Collector says: Godfrey Hirst Diamond blankets from the mid-1950s are always delight to find. Some of these were found in the Geelong area but one came back with me from an op shop road trip around Tasmania, another from the St Pauls op shop in Romsey. I love this pattern and find the lemon and grey colourway particularly special. Note from collector- "For more than 100 years blankets were made all over Australia in over 100 woollen mills. My aim, is to preserve 100 examples of these wonderful pieces of history. Ten years ago I started collecting the iconic Onkaparinga travel rugs, so that on movie nights at home there would be plenty to go around. Everyone had their favourite; even the cat had his own – a small red tartan one. Keeping an eye out for those travel rugs at op-shops and markets, collectable stores and bazaars, led to noticing vintage blankets. I'd never really thought about them before or paid much attention though of course I had grown up with them at my grandmother's. When I discovered my first Laconia cream blanket with blue stripes, my eyes just went gaga. Well that was it, I was hooked and since then over 500 blankets have passed through my hands. These common, everyday items, found in all households for so many decades, were traditional engagement gifts. Pairs were prized wedding presents turning into family heirlooms. They were fashionable dressers of beds, givers of warmth, bestowers of security and reliability. The comfort found in these objects resonates with almost all of us; we grew up with them ourselves or fondly recall them in a grandparent’s home. There is no modern replacement with the integrity of these old blankets, many of them now older than most of us. They are romantic, sensible, special, familiar, nostalgic and nothing else feels so appropriate in so many situations. No offense to the great Aussie doona, but from hippie to hipster, at a music festival, picnic, campsite or couch, a vintage blanket is something coveted by all. This industry that employed tens of thousands and must have been such a huge contributor to the economy is almost completely lost now. Blanket Fever is an ode to everything that came before: the land, the sheep, the shearers, the hands, the mills, the weavers, the designers, the distributors, the department stores. To the grandparents that gave them, the people that received them, the families that kept them; thank you. I’m passionate about my collection of Australian blankets manufactured in mostly Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania from the 1930s to the end of the 1960s. The collection has blankets from each of these four decades representing the styles and fashions of their time and includes dated advertisements which help determine the eras the blankets are from." Godfrey Hirst Diamond blanket in pink and grey"An All Wool Blanket" /By Godfrey Hirst of Geelong/100% Virgin Woolwool, blanket, blanket fever, diamond blanket, godfrey hirst, geelong

Collector says: Godfrey Hirst Diamond blankets from the mid-1950s are always delight to find. Some of these were found in the Geelong area but one came back with me from an op shop road trip around Tasmania, another from the St Pauls op shop in Romsey. I love this pattern and find the lemon and grey colourway particularly special.Note from collector- "For more than 100 years blankets were made all over Australia in over 100 woollen mills. My aim, is to preserve 100 examples of these wonderful pieces of history. Ten years ago I started collecting the iconic Onkaparinga travel rugs, so that on movie nights at home there would be plenty to go around. Everyone had their favourite; even the cat had his own – a small red tartan one. Keeping an eye out for those travel rugs at op-shops and markets, collectable stores and bazaars, led to noticing vintage blankets. I'd never really thought about them before or paid much attention though of course I had grown up with them at my grandmother's. When I discovered my first Laconia cream blanket with blue stripes, my eyes just went gaga. Well that was it, I was hooked and since then over 500 blankets have passed through my hands. These common, everyday items, found in all households for so many decades, were traditional engagement gifts. Pairs were prized wedding presents turning into family heirlooms. They were fashionable dressers of beds, givers of warmth, bestowers of security and reliability. The comfort found in these objects resonates with almost all of us; we grew up with them ourselves or fondly recall them in a grandparent’s home. There is no modern replacement with the integrity of these old blankets, many of them now older than most of us. They are romantic, sensible, special, familiar, nostalgic and nothing else feels so appropriate in so many situations. No offense to the great Aussie doona, but from hippie to hipster, at a music festival, picnic, campsite or couch, a vintage blanket is something coveted by all. This industry that employed tens of thousands and must have been such a huge contributor to the economy is almost completely lost now. Blanket Fever is an ode to everything that came before: the land, the sheep, the shearers, the hands, the mills, the weavers, the designers, the distributors, the department stores. To the grandparents that gave them, the people that received them, the families that kept them; thank you. I’m passionate about my collection of Australian blankets manufactured in mostly Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania from the 1930s to the end of the 1960s. The collection has blankets from each of these four decades representing the styles and fashions of their time and includes dated advertisements which help determine the eras the blankets are from." Godfrey Hirst diamond blanket in pink and cream"An All Wool Blanket" /By Godfrey Hirst of Geelong/100% Virgin Woolwool, blanket, blanket fever, diamond blanket, godfrey hirst, geelong

Two machinery plan layouts for Mimosa Wool & Textiles Pty Ltd in Hobson's Road, Kensington.1617.1 Rectangular blue paper with white lined plan drawing and white text 1617.2 Rectangular blue paper with white lined plan drawing1617.1 Front: Final Plan / PLAN OF MACHINERY LAYOUT / MIMOSA WOOL & TEXTILES PTY LTD / HOBSON'S ROAD KENSINGTON / BY MESSRS J DYSON & SONS / SOUTH GEELONG / Scale 3/32" - 1.0"factory, machinery, wool, textiles, mill, kensington, south geelong, plans, drawings, blueprint, layout, mimosa, j. dyson and sons pty ltd

Depicts the west wall of the Barwon Mill, looking north in Factory Road. The Barwon Mill was built in 1874 and taken over by Godfrey Hirst and renamed Excelsior One in 1890. In 1966 McKendrick Consolidated Industries Ltd purchased Godfrey Hirst Ltd to operate a carpet manufacturing concern and this photo was taken at the time of the takeover.Proof IAN HAWTHORNE / PHOTOGRAPHER / Commercial, Portrait, Wedding, Colour Processor / Upstairs, 140 Moorabool St., Geelong Ph. 98096textile mills, godfrey hirst and co. pty ltd, barwon woollen mill, excelsior one mill

Depicts the west wall of the Barwon Mill, looking north in Factory Road. The Barwon Mill was built in 1874 and taken over by Godfrey Hirst and renamed Excelsior One in 1890. In 1966 McKendrick Consolidated Industries Ltd purchased Godfrey Hirst Ltd to operate a carpet manufacturing concern and this photo was taken at the time of the takeover.Proof IAN HAWTHORNE / PHOTOGRAPHER / Commercial, Portrait, Wedding, Colour Processor / Upstairs, 140 Moorabool St., Geelong Ph. 98096textile mills, godfrey hirst and co. pty ltd, barwon woollen mill, excelsior one mill

Coloured photo from the pedestrian overpass on Whitehorse Road, Mitcham, looking north-east towards the Mitcham Shopping Centre.- North - side. House with Spanish taste belonged to Mr. Peake of Peake and Cox, the timber yard directly across Whitehorse Road from this house which became the new site of St.John's Roman Catholic Primary School. This house was on the corner of Whitehorse Road and Albert Street. Upon the sale of the timber yard and mill the catholic church the house was also sold to the church and was occupied as a residence for the school's teaching Sister's. (House since demolished)whitehorse road, mitcham, pedestrian overpass

Coloured photograph of Blackburn War Memorial in Morton Park, Centre Road, Blackburn. Part of the description of Blackburn & Mitcham War Memorials prepared by Ted Arrowsmith for inclusion in War Memorials of Australia data base. See ND4383war memorial, blackburn, morton park blackburn, arrowsmith, ted, war memorials in australia database, draeger c.n., farrelly m., geal a., geal g., gurdon e., hurter e.c.t., lawson a.j., mills t., oêhara r.j, pither f.h., rolfe l.f.w., sheenan, a. c., smith e.r., scott r., stockfield g.r., stockfield f.h, welch e.w., youlden c., cooper grev., cox f.b., dalley john power, gregson f., johnson w.g., mills t.g., maxfield, c. g., newman j.e., reddick n.a., ryder e.v., wells g.s., stirling d.h.

Official party inspecting living quarters of weaving mills. Mr. Roger de Stoop with Princess of Luxembourgprincess of luxembourg, de stoop, roger

Black and white photo of Prince and Princess of Luxembourg inspecting machinery at weaving millsprince of luxembourg, princess of luxembourg, de stoop, roger

From the Betty McPhee sewing collectionWooden reel of yellow boot machine silk used in boot manufacture and repair..C.R. Rickards Bell Bush Mills Via Leedshandcrafts, equipment

Ùsed for engineering purposes possibly mining.Brown painted solid metal mortar and a separate pestle.mining, crushing & milling, medicine, pharmacy

This linoleum is in-situ in one of the rooms of the house at Days Mill. Newspaper laid underneath indicates the linoleum was laid after September 1910.PATTERNED LINOLEUM : A floor covering made from materials such as solidified linseed oil (linoxyn), pine rosin, ground cork dust, wood flour, and mineral fillers such as calcium carbonate, most commonly on a burlap or canvas backing. This piece has a cream & light grey mosaic type background with circular brown leaf repeating patterns interlaced into four square blue shapes. Central star pattern within circular leaf pattern in light & dark blues & browns. Stylised floral motif in between each circular & square shaped pattern repeats.

Found, stored on-site.Wooden frame with inscriptions, mainly indecipherable. Has vice on each side at base. No rollers. See mangle rollers DM3163 and DM2977, these fit into frame."PATENT / Sept.3. 1867 / may 13 1868

Used to secure rope to stay in a certain position. Found in the stive room. There are wear patterns around holes where rope has been pulled through.Wooden keyhole shaped objects with three holes each.

PART OF BARREL TOP. 3 x planks making part of circle. Printed with red and black. Barrel contained cement."BEST LONDON PORTLAND CEMENT../... ESSEX LONDON"

May have been used to secure base of rabbit proof fence to ground.15 x GALVANISED WIRE PEGS.

CONVERTED FOR USE IN WELL SINKING2 x LINSEED OIL DRUMS WITH HEAVY DUTY HANDLES. CAPACITY APPROX. 6 GALLONS. , opening at one end of each drum.

Chamois, rolled and tied with coarse string.

Wooden tool, possibly a levering device.

Chimney or plumbing top/ flue. Irregular shape.Picture of Queen's head. "QUEENS HEAD/ SPECIAL FLAT"