Bennie Simcox first came to the Monbulk area about 1860, following the first important gold discovery at the end of 1858. As the gold rush was short lived Simcox returned to Collingwood but later came back to Monbulk, built himself a hut to live in and become its first known permanent resident. The hut was burnt in the 1913 fires. Monbulk was thrown open to selection in 1894, and that's when the first farmers including Bennie Simcox went into Monbulk. It was a big, timbered country in those days. Once Ben had cleared some of his land he started to grow raspberries on it. He would be up before daylight ready to start picking. Ben also picked for a local family, the Camms to help make ends meet. When Ben Simcox was virtually at the retired stage, he wanted to develop his bit of the gully as a tourist attraction, As his nephew Fred Gay who owned the 10 acres below Ben wanted to farm, he was happy to swap his treed block with Ben. At a time when most settlers were clearing their properties, Ben Simcox, by contrast, cultivated the native plants and planted most of the large trees seen on the property today. And so Nathania Springs was developed as a tourist resort, and a mini-botanical garden. He diverted the natural water supply to form ornamental garden pools stocked with trout and tame native black fish. There were many visitors came to the Dandenongs, Some arriving in motor cars others in converted furniture vans lined with seats or charabancs with the long extended chassis and the open canvas roofs. Identities such as Billy Hughes, Madame Melba would often come to look through Nathania Springs. Bennie sold Nathania Springs to Councillor Ferdinand Thomas Le Juge, a boarding house proprietor and later the town baker in 1909 then in about 1921 Ben’s nephew Fred and his wife and family continued to open Nathania Springs to the public. It was not unusual in around 1924-25 for up to a thousand people a day to arrive at Nathania Springs to go through the gardens. At sixpence a time, that was a lot of money in those days. This photo is part of a collection of historic and social significance of the early settlement of Monbulk. Copies of photographs can be purchased from the Monbulk Historical Society.simcox, nathania springs, monbulk, 1860, berries

James Lerk Collection - Newsletter: Bendigo Central Bottle Club. March 7/8'' on front cover. (1981) Reference to Ben's Beverage Co, Bendigo (Glovers) - ginger beer; P Hayes - Wine and Spirit Merchant, Bridge Street.

Three black and white Photograph of US Air Force Aircraft. Top - 0-2 Super Skymaster dropping leaflets Middle - F100 Super Sabre Fighter Bombers Bottom - A 37 Counter Insurgency Aircraft on the ground at Ben Hoaphotograph, planes, united states. air force, ben hoa, f-100

Black and brown soft cover. Front cover has three small photos of war time activities with a background of a photo of six men walking away from the camera along a snow covered terrace. Author - BEN EVANS. 94 pages.Written on first page " Donated by Gillian Dearon". books-military-history, korea

This is a programme of the stage production of the Warrnambool Musical and Dramatic Society of "Rookery Nook" in 1955. This is one of the earliest productions associated with Joyce and Cyril Hayward who founded the Warrnambool Musical and Dramatic Society and who were the dominant theatrical couple in Warrnambool for thirty years. Today the Warrnambool Theatre Company is the successor of the Warrnambool Musical and Dramatic Society.This programme is retained as a memento of a 1950s Warrnambool theatre performance and of the early work of the Haywards who dominated the arts and theatre scene in Warrnambool in the second half of the 20th century. This programme has ten pages with a thickened card cover, sixteen advertisements and printed material, some in black and some in blue. The pages have been stapled but the staples have now been removed. Warrnambool Musical & Dramatic Society Proudly Presents "ROOKERY NOOK" by Ben Travers. TOWN HALL, WARRNAMBOOL 2nd, 3rd & 4th November 1955. Programme 1 /-cyril and joyce hayward, warrnambool

The Portlanders. G.M. Henriksen. 1st ed. No imprint. 60 p.; illus. Soft cover.1. Signed by the author on the title page. 2. "To Ben, with best wishes, from Glad Henriksen." on title page. 3. Corrections and additional information on reverse of cover.portland; g.m. henriksen; anecdotes; crawford;

1986: 7-9 November. New Banner, Ben Hall coach and vintage cars The 1986 festival was held from 7th to 9th November with the parade will be held at noon on Saturday, November 8th. The "float" consisted of Ben Hall's Cobb & Co. coach and several vintage motor vehicles. Society members were dressed in Victorian era for those riding in the coach and 1920s fashion for those in the motor vehicles. A further feature of the parade was the use of the Society banner which had been created that year. The Society's entry in the Eltham Community Festival parade included Ben Hall's Cobb and Co. coach and was awarded the major prize for the parade. This involved the presentation of a perpetual trophy which the Society held for one year. However, it was the last time the trophy was awarded and remains in the Society's collection. The trophy was replaced in 1987 with a Best Display award which again was won by the Society, and again in 1988. See EDHS_05453 award, eltham community festival, eltham festival, festival parade award, grand parade, shire of eltham historical society, 1986

The Beehive and Old Gold Exchange Hand written letter and one photocopy to Mr Ray Tonkin, Director, Historic Building Council. Photocopy of history assignment by Diane Hartley (98) Letter to Ben Prop of the Property trust. Letter to Ray Tonkin re suggested changes to the Beehive and Allans Walk, Letter to Ben Prop Property Trust informing of classification of the Beehive. Letter to Mr David Martin from Alan Powney re restoration. National Trust Data Form. Letter to Mr D.D. Martin from Ray Tonkin re application to the register of historical buildings.bendigo, buildings

Newspaper article 'Land of conservative greenies' by Ben Mitchell, 30 October 1993 on development in Blackburn. Includes quotes from Bill Gray (Nunawading Historical Society) and Kevin Rafferty (Noel Allen First National Real Estate) and brief history of Blackburn,Newspaper article 'Land of conservative greenies' by Ben Mitchell, 30 October 1993 on development in Blackburn. land use, blackburn, gray, bill, rafferty, kevin, stephens, amanda, blackburn lake sanctuary

Gordon Craig Ford 30-8-1918 - 16-6-1999 Landscape designer Loved and respected Husband of Gwen, father Of Angela, Emma, Ben, Cassie, Dailan, Caitlin. A good life lived welleltham cemetery, gravestones, memorials, gordon craig ford, gwen ford

Black and White PhotographsCatalogue card reads, 'Freedom of the City. Taken when Ben Hubbard was mayor.' On Reverse of the enlarge cropped photo: "Lt. Col. E.R. Baldwin thanking Ringwood for the "Freedom".

The Hype 'zine (magazine" accompanied a projection project of the same title, projected onto the Ballarat Town Hall, Sturt Street, every night between 1 and 11 October 2015. Student names: Callum Bennier, Renee Bevan, Maddie Durie, Ben Hall, Callum Jenkins, Shannon Johnstone, Mel Negri, Brad O'Loughlin, Jess Powell, Jake Richardson, Chenae Smith, James Stuart, Elaine Tso, Laura Wright. Acknowledgments on final page. Lecturers and supporters: Alistair Heighway, Ben Mangan, Chrissie Smith, Debbie Hill, Travis Price, Jennifer Jones-O'Neil, Jill Orr, Jimmy Pasakos, John McDonald, Justin Weyers, Luke Keys, Paul Mah, Peter Gaulke, Peter Pilven, Phillip Berry, Roberta Crisci-Richardson. "A further thank you to the guidance and contribution to our final year: Ben Mangan, Peter Gaulke, Phillip Berry." Sponsors listed on final page and inside back cover.Promotional catalogue created by Federation University, Bachelor of Visual Arts (Graphic Design / Multimedia) third year, graduating students, 2015. 36pp full colour text pages and 4pp saddle-stitched cover, Uncoated stock. Cover of this version includes three unprinted circular stickers, and two printed stickers (one silver featuring word "wow?" and a fluorescent orange saying "real fake").university of ballarat, federation university, graphic design, multimedia, bachelor, degree, camp street campus, arts academy, callum bennier, renee bevan, maddie durie, ben hall, callum jenkins, shannon johnstone, mel negri, brad o'loughlin, jess powell, jake richardson, chenae smith, james stuart, elaine tso, laura wright., alistair heighway, ben mangan, chrissie smith, debbie hill, travis price, jennifer jones-o'neil, jill orr, jimmy pasakos, john mcdonald, justin weyers, luke keys, paul mah, peter gaulke, peter pilven, phillip berry, roberta crisci-richardson.

This object relates to Charles Ben French. He was born on 17 November 1904 in Melbourne, Victoria. Charles French served in the NZ Merchant Navy as a Merch. Navy Non-Commissioned Baker (BAKER). He was not taken as a prisoner of war.Discharged from T3MV TOFUA 23/5/1966 Discharged from MV KURUTAI 20/6/1966literature, ballarat rsl, ballarat

This object relates to Charles Ben French. He was born on 17 November 1904 in Melbourne, Victoria. Charles French served in the NZ Merchant Navy as a Merch. Navy Non-Commissioned Baker (BAKER). He was not taken as a prisoner of war.The Federated Cooks' and Stewards' Union of NZliterature, ballarat rsl, ballarat

This object relates to Charles Ben French. He was born on 17 November 1904 in Melbourne, Victoria. Charles French served in the NZ Merchant Navy as a Merch. Navy Non-Commissioned Baker (BAKER). He was not taken as a prisoner of war.second world war (ww2), 1939 - 1945, literature, ballarat rsl, ballarat

This object relates to Charles Ben French. He was born on 17 November 1904 in Melbourne, Victoria. Charles French served in the NZ Merchant Navy as a Merch. Navy Non-Commissioned Baker (BAKER). He was not taken as a prisoner of war.Gold engraving - City of Kew, Victoria Insignia, Presented by The Mayor, Councillors and Citizens of the City of Kew to C B French on enlistment for Active Service Abroad 1941second world war (ww2), 1939 - 1945, personal items, ballarat rsl, ballarat

Coloured photograph of the 1987 Modified Football Team. Photo taken indoors and colours are not good. The boys are weraing dark jumpers with white cuffs and neck bands and dark blue shorts. The boy in the middle of the front row is holding a football. The names of the boys are:- Back Row (L - R) Aaron Bentley, David Styles, Nigel Wells, Matthew Atkins, Scott Ellerton, Ben Smith. Middle Row (L - R) Richard Chan, Matthew Talbot, David Saunders, Darren Hinck, Ben Rodda. Front Row (L - R) Paul Bennett, Kane Holahan, John Rainbow, Shaun Metcalf, Adam Ellerton.education, primary, golden square laurel st p.s., golden square laurel street p.s. collection - photograph modified football team 1987, aaron bentley, david styles, nigel wells, matthew atkins, scott ellerton, ben smith, richard chan, matthew talbot, david saunders, darren hinck, ben rodda, paul bennett, kane holahan, john rainbow, shaun metcalf, adam ellerton

Coloured photograph of the 1987 District Swimming Team. The children are dressed in swimsuits of various colours. Their names are:- Back Row (L - R) Nick McCauley, Jamie Bennett, Dehne Johnson, Michael Green, Oliver White, Ben McCauley, tim Wilkie, Daniel Holahan, Tim Croft, Scott Ellerton, Rodney Webster. Middle Row (L - R) Clare Baxter, Tonya McNamara, Melissa Goodwin, Tracey Saunders, Kylie Begg, Sonya Webster, Carryn Wallis, Laura Metcalf. Front Row (L - R) David Styles, Angie Phelan, Loren Matthews, Johanna White, Ben Rodda.education, primary, golden square laurel st p.s., golden square laurel street p.s. collection - photograph district swimming team 1987, nick mccauley, jamie bennett, dehne johnson, michael green, oliver white, ben mccauley, tim wilkie, daniel holahan, tim croft, scott ellerton, rodney webster, clare baxter, tonya mcnamara, melissa goodwin, tracey saunders, kylie begg, sonya webster, carryn wallis, laura metcalf, david styles, angie phelan, loren matthews, johanna white, ben rodda

McColl Rankin & Stanistreet, South Frederick the Great Co NL. a/ Plan of Residence Areas on No. 10287, by J O Charlton, Parish of Yarraberb. Includes land for school, owners names of blocks, crown land. Signed: Garnet G Birch. Dated 27/4/1935, licensed surveyor. b/ Letter from Department of Mines to McColl Rankin & Stanistreet in reference to letter regarding lease No. 10287. On back of letter are notes relating to blocks of land on lease No.10287. c/ Plan Of Area For On Lease No. 10287 Ben. By John O Charlton. Mining District of Bendigo, Parish of Yarraberb, Lease No. 10287 Ben. By John O Charlton. Mining District of Bendigo. Date 21/6/1934. Signed Garnet G Birch. Blocks include name of purchaser. d/ Plan Of Area For On Lease No. 10287 Ben. By John O Charlton. Mining District of Bendigo, Parish of Yarraberb, County of Bendigo. Dated 21/6/1934. e/ envelope inscribed South Fredrick the Great. 51.organization, business, gold mine, plan of area for on lease no. 10287 ben. by john o charlton. mining district of bendigo, parish of yarraberb, county of bendigo j o charlton garnet g birch department of mines lease no. 10287 ben. by john o charlton mining district of bendigo 1934

A black and white photograph of Pilots of the 1st Platoon 'The Playboys' 334th Armed Helicopter Coy wearing their black Vietnamese flying suits, led by their C.O. Capt Ken Rubinalk, walk sown the revetments of their Hueycobras helicopters at Ben Hoa, after completing a day of flying missions.photograph, ben hoa, helicopter, the playboys, gibbons collection catalogue, 1st platoon, flying suits, capt. ken rubinalk

A black and white photograph of a small Vietnamese boy, seriously burnt by napalm, clutches his only possession, a clear glass soft drink bottle that was used to feed him. The boy was in the Australian Surgical Team hospital, in a small hamlet outside Ben Hoa, South Vietnam.photograph, ben hoa hospital, australian surgical team hospital, napalm, gibbons collection catalogue, vietnamese children

Viola Annie McVicars (1911–1990) was born in Korumburra on 29 April 1911. At the age of 21, she married William John Ayling (1909–1995). After their marriage in 1932, they moved to Kew, initially to 81 Tennyson Street, and later to 180 Pakington Street. A professional tailoress, Viola Ayling was also a talented amateur potter, creating her ceramics at her home in Pakington Street, where she had an internal studio and a handmade, wood-fired brick kiln in her backyard. Following her death in 1990, her studio pottery passed to her daughter, and following the daughter’s death, to her granddaughter. This piece of glazed earthenware is part of a collection of 15 functional and decorative ceramic items donated by Viola’s granddaughter to the collection in 2024.A handmade ceramic container, expertly potted and glazed in a style that is representative of Australian ceramic design of the period.Wheel-thrown ceramic container, the interior and exterior fully glazed. Three glazes have ben used to decorate the object. The exterior had an initial glaze in chocolate brown with a second glaze of orange. The interior and the base are glazed in a pale cream colour. The artist's signature is on the base. Signature to base: "V. Ayling"ceramics, containers, pakington street -- kew (vic.), viola annie mcvicars, viola annie ayling

Sports Clubs in Kew in the final decades of the 19th century and in the early 20th century were often umbrella organisations with facilities for a number of sports. Typically in Kew, this included teams in lawn bowls, tennis and croquet. The Kew Bowling Club was formed in 1880 while the privately owned Auburn Heights Recreation Club was opened in 1904. By 1998, the two Clubs decided to amalgamate at the Auburn Heights site in Barkers Road, forming the Kew Heights Sports Club. The combined club was itself taken over by the Melbourne Cricket Club in 2012 becoming MCC Kew Sports Club. In 2017 MCC Kew closed and its landholding was subsequently sold to Carey Baptist Grammar School. Both the Kew and Auburn Heights Clubs assembled important collections. These historically significant and large collections were donated to the Society in 2020. The collections include manuscripts, pictures, trophies, plans, honour boards etc. The combined collections of the four sporting clubs making up the collection number hundreds of items that are historically significant locally. They are also significant to the sporting history of the greater Melbourne area and to the sports of lawn bowls and tennis in Australia in the 19th and 20th centuries. The collection illuminates two of the Victorian historic themes - 'Building community life' through forming community organisations and 'Shaping cultural and creative life' by participating in sport and recreation.Metal trophy on stand awarded to the Section 7 Eastern Region Tennis Runners-Up in 2011. The upper part of the small trophy includes a circular enamel disc featuring tennis racquets surrounded by a sunburst. The disc is held within a vertical laurel wreath. The lower section of the trophy is a plastic and metal cube standing on a flat plinth. Information about the award is attached to the cube in front and rear plaques.Front Plaque: EASTERN REGION TENNIS / RUNNERS-UP Rear Plaque: SECTION 7 2011 / JAMES DALBOSCO, DARCY O'SHANASSY, LOUGHLIN O'KANE, DOMINIC WEBER, BEN SCALAkew heights sports club - 397 barkers road - kew (vic), kew heights tennis club - competition trophies

WARRNAMBOOL PUBLIC LIBRARY The Warrnambool Mechanics’ Institute (WMI) was formed by a voluntary community group in 1863, within six years of Warrnambool’s beginnings, and it's Reading Room opened in 1854. The WMI operated until 1963, at which time it was one of the oldest Mechanics’ Institutes in Victoria. Mechanics’ Institutes offered important services to the public including libraries, reading rooms and places to display and store collections of all sorts such as curiosities and local historical relics. In 1886 a Museum and Fine Arts Gallery were added to the WMI and by the beginning of the 20th century, there was also a billiards room and a School of Art. By this time all Mechanics’ Institutes in country Victoria had museums attached. Over the years the Warrnambool Mechanics’ Institute Library was also known as the Warrnambool Public Library the Warrnambool Library and the Free Library. Early funding from the government was for the “Free Library”. The inscription in a book “Science of Man” was for the “Warrnambool Public Library”, donated by Joseph Archibald in 1899. Another inscription in the book “Catalogue of Plants Under Cultivation in the Melbourne Botanic Gardens 1 & 2, 1883” was presented to the “Warrnambool Library” and signed by the author W.R. Guilfoyle. In 1903 the Warrnambool Public Library decided to add a Juvenile Department to library and stock it with hundreds of books suitable for youth. In 1905 the Public Library committee decided to update the collection of books and added 100 new novels plus arrangements for the latest novels to be included as soon as they were available in Victoria. In July 1911 the Warrnambool Council took over the management of the Public Library, Art Gallery, Museum and Mechanics’ Institute and planned to double the size of the then-current building. In 1953, when Mr R. Pattison was Public Librarian, the Warrnambool Public Library’s senior section 10,000 of the 13,000 books were fiction. The children’s section offered an additional 3,400 books. The library had the equivalent of one book per head of population and served around 33 per cent of the reading population. The collection of books was made up of around 60 per cent reference and 40 per cent fiction. The library was lending 400 books per day. In 1963 the Warrnambool City Council allocated the site of the Mechanics’ Institute building, which included the Public Library, Museum and Art Gallery, for the new Municipal Offices and the Collections were dispersed until 1971. The Warrnambool Library took over the Mechanics’ Institute Library’s holdings on behalf of the Warrnambool City Council. Since the closure of the Warrnambool Mechanics’ Institute, the exact location and composition of the original WMI books and items have become unclear. Other materials have been added to the collection, including items from Terang MI, Warrnambool Court House and Customs House. Many of the books have been identified as the Pattison Collection, named after the Librarian who catalogued and numbered the books during his time as Warrnambool Public Librarian in the time before the Mechanics’ Institute closed. It seems that when Warrnambool became part of the Corangamite Regional Library some of the books and materials went to its head office in Colac and then back to Warrnambool where they were stored at the Art Gallery for quite some time. Some then went to the Warrnambool Historical Society, some stayed at the Art Gallery and some were moved to Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village. The various stamps and labels on the books held at Flagstaff Hill show the variety of the collection’s distribution and origin. The books in the collection at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village date from the 1850’s to the late 1950s and include rare and valuable volumes. Many of the books are part of the “Pattison Collection” after the Warrnambool’s Public Librarian, Mr R. Pattison. Wilderness to Wealth Author: J E Murphy & E W Easton Publisher: WR Smith & Paterson Pty Ltd Date: 1950 Further Information: Bening a History of the Shires of Nanango, Kingaroy, Wondai, Murgon, Kilkivan, and the Upper Yarraman Portion of the Rosalie Shire 1850-1950The label on spine cover has typed text R.A.919.43 MUR Inside of the front loose endpaper has a sticker from Warrnambool Public Library flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, book, warrnambool library, warrnambool mechanics’ institute, mechanics’ institute library, victorian library board, warrnambool books and records, warrnambool children’s library, warrnambool public library, wilderness to wealth, j e murphy, e w easton