George Bass and Matthew Flinders made a voyage along the northern coast of Van Diemen's Land in 1798 to prove the existence of Bass Strait. The first vessel to attempt such a passage was the "Lady Nelson" under Lieutenant James Grant. Men sought out Bass Strait without the benefit of a lighthouse for the first half of the 19th Century after which, after several maritime disasters, on 29 August 1848, Cape Otway lighthouse commenced operation. Cape Wickham lighthouse, on King Island, joined its companion at Cape Otway on 1 November 1861.Beacons of hope. An early history of Cape Otway and King Island lighthouses. Donald Walker. 1st ed. Neptune Press; Belmont (Vic); 1981. ii, 154 p.; illus., maps, index. Soft cover. ISBN 0 909131 67 8Signed by author: Donald Walker.cape otway; king island; cape wickham; lighthouse;

Legal document: On front Sale No 602, dated 2nd August 1862. 33 7/10 perches Sandhurst. Grant by Purchase to H. Smith. Inside folded document: Victoria Land Purchase. Details of land handwritten in printed document. Allotment ten of Section Eighty C Township of Sandhurst. Signed by Henry Barkly. ( Sir Henry Barkly)bendigo, land sales, allot 10, sec 80

Legal document. On front: Dated 17th December 1855. Ac1 R1 P 1. ( acres, roods, perches ) Grant by purchase to William Roberts. In pencil Allot 7 of Sec 12. Inside: 'Victoria - Township Lot. Grantee W. Roberts. Document details purchase of land by above William Roberts of Heathcote, for the sum of two pounds, 12 shillings. Allotment 7, section 12, Township of Heathcote. Land sold as Lot 14. Dated 30 July 1855. Signed by C.W. Hotham ( Sir Charles Hotham ) Property is now 42 Beauchamp Street, Heathcote ( Landata research, 28.3.2017, https://www.landata.vic.gov.au/tpc_confirm_map.aspx?pfi=45257085 )heathcote, land sale, william roberts

Richard Walter, butcher, operated a butchery in Bridge St., Bendigo. The shop was part of the Australian Hotel. It was operating in 1857 when Walter advertised for a sausage maker. In 1863 the business was sold to Ceber and Robertson. At this time he sold five lots including, land at California Gully, 32 acres at Ellesmere, the Australia Hotel including a coopers, chemist and stables all leased to reliable tenants. In 1865 he was granted 50 square miles south of Charleville, near Murweh on the Warrego River. It was here that he died 24/8/1869 when he accidentally fell into the river and drowned.Small notebook (initial pages have been removed) with 1859 Almanac on internal covers. Ledger style notebook with gold lettering on cover "R. Walter, Butcher, Bridge Stret, Sandhurst"butcher, bridge stret, sandhurst", walter

Green cover book with brown leather spine. The book lists the applications for allotments of land for sale. The headings in the book are: number of application, date of registry, date of application, surname, Christian name and address, parish, allotment, section, area, local land board schedule, classification, crown grant, references and remarks. It covers the years 1908 -1974.Spine has a red label with gold letters. On the cover the remnants of a label, under in ink Sec.173, 1011-3420. At top left of the cover Sec.171 SHland sales, govrnment

Photocopy of an unsigned letter from The Bendigo Field Naturalists Club with copies sent to the Ministry for Conservation, Premier of Victoria, National Estate Dept, Forests Commission of Victoria, Conservation Council of Victoria, Loddon Campaspe Regional Authority, The Hon D McClure MLA, the Hon F S Grimwade MLC, F J Granter MLC, N B Reid MLC and J Bourchier MP. Letter refers to the Purchase of land of high conservation value within the Bendigo Whipstick area for consideration in the National Estate Program.communication, postal, letters, peter ellis collection, the bendigo field naturalists club, national estate funds, forests commission of vict, wallaby caves, mr ruedin, conservation council of victoria, national estate dept, whipstick interim development order, loddon campaspe regional authority, the hon d mcclure mla, the hon f s grimwade mlc, f j granter mlc, n b reid mlc, j bourchier mp

Built in 1861 on land made available by Mr. Robert Allen. Grant received through municipal council and State Government. Building functioned as a library until 1926. Taken over by Buninyong Cemetery Trust and eventually fell into serious disrepair. Restored in the 1980s after great community effort, dedication and financial contributions.An important early building in the township noted for its unusual and individual classical facade of Oregon pine. Placed on Historical Buildings Register.Black and white photograph of Former Free Library built in1861. Warrenheip streetscape of former free library, currently Buninyong Information Centre, Eastern facade fully visible and Southern weatherboard side. Mature pine trees visible to the side and rear of building. Reading room on left of entrance door and former shop and residence on right.free library, information centre, mr. robert allen, buninyong cemetery trust, mechanics institutes

This is an early photograph of St. Mary's Anglican Church in Sunbury. On 13th October 1863, the Government granted one acre of land on the corner of Stawell and O'Shanassy Streets for the building of a church. he first service was held on 24th November 1867. After that date subsequent additions were made. The gas lamp outside the church indicates that the photograph was taken before electric power was installed in Sunbury. St. Mary's Anglican Church is one of the earliest places of worship to be built in Sunbury.A non-digital sepia post card photograph of a small bluestone church with a slate roof with a wooden picket fence and two gates across the front. A gas lamp is on the pathway. Peter Collett's signature is on the back as well as a sticker with number 7 written on itst. mary's church of england., o'shanassy street, stawell street

The land for this building was granted to the Benevolent Society by James Atkinson in 1850. Tenders were being called for a new "Benevolent Asylum" in 1855, the foundation stone having been laid and by 1856 the first part of the Hospital was completed. This photo taken in 1860 shows the very first building made from local bluestone. The hospital is thought to be the first such building in VictoriaBlack and white photograph of Bluestone 2 story building with verandah and paling fencehospital, institution

The land for this building was granted to the Benevolent Society by James Atkinson in 1850. Tenders were being called for a new "Benevolent Asylum" in 1855, the foundation stone having been laid and by 1856 the first part of the Hospital was completed. These extensions probably carried out 1930's?????Black and white photograph of Right side of hospital new extension with bay windowshospital, institution, health service, extension, benevolent asylum, benevolent society

The land for the original building was granted to the Benevolent Society by James Atkinson in 1850. Tenders were being called for a new "Benevolent Asylum" in 1855, the foundation stone having been laid and by 1856 the first part of the Hospital was completed These extensions opened in November 1934 People possibly builder and contractorBlack and white photographs of the side extension added to the Port Fairy Hospital in 1934hospital, public buildings

The land for this building was granted to the Benevolent Society by James Atkinson in 1850. Tenders were being called for a new "Benevolent Asylum" in 1855, the foundation stone having been laid and by 1856 the first part of the Hospital was completed. This photograph shows the completion of early extensions and how the Hospital has expandedSepia photograph of Buildings at the back of the hospital with large tank standhospital, institution

The land for this building was granted to the Benevolent Society by James Atkinson in 1850. Tenders were being called for a new "Benevolent Asylum" in 1855, the foundation stone having been laid and by 1856 the first part of the Hospital was completed. this photograph shows there have been extensions to both sides of the hospital by this time 1920Black and white photograph of Exterior of hospital with verandah stone fence and gates two cars hospital, institution, villiers street, benevolent asylum, health service

The small building on the left is the Farmers Inn, and was built about 1849, when James Brown became the first licensee. In 1854 John Walwyn Taylor moved from the Sally Ann to take over, and remained there until 1857, when he moved to his new hotel The Star of the West built on the old Sally Ann site. John Wall then became the new licensee of the Farmers Inn. In 1876 his wife Bridget made an application for the license to be transferred to her as “her husband suffered from rheumatism, and there were certain other reasons why the license should be transferred to her hands”. The Bench wondered about creating a precedence of granting a license to a married woman, who was living with her husband, (licenses were only granted to the widows of licensees at that time), so the application was postponed for 14 days, but eventually Mrs Wall won her case. In 1882 Patrick Tennyson took over the lease of the Farmer’s Inn and applied to change the name to Tennyson’s Hotel. In 1885 he bought the freehold in the Great Land Sale for £780. 12s. 8d., and in December, carried out extensive renovations. The local press reported that “the rooms were quite tasteful, the Billiard room commodious and well ventilated, and that the old hotel had not looked so good for years”. The double storied part of the hotel was added in 1893. Patrick Tennyson had a colourful career. He was born in Charlemont, County Armagh in 1846. When he was 21, he served as a papal guard at the Vatican for 2 years and then entered the Marist Brothers novitiate in Beauchamps. In 1872 he was one of three brothers to accompany Brother Ludovic to Sydney; he was then aged 23. After 5 years he withdrew from the Congregation and moved to Victoria, where he took up teaching, first at Rosedale near Sale, then at Crossley, by which time he was married to Anne White. They had eight children, three dying in infancy. Eight months after he took over the Farmers’ Inn, he was elected to the Borough Council, and served as Mayor in 1897. His great interest was sport, was Secretary of the Race Club for 20 years and supported the local Football Club by donating a silver cup for local competitions. Patrick Tennyson died in 1904. The hotel continued under various licensees until it burned down in 1977 under the name of “The Fishermen’s Arms”. Well known main street hotel no longer exists Sepia photograph of 2 story building with tiled wainscoting male and 2 females in doorway and 2 females in window upstairshotel, building, sackville street, patrick tennyson, w.j.wright

non-fiction Notes on Aborigines, land grants, places and families in the federal territory, brief notes on Aboriginal names and tribal districts, quotes previous authors; early camping grounds - place names.canberra (act) - history, canberra - settlement and contacts

Both William Weire and Frederick Strange were originally sentenced to be transported to Van Dieman’s Land from England making the painting likely to be a portrait of a convict by a convict. Gaining his ticket of leave for good behaviour in 1841, Strange became recognised for his portraiture and landscapes although he also remains known for his mysterious demeanour. He rarely signed his works which is the case with the portrait of William Weire. Having served his time, William Weire was granted unconditional freedom and successfully worked his way into influential local Launceston business and society circles ahead of leaving for Geelong in 1848 and being made the first Town Clerk for the newly formed Town of Geelong Council in 1850. He oversaw an incredible period of the earliest development of the Town of Geelong including the first migrant arrivals and the dramatic change that came with the discovery of gold in Victoria in the 1850s. The ex-convict turned Town Clerk was to read the formal welcome address to HRH Alfred the Duke of Edinburgh and Princess Alexandra on the occasion of Geelong’s first royal visit. The portrait of William Weire was originally gifted to the City of Geelong by the Weire family in 1961.convict, geelong, town clerk, frederick strange, william weire

"The Mechanics’ Institute hall (demolished) and the library played a central role in the story of Melton social life, and in the development of its learning, culture, entertainment, celebration, commemoration and many community groups. The building on the site today - with the Court House the only remaining early community or public building remaining in High Street - is a tribute to the energy and talents of the very small Melton community over many years. Its substantial size, brick materials, and the evident use of an architect in its design, sets it apart from most other simple weatherboard Mechanics’ Institutes that were built in smaller country towns in Victoria. The financing and upkeep of this building, which was community-owned until 1982, and built on land purchased by the community rather than granted by Government, itself contributed to the coming together of the Melton community in decision making and fundraising. Although the original hall is demolished, the 1983 Melton Community Hall adjacent is partly its successor, demolition of the Institute hall having been predicated on its construction. The surviving brick front portion of the Institute was opened by the Hon. J Murray, Premier of Victoria in 1910". Scottish Debutante Ball hosted by Scots Church Melton at the Mechanics Hallchurches

Letter was sent to Burnbank, former Ann Dowling (Miers) 1866 Crown Grant. In 1867 she married Henri Miers and their house was located on the site near the Myers Gully part of Ryans Creek. Built in 1867 and later named “Burnbank” by Martha Myers after the Street in Ballarat were she lived before arriving in Melton in 1907. “Burnbank” was vacated by Martha to her new house built on the family land in McKenzie Street. A demolition order imposed by the Housing Commission and it was pulled down by the family in 1969. It was the home of the family and stood for over 100 year.Letter from Edna Barrie and Bruce Myers, children of Martha Myerslocal identities

"The Mechanics Institute movement flourished in Victoria from 1839 to 1950. It was based on the development of Mechanics’ Institutes in Scotland and England from the 1820s, which were intended to educate and enlighten the working classes. The term ‘mechanic’ in those days meant an artisan, craftsman or working man, especially those who had moved from rural areas to work in new city factories during the Industrial Revolution. The early Institutes were usually equipped with a reading room, a library and a lecture room. Although enjoying mixed success in Britain, they contributed to the development of public education and library services. The movement was adopted more enthusiastically in the colonies. It began slowly in Victoria but its expansion after the gold rushes population influx was rapid, especially in rural areas. Every suburb and town wanted to have a Mechanics’ Institute. During the 1850s approximately forty Institutes were established, with even greater growth in the period 1860 to 1900. By 1900 there were 400 Institutes in Victoria. The establishment of a Mechanics’ Institute was often a great achievement for a local community, requiring organising committees to raise substantial funds for a building site (where this had not been granted by the Government), and the building. Once built, the committee then had to purchase books, provide a caretaker or librarian, and finance the ongoing use of and improvements to the building. ‘The history of many Institutes is a story of tremendous community effort, and often, financial difficulties’. In addition to being monuments to local enterprise and community life, the Mechanics’ Institutes played a vital role as an intellectual forum, and in contributing to an informed and participatory democracy in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. They provided journals and other reading matter on local, state, national and international issues, and hosted of lectures and held debates about wider issues such as Federation, colonial nationalism, defence, female suffrage, the price of land and labour. With the development of the school and technical education in the latter part of the nineteenth century, the need for community technical and adult education declined. As a result of the introduction of government library grants in 1867, many Mechanics’ Institutes incorporated a free library in their buildings to finance collection of their books. By 1884-85, there were 257 free libraries in Victoria. However, government support and library grants dropped off in the 1890s depression. Entertainment took on a greater role in the 1890s, with the introduction of moving pictures, billiards rooms, games rooms (chess), concerts and dances. The First World War had a devastating impact on many rural communities, and some Mechanics’ Institutes were no longer viable. On the other hand the early twentieth century was also a time of agricultural development, and many country towns were growing in this period. The 1930s depression further limited growth of many libraries and reduced grants substantially. In response many Mechanics’ Institutes were renamed, for example as memorial halls, in order to retain and attract more patrons (eg at nearby Sunbury). The diminishing role for Mechanics’ Institutes and the preference for larger and better appointed halls (with supper rooms, cloak rooms etc) resulted in demolition of some small Institutes. The advent of cars, radios, and television also provided other opportunities for recreation, learning and entertainment. The greater role of municipalities in providing library services also eroded the need for free libraries. While over 500 Mechanics’ Institutes or halls are extant, very few of these retain their original role as ‘diffusers of useful knowledge’. Most are still available for community purposes, as venues for meetings, socials, civic occasions etc, while others are employed as museums, shops and theatres. Most buildings are on Crown land, and managed by a delegated committee of management, who are responsible for raising revenue to maintain aging buildings. Many of those which were originally established on private land, such as Melton, have since reverted back to the Crown, and municipal Councils. The most common Mechanics Institute building form is the simple weatherboard gable building with iron roofs, notable for their ‘honest simplicity’ rather than as ‘monuments of the ancients’. At the other extreme there are some magnificent two storeyed brick and stucco structures with elaborate ornamentation (as was apparently envisaged by some in Melton in 1905-10)". The future of Melton Mechanic Institute Gazette articlelocal architecture

The Grantbank Estate was a parcel of land close to the centre of the shopping area of Bacchus Marsh which was sub-divided and offered for sale in 58 lots on the 13th September, 1924. It comprised an area of 15 acres, being a portion of the Millbank Estate which had been in the hands of the Grant family for 75 years. The lots had frontages to Gisborne Road, Patterson, William and Sutherland Streets. This was a significant sub-division of land and represented a major expansion of residential housing in Bacchus Marsh in the early 20th century.This land sale map is a typical example of housing estate land sales advertising maps produced by real estate agents in this era. The map is significant for the detailed information it provides about when and where land was sold for new housing estates in Bacchus Marsh in the early twentieth century.Printed paper mapland sales bacchus marsh, land subdivsion bacchus marsh, housing estates land sales bacchus marsh, grant family bacchus marsh

Paperback printed book. 128 pages. with illustrations and photographs, some coloured. Includes facsimiles, maps, and index. Includes a separate folded sheet inside a pocket which has a reproduction of a map of the Parwan Parish in the County of Grant. On the reverse of this sheet are two reproductions. One is a land auction plan for February 1910 advertising the sale of portions of land from the Nerowie Estate. The other reproduction is a section of a map showing some of the blocks of land in the Nerowie Estate which has the heading, 'Nerowie Titles 1898'. A pocket inside the back cover contains a separate booklet which is an index, and two pages of 'Additional Information'.non-fictionExplores the history of the small farming community on the outskirts of Bacchus Marsh. It contains a plethora of fascinating details about the early years of this farming community from the 1830s until the early 2000s. There is a brief section at the beginning which looks at the history of the area prior to the colonial era. The book contains numerous sections about families and individual people who have lived in the Parwan area and includes many images of places and people. Citation: Parwan: A History by Dianne Van Leuvan. Published by Parwan History Group, Bacchus Marsh, Vic., 2010.parwan vic. history

Unique photo showing view of the Nek from Anzac Cove, taken April 1915Actual photo showing land scape as it was in April 1915Photo in Wooden FrameView of the Nek from Anzac Cove April 1915. Presented by Legionnaire R. G. Grant 1925

This quern was made from Harcourt granite. Querns were used for grinding wheat into flour. (Wooden handles missing from this catalogued object).It was most likely made on Mount Alexander, in spare time, by a quarry worker using his employer’s gang saw and other tools. Wheat is not now grown in Harcourt district . Early settlers engaged in cropping until they exhausted the fertility of the soil. This quern was utilized by a local pioneer who intended to be self-sufficient to the extent of grinding his own grain into flour.. Many local farmers sowed wheat immediately after clearing the land: raising of a wheat crop was evidence of use and improvement which, along with fencing and erecting other structures, was part of the mandatory steps to prove occupancy as a prelude to obtaining a Crown Grant for what had previously been deemed ‘crown land'The quern is of interest as a symbol of the desire for self-sufficiency and as a demonstration of the extent to which granite could be worked and shaped by masonry tools. Quern, granite, square slab with raised metal centre shaft and one rounded piece of granite with off-centre hole and side ridges.

non-fictionA study of the Huon family, early pastoralists in the Wodonga area, and the mansion, De Kerilleau, which they built in 1870. The original lease of Wodonga Run was granted to Paul Huon as No. 202 on 7th February 1837, about a year after his cousin Charles Huon had squatted on the land. In August 1849, this run was transferred to Paul's son, William. Paul Huon was one of the children of Gabriel Louis Marie Huon de Kerilleau, a French nobleman who fled France during the French Revolution and travelled under a false identity with the Second Fleet in 1794. The mansion, De Kerilleau was built by William Huon in 1870.huon family., de kerilleau homestead, wodonga victoria

The Huon family were early pastoralists in the Wodonga area. They built the mansion, de Kerilleau in 1870 and named after the family's ancestral estate in France. The original lease of the Wodonga Run was granted to Paul Huon as No. 202 on 7th February 1837, about a year after his cousin Charles Huon had squatted on the land. In August 1849, this run was transferred to Paul's son, William. Paul Huon was one of the children of Gabriel Louis Marie Huon de Kerilleau, a French nobleman who fled France during the French Revolution and travelled under a false identity with the Second Fleet in 1794. The mansion, De Kerilleau was built by William Huon in 1870. It is a solid two storey red brick building with cream brick flat window arches. The main feature of the house is its two-storey cast-iron verandah which has been restored to its original condition. When the Governor, Sir George Bowen, his wife and two daughters needed accommodation overnight after having taken part in the celebration of the railway in Wodonga in 1873, they stayed at de Kerilleau. Sir George planted a Moreton Bay fig tree in the grounds and it still stands today. de Kerilleau is a significant building in Wodonga which has been classified by the National Trust.Coloured photographs showing a variety of features of de Kerilleau homestead.huon family, de kerilleau, de kerilleau homestead