Two page foolscap document stapled in the top left hand corner, photocopied titled "New Trams for Melbourne", draft document? as it has a number changes in pencil to the text. Dated 30/4/1975. Gives details of the Z class trams, equipment, safety features, dimensions and details of builder and suppliers. See also Reg Item for the 2258 for a document headed "Press Release". See Reg Item 86 for the newspaper item for the launch of the tram on 30/4/1975.trams, tramways, z class, launch, press release, new trams, tram 1

Instruction - 5 pages - duplicated foolscap sheets - headed "MMTB Engineering Department - Workshops and Running Shed Branch" - titled "Duties of Electrical Mechanics - Runningsheds" Details electrical work to be done on tramcars at the 100 hours service; trolley pole, electrical equipment, controllers, switches, resistance boxes, line breakers, RC units, motors, governor, compressor, lighting, buzzers, door engines, wipers, brake cylinders and general body eg handrails. Dated May 1970.trams, tramways, depot, safety, workshops, electrical equipment, instructions, procedures

Photocopy of a two page letter to Mr. J. Halfpenny of the Victorian Trades Hall Council, dated 20/2/1990 on PTC letter head titled "Past and future manufacture and installation of modified tram doors", providing information on the a request for information providing information on the supply and installation of new doors to Z class trams, contractors, manufacturers. Problems with modification program, in house work and may require further discussions. Signed by Bruce Shaw, General Manager, Industrial Relations.Has various notations and numbers in the top right hand corner.trams, tramways, preston workshops, z3 class, motors

Agfa colour blue white plastic mount slide, photo by Keith Caldwell of W5 837, in William St between Flinders Lane and Collins St, route 55 to West Coburg via William St. Note the driver is checking his mirror of looking outwards to the left. The tram has adverts for Peter Wright and "Take my advice" featuring an owl. In the background are the National Mutual and Lyle House, Head office of the SEC, built 1921. Slide undated - late 1960'strams, tramways, william st, route 55, west coburg, w5 class

Form - "MMTB Supplementary Running Journal" dated 24/2/1925 giving ticket numbers against specific ticket amounts signed by H Duchess No. 1178 of Prahran depot and Newspaper clippings glued to a sheet of drawing book cardboard sheet comprising: "The story of Coogee", "Veteran ship sunk outside heads", dated 29-7-28, former captains, "Safety of Both sides" featuring a Portsmouth UK double deck trams and a letter about Sunday morningtrams, tramways, cable trams, forms, tickets, prahran

Set of 2 Colour slides- Anscochrome plastic mount taken during 12/70 of W7 1024 (Spencer St Route 74) in Flinders St dressed as the MMTB Christmas Tram .1 - running alongside the Flinders St viaduct. .2 - in Spencer St between Little Collins St and Collins St (Burwood Route 74) with the MMBW building under construction and 616 Little Collins St (MMTB Head Office) in the background. In the view is a shop selling Cadbury's Chocolate.Has slide number written on itemtrams, tramways, w7 class, mmtb, mmbw, route 74, spencer st, flinders st, tram 1024

Plan, hand drawn on waxed paper: Coliban Channel through centre of plan. Written on LH side right of passage over 1 1/2 chains from Melbourne Road Written in red rail water may be returned into channel here VWS fence 3682 drawn in dotted line. Head of drop to bottom of channel drawn inside elevation view on bottom RH corner of plan. Plan also shows Railway reserve, machinery site (un-named)plan, bendigo, coliban channel

BHS CollectionCopy of a newspaper article dated 7/1/1997. Photo shows a photo of a mine. Printed under the photo is: The as yet unidentified Bendigo mine with the unusual equipment. In the photo is the poppet head, chimney, buildings and some gum trees. Written at the top of article is: This mine is similar to the New Carshalton Mine Approx 1934 off Sparrow Hawk Road Long Gully. Dorrie Crossley's Father Ben Williams was the Manager. This is the Don Mine, off Top end Sparrowhawk Road Long Gully.bendigo, history, long gully history group, the long gully history group - the don mine, carshalton mine, dorrie crossley, ben williams, matthew o'sullivan

The Australasian swamphen is a visually striking and socially complex bird found across Oceania. It can be found in eastern Indonesia (specifically the Moluccas, Aru, and Kai Islands), Papua New Guinea, New Zealand, and Australia. As a member of the rail family (Rallidae), it belongs to the diverse order Gruiformes, which also includes cranes and other rail species. Like other rails, it possesses relatively short wings and a strong, elongated bill, both adaptations suited to its semi-aquatic wetland habitat. This swamphen is easily identified by its deep blue-purple plumage, prominent red frontal shield, and sturdy red legs. It primarily inhabits swamps, marshes, and other wet lowland areas, though its range has expanded to include pastures, roadsides, and farmland due to significant landscape modifications over the past 150 years. Unlike many wetland birds, it is highly adaptable and thrives in both natural and human-altered environments. Its diet is similarly flexible, consisting mostly of plant material such as grass stems, shoots, and leaves, but also including invertebrates and, on occasion, the young of other bird species. This specimen was misidentified as a Purple Swamphen in original catalogue records and is part of a collection of almost 200 animal specimens that were originally acquired as skins from various institutions across Australia, including the Australian Museum in Sydney and the National Museum of Victoria (known as Museums Victoria since 1983), as well as individuals such as amateur anthropologist Reynell Eveleigh Johns between 1860-1880. These skins were then mounted by members of the Burke Museum Committee and put-on display in the formal space of the Museum’s original exhibition hall where they continue to be on display. This display of taxidermy mounts initially served to instruct visitors to the Burke Museum of the natural world around them, today it serves as an insight into the collecting habits of the 19th century.This specimen is part of a significant and rare taxidermy mount collection in the Burke Museum. This collection is scientifically and culturally important for reminding us of how science continues to shape our understanding of the modern world. They demonstrate a capacity to hold evidence of how Australia’s fauna history existed in the past and are potentially important for future environmental research. This collection continues to be on display in the Museum and has become a key part to interpreting the collecting habits of the 19th century.This taxidermy specimen is of a Australasian swamphen which is mounted standing on a wooden platform and has a paper identification tag tied to its upper left leg. The specimen has dark colouring on its back and head with a purple-blue coloured neck, breast and belly. The bill is oversized and is orange/red which is the same colour as the frontal shield on the bird's face. The eyes are made from a red and black glass and the legs of this specimen are orange. The legs are elongated and the toes also long and unwebbed. 17e. / Purple Gallinule / Catalogue Page 35 / taxidermy mount, taxidermy, animalia, burke museum, beechworth, australian museum, skin, reynell eveleigh johns, bird, australian birds, swamphen, moorhen, purple bird, hen, purple swamphen, water bird

Items relate to George Frederick Pierce DCM. Refer Cat No 4136P for his service details, award and death. Part of the collection of William (Bill) Thomason, refer Cat No 4136P for more items..1) Four page folding card, front has an embossed map of Australia, central in gold a scroll, Rising Sun, crown and a wreath. Inside has a short poem headed by “Greater love hath no man than this”, next page a brief sympathy message, under in ink an entry by hand. A small string holds the pages together. .2) yellowish envelope with black edging, mail stamps and a 1 penny red stamp. Envelope dated 21 Nov ....... .1) On the front “ Duty - Valour - Honour”. Inside in ink from, ”Mr and Mrs F Stevens"sympathy, cards, military

Items in the collection relating to George Frederick Pierce DCM. Refer Cat No 4136P for his service details, award and death Part of the collection of William (Bill) Thomason, refer Cat No 4136P..1) four page folding card, front cover has a map of Australia, crossed rifles, wreath, Corolla, inside has a short poem headed “He hath fought the good fight”. Next page a brief sympathy message with hand written entry in ink, a small black ribbon holds the pages together. .2) Yellowish envelope with two circular stamp marks, red 1 penny stamp and addressed in black pen. Envelope is stamped “20 NOV 2017.1) front cover,” A world of Sympathy”. Inside in ink from “Hilda C Stephens” .2) on front in black pen, “Mrs J Pierce Sebastian Post Office Via Bendigo”sympathy, cards, military

Australian masked owls are an Australian barn owl species ranging across most of mainland Australia and Tasmania, generally within 300 km of coastline. Masked Owls are a medium sized bird averaging 390-500mm in length with wing spans up to 1250mm. There are several subspecies across Australia and the Tasmanian Masked Owl is the largest. Female Masked Owls are markedly larger than males. Masked Owls prefer forested, woodland, or timbered waterway habitats to open country, and nest in tall trees with suitable hollows and adjacent areas for foraging. They are territorial and hunt small mammals, rodents, rabbits, reptiles and small marsupials. Population numbers are in decline on the mainland and in Victoria the species is considered threatened. This specimen is part of a collection of almost 200 animal specimens that were originally acquired as skins from various institutions across Australia, including the Australian Museum in Sydney and the National Museum of Victoria (known as Museums Victoria since 1983), as well as individuals such as amateur anthropologist Reynell Eveleigh Johns between 1860-1880. These skins were then mounted by members of the Burke Museum Committee and put-on display in the formal space of the Museum’s original exhibition hall where they continue to be on display. This display of taxidermy mounts initially served to instruct visitors to the Burke Museum of the natural world around them, today it serves as an insight into the collecting habits of the 19th century.This specimen is part of a significant and rare taxidermy mount collection in the Burke Museum. This collection is scientifically and culturally important for reminding us of how science continues to shape our understanding of the modern world. They demonstrate a capacity to hold evidence of how Australia’s fauna history existed in the past and are potentially important for future environmental research. This collection continues to be on display in the Museum and has become a key part to interpreting the collecting habits of the 19th century. This Masked Owl specimen is medium sized with a large head and distinctive heart-shaped facial markings. The plumage is mostly brown, patterned with flecks and patches of white, chestnut and light grey. The tail is short and largely concealed by long wing feathers. The face, feathered tarsi and underparts are much paler in contrast to the dorsal plumage, and the facial mask is edged by a distinct dark brown line. The eyes are large and yellow. This specimen stands on a wooden perch pedestal with identification tags attached to its leg. 12. / Delicate Owl / See Catalogue, page, 3 /taxidermy, taxidermy mount, masked owl, burke museum, australian museum, owls, birds of prey, heart-shaped faced owl, nocturnal birds, predator birds, barn owl, carnivore, tyto novaehollandiae, australian masked owl, tytonidae, tyto, territorial owl, threatened species, animalia, australian owls, tasmanian masked owl

At 5pm on 2 May 1975 at Christ Church, Hawthorn, the wedding took place between Kathryn Gwynn Marx of Mason Street, Hawthorn, and William Peter Reeve of Mountain Grove, Kew. The bride's dress was purchased from the 'House of Franke, Stuart', 612 Glenferrie Road, Hawthorn, a very popular place in the 1970s for brides. Kathryn was educated at Ruyton Girls' School with Margaret Franke so it was a nice connection. Margaret's family business had been in operation since 1926. I loved my wedding dress. It was soft and comfortable to wear and kept me warm on the May evening. It was elegant and I knew I would never get the chance to wear something with a long train again. Walking down the staircase at the Windsor Hotel in Melbourne felt very grand; a memory I still hold today. (Kate Reeve, 2022) [Note: Two photos and a newspaper article which are viewable in the image carousel are held in the donation file]Strong local provenance to Hawthorn, Kew and Boroondara due to owner and retailer. It is a representative example of wedding dresses sold in the 1970s. The wedding dress is made of fine soft white jersey with guipure lace around the neckline, wrists and bodice. The long train has three small discreet loops along the hemline which can be slipped onto a finger for a draped effect giving ease of movement for dancing etc. A satin trimmed veil covered the length of the train and was secured on the head with a satin coronet. White leather shoes were worn. The bouquet Phalaenopsis orchids. (Note: the veil and shoes were not part of the donation)Label: Franke Stuart / Hawthornfashion & design - 1970s, wedding dresses, kate reeve, peter reeve, franke stuart, retailers - glenferrie road - hawthorn (vic.)

Black & White studio head & Shoulders female aged mid-thirties. Wearing Hat, gloves, fern leaf with flowers pinned on dress front. Linked chain visible. Eastwood Bros Bairnsdale printed on front. Scrolled ornately on reverse, 'Artists & Photographers, Eastwood Bros, Portrait Parlors, Main Street Bairnsdale. Also, on reverse printed in small letters. 'This or any other portrait enlarged up to life size & painted in oils or watercolors. Extra copies at any time.'Eastwood Bros Bairnsdalephotograph, female

Black and white photograph of a demonstration of a dental procedure on a patient who is receiving anaesthesia. Dr Geoffrey Kaye, wearing a white gown, is holding an instrument to the patient's mandible. An anaesthetist's hands are supporting the patient's head and administering anaesthesia to the patient through an inhaler. A fourth person's hand is holding a mouth gag dental instrument in the patient's mouth. The background of the photo has been covered with black ink so that only Dr Kaye, the patient, and the hands of the anaesthetist and fourth person are visible.•Printed text in black ink on paper label glued under photo: Depression of Mandible by the Operator. •Handwritten with blue ink on reverse: Photo. 5. / (Frame 22).dental procedure, dental instrument, anaesthesia, anaesthetist, patient, geoffrey kaye

Black and white photograph of a demonstration of a dental procedure on a patient who is receiving anaesthesia. Dr Geoffrey Kaye, wearing a white gown, is inserting a mouth-pack into the patient's mouth. The anaesthetist's hands are supporting the patient's head and administering anaesthesia to the patient through an inhaler. A fourth person's hand is holding the patient's mouth open with a mouth gag dental instrument. The background of the photo has been covered with black ink so that only Dr Kaye, the patient, and the hands of the anaesthetist and the fourth person are visible.•Printed text in black ink on paper label glued under photo: Inserting the Mouth-Pack. •Handwritten with blue ink on reverse: Photograph 3. / (Frame 16).dental instrument, dental procedure, geoffrey kaye, anaesthesia, anaesthetist, patient

Illustrated book with dustjacket. Book has a red cover, with title and publisher's name embossed in gilt on spine. Dust jacket has a red background on front and spine with white print. Title, book synopsis and author's name are printed on the front, along with an illustration of a nurse bandaging patient's head. Patient is wearing pajamas and witting in bed. Title and publisher's name are printed on the spine. Details of another book by the same author are printed in black on a white background on the bac k of the dustjacketnon-fictionHundreds of nursing 'howlers' taken from actual examination papers of many great hospitalsnurses, hospital humour

the Orbost State School opened on19th of March 1886. The school had first operated tem­porarily in a leased building, and on a half-time basis with SS2745 Jarrahmond, The head teacher was Campbell Mackay who remained in charge only until 12th of May 1886. The second head teacher, John Rowe, served until 1908. On 30th of June 1887, a portable room was provided; it being brought to the area by schooner. The school now had accommodation for 30 pupils; the teacher's welfare was considered because quarters of two rooms were attached. As the population increased so did the needs of the school. This was reflected in the provision of a larger classroom in 1898. During 1910-11 the first approaches were made to the Department for the establishment of a Higher Elementary School in Orbost and this became a reality in 1912. Orbost. The Higher Elementary School supplied post-primary education in the district until a high school was built in 1948. When fire destroyed the school in 1941 local halls were used as classrooms until a new school was built, opened by the Hon. A. E. Lind, MLA, on 13th of February 1942. But Orbost continued to develop and the new school was soon over­taxed. This resulted in the erection of two Bristol classrooms in 1947. By 1950, when the school population had reached 500 pupils the opening of the new school at Orbost North was welcomed by all concerned. In 1963 the Department purchased land diagonally opposite the school and developed it as a playing area.This item is associated with education in the Orbost district.A black / white photograph of a large school building with two men standing out the front.orbost-state-school education-orbost

Victorian Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (VIOSH) Australia is the Asia-Pacific centre for teaching and research in occupational health and safety (OHS) and is known as one of Australia's leaders on the field. VIOSH has a global reputation for its innovative approach within the field of OHS management. VIOSH had its first intake of students in 1979. At that time the Institution was known as the Ballarat College of Advanced Education. In 1990 it became known as Ballarat University College, then in 1994 as University of Ballarat. It was 2014 that it became Federation University. VIOSH Australia students are safety managers, senior advisors and experienced OHS professionals. They come from all over Australia and industry. Students are taught active research and enquiry; rather than textbook learning and a one-size fits all approach. VIOSH accepts people into the Graduate Diploma of Occupational Hazard Management who have no undergraduate degree - on the basis of extensive work experience and knowledge Memo from Dennis Else to E J Barker, Director of BCAE outlining the support externally for a Health and Safety Centre in Ballarat. The Chief Inspector of Factories in Victoria has also discussed the implementation of a Data Bank to allow input of solutions to various problems discovered on inspections. A detailed document for the case for developing the centre at Ballarat prepared by Dr Dennis Else, Visiting Fellow. He suggests a meeting with Derek Woolley, Head of Engineering and other Heads of School be held.Seven A4 pages, typed - some with hand written notationsD S (Dennis Else)viosh, victorian institute of occupational safety and health, dennis else, e j barker, ballarat college of advanced education, health and safety centre ballarat, chief inspector of factories, data bank, solutions to problems, derek woolley

A hat pin is a decorative pin for holding a hat to the head, usually by the hair that was styled in a Chignon or French Roll style and usually worn in a pair. They are typically around 20 cm in length, with the pinhead being the most decorated part. The hatpin was invented to hold veils in place, and was handmade. Birmingham, England was the centre of production when demand eventually outgrew the number that could be supplied by hand-making and they also began to be imported from France. In 1832, an American machine was invented to manufacture the pins, and they became much more affordable. During the 1880s, bonnets gave way to hats, some of which were very large and the popularity of hatpins soared. In the Victorian era, when appearance was everything, it just wouldn't do for a fashionable lady's hat to blow off in the wind. They remained a standard women's' accessory through the 1910s and were produced in a vast range of materials and types. Hat pin holder boxes were also produced. One of the most well-known makers of hatpins is silversmith Charles Horner, of Halifax, whose turn of the century jewellery company became a leader in the market by creating a series of mass-produced pins that were still of exceptional quality. As a result, thousands of Horner's pins are still on the market and on display in museums worldwide. Women of the 1920’s used hat pins as decoration on their Cloche hats that fitted snugly to their heads. The women of the pioneer families liked to dress up in their best hand made dresses and fashionable hats for Church gatherings and special occasions as a relief from the daily chores of hand washing, ironing with flat irons and cooking over open fires.2 lady's long steel hat pins with sequents in a flower design on mauve material bonnets, hats, veils, scarves, moorabbin, bentleigh, brighton, cheltenham, early settlers, pioneers, clasps, hairdressing, combs, steel pins, jewellery

“A silver-grey robe, denoting a powerful official. The Netleader, or Netmaster, as he is sometimes called is head of one of the many craft guilds on Nrat-Tuan. Fishers Guilds are not only vital economic groups for Nrat-Tuan, but also for the whole Imperium, since the water planet is the major source of foodstuffs for Irusaqu, who cannot produce enough crops on what Is a relatively barren, planet. The various fishing crafts are most responsible occupations, entailing great care for the environment and the food chains. Fishing is carried out by means of either mirrors or nets, both being about equally popular. Mirror-faceted fabrics have always been used by Nrati-Tuan fishermen to dazzle and bemuse the creatures they are trying to catch, (the mirror may also have some predictive power). Research indicates that this odd technique is surprisingly effective. And the harvests are unfailingly good. Contact with the humans of Irusag, when the Imperium was first founded, brought the technique of netting to Nrat-Tuan. The Netleader heads the Netter Guild, which does not limit itself to the merely traditional fishing net, but works with a complex and sophisticated membrane technology, which has, in recent years, revolutionised the whole netting industry. The Master controls the experimental membrane laboratories, which deal with the extraction of metals from sea water, as well as with tools for the fishing industry.” -Inga Hunter

The German occupation during WWII lives on in the memories of those who survived and the relatives of victims. Many Dutch emigrated during the post-war years but maintained their connection with the home country. This item was most likely acquired during a visit at the time of the 1993 exhibition of which it is the catalogue.Soft cover publication containing numerous photos taken between May 1940 and May 1945, the years of occupation by Germany. The contents have been assembled by René Kok, Herman Selier and Erik Somers from the National Institute for War Documentation, Amsterdam. Publisher is Waanders in Zwolle. A single page Foreword was written by Dr .L. de Jong. The six divisions are headed: Introduction, Press Photography, Professional Photography, Colour Photography, Amateur Photography, Illegal Photography. The back cover carries 6 thumbnails indicative of the 6 divisions and a sticker showing the price of €14.95.

To recognise outstanding contributions to the Institution, Life Governor certificates were awarded. Signed by the President and Manager/Secretary of the day, they were worded as follows: "Royal Victorian Institution for the Blind Life Governor. This is to certify that (blank) was this day appointed a Life Governor by the Board of Management." 28th August 1969 - signed by Charles Bennett and F.G. Turley Stanley Marsden Esq. 17th April 1975 - signed by E.J. Hanlon and E. Netson (?) Mrs Phyllis Marsden 20th November 1975 - signed by E.J. Hanlon and E. Netson (?) Mrs Lurleen C. Slaney John H. Weymouth, Esq Alan J. Murphy, Esq Mrs Phyllis Crook Christopher Williams Esq Dr. Alan Crook Adrienne N. Mursell November 19, 1981 - signed by E.J. Hanlon and E. Netson (?) Mrs Phyllis Wilson June 12, 1992 - signed by L. M. McCredie and Peter (?) Donald Gordon Boyle11 certificates with RVIB crest At the head of the page, a round circle with 'Royal Victorian Institute for the Blind' in Gothic typescript, a red crown atop the circle and a red cross with four white stars divides the inside of the circle into four areas. A picture in with and black, against a blue background, rests in each of these quadrants and a banner with the words 'I will lead the blind by a way they know not' is centred in between them. The pictures are: a harp, a bee hive, an open book and a flag with the words 'A.D. 1867'.royal victorian institute for the blind, awards, stanley marsden, phyllis marsden, phyllis crook, alan crook, john weymouth, christopher williams, adrienne mursell, alan murphy, lurleen slaney, phyllis wilson, gordon boyle

Has a strong association with the reunion event arranged by Neil Robe to celebrate 30 years of closure of the SEC tramway in Ballarat., Has a strong association with the reunion event arranged by Neil Robe to celebrate 30 years of closure of the SEC tramway in Ballarat.1964.1 - Colour printed A4 sheet of paper as a Menu at the Queens Head Hotel, Humffray, Ballarat East for the "Tramway's Reunion" dinner on Saturday 15/9/2001 to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the closure of the Ballarat Tramway System. Printed with the Head of Queen Elizabeth II as a watermark, Hotel name overlain by the menu in red, with the name of the event at the top and two images of tram 38 in Wendouree Parade by a tram stop in both left and right hand corners. Printed using a colour bubble jet printer on plain A4 paper. Three copies held. Prepared by Neil Robe - dinner organiser. 1964.2 - A5 sheet photocopied with a Ballarat Tramway Museum 10cent ticket (A163000) blown up to fill the sheet and on the back - handwritten and photocopied - "Available for a complimentary ride on Sunday 16th September - remembering 30 years - S.E.C. Tramway Employees Reunion". Prepared by Richard Gilbert of the BTM. Given to the attendees of the dinner. See also Reg. Item No. 1968 for a photo of the attendees. 2nd copy of 1964.1 - ex Kevin Brookman, added 1/6/2009.2nd copy of 1964.1 added 1/6/2009.trams, tramways, employees, reunions, 30th anniversary

Six cabinet cards produced by Bendigo Photographers. All subjects unnamed. Black and white/sepia. A. 1. Photographer F De Kock & Co Cnr Mitchell and King Streets. Subject is two men, one standing and one seated, dressed formally in jackets, ties and pants. One is holding a hat, while the other's hat is by his elbow. 2. Photographer is Verey & Co Castlemaine and Daylesford. Subject is three men, two seated and one standing, dressed formally in coats and pants. The middle man is holding a cane. B 1. Photographer is Bartlett Bros View Place Sandhurst. Subject is a woman seated in a dining chair with a book on a table. She is dressed in a patterned long sleeved dress adorned with ribbons and lace. 2. Photographer is Bartlett Bros View Place Sandhurst. Subject is a woman posed in profile head and shoulders. C 1. Photographer is Bartlett Bros View Place Sandhurst. Subject is an infant, seated on a fur and dressed in a knitted outfit. 2. Photographer is Bartlett Bros View Place Sandhurst. Subject is a man head and shoulders shot.photograph, portrait

The toy soldier is a relic from the shipwreck of the LOCH ARD in 1878. It has a companion piece in the Flagstaff Hill collection. The toy soldier is unpainted, but the style of uniform, and the weapons carried (a musket and a basket-handled cutlass), indicate it is a representation of the Napoleonic Wars period from the beginning of the nineteenth century. Mass-produced toy soldiers made of cast metal (lead or tin) became popular during the 1800s. Heyde of Germany manufactured silhouette-shaped flat toy soldiers early in the century. Mignot of France released three-dimensional solid figures and later around 1893 W. Britain, a toy company became known for its die-cast lead toy soldiers. These innovations were designed to make sets of toy soldiers more affordable for middle and lower-class children, extending the market beyond the intricately made and hand-crafted replicas that were the preserve of the rich in the eighteenth century. Wooden military figures, specially carved and unpainted ones, were therefore not particularly common at the time when the Loch Ard foundered on Victoria’s southwest coast. Mignot was the first to sell unpainted soldiers, leaving their customers to fill in the colours according to their own patriotic preferences. It is, therefore, possible the two figures in the Flagstaff Hill collection were part of a new set intended for sale, rather than part of a passenger’s existing collection. Loch Ard History: The Loch Ard got its name from ”Loch Ard” a loch that lies to the west of Aberfoyle, and the east of Loch Lomond. It means "high lake" in Scottish Gaelic. The vessel belonged to the famous Loch Line which sailed many vessels from England to Australia. The Loch Ard was built in Glasgow by Barclay, Curle & Co. in 1873, the vessel was a three-masted square-rigged iron sailing ship that measured 79.87 meters in length, 11.58 m in width, and 7 m in depth with a gross tonnage of 1693 tons with a mainmast that measured a massive 45.7 m in height. Loch Ard made three trips to Australia and one trip to Calcutta before its fateful voyage. Loch Ard left England on March 2, 1878, under the command of 29-year-old Captain Gibbs, who was newly married. The ship was bound for Melbourne with a crew of 37, plus 17 passengers. The general cargo reflected the affluence of Melbourne at the time. Onboard were straw hats, umbrellas, perfumes, clay pipes, pianos, clocks, confectionery, linen and candles, as well as a heavier load of railway irons, cement, lead and copper. There were other items included that were intended for display in the Melbourne International Exhibition of 1880. The voyage to Port Phillip was long but uneventful. Then at 3 am on June 1, 1878, Captain Gibbs was expecting to see land. But the Loch Ard was running into a fog which greatly reduced visibility. Captain Gibbs was becoming anxious as there was no sign of land or the Cape Otway lighthouse. At 4 am the fog lifted and a lookout aloft announced that he could see breakers. The sheer cliffs of Victoria's west coast came into view, and Captain Gibbs realised that the ship was much closer to them than expected. He ordered as much sail to be set as time would permit and then attempted to steer the vessel out to sea. On coming head-on into the wind, the ship lost momentum, the sails fell limp and Loch Ard's bow swung back towards land. Gibbs then ordered the anchors to be released in an attempt to hold their position. The anchors sank some 50 fathoms - but did not hold. By this time the ship was among the breakers and the tall cliffs of Mutton Bird Island rose behind. Just half a mile from the coast, the ship's bow was suddenly pulled around by the anchor. The captain tried to tack out to sea, but the ship struck a reef at the base of Mutton Bird Island, near Port Campbell. Waves subsequently broke over the ship and the top deck became loosened from the hull. The masts and rigging came crashing down knocking passengers and crew overboard. When a lifeboat was finally launched, it crashed into the side of Loch Ard and capsized. Tom Pearce, who had launched the boat, managed to cling to its overturned hull and shelter beneath it. He drifted out to sea and then on the flood tide came into what is now known as Lochard Gorge. He swam to shore, bruised and dazed, and found a cave in which to shelter. Some of the crew stayed below deck to shelter from the falling rigging but drowned when the ship slipped off the reef into deeper water. Eva Carmichael a passenger had raced onto the deck to find out what was happening only to be confronted by towering cliffs looming above the stricken ship. In all the chaos, Captain Gibbs grabbed Eva and said, "If you are saved Eva, let my dear wife know that I died like a sailor". That was the last Eva Carmichael saw of the captain. She was swept off the ship by a huge wave. Eva saw Tom Pearce on a small rocky beach and yelled to attract his attention. He dived in and swam to the exhausted woman and dragged her to shore. He took her to the cave and broke the open case of brandy which had washed up on the beach. He opened a bottle to revive the unconscious woman. A few hours later Tom scaled a cliff in search of help. He followed hoof prints and came by chance upon two men from nearby Glenample Station three and a half miles away. In a complete state of exhaustion, he told the men of the tragedy. Tom then returned to the gorge while the two men rode back to the station to get help. By the time they reached Loch Ard Gorge, it was cold and dark. The two shipwreck survivors were taken to Glenample Station to recover. Eva stayed at the station for six weeks before returning to Ireland by steamship. In Melbourne, Tom Pearce received a hero's welcome. He was presented with the first gold medal of the Royal Humane Society of Victoria and a £1000 cheque from the Victorian Government. Concerts were performed to honour the young man's bravery and to raise money for those who lost family in the disaster. Of the 54 crew members and passengers on board, only two survived: the apprentice, Tom Pearce and the young woman passenger, Eva Carmichael, who lost her family in the tragedy. Ten days after the Lochard tragedy, salvage rights to the wreck were sold at auction for £2,120. Cargo valued at £3,000 was salvaged and placed on the beach, but most washed back into the sea when another storm developed. The wreck of Lochard still lies at the base of Mutton Bird Island. Much of the cargo has now been salvaged and some items were washed up into Lochard Gorge. Cargo and artefacts have also been illegally salvaged over many years before protective legislation was introduced in March 1982. One of the most unlikely pieces of cargo to have survived the shipwreck was a Minton majolica peacock- one of only nine in the world. The peacock was destined for the Melbourne 1880 International Exhibition. It had been well packed, which gave it adequate protection during the violent storm. Today the Minton peacock can be seen at the Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum in Warrnambool. From Australia's most dramatic shipwreck, it has now become Australia's most valuable shipwreck artifact and is one of very few 'objects' on the Victorian State Heritage Register.The toy soldier represents a 19th-century child's interest in military history. The item is one of two toy soldiers recovered from the Loch Ard in Flagstaff Hill's collection. The shipwreck of the Loch Ard is of significance for Victoria and is registered on the Victorian Heritage Register ( S 417). Flagstaff Hill has a varied collection of artefacts from Loch Ard and its collection is significant for being one of the largest accumulations of artefacts from this notable Victorian shipwreck of which the subject items are a small part. The collections of objects give us a snapshot of how we can interpret the story of this tragic event. The collection is also archaeologically significant as it represents aspects of Victoria's shipping history, allowing us to interpret Victoria's social and historical themes. Through is associated with the worst and best-known shipwreck in Victoria's history.An unpainted, cream-coloured toy soldier, recovered from the Loch Ard. The figure wears a Napoleonic Wars-era uniform, a plumed helmet, a short jacket with tails, bib-front trousers with button closure, straps crossed at the front and back, and epaulettes. The figure is in marching posture with one foot extended forward, and is bearing a musket at the slope-arms position, with a sabre or cutlass slung behind. It is unable to stand on its own. There are reddish-brown and orange-brown stains on the head and body. The body has seams along both sides that are uneven at the lower leg. There is a hole in the back and the inside is hollow. The material has a rough texture.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, flagstaff hill maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, loch ard, toy soldier, napoleonic uniforms, military toy, moulded soldier

The Mural is a picture in wool of the origin of the Ballan district and is made of pure wool donated by local growers.The centre panel is a reproduction of a sketch by Emma von Stieglitz in 1852 of the Ballan General Store. The ram's heads symbolise the importance of wool to the area and the circular shapes the transport of the day. Mrs Grace Slocombe designed the Mural, fifty-three local craftswomen (and one man) began the work in November 1981, and the finished work was exhibited at the 1982 Ballan Arcadian Arts Festival. The Mural was also exhibited at the 1982 Royal Melbourne Show then went on a tour of of various country areas in Victoria. It now hangs in the Ballan Old Courthouse.The Mural is significant to the local area.A text document on the story of the Wool Mural made for the Ballan Arcadian Festival in 1982.ballan art and craft society, grace slocombe, kathy diamond, enid swan, jessie mclean, joyce strickland, margaret young, cynthia ranken, dorie young, wool, wool mural