specimen historic significance and social significance regarding the maritime history of Victoria. This specimen is part of a larger collection of geological and mineral specimens collected from around Australia (and some parts of the world) and donated to the Burke Museum between 1868-1880. A large percentage of these specimens were collected in Victoria as part of the Geological Survey of Victoria that begun in 1852 (in response to the Gold Rush) to study and map the geology of Victoria. Collecting geological specimens was an important part of mapping and understanding the scientific makeup of the earth. Many of these specimens were sent to research and collecting organisations across Australia, including the Burke Museum, to educate and encourage further study.A solid palm-sized mineral, coloured by flecks of pink, red, and grey. Granite is formed by the slow crystallisation of magma below the earth's surface. It is typically composed of a mix of quartz, feldspar, and other minerals, though syenitic granite like this sample has a smaller amount of quartz than typical granite. This different mineral composition leads to the more distinct pink and red colouring.First sticker: [torn]logical survey / R........ S........ / Loc Gabo Island / 1/4 Sheet / Second Sticker: 15 Third Sticker: Syenitic Graniteburke museum, beechworth, indigo shire, beechworth museum, geological, geological specimen, mineralogy, gabo island, gabo island lighthouse, lighthouse, granite, coast, coastal, granite specimen, victoria, coastal cliffs -
The Beechworth Burke MuseumGeological specimen - Basalt, Unknown
Basalt is a common igneous rock that composes most of the Earth's surface and can be found on the Moon and other rocky planets of the Solar System. It is generally composed minerals such as calcic plagioclase, clinopyroxene and iron ore which form grains that are indistinguishable to the naked eye. It can be dark grey or black in colouring and sometimes may contain holes left by gas bubbles. Most of the Earth's basalt was produced in environments such as oceanic divergent boundaries, oceanic hotspots, and mantle plumes and hotspots beneath continents. Basalt is commonly used in construction where it is crushed and used for multiple purposes such as concrete aggregate, road base, or railroad ballast. Thin slabs of basalt can also be cut and used for floor tiles, stone monuments, and building veneer. This particular specimen was excavated from Talbot in Victoria, which was a small gold mining town established in 1852. As basalt is a common rock, it is not specific to Talbot. However, this specimen can be assumed to be of the Cainozoic age due to previous geomorphic surveys of the area. This particular type of Basalt was used mainly for roads due to the durability of the rock.Basalt holds significance due to the continued use of the rock from historic until present times. The rock has been utilised for many types of construction and is still used for the same purposes today. Basalt also has significance to the Earth and other rocky planets of the Solar System as it makes up most of the planet's surface. This specimen is part of a larger collection of geological and mineral specimens collected from around Australia (and some parts of the world) and donated to the Burke Museum between 1868-1880. A large percentage of these specimens were collected in Victoria as part of the Geological Survey of Victoria that begun in 1852 (in response to the Gold Rush) to study and map the geology of Victoria. Collecting geological specimens was an important part of mapping and understanding the scientific makeup of the earth. Many of these specimens were sent to research and collecting organisations across Australia, including the Burke Museum, to educate and encourage further study.A smaller than hand sized rock specimen which is dark grey in colour with small holes and white deposits across its surface.Geological survey / [illegible] /burke museum, beechworth, geological specimen, geology, basalt, basalt specemin, indigo shire, talbot, cainozoic, igneous rock -
The Beechworth Burke MuseumGeological specimen - Yellow Sandstone
This specimen is from Barefoot Hills, Victoria. Sandstones are economically important as major reservoirs for both petroleum and water, as building materials, and as valuable sources of metallic ores. Most significantly, they are the single most useful sedimentary rock type for deciphering Earth history. This specimen is part of a larger collection of geological and mineral specimens collected from around Australia (and some parts of the world) and donated to the Burke Museum between 1868-1880. A large percentage of these specimens were collected in Victoria as part of the Geological Survey of Victoria that begun in 1852 (in response to the Gold Rush) to study and map the geology of Victoria. Collecting geological specimens was an important part of mapping and understanding the scientific makeup of the earth. Many of these specimens were sent to research and collecting organisations across Australia, including the Burke Museum, to educate and encourage further study.A sedimentary rock composed mostly of quartz sand. Sandstone is the second most common sedimentary rock after shale. Sandstones consist of sand-sized grains principally quartz, feldspar and rock fragments. The two major classes of sandstone are arenite and wacke. the colour of sandstone varies from grey, yellow, red and white reflecting the variation in mineral content and cement and is gritty to touch (like sandpaper).Geological survey / R.... S 61 / Loc Bareboot Hills / Sheet / 24SE / 94 /burke museum, beechworth, indigo shire, beechworth museum, geological, geological specimen, mineralogy, sandstone, yellow sandstone, victoria, barefoot hills -
The Beechworth Burke MuseumGeological specimen - Granodiorite, Unknown
This specimen was found in Harcourt, Victoria. Harcourt is a small historic gold rush town located in a valley at the foot of Mount Alexander (741 m) in the Central Highlands of Victoria. In recent times the goldrush origins of the town have been replaced by a district known for apples, cider and wine. The Traditional owners of Harcourt are The Dja Dja Wurrung people. Granodiorite is a coarse-grained intrusive igneous rock similar to granite, but containing more plagioclase feldspar than orthoclase feldspar. Granodiorite has greater than 20% quartz by volume, and between 65% and 90% of the feldspar is plagioclase. This piece is of significance due to its provenance in Harcourt, Vic. Granodiorite is commonly produced in volcanic arcs, and in mountain buildings where it emplaces as large batholiths in mountain roots. Granodiorite is the plutonic equivalent of dacite. This specimen is part of a larger collection of geological and mineral specimens collected from around Australia (and some parts of the world) and donated to the Burke Museum between 1868-1880. A large percentage of these specimens were collected in Victoria as part of the Geological Survey of Victoria that begun in 1852 (in response to the Gold Rush) to study and map the geology of Victoria. Collecting geological specimens was an important part of mapping and understanding the scientific makeup of the earth. Many of these specimens were sent to research and collecting organisations across Australia, including the Burke Museum, to educate and encourage further study.Granodiorite is a coarse-grained intrusive igneous rock similar to granite, but containing more plagioclase feldspar than orthoclase feldspar. According to the QAPF diagram, granodiorite has a greater than 20% quartz by volume, and between 65% and 90% of the feldspar is plagioclase.GRANDIORITE. / Locality: / Harcourt, Victoria / Other label: Geological survey / R S / Loc Harcourt quarries [?] Alexander / 1/4 Sheet. | 4 | Granite /granodiorite, granite, burke museum, harcourt, coarse-grained, igneous, plagioclase feldspar, orthoclase feldspar, quartz, mount alexander, the dja dja wurrung people, the traditional owners, central highlands of victoria, gold rush -
The Beechworth Burke MuseumPhotograph, Unknown c.1930s
This image shows Bethanga Bridge, which was constructed between 1927 and 1930 in Albury, NSW. The bridge was a necessity due to the building of the Hume Dam (Wier), 1919-1936. Bethanga Bridge is a long, nine-span, riveted-steel, variable depth, Pratt Truss road bridge of nine principal spans of 82 metres and a total length of 752 metres over the flooded valley of the Murray River, now part of Hume Reservoir. Because of its unique location, over the waters of a dam with the border running down the centre of the body of water, the Bethanga bridge is the only built structure shared by both New South Wales and Victoria. It was built 1.6 kilometres upstream of the dam and in 1961 was raised 300mm, with a concrete deck replacing the original wooden deck. The State Rivers and Water Supply Commission of Victoria and the New South Wales Department of Public Works were responsible for the construction works for the Hume Weir under the River Murray Waters Agreement. It is apparent that a similar joint arrangement was made for the construction of the Bethanga Bridge as part of the Hume Weir works.This photograph of the Bethanga Bridge is of historical significance as it showcases the architectural skills of Percy Allen and Vincent Packer. Additionally, it reveals the environmental landscape of the 1920s-1930s, is linked to the Hume Dam and both New South Wales and Victorian heritage. Unmounted black and white rectangular photograph. Reverse: 1997.3196 84-20-3bethanga, bethanga bridge, hume dam, pratt truss, murray river, hume weir, transportation -
The Beechworth Burke MuseumPhotograph
This rectangle black and white photograph shows a bush scene with part of a suspension rope and wooden plank bridge visible in the middle of the image. It is likely this suspension bridge was used by the Tannery workers to move between the town and the Ovens Tannery located South-West of Beechworth due to its secluded bush location, the bridge likely spanned the gorge across Spring creek. The tannery itself was located alongside Gimlet Creek, about three kilometres from town, down what is now known as Malakoff and Old Tannery Road but which at the time was remote and accessed through bushland. The Ovens tannery was stablished in 1858 by Matthew Dodd and Hallahan and later Matthew and his brother Thomas Dodd in 1866 who developed it over the years. According to Doyle, 'we have little information about its early operations except the tannery itself comprised four small buildings' by 1870 ‘a small village with gardens of vines and fruit trees surrounded the tannery’ (Woods, 121), and by 1887 the Tannery employed fifteen men. The Ovens tannery was among several new businesses establishing themselves such as a foundry that brought industrial manufacturing alongside the developing township and which strengthened the economic stability of Beechworth after the receding mining surge. According to Woods (p. 121) in the 1860’s the government spent considerable sums to establish several public buildings such as the Benevolent Asylum, the Hospital and Insane Asylum to support those in need of care in the area directly after the Indigo gold rush which had left Beechworth, a fairly remote regional and newly formed township (Gold was first discovered in Beechworth in 1852) with a number of infirm and destitute people in its wake and which due to the support and establishment of these facilities ‘made Beechworth a significant social welfare centre in Victoria’ (Woods, p. 121). The tannery provided employment and connected the regional centre with other parts of Victoria and the wider colonial outposts and would have been a welcome opportunity for those seeking work after gold was no longer a source of income.A good example of the ingenuity of regional settlers to achieve what would have been a difficult and remote construction of a bridge as a means of access. This bridge is evidence of planning and forethought and shows dedication to establishing a life in a remote landscape.Black and white rectangular photograph printed on paperreverse: / 2983 / / BMM2983 /black and white photograph, bush, suspension bridge, rope bridge, tannery, spring creek, ovens tannery, bushland, gimlet creek, matthew dodd, beechworth -
The Beechworth Burke MuseumPhotograph, c. 1927 - 1930
Taken during the construction of the Bethanga Bridge (1927-1930), this sepia photograph shows a view of the incomplete bridge taken from inside the structure and looking down the span of the bridge from where the photographer stands. The photograph depicts an incomplete deck, with loose-looking wooden planks/panels lain along the centre in groups of three. Once complete, the original decking of the bridge was made of timber before being replaced by cement in 1961 (Victorian Heritage Database).Bethanga Bridge is of historical significance to the Indigo Shire for its associations with the construction of Hume Dam, its associations with the River Murray Waters Agreement and the River Murray Commission, and illustration of the needs and influence of the farming communities along the river in this area - particularly in relation to the building of the Weir. It also represents the collaboration between New South Wales and Victoria on a large infrastructure project, being the only built structure shared by both New South Wales and Victoria due to its location. also reflecting on the Shire's geographical closeness to this neighboring state. This photograph is part of a series that documents the construction of this well-known heritage site of significance to the Indigo Shire. It reflects upon a period of growth and change in the area.Sepia, rectangular photograph printed on matt photographic paper, unmountedReverse: 1997.3190 / Another snap of the bridge. taken on the bridge showing huge steel sides / 84-19-4 / V [in circle] 354 / KODAK PRINTbethanga bridge, hume dam, bridges album, construction, road construction, hume weir -
The Beechworth Burke MuseumAudio - Oral History, Jennifer Williams, Mrs Vanessa McDonald, 9 November 2000
Mrs. Vanessa McDonald was born in Beechworth in 1917. Christened, Agnes Bertha Collins, Vanessa changed her name in 1960. Mrs. McDonald's family's connection with gold mining in the district reach back to the first of Beechworth's gold rushes, when her great grandfather, a Dutchman who adopted the name Charles Collins, arrived in 1851-1852. Mrs. McDonald spent her childhood in the isolated hamlet of Stanley, in the area known as 'Little Scotland', where she recalls helping her mother to raise younger siblings, picking apples and walnuts on the family farm, and roaming the hills for wildflowers. As a young woman Mrs. McDonald attended religious and social gatherings in the local community. In 1940 she went to Melbourne to work as a mothercraft nurse during the Second World War. She met her husband at a Beechworth football match and was married at the Stanley Methodist Church in 1941. The gold diggings known as the 'Nine Mile' became the hamlet of Stanley, after the British Prime Minister, Lord Stanley, in 1858. By the late 1850s, Stanley boasted schools, an athenaeum, a church, a weekly newspaper and several hotels and other civic infrastructure to cater for a growing population. The area attracted large numbers of Chinese miners, whose presence was frequently resisted. Like other early Victorian mining settlements, Stanley was a hotbed of political and racial tensions during the gold rush. One side of the Nine Mile Creek was known as 'Little Scotland’, the other, 'Little Ireland'. A number of Christian denominations built congregations and churches in Stanley, including the Church of England, Methodist Church, the Catholic Church, and Presbyterian Church. Stanley became part of the United Shire of Beechworth in 1871. By 1880 timber was being cut and two sawmills were established by 1887. River-dredged gold mining consumed vast amounts of timber from the forests in the area, and in 1931 the first of several softwood plantations began. This oral history recording was part of a project conducted by Jennifer Williams in the year 2000 to capture the everyday life and struggles in Beechworth during the twentieth century. This project involved recording seventy oral histories on cassette tapes of local Beechworth residents which were then published in a book titled: 'Listen to what they say: voices of twentieth century Beechworth'. These cassette tapes were digitised in July 2021 with funds made available by the Friends of the Burke.Following the decline in the mining and associated industries during the early-mid-twentieth century, the Beechworth district experienced a period of general economic decline. On the east side of the Dingle Range, Mrs. McDonald's father, William Henry Collins, felled timber and the family were pioneer apple orchardists. The establishment of apple orchards in Stanley reflects changes to how land was used and contributes to our understanding of the historical development of rural communities following the gold rush. Mrs. McDonald's recollections are significant for understanding family and social life in a small rural town in years leading up to the Great Depression and prior to the Second World War. This oral history recording may be compared with other oral histories and items in the Burke Museum's collection. This oral history account is socially and historically significant as it is a part of a broader collection of interviews conducted by Jennifer Williams which were published in the book 'Listen to what they say: voices of twentieth-century Beechworth.' While the township of Beechworth is known for its history as a gold rush town, these accounts provide a unique insight into the day-to-day life of the town's residents during the 20th century, many of which will have now been lost if they had not been preserved.This is a digital copy of a recording that was originally captured on a cassette tape. The cassette tape is black with a horizontal white strip and is currently stored in a clear flat plastic rectangular container. It holds up 40 minutes of recordings on each side.Mrs Vanessa McDonald /listen to what they say, beechworth, oral history, burke museum, emigration, gold rush immigration, victorian gold rush, mining families, apple orchard, forestry, forest plantation, little scotland, stanley, twentieth century history, regional australia, rural australia, farming, harvest festival, great depression, dingle range, the nine mile, australian wildflowers, high country wildflowers, mothercraft nurse, rural and regional women, social history, collins, mrs. vanessa mcdonald, building community life, shaping cultural and creative life, fruit growers, family history, changes to land use in regional victoria -
The Beechworth Burke MuseumPhotograph
The photograph depicts two young men standing atop a prominent outcrop at Lake Sambell, with buildings visible on the further shore. The present day park and reserve occupies the site of the former Rocky Mountain Mining Company, an open-cut sluice mine that began operations in the mid-Nineteenth Century and operated until the early 1900s, through the peak of Victoria’s Gold Rush. It was converted into a park and leisure area in the 1920s. Lake Sambell was formally opened to the public on Friday 5th October 1928 and was opened by the Victorian Government’s Minister of Lands, Mr Bailey, as part of initiatives to boost the economies and development of country towns. The lake was named after Mr L.H. Sambell, a shire engineer and secretary of the Forward Beechworth Committee who was involved in promoting the transformation of the mining site and promoting plantation forestry and tourism as alternative industries. £300 to begin the process was provided by Mr J. McConvill, a former resident of Beechworth, who is remembered in a street name adjacent to the lake. An article in the Ovens and Murray Advertiser on Saturday, 5th May, 1917, gives some insight into issues in the Rocky Mountain Mining Company’s final years. The writer details the 1917 annual meeting of the Rocky Mountain Mining Company, stating that locals present appeared ‘well pleased this important local industry is in such a prosperous condition and that future prospects are so encouraging’. The author describes plans to give workers a bonus as evidence of profit-sharing that would ‘bridge the gulf between capital and labour’. The article concludes, however, with the statement that ‘there is a little arithmetical puzzle in the report in connection with the dredging operations I have been unable to solve.' The photograph is significant as it contributes to knowledge about how Beechworth reinvented itself after the Gold rush period, and more broadly how country towns repurpose and redevelop infrastructure and facilities to meet the present needs of their population. Sepia rectangular photograph printed on matte photographic paper. Obverse: nil. Reverse: 3471 / Velox (paper mark)beechworth, beechworth lake, lake sambell, l.h. sambell, mcconvill, rocky mountain mining company, rocky mountain mining co, minister of lands, forward beechworth committee, wallace park-lake sambell development scheme, wallace park lake sambell development scheme, lake, sambell, j. mcconvill, recreation, reserve, park, transformation, repurposed, redeveloped -
The Beechworth Burke MuseumPhotograph - Postcard, Town Hall Beechworth, c1910
... Victoria. The building has seen continual use from 1858 ...Beechworth Town Hall was designed by architects J.J. Coe and Thomas Dalziel and is dated to 1859. The building was made of granite and constructed to local builders Donald and William Fiddes. The original front to the building was replaced by a two story facade in 1889 designed by George Jobbins and built by Thomas Sandham according to a plaque on the front. The Town Hall is remarkable for its vaulted ceilings and columns. Originally the building was used as the Shire Offices but also doubled as a fire station and a courthouse, with still surviving cells underneath. Among the inmates was notorious bushranger Harry Power who was originally transported to Van Dieman’s Land for stealing a pair of shoes. He gained his freedom six years later but spent time in and out of gaol for the rest of his life for a variety of offences including a number of armed robberies. The Town Hall is now home to the Visitor Information Centre which helps visitors with amongst other things, accommodation, tours, event enquiries, and is the commencement point for Precinct walking tours. The Beechworth Town Hall is one of five distinctive granite buildings on Ford Street that comprise the Justice Precinct. It is of considerable historical significance as activity on the site dates from Australia’s gold rush period and was the administrative centre for north-eastern Victoria. The building has seen continual use from 1858 as an important public building and displays many aspects of the history of law enforcement in Victoria. The building is also of substantial architectural significance for its construction from local honey coloured granite, which also showcases early stone masonry techniques and craftsmanship. The Precinct is listed on the Victorian Heritage register and is protected by Heritage Victoria under the Victorian Heritage Act 2017. The buildings are also registered by the National Estate, the National Trust and protected by Indigo Shire Council’s Planning Scheme. Black and White rectangular postcard printed on cardReverse: 1906-1910?beechworth, beechworth town hall, town hall, jj coe, thomas dalziel, granite, beechworth historic building, courthouse, cells, geoge jobbins, thomas sandham, 1859, 1889, walking tours, beechworth historic precinct, historic precinct, harry power, bushranger, australian bushrangers, van dieman's land, transportation, armed robberies -
The Beechworth Burke MuseumPhotograph
The old Bank of New South Wales building is located on the corner of Camp and Ford streets in Beechworth, Victoria. It was constructed between 1856 and 1857 from local honey coloured granite. It was designed by architects Robertson & Hale and is a two-storey rendered brick building and the original coat of arms is still visible. The coat of arms is distinctive and consists of a kangaroo, emu, lion, and rising sun. The rear of the building was surrounded by high granite walls for security as it was the original home for the local gold office. Beechworth Honey currently offers tourist accommodation in the Hive Apartment located in the former Bank of New South Wales Managers residence.The Bank of New South Wales building in Beechworth is significant for its location in one of Australia's most prominent goldfield towns. Of particular interest is the use of distinctive local Beechworth honey coloured granite in its construction. The building’s architecture is a simple, conservative classical style known as Renaissance Revival. It is one of the few known surviving works of the architects Robertson and Hale. The decorative composition above the main entrance and the counter in the banking chamber are of special interest.Black and white rectangular photograph printed on cardAHold bank of new south wales, bank of new south wales building, beechworth bank of new south wales, bank of nsw, beechworth 1850s, robertson and hale, architects robertson and hale, rendered brick, coat of arms, granite walls, local honey coloured granite, gold office, 1856, 1857, beechworth, beechworth honey, hive apartment, manager's residence, renaissance revival -
The Beechworth Burke MuseumPhotograph, circa. 1850
Date not confirmed, a farm in the Beechworth Warner property with a farmer overlooking calves, poultry and timber. This photograph depicts the farming and agriculture industry in Beechworth. The property, known as Daintree Stud or the Warner property, was formed a part of the town on Beechworth, Victoria. Beechworth became famous in the 19th century from a short- lived gold-rush. The town grew to the extent of building a hospital and mental hospital, court house, hotels, convent, and prison. During this time, the industrial growth of Beechworth was significant, seeing a rise in practices including tanning, cobbling, blacksmithing, and the selling of livestock. This photograph perhaps reveals a small degree of insight into the livestock business.Black and white rectangular photograph on matte photographic paper, unmountedReverse: 5896/ BMM 8093-1farm, agriculture, farming and agriculture, beechworth, beechworth farm, industry -
The Beechworth Burke MuseumGeological specimen - Laterite
Laterite refers to both a rock and a soil type that is rich in clay, as well as Iron and Aluminium. It is created during a process that is called laterization, where high heat and seasonal heavy rainfall cause there to be wet and dry periods, which over time hardens the soil into rock. Because of this, most laterite is formed between tropics of Cancer and Capricorn. The iron oxide in laterite is what gives it it’s orange-red colouring. The largest religious complex in the world, Angkor Wat in Cambodia, is partially constructed of laterite, particularly its foundations, as laterite is porous and allows rainwater to drain. This specimen of laterite was collected from the Democratic Republic of Congo while it was colonised by Belgium in the 19th century. Laterite forms in many parts of the world, particularly between the tropics. It is used both for ore and as a building material, and comparing specimens from different parts of the world allows us to document the different compositions that this mineral can have when formed at different locations. This specimen is part of a larger collection of geological and mineral specimens collected from around Australia (and some parts of the world) and donated to the Burke Museum between 1868-1880. A large percentage of these specimens were collected in Victoria as part of the Geological Survey of Victoria that begun in 1852 (in response to the Gold Rush) to study and map the geology of Victoria. Collecting geological specimens was an important part of mapping and understanding the scientific makeup of the earth. Many of these specimens were sent to research and collecting organisations across Australia, including the Burke Museum, to educate and encourage further study.a palm-sized solid iron-aluminium oxide mineral specimen in shades of brown, orange and greyburke museum, beechworth, geological, geological specimen, laterite, laterite specimen, geology -
The Beechworth Burke MuseumPhotograph - Lantern Slide, c1900
Beechworth's Anglican Church, Christ Church St Peter and St Paul, has served the Beechworth community since 1858 in its present form, following its beginnings in a tent in 1855. The Victorian branch of the National Trust classified the building as regionally significant in 1959 and the organ as of significance to the nation in 1992. Building a place for Anglican worship was a priority in the early days of Beechworth's settlement as the town was a site of regional administration due to its association with the economic and social expansion of Victoria during the Gold Rush period. The Church garden features several significant trees monitored by the Beechworth Treescape Group, including a cork oak growing near the Ford Street entrance, an Atlantic cedar, a bunya or bunya-bunya pine and two kurrajongs. Some of these long-established trees may be visible in this lantern-slide image. Lantern slides, sometimes called 'magic lantern' slides, are glass plates on which an image has been secured for the purpose of projection. Glass slides were etched or hand-painted for this purpose from the Eighteenth Century but the process became more popular and accessible to the public with the development of photographic-emulsion slides used with a 'Magic Lantern' device in the mid-Nineteenth Century. Photographic lantern slides comprise a double-negative emulsion layer (forming a positive image) between thin glass plates that are bound together. A number of processes existed to form and bind the emulsion layer to the base plate, including the albumen, wet plate collodion, gelatine dry plate and woodburytype techniques. Lantern slides and magic lantern technologies are seen as foundational precursors to the development of modern photography and film-making techniques.This glass slide is significant because it provides insight into Beechworth's social amenities and religious infrastructure in the late Nineteenth Century. It is also an example of an early photographic and film-making technology in use in regional Victoria in the time period.Thin translucent sheet of glass with a square image printed on the front and framed in a black backing. It is held together by metals strips to secure the edges of the slide.Obverse: 1 /beechworth, lantern slide, slide, glass slide, plate, burke museum collection, photograph, monochrome, christ church, indigo shire, north-east victoria, churches, architecture, anglican, religion, atlantic cedar, organ, magic lantern, christ church st peter and st paul, beechworth treescape group, cork oak, bunya pine, bunya bunya, kurrajong, quercus suber, cedrus atlantica f. glauca, araucaria bidwillii, brachychiton populneus -
The Beechworth Burke MuseumPhotograph - Lantern Slide, c1900
This image shows the gorge adjacent to Beechworth in approximately 1900. Although the exact location of the photograph is yet to be determined, the present-day Beechworth Gorge Walk includes views of the Cascades at the point at which Spring Creek flows into the valley on the level below. Gold-sluicing techniques in use in the town during periods of active gold extraction may have altered the landscape since the photograph was taken, however. In the 1850s a mill was built at the top of the Spring Creek falls by Russian-born Louis Chevalier, brother of artist Nicholas Chevalier. The mill supplied the town with lumber that supported the town's initial construction boom. Lantern slides, sometimes called 'magic lantern' slides, are glass plates on which an image has been secured for the purpose of projection. Glass slides were etched or hand-painted for this purpose from the Eighteenth Century but the process became more popular and accessible to the public with the development of photographic-emulsion slides used with a 'Magic Lantern' device in the mid-Nineteenth Century. Photographic lantern slides comprise a double-negative emulsion layer (forming a positive image) between thin glass plates that are bound together. A number of processes existed to form and bind the emulsion layer to the base plate, including the albumen, wet plate collodion, gelatine dry plate and woodburytype techniques. Lantern slides and magic lantern technologies are seen as foundational precursors to the development of modern photography and film-making techniques.This glass slide is significant because it provides insight into Beechworth's built environment and natural landscape in the early Twentieth Century, around the time of Australia's Federation. It is also an example of an early photographic and film-making technology in use in regional Victoria in the time period.Thin translucent sheet of glass with a square image printed on the front and framed in a black backing. It is held together by metals strips to secure the edges of the slide.burke museum, beechworth, lantern slide, slide, glass slide, plate, burke museum collection, photograph, monochrome, indigo shire, north-east victoria, spring creek falls, beechworth gorge, louis chevalier, nicholas chevalier, lumber industry, timber industry, 1850s, construction, building, mill, mills, waterfall -
The Beechworth Burke MuseumPhotograph - Lantern Slide, c1900
This image shows a semi-aerial view of commercial and official properties lining Ford Street, Beechworth, in approximately 1900. The tower of Christ Church of St Peter and St Paul can be seen in the middle section of the photograph, on the left-hand side of the street. The Church was constructed in 1858 with the tower added to the structure in 1864. Lantern slides, sometimes called 'magic lantern' slides, are glass plates on which an image has been secured for the purpose of projection. Glass slides were etched or hand-painted for this purpose from the Eighteenth Century but the process became more popular and accessible to the public with the development of photographic-emulsion slides used with a 'Magic Lantern' device in the mid-Nineteenth Century. Photographic lantern slides comprise a double-negative emulsion layer (forming a positive image) between thin glass plates that are bound together. A number of processes existed to form and bind the emulsion layer to the base plate, including the albumen, wet plate collodion, gelatine dry plate and woodburytype techniques. Lantern slides and magic lantern technologies are seen as foundational precursors to the development of modern photography and film-making techniques.This glass slide is significant because it provides insight into Beechworth's built environment and commercial and official infrastructure in the early Twentieth Century, around the time of Australia's Federation into one nation. It is also an example of an early photographic and film-making technology in use in regional Victoria in the time period.Thin translucent sheet of glass with a square image printed on the front and framed in a black backing. It is held together by metals strips to secure the edges of the slide.burke museum, beechworth, lantern slide, slide, glass slide, plate, burke museum collection, photograph, monochrome, ford street, christ church of st peter and st paul, church tower, landmarks, 1900, shopping facilities, public buildings, 1900s, built environment, streetscape -
The Beechworth Burke MuseumPhotograph - Lantern Slide, c1900
This glass slide presents an image of the Old Beechworth Post Office and was taken in the year 1900. The building displayed within the image is not that of the post office in its original form; the post office originally consisted of only a simple wooden building. With the establishment and growth of new towns across Victoria, as well as an increased need for more consistent communications with the City of Melbourne, this modest building was soon deemed inadequate. In 1858 it was brought into the style of the changing times, with the tall clock tower added in 1865. This transition aligned with a pattern of refurbishment and conversion of many Beechworth buildings (which could be seen during the 1860s-70s), aiding in the growth and prosperity of the town. Early makeshift homes were turned into more substantial dwellings, featuring elements such as weatherboard, brick, and granites materials, and gabled or hipped roofs with iron lacework fringing the verandah. These refurbishments were temporarily halted in March of 1867 when a fire swept through the town, damaging many buildings including the post office. This led to further reconstructions on the building, including heightening of the clock tower, and in 1870 the two-storey Italianate style building was completed. The Old Beechworth Post Office itself also holds significance due to its connection with one of Australia's most infamous families. It reportedly played an important role in communicating the news of the 1880 murders of police at Stringybark Creek by the Kelly Gang. Lantern slides, sometimes called 'magic lantern' slides, are glass plates on which an image has been secured for the purpose of projection. Glass slides were etched or hand-painted for this purpose from the Eighteenth Century but the process became more popular and accessible to the public with the development of photographic-emulsion slides used with a 'Magic Lantern' device in the mid-Nineteenth Century. Photographic lantern slides comprise a double-negative emulsion layer (forming a positive image) between thin glass plates that are bound together. A number of processes existed to form and bind the emulsion layer to the base plate, including the albumen, wet plate collodion, gelatine dry plate and woodburytype techniques. Lantern slides and magic lantern technologies are seen as foundational precursors to the development of modern photography and film-making techniques. This glass slide captures social and historical significance as it displays the Old Beechworth Post Office in 1900, a building that demonstrates the prosperity and growth of Beechworth as a town during this time period. This slide also holds a level of aesthetic significance due to the Italianate style building that is featured in its image; a style that became very popular during the nineteenth-century. Thin translucent sheet of glass with a square image printed on the front and framed in a black backing. It is held together by metal strips to secure the edges of the slide.Obverse: x / burke museum, beechworth, lantern slide, slide, glass slide, plate, burke museum collection, photograph, monochrome, beechworth post office, beechworth post office kelly gang, 1900, 1900 beechworth, growth of beechworth, 1867 beechworth fire, old beechworth post office, beechworth post office reconstructions, italianate style, italianate style buildings, italianate style beechworth post office -
The Beechworth Burke MuseumPhotograph - Lantern Slide, c1900
This picture shows an angle of Beechworth Primary School (State School number 1560) which is also pictured in the building's entry in the Victorian Heritage Register (VHR record 1718). The school began as a national school in 1858 as an alternative to Wesleyan and Anglican schools already operating in the area. Its name was changed to Common School number 36 in 1862 and the Beechworth Academy prior to being taken over by the Education department in 1873. The new premises were built in 1875 utilising the skills of architect Henry Bastow though the original design may be attributable to the firm Wharton and Vickers. The design was used with modifications for other schools in Victoria, including the Competition School in Errol Street, North Melbourne. The school moved to the building pictured from its original premises in Loch Street, designed by Thomas Dalziel, which later became the office of the Ovens Advertiser. The school was opened on 2 July 1875 by former Beechworth resident G.B. Kerferd, who was then the Premier of Victoria. The image shows approximately ninety older students at the school in approximately 1900. There are approximately equal numbers of boys and girls pictured, with most of the individuals pictured appearing to be between the ages of twelve and fifteen. Although the school had more than 1000 students enrolled at its height, enrolments had declined to 304 in 1890. Also visible is a fringe of sequoia pines which were planted by the school children as a project lasting through to the late 1930s. Lantern slides, sometimes called 'magic lantern' slides, are glass plates on which an image has been secured for the purpose of projection. Glass slides were etched or hand-painted for this purpose from the Eighteenth Century but the process became more popular and accessible to the public with the development of photographic-emulsion slides used with a 'Magic Lantern' device in the mid-Nineteenth Century. Photographic lantern slides comprise a double-negative emulsion layer (forming a positive image) between thin glass plates that are bound together. A number of processes existed to form and bind the emulsion layer to the base plate, including the albumen, wet plate collodion, gelatine dry plate and woodburytype techniques. Lantern slides and magic lantern technologies are seen as foundational precursors to the development of modern photography and film-making techniques.The image is significant because it sheds light on the educational infrastructure present in Beechworth in the early part of the Twentieth Century, including the prevalence of education for students after current-day primary-school age and the education of girls. It also provides insight into the building and design practices used by Government departments at the time. Thin translucent sheet of glass with a circular image printed on the front and framed in a black backing. It is held together by metals strips to secure the edges of the slide.Obverse: L / burke museum, beechworth, lantern slide, slide, glass slide, plate, burke museum collection, photograph, monochrome, schools, education, high school, primary school, common school, state school, state school 1560, common school 36, beechworth academy, g.b. kerferd, thomas dalziel, henry bastow, victorian heritage register, beechworth primary school, girls education, boys education, public schools, education department, pines, trees, sequoias, competition school
