Used to cancel or punch paper tickets when purchased. Placed lear shaped hole in the ticket. Based on the stamped number, used from South Melbourne Depot. This type of punch was phased out by the 1990s when conductors were removed from trams.Demonstrates an item used by the MMTB to cancel tickets. Would have been issued to a conductor at South Melbourne Depot.Brass cast, machined, ticket punch, spring loaded, consists of two main parts with a pin & spring from coiled wire and fitted with formed wire retaining hole fitted to one of the arms. Item stamped "A259"stamped "A259" on one armtramways, ticket punch, tickets, fares, conductors, south melbourne depot

sand hummocks looking across Cunninghame Arm waterway to jetties and buildings along Esplanade Lakes Entrance c1950 Also three photographs taken from similar location looking over waterway c1950Black and white photograph taken from the sand hummocks looking across Cunninghame Arm waterway to jetties and buildings along Esplanade Lakes Entrance c1950 . Also three photographs taken from similar location looking over waterway waterways, vegetation, houses, township

emmys Point showing the Entrance, groynes at the entrance to North Arm and around Bullock Island and portion of New Works area. Two small boats moored in main channel Lakes Entrance Victoria Black and white postcard taken from Jemmys Point showing the Entrance, groynes at the entrance to North Arm and around Bullock Island and portion of New Works area. Two small boats moored in main channel Lakes Entrance Victoria P10722The Entrance Lakes Entrance Victoria waterways, gippsland lakes, gippsland ports

Changing of the Guard at the Tokyo Imperiial Palace 1947photo, 1947, army

6 NC Brake Van (4 ton capacity) Service History Purchased by the Puffing Billy Preservation Society (Body & underframe only): NC 6 Brake Van (4 ton capacity) - Awaiting restoration *NC 6.VA - 17/12/1919 NWS Built new - /11/1928 - Modified AC Malco BO 5/10/1934 NWS Into Workshops - 9/10/1934 NWS Out of Workshops (5 days) 17/ 3/1955 - Scrapped Historic - Victorian Railways - narrow gauge rolling stock - NC Class Full Guard's Van 6 NCTimber Guards Van wrought iron framepuffing billy, nc van, narrow gauge, victorian railways, 6nc, guards van, narrow gauge rolling stock

Tortoiseshell Finger Guard used like a thimblehandcrafts, equipment, needlework

‘A’ Squadron 8/13 Victorian Mounted Rifles conducted a parade at Buna Barracks, Albury on Sunday 1 May 1988 to mark the 103rd Anniversary of the formation of the Victorian Mounted Rifles and the 40th Anniversary of the linking of the 8th (Indi), 13th (Gippsland) and 20th (Victorian Mounted Rifles) Light Horse Regiments to form the 8th/13th Victorian Mounted Rifles. Colonel G K Howard, Director of the Royal Australian Armoured Corps was the Reviewing Officer. The Pipes and Drums of the 5th/6th Battalion Royal Victorian Regiment provided the music for the occasion. Following the parade Colonel Howard officially opened the Regimental Museum.Photograph of Colonel G.K.Howard inspecting No.2 Guard

Used to protect shins while playing sport and manufactured by Holden and FrostManufactured by Holden and Frost to protect shins during sportPadded leather shin guard with leather strapsleather, shin guard

This model clinometer used in both WW1 and WW2 for checking artilllery and mortar barrel anglesPrecision instrument widely used by Alliied forces in two warsMetal with some parts painted black. Device comprises a segment of a circle with an adjustable radial arm with bubble level on a slide attached"Clinometer Field Mark VI No. A.221" Noblet and Forrest 1941" "Direction of Target" with arrow. "Use this Base for 0° - 45°" "45° - 90° Target" with arrow Circle segment graduated with 0 - 44 degrees on side, 45 - 89 degrees other side. Arm graduated 0 - 60 minutes both sides clinometer, artillery instruments

.1) The Soldier would be WW1 given the Chevrons on his arm. .2) The Soldier appears to be more like WW2.Black and white photographs of two Soldiers in Formal pose. 1. Soldier George Wilson in uniform sitting in a formal pose. Portrait shape. He is wearing 3 chevrons for overseas service on his right arm. 2. Soldier Bob Wilson in uniform in formal pose in chest and head shot and portrait shape and signed on bottom right corner, 1. On the back written,”Uncle George Wilson, Nana Spencers Brother”. 2.On front right corner signed "Sincerely Yours, Bob". On back written "Nana Spencer's brother, Bob Wilson". ww1, photographs, bob wilson, george wilson

22 NBHC - Passenger Carriage - Excursion Car - specially modified for Wheelchair access allowing it to carry for wheelchairs and Guard's Van Puffing Billy Service History or Notes Between 1979 and 1988 the Puffing Billy railway built six more NBHs, numbered 18-23. These had steel frames, padded seats, and a wide "window sill". At first glance they look the same as the previous NBHs. There are other minor construction differences due to the use of steel framing. 22NBH entered traffic in 1998. Currently these six steel framed NBHs (numbers 18-23) are being modified to provide double doors and space for wheel chairs at one end. The photo on the right shows the exterior of one such NBH. These have a seating capacity of 24 passengers. Oct 2009 - Rebuild continues. Aug 2016 - 22NBC Wheel flats removed Sept 2016 - 22NBC Wheel flats removedHistoric - Puffing Billy Railway Narrow Gauge - Passenger Rolling Stock: Excursion Car 22 NBH which has been converted by the addition of a Guard's Van compartment and modified for Wheelchairs access by Puffing Billy Railway and re classed & numbered 22NBHC22 NBHC - Passenger Carriage - Excursion Car - specially modified for Wheelchair access allowing it to carry wheelchairs and to have a Guard's Van compartment. made of wrought iron and timber22NBHCpuffing billy, pbr, rolling stock , 22 nbhc

Used for the grooming of horse hair C1900we believe these were sold by Holden and Frost C1900Two pivoted steel arms with wooden hand grips with steel cutting combClark on one arm, patent on other arm. Impressed on each wooden handle 628 Oxford Streetequine, clippers

‘A’ Squadron 8/13 Victorian Mounted Rifles conducted a parade at Buna Barracks, Albury on Sunday 1 May 1988 to mark the 103rd Anniversary of the formation of the Victorian Mounted Rifles and the 40th Anniversary of the linking of the 8th (Indi), 13th (Gippsland) and 20th (Victorian Mounted Rifles) Light Horse Regiments to form the 8th/13th Victorian Mounted Rifles. Colonel G K Howard, Director of the Royal Australian Armoured Corps was the Reviewing Officer. The Pipes and Drums of the 5th/6th Battalion Royal Victorian Regiment provided the music for the occasion. Following the parade Colonel Howard officially opened the Regimental Museum.Colonel G. K. Howard inspecting No 2 Guard.

Gordon Highlanders Changing the Guard at Edinburgh castle, Scotland

fishing boats Alathea and Harveen moored on the inside berth at Eastern Wharf known as Harbecks Jetty with Cunninghame Arm Footbridge in distance Lakes Entrance Victoria. Plus another photo of 2 fishing boats Stern of President in foreground with fish boxes and Marauder on the right Black and white photograph taken of fishing boats Alathea and Harveen moored on the inside berth at Eastern Wharf known as Harbecks Jetty with Cunninghame Arm Footbridge in distance Lakes Entrance Victoria. Plus another photo of 2 fishing boatsfishing industry, boats and boating, jetties, waterways

Bill Newcomen and his wife Wendy relaxing aboard their yacht Harmony moored on the Gippsland Lakes Victoria. Also a coulour photograph of Wyanga Winery fibreglass tourist launch passing under the North Arm Bridge 04305.1 10 x 15 cm. 1999Colour photograph of Bill Newcomen and his wife Wendy relaxing aboard their yacht Harmony moored on the Gippsland Lakes Victoria. Also a coulour photograph of Wyanga Winery fibreglass tourist launch passing under the North Arm Bridge 1999jetties, waterways

sand hummocks known locally as Hill 60 Sandy beach and lake in foreground Lakes Entrance Victoria. Also two black and white photographs taken from sand hummocks looking west down Cunninghame Arm c1952Black and white photograph of an area of the sand hummocks known locally as Hill 60 Sandy beach and lake in foreground Lakes Entrance Victoria. Also two black and white photographs taken from sand hummocks looking west down Cunninghame Arm c1952houses, township, topography, gippsland lakes

Chrome plated shell casingCoat of arm, Australia. S8/17.

Khaki army jacket Lance Corporal stripes on each sleeve Red patch on each sleeve 'Royal Australian Engineers' in blue on each.Royal Australian Engineers on each armarmy, r. s. l. - mitcham, royal australian engineers, military

Members of the Life Saving Rescue Crew would wear scarlet arm bands such as these as part of their uniform, with each member having a different number. The crew would work as a team to haul in the victims of the shipwreck. The leader of the crew would call out one or several member's numbers to give them a break during the rescue, while other members took their place. All members would then be relieved at some time during the rescue. Saving lives in Warrnambool – The coastline of South West Victoria is the site of over 600 shipwrecks and many lost lives; even in Warrnambool’s Lady Bay there were around 16 known shipwrecks between 1850 and 1905, with eight lives lost. Victoria’s Government responded to the need for lifesaving equipment and, in 1858, the provision of rocket and mortar apparatus was approved for the lifeboat stations. In 1859 the first Government-built lifeboat arrived at Warrnambool Harbour and a shed was soon built for it on the Tramway Jetty, followed by a rocket house in 1864 to safely store the rocket rescue equipment. In 1878 the buildings were moved to the Breakwater (constructed from 1874-1890), and in 1910 the new Lifeboat Warrnambool arrived with its ‘self-righting’ design. For almost a hundred years the lifesaving and rescue crews, mostly local volunteers, trained regularly to rehearse and maintain their rescue skills. They were summoned when needed by alarms, gunshots, ringing bells and foghorns. In July 1873 a brass bell was erected at Flagstaff Hill specifically to call the rescue crew upon news of a shipwreck. Some crew members became local heroes but all served an important role. Rocket apparatus was used as recently as the 1950s. Rocket Rescue Method - Rocket rescue became the preferred lifesaving method of the rescue crews, being much safer that using a lifeboat in rough seas and poor conditions. The Government of Victoria adopted lifesaving methods based on Her Majesty’s Coast Guard in Great Britain. It authorised the first line-throwing rescue system in 1858. Captain Manby’s mortar powered a projectile connected to rope, invented in 1808. The equipment was updated to John Dennett’s 8-foot shaft and rocket method that had a longer range of about 250 yards. From the 1860s the breeches buoy and traveller block rocket rescue apparatus was in use. It was suspended on a hawser line and manually pulled to and from the distressed vessel carrying passengers and items. In the early 1870s Colonel Boxer’s rocket rescue method became the standard in Victoria. His two-stage rockets, charged by a gunpowder composition, could fire the line up to 500-600 yards, although 1000 yards range was possible. Boxer’s rocket carried the light line, which was faked, or coiled, in a particular way between pegs in a faking box to prevent twists and tangles when fired. The angle of firing the rocket to the vessel in distress was measured by a quadrant-type instrument on the side of the rocket machine. Decades later, in about 1920, Schermuly invented the line-throwing pistol that used a small cartridge to fire the rocket. . The British Board of Trade regularly published instructions for both the beach rescue crew and ship’s crew. It involved setting up the rocket launcher on shore at a particular angle, determined by the Head of the crew and measured by the quadrant, inserting a rocket that had a light-weight line threaded through its shaft, and then firing it across the stranded vessel, the line issuing freely from the faking board. A continuous whip line was then sent out to the ship’s crew, who hauled it in then followed the instructions – in four languages - on the attached tally board. The survivors would haul on the line to bring out the heavier, continuous whip line with a tail block connected to it. They then secured the block to the mast or other strong part the ship. The rescue crew on shore then hauled out a stronger hawser line, which the survivors fixed above the whip’s tail block. The hawser was then tightened by the crew pulling on it, or by using the hooked block on the shore end of the whip and attaching it to a sand anchor. The breeches buoy was attached to the traveller block on the hawser, and the shore crew then used the whip line to haul the breeches buoy to and from the vessel, rescuing the stranded crew one at a time. The rescue crew wore scarlet, numbered armbands and worked on a numerical rotation system, swapping members out to rest them. This set of scarlet arm bands is significant for its connection with local history, maritime history and marine technology. Lifesaving has been an important part of the services performed from Warrnambool's very early days, supported by State and Local Government, and based on the methods and experience of Great Britain. Hundreds of shipwrecks along the coast are evidence of the rough weather and rugged coastline. Ordinary citizens, the Harbour employees, and the volunteer boat and rescue crew, saved lives in adverse circumstances. Some were recognised as heroes, others went unrecognised. In Lady Bay, Warrnambool, there were around 16 known shipwrecks between 1850 and 1905. Many lives were saved but tragically, eight lives were lost.Arm bands; three scarlet flannel arm bands with black cotton backing and a metal buckle on one end. White cotton embroidery forms letters and numbers, with each arm band having a different number. Part of the uniform of the Life Saving and Rescue Crew.Embroidered on front "L.S. 1 R.C." "L.S. 8 R.C." "L.S. 13 R.C." flagstaff hill maritime museum and village, flagstaff hill, maritime museum, maritime village, warrnambool, great ocean road, lady bay, warrnambool harbour, port of warrnambool, tramway jetty, breakwater, shipwreck, life-saving, lifesaving, rescue crew, rescue, rocket rescue, rocket crew, lifeboat men, beach rescue, line rescue, rescue equipment, rocket firing equipment, rocket rescue equipment, maritime accidents, shipwreck victim, rocket equipment, marine technology, rescue boat, lifeboat, volunteer lifesavers, volunteer crew, life saving rescue crew, lifesaving rescue crew, rocket apparatus, rocket rescue method, shore to ship, rocket apparatus rescue, stranded vessel, line throwing mortar, mortar, rocket rescue apparatus, line thrower, line throwing, lifeboat warrnambool, arm band, armband, scarlet arm band, l.s.r.c., lsrc, red arm band

George Holding SEC Manager with Black Marlin caught off Bermagui NSW on a fishing trip with members of Gippsland Lakes Boating Club taken outside North Arm Bait Supply Base Station for GLBC Lakes Entrance VictoriaColour photograph showing George Holding SEC Manager with Black Marlin caught off Bermagui NSW on a fishing trip with members of Gippsland Lakes Boating Club taken outside North Arm Bait Supply Base Station for GLBC Lakes Entrance Victoria recreation, sports, fishing

This doll’s arm was part of the cargo from the Fiji and was part of the articles salvaged from the wreck. The three-masted iron barque Fiji had been built in Belfast, Ireland, in 1875 by Harland and Wolfe for a Liverpool based shipping company. The ship departed Hamburg on 22nd May 1891 bound for Melbourne, under the command of Captain William Vickers with a crew of 25. The ship’s manifest shows that she was loaded with a cargo of 260 cases of dynamite, pig iron, steel goods, spirits (whisky, schnapps, gin, brandy), sailcloth, tobacco, coiled fencing wire, concrete, 400 German pianos (Sweet Hapsburg), concertinas and other musical instruments, artists supplies including brushes, porcelain, furniture, china, and general cargo including candles. There were also toys in anticipation for Christmas, including wooden rocking horses, miniature ships, dolls with china limbs and rubber balls. On September 5th, one hundred days out from Hamburg in squally and boisterous south west winds the Cape Otway light was sighted on a bearing differing from Captain Vickers’ calculation of his position. At about 2:30am, Sunday 6th September 1891 land was reported 4-5 miles off the port bow. The captain tried to put the ship on the other tack, but she would not respond. He then tried to turn her the other way but just as the manoeuvre was being completed the Fiji struck rock only 300 yards (274 metres) from shore. The place is known as Wreck Bay, Moonlight Head. Blue lights were burned and rockets fired whilst an effort was made to lower boats but all capsized or swamped and smashed to pieces. Two of the younger crewmen volunteered to swim for the shore, taking a line. One, a Russian named Daniel Carkland, drowned after he was swept away when the line broke. The other, 17 year old able seaman Julius Gebauhr, a German, reached shore safely on his second attempt but without the line, which he had cut lose with his sheath-knife when it become tangled in kelp. He rested on the beach a while then climbed the steep cliffs in search of help. At about 10am on the Sunday morning a party of land selectors - including F. J. Stansmore, Leslie Dickson (or Dixon) and Mott - found Gebauhr. They were near Ryans Den, on their travels on horseback from Princetown towards Moonlight Head, and about 5km from the wreck. Gebauhr was lying in the scrub in a poor state, bleeding and dressed only in singlet, socks and a belt with his sheath-knife, ready for all emergencies. At first they were concerned about his wild and shaggy looking state and what seemed to be gibberish speech, taking him to be an escaped lunatic. They were reassured after he threw his knife away and realised that he was speaking half-English, half-German. They gave him food and brandy and some clothing and were then able to gain information about the wreck. Some of the men took him to Rivernook, a nearby guest house owned by John Evans, where he was cared for. Stansmore and Dickson rode off to try and summon help. Others went down to the site of the wreck. Messages for rescuing the rest of the crew were sent both to Port Campbell for the rocket rescue crew and to Warrnambool for the lifeboat. The S.S. Casino sailed from Portland towards the scene. After travelling the 25 miles to the scene, half of the Port Campbell rocket crew and equipment arrived and set up the rocket tripod on the beach below the cliffs. By this time the crew of the Fiji had been clinging to the jib-boom for almost 15 hours, calling frantically for help. Mr Tregear from the Rocket Crew fired the line. The light line broke and the rocket was carried away. A second line was successfully fired across the ship and made fast. The anxious sailors then attempted to come ashore along the line but, with as many as five at a time, the line sagged considerably and some were washed off. Others, nearly exhausted, had to then make their way through masses of seaweed and were often smothered by waves. Only 14 of the 24 who had remained on the ship made it to shore. Many onlookers on the beach took it in turns to go into the surf and drag half-drowned seamen to safety. These rescuers included Bill (William James) Robe, Edwin Vinge, Hugh Cameron, Fenelon Mott, Arthur Wilkinson and Peter Carmody. (Peter Carmody was also involved in the rescue of men from the Newfield.) Arthur Wilkinson, a 29 year old land selector, swam out to the aid of one of the ship’s crewmen, a carpenter named John Plunken. Plunken was attempting to swim from the Fiji to the shore. Two or three times both men almost reached the shore but were washed back to the wreck. A line was thrown to them and they were both hauled aboard. It was thought that Wilkinson struck his head on the anchor before s they were brought up. He remained unconscious. The carpenter survived this ordeal but Wilkinson later died and his body was washed up the next day. It was 26 year old Bill Robe who hauled out the last man, the captain, who had become tangled in the kelp. The wreck of the Fiji was smashed apart within 20 minutes of the captain being brought ashore, and it settled in about 6m of water. Of the 26 men on the Fiji, 11 in total lost their lives. The remains of 7 bodies were washed onto the beach and their coffins were made from timbers from the wrecked Fiji. They were buried on the cliff top above the wreck. The survivors were warmed by fires on the beach then taken to Rivernook and cared for over the next few days. Funds were raised by local communities soon after the wreck in aid of the sufferers of the Fiji disaster. Captain Vickers was severely reprimanded for his mishandling of the ship. His Masters Certificate was suspended for 12 months. At the time there was also a great deal of public criticism at the slow and disorganised rescue attempt to save those on board. The important canvas ‘breech buoy’ or ‘bucket chair’ and the heavy line from the Rocket Rescue was in the half of the rocket outfit that didn’t make it in time for the rescue: they had been delayed at the Gellibrand River ferry. Communications to Warrnambool were down so the call for help didn’t get through on time and the two or three boats that had been notified of the wreck failed to reach it in time. Much looting occurred of the cargo that washed up on the shore, with nearly every visitor leaving the beach with bulky pockets. One looter was caught with a small load of red and white rubber balls, which were duly confiscated and he was ‘detained’ for 14 days. Essence of peppermint mysteriously turned up in many settlers homes. Sailcloth was salvaged and used for horse rugs and tent flies. Soon after the wreck “Fiji tobacco” was being advertised around Victoria. A Customs officer, trying to prevent some of the looting, was assaulted by looters and thrown over a steep cliff. He managed to cling to a bush lower down until rescued. In 1894 some coiled fencing wire was salvaged from the wreck. Hundreds of coils are still strewn over the site of the wreck, encrusted and solidified. The hull is broken but the vessel’s iron ribs can be seen along with some of the cargo of concrete and pig iron. Captain Vickers presented Bill Robe with his silver-cased pocket watch, the only possession that he still had, as a token for having saved his life and the lives of some of the crew. (The pocket watch came with 2 winding keys, one to wind it and one to change the hands.) Years later Bill passed the watch to his brother-in-law Gib (Gilbert) Hulands as payment of a debt and it has been passed down the family to Gilbert Hulands’ grandson, John Hulands. Seaman Julius Gebauhr later gave his knife, in its hand crafted leather sheath, to F. J. Stansmore for caring for him when he came ashore. The knife handle had a personal inscription on it. A marble headstone on the 200m high cliffs overlooking Wreck Beach, west of Moonlight Head, paying tribute to the men who lost their lives when Fiji ran aground. The scene of the wreck is marked by the anchor from the Fiji, erected by Warrnambool skin divers in 1967. Amongst the artefacts salvaged from the Fiji are bisque (or china) toys, (including miniature animals, limbs from small bisque dolls), rubber balls, a slate pencil, a glass bottle, sample of rope from the distress rocket and a candlestick holder. These items are now part of the Fiji collection at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum, along with Captain Vickers’ pocket watch and Julius Gebauhr’s sheath knife. Flagstaff Hill’s Fiji collection is of historical significance at a State level because of its association with the wreck Fiji, which is on the Victorian Heritage Register VHR S259. The Fiji is archaeologically significant as the wreck of a typical 19th century international sailing ship with cargo. It is educationally and recreationally significant as one of Victoria's most spectacular historic shipwreck dive sites with structural features and remains of the cargo evident. It also represents aspects of Victoria’s shipping history and its potential to interpret sub-theme 1.5 of Victoria’s Framework of Historical Themes (living with natural processes). The Fiji collection meets the following criteria for assessment: Criterion A: Importance to the course, or pattern, of Victoria’s cultural history. Criterion B: Possession of uncommon, rare or endangered aspects of Victoria’s cultural history Criterion C: Potential to yield information that will contribute to an understanding of Victoria’s cultural history. Doll’s arm salvaged from the wreck of the Fiji. This moulded arm, made of bisque (sometimes described as china or porcelain) is for a small doll. Its hand has the fingers touching each other with the thumb tucked into the palm. The white coloured arm is finished with glazed paint. The arm is discoloured in places with a tan colour. The arm is solid rather than jointed and goes from hand to upper arm. There is a groove around the top of the arm, which would enable the arm to be attached to the cloth body of a doll.1891, china, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwrecked artefact, flagstaff hill maritime village, shipwreck coast, warrnambool, porcelain, doll, moonlight head, wreck bay, cargo, bisque, toys, doll's arm, doll's limb

Karl Streker cut out the map of Australia using a razor blade with Private Tony Connor and Private Alf Gillespie on garrison duty.Cut out plywood subjects - two of our Garrison guards with guns, standing on cut out map of Australia. Borders and capital cities are marked. Guard tower and barracks are in the background. State borders and capital cities are marked on map.internee hand craft, karl streker, private tony connor, private alf gillespie

Gippsland Lightning basketball clinic showing Toorloo Arm Primary students Josh Long Chaise Holmes Justin Bell Kane Downing with Gippsland Lightning players Ben Carey Scott Patterson and Geoff Bickmore Lakes Entrance VictoriaBlack and white photograph taken at Gippsland Lightning basketball clinic showing Toorloo Arm Primary students Josh Long Chaise Holmes Justin Bell Kane Downing with Gippsland Lightning players Ben Carey Scott Patterson and Geoff Bickmore Lakes Entrance Victoriasports, basketball, recreation, clubs

WWII historical significance.2 x Black and White photographs from WWII. #1 X photograph was taken in Wewak, New Guinea in September 1945 showing the signing of the surrender of the Japanese Forces in readiness for the signing of the main surrender. #The 2nd photograph shows the signing of the peace treaty with a RAAF Guard of Honour on shore at the ship in Wewak New Guinea in September 1945.#1. On the back of the photograph written in pen: Nth New Guinea Sept 1945 surrender of Wewak in readiness for the signing of the surrender. #2. On the back of the photograph written in pen: Nth New Guinea Sept 1945 surrender of Wewak. RAAF guard of honour at the ship while the signing was in progress.

photographs showing view of town from across North Arm from western boat ramp east to Orme Street continued from 04216 number 04216.1 and 04216.2 size 10 x 15 cm|. Colour photograph of town from Kalimna Heights showing Hill 60 on Hummocks taken 1975 c printed from slide number 04216.3Colour photograph of western end of town taken from Kalimna Heights showing cars parked near western boat ramp and North Arm, hummocks and Bass Strait in distance, Lakes Entrance Victorialookouts, gippsland lakes, topography, buildings, bullock island

A courting chain was carved by a man and given to the girl he was courting. This was a common European practice in the past, with Welsh courting chains surviving from the 17th century, though the practice may have gone back even further than that. The chain indicated that man was a capable artisan and was occupying his hands in a healthy way, particularly when the lady was present. The many types of loops and chains carved all had symbolic meanings. The cage with the wooden balls inside was said to indicate the desire of the man for children and the number he would like. The symbolism of the arm and hand with the two digits touching is not known. This courting chain has no known local provenance but it is an interesting object as an example of the customs of the past. It will be useful for displays. This is a wooden carved courting chain. One end is in the shape of an arm and hand with the thumb and first finger touching at the tips. Then there are three chains linked to the arm with a peg inserted into another loop at the end. Next, joined to this, is another loop attached to a wooden cage which has two wooden balls inside. The chain is finished with a carved turret structure at the end. courting chains, history of warrnambool