From the 18th Century museums and individuals have collected man's manufacturing work, the bottle. In Australia some collections have been in existence for over 60 years although most collections stem from the mid- to late 1960s. This national exhibition, the ninth Australian exhibition, is conducted by the Colac Bottle Collectors Club in 1980 to foster the collection, study and preservation of old bottles. The majority of bottle shows are run on competitive lines with the host club setting the categories and judged by collectors considered to have wide knowledge and experience. Ninth National Bottle Exhibition, Colac, Victoria. Your souvenir booklet. Colac Bottle Collectors Club; Colac (Vic); 1980. 36 p.; illus. Soft cover.colac; bottles; collectors; history; glass; ceramics;

Born in the Otways at Tanybryn in 1929 where he spent the bulk of his life he started writing poems in 1999 and since then has had over 100 poems listed. While many poems are memories of what has gone in Paddy's past he also pens about current day events, such as "Bob and Betty", or just about life as he sees it, such as "Diamonds in the Sky".Paddy's poems. The poetry of Paddy O'Connor, the Otway poet. P.J. O'Connor; Apollo Bay (Vic); 2004. vii, 121 p.; illus. Soft cover. ISBN 0 646 44331 3Paddy & Betty O'Connor 61 Wallace Street Colac VIC 3250paddy o'connor; poems; otways;

The State Savings Bank of Victoria passbook number 67563 running from October 1959 until mid 1982 has several features. (1) The cover is held in place by string. (2) The cover has the name of Colac printed on it. (3) Inside the front cover the SSB conditions relating to Depositors, and the Rules and Regulations of the SSB. (4) Inside the back cover the SSB branches and agencies are printed.. (5) On the inside back cover the withdrawl by depositors from branches other than their own. (6) Inside, the February 14 1966 decimal currency conversion.Beech Forest Progress Association passbook 67563, 29 October 1959 to 1 June 1981. The State Savings Bank of Victoria, Colac Branch. (1) Original passbook number crossed out and the number 67563 inserted. (2) re Estate of S.R. Cameron dec'd, from Clarke & Barwood. Memorandum included.beech forest progress association; passbook; state savings bank; dc conversion; state bank of victoria;

On the 18th August, 1896, the question of selecting localities for the permanent survey of a narrow-gauge line to Beech Forest from Colac was mooted. Two potential lines were examined. In a memorandum to the Minister for Railways, dated 23rd March, 1897, the Engineer-in-Chief recommended that the eastern and longer route via Lardner's Track be adopted. The second route, while identical from Colac to Gellibrand River, differed. By a more direct route the Beech Forest terminus is reached 5 miles sooner and cost approximately L24,500 less. The direct line would also serve a larger lot of settlers and would obtain a larger lot of traffic than the alternate proposal. The Parlimentary Standing Committee on Railways examined the proposal in situ and recommended that the direct route from Gellibrand to Beech Forest should be adopted and the Lardner's Track route should be abandoned at once.Photograph, Railway Survey Camp, 4 April 1897. Inspection of alternative routes by Parliamentary Committee on Railways.People named in the photograph.beech forest; railway; survey; victorian parliament; calcutt; fraser; e.h. cameron; d. mciville; a. harris; n. mcinnes; j.s. white; j. wood; t. baker; j. gardner; t.g. watson; standing committee;

Gradient diagram. Colac to Beech Forest to Crowes. 2'6" gauge.colac; tulloh; coram; barongarook; water tanks; birnam; karwarren; hitt's siding; lovat; gellibrand; banool; wimba; mcdevitt; dinmont; devitt bros' siding; ditchley; beech forest; buchanan; ferguson; weeaproinah; pettitt bros' siding; j & m knott siding; kincaid siding; wyelangta; pettitt's siding; stalker; macknott; laver's hill; crowes; gradient;

B/W. 168mm x 246mm. Colac - Beech Forest railway line. From the 27 mile 16 chains line (44.7 km) looking north, between Devitt Bros. Siding (44.1 km) and Ditchley (47 km). On an NA-class locomotive, six NQR wagons, and an open wagon there are workmen throughout. colac; beech forest; railways; devitt bros. siding; ditchley; loco na class

Locomotive 5A, driver and eight workmen looking at camera.colac; beech forest; railway; loco 5a;

G41 derailed at Crowes at "The Black Stump" on 7 July 1942, with Con Duggan, G. Newland and Frank Woosnan observing.. G41 over "The Black Stump" at Crowes, 7 July 1942.crowes; g41; derailment; con duggan; frank woosnan; g. newland; colac;

At 10 mile creek (Water Tanks) during the building of the Colac-Beech Forest railway in 1900.colac; beech forest; railway; 10 mile creek; water tanks;

Lavers Hill. UP goods shunting siding, 9 December 1954. Red Bedford truck in backgroung. Colour.colac; beech forest; crowes; lavers hill; railway; shunting;

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;

A ganger, Frank Woosman, is digging ballast near a railway gangers' trolley.Out on the track. Colac-Beech Forest-Crowes Railway. c.1940colac; beech forest; crowes; frank woosman; gangers' trolley; railway;

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;

Leaving Colac the narrow gauge train goes through Tulloh. Coram, Barongarook, Kawarren, Lovat, Gellibrand, Banool, Wimba, McDevitt, Weeaproinah, Devitt Bros., and Ditchley before it reaches Beech Forest, and vice versa. The distance in miles, the height above sea level and the timing from the starting point is given. Note that Weeaproinah W NC changed its name to Dinmont when the Crowes line extension is built. Colac-Beech Forest timetable for May, 1911 showing the DOWN train from Colac to Beech Forest, and the UP train from Beech Forest to Colac plus annotations.colac; melbourne; tulloh; coram; barongarook; kawarren; lovat; gellibrand; banool; wimba; mcdevitt; weeaproinah; devitt bros.; ditchley; beech forest; railway; timetable;

On Tuesday, 4 October 1904, the first serious railway accident occurred on the Colac-Beech Forest line near Beech Forest. As no train was scheduled that day in the afternoon the crew decided to fetch some wood from down the line. They fired the boiler on locomotive 3A, attached two trucks to the locomotive and moved out of the station. When they arrived opposite the Ditchley Park Hotel they stopped the engine and adjourned to the bar for some refreshments before beginning work. While they were engaged some local children boarded the unattended engine, started it, panicked when it began moving and jumped out leaving in to speed away and tip on a curve in a cutting at Ditchley. The engine was severely damaged. However, its cause remained an Otways secret. The official reason given for the accident is that the driver had fallen out of the engine while engaged in shunting allowing it to run away out of control.Locomotive No. 3A and goods wagons following their derailment at Beech Forest, 4 October 1904.beech forest; railways; narrow gauge; derailment;

Gellibrand station was one of the larger and more important stations possessing a waiting room, station office, parcels shed and refreshment room joined by a common verandah. The refreshment room was managed for many years by Mrs. O'Neill who, with her staff, around 1920, offered a hot meal for one shilling. In the afternoon, a "cuppa and rock cakes" was available to passengers on the train to Colac. Other patrons were workers from the various establishments in the railway yard.Gellibrand Station Master and Refreshment Room staff, plus two men, under the verandah of the Refreshment Rooms, in front of two railway lines.gellibrand; railways; refreshments; mrs. o'neill;

At its peak the Beech Forest railway employed more than 21 staff between Colac and Crowes. Gangers (men in charge of the track gangs) tended to be promoted into the Otways but many of their subordinate repairers were local recruits. A few of the men who worked in the original construction gangs of 1900-1902 remained and obtained positions in the track gangs along the line. The track was maintained by seven three-man gangs based at Colac, Barongarook, Gellibrand, Banool, Beech Forest (2), and Lavers Hill. However, track gangs lessened as the line shortened. After 1954, the sole surviving track gang, in charge of Paddy Balcombe, stayed until the line closed.A railway track gang, with helper, trolleying to a work site, on 14 December, 1955.beech forest; railways; track gang;

At its peak the Beech Forest railway employed more than 21 people between Colac and Crowes tending the line the trains ran over. The gangers (the men in charge of the track gangs) tended to be promoted into the Otways but many of their subordinate repairers were local recruits. A few of the men who worked on the original construction gangs of 1900-1902 remained and obtained positions in the track gangs along the line. The track was maintained by seven three-man gangs based at Colac, Barongarook, Gellibrand, Banool, Beech Forest (2), and Lavers Hill. The ganger for Beech Forest 2 gang resided at Wyelangta. However, the track gangs lessened as the line shortened. Three men with spades on the line, thought to be at Barongarook, c.1925. B/W.barongarook; railways; track gangs;

With the approval of the railways, in February1959 a special tourist train was organized by the Australian Railways Historical Society in conjunction with the "Kanyana: Festival Committee of Colac, Victoria, to run from Colac to Beech Forest. Eight NBH carriages, in store at Newport, were transferred to Colac. The train proved to be so popular that additional trains were later run over the next two years until the temporarily disused Puffing Billy needed the NBH carriages returned.Locomotive G42, labelled "A.R.H.S., Special Excursion, Kanyana", with a guard's van, eight NBH excursion carriages and an additonal guard's van attached, stands at Gellibrand Station with a large group of passengers milling outside the train. Note on the left a group of domestic railway dwellings, and, on the right side, two empty wagons. B/W.beech forest; colac; railways; a.r.h.s.; kanyana festival committee;

Locomotive G41 on a trestle bridge at Colac Station with two enginemen. Another G class locomotive sits in the background. B/W.colac; beech forest; railway; locomotive g41;

On the Colac-Beech Forest-Crowes railway line the section from Ferguson to Crowes was closed in December 1954, but reopened as far as Weeaproinah in January 1955. The section to Crowes, left to its own devices, was rapidly covered with vegetation which had to be cleared when rail recovery trains later ran. The track to Crowes was pulled up in 1961. Crowes track being dismantled at the ashpit ready for loading into NQR wagons. colac; beech forest; crowes: railway;

Railway bridge over the Gellibrand River, 1902. Note the people on the roadway bridge in the top left corner. B/W.colac; beech forest; gellibrand; railway;

Drivers were highly skilled enginemen. Taking a train from Beech Forest to down to Gellibrand required the train to be controlled at 10 mph (16 km) without running out of air. When a brake application was made the brakes on the locomotive were applied harder than the train brakes. The brakes locked up and the engine would just slide along. Drivers used a retention valve on the loco, then released the loco brakes so as not to wear out the brake shoes. So the train pulled into Gellibrand ready to pull out again after refilling the loco with water.At Gellibrand, a Down goods train is about to depart the station on 14 December 1955. The train consists of the locomotive G42, a louvre van NO, two NQ wagons and a guard's or brake van NC. B/W.gellibrand; colac; beech forest; railway;

At its peak the Colac-Beech Forest-Crowes railway employed more than 21 staff tending the lines that the trains ran over. Gangers (the men in charge of the track gangs) tended to be promoted into the Otways but many of their subordinate repairers were local recruits. A few of the men who worked on the original construction gangs of 1900-02 remained and obtained positions in the track gangs along the line, but these eased out over time. The track was maintained by seven three-man gangs based at Colac, Barongarook, Gellibrand, Banool, Beech Forest (where the second Beech Forest crew was based at Wyelangta), and Lavers Hill.Track gang on an NK wagon at Beech Forest, c.1940. Snow covers the ground. B/W.colac; beech forest; crowes; railway; track gangs;

From late in 1960 VR took what were the first definite steps to close the Colac-Beech Forest line. 1,101 tonnes of freight per year flowed from Colac to Beech Forest because of increasing competition from the roads. From 1 July 1960 onwards, when pulpwood (hardwood) stopped being shipped from Beech Forest, a maximum of only 7,000 tonnes/year would be shipped to Colac. Including special trips passenger revenue earned a little more than $200 per annum. The issue of second-hand sleepers stopped entirely and the two track gangs only patrolled the track and tightened loose bolts. The line did not earn its way and on 4 November 1960 it was recommended that services over the narrow gauge line be discontinued.The rear of a goods train from Colac arrives at Beech Forest on 9 August 1961. The other line is the former Crowes line truncated at Weeaproinah in January 1955. In the background is the Beech Forest Hall and Shire of Otway offices. Colour.colac; beech forest; railway;

In early 1959 N.B.H. excursion cars were mounted on trains running from Colac to Beech Forest and Weeaproinah. Over the next three years much use was made of them bringing tourists up the line.Beech Forest Station, 21 November 1959. Passengers at the side of N.B.H. excursion cars on the right. B/W.beech forest; railway;

The Webster family disembarking from a 7 NB passenger carriage at Laver's Hill in c.1920. B/W. lavers hill; colac; beech forest; railways;

G41 engine and mixed goods carriages on the southern track nearest the Goods Shed, NQ trucks laden with timber next, an empty line, and further carriages next to the station building at Beech Forest in 1950. B/w.beech forest; colac; railways;

A mixed goods train with G41 locomotive changing tracks just after the balloon reversing loop, with piles of timber on the right and a shed on the left. B/W.beech forest; colac; railways;

Mrs Mabel Olive Hobson (nee Nichols, b. 1895), owner of Cavan House, a guest house, in Lavers Hill, was a valuable community member who did a lot around district. When she died in Colac in 1957 a memorial collection plate inscribed with her details was given to the Presbyterian Church in Lavers Hill. The Church was built in the early 1900s.Wooden circular bowl, two lips around the outer edge, with red felt in centre, 54mm steel inscription. On verso, raised lip with red felt insert in centre. "In Loving Memory of Mrs Mable Hobson November 12th 1957"lavers hill; presbyterian church; mabel hobson;