Taken in Beechworth, this photograph was taken from from close to Church Street intersection with Ford.Black and white rectangular post card.Obverse: F & V Series No 4 FORD ST BEECHWORTH, LOOKING.S Reverse: 1997.2753 AO2753 POST CARDbeechworth, ford street, town views

Children from Bulla and MIckleham Primary schools attend a camp at Beechworth in 1988. While there they experienced a number of varied activities as part of their outdoor education course. In this and the following set of photos the students went on a hike and cooked their lunch on a camp fire as well as identifying the local bird life .This activity gave the children an understanding of correct camp-fire procedures as well as observing the native wildlife.A non-digital coloured photograph of three boys in bushland watching over a small campfire.school camps, beechworth, camp fires, picnics, native birds

This photograph was taken in the winter of 1875 from the Telegraph Station looking up Ford Street towards the Church of England. Picture is a horse and wagon walking towards the camera. Black and white rectangular postcard. The image is printed on matt photographic paper and mounted on cardboard. This photograph depicts Ford Street looking south C 1875 in Beechworth.Obverse: NO INSCRIPTION Reverse: 5570 35 Beechworth about 1875 American & Australian Photographic Company. Victoria Branch. C. BAYLISS, Manager No. 61 Extra Copies may be had by sending Number to present Address. beechworth, ford street, 1875, horse, wagon, horse and wagon, church of england, burke museum, winter

Photograph of Beechworth Ambulance Station with small crowd of people gathered out the front. Sepia rectangular photograph printed in matte photographic paperObverse: North Eastern Ambulance Service Beechworth Branch / Reverse: 3696 /burke musuem, emergency services, beechworth, photograph, ambulance, ambulance station, beechworth ambulance station

This photograph depicts mining operations within the Beechworth area, in an unidentified valley where sluicing was utilised as a method for extracting gold from the environment. After gold was discovered in the region in 1851, sluicing became a characteristic of gold mining in the region - "Ovens miners carved intricate networks of races" throughout the region - involved the diversion of water in many channels, or water races, which contained inbuilt 'ripple devices' designed to trap gold for later extraction. By 1871, 900 miles of water races had been cut into the Beechworth Mining District. As suggested by the numerous figures involved in labouring along the water race, sluicing was a source of considerable employment within the region. This image is of important historical significance for its ability to convey information about sluicing and the methods used to find gold in the 1850s, and provides clues as to how sluicing and the widespread construction of water ranges changed the environment of the region. This image is important for current research into the history of the Ovens region in Victoria, which played such a prominent role in the early Australian gold mining industry. Therefore, this image has the capacity to be beneficial for research into society and the motivations of those living and working in this region during this period and therefore, has social significance. The Beechworth Burke Museum has additional images relating to gold sluicing and and the mining activities in the area more generally, which can be analysed and studied alongside images like this one.A black and white rectangular photograph printed on matte photographic paperbeechworth, mining, miners, labour, water race, sluicing

This is a photograph of two people (James Toole and Beryl Witkowski) amid celebrations for St Patrick's Day at the Burke Museum in an unknown year. St Patrick's Day is traditionally an Irish religious holiday, but has been adopted in countries such as Australia to celebrate an idea of Irish culture. These celebrations often include wearing green clothes, especially a shamrock hat, and drinking beer, all pictured here. This celebration appears to be taking place within the Burke Museum itself, with museum's iconic stained glass oval window in the background. The Museum, situated in Beechworth, holds a collection of over 30,000 individual objects - including this photograph. James Toole (left) was the 'face of the Beechworth Post Office' until his retirement in 2015, following a 45-year career in mail service. He is a Friend of the Burke Museum, volunteering on projects such as crafting the Burke Museum's float in the 2018 Beechworth Bakery and Beechworth Honey Grand Parade at the Golden Horseshoes Festival. He is known for his flamboyant character. Beryl Witkowski (right) was a historian and curator for the Burke Museum, retiring from her position in 2016. She was involved as a Friend of the Burke Museum from at least 2004.This photograph is significant to the Burke Museum and Beechworth as it depicts two prominent, contemporary members of the museum's paid and volunteer staff in the museum itself. It highlights both how the staff interacted with the museum through celebrations and how the museum itself was used in capacities other than object display. The photograph can also be used to interpret Australia's relationship to the St Patrick's Day holiday, especially given the presence of Irish immigrants to the Beechworth area in the nineteenth century.A colour, square photograph printed on rectangular photographic paper.First Card: WITKOWSKI, Beryl / TOOLE, James / BMM 3067 / Databased Second Card: Burke Museum / 3067 /burke museum, beechworth, museum staff, celebrations, st patrick's day, beer, australia, st patrick's day celebration

Taken in Beechworth, this photograph depicts a birds eye view of Ford Street. Black and white rectangular postcard. The image is printed on matte photographic paper and is mounted on cardboard. Obverse: (98) BEECHWORTH Reverse: 1997.2761 POST CARD CORRESPONDENCE ADDRESS ONLY KODAK AUSTRALIAbeechworth, ford street, kodak, burke museum, birds eye view

Ray Stone was born in 1927, growing up in Beechworth as the oldest of eight children, but spent much of his life travelling, which he recalls in this oral history. Although he started working at the Beechworth Tannery with his father, he joined the Navy before he was of age in 1944 to support the war effort, and upon returning to Beechworth gave up on the Tannery after half a day to continue working jobs across Victoria instead. He talks extensively about watching Beechworth's famous Wheelbarrow race, where Tony Evans bet Tom Parkinson that the latter would not be able to push the former in a wheelbarrow from the Beechworth Post Office to Mt Buffalo in eight days. Calling himself a "helper all [his] life", he discusses the way many towns he worked in would come together to support struggling families, especially widows. In comparison, he suggests that the Beechworth of 2000 is much less community-orientated. He also discusses the economic changes he's witnessed around Beechworth, from the difficulties during the Depression while he was a child, to business improvements at the Tannery and Brewery, to the tourism boom. This oral history recording was part of a project conducted by Jennifer Williams in the year 2000 to capture the everyday life and struggles in Beechworth during the twentieth century. This project involved recording seventy oral histories on cassette tapes of local Beechworth residents which were then published in a book titled: Listen to what they say: voices of twentieth century Beechworth. These cassette tapes were digitised in July 2021 with funds made available by the Friends of the Burke.Ray Stone's account of his life is historically and socially significant to the region of Beechworth for the way it describes changes in the town over the twentieth century. It covers themes including community relationships, business development, and cultural life. It makes this commentary in comparison to nearby regions such as the Snowy Mountains. This oral history account is socially and historically significant as it is a part of a broader collection of interviews conducted by Jennifer Williams which were published in the book 'Listen to what they say: voices of twentieth-century Beechworth.' While the township of Beechworth is known for its history as a gold rush town, these accounts provide a unique insight into the day-to-day life of the town's residents during the 20th century, many of which will have now been lost if they had not been preserved.This is a digital copy of a recording that was originally captured on a cassette tape. The cassette tape is black with a horizontal white strip and is currently stored in a clear flat plastic rectangular container. It holds up 40 minutes of recordings on each side.Mr Ray Stone /listen to what they say, beechworth, oral history, burke museum, stone, ray stone, tannery, tanneries, finch street, navy, the great depression, poverty, wheelbarrow race, cars, gift footrace, marriage, travel

Taken in Beechworth, this photograph depicts Albert road bisecting the Spring Creek Diggings. The foreground of the photograph features a small bridge, while in the background, right-hand-side, Benevolent Hospital can be seen. In the centre of the photograph can be seen a horse and cart travelling along the road. This photograph shows historical and research value in its depiction of Beechworth in the late 1800s. It features a key historical site, the Benevolent Hospital, as well providing a historical look at a street that operates in Beechworth in the present day.Black and white, rectangular photograph printed on matt photographic paper, unmountedReverse: PH 238 / 1997.2462 / Albert Road . 1863 . 1800s beechworth, 1860s beechworth, beechworth, spring creek, benevolent asylum, albert road

This photograph depicts the entrance to the Burke Museum in Beechworth, most likely in 1980. The building was originally established as the Beechworth Athenaeum in 1857 to provide a lecture hall and reading room at the peak of the gold rush. In 1859, it became the Beechworth Public Library, which is why the writing embossed above the main entry says 'Library' rather than 'Museum'. The building was turned into a museum and renamed the Robert O'Hara Burke Memorial Museum in 1863 in honour of Robert O'Hara Burke, former Police Superindendent of Beechworth who died in 1861 on the Burke and Wills expedition. The Burke Museum has been in almost continual operation since that time. In the 1970s, the building underwent renovations to create several verandas, though the main façade visible in this photograph remained as it was when originally built. The Burke Museum currently contains over 30,000 individual objects, including the Gold Rush era items and the Ned Kelly collection advertised on the a-frame in the photograph. The photograph itself is also part of the Burke Museum collection.The Burke Museum itself is very significant to Victorian history. It is on both the Victorian Heritage Register and is part of the National Trust due to its relevance to the history of the Gold Rush period, its architectural features, and its significant collection. Photographs of it throughout its history are an important part of telling the museum's story. This photograph in particular highlights what the museum staff believed would be appealing to a 1980s public, evident by the A-frame advertising board.A black and white rectangular photograph printed on photographic paper.Top right text: 5147. Bottom left text: Beryl Seatt (or possibly Scatt) & friend 1980beechworth, burke museum, beechworth museum, beechworth historic precinct, architecture, museum, library, 1980s, 1980s australia, museum staff

A photo of the original Burke Library building between two medium sized trees, a lamp post sits between them and a large tree is behind the building. This photo was taken c1950/60s.This photo is of both historical and social significance to the people and community of Beechworth because it shows the development of the Burke Museum from what it was in this picture, to what can be seen today. It also shows the Burke Museum's prominent architecture marking it as a particular point of interest within Beechworth. Along with the aspects of the building that the Burke museum is known for today, such as the façade and the central lamp post, all of which are significant to the town of Beechworth and its people.Black and white rectangular photograph printed on photographic paper.Obverse: 1856 / Library Reverse: Beechworth Library / 33 1/3% / Caldwell / 19 eu (illegible) / 11 eu (illegible) / 729 / 3 1/6 / BMM 8691 / S / T / E / T (Scribbles and arrows across the page)burke museum, beechworth, 1950s, architecture, landscaping, development

The gardens of Ovens District Hospital were laid out and planted by R H Jenkyns in 1874. Over 200 species of trees and shrubs were planted, including several large Himalayan Cedars (Cedrus deodora), a Coast Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens), rare Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestris), Pencil Cedar (Juniperus virginiana), Bunya Bunya Pines (Araucaria bidwillii), a Purple-leaved Dutch Elm (Ulmus x hollandica 'Purpurascens'), American Ash (Fraxinus americana), Pinus radiata, and numerous Populus alba trees and suckers. The gardens were considered integral to the healing process, also including orchards and kitchen gardens. In the 1880s, tourists flocked to Beechworth as the area became recognised as a health resort and picturesque beauty spot. Although the hospital closed in 1940, and parts were subsequently demolished, the gardens remain and form part of the site's listing on the Victorian Heritage Register. This photograph is part of a collection of items held by the Burke Museum relating to Ovens District Hospital. At the time of being built, the Ovens District Hospital was the only hospital between Melbourne, Victoria, and Goulburn, New South Wales, treating patients from all of north-east Victoria, including Indigo Shire.Black and white stereoscopic photograph mounted on card.Reverse: 97-2292 / View up centre path of Hospital / A03177 / BMM3177 / Note: A03178 / View of the central path of the Ovens Hospital / (Church St) Beechworthovens hospital, hospital garden, gardens and parks, ovens district hospital

This photograph depicts a reef mine in Beechworth. Reef mining, or quartz reef mining, was common in 19th Century Victoria. This gold mining technique requires mine shafts to be sunk into underground quartz reefs, with horizontal tunnels dug from the original shaft at differing levels to find the gold-bearing rock. The quartz would then be hoisted to the surface, which would then be pounded to access the gold in its metallic state. Gold was discovered in Beechworth in February 1852, at Spring Creek. Within 11 months of that discovery, over 8000 hopeful prospectors quickly descended on this region, transforming it into a thriving, wealthy township. Reef mining and hydraulic sluicing were gold mining techniques used in this region in the 19th and early 20th centuries. This photograph interestingly contains dogs alongside the miners. While dogs have been recorded as deterrents to thieves in the Victorian goldfields, these dogs appear as companions to these men.The search for gold is ingrained into the history of Victoria and therefore, images like this one can reveal important information for society and technology for the date when the photograph was taken. It also shows a location where reef mining was undertaken which provides insight into the impact on the environment at a time when it was done. Although quartz is one of the most common minerals found in the earth's crust, it does not always contain gold. Those reefs that do are rare and highly sought after by prospectors. The Beechworth Burke Museum has additional images relating to gold mining which can be analysed and studied alongside images like this one.Sepia coloured rectangular photograph printed on gloss photographic paper. Obverse: Reverse: United Shire of Beechworth/ Shire Secretary/ Reef Mining, Beechworth./ 6167.abeechworth, burke museum, gold, gold mining, gold rush, victorian gold rush, reef mining, quartz, companion dog, horse and cart

This image was taken in 1865 overlooking the diggings at Spring Creek, Beechworth. Gold was discovered in this area in 1852 and within eleven months of this discovery, over 8000 hopeful prospectors had descended on the region, transforming the seemingly undisturbed land into what a visiting journalist in 1880s referred to as; "A Titan's Field". Huge mounds of earth were churned by hundreds of miners in search for gold, almost every available resource the land had to offer was used for something; even the bark off the gums were stripped to line huts and shafts. By 1857 more than 20,000 people lived in Beechworth, and with this influx the town prospered with the building of numerous churches, banks, schools, shops and hotels along with a prison and hospital.Black and white rectangular photograph. Image is printed on matte photographic paper and is mounted on cardboard. Obverse: NO INSCRIPTION Reverse: 7771 / BEECHWORTH / FROM SPRING CREEK / 1865 spring creek, diggings, beechworth, 1865

Taken in Beechworth 1865, this photograph depicts the view of the Spring creek with the Beechworth township in the background. This photograph was taken 13 years after the discovery of Gold at Spring Creek. Within eleven months of the discovery in 1852, over 8000 hopeful prospectors had descended on the region, transforming the seemingly undisturbed land into what a visiting journalist in 1880s referred to as; "A Titan's Field". Huge mounds of earth were churned by hundreds of miners in search for gold, almost every available resource the land had to offer was used for something; even the bark off the gums were stripped to line huts and shafts. By 1857 more than 20,000 people lived in Beechworth, and with this influx the town prospered with the building of numerous churches, banks, schools, shops and hotels along with a prison and hospital.Black and white rectangular photograph. Image is printed on matte photographic paper and is mounted on cardboard.Obverse: NO INSCRIPTION Reverse: BMM6925 / BEECHWORTH FROM SPRING CREEK 1865 beechworth, spring creek, gold rush, titan's field, 1865, prospectors

Alfred 'Alf' Spencer grew up on a dairy farm run by his mother, west south west of Beechworth 'down Robertson Road', and was very well connected to the wider Beechworth area. In this oral history, he recalls his time driving the milk cart around Beechworth as well as the time he spent buying lollies and seeing the pictures. He talks extensively about working as a butcher at his brother's store, including how the butchers interacted with the rest of the town and the staff, as well as his time constructing roads and the pipe network of Beechworth. He discusses the dynamics of other workplaces around Beechworth, describing issues with how the local tannery treated its workers as well as how post-war migrants integrated across the town. He briefly discusses racial tensions between Chinese migrants and other miners on the goldfields. He also discusses the experience of health care in a rural area during his childhood. This oral history recording was part of a project conducted by Jennifer Williams in the year 2000 to capture the everyday life and struggles in Beechworth during the twentieth century. This project involved recording seventy oral histories on cassette tapes of local Beechworth residents which were then published in a book titled: Listen to what they say: voices of twentieth century Beechworth. These cassette tapes were digitised in July 2021 with funds made available by the Friends of the Burke.Alfred Spencer's oral history of his life around Beechworth during the 20th century is historically and socially significant to the cultural history of the region and Victoria. There is a lot of detail about workplaces, their staff, and how the resources of the town interacted. He explores themes that are important to Victorian history, such as migration. This oral history account is socially and historically significant as it is a part of a broader collection of interviews conducted by Jennifer Williams which were published in the book 'Listen to what they say: voices of twentieth-century Beechworth.' While the township of Beechworth is known for its history as a gold rush town, these accounts provide a unique insight into the day-to-day life of the town's residents during the 20th century, many of which will have now been lost if they had not been preserved.This is a digital copy of a recording that was originally captured on a cassette tape. The cassette tape is black with a horizontal white strip and is currently stored in a clear flat plastic rectangular container. It holds up to 40 minutes of recordings on each side.Mr Alfred Spencer /listen to what they say, beechworth, oral history, burke museum, spencer, alfred spencer, migration, post-war migration, goldfields, health care, farm, farming, dairy farm, black springs, butchers, meat processing, butcher, road, road network, labour relations

This photo is recorded as depicting Dot Bunting, a volunteer cataloguer at the Burke Museum for many years, sitting at a desk writing. Dorothy Bunting was a Beechworth resident who passed away in 2013, and who was responsible for cataloguing 700 books at the Bourke Museum.This photograph is of social significance because it depicts a local person who was of importance to the Beechworth community as well as to the Burke Museum. It also reveals the historical process of Burke Museum's cataloguing using pens and paper, as distinct from modern technology used by the museum in 2021.A colour rectangular photograph printed on paper, with a smaller piece of paper stuck to the back.Obverse: (illegible) Reverse: 8210 dot bunting, bunting, dorothy bunting, beechworth, burke museum, cataloguing, volunteer, books

Born on the 24th of December 1912 at the Three Mile was Wilma Wells. Her mother born into English heritage bore four children, one who died shortly after birth, while her father had Irish heritage and worked at May Day Hills as a warden and a nurse. Wilma married Ted Wells when she was 23 and subsequently had two daughters. This oral history recording was part of a project conducted by Jennifer Williams in the year 2000 to capture the everyday life and struggles in Beechworth during the twentieth century. This project involved recording seventy oral histories on cassette tapes of local Beechworth residents which were then published in a book titled: Listen to what they say: voices of twentieth century Beechworth. These cassette tapes were digitised in July 2021 with funds made available by the Friends of the Burke. Wilma Wells account of her life during the 20th century is historically and socially significant to the cultural heritage of Beechworth and the surrounding regions. She details important historical places and hardships within the region that have a lasting impact which includes but is not limited to issues with race, women's societal expectations and economic struggles. This oral history account is socially and historically significant as it is a part of a broader collection of interviews conducted by Jennifer Williams which were published in the book 'Listen to what they say: voices of twentieth-century Beechworth.' While the township of Beechworth is known for its history as a gold rush town, these accounts provide a unique insight into the day-to-day life of the town's residents during the 20th century, many of which will have now been lost if they had not been preserved.This is a digital copy of a recording that was originally captured on a cassette tape. The cassette tape is black with a horizontal white strip and is currently stored in a clear flat plastic rectangular container. It holds up 40 minutes of recordings on each side.Mrs Wilma Wells /beechworth, may day hills, oral history, burke museum, wilma wells, hospital, listen, weddings, three mile, picnic

This image depicts a group of local counsellors from the Shire of Beechworth (est. mid to late 1900s). The identities of those within the photo remain unknown. The table and chairs featured in the image were produced in the late 19th century and have been in continual use for more than 100 years. The councellors would likely have convened in the Beechworth Town Hall. A History of Beechworth: Gold was discovered in the May Day Hills district in 1852. A canvas and timber settlement soon developed as prospectors rushed to the area. Over four million ounces of gold was recovered in the first 14 years. Between 1852 and 1857, Beechworth was a gold-producing region and centre of government, boasting many industries and a multicultural population. Beechworth was proclaimed a borough on the 11th of September 1863, a formalisation of the municipal incorporation of the town seven years before. This image is associated with the history of Beechworth; it reveals the identities of local counsellors, persons whose contribution to the Beechworth Shire could otherwise be lost to time. Black and white rectangular photograph, unmounted.beechworth council, indigo shire, local victorian government

These Wodonga photos are part of a collection donated by Miss Olive Codling. Arthur Dunstan Arthur Dunstan established mills at Red Bluff on the Mitta and a timber yard at Wodonga. He also built a sawmill at Glen Wills in 1931 which operated for about 16 years. A larger and more modern sawmill with drying kilns was erected at Eskdale in 1947. He was contracted to build Wodonga’s Municipal sale yards in 1935, followed by the Wangaratta sale yards. This created so many forward orders that he bought a large block of land on the corner of Beechworth and Tallangatta Roads and opened a timber mill and hardware store. The business stood on this corner for about 40 years. A large proportion of the company's timber output was processed at the Wodonga yards into flooring, weatherboards, mouldings etc. and practically the whole output was distributed locally and throughout the Riverina and eastern areas of New South Wales, and Canberra. At its peak Dunstan’s was one of the biggest sawmilling businesses in Victoria and in Wodonga employed 150 people and milled l6,000,000 super feet of timber annually. A super foot is a measurement for timber, equal to one foot square by one inch thick. Arthur Dunstan also built Tower Place in High Street. He died in Wodonga in 1963 and the business was continued on by his sons. Dunstan’s timber yards in Wodonga were sold to Ezerd Industries in 1987 with the retail section being bought by BBC Hardware.This photo collection is significant as it documents how the businesses and buildings in Wodonga have evolved and contributed to community throughout the 20th century.The first business at this location was a timber will and hardware store established by Arthur Dunstan in 1935. It operated there for about 40 years. In this photo Horseland occupies the corner premises including a video outlet. On the left is the Victoria Star Hot Bread Kitchen. This area is now know as Southside.wodonga businesses, dunstan's corner wodonga, thomas mitchell drive

In 1906, the Anglo-Australian Brewery Company had purchased the Spring Creek brewery after the death of Frederick Allen. A.A. Billson, M.L.A., by then a director of Anglo-Australian Brewery, then converted the premises into a jam and fruit preserving works. The Beechworth District Jam, Pickle and Fruit Preserving Company Ltd started fruit preserving in 1907. In 1912, the jam works was sold to a Melbourne company, who traded as S.S. Jam Co./S.S. Jam Factory until around 1915. Three rectangular photographs - one sepia postcard and two black and white copies printed on paper3121.1 (reverse): Post Card / Correspondence. [vertical centre-line] Address only. / [stamp placement of rectangular "Kodak.Austral." wordmarks] Employees Beechworth / Jam Factory / about 1900 / 84-213-1 / 3121.1 / 97 2326 / 10 / Factories / 3121.2 (reverse): Employee's / Beechworth Jam Factory / (previously Allens Brewery) / early 1900s / 84-213-1 (Repro) / 3121.2 / Factories / [yellow sticky-note: factories] / 3121.3 (reverse): SS Jam Factory / B'worth Jam Factory / Railway Avenue / B'worth / 97 2326 / PH 213 / 3121.3 / jam, jam factory, railway street, fred allen brewery, frederick allen, a.a. billson, beechworth brewery, 1910s beechworth, beechworth factories, twentieth century beechworth, fredrick allen, beechworth district jam pickle and fruit preserving company ltd, s.s. jam factory, s.s. jam, s.s.jam co., preserves, fruit preserving, the anglo-australian brewery company, anglo-australian brewery company, cordial manufactory beechworth, ecks, spring creek brewery, blackberries

These photographs are of Lake Kerferd and the Pavilion. There are no people in the first image but in the second image there are a man and women sitting on the railing of the pavilion. The Pavilion sits in a picnic ground and there are a few trees around it. Lake Kerferd is significant to Beechworth and the surrounding area because it was the main source of water for the community. In addition, it is also significant because this photograph indicates that it was a popular picnic spot during the beginning of the twentieth century. Sepia rectangular postcard printed on paper 2960.1- Obverse: Pavilion and Lake Kerferd, Beechworth / Published by R Warren / M.5311/ 2960.1- Reverse: POST CARD / Correspondence / Address Only / 2960.2-Obverse: Picnic Grounds, Lake Kerferd, Beechworth / Real Photo Series / M.5949/ 2960.2-Reverse: Published by the Valentine Publishing Co Pty (indecipherable) Queen St (indecipherable) / Valentines / Real Photo Series/ lake kerferd, beechworth, picnic, outing, park, trees, lake, picnic grounds, victoria, district views, pavilion, warren, photograph, 1920

This postcard contains a depiction of the Mayday Hills Hospital in Beechworth, Victoria from the direction of Farm Hill, circa 1930. It was designed by C.F.Falk in Beechworth and printed in Saxony which is a landlocked state of Germany which borders the states of Brandenburg, Saxony-Anhalt, Thuringia, Bavaria and the countries of Poland and the Czech Republic. The depiction is a painting of the Mayday Hill Hospital which portrays the extensive buildings an HaHa wall (many of which have not survived to the present day). It provides a unique opportunity to reconstruct this historical site as it may have looked in approximately 1930. Beechworth's Mayday Hills was chosen as the site of Victoria's newest asylum, at the time, due to the landscape and altitude. The hilltop atmosphere and the native fauna, it was argued, would assist in the cure of the patients kept at the hospital (Wood 1985, 122). The positioning of the hospital had a beneficial effect on the rural town. A pamphlet published by James Ingram and Son (1849) reveal that famous landmarks in Beechworth which included the Post Office, Gaol, Courthouse and Asylum "demonstrate the appreciation of Beechworth by the Government not only as as important district center, but also as a site unrivaled as a sanitarium". There were other locations in contention at the time, but ultimately Beechworth was chosen (Craig 2000, 33). The extent of buildings displayed in this postcard helps convey the imposing and enormity of the structure before decommission. Prior to the creation of the Asylum in Beechworth, those charged with having mental illnesses or, as it was termed, "insanity" were unable to be properly cared for in the Gaol (which is where they were often sent). John Buckley Castieau wrote, in 1861 for the Ovens and Murray Advertiser, that the Gaol was unable to properly care for those classified then as "insane" but that they would endeavor to treat them above the other inmates (which he notes is not always the case in other establishments). Castieau wrote this in favour of supporting the building of the Mayday Hills Hospital in Beechworth. It was stated that at the time the Mayday Hills Hospital was built, there were 83 prisoners kept in the Gaol who were to be rehoused to the Hospital on the grounds of "insanity". The classification as someone as "insane", in this period of time is a reflection on the inability to cure and understand illnesses of the mind during the mid to late 1800s. The title on the obverse of this photograph as "Asylum for Insane, Beechworth" reflects a bygone era and attitude to mental health. Beechworth's Mayday Hills was chosen as the site of Victoria's newest asylum, at the time, due to the landscape and altitude. Opening on the 24th of October 1867, the Mayday Hills Hospital was originally named the "Ovens Lunatic Asylum", a title which is very much a product of its time. Whilst controversial, changes to the name is part of the history of the Hospital and can provide much insight into the understanding of mental illness throughout history and the use/disuse of this term provides information into the reception/changing opinions of mental illness in society. The Hospital would later become known as the "Mayday Hills Asylum" and/or "Mayday Hills Hospital" with the latter being the most commonly used title. An article in the Ovens and Murray Advertiser notes that on the 7th of March 1865, the foundation stone of the Hospital was laid (it would officially open in 1867) and that it was such a moment of accomplishment and joy for Beechworth that a letter to the editor even suggested that there should be a holiday dedicated to the day the foundation stone as laid. This reveals an extent to which the townspeople of early Beechworth valued the construction of the Hospital in their town. It provided the town with a sense of prestige and honour.At first glance, the remains of the Mayday Hills Hospital in Beechworth, Victoria, inspire tragedy, trauma and beauty. The buildings themselves, with their Italianate style Renaissance architecture designed by J.J. Clark (Craig 2000, 49 & Smith 2016, 203) reflect a bygone period of European and Australian history. The gardens provide a sense of tranquility and beauty. The experience of those within these walls remains a valuable area of study to provide a more complete understanding. This particular hospital is considered the fourth of its like and one of three identified as the largest of their kind. The Mayday Hills Hospital is a sister to the Kew and Ararat Asylums in Melbourne which are both located in relative proximity. Understanding the role of the Mayday Hills Hospital in Beechworth history is integral to understanding the development of the goldfields town, but also for providing important information as to the history of caring for, and the reception of, mental illnesses in Australian and wider European history. Mayday Hills provides a case study which can be researched through oral history, an analysis of the grounds/buildings and through images like this postcard which portray the structure in a highly deliberate manner. Images like this depict the strong façade of the Hospital and provide a glimpse into the tranquility of the gardens. This has been done deliberately to provide a sense of comfort and healing about the building to those looking from the outside. Further research into the importance of the Hospital in Beechworth and it's connection to the town will be supported through images like these kept in the Mayday Hills photo album in the collection of the Burke Museum.Colour rectangular postcard printed on cardObverse: Asylum for Insane, Beechworth. / Reverse: C.F. Faulk, Beechworth. Printed in Saxony. POST CARD / ADDRESS ONLY / AFFIX / STAMP / B 2298 / 1997.2457 /mental hospital, insane asylum, mayday hills mental hospital, beechworth, mayday hills, asylum, gold town, north-east victoria, ararat asylum, kew asylum

Vincent Makaravicius was born on the 23rd of January, 1922 in a small Lithuanian village. He was the youngest of six children and after completing his primary education he went on to study horticulture at Kaunas and Vilnius. During WWII, under the threat of Soviet occupation and conscription, Vincent travelled to Germany, before coming to Australia as a refugee after his wife in 1949 on the ship 'Victory.' Vincent eventually settled in Beechworth, working at the local tannery and the Beechworth Asylum, as well as taking on boarders in the tannery boarding house in which his wife and he lived for a number of years. This oral history recording was part of a project conducted by Jennifer Williams in the year 2000 to capture the everyday life and struggles in Beechworth during the twentieth century. This project involved recording seventy oral histories on cassette tapes of local Beechworth residents which were then published in a book titled: Listen to what they say: voices of twentieth-century Beechworth. These cassette tapes were digitised in July 2021 with funds made available by the Friends of the Burke.Vincent Makaravicius' story is historically and socially significant as it provides a unique insight into the trials, tribulations, hopes, and dreams of Australian immigrants during the mid 20th century. Mr Makaravicius references the turbulent political situation and lack of food in Europe as being the reason for the mass exodus from Europe that saw an influx of refugees and migrants to Australia. His personal account highlights the spirit of survival and perseverance that is quintessential of Australian settler history. His contributions to the township of Beechworth gave him a detailed understanding of the social and historical significance of the township and the people, institutions, and local businesses on which it was built, namely the Beechworth Asylum, the local tannery, and relations between migrants and the established community. This oral history account is socially and historically significant as it is a part of a broader collection of interviews conducted by Jennifer Williams which were published in the book 'Listen to what they say: voices of twentieth-century Beechworth.' While the township of Beechworth is known for its history as a gold rush town, these accounts provide a unique insight into the day-to-day life of the town's residents during the 20th century, many of which will have now been lost if they had not been preserved.This is a digital copy of a recording that was originally captured on a cassette tape. The cassette tape is black with a horizontal white strip and is currently stored in a clear flat plastic rectangular container. It holds up 40 minutes of recordings on each side.Mr. Vincent Makaravicius /listen to what they say, beechworth, oral history, burke museum, vincent makaravicius, wwii, lithuania, kaunas, vilnius, soviet, germany, australia, victory, tannery, beechworth asylum, refugee, jennifer williams