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Ballarat Tramway Museum
Drawing - Wellington NZ - Plan and Notes, Wal Jack, August 1947
Wal Jack had an extensive range of correspondents throughout Australia and the world who often provided him with detailed drawings and notes on various tramway systems. This set of notes on the Wellington NZ tram system provides a list of tramcars, track layout and general notes. Dated August 1947. Based on the handwriting, prepared by Wal Jack himself. Yields information about Wal Jack's extensive recording and research work.Drawing - black, red and blue ink or colour pencil and two quarto sheets hand made.tramways, wal jack, drawings, maps, tramcars, wellington nz -
Ballarat Tramway Museum
Newspaper, Herald Sun, Tracked on film - Keith Atkinson, 9/1/2001
Item written by Shaunagh O'Connor for the Herald Sun at the time of the publication of a book, "Trams and Streetscapes, Metropolitan Melbourne 1950's 1960's edited by Emile G Badaway and John Sargent and published by Train Hobby Publications. Features photos of W2 231 in Flinders St, T181 in North Fitzroy and Footscray, W6 982 in Bourke St, W2 636 in Market St, W3 667 in Swanston St, Y1 613 in Elizabeth St and X1 677 in Footscray. Features in the centre a photo of the photographer, Keith Atkinson. Keith was a Ballarat Tramway Museum member and benefactor.Yields information about publication of a book, the photographer and his work.Newspaper - centre page titled Tracked on film - Keith Atkinson, from the Melbourne Herald Sun, 9/1/2001 featuring a story on a new book of tram photographs. trams, books, keith atkinson, melbourne, train hobby publications -
Ballarat Tramway Museum
Functional Object - Four Wheel Flat top Trolley, Commonwealth Railways - Port Augusta Workshops (Understood), 1940's?
Four wheel flat top track trolley- deck wood frame and sides on four fabricated/pressed wheels, with bearings, axles- Used to transport materials- hand pushed or towed. Metal tie rods in front over axles and metal has connecting tow/couplers. Relocated to Bungaree c2015 when 22 moved. Photographed at Bungaree 6-4-2020 by Neville Britton, see image btm18i1.jpg. Record updated 6-4-2020. See detailed information on back of sheet in folder for sketches, timber damaged, notes re a number plate and a note regarding work done 7/97 in replacing underside diagonal bracing supports.On underside in paint, "To Cargeeg, 50 Pasadena East Bentleigh, Melbourne"trams, tramways, commonwealth railways, maintenance equipment, railway trolley -
Kew Historical Society Inc
Photograph - Filling in the Outer Circle Railway cutting at East Kew, 1939
W.D. Vaughan (Kew's Civic Century, 1960, pp.195-6) quotes Council Minutes of 1938 and 1939 to record that: "After protracted negotiations between the Council, the Railways Department and the Tramways Board agreement was reached in June, 1938, for the filling of the railway cutting at the Harp Junction and shifting tram tracks to the High Street alignment ... The Outer Circle railway land from Princess Street to Park Crescent was purchased by the Kew Council in October, 1939, for 2,750 [pounds]. The land from Park Crescent to High Street was leased for 1 [pound] per annum. Considerable work was done in levelling the embankments to the original surface level."Important and rare photograph of the period, showing major works by Kew Council in Kew East working on a significant piece of urban infrastructure.Small, original black and white positive (photograph) showing workers and vehicles filling in the tracks of the former Outer Circle railway at East Kew. In the background is the metal bridge with brick piers, adjacent to the Harp Junction. The bridge crossed the cutting, linking the two parts of High Street. Behind the tip truck, painted on the side with the name 'Fowler Quarries' [located Keilor Road, North Essendon], one can see shops [including T.G. Garroway, Cash Grocer] in High Street. What appears to be the City of Kew Steamroller is immediately in front of the bridge. A group of passers-by watch from the bridge and from the road. Annotation in pencil on verso: "Filling in Outer Circle line at High St East Kew prior to straightening High St. (c. Feb 1930?)outer circle railway, railway cuttings, harp junction, high street -- kew east -
Kew Historical Society Inc
Photograph, Kilby Farm, Kew East, Before 1920
Kilby Lodge (c.1845-c.1922). William Oswin purchased Crown Land Lots 52 & 53 in 1845. These lots ran north from an old bullock track [later Kilby Road] to the Yarra, and east to Burke Road. Oswin purchased a neighbouring Lot in 1851, separated by the bullock track from the rest of the farm. Oswin built ‘Kilby Lodge’ and, with his brother, farmed dairy cattle on the site. Oswin’s descendants owned the farm into the 1890s. New subdivisions of Kilby and neighbouring farms in the 1920s changed the rural nature of north Kew. Housing and large recreation reserves replaced dairy farms and market gardens. This work forms part of the collection assembled by the historian Dorothy Rogers, that was donated to the Kew Historical Society by her son John Rogers in 2015. The manuscripts, photographs, maps, and documents were sourced by her from both family and local collections or produced as references for her print publications. Many were directly used by Rogers in writing ‘Lovely Old Homes of Kew’ (1961) and 'A History of Kew' (1973), or the numerous articles on local history that she produced for suburban newspapers. Most of the photographs in the collection include detailed annotations in her hand. The Rogers Collection provides a comprehensive insight into the working habits of a historian in the 1960s and 1970s. Together it forms the largest privately-donated collection within the archives of the Kew Historical Society.A panoramic photograph of Kilby (or Oswin's) Farm in East Kew."Kilby Farm when Oswins owned it. Commenced 1845."kilby farm, kilby lodge, william oswin, dorothy rogers, kew east -
Kew Historical Society Inc
Postcard, Biscay Greetings Pty Ltd, Trams at Kew Depot, c.1991
The Kew tram depot is located on the corner of Barkers Road and High Street, Kew. It is one of eight tram depots on the Melbourne tram network. The depot opened on 8 May 1915. The main yard has 12 covered roads. There are two tracks for trams leaving or entering via Barkers Road, and a single track connecting to High Street.Postcard produced c.1991 to commemorate 75 Years of Service of The Kew Depot (1915/16-1991). The postcard shows two trams at the depot. The details are included in the information provided on the reverse.Kew Depot is ready for work W Class 892 waits for its next duty while visiting V Class 214 is ready for special work Photo by R. J. Marsh T101 Copyright Biscay Greetings Pty Ltd Telephone (03) 562 3599tramways - kew, kew tramways depot, -
Sunbury Family History and Heritage Society Inc.
Photograph
Work was being done repairing a bridge on the Sunbury - Bendigo line at the former Rupertswood siding, which in the past was used initially by guests who would arrive at the Rupertswood mansion and of later years by students from Salesian College. A scanned photograph of work being done along a rail line. There is a large crane beside the rail track and a rail car is also on the line.railways, salesian college, rupertswood siding. -
Surrey Hills Historical Society Collection
Photograph, Surrey Hills Reservoir No 1
Copied by Ken Hall from an early postcard. This is Surrey Hills Reservoir No 1 on the corner of Tower Street built in c1892 at a cost of £12,000 to supply higher sections of the area. The builders were Jack and Bob Laudehr, partners in a wood yard in St. Kilda (Vic). They began by delivering firewood but extended to contract work involving timber. Another of their projects was to lay cable tram tracks commencing in Acland Street St. Kilda and running along The Esplanade. The reservoir in Canterbury Road was a large concrete structure built before the introduction of reinforcements. The excavated material was banked against the sides and pine trees were planted in it to add strength to the embankment. They were paid £2,000 for their work. Construction of Surrey Hills Number 2 Reservoir was completed in 1913 and the accompanying tower was built in 1929. It is assumed that the Miss Hill as the source of the donation (via Bill Dempsey) was Ivy Annie Hill (1902-1984). She was the only female child of William Valentine Dempsey to not marry. Bill Dempsey's mother was Laura Constance 'Birdie' Hill (1900-1968) who married Albert Dempsey.A sepia photograph within a post card of a reservoir on Canterbury Road, Surrey Hills. In the background to the left you can see the top halves of two houses and the tops of some trees. The photo takes up only the central section of the postcard.Below the photo on the front of the postcard on blue biro "Reservor [sic] Canterbury Rd / Surrey Hills." On the rear in grey lead pencil in Jocelyn Hall's handwriting: "Donor W Dempsey ------------- Keep / (nephew) / [arrow pointing down] / From Miss Hill / 10 Pembroke St SH / This house can be / seen in front of / No 12 which has / tower"1890, water supply, mmbw, edward d dyer (mr), 10 pembroke street, 12 pembroke street, surrey hills, ivy annie hill (miss), william valentine hill (mr), canterbury road, tower street, water supply structures and establishments, dams and reservoirs, jack laudehr (mr), bob laudehr (mr) -
Round the Bend Conservation Co-operative
One of the many work parties paving the tracks of the Co-op
... yarra-valley-and-the-dandenong-ranges One of the many work ... -
National Wool Museum
Photograph - Geelong Victoria, 1889
Image was donated by Mr. Peter JM Bell of West Yorkshire, UK in 2009. Mr. Bell worked for Robert Jowitt & Sons between 1999 and 2006 when the company ceased operations. Mr. Bell discovered this photo and decided to donate it to the National Wool Museum. Jowitt & Sons was established in 1775 and became a limited company in 1919. They were wool merchants and had buying branches in Australia - Fremantle, Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide.Photo of approximately 30 men standing on and perpendicular to a railway track. Behind the group are four buildings, two on the left, two on the right. A dog is resting on the railway track. The ground has been covered in wool and a sign on the right-hand building reads 'ROBERT JOWITT & SONS".Wording: Geelong- Victoria/ 1889;Method: printed;Location: bottom centrewool, railway, dog, jowitt & sons -
National Wool Museum
Clothing - Shirt, 1925-1938
Male wool shirt made in Bradford, U.K. The shirt is cut from first fabric woven from 100% traceable Australian wool. Bradford Mills differ to Australian mills in that the entire process of producing worsted material does not take place at the one firm/factory. Rather it is split between many firm/factories specialising in their task in the production of worsted material. For example, the wool goes from merchants to combers to produce tops, the tops to spinners to produce yarn and then the yarn is sold to manufactures who weave it into cloth. After the weaving is done the cloth has to be sent to the dryers and finishers, who scour, dye and finish the cloth. Finally, the finished cloth is purchase by a fresh set of merchants, who will later sell the cloth elsewhere in England or abroad. At each these steps a new firm is handling the wool/cloth making it hard to track lineage of wool through this process and hence hard to guarantee 100% Australian wool. This shirt was purchased and worn by the donor’s husband, George H. Gerber, an Australian Wool Buyer. The shirt was purchased on one of George’s trips to Bradford in the U.K. on company business. Gerber was a second-generation Wool Traders in his family. His father, also named George H. Gerber, worked for Kreglinger & Furneau. He worked for them in Boston, U.S.A. before he died from the Spanish Flu in 1918. The company then promised a job to his oldest son (donor’s husband) once he finished school. Thus, George came to be trained as a Fine Wool Classer by Kreglinger & Furneaux (Aust.) Pty Ltd where he was employed as a Wool Buyer all his working life. He retired in 1969 as the head of their Australian office when the company was taken over Also of note, the shirt was sold with 2 add-on collars. Having additional collars was advantageous as changing only the collar increased the number of days the shirt could be worn without washing. Cream coloured shirt with black and red single thread verticle stripes.“Grandpa” collar (with 1 of its 2 supplied add-on collars included). French cuffs. Sold with 2 add-on collars, hence both ends of the collar have buttonholes to take a stud, and a partially-opened button-hole is at the centre of the neck on the outside of the collar for a second stud.Letering label on shirt: GENT’S OUTFITTER Herbert Winfield 23 CHEAPSIDE, BRADFORDbradford, u.k, kreglinger & furneaux (aust.) pty ltd, 100% australian wool -
Vision Australia
Administrative record - Text, Royal Victorian Institute for the Blind annual report 1981-1982, 1981-1982
Articles in annual report include: the official opening of the educational camp at Romsey, introduction of a Hartley 3909 Mini Computer, increasing move away from residential services with 74% of school children supported in learn at their local school, hydrotherapy unit (spa) and Versa Brailler purchased for school, 2 week ski camp offered at RVIB ski lodge at Mt Baw Baw, employment continuing in packaging and assembly, plant nursery, maintenance of St Kilda Road and Raleigh Street sites, kiosks at RMIT, Melbourne University and the Institute, trial scheme launched with Alfred for work experience in various roles, introduction of 4 track tapes in library and reduction of Clarke & Smith tapettes, and development of 16mm film 'The Mediators' for use by Public Relations department.1 volume of printed materialroyal victorian institute for the blind, corporation records -
Vision Australia
Administrative record - Text, Our 84th year in Braille and Talking Books: eighty-fourth annual report and statements of account for 1977-78, 1978
Annual report of the Braille & Talking Book Library including Minutes of the AGM, Board of Director's Report, President's report and financial statements. Items also included are: acknowledgement of the work on Thomas Luxton as foundation president, having a stand at the Royal Melbourne Show, acknowledgement of Joan Cunnington for working 50 years as a transcribing and producing the most volumes (789) of any transcriber, display of a thermoform map designed by 2nd year Architecture students of the Melbourne University campus, Sir Paul Hasluck winning the Braille Book of the Year award, first edition of Library Talk audio magazine, congratulations from the Federation of Blind Citizens on providing 2 track cassettes, retirement of Alice McClelland and Geoffrey Wilson, and a delegate attending the Australian and New Zealand Association of Teachers of the Visually Handicapped conference,1 volume of illustrations and textbraille and talking book library, annual reports -
Federation University Art Collection
Ceramic, 'Helmet Bowl & Vessel' by Neville French, 2003
Neville FRENCH (1955- ) Born Maryborough, Victoria In 1977 Neville French graduated from Ballarat College of Advanced Education after studying a Diploma in Fine Art (Ceramics) between 1974 and 1976, and was a tutor there for six months in 1978. He holds a Master of Arts, Research (Ceramics) from RMIT Universiy, and was awarded the Vitrify Alcorso National Ceramics Award in 2012. Neville has an international reputation as a ceramics artists and educator. From 1982 to 2012 Neville French was teach and coordinator of the Ceramics department at the Ballarat School of Mines and University of Ballarat (now Federation University). From 1982 to 2012 Neville French taught Ceramics at the Ballarat School of Mines TAFE, which later merged with the University of Ballarat (now Federation University Australia). He completed a Graduate Diploma of Education at Hawthorn State College in 1980, a Certificate of Stoneware Glazes from Brisbane College of Advanced Education in 1983 and a Master of Arts Fine Art (Ceramics) at RMIT University in 2000. Between 2010 and 2012 Neville French taught post graduate honours and masters Ceramics students. During his time as a student at Ballarat Neville Bunning would collect clay from the Enfield clay pit. He described following white tyre tracks to find the location. He described the clay as silky smooth and and fired to a beautiful grey colour at stoneware tempreture. When blended with terracotta clay from Nerrina or fireclay from Bacchus Marsh a wide range of different bodies could be created. This item is part of the Federation University Art Collection. The Art Collection features over 2000 works and was listed as a 'Ballarat Treasure' in 2007.Two vessels made as a sculptural pair. Statement: "My work involves an exploration of elemental vessels - extending porcelain to develop taut contours and spatial dynamics. I seek to distill an essence of purity to evoke notions of quietude and transendence through the expressive use of glaze and its relationship to form, tactility, weight and light. Forms are wheel-thrown, altered and slowly scraped to develip a soft line and solidity. Coloured matt glazes are layered and fused to the porcelain body through multiple firings to give expression and luminosity to the surface,. The iodosyncratice nature of glaze stimulates the imagination. It evokes associations with the natural environement and alludes to a meditative infinity."Signed on base 'f.'art, artwork, neville french, french, ceramics, porcelain, wheelthrown, thrown and altered, alumni -
Mrs Aeneas Gunn Memorial Library
Book, G. Bell & Sons, By flood and field : adventures ashore and afloat in North Australia, 1912
Factual account of life in the Northern Territory in the late 19th century; - 1st section - Authors adventures as a shipwrecked mariner at Wark Aboriginal Settlement and Port Essington; 2nd section - Detailed narrative of the authors work & explorations as a customs official and as a patrol police officer, stationed at Port Darwin; Description of Malays and their trading ventures by proas; Relations between Malays and Aborigines employment of latter in collecting, trepangs, pearls, tortoise-shells - physical and cultural influences (e.g. intermixture, and language) feuds and murders; Notes on food gathering and hunting (use of wommera) - tracking - corroborrees settling of disputes by simulated fighting - group murder and guilt rites (Malays and Chinese), canoes decorated - Maria Is. sacred burial ground qualities of Aborigines; noted; Intertribal fighting - Woolna tribe against local Darwin Aborigines; Cannibalism at Limba Luchumbo - King River; Contact between Aborigines and settlers, ranging from extreme cruelty to great friendships; Aboriginal girls stolen for domestic work causing trouble; Further accounts of Chinese - opium & gold smuggling; Search for Dylompo - Groote Eylandt unsuccessful.Ill, p.327.non-fictionFactual account of life in the Northern Territory in the late 19th century; - 1st section - Authors adventures as a shipwrecked mariner at Wark Aboriginal Settlement and Port Essington; 2nd section - Detailed narrative of the authors work & explorations as a customs official and as a patrol police officer, stationed at Port Darwin; Description of Malays and their trading ventures by proas; Relations between Malays and Aborigines employment of latter in collecting, trepangs, pearls, tortoise-shells - physical and cultural influences (e.g. intermixture, and language) feuds and murders; Notes on food gathering and hunting (use of wommera) - tracking - corroborrees settling of disputes by simulated fighting - group murder and guilt rites (Malays and Chinese), canoes decorated - Maria Is. sacred burial ground qualities of Aborigines; noted; Intertribal fighting - Woolna tribe against local Darwin Aborigines; Cannibalism at Limba Luchumbo - King River; Contact between Aborigines and settlers, ranging from extreme cruelty to great friendships; Aboriginal girls stolen for domestic work causing trouble; Further accounts of Chinese - opium & gold smuggling; Search for Dylompo - Groote Eylandt unsuccessful. northern australia - description and travel, northern australia - economic relations -
City of Greater Geelong
Work on paper - Charcoal on Cartridge, Noel Bonney, Bush Track - Shea Oaks
... -and-the-bellarine-peninsula Bush Track - Shea Oaks Work on paper Charcoal ... -
Melton City Libraries
Photograph, Melton Railway Bridge, c.1884
"The Melton Viaduct, opened in 1886, is of State heritage significance as a very large and visually distinctive wrought iron, lattice girder trestle bridge over the Werribee River (now Melton Reservoir). It comprises 18.3 and 9.1 metre spans, in a generally alternate arrangement, of total length 375 metres, and standing 38 metres over the Werribee River. Wrought iron small section iron was used to build tension trussed trestle legs, which supported four lines of rivetted wrought-iron deck-type double lattice trusses. It has bluestone abutments and pier bases of coursed rock-faced bluestone with drafted margins. The larger half-piers, now usually submerged in the Melton Reservoir have sharp tapered cutwaters and curved coping at the tops. While designed to carry two rail tracks it has only ever been used as a single track line. Despite several alterations to its deck structure, it remains an outstanding example of a lighter structural design employing open metal trestle supports and metal truss girders. The direct Melbourne to Ballarat railway link of which the Melton viaduct was the major engineering work contributed significantly to the history and development of Victoria. This new link reflected Ballarat’s diversifying economy as well as the commercial and political influence of the metropolis. Construction of the bridge, and the associated large workers camp, were extensively photographed, documenting an important episode in local history. The railway enabled the development of new industries in the Melton area, notably the timber industry and a chaff industry of national importance, greatly facilitated the later transition of the Shire from a pastoral to a farming economy, and struck a major blow to Melton township’s era as a wayside town servicing Ballarat road (especially coach) traffic". Melton Railway Bridge being built across the Werribee Rivertransport -
Parks Victoria - Wilsons Promontory Lightstation
Muslin & Wick
This item, which dates to 1988, is contained in the original supply packet and survives in good condition. It was commonly used by lightkeepers for both wet and dry bulb thermometers, with the muslin going into the bottom of the dry bulb where it was held in place by the wick and ‘end of the wick was then placed in a jar of deep water to keep the bulb cool’. The difference in temperatures between the dry and wet bulb thermometers could then be worked out to establish the dew point in the air.They were common in lightstations, but this intact item remains in the original packaging and is a fine representative example of its kind. It was acquired from the Bureau of Meteorology. Recording and communicating weather readings was an important facet of lightstation work and a number of different but related items of meteorological equipment survive at the six lightstations managed by parks Victoria. The Cape Nelson collection includes a pair of Australian-made thermometers in their original box, both in Fahrenheit, with one recording the minimum, the other the maximum temperature and a barometer table with instructions for correcting readings. Cape Otway has a Beaufort Scale, a table of wind forces which lists 12 types on a scale of 1 to 12, and provides associated speed in knots and travel time per minute or hour. Gabo Island has an anemometer, wind speed indicator and a wind speed recorder.Muslin and wick for a wet bulb thermomenter in unopened white paper packaging with directions for use printed on the package on the front.On front of package,"MUSLIN AND WICK FOR WET BULB THERMOMETER......." -
Parks Victoria - Wilsons Promontory Lightstation
Anvil
As quoted from Wikipedia, ‘An anvil is a block with a hard surface on which another object is, struck. The block is as massive as it is practical, because the higher the inertia of the anvil, the more efficiently it causes the energy of the striking tool to be transferred to the work piece’. The lightstation’s anvil is a red-painted iron block with a conical beak or horn at one end that was used for hammering curved pieces of metal. It would have stood on a heavy free-standing pedestal, such as a large tree stump, to allow complete access to the item being hammered. Some anvils display the manufacturer’s name in the metal on the side, but this is not the case here, and its age, although unknown appears to be quite old, perhaps c.1900. It appears to have had a lot of use, and although no record of this survives, it is presumed that a forge operated on site for hammering, cutting, shaping and repairing tools such as bolts, nails, hooks, chain segments, pulley blocks, hinges, crow bars, picks, chisels, horseshoes and harness hardware. A hames hook (which forms part of the collar worn by a draught horse) survives at the lightstation as do many other heavy metal tools and pieces of equipment. The anvil is an example of the necessary resourcefulness and self sufficiency practiced by lightkeepers working and living in a remotely located workplace and home, and many of the iron items in the collection may have been repaired or even made on its working surface. As a lightstation manager Chris Richter used the anvil to manufacture pulley blocks for sash windows, repair brass door hinges & sharpen cold chisels, crowbars and picks and other lightkeepers have used this anvil for many fabricating jobs such as manufacturing ducting for the generator room ventilation system."The lightship only came in every three months with supplies and there would have been repairs to do between visits from a blacksmith - who would have had to travel on the ship. Also, the ship was only anchored in the bay long enough to unload supplies and collect and deliver lightkeeping staff – probably not enough time to get much smithy work done – especially if the weather packed it in and the ship had to depart. Lightkeepers in our time had to be self sufficient, resourceful and innovative and I imagine that would have been the case in the past." It has second level contributory significance.Red painted blacksmith's anvil. -
Melton City Libraries
Photograph, Wendy Barrie, Unknown
Eldest daughter of Edna and Bon Barrie, born on 03 November 1943 in Melbourne, Victoria, Memoirs of Wendy Barrie, recalling the early formative years of life in Melton: In 1949 I started school at Melton State School no 430 and was driven the 2½ miles to there by my parents at first. Later we walked home in the afternoons or were picked up by car as we made our way home along the Western Highway. In 1956 I went to Bacchus Marsh High School. There were 4 students in grade 6 and 3 of us went to the High School. The students from Melton, Melton South and Toolern Vale State Schools went by bus to Bacchus Marsh High School as far a fifth form. My parents drove me to the pick up point and during the five years of travel to High School. The bus travelled via Toolern Vale and later went through Exford and through Parwan. On the return journey in the afternoon the bus went in the reverse direction. The bridge at Exford was an old narrow wooden one, and the students had to get off the bus and walk across, with the driver crossing in the empty bus for safety reasons. There was a travelling allowance paid to parents and it was estimated from the distance the crow flies, a straight line. We lived a Ferris Lane, just where the Harness Racing entrance is now situated about 2 ½ miles by road to school too close to qualify for the subsidy. While at State School Melton we would walk home in a group with the Nixon and Gillespie children, along the main road over the bridge near the Shire Offices and down a hill. I was being dinked on Joyce Gillespie’s bike while holding onto the seat, toppled off the bike striking my chin and teeth on the bitumen and cracking my jaw. I was about 9 years old and stayed a couple of days in the Quamby Hospital in Bacchus Marsh, it seemed like and eternity at the time and quite traumatic being separated from my family. I can remember contemplating how I could get out of the window and run away but realised it was too far to walk home. Often we would cut across the Common on our way home from school picking up stray golf balls and collecting them from the creek when it dried out. We were warned about not accepting lifts from strangers passing along the Melbourne/ Ballarat Road. The only danger we faced was being swooped by the magpies particularly on the open ground on the Common. We were also fairly cautious when the Gypsies camped on the Common in the area just about opposite the small reservoir. “Mum” grandma Myers loved to have us call in on our way home, and usually would cut a slice of Jongebloed’s bread and spread it with home made butter. Sometimes we waited there until we were collected by car, usually driven by our mother. Margaret Nixon and Joyce Gillespie were a few grades ahead of me and Barbara Nixon was born just two months earlier than me. Our mothers were great friends for over 6o years, born in the same month three years apart. They lived within a few days of the same age as each other at the time their deaths. Dad and George Nixon attended Melton school at the same time. Sarah nee Hornbuckle Nixon and my grandfather Frederick Myers Snr were at school together at the same in the 1880s. The Nixon family lived in Keilor Road just past the Toolern Creek near the turnoff. Tom and Ann Collins lived on the southern side of the Western highway and Keilor road intersection. Jim and Ruby Gillespie’s house was further long Keilor road on the right. They backed onto the Myers who lived on the north side of Western Highway east of Myers Gully (Ryans Creek). The Bridge over the Toolern Creek as very narrow and as truck traffic increased there were accidents. One truck took out the side railing and plunged upside down into the bank and into the shallow water. Another fatal accident happened between a car and a truck right in front of the Myers house. Grandfather Fred had been a bike rider all his life, as far as the Riverina in his younger years, wryly made the comment about the drivers the speeding along the Ballarat Road were setting out to kill themselves. The road was busy particularly after the Races at Ballarat when the crowds were hurrying home to Melbourne. Train travel had changed very little from the time my mothers generation to mine. The timetable meant the usual rush to Melton South by bike in her case and if she was running late the train pulled up on the crossing. I was driven to the Station from home past Keith and Mary Gillespie’s house near the Ferris Road rail crossing to Bridge road to Melton South for the 7.32 train. While attending Sunshine High School in 1961 I would meet up with three other students, two of whom I knew from Bacchus Marsh High School days. We usually got into the same compartment on the train, it was a typical country train with a corridor along the side and compartments with a door, roof racks and sometimes heated metal containers for the feet in the winter. Some of the trains came through from Horsham and Ballarat, and the Overland from Adelaide passed through in the evening, we could hear it in the distance from the Ferris Lane home. The carriages had 1st and economy class compartments showing photographs of county scenes and holiday destinations. The engine was the large A class diesel. They are still running to Bacchus Marsh 50 years later, due to the need for the greatly increased number of commuters travelling to work in the city. Sometimes the carriages were pull by a Steam engine, these were a problem in the summer time because the sparks caused fires along the train lines and then quickly spread into the dry grass, crops and stubble. The Motor Train left Spencer Street at 4.23 pm and was the best train for me to catch. Ferris Road was a designated stop and train pulled up on the road crossing. It had steps at the door and rungs to hold while alighting to the ground. The ballast along the tracks was rough and uneven and awkward to land on. The train was painted blue and yellow with the letters VR pained on the front. This saved may parents the afternoon trip to collect me from the Station. On the walk home on the gravel road I would pass Uncle Tom and Aunty May’s house before reaching home. Melva Gillespie was studying at Sunshine Technical School and we sometimes both got off the train at the same time. On other occasions the Motor Train was replaced with a diesel engine with carriages, it was also required to stop and the driver had to be notified in advance. This meant getting into the guards van a Rockbank. It was more difficult alighting from the carriage as the gap was greater and more precarious to swing out and land on the ground. A few times in my last year of study at Melbourne Teachers College in Grattan Street Carlton. I managed to catch the 2.30 pm train to Serviceton, it was express to Melton and was very quick trip. The last train, was the 5.25 pm diesel to Ballarat and I usually caught this train to Melton South Station. On one occasion after being held up on the tram in Bourke street I had to make a mad dash to the platform chasing the train as it was just moving off and yelling to the guard, fortunately I was noticed and the train ground to halt. I scrambled into the end door and took most of the journey home to recover. After the last year at High School I continued to travel on the train, 2 years to Prahran Technical School changing at North Melbourne. There were a lot school children travelling to private schools and some at the primary level and mainly from Bacchus Marsh. Rockbank children also travelled by train from the beginning of their high school years, quite a few went to Sunshine High School. During my third year of teacher training I travelled to Flinders Street to RMIT for ceramics classes and Grattan St Teachers College located in the grounds of Melbourne University. There were many teachers being trained at the Secondary Teachers College due to the baby bulge creating a great shortage of teachers. Sunshine High School was very well represented amongst the different courses in Primary, Secondary and Art and Crafts. I attended Melbourne University lectures, studying a Fine Art subject. Bernard Smith was the most notable of the lecturers. he replaced Professor Joseph Bourke who had taken leave for the years. In 1962 he published the art book “Australian Painting”. The secondary art and craft student teachers from the College were in the majority, taking this subject and were well regarded due to their practical art and craft methods and their teaching round experience. In December 1964 I graduated as a Trained Secondary Teacher – Art and Crafts. The graduating ceremony was held at Wilson Hall. I received my appointment to work at Maryborough High School. Uncle Max and Aunty Rosemary Myers arranged my accommodation. Uncle Max was a teacher at the Maryborough Technical School fat the time. The appointment was suddenly changed when just before the school year was about to start when I received notification that I was now required to move to Warracknabeal High School. I was subject to a bond for the three years of training and three years of teaching and was under an obligation to comply with the directive of the Education Department. My father stood as guarantor when I was accepted as student at the Melbourne Teachers’ College, thus enabling me to receive my teacher training, and a 5 pounds a week allowance for expenses. After teaching for two years at Warracknabeal High School I was fortunate enough the gain a transfer to Sunshine West High School, returning to live at home in Melton and travelling by car to work with a fellow colleague, Jock Smith who lived at Station road Melton. I completed bond obligation and resigned at the end of the year. The employment regulations at that time did not allow the option of leave of absence for, indefinite overseas travel. I returned to Australia in October 1969. Visiting Arthur Hart the Principal of Sunshine High School he arranged with the Education Department for my re-employment at Sunshine High School until the end of the year. In 1970 I was transferred, and returned to Sunshine West High School where I worked for the next three years. In January 1968 I sailed on the “Oriana” to South Hampton with two teaching friends from Warracknabeal High School on a travelling and working holiday. Doreen Kiely, a former Bacchus Marsh High student and fellow train traveller from Bacchus Marsh, was already working in London, had arranged our accommodation at the London Travellers Club Hotel, Braham Gardens, Earls Court SW5. We based our stay at this address in London and travelled around Scotland, Ireland and England. In the summer we took a four month trip around the Continent and the Mediterranean. I registered with The Royal Borough Of Kingston Upon Thames as a Supply teacher, and worked at Chessington School form autumn to spring the following year and living with Mrs Rose Gillies at Kinross Avenue, Worcester Park, Surrey. In the spring of 1969 visiting Norway, Sweden and Finland joining an organised camping group to the Artic Circle, entered Russia at Leningrad (St Petersburg) Moscow, Minsk, to Poland and Czechoslovakia. In August returning to Worcester Park for the flight to Montreal to stay with cousin Lynette and husband Jurgen. A side trip was taken to Toronto, Niagara Falls and New York. The flight home from Montreal to Melbourne took 52 hours. A ½ day break in Vancouver before boarding the Qantas boeing 707 via San Francisco, Honolulu, Fiji, Sydney to Melbourne. Around the world in 21 months. Photographs of Wendy local identities -
Melton City Libraries
Book, 'Railway Guide Book Melbourne and Adelaide, 1891
Memories of Train Travel compiled by Wendy Barrie 4/09/2013 Train travel had changed very little from the time my mothers generation to mine. The timetable meant the usual rush to Melton South by bike in her case and if she was running late the train pulled up on the crossing. I was driven to the Station from home past Keith and Mary Gillespie’s house near the Ferris Road rail crossing to Bridge road to Melton South for the 7.32 train. While attending Sunshine High School in 1961 I would meet up with three other students, two of whom I knew from Bacchus Marsh High School days. We usually got into the same compartment on the train, it was a typical country train with a corridor along the side and compartments with a door, roof racks and sometimes heated metal containers for the feet in the winter. Some of the trains came through from Horsham and Ballarat, and the Overland from Adelaide passed through in the evening, we could hear it in the distance from the Ferris Lane home. The carriages had 1st and economy class compartments showing photographs of county scenes and holiday destinations. The engine was the large A class diesel. They are still running to Bacchus Marsh 50 years later, due to the need for the greatly increased number of commuters travelling to work in the city. Sometimes the carriages were pull by a Steam engine, these were a problem in the summer time because the sparks caused fires along the train lines and then quickly spread into the dry grass, crops and stubble. The Motor Train left Spencer Street at 4.23 pm and was the best train for me to catch. Ferris Road was a designated stop and train pulled up on the road crossing. It had steps at the door and rungs to hold while alighting to the ground. The ballast along the tracks was rough and uneven and awkward to land on. The train was painted blue and yellow with the letters VR pained on the front. This saved may parents the afternoon trip to collect me from the Station. On the walk home on the gravel road I would pass Uncle Tom and Aunty May’s house before reaching home. Melva Gillespie was studying at Sunshine Technical School and we sometimes both got off the train at the same time. On other occasions the Motor Train was replaced with a diesel engine with carriages, it was also required to stop and the driver had to be notified in advance. This meant getting into the guards van a Rockbank. It was more difficult alighting from the carriage as the gap was greater and more precarious to swing out and land on the ground. A few times in my last year of study at Melbourne Teachers College in Grattan Street Carlton. I managed to catch the 2.30 pm train to Serviceton, it was express to Melton and was very quick trip. The last train, was the 5.25 pm diesel to Ballarat and I usually caught this train to Melton South Station. On one occasion after being held up on the tram in Bourke street I had to make a mad dash to the platform chasing the train as it was just moving off and yelling to the guard, fortunately I was noticed and the train ground to halt. I scrambled into the end door and took most of the journey home to recover. After the last year at High School I continued to travel on the train, 2 years to Prahran Technical School changing at North Melbourne. There were a lot school children travelling to private schools and some at the primary level and mainly from Bacchus Marsh. Rockbank children also travelled by train from the beginning of their high school years, quite a few went to Sunshine High School. Book provided a timetable and information about the stations the train travels to from Melbourne to Adelaide. transport -
Melton City Libraries
Photograph, Mrs Knox and Beryl Gillespie at the First Hundred Years Celebration of Melton State School 430, 1970
Beryl Knox speaking about early life in Melton. Page 1 1949 – 64 years ago. We began our married life at Melton Sth. The house on the corner of the Exford Rd and Staughton St-- dusty gravel roads, box thorns and noxious weeds everywhere and a sprinkling of houses and vacant land. It was a friendly community consisting of old family names. McDonalds, Blacks, Dodemaide, Cahill, Coopers, Minns, Tinklers, Nesbitts, Cochranes, Wickhams, Exells. Mavis Butler. The home owned by Mr. Robinson and Miss Robinson had been shifted in two parts transported from Diggers Rest and it is still standing 2013. Bruce’s father purchased the house and two adjoining blocks, the Conways built on one and the Rawlinson family on the other block. Eileen still resides there, she was only a baby in a pram and the family had not long arrived from England. The railway line was close to the house and the contents would rattle when heavy steams trains went through, and on a clear frosty night the 1am paper train would echo roar through very loudly when labouring towards the Exford Bridge. Then the two carriage motor train was introduced, this was great for the workers and schoolies who travelled to Melbourne. The train pulled up at the crossing or riding to pick up or drop off. Melva Gillespie (nee Hirt) Bill Cahill delivered the milk by the billy and then in bottles. Len Kennedy (Paul Kennedy’s father, Norma Murrays son) delivered Jongebloeds bread, he always had a sweep going for the Melbourne Cup and raffles for the footy club. Mr. Woodgate owned an old bus and pick up point was the Post Office when there was a Saturday film on a Melton. There were no doctors or dentists in the district. If we need a Doctor we had to travel to Bacchus Marsh or discuss problems over the phone. In later years a Bacchus Marsh Doctor rented the Bluestone building in McKenzie St a couple of days a week. If we needed the Dentist we had to travel to West Footscray or Footscray. We did our banking at “State Savings” then the Miss Minns had the agency and then Bardsleys Store. We travelled to Bacchus Marsh to the National and Commercial banks. Station Rd to Western Highway, now (High Street) was a narrow stretch of bitumen and gravel farmland either side and a couple of farm houses and large gum trees on the properties. Page 2 North of the Railway line Mrs Bessie Jones, mother of Chas and Betty Jones managed the Post Office, next door to her Chas and Betty had the Shell Centre, and later moved the business to Melton. Hughie Nesbitt and mother owned the grocery and hardware store, and I bought my first set of saucepans there. On the opposite side of Station road Mr Coombe owned the fruit shop, and also provided soft drinks and lollies for children. The Chaff Mill was on the corner of Station Rd and Brooklyn Rd. Mr Lumsden was manager and later years Bernie Trethowan and Jack Butler were partners. It finally burnt down and is a Service Station now. Along Brooklyn Rd there were a few houses and Victoria Hall, not a very big hall, but catered for lots of functions, Balls, Fancy Dress, Bazaars, Square Dancing and meetings. The Bacchus Marsh Baptists held Sunday School in the hall. A group of shops were built south of the railway line Molly and Len Skinner managed the Post Office and handled a few essential groceries. Tom McDonald and Ron Lunsberg were the butchers. Mary and Syd Cooper lived next door to us and often in turn would run out of something when we had a baking spree we would borrow or exchange, sugar flour etc over the fence. Mavis and Jack Butler lived there before the Coopers. Bernie and Iris Trethowan lived two doors up. Neighbours were invited into their home to view the first black and white television in Melton Sth. Bill Exell was one of the first Melton Sth farmers to sell his land to developers, the land was idle for years before housing developed. I joined the Melton Valley Golf Club in 1960. The Gun Club as our Club House, an old tin shed consisting a water tank, trestle table and forms and dirt floor. It was a 9 hole course with sand scraps and landscape putting before greens. The Common or parkland was part of the Golf Course. It was open for every ones recreation. Roy Norton an old identity trained his trotters on the Common and wouldn’t clear the track for the golfers. The golfers had to avoid him to continue to play. We had to keep clear when the young youths came in their paddock cars and motorbikes. Over the years the Toolern Creek flooded its banks, water and debri covered the course on one year our first Club house was flooded out. It took several working bees to clean it up. We lived at Melton Sth for 15 years and moved to Melton on the farm “Croxton Park.” The Nixon family farm “Mowbray” adjoined the farm. Bruce worked the land cropping the farm when Mrs Nixon died. Page 3 (page 4 on the handwritten script) Bruce had the first offer to buy, in those days it wasn’t easy to get good bank loans. Part of the land is the Golf Course now and Mr O’Shea purchased the bulk. Moving to Melton was totally different – I became involved with Committees, Scouts, Guides, Mothers Clubs, CWA, Church Op shop (8 years). Melton Amateurs players produced and tutored by Mabel Rogers exerts from Pyjama Game, South Pacific, Carousel - later years a group of ladies did gentle water exercise at Essendon and Station Road swimming pool. I was 20 or so years in Probus. The local followed the football, there was always a Gymkhana on the long weekend in June. The tennis always created a lot of interest during the finals. It didn’t matter which team played the supporters were treated to a cup of tea and leftovers from their afternoon tea. In 1978 were the first residents to move into the Jennings Estate Kurunjang and lived there 31 years and retired 4 years ago into Unit. The amazing changes I have experienced. Merrimu supplied our water, after depending on tanks. The landscape changed completely when developers came in, no more dusty plains \ typed web Sept 2013 McFarlane, Mrs Knox and Beryl Gillespie at the First Hundred Years Celebration of Melton State School 430. The event was held at Mechanics Hall, Melton.local identities, local significant events, education -
Wodonga & District Historical Society Inc
Functional object - Bicycle Tool and Repair Kit, c1935
The first bicycles arrived in Australia in the 1860s. They gradually gained in popularity and by the 1890s they offered a cheap and relatively comfortable mode of transport. Far being just a means of leisure, long distance cycle travelling became a fact of life in rural areas for people such as sheep shearers and other agricultural labourers with migratory work. The bicycle and swag travelled much of Australia on dusty dirt tracks, long before the automobile was introduced. Today the bicycle continues to be an important item for general, cheap transport, sport and leisure. Tool kits such as those shown in the item, were and important piece of equipment for bicycle enthusiasts, particularly on a longer ride where assistance may not be close by if the rider experienced a punctured tyre. John Bull Rubber Co. Ltd. was a British tyre manufacturer based in Leicester. It was established in 1906 and was originally named Leicester Rubber Company. In 1915, a new factory was built in Evington Valley Road as indicated on the repair outfit tin in this kit. It was renamed John Bull Rubber in 1934 after its popular product of the same name. In 1958, the company was acquired by Dunlop Rubber. A leather bag containing tools and 2 tins containing rubber patches to repair bicycle tyres. The bag has 2 straps and metal buckles to attach it to the back of the bicycle seat.On tin 1: "The John Bull / Repair Outfit/ John Bull Rubber Co. Ltd./ Evington Valley Mills, Leicester" On tin 2: "ZENITH Repair Outfit / For Cycle and Rubber Repairs/ Self Vulcanizing" On tin 3: Around the DUNLOP logo "Six Self Lighting/ Patch Heat Units / For Cycle Tube/ Vulcaniser"bicycle history, bicycle repairs, john bull rubber, cycling leisure -
Pyrenees Shire Council
Painting, Late Morning Contrast by David Mellows, 2017
significant as a work of art by local Pyrenees artist, locally significant to the Central Highlands Region of Victoria as a representation of local landscape and/or culture oil painting of a bush track"Verso signed: DAVID MELLOWS (lower left) verso: LATE MORNING CONTRAST DAVID MELLOWS 3/17" -
Pyrenees Shire Council
painting, Ken Burke, Mt Cole by Ken Burke, 2001
significant as a work of art by local Pyrenees artist, locally significant to the Central Highlands Region of Victoria as a representation of local landscape and/or culture watercolour painting of a bush track with two trees (Jimmy Smith Track, Mt Buangor State Park)"signed: KEN BURKE (lower right) MT COLE (lower left)" -
Eltham District Historical Society Inc
Work on paper (item) - Newspaper, The Local Paper, Local Railway History by Lance Adams
Article on local railway history by Lance Adams pubished in "The Local Paper". This article headed:: "Who remembers the local footy 'specials"? discusses special train movements which would be organised to convey locals to neighbouring towns, for example to attend a football match. Article accompanied by three historical photos of locomotives and train tracks.newspaper, yea, alexandra, k154, w256, locomotive, trains, football -
Ballarat Tramway Museum
Administrative record - Report, State Electricity Commission of Victoria (SECV), "Legend - Track gauges", 1954/55
Record shows the condition of the rail head at many points throughout the Ballarat system. Gives the type of rail, its weight, gauge, location and date of measurement See item 9127 for a report on the Special Work. Some sections measured in May 1954, rest May 1955Demonstrates a detailed report into the condition and wear of the Ballarat Tramways trackwork in 1954/1955.Report - within a manila card folder with steel clips containing about 44 drawings on drawing paper of rail sections.Outside cover in ink "Legend Track Gauges"ballarat, secv, trackwork, rails, reports -
Victorian Railway History Library
Book, Fitch (Ronald John), Australian Railwaymen - From Cadet Engineer to Railways Commissioner, 2006
"Ron Fitch was born in 1910 into a railway family. He began his career as a 16-year-old engineering cadet and completed it, 46 years later, having worked at various times for two state railways and the Commonwealth, as Commissioner of South Australian Railways. In this book Fitch gives a vivid account not only of his career but of the camaraderie of the greater railway community, often experienced in the most trying of conditions. Fitch gives an account of laying track and the remarkable breed of men who do so, of advances in line-building techniques, of derailments and floods and washaways, of wrangles over attempts to implement standard gauge, of the politics of railways. In 2002 when 92 Fitch earned recognition from the Guinness Book of World Records when his thesis on South Australian railways made him the World's oldest recipient of a PhD."--Jacket.index, ill, maps, p.248.non-fiction"Ron Fitch was born in 1910 into a railway family. He began his career as a 16-year-old engineering cadet and completed it, 46 years later, having worked at various times for two state railways and the Commonwealth, as Commissioner of South Australian Railways. In this book Fitch gives a vivid account not only of his career but of the camaraderie of the greater railway community, often experienced in the most trying of conditions. Fitch gives an account of laying track and the remarkable breed of men who do so, of advances in line-building techniques, of derailments and floods and washaways, of wrangles over attempts to implement standard gauge, of the politics of railways. In 2002 when 92 Fitch earned recognition from the Guinness Book of World Records when his thesis on South Australian railways made him the World's oldest recipient of a PhD."--Jacket.fitch, r. j. (ronald john), 1910-, railroad engineers -- australia -- .biography -
Bendigo Historical Society Inc.
Photograph - BASIL MILLER COLLECTION: PHOTOGRAPHIC COPY OF LAYING TRAM TRACKS IN LONG GULLY
BHS CollectionBlack and white photo copy of laying tram tracks in Long Gully. Four work men and several children. Written on back in blue ink 'Bendigo - Track laying, Iron Bark Hill (?), towards Long Gully. Copied from ''The Bendigonian'', 15/7/02'. Stamped in top right corner, 'K.S. Kings Collection S-A.793. Written in black ink on back '3'' x 5'' Page 64 120%'.person, individual, basil miller -
Ballarat Tramway Museum
Photograph - Black & White Photograph/s, The Courier Ballarat, 26/11/1974 12:00:00 AM
Yields information about the construction of the access track across Wendouree Parade, the methods used and some of the people who undertook the work.Black and White copy photograph of a newspaper photograph taken by The Courier of the laying the BTPS depot access track across Wendouree Parade. Photo taken 25/11/1974? published 26/11/1974. Has Bob Prentice, Rolf Jinks, Peter Winspur and others in the photograph. Copy of newspaper clipping photo appeared in, not held by Museum at date of cataloguing. Collected by Alan Bradley from the Ballarat Courier early 1980's. See Excel file "Record of Ballarat Courier Photos BTM era" (Archive Documents) for source of details. See Reg Item 6834 for the newspaper cutting.On rear stamped "Copyright, The Ballarat Courier Proprietary Limited."tramways, trams, ballarat, access track, btps, track laying, depot junction