After the 1939 bushfires, the Forests Commission invested heavily in a radically new communications network. After suffering some inevitable delays due to the War, radio VL3AA switched into full operation in October 1945 proudly beaming out 200 watts across the State. The communication systems were regarded at the time to be more technically advanced than the police and the military. These pioneering efforts were directed by Geoff Weste, and later technical experts like Rex Philpot, John Whitehead, Charlie Reisinger and many others who designed, built and repaired most of the radio equipment. There was a dedicated radio laboratory at Surrey Hills in Melbourne.Radio setSTC Star Radio Telephone Type FR5.1.25-STradios, forests commission victoria (fcv)

Denis Gibbons (1937 – 2011) Trained with the Australian Army, before travelling to Vietnam in January 1966, Denis stayed with the 1st Australian Task Force in Nui Dat working as a photographer. For almost five years Gibbons toured with nine Australian infantry battalions, posting compelling war images from within many combat zones before being flown out in late November 1970 after sustaining injuries. The images held within the National Vietnam Veterans Museum make up the Gibbons Collection. A black and white photograph of Pte Jack Higgins batman to the Company Commander Maj Jake O'Donnell MC, A Coy Headquarters 7 RAR (1967 - 1968) a heavy pack on his back,with radio, anenna protruding, in the rain, gets a helping hand up a slippery bank during Operation Carolinephotograph, pte jack higgins, maj jake o'donnell, a coy, 7 rar, operation caroline, nui nghe mountains, gibbons collection catalogue, military cross, the distinguished service order (dso), denis gibbons