A laminated black and White poster advertising "Far from the Madening Crowd" at the Forest Hill Theatre. No dateA black and white poster advertising "Far from the Madening Crowd" at the Forest Hill Theatreforest hill theatre, films

The first bus started running 3rd January 1924 from Tunstall Station to Forest Hill to Burwood.The first bus from Tunstall to Forest Hill to Burwood started 3rd January 1925.tunstall, forest hill, bus, transport

The Forest Fire Danger Index (FFDI) was originally invented by the grandfather of Australian bushfire science, Alan Grant McArthur, during the 1950s and ‘60s. Alan published his landmark paper, “Controlled burning in eucalypt forests” in 1962. Leaflet No. 80, as it was known, proved a turning point for forest and fire managers across Australia. More importantly, Alan was very practical forester and wanted his work to be useful to people in the field, so after several iterations he came up with the now familiar circular slide rule called the Forest Fire Danger Meter (FFDM). The Mk 4 version first appeared in operational use in 1967. This is the Mark 5 from 1992Alan McAthur's scientific legacy with the FFDI meter is unquestionably huge and has served forest firefighters very well over the decades.Control burning meter Series of circular slide rules to calculate Forest Fire Danger Index (FFDI)bushfire, forests commission victoria (fcv)

An early black and white photograph of the forest near the Cumberland Falls in Victoria.An early black and white photograph of the forest near the Cumberland Falls in Victoria. The falls are located on the Marysville-Wood's Point Road. Cambarville is notable for its giant mountain ash (Eucalyptus regnans) trees within the Cumberland Memorial Scenic Reserve, and relics from former sawmills and gold mining. The Big Culvert is located nearby on the Marysville - Woods Point Road, which was historically part of the Yarra Track. Cambarville was established as a timber mill town in the 1940s. Timber mill owners A Cameron and FJ Barton named Cambarville. They established the mill to salvage timber from trees destroyed in the 1939 bushfires. Cambarville was impacted by the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires and any remaining structures were destroyed.ARMSTRONG COLLECTION 42 STATION STREET/ SANDRINGHAM 3191/ TEL. (03) 9521 5442/ IAN M.L. ARMSTRONG OAMcumberland falls, cambarville, marysville, victoria, waterfalls, postcard, souvenir, mountain ash, mining, timber mills, big culvert, yarra track, a cameron, fj barton, black saturday bushfires, 1939 bushfires, eucalyptus regnans

Considered in terms of both loss of property and loss of life, the Black Friday bushfires on 13 January 1939 were one of the worst disasters to have occurred in Australia and certainly the worst bushfire up to that time. The fires burnt 2 million hectares, 69 sawmills were destroyed, 71 people died, and several towns and sawmills were entirely obliterated. Among those killed were four men from the Commission The subsequent Royal Commission conducted by Judge Leonard Stretton has been described as one of the most significant inquiries in the history of Victorian public administration. Its recommendations led to sweeping changes. In addition to building dams and water points, the Stretton Royal Commission recommended expanding and controlling the use of bushfire dugouts at forest sawmills. Well-constructed dugouts had saved the lives of many sawmill workers and their families during the 1939 bushfires. But in some locations, they had proved fatal. Dugouts became mandatory for those few sawmills that remained in the forest after the 1939 fires. Many remote logging coupes and FCV roading camps also had dugouts. The local District Forester was required to make annual pre-season inspections of all dugouts on State forests and those within the Fire Protected Area (FPA). Some were built privately on private land. Most were primitive construction with a log or corrugated iron roof covered with earth. A hessian bag often hung at the entrance to keep the heat and smoke out. But they were dark and damp with snakes and other creepy crawlies often lurking inside. By 1940-41 there were 19 new dugouts constructed by the Commission and a further 128 by forest licensees. Ten years later there were 8 new Commission dugouts and 21 new ones built by other interests. By 1960-61 the rate of new builds was declining but the Commission still managed 103 dugouts while 127 were looked after by others. However, as the forest road network improved and gave all-weather access to modern two-wheel-drive vehicles the reliance on dugouts receded.Large metal sign that was positioned near forest dugoutsbushfire, forest signs, forests commission victoria (fcv)

Booklet owned by Arthur Baggaley, Fruiterer, who lived at 15 Forest Street, Bendigo. His business 'C.A. Baggaley & Son' was at Covent Garden, Mitchell Street, Bendigo. Arthur was born in Bendigo in 1903 to Charles Arthur Baggaley and Ada (Mallon). He married Evelyn May Grigg. Arthur died in September, 1993.Six page booklet, on front cover: Laughable Dialogues for School and Public Entertainments, Social Gatherings, &c, &c, (free from objectionable language and incident) by S. Knowles, No. 13 "Is Marriage a Failure?'.Baggaley CollectionOn front cover overwritten on text "A. Baggaley, Forest Street, Bendigo'.fruiterer, confectioner, business, mitchell street, covent garden, entertainment, play script, marriage

Several "Kanyana Special"s ran from Beech Forest to Colac in the late 1950s to the early 1960s. This photograph of the locomotive G41 and carriages was taken in Beech Forest on 1 March 1959. In the background the Anglicn Church and the Otway Shire Hall and residence are shown.Beech Forest. "Kanyana Special" departing. 1 March 1959. Anglican Church and house, Otway Shire Hall and residence in background. Colour.colac; beech forest; "kanyana special"; anglican church; otway shire hall; locomotive g41;

An early black and white photograph of two men in the forest alongside the top level of Steavenson Falls in Marysville in Victoria.An early black and white photograph of two men in the forest alongside the top level of Steavenson Falls in Marysville in Victoria. The Steavenson Falls is named after the Victorian Assistant Commissioner of Roads and Bridges, John Steavenson who arrived in Victoria in the early 1860s.steavenson falls, marysville, victoria, waterfalls, john steavenson

Photo is of Moora Moora in the Victorian Valley. Typical of the time as a promotional image taken by Forests Commission Victoria.View over a large Valley with ranges in the distance. Roads through the valley are visible and a body of water in the middle right of the photograph. A rocky outcrop is in the left side foreground.Publicity & Public Relations Branch. When reproducing please acknowledge Forests Commission Victoria Negative no. 322-26scenery, grampians ranges

Flag used by Rotary International - Forest Hill.Cream oblong flag with yellow and blue logo 'Rotary International'. On header of flag 'R.C. of Forest Hill' on either end of Header is a gromnet each side.Rotary Internationalflag, rotary international, forest hill

After the 1939 bushfires, the Forests Commission invested heavily in a radically new communications network. After suffering some inevitable delays due to the War, radio VL3AA switched into full operation in October 1945 proudly beaming out 200 watts across the State. The communication systems were regarded at the time to be more technically advanced than the police and the military. These pioneering efforts were directed by Geoff Weste, and later technical experts like Rex Philpot, John Whitehead, Charlie Reisinger and many others who designed, built and repaired most of the radio equipment. There was a dedicated radio laboratory at Surrey Hills in Melbourne. The purpose and operation of this particular instrument is unknown.FCV testing meterMade in the radio laboratory of the Forests Commission Victoriaradio, forests commission victoria (fcv)

Decimal currency was spectacularly introduced in an overnight overthrow on 14 February 1966, but it took another 8 years before metrication finally arrived in the forest and timber industry. Eventually, the measurement of logs and sawn timber changed from imperial, and excruciating, measures such as super feet of sawn timber, billets and cunits (100 cubic feet) of stacked pulpwood and hoppus log volumes to simpler cubic metres. Measuring firewood was a particular nightmare. For example, there were standard chords, stove cords, kitchen cords, running cords, face cords, thrown chords, fencing cords, country cords, long cords, raummeter or steres (1m x 1m x 1m). A standard cord of firewood had a volume of 128 cubic feet, measured as a pile 8 feet long, 4 feet high and 4 feet wide (3.624 m3). And how about this for confusing…. in Victoria, an imperial or long ton (by measure) of green firewood was a stack 5 feet long billets (2 axelengths at 2′ 6″ each), one axelength high (2′ 6″) and two axelengths long (5 feet) equalling 62.5 cubic feet. For added befuddlement, there were three different sorts of tons: Imperial tons or long tons, American short tons and metric tonnes (spelled with two n’s). Not forgetting that a cubic imperial ton of firewood (40 cubic feet) which equalled 1.133 cubic metre. The metrication process began in 1974 and was completed by 1976 but the transition was not without its challenges along the supply chain for foresters, overseers, logging contractors, sawmillers, hardware stores and builders alike. Timber lengths changed from feet to metres but were still sold in multiples of one foot or 0.3 m (1.8, 2.1, 2.4, 2.7 etc) whereas a menacing lump of 4-Bee-2 transformed into a rather less colourful 100mm by 50mm. Measurement and calculations of area also became so much easier in hectares rather than complicated acres, roods and perches. The Forest Metriverter slide-rule was issued by the Forestry and Timber Bureau to make metric conversions easier.Forest MetriverterRoss Pennyforest measurement, surveying, forests commission victoria (fcv)

An early black and white photograph of a corduroy road running through the forest near Marysville in Victoria.An early black and white photograph of a corduroy road running through the forest near Marysville in Victoria. A corduroy road (or log road) is a type of road or timber trackway made by placing logs, perpendicular to the direction of the road over a low or swampy area. The result is an improvement over impassable mud or dirt roads, yet rough in the best of conditions and a hazard to horses due to shifting loose logs.ARMSTRONG COLLECTION 42 STATION STREET/ SANDRINGHAM 3191/ TEL. (03) 9521 5442/ IAN M.L. ARMSTRONG OAMcorduroy road, marysville, victoria

Upon confirmation that a new bridge was to be built, there was some discussion about the possibility of retaining the old bridge for pedestrian purposes, or part of the old bridge as a fishing platform. These letters are part of the correspondence re an organisation taking responsibility for the ongoing maintenance so the old bridge could be retained.The old bridge was constructed of locally sourced timber and was such an important structure to the town when built. Its sentimental value saw locals attempt (although unsuccessfully) to retain the old bridge.Two A4 Typewritten letters, one from the Road Construction Authority to the National Trust Australia, the other from the Department of Conservation Forests & Lands to Mr John Irvine. And one hand written letter.RCA letter is stamped "Received 22 Aug 1985", Dept of Conservation Forests & Lands has a pencilled phone no inscribed.peterborough, curdies river bridge, old peterborough bridge, department of conservation forest & lands, road construction authority

Tom Jenkins opened the Australian Stamp and Coin Company at Forest Hill Chase 24 years ago at the age of 60 and has customers in 79 countries.Tom Jenkins opened the Australian Stamp and Coin Company. jenkins, tom, australian stamp and coin company, forest hill chase

Locomotive 8A, two freight cars, a passenger car and a guard's van leave Crowes Station for Beech Forest. Crowes Station consists of a two-layered station building, a goods shed and a toilet at a three-line terminus.Crowes Station soon after opening in 1912 with Locomotive 8A about to depart for Beech Forest and Colac.crowes; station; railway; locomotive;

When the numerous gold mines declined in production, the eucalyptus oil industry became an important source of work. The first eucalyptus oil producer in Bendigo was a chemist called Richard Sandner who operated a plant and refinery in Bridge Street from 1876. By 1900, many other distillers operated on the northern edge of Bendigo and in the Whipstick. In 1926, the Forest Commision established a eucalyptus distillery at Gunyah in Wellsford State Forest. See the Wellsford Forest Note for more information. Today, there are just two eucalypt distilleries operating in Bendigo. Most of the world’s eucalyptus oil is now produced overseas. Peter Ellis Collection: eight slides of his Holden FJ and a friend's car in the Whipstick Forest. Peter Ellis was a chemistry lecturer at the Bendigo Institute of Technolgyhistory, bendigo, peter ellis collection, bendigo institute of technology, b.i.t., whipstick bendigo, bendigo state forests, eucalyptus oil

Looking acoss Kalorama Valley. Roof of Kalorama Guest-house, owned by Ellis and Eliza Jeeves, in foreground with two other houses, forest and cleared section. Taken from Barbers Road. Black and white photograph with four buildings visible, cleared crop areas and sparse forest. Washing hangs on a line in the foreground.barbers road, guest house, kalorama guest-house

From the early 1960s, the Forests Commission had pre-season arrangements in place with local aeroclubs and pilots across regional Victoria. Air observers from FCV districts routinely flew during the summer months in small, fixed-wing aircraft on fire spotting missions and to map fire boundaries. The information was often needed quickly by crews on the ground or in the control centre and these small chutes were used to drop messages and maps from the reconnaissance aircraft on a low pass above a cleared area like a football field. About 3-foot long when fully extended, they had a small pouch secured with a press stud for the map or package. The chutes were made from tough canvas with a small, weighted sandbag at one end and a long yellow streamer tail on the other to help direct its fall and locating it on the ground. Drop chutes were still in common use in the 1990s, but the increased availability of helicopters combined with improved digital data transfer made drop chutes redundant. Simple, but now redundant technologyAerial drop chute"Return to Forests Comm Vic" stenciled on sidebushfire