One of the large cannons located in Port Fairy in reply to the threat from foreign invaders. Originally located in the fort on Battery Hill they migrated to various destinations around the town. One of the two originally located at King George Square found its way to the gardens where it occupied several locations before resting at the car entrance to the Gardens - possibly when the Avenue of Honour was planted in Bourne Avenue. A great favorite with the kids of the town, both have now been returned to their original location where they are currently having their carriages refurbished. The Port Fairy Botanical Gardens were formed in 1856 making it one of the earliest gardens in Victoria. The first curator was James Prior, he was paid fifty-two pounds per annum. He was an outstanding curator having been apprenticed to the trade in England at the age of 12, his brother Edward in later years was the Curator of the Koroit Gardens. Prior retired in 1903. During the years of his curatorship Port Fairy was said to have the best gardens outside the city of Melbourne, he was constantly in touch with Baron Von Mueller and later Guilfoyle of the Royal Botanical Gardens of Melbourne. In the early years plants from all over the world were planted here with varying rates of success many of them sent by Baron Von Mueller. In the 1930’ and 40’s the gardens were still very beautiful, and the curator was Roy Manuell. The beautiful iron gates at the entrance were destroyed in the 1946 floods and were replaced in 1989 using some of the material from the original gates. From the 1950’s on the gardens went into a state of decline, much being taken up by the caravan park until in 1986, after a public meeting ‘Friends of the Gardens’ was founded when the entrance section was restored. Black & white photograph of the Large cannon situated in the Botanical GardensBotanical Gardens Port Fairybotanical, garden, cannon

Produced by Robert Frost of Alfred Street for use in Bay Street informational stalls by Port Melbourne 'Residents' Picket Group' against the SCDC Bayside development, 1988Large black display board with captions of environmental information connected by string to points on an aerial photo of Port Melbourne/Fishermen's Bend; indicates sources of contamination in Port Melbourne and on the bend.public action campaigns, environmental issues, town planning - proposals shelved - bayside, fishermans bend, industry - manufacturing, robert frost, residents picket group, british petroleum group, elders ixl, glazebrook paints, csiro, state electricity commission

Black and white image of the Port of Melbourne.melbourne, port, railway

This model was part of a panorama of 11 pieces designed from an almanac in the 1892 Port Fairy Gazette. The Panorama was used in a Historical Display in the historical society rooms in Bank Street but displays the more modern use when the building became the property of the Port Fairy Historical SocietyThis Panorama was part of an eleven piece Panorama of the Streetscape of Port Fairy in 1982. Made by a local resident.Small handmade model of a shop front from the 1892 almanac.In glass display box. Filled with furniture and display cases as it was in the early 1970`sBuilt 1889 Purchased Port Fairy Historical Society as their headquarters Members Welcome Now open Windows "Port Fairy Historical Society" This is model of 24 Bank Street First Museum 1977-1992panorama, model, almanac, historical society, bank street, mewkill

Seascape from original drawing ascribed to S.T. Gill - "Belfast, Port Fairy" published 1857Photograph of etching of seascape drawing of Port Fairy (artistic view) town looking north west from the sea showing town and windmill on the left, a man in a dingy, island in the middle and a sailing ship and Battery Hill on the rightBelfast, Port Fairy - Published by Sands and Kenny Melbourne and Sydney 1857beach, ocean, dingy, windmill, town, sea, ship

decorated tile featuring image of the port of Nagoya. Sitting in frame with gold plaque" "PMA 0153/1" "WMA 32""Port of Nagoya/ since 1907" "Nagoya Port Authority"

This bridge was built in 1902, replacing a previous structure that crossed the Moyne River from 1857 and linked Belfast with Belfast East, as the two areas of Port Fairy were then known. Prior to that, passage over the river was via a ford (an underwater stone track that allowed wagons to cross when the river was low) located just north of where the current car bridge stands. The present bridge survived the great flood of 1946, but has been the subject of innumerable patch-up jobs over its 114 years. In 2012, the bridge underwent a detailed structural assessment and was given the OK for the next eight to 10 years, notwithstanding the need for regular maintenance works. At the time, it was estimated a new bridge would cost between $2-3 million. It was extensively refurbished in 2016Sole means for traffic to cross to the east side of Port FairyBlack and white photographMoyne River Port Fairyriver, moyne, bridge, road

On 29 August 1908 Melbourne gaped in wonder as 16 white-hulled battleships of the United States Atlantic Fleet, carrying 14,000 naval personnel, steamed into Port Phillip Bay. The ‘Great White Fleet’ was circumnavigating the globe on a tour launched by President Theodore Roosevelt. The cruise was a display of naval power and practical exercise, testing the battle-readiness of the US Navy and demonstrating its ability to patrol and protect the west coast and American interests in the Pacific including Australia.An original unframed photograph of the United States Altantic Fleet entering Port Phillip Bay in 1908 and a copy framed and mounted under glass.Port Phillip Bay 1908; United States Atlantic Fleetthe great white fleet, us atlantic fleet, 1908, port phillip bay

pedestrian entrance to Botanical Gardens . The Port Fairy Botanical Gardens were formed in 1856 making it one of the earliest gardens in Victoria. The first curator was James Prior, he was paid fifty-two pounds per annum. He was an outstanding curator having been apprenticed to the trade in England at the age of 12, his brother Edward in later years was the Curator of the Koroit Gardens. Prior retired in 1903. During the years of his curatorship Port Fairy was said to have the best gardens outside the city of Melbourne, he was constantly in touch with Baron Von Mueller and later Guilfoyle of the Royal Botanical Gardens of Melbourne. In the early years plants from all over the world were planted here with varying rates of success many of them sent by Baron Von Mueller. In the 1930’ and 40’s the gardens were still very beautiful, and the curator was Roy Manuell. The beautiful iron gates at the entrance were destroyed in the 1946 floods and were replaced in 1989 using some of the material from the original gates. From the 1950’s on the gardens went into a state of decline, much being taken up by the caravan park until in 1986, after a public meeting ‘Friends of the Gardens’ was founded when the entrance section was restored. Nature of the visual information contained from early timesBlack and white photographic postcard taken from the north toward the Botanical Gardens gatesValentine Series 545. Entrance to Gardens, Port Fairy botanical, garden, gate, path

The steamer S.S.CASINO was much loved by the whole Port Fairy community- with the possible exception of some of the fishermen whose boats she ran down! Transport of the large quantities of wool, potatoes, onions, grain, sheep, cattle and other produce grown on the rich lands of the Western District Belfast was served by a plethora of shipping, both sail and steam, but only one of the steamers then in the regular trade (S.S. DAWN) would ever be able to get up the river and reap the cost savings of loading against a wharf. It was not unusual for four steamers to be anchored in the bay at once and for seven or eight different steamers to call during a week. A number of inter-colonial steamers also called to pick up produce for delivery to Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide. Production in the Western District was increasing and virtually all of that production had to go through one of the western ports in order to reach markets. By 1882 a meeting 15ft. March, 1882, in the office of auctioneer, J.B. HoIden in Cox Street took action and it was unanimously resolved - that the Belfast & Koroit Steamship Company be formed with a capital of £20,000 in 10,000 shares of £2 each". A number of steamers were offered by letter to the fledgling company, including the new and almost sister ships, CASINO and HELEN NICHOLL. The CASINO was on her delivery voyage from England was due to arrive in Warrnambool to load potatoes for Sydney and, initially, arrangements were made for her to call into Port Fairy for inspection by the BKNS Co directors. She eventually proceeded direct to Warrnambool and the Directors inspected her there. Without hesitation they purchased her even though they had to raise a large bank loan to do so. The CASINO arrived in Port Fairy on Saturday, 29th. July, 1882, steaming triumphantly up the Moyne River, and was greeted by crowds, many of whom had driven in from the surrounding countryside, which gave her “loud ringing English cheers". By 1884 the CASINO could not carry all the cargoes available to her and in December of that year the company purchased the new steamer BELLINGER to provide additional capacity. She helped to open up the intermediate ports of Lorne, Apollo Bay and Port Campbell, but the BELLINGER was not really suitable for the trade and she was sold in 1887, leaving the CASINO to operate alone -as she was to do for almost all of the next 45 years. The opening of the railway in 1890 decreased the cargo available to the steamers and the economic depression of the early 1890's worsened the situation. The weak soon began to fall by the wayside and when the Portland & Belfast SN Co. decided to go into liquidation in April 1895, the Belfast & Koroit Company bought the Portland Company's steamer DAWN on advantageous terms, a substantial part of the payment being in BKSN Co shares. The BKNS Co and the Howard Smith Line came into direct head to head competition and nearly forced the BKNS Co out of existence. Cargo dropped to such an extent that in 1899, they reached agreement that only one ship would run and that the ship which ran would pay a weekly amount to the competitor to stay out of the trade. This controlled service ceased in1909, and competition intensified when Howard Smith placed the newly built, larger steamer EUMERALLA on the run. The BKNS Co survived this competition and even prospered during it partly by extending on a more regular basis, the CASINO'S voyages to South Australian ports Port Macdonnell, Kingston, Beachport, Robe and, on occasions Adelaide. There were setbacks when, on 20 October 1924, CASINO went ashore at the Kennett River, near Apollo Bay, and again, in February l929, when she struck a submerged object at Warrnambool and had to be beached. The railways placed great competitive pressure on the small steamship company and this pressure was intensified when the Great Depression slashed the market for Western District produce, BKNS Co struggled on, paying dividends in most years, and the company planned a big celebration for the CASINO'S fiftieth anniversary in the trade on 29th July, 1932. Disaster struck soon after 9 o'clock on the morning of Sunday I0 July, 1932 when the CASINO was lost at Apollo Bay together with the lives of 10 crew members. black and white panaramic photograph mounted on cardboardMoyne River & East Beach Port Fairy- s.s.Casino-A.C.Aberline-Canterburyship, boat, sea, river, training walls, wharf, moyne river, s.s.casino, steamer