Bushfire perimeter rather than bushfire area is the main control problem for firefighters on the ground. A conundrum rapidly compounded by spot fires. A small 5 ha fire can be nearly 1 km around the perimeter. That's a long way to build a control line by hand in rough bush. Dry firefighting techniques by hand were mostly confined to “knocking down” or “beating out” the flames, as well as "digging out". Digging or raking a “mineral earth” trail down to bare dirt proved most effective in forest fuels which, unlike grass, tend to retain heat and smoulder. Early tools were whatever happened to be close at hand. They were simple and primitive and included shovels, slashers, axes, hoes, beaters and rakes. A cut branch to beat the flames was often the only thing available. Farming and logging tools, developed over centuries of manual labour, and readily available at local hardware stores came into use, but little thought was given to size, weight, and balance. This leather beater was based on a century-old stockman's design which used green cow hide leather lashed to a broom handle. It's recommend that users lift no more than above knee height to conserve energy and let the beater to the work. For years foresters experimented with combination tools. In about 1952 fire beaters and other implements were being replaced with Rakuts and later RakehoesEarly firefighting toolBushfire beater - Leather with wooden handlebushfire, forests commission victoria (fcv)

Daisy Livingstone Smith was born in Linton in 1903, a daughter of Shire Secretary Alfred John Smith (Alf J Smith) and Ada Smith née Watson. After first being privately educated, she attended Linton State School from 1911, and went on to Queen's College in Ballarat (a Church of England grammar school for girls), where she was Dux in 1918. After leaving school she worked as Linton librarian, and then as a financial officer for the Shire of Grenville. In 1941 she married Roy Brown. Daisy died in 1945, and a lectern dedicated to her memory is in St Paul's Church of England, Linton.Black and white copy of original photograph, shows head and shoulders of a young woman with dark hair cut fairly short. She is wearing a collarless plain dress or blouse, with slightly puffed sleeves and large buttons.daisy livingstone smith, daisy brown