bathing box, bathing shed, bathing boxes, brighton, brighton beach, beach, coast, port phillip bay, margery boyle

ramon horsfield, hill, country, rural, landscape

ramon horsfield, country, rural, landscape, bush, gum, tree, murray river

ramon horsfield, rural, landscape, bush, gum, tree, eildon, lake, lake eildon, hill

This dress was worn by Brighton's first female mayor, Councillor Di Lopez, to a Mayoral Ball held at Brighton Technical School in 1977. Diane Margaret Lewis completed a law degree at the University of Melbourne, later marrying one of her classmates, criminal lawyer Ramon (Ray) Lopez. When she decided to run for the Brighton City Council in 1975, she was seen as an outside chance. Undeterred, she rallied a small group of friends and supporters and set out on an extensive door-knocking campaign that won voters to her side and successfully unseated former mayor Keith Devenport. She went on to serve two terms on council from 1975 to 1981. Di initiated many local projects, including the creation of a bike path along Nepean Highway and the first Brighton Festival, while balancing family life and a demanding ‘day job’ as personal assistant to Victorian Minister for Youth, Sport and Recreation Brian Dixon. She was a member of the Women’s Electoral Lobby and a champion for women’s representation, encouraging both Sally Allmand and Kate Harman to run for council (both were successfully elected). She advocated forcefully for an open, transparent local government in which ratepayers had the chance to participate and be heard. In 1976 Di became the first woman to hold the title of Mayor of Brighton, and she made it clear from the outset that she was going to do it her way. For the annual mayoral ball in 1977, ordinarily a staid traditional function, she chose a discotheque theme based on the Rod Stewart album Night on the Town, with a broad dress code of ‘black tie or jeans’: ‘You’ve got to get with the times,’ she said. ‘We want people to wear whatever they feel comfortable in.’ Di herself chose to attend in this knee-length chamois dress embellished with strings, ribbons, beads and feathers. It was both a fashion statement, exemplifying her colourful, flamboyant and forthright style, and a political one: a declaration of her intention to lead a progressive council, embracing the new and refusing to be hemmed in by dated traditions. In 2020 she was awarded an Order of Australia Medal for her service to local government and to the community of Brighton.This dress has local historical significance for its association with Brighton's first female mayor, Councillor Di Lopez, who wore it to a Mayoral Ball in 1976. The dress exemplifies her flamboyant reputation, modern outlook and willingness to break norms. At the time, the dress was a radical choice for a Mayoral Ball, where women typically wore formal evening gowns. With her choice of dress, Cr Lopez was making a public statement, breaking away from dated traditions and announcing her intention to bring the Mayor's office into the 1970s. In this way, the dress also points to the wider social and political changes taking place both in Brighton and across Australia during the mid-1970s.Three quarter length chamois dress circa 1974. Machine stitched with a v-neck and full length sleeves and an uneven raw hem, the dress is decorated with narrow thongs of chamois embellished with red beads and blue feathers. The open-fronted bodice is laced with red ribbon and the skirt is decorated with a large blue wool cross stitch and a combination of blue wool and purple ribbon cross stitch. Made in the style of an Indian 'Wild West Dress'.di lopez, chamois, brighton, brighton council, brighton technical school, mayoral ball, 1970s, feminism

Set of 8 A4 photocopies of various newspaper articles or letters to the Editor about the introduction of the Metcard ticketing system onto Public transport in Victoria during 1998. .1 - "Revenge fantasies inspired by the ticket machines from hell" - The Age - 16-4-1998 - written by Garry Linnell about ticket machines, passengers, Metcards and ticket inspectors. .2 - :Dangerous Prank" - The Age - 12-6-1998 - about children riding backs of trams and lack of conductors. .3 - "Tram conduct deserves reward" - Herald Sun - 5/6/1998 - about assisting elderly passengers with Metcard. .4 - "Victim of those machines" - The Age - 22/6/1998 - about a man being injured on the tram while trying to buy a ticket from a machine. Also has Tender adverts for a Central Control building for train management - Bayside trains and Redevelopment of Flinders St station - Hillside trains. .5 - "Trouble on the Tracks" - The Age - 14-2-1998, written by Virginia Trioli - re removal of tram conductors, fare evasion and ticket machines. .6 - "A day it was on for young and old on a city tram" - The Age - 13-7-1998 - written by Nicole Brady about loud music on trams. .7 - "Trams roll, crowds boo, Jeff's Jukebox plays on" - The Age - 30-7-1998 - David Austin about ticket machines and issues - notes Sheffield and removal of ticket machines from shelters. .8 - "A sudden stop" - The Age - 3-8-1998 about an accident on a tram.trams, tramways, ptc, metcard, trams, railways, ticket inspectors, conductors, one man trams, accidents, passengers

Newspaper clipping - set of three items about the possibility of a tram running along Beaconsfield Parade between St Kilda and Port Melbourne. .1 - Editorial from The Age, 18-10-2004, titled "Hailing a tram by the Bayside" supporting the proposal by The Mayor Dick Gross. .2 - item from The Port Phillip - Caulfield Leader of 5/6/2007, with the title "Trams off track", about the City of Port Phillip on the proposal, though $70000 had been spent on the study. Quotes Paul Smith of the City about the proposal, tourism only, not a public transport link. Has an image of the Port Phillip Leader of 12/12/2006 announcing the proposal. Item written by Peter Rolfe. .3 - item from The Age, 14/10/2004 titled Tram ride by the seaside? Rattling good vistas guaranteed", fearing a photo of the bay, maps and options to use Mills St. Item written by Dan Silkstone.trams, tramways, new tramway, beaconsfield parade, port melbourne, st kilda, city of port phillip, mills st

On 21 March 1923, in the presence of 10,000 people, on the City Beach Oval, Sandringham was declared a City by the Earl of Stradbroke. Sandringham was originally part of the Shire of Moorabbin. On 28 February 1917, Sandringham was severed from Moorabbin and incorporated as the Borough of Sandringham. It was proclaimed a Town on 9 April 1919 and a City on 21 March 1923.councillor, sandringham, local government, municipality, mayor, city, proclamation, city of sandringham, lord stradbroke, lady stradbroke, mr. angelo bertotto, city beach oval, crowd, earl of stradbroke, governor, bayside, cr jpd beck, beach oval

This pair of embroidered badges were worn on the sleeves of the red City of Brighton mayoral robes until Coat of Arms were granted in 1970 by the British College of Heraldry. Brighton was first incorporated as a borough on 18 January 1859, it became a town on 18 March 1887 and was proclaimed a city on 12 March 1919.Two oval shaped City of Brighton mayoral robe badges, embroidered and mounted on red felt. The badges have a black border with CITY OF BRIGHTON embroidered on the top and the British Coat of Arms on the bottom. The centre image depicts the City of Brighton seal of the Brighton coastline with a pier extending to the water, sail boats in the distance, a train on the right of the pier, and buildings on the left and right sides. coat of arms, mayoral robe badges, badge, mayoral robe, city of brighton, ceremonial wear, mayoral regalia, bayside, crest, british coat of arms, brighton, seal