Constructed during the overhaul of locomotive G 42 in 1954/1955. This stack was the exhaust for the coal fired Garratt locomotive G 42 and replaced the ornate stack it had been built with by Beyer Peacock in England in 1926. The overhaul was carried out between it's last run on the Moe to Walhalla railway and prior to locomotive being placed in service, for the first time, on the Colac to Beech Forest railway line. The stack remained in use until 1962, when the locomotive was withdrawn, and was still connected to the boiler until restoration of G 42 was undertaken. Locomotive G 42, with its replica ornate stack, was restored by the Puffing Billy Preservation Society in 2004 and can be seen operating on the Puffing Billy Railway. G 42 Stack - era 1955G 42 Stack - era 1955 made of cast Metal

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

Bushfire perimeter rather than bushfire area is the main control problem for firefighters on the ground. A conundrum rapidly compounded by spot fires. A small 5 ha fire can be nearly 1 km around the perimeter. That's a long way to build a control line by hand in rough bush. Dry firefighting techniques by hand were mostly confined to “knocking down” or “beating out” the flames, as well as "digging out". Digging or raking a “mineral earth” trail down to bare dirt proved most effective in forest fuels which, unlike grass, tend to retain heat and smoulder. Early tools were whatever happened to be close at hand. They were simple and primitive and included shovels, slashers, axes, hoes, beaters and rakes. A cut branch to beat the flames was often the only thing available. Farming and logging tools, developed over centuries of manual labour, and readily available at local hardware stores came into use, but little thought was given to size, weight, and balance. For years foresters experimented with combination tools. In about 1952 fire beaters and other implements were being replaced with Rakuts.Fire tool used before the introduction of RakehoesRakut - Fire Rake and cutting toolGreen and red coloured handle and 020 marking indicated which FCV District the tool belonged tobushfire

The origins of the humble handheld driptorch have been lost in time. They are widely used for ignition in controlled burning operations in forest and grasslands. The “Pacific Forester“ with its short central wand and somewhat leaky ball-valve was made by the American Wajax company in the 1940s. The Pacific Forester is slightly different in design from the more robust and common “Panama” driptorch first manufactured in 1933 and used extensively by Queensland cane farmers. The Panama is closely related to the current “Firebug” used in Victoria which is manufactured by Rodney Industries in Brisbane and has an offset wand design which gives it good balance. The fuel is a mixture of petrol and diesel and every FCV District had their own closely-guarded secret formula ... 2:1, 3:1, 1:1, 4:1 or 3:2 ratio. There was also the choice of 91, 95 or 98 octane petrol mixed with summer or winter diesel. Occasionally some of the old Avgas or Jet-A1 lying around the depot was added with a splash of engine oil to make the mixture stick to the fuel to be ignited. The fuel mixed also varied between autumn or spring, heathland, mixed forest, or high-intensity slash burnsCommon driptorch used throughout AustraliaDrip torch with handle Wand has loop and valve. The loop is designed to assist with even flow of fuel which flows out onto the burning head of the wand. Pressure equalising value in top of aluminum fuel container which holds 4 litres of burner mix. Gravitational feed of the driptorch allows the unit to drip fire, making it simple and quick to operate. Instructions for use. CF+L written with texta pen.bushfire

Rebuilding of the Keg Restaurant after a fire.Rebuilding of the Keg Restaurant after a fire.keg restaurant, restaurants, springvale road, forest hill, sartori, john, tonks, barry

Stephen Henty married Jane Pace in Fremantle April 1836; four sons and six daughters were the issue of the marriage. Mrs. Stephen Henty was born in Yorkshire on 14 April 1812, and she died in Hamilton on 02 February 1906. She was the first white woman to settle permanently in Western Victoria, arriving in Portland on 18 December 1836. From a small booklet "Old Memories," written by Jane Henty on her 84th birthday. 'My husband and I arrived at Portland Bay in 1836, though he had made some trips there previously. It was on a Sunday night we landed by moonlight. I was carried on shore through the surf by a sailor. On reaching the homestead, a comfortable dwelling composed of four rooms, kitchen and dairy, a bright log fire was burning, table spread with a large pot loaf, piles of eggs and tea. Edward had not travelled inland, but my husband never rested until he had gone all through the interior, cut a track through 15 miles of forest land with two men and a dray, and arrived on the banks of the Wannon. He used to be absent for weeks at a time, causing me great anxiety. The natives were not to be trusted, so he usually took with him an expiree from Tasmania. Stephen Henty fixed all three of the first stations -Muntham, Merino Downs, and Sandford. In July 1837 Stephen sent some fine flocks of merino sheep to Muntham, having previously had a hut built for the men, and yards for the sheep; his two brothers, John and Frank, took charge of the sheep on the road. "On August 3, 1837, my son Richmond was born the very day the sheep arrived at Muntham. Edward was in Tasmania at the time, and arrived three weeks after the birth of my son, with his brother James and his son... My husband and Edward were in partnership, Edward managing Muntham, and Stephen the mercantile part at Portland Bay. John managed Sandford and Frank Merino Downs... My husband was the first white man who stood on the border of the Blue Lake at Mt. Gambier. He said he would never forget the feeling of awe he felt on coming suddenly on the blue water in the wilderness.("The Portland Bay Settlement", by Noel Learmonth, 1934)Black and white image Mrs Stephen Henty.stephen henty, portland, pioneer, women, jane henty, jane pace, merino downs

Yields information in movie film format of Ballarat trams in 1960 through to 1971, how the system operated and was used by people, including special trams., Yields information in movie film format of Ballarat trams in 1960 through to 1971, how the system operated and was used by people, including special trams.Movie film - 8mm, approx. 15 mins, without leader strip on a plastic reel, within a clear plastic case - Standard 8, titled "Ballarat Trams". See Reg Item 4957 for DVD and Mini DVD. Has been transferred to DVD - see Reg item 4957 Made by Arthur Hill. Also transferred to DVD by Rod Cook Oct. 2015, via Roger Greenwood for use in his DVD, "The City of Ballarat Trams, Gardens & Gold" of 2016. See Reg Item 6883. In Arthur's letter - on file - Made between 1960 and August 1971. Synopsis: based on time. Between 1960 and 1968 0:00 Trams Ahead sign before the Victoria St terminus with 20 at terminus 0.14 - No. 20 leaving Victoria St terminus and being followed along Victoria St by car and then passengers jointing the tram at a tram stop. 00.40 - No. 12 (c1960) in bound along Lydiard St North and arriving in the Gregory St loop. 00.56 - No. 12 and 14 crossing at Gregory St. 01.20 - No. 33 and a bogie car crossing at depot loop. 01.31 - No. 18 travelling along Wendouree Parade with the Lake in the background. 01.42 - No 41 at depot junction and running into the depot No. 2 road with a short sequence of a tramway signal. 02.17 - SEC Sign at the depot gate, shot of 41 in No. 2 road, with the lights other way around, Caution beware of trams sign and a red signal. 02.31- Timetable sign at Gardens Loop 02.36 - No. 30 arriving at Loop and view of a signal with no lights showing. 02.48 - Destination roll being changed through a number of destinations. 03.26 - No. 20 arriving at Carlton St loop with the Olympic monument in the background and the red signal light going out. 03.31 - a lady standing at the front of No. 20, with an ice cream in hand, and No. 17 arriving at the Carlton St loop with a short sped up sequence and No. 20 departing from the loop, followed by No. 17 leaving the loop, heading into the city. 03.41 - No. 13 inbound from Sebastopol crossing Albert St and heading into the city. 04.12 - view of signal and contactor, the light going green and the tram passing underneath. 04.24 - No. 12 at the Sebastopol terminus and departing. 04.51 - No. 12 crossing Albert St Sebastopol. 05.16 - Following No. 12 along Albert St, with Borough Offices in background initially. 05.28 - No. 12 arriving at the Grey St loop with No. 14 arriving at the loop from the city and both trams departing. March 1971 05.58 - No. 30 being followed along Barkly St, Mt Pleasant and the pole being turned at the terminus 06.32 - No. 30 picking up a lady passenger. 06.38 - view from the front of a tram, with the drivers hand and a cigarette, view from the back of the tram, along the Mt Pleasant route and running through the loop and then turning into Main St - has the Ballarat (East) fire station in one sequence, and finally running along Main St. 07.35 - view from tram, with car turning into Bridge St. and then running into Sturt St passed the Parking Loop, and along Sturt St. 08.32 - Points at Drummond St North being changed, doors changed over and the tram running along Drummond St. North, through the Mill St loop and into Macarthur St and in Wendouree Parade, with the Lake Wendouree in view and crossing No. 12 at the Depot Loop, with crews chatting, past the depot, a lady passenger getting off the tram near Forest St., and arriving at Gardens Loop with the same lady passenger who got on in Barkly St, getting off the tram. 11.09 - view of No. 30 at Gardens Loop, departing the loop. August 1971 11.30 - R761 crossing Melton (Exford Wier) on the special train to Ballarat and then the bridge between Ballan and Gordon Stations. 12.16 - View from the front of a tram, following No. 26 along Lydiard St North, crossing at Gregory St and returning to the City. 12.39 - No. 14 and one other tram running along Albert St to Sebastopol, crossing No. 21 at Grey St and then to Sebastopol terminus, crossing Albert St and return and running along Albert St. 13.36 - No. 26, 39 crossing 13 at Gardens Loop. 14.00 - view looking across Lake Wendouree. 14.07 - 26 arriving at Victoria St, running part of Destination roll, passengers getting off with hotel in the background, trolley pole being turned and then with 39 following tram along Victoria St, crossing at the King St Loop. 15.07 - view of a trolley pole tracking through the overhead at curve 15.10 - end. Written labels giving title information on reel.trams, tramways, ballarat, sebastopol, lydiard st north, victoria st, mt pleasant, lake wendouree, depot, tram 12, tram 13, tram 14, tram 17, tram 18, tram 21, tram 26, tram 33, tram 39, tram 41

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;

The 1919 bushfire was the worst the area suffered. The fire struck on Saturday afternoon on the 15th February. It destroyed the station at Lavers Hill and Crowes, departmental residences at Lavers Hill and Weeaproinah, the overhead bridges at Beech Forest and Wimba, and damaged the track at various points along the line so that two locomotives became temporarily marooned at Beech Forest.. By the following Tuesday a daily fire relief train had begun operation. By the following Sunday a special train loaded with army tents travelled through to Lavers Hill and deposited most of its consignment there because little remained of this sizeable settlement. An outsider would have had difficulty in picking the place. The letters of the Lavers Hill station nameboard had been burnt although the metal letters survived, and one of the local wags had rearranged them to read "LIARS HELL". By the 1920s water trains were being used to help fight fires, a simple NQR open wagon loaded with the standard 1500 litre square iron water tank.B/W. Crowes station sign, the remains of a chimney, galvanised iron sheet and a water tank, and two men gazing at the camera. Note in the background the clear felling of the timber.crowes; lavers hill; beech forest; weeaproinah; wimba; railways; bushfire;

Plans for a rail connection between Colac and Beech Forest had been drawn up in 1884 and 1889 but proofed inconclusive because of the enormous cost involved in building a railway in such difficult terrain. Because of the financial depression in the early 1890s such expenditure went of hold. Towards the end of the decade planners recognised that a narrow gauge could be a viable alternative and it was taken up by the community, Parliamentary representatives and the government, although Victorian Railways administration was against the idea. This was overridden. The 1898 Parliament approved a 2 foot 6 inch gauge from Colac to Beech Forest although strict financial limits were set. The route was to be the most direct and the infrastructure the most basic. Construction began in 1900 entailing very steep grades and myriad curves until it finished in 1902. Surveyors and their assistants came before and during the track laying for the whole distance.B/W. Survey camp for the Colac-Beech Forest railway in 1901, showing nine tents, ten men including a cook, survey instruments, and three bicycles. Note the cooking fire on the right.colac: beech forest; railways; survey;

This book is the remarkable story of the world's tallest tree species, the Redwood, growing in the Great Otway National Park in Victoria's south-west. It was originally planted by Victorian foresters for experimental purposes on land abandoned by the early settlers. The Coast Redwood, native of California, is now thrives in the Otways alongside the famous eucalypt, the towering Mountain Ash. The majestic Otway Redwoods, still in their youthful growth phase, have withstood adversity caused by fire, landslide, lighting and chainsaws, while the ongoing political debate about the conservation of the valuable forest resources continues.The redwoods of the Otway Ranges. Roger B. Smith. Lothian Custom Publishing; Middle Park (Vic); 2015. ii, 202 p.; illus., maps, appendices, notes. IBSN 978 1 921737 13 8. Soft cover.With best wishes from Roger Smith.

Diggers & Mining. The Digging - The Diggers. Slide; An article titled 'Mems From The Mount' At Eagle Hawk Gully, Bendigo, five men were plundering a tent - the inmates shouted out lustily; some of the occupants of tent near at hand rushed out with firearms, and it being moonlight, observed the robbers, and, firing into them, killed three on the spot. At the junction of Forest Creek and Bendigo roads there is a coffee shop, which twelve men attempted to attack the other evening; but a couple of bright double-barrelled fowling pieces, held by the resolute hands inside the coffee shop plainly showed them that possession; so the scoundrels skulled of. Not with-standing these stories, the Diggers generally are quiet and peaceable. While penning these few remarks, I have just heard of the discovery of another murder at the New Bendigo Flat Diggings. (M.M.H., July 17, 1852) Markings: -- 994.LIF:6. Used as a teaching aid.hanimounteducation, tertiary, goldfields

Kaweka Reserve is a a small reserve of approximately 8ha. The land was donated to the Castlemaine City to be a wildflower Reserve. A management committee was formed in 1966. The committee is still managing the park. Vicroads Edition 6: Map 59E2, 628 H4 Location. Turner St, Castlemaine. From the Castlemaine Post Office, drive north (towards Bendigo) and turn right along Turner Street to the park entrance. What to do: walk along some of the tracks through the park follow the nature trail bird watch have a picnic at the picnic tables. RUSH Dam is a basic free camping area sits alongside Rush Dam in the Greater Bendigo National Park, featuring a single picnic table and wood fire barbecue.Peter Ellis Collection: Seventeen slides of Kaweka Wildflower Reserve, Castlemaine, Lightning Hill Lookout Bendigo, One Tree Hill Lookout Tower Bendigo. Also the Rush Dam free camping area at Kamarooka. Also a slide of an unknown group having a meal or day out; perhaps also a working bee. In addition there are two slides of a house - location not specified; and a working bee clearing along a pipeline at Big Hill. Peter was a chemistry lecturer at the Bendigo Institute of technology.history, bendigo, peter ellis collection, whipstick bendigo, bendigo state forests, kaweka wildflower reserve castlemaine, one tree hill lookout bendigo, lightning hill lookout bendigo, kamarooka, rush dam kamarooka, greater bendigo national park

The goldfields resulted in the almost complete denuding of trees for access to the gold bearing land, for firewood and for the tanning industry. The need for wood further increased with the advent of deep quartz mining that required timbers for shoring up the shafts and tunnels. At some point in time it became necessary for timber to be carted long distances to fulfil the need. Between 1878 and 1884, the government set up 5 nurseries to try and rectify the shortage of native softwoods and encouraged the growth of State plantations and the thinning of trees to encourage growth of those remaining. 1907 - Creswick School of Forestry and Forest Management was started 1919 Establishment of the Forests Commission and the planting of many pine plantations 1924 Establishment of the first fire spotting towers Forest management tasks became a main project for "Susso" recipients during the Great Depression and again for internees during WWII.An 8 page document by David Bannear about the various industries of the Bendigo Goldfields and their effects on terraforming the local environment david bannear, central goldfields

The photograph was taken in 1989 when students in Grades 4 and 5 from Bulla Primary School attended a school camp at Gundiwindi Camp. The camp is in the Yarra Valley area on the border of North Wandin and Silvan. At the camp the children were learning bush survival skills, which were practised by the local indigenous people.The emphasis on the camp at Gundiwindi was bush survival and skills used by indigenous people.A non-digital coloured photograph of four children in a bushland setting attempting to build a camp fire in the cleared area. the forested area is behind the group.school camps, gundiwindi, bulla primary school, indigenous culture

Wallace's Hut is the oldest surviving cattlemen's hut on the High Plains, built in 1889 by the three Wallace brothers - Arthur, William and Stewart. Their father David bought land at Kergunyah as well as grazing land on the banks of the Kiewa River, North East Victoria. Once the boys were old enough, the family followed the local squatters’ custom of taking their cattle up to the mountains for the spring and summer to fatten the mob, at the same time resting their home pastures. They decided to build a hut where they could shelter from the extreme mountain weather. The timber was cut from the forest about four hundred metres east of the hut, and the hearth stone was dragged in from Pretty Valley. The chimney had a base of rubble and above this iron sheeting on a timber frame. The slab walls were lined with hessian and later with tar-paper, and inside there was a bush table, sleeping platform and a rustic fire-side settle. The hut nestled among snow gums sheltered by a rocky outcrop. The names of the Wallace brothers were burnt into the tie-beams of the roof and at the back of the mantelpiece. The Wallace family’s lease expired in the late 1930s and the hut was bought by the State Electricity Commission to house staff on the High Plains and it became the first home of Toni and Skippy St. Elmo. The SEC covered the old shingles with iron, and later on the walls and chimney as well, and they added a lean-to. Wallace’s Hut is now owned by the Crown and maintained by Parks Victoria. It is on the Historic Buildings Register and is classified by the National Trust.This image is significant because it depicts an important heritage-listed structure and refuge for cattlemen and other travellers in Victoria's High Country.A black and white photograph of a skier outside of Wallace's Hut. Several sets of skis and poles are standing around and other skiers are in the background.wallace's hut, toni and skippy st. elmo, high country huts

Melton Fire Brigade history In a letter to George Minns of 24th March 1942 from the Forests Commission the brigade was registered Class ‘F’ with the certificate of Registration N. 425. In December 1935 a public meeting was held with the purpose of forming a bush fire brigade. Constable Roy Corbett was elected Captain a position he held until 1941 and 1945 –1949. 1942 EW Barrie. 1st Lieut 2nd Lieut TL Barrie 1943 EW Barrie 2nd Lieut 1944 : : MELTON RURAL FIRE BRIGADE Established under CFA act 1944 1945- 1953 EW Barrie Apparatus Officer 1951- 1965 EW Barrie Captain 1967- 1979 EW Barrie elected Group Communication Officer of the Mt Cotterill Fire Brigades. RADIO In 1954 the Fire Brigade introduced 2 HF (high frequency) radios, one was installed in the Fire truck and the other in the Captains utility. 1956- 16th March Licence granted to the County Fire Authority Melton to establish a MOBILE transmitting and receiving station. Area of operation, Melton and District on the frequency (kc/s) 3836 for the exchange of messages relating to the fighting and prevention of fires during actual fires or periods of fire hazard with the CFA Bacchus Marsh base station VL3OX. 1958- 22nd May Commonwealth of Australia, Postmaster-General’s Department Special Licence No H 702 under the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1905-1950 is hereby transferred to Mr. E.W. Barrie, Captain, Melton Rural Fire Brigade to establish a MOBILE transmitting and receiving station. Call sign VL3 OX 6 and VL 3OX 7Group officer Bon Barrie's invitation to a Fire Brigade formal dinner emergency services

Colour slide of red gum trees in a forest near the Murray River. It was during Operation Firewood. Legatees would organise collection of wood from the country and distribute it to widows in metropolitan Melbourne. More photos show the cutting and loading of wood and delivery to widows in metropolitan Melbourne. Was with many other slides taken in the 1950s and 1960s. The slides have been photographed to make digital images and moved to archive quality sleeves. In many cases the original images were not well focussed and the digital image the best available.A record of Legacy helping widows by sourcing, supplying and delivering firewood. When open fires were the main source of heating, a load of firewood and help moving it, would have been very important to the widows.Colour slide of trees in a Red Gum forest during Operation Firewood in brown Anscochrome cardboard mount. Printed on reverse in red ink 'Processed by Verycolor photo labs. Melbourne, Victoria'.Printed on front in red ink 'Anscochrome / View from this side / Made in Australia'. Hand written on front 'Red gum trees / River Murry' in blue pen.operation firewood, trees, forest

Colour slide of cut wood lying n a forest ready to be collected. It was during Operation Firewood. Legatees would organise collection of wood from the country and distribute it to widows in metropolitan Melbourne. Other slides show the cutting and loading of wood and delivery to widows in metropolitan Melbourne. Was with many other slides taken in the 1950s and 1960s. The slides have been photographed to make digital images and moved to archive quality sleeves. In many cases the original images were not well focussed and the digital image the best available.A record of Legacy helping widows by sourcing, supplying and delivering firewood. When open fires were the main source of heating, a load of firewood and help moving it, would have been very important to the widows.Colour slide of cut wood in a forest during Operation Firewood in brown Anscochrome cardboard mount.Printed on front in red ink 'Anscochrome / View from this side / Made in Australia'. Hand written on front 'Ready for pick up' in blue pen. Printed on reverse in red ink 'Processed by Verycolor photo labs. Melbourne, Victoria'.operation firewood, trees, forest, wood

Colour slide of a view of Lake Eildon from Big River Road. It was during Operation Firewood. Legatees would organise collection of wood from the country and distribute it to widows in metropolitan Melbourne. Other slides show the cutting and loading of wood and delivery to widows in metropolitan Melbourne. Was with many other slides taken in the 1950s and 1960s. The slides have been photographed to make digital images and moved to archive quality sleeves. In many cases the original images were not well focussed and the digital image the best available.A record of Legacy helping widows by sourcing, supplying and delivering firewood. When open fires were the main source of heating, a load of firewood and help moving it, would have been very important to the widows.Colour slide of a view of Lake Eildon during Operation Firewood in brown Anscochrome cardboard mount.Printed on front in red ink 'Anscochrome / View from this side / Made in Australia'. Hand written on front 'Eildon Reservoir from Big River Road' in blue pen. Printed on reverse in red ink 'Processed by Verycolor photo labs. Melbourne, Victoria'.operation firewood, trees, forest