This set of Victorian era wooden sand pegs was part of the equipment used by the Rocket Rescue Crew when attending a shipwreck. The broad pegs were designed to give a strong grip on soft sand and soil. The pegs could be used with the sand anchor as well as to give a stronger hold on the tripod holding the hawser. The same design is still available today and is used by the Army and by campers. The rocket rescue crews used a sand anchor at a beach rescue site to weigh down the rescue apparatus. The crew would connect the shackle to the other cable on the anchor and to the loose steel cable to form a triangle with the cable lengths. They would then bury the anchor in about a 0.75-meter trench, keeping the free end of the cable above the surface. This end of the cable was then connected to a block that was attached to the heavy hawser line. The block and a crotch pole were used to keep the hawser line high and taught as the survivors were hauled to shore on a line or in a breeches buoy. Saving lives in Warrnambool – The coastline of South West Victoria is the site of over 600 shipwrecks and many lost lives; even in Warrnambool’s Lady Bay there were around 16 known shipwrecks between 1850 and 1905, with eight lives lost. In 1859 the first Government-built lifeboat arrived at Warrnambool Harbour and a shed was soon built to house it. In 1858 the provision of rocket and mortar apparatus was approved for lifeboat stations in Victoria, and in 1864 a rocket house was built to safely store the rocket rescue equipment. In 1878 the buildings were moved to the Breakwater area, and in 1910 the new Lifeboat Warrnambool arrived with its ‘self-righting’ design. For almost a hundred years the lifeboat and rocket crews, mostly local volunteers, trained regularly to maintain their rescue skills. They were summoned when needed by alarms, gunshots, ringing bells and foghorns. Some became local heroes but all served an important role. By the end of the 1950s, the lifeboat and rescue equipment had become obsolete. Rocket Rescue Method - The Government of Victoria adopted lifesaving methods based on Her Majesty’s Coast Guard in Great Britain. It authorised the first line-throwing rescue system in 1858. Captain Manby’s mortar powered a projectile connected to a rope, invented in 1808. The equipment was updated to John Dennett’s 8-foot shaft and rocket method that had a longer range of about 250 yards. From the 1860s the breeches buoy apparatus was in use. The apparatus was suspended on a hawser line and manually pulled to and from the distressed vessel carrying passengers and items. In the early 1870s Colonel Boxer’s rocket rescue method became the standard in Victoria. His two-stage rockets, charged by a gunpowder composition, could fire the line up to 500-600 yards, although 1000 yards range was possible. Boxer’s rocket carried the light line, which was faked, or coiled, in a particular way between pegs in a faking box to prevent twists and tangles when fired. The angle of firing the rocket to the vessel in distress was measured by a quadrant-type instrument on the side of the rocket machine. Decades later, in about 1920, Schermuly invented the line-throwing pistol that used a small cartridge to fire the rocket. The British Board of Trade published instructions for both the beach rescue crew and ship’s crew. It involved setting up the rocket launcher on shore at a particular angle measured by the quadrant, inserting a rocket that had a lightweight line threaded through its shaft, and then firing it across the stranded vessel, the line issuing freely from the faking board. A tally board was then sent out to the ship with instructions in four languages. The ship’s crew would haul on the line to bring out the heavier, continuous whip line, then secure the attached whip block to the mast or other sturdy part of the ship. The rescue crew on shore then hauled out a stronger hawser line, which the ship’s crew fixed above the whip block. The hawser was then tightened using the block on the shore end of the whip. The breeches buoy and endless whip are then attached to the traveller block on the hawser, allowing the shore crew to haul the breeches buoy to and from the vessel, rescuing the stranded crew one at a time. This set of sand pegs would have been used with sand anchor that is part of the rocket rescue equipment . It is significant for its connection with local history, maritime history and marine technology. Lifesaving has been an important part of the services performed from Warrnambool's very early days, supported by State and Local Government, and based on the methods and experience of Great Britain. Hundreds of shipwrecks along the coast are evidence of the rough weather and rugged coastline. Ordinary citizens, the Harbour employees, and the volunteer boat and rescue crew, saved lives in adverse circumstances. Some were recognised as heroes, others went unrecognised. In Lady Bay, Warrnambool, there were around 16 known shipwrecks between 1850 and 1905. Many lives were saved but tragically, eight lives were lost.Peg or spike; set of twelve wooden pegs, painted red. Pages have a long, thick square shank with bevelled side edges, flat top with broad hook on one side of the top and a point at the other end. A small hole goes from one side to the other side near the centre of the shank, on the face without the hook. flagstaff hill maritime museum & village, flagstaff hill, maritime museum, maritime village, warrnambool, great ocean road, shipwreck, life-saving, lifesaving, rescue crew, rescue, rocket rescue, maritime accidents, shipwreck victim, rocket crew, beach rescue, line rescue, rescue equipment, rocket firing equipment, rocket rescue equipment, rocket apparatus, beach apparatus, breeches buoy, rocket house, rocket equipment, rocket launcher, rocket line, marine technology, beach rescue set, traveller, block, running block, pulley, hawser, faked line, lady bay, warrnambool harbour, port of warrnambool, volunteer lifesavers, volunteer crew, breakwater, rocket rescue method, rocket rescue apparatus, shore to ship, rocket apparatus rescue, stranded vessel, whip line, endless whip, harbour board, sand anchor, rocket set, anchor backer, beach anchor, backer, steel cable, wire cable, sand peg, wooden tent peg, army peg, military peg

Letter: sent to Bendigo Historical Society 26th. October, 2007 by Beryl Margaret Carson, P.O. Box 39, Culburra Beach, NSW 2540. Re possessions of Mavis Jean Gould that relate to the Lansell family.Beryl Margaret Carsonplace, fortuna, family history, lansell, fortuna, bendigo

Apollo Bay is located between Wye River and Cape Otway on Victoria's scenic coastal route, the Great Ocean Road. In the 1840s the Henty brothers established a whaling station at Point Bunbury on the western end of the bay. The bay was named by Captain Loutit in 1845 when he sheltered his vessel, the Apollo during a storm. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_Bay)A coloured picture of a coastline attached to a glass butter plate. The coastline is Cape Patton, Apollo Bay, Victoria"Apollo Bay"apollo bay, beach, coast, souvenir

The Portland Pier was extended in 1916: "The contractors for the extension or the deep-water pier continue to make steady progress, and the work is nearing completion. Only a small gap on the south end remains to be filled with piling. The beams and decking have been laid down over the whole of the rest of the pier, and the effect im presses one with the magnitude, stability and excellence of the work." (Horsham Times 23 June 1916)A number of people on the beach at Portland near the pier. A number of cars are parked in the foreground.potland, sea,

Killarney beach is in close proximity to Port Fairy and Koroit,A number of colour photographs showing scenes of Killarney Beach, Victoria.killarney, beach

Apollo Bay is a coastal town in Victoria. A number of colour photographs of the coast at Apollo Bay, Victoria.apollo bay, coast, beach, sea, seaside, surf

Postcard sent to Australia during World War OneBlack and white postcard of a Turkish Mine used during World War One. Verso: Turkish Mine washed up on the beach at El Arish. Note the holes made by our machine gun fire by trying to explode it. B.W. (Billie West)billie west, west, turkish mine, el arish, mmm

Photograph shows a young lady sitting on the beach wall at Torquay in front of the bathing boxes.The beach boxes in the background were a feature of the beachfront until 1953.Black and white photographtorquay victoria, bathing boxes

Photograph shows beachgoers gathered at Torquay front beach around a display of lifesaving equipment.A memory of early Torquay.torquay victoria, bathing boxes, lifesaving boat and buoy, beach wear

Photograph shows the Rotunda that once stood on Rocky Point adjacent to the Torquay back beachThe rotunda and bathing boxes were a significant feature of the pre 1950s Torquay beachfront.Black and white photograph.torquay victoria, bathing boxes

Photograph shows a young boy sitting on Torquay beach in front of a bathing box.Bathing boxes were a feature of the Torquay beachfront pre 1950sBlack and white photographtorquay victoria

Photograph shows five young boys and a baby standing on a wooden structure on the beach and wearing a variety of beach wear.The bathing boxes in the background were a feature of the Torquay beachscape until the 1950s.Black and white photographtorquay victoria

Photograph shows a family group in swimwear, wrapped in towels and blankets, on the beach at Torquay with bathing boxes in the background.A record of beach fashions, and bathing boxes that had disappeared from the beach by the 1950s.Black and white photographtorquay victoria

Shows group of beach goers on Torquay Beach in front of Bathing boxes early 1920.sSepia copy photo1920s beach goers

The Torquay Life Saving Club was formed in 1922. Members operated from a large bathing box on the Torquay front beach. Eventually at a meeting at the Palace Hotel in January 1946, it was resolved to form the Torquay Surf Club but the name was changed to Torquay Surf Lifesaving Club on 20 February 1946. Building of the first clubhouse was completed in 1946. The first 50 years of the Club are chronicled in a book by Ken Pollard held by the TDHS and which is catalogued under Item 00012 in this catalogue.The formation of the Torquay Surf Lifesaving Club in 1946 and the establishment of a permanent clubhouse was the culmination of the efforts of members and friends of the Torquay Lifesaving Club over the previous quarter of a century. Printed text

The Torquay Life Saving Club was formed in 1922. Members operated from a large bathing box on the Torquay front beach. Eventually at a meeting at the Palace Hotel in January 1946, it was resolved to form the Torquay Surf Club but the name was changed to Torquay Surf Lifesaving Club on 20 February 1946. Building of first clubhouse was completed in 1946. The first 50 years of the Club are chronicled in a book held by the TDHS and which is catalogued under Item 00012 in this catalogue.The formation of the Torquay Surf Lifesaving Club in 1946 and the establishment of a permanent clubhouse was the culmination of the efforts of members and friends of the Torquay Lifesaving Club over the previous quarter of a century.Black and white photographstorquay surf lifesaving club

Photo shows beach front with figures dressed in 'beach wear ' of the time in foreground. A line of bathing boxes in middle ground can be seen. Early Torquay houses along esplanade in background.Black and white photo (copy) of Torquay front beach in early 1900s.

Digital imagesillowa, kelly's swamp, port fairy, killarney beach, landscape, seascape

Black and white photographic image of the 4th Battalion AIF landing at Gallipoli at 8am on 25 April 1915. In the foreground is the staff of Colonel MacLaurin, 1st Infantry Brigade. On the beach is a dead Australian Engineer. world war one, gallipoli, landing, beachhead, colonel maclaurin, 4th battalion aif, 1st infantry brigade aif

Colour photographs of whales and surfers at Logans Beach Whale nursery, Warrnamboolwhale, beach, surfing, logans beach, warrnambool

Colour photographs of whales and surfers at Logan's Beach. surfing, logans beach, victoria, whales, coast, beach, warrnambool

Colour photographs of Smith's Beach.smith's beach, sea, beach

Colour photograph of the Duck Race on teh Moyne River held on New Year's Day at Port Fairy. landscape, port fairy, beach, waterscape, moyne river, moyneyana, new years day, duck race

Colour photograph of Rocky crop at Cap Schank.coast, coastal, coastal geomorphology, geology, ocean, waves, cape schank, beach

Digital Image of seaweed taken under water at the Port Fairy Beach 'Pea Soup".sea, ocean, seaweed, kelp, sand, underwater, beach, port fairy, pea soup

Digital Photograph of sunset on the wave at Stingray Bay Victoriavictoria, stingray bay, warrnambool, ocean, water, wave, sunset, beach, sunset

Shells from Killarney Beach near Warrnambool, Victoria. sea shells, killarney beach

Colour photograph of a swimming enclosure at Brighton Beach, Victoria.swimming pool, sport, swimming, pre olympic, natural, ocean, brighton, brighton beach swimming pool

Colour photograph of two pelicans and their refletions at the Warrnambool beach.warrnambool, merri river, pelicans, birds, estuary, coastal

Warrnambool is a coastal town in VictoriaColour photographs of waves breaking on the Warrnambool breakwater. warrnambool, warrnambool breakwater, waves, beach