Lister fire pump on wooden carry cradle With suction hoseListerforests commission victoria (fcv), fire pump, bushfire

Alcon fire pump with Briggs and Stratton motor on metal carry cradleforests commission victoria (fcv), fire pump, bushfire

Lamp fitted to Coventry Climax pump trialerforests commission victoria (fcv), fire pump, bushfire

Foam injection slip on unit mounted on a sloping frame for training and demonstration purposes This technology was developed at Altona in the 1990sforests commission victoria (fcv), fire pump, bushfire

Incendiaries used for planned burning operations All kind of pyrotechnics have been developed over the years from “strike anywhere” wax vestas, safety fusees, large DAIDs, burning tyres dragged behind vehicles, humble drip torches, incendiary shotguns and mortars, flame throwers of various designs, blow torches, jellied petrol blivets wired up to electrical circuits Display table that includes various type of incendiaries including windproof matches, Fusse matches, self propelled incendiary flares, incendiary capsules, vials and balls, Delayed Action Incendiary Devices (DAIDS), Gun Operated Flares (GOF)forests commission victoria (fcv), bushfire, planned burning

Used at fire basecampsKerosene pressure lanternsTilley 020forests commission victoria (fcv), bushfire, camping equipment

The origins of the humble handheld driptorch have been lost in time. They are widely used for ignition in controlled burning operations in forest and grasslands. The “Pacific Forester“ with its short central wand and somewhat leaky ball-valve was made by the American Wajax company in the 1940s. The Pacific Forester is slightly different in design from the more robust and common “Panama” driptorch first manufactured in 1933 and used extensively by Queensland cane farmers. The Panama is closely related to the current “Firebug” used in Victoria which is manufactured by Rodney Industries in Brisbane and has an offset wand design which gives it good balance. The fuel is a mixture of petrol and diesel and every FCV District had their own closely-guarded secret formula ... 2:1, 3:1, 1:1, 4:1 or 3:2 ratio. There was also the choice of 91, 95 or 98 octane petrol mixed with summer or winter diesel. Occasionally some of the old Avgas or Jet-A1 lying around the depot was added with a splash of engine oil to make the mixture stick to the fuel to be ignited. The fuel mixed also varied between autumn or spring, heathland, mixed forest, or high-intensity slash burnsKerosene drip torch Long straight wand with control valveBell Backburnerforests commission victoria (fcv), planned burning, bushfire

Used to measure the rate of rise of helium balloons The telescope is mounted on two movable axes. One axis (vertical) rotates to change elevation, the other (horizontal) azimuth. There are vernier scales and in some cases micrometres that give precise readouts of the relative position of the telescope to each axis. The instrument is set up so that it is level and it is pointed towards true north with both scales reading 0 degrees exactly. A balloon is released in front of the theodolite. It is sighted at timed intervals (usually one minute apart) and the position of the theodolite's telescope (azimuth and elevation) is recorded. It can chart the direction and velocity of winds at various altitudes The rate of ascent of a balloon is mostly dependant on the balloon's drag and its "free lift" (the vertical pull of the balloon). There is some degree of control over these these factors, and as a result, it possible to know approximately how high our balloon will be at any given time after its release. Given a known height and an angular direction (read off the theodolite) to the balloon, a fix is made of the horizontal movement component of the balloon's travel as it moves through different altitudes. The horizontal movement is due to the winds blowing the balloon around at the altitudes that the balloon is traveling throughTheodolite used to measure the rate of rising helium balloons The rate of rise is used in atmospheric calculations such as upper winds and determining inversion layersforests commission victoria (fcv), bushfire, weather

The Forests Commission took safety very seriously, long before it became standard practice in the bush. The Chairman of the Commission, Alan Threader, personally chaired the safety committee. Sandy Dobbin was appointed as the first "safety officer" in the early 1970s. There were many innovations including safety boots and safety hardhats.Various hardhats. Later version had reflective safety tapeforests commission victoria (fcv), protective clothing, bushfire

The Forests Commission took safety very seriously, long before it became standard practice in the bush. The Chairman of the Commission, Alan Threader, personally chaired the safety committee. Sandy Dobbin was appointed as the first "safety officer" in the early 1970s. There were many innovations including safety boots and safety hardhats.Various types of safety smoke gogglesforests commission victoria (fcv), protective clothing, bushfire

Used on bulldozers at night Removable to prevent damage or transfer to another machineBulldozer lighting kitforests commission victoria (fcv), safety equipment, bushfire

The Forests Commission took safety very seriously, long before it became standard practice in the bush. The Chairman of the Commission, Alan Threader, personally chaired the safety committee. Sandy Dobbin was appointed as the first "safety officer" in the early 1970s. There were many innovations including safety boots and safety hardhats.Hardhats designed for use by bulldozer operators. Has inbuilt small battery operated fan to push a screen of air in front of drivers face to keep dust away. Made redundant with the advent of closed, air-conditioned cabins. Made in UK c 1981RACAL Benalla T120forests commission victoria (fcv), protective clothing, bushfire

Used at fire basecampsKerosene pressure lanternTilleyforests commission victoria (fcv), bushfire, camping equipment

Used at fire basecampsKerosene lanternBeechworthforests commission victoria (fcv), bushfire, camping equipment

Used at fire basecampsKerosene lanternBeechworthforests commission victoria (fcv), bushfire, camping equipment

used at fire campsMetal food safe Common before refrigeration was available in the bushBruthen 100forests commission victoria (fcv), bushfire, camping equipment

Used at fire base camps between shiftsWooden Cricket Batforests commission victoria (fcv), bushfire, camping equipment

Hose nozzle size can affect the stream of water. A smaller hole puts out a longer stream but with less volume. A longer water stream is useful when trying to extinguish fire or sparks high in the tree tops. They were often used with high pressure pumps like the Pacific Marine.Aluminum fire hose nozzle(s) with Y joint and interchangeable brass attachments For 1.5 inch hose with screw attachments rather than modern twist-camm locks. The main nozzle is aluminum alloy and the interchangeable nozzles are made of brass.bushfire, fire pump, forests commission victoria (fcv)

Y valves were used to split water supplies so it could be directed to a number of locations on a fire. In this case four outlets with two controlling valves. Canvas 1.5 inch hose was normally attached Screw connections rather than twist-camm locksY ValveYarrawonga Forests Commissionbushfire, fire pump, forests commission victoria (fcv)

Signs were erected around the forest to restrict the use of firearms.Shooting Prohibited sign - canvasbushfire, forest signs, forests commission victoria (fcv)

Method of carrying rolled up canvas fire hose. Canvas hose needs to be washed, dried, rolled and stored properly after it has been used otherwise it will rot. Unrolled hose is notorious for becoming tangled. Canvas fire hose and roll carrier. The wire handle separates in the middle to release the hose rollbushfire, forests commission victoria (fcv), fire pump

Chainsaw fuel and oil carry containersforests commission victoria (fcv), bushfire, hand tools

The FCV used green flashing lights rather than redPortable 12 volt flashing light for use on fire tankersforests commission victoria (fcv), bushfire, safety equipment

Used to protect ankles from sticks in thick scrub as well as from snake bitesCanvas protective gaiters with leather straps (ex-army)forests commission victoria (fcv), protective clothing, bushfire

used at fire basecampsWood fire "copper" to heat water at basecampsforests commission victoria (fcv), bushfire, camping equipment

Firefighting often requires walking through the rough bush with handtools to construct control likens. This carry pack was designed in-house to enable the safe transport of a small chainsaw See FIRE EQUIPMENT NOTE - 35 [ https://drive.google.com/file/d/1CKtcH-3rUlrtbE9dkNP27PYT2-raVVhF/view ] A fibreglass-moulded backpack to enable chainsaw operators to safely carry saws in rough or steep terrain. Weighing just 3 kg the backpack is fitted with a padded shoulder harness, waist strap and includes two 1lt Sig Bottles for storage of a small quantity of fuel and oil. A separate storage compartment is also provided for accessories such as spare chain, sharpener and tool kit. Stihl 034 and 038 size chainsaws will fit into the backpack quite comfortably.Fibreglass carry pack for small chainsawCFLforests commission victoria (fcv), bushfire, hand tools

The Furphy Water Cart, made in Shepparton is an iconic part of Australian manufacturing history. Troops gathered around these sturdy carts during WW1 to have a drink of water, to swap stories, and embellish them a bit along the way. This led eventually to the term 'furphy' entering the Australian vernacular, meaning a rumour, gossip or fake news. Many people have probably heard ... “GOOD, BETTER, BEST - NEVER LET IT REST - TILL YOUR GOOD IS BETTER - AND YOUR BETTER, BEST." But the random squiggles across the centre of a Furphy water tank are not Arabic writing as many believe but Pitman Shorthand that translates as … “WATER IS THE GIFT OF GOD, BUT BEER AND WHISKY ARE CONCOCTIONS OF THE DEVIL, COME AND HAVE A DRINK OF WATER”. Several versions evolved over the decades and this 1942 cart also has an illustration of a stork holding a baby with more squiggles underneath, also in shorthand, which is a quote often first attributed to the WW1 Prime Minister Billy Hughes ... "PRODUCE AND POPULATE OR PERISH”. The Forests Commission owned lots of Furphy water tanks and Rocky Marsden managed to rescue and restore two of them which are at the North Altona workshops.Two Furphy water tanks forests commission victoria (fcv), fire pump, bushfire

Looking southwards Temporary bridge on RHS 2 July 1962 The bridge was destroyed by bushfires 15-16 January 1962Record of various Shire of Eltham infrastructure works undertaken during the period of 1952-1962 involving bridge and road reconstruction projects, sometimes with Eltham Shire Council Project Reference numbers quoted. It was during this period that a number of significant improvements were made to roads and new bridges constructed within the shire that remain in place as of present day (2022). In many situations, the photos provide a tangible visible record of infrastructure that existed throughout the early days of the Shire. The album was put together by or under the direction of the Shire Engineer, J.A. McDonald.1962-07-02, bridge construction, christmas hills, clintons road, infrastructure, shire of eltham, victorian bushfires - 1962, bush fires

Burned bridge Temporary bridge on RHS 2 July 1962 The bridge was destroyed by bushfires 15-16 January 1962Record of various Shire of Eltham infrastructure works undertaken during the period of 1952-1962 involving bridge and road reconstruction projects, sometimes with Eltham Shire Council Project Reference numbers quoted. It was during this period that a number of significant improvements were made to roads and new bridges constructed within the shire that remain in place as of present day (2022). In many situations, the photos provide a tangible visible record of infrastructure that existed throughout the early days of the Shire. The album was put together by or under the direction of the Shire Engineer, J.A. McDonald.1962-07-02, bridge construction, christmas hills, clintons road, infrastructure, shire of eltham, victorian bushfires - 1962, bush fires