After the 1939 bushfires, the Forests Commission Victoria 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. But by today’s standards, the technology was primitive and the reception poor unless the user was on a high point somewhere. The radio signal was "line-of-sight" and bounced between fire towers and relay transmitters across the mountains back to the District offices. The advent of solid-state electronics in the 1960s replaced the more delicate valve sets which enabled greater use of vehicle mounted radios. The Commission continued to research, develop and build new radios at its many workshops around Victoria. The network was supported by a large team of skilled radio technicians. The more secure and versatile State Mobile Radio (SMR) digital trunk system came into operation in about 1995. Upgraded Tait Radios were purchased in 2014 after recommendations of the 2009 Bushfires Royal Commission. But it was the convergence of separate technologies such as 5G mobile phones, high-capacity and light-weight lithium batteries, Wi-Fi, the ever-expanding internet, cloud data storage, digital cameras, GPS, personal organisers and hundreds of supporting Apps into powerful smartphones and tablets which revolutionised bushfire communications from the mid-2000s. Radio with handsetTait 163FM on metal box plus serial number Tait T196 miniphone on radio unit plus serial number Includes Dick Smith handsetbushfire, radios, forests commission victoria (fcv)

Singer was first established as I. M. Singer & Co. in 1851 by Isaac Merritt Singer with New York lawyer Edward C. Clark. Best known for its sewing machines, it was renamed Singer Manufacturing Company in 1865, then the Singer Company in 1963. The Singer company began to market its machines internationally in 1855 and won first prize at the Paris world's fair that year. They had offices established in both Sydney and Melbourne by the mid-1960s. The company demonstrated the first workable electric sewing machine in 1910. Singer was also a marketing innovator and a pioneer in promoting the use of instalment payment plans, making their machines more affordable for many people. According to its serial number, this machine was manufactured in 1950 and was one of the new models designed to be more portable as it only weighed about 10 KG.This sewing machine is of local, national and international significance as it represents developments in technology and the impact this had upon the work of women.The Singer 99 was a sturdy and reliable machine that was easy to use. Lighter than other machines of its time, this machine weighed only 10 Kgs. It is mounted on a wooden base with a small compartment under the balance wheel to store accessories and bobbins. It has a 'Bentwood' (polished plywood) cover which also provided some room for storage. The machine is driven by a small electric motor and a light to illuminate the work area. It is decorated with gold decals and a filigree pattern. It includes a knee control which is inserted in a hole at the front of the machine. The serial number EG045782 indicates it was manufactured in 1950.Across the top in gold script: "The Singer Manufacturing Co. / Made in Great Britain" On light cover: "SINGER" Plate with specifications also attached. On front of machine in oval badge: A CENTURY OF SEWING SERVICE/ THE SINGER MANFG. CO. 1851 - 1951singer sewing macnine, domestic appliances, women's work, technology

Greenish coloured German Metal BinocularsFerrglas 08, indecipherable Serial number Carl Zeiss Jenamilitary-equipment, personal effects, visual aides, binoculars

The Schneider ES50 Club was built in 1953 and is the only one of its type. It was designed by Schneider to comply with specifications laid down by the Gliding Federation of Australia for a basic two seat training glider*. It was first flown on 10 May 1953 and delivered to the Renmark Gliding Club. The log book shows that it later passed to other gliding clubs, namely Millicent Gliding Club, Corangamite Soaring Club, Sydney Technical College Gliding Club. Overall, as at September 1967, the glider had logged over 5000 flights and a total airtime of 388 hours. The Museum volunteers have partly refurbished the ES50 to static display standard. [*Plans were also prepared for a single seat version which never eventuated] This glider is one of Edmund Schneider Pty Ltd earliest Australian designs. However, it was a later Schneider design, the ES 52 Kookaburra, which was accepted by many Australian gliding clubs for filling their need for a basic two seat training glider in the 1950s and 1960s. This is a two seat high wing aircraft of mainly wood and fabric construction. The cockpit area of the fuselage is fabric over tubular steel framing. Given serial number 3 by manufacturer and registered as VH-GHPaustralian gliding, glider, sailplane, schneider, es50, renmark gliding club, millicent gliding club, corangamite soaring club, sydney technical college gliding club

Portable sewing machine, on a wooden base with a removable wooden lid. Inlaid design of gold decals on the lid.Wertheim Portable Sewing Machine (Frankfurt) Serial Number 6511471sewing machines

This Easiplay 2 model was produced by CSI (Clarke & Smith Industries) using a combination of overseas and locally made parts; however demand for compact discs was increasing by this time and the players were not financially viable. After the death of John Clarke in 1997 and the subsequent loss of it's major contract with RNIB, the company was wound up in 2004.Plastic rectangular grey coloured audio player with buttons for navigational controls, power cord and 3 buttons Clarke + Smith Model 1322 Serial number 9701-0011audio equipment, clarke and smith

White wooden cross with knitted poppy attached coloured red with green and black center. Soldier's name and serial number printed in black ink on front. Australian flag attached on back.THOMAS, DAVID JOHN 38712cross, memorial cross, thomas

The pay books relate to : John Donaldson Gardiner. Enlisted in the AIF on 26.6.1915 Regt No 2832 age 29 years 7 months in the 9th Reinforcements to the 5th BN. Embark for Eygpt 10.9.1915, embark for France 25.3.1916, hospital 10.5.1916 injury to Rib and Knee, rejoin unit 21.5.1916, hospital 18.1.1917 with Septic Throat, rejoin unit 2.2.1917, hospital 5.4.1917 with Influenza, rejoin unit 10.5.1917, hospital 8.10.1917 with Scabies then while on leave Sprained left ankle serious, rejoin unit possibly 11.2.1918, hospital 26.10.1918 with Influenza, embark for Australia 25.1.1919, discharged from the AIF 15.5.1919 medically unfit..1) Pay book Serial number 126092 brown colour covers 16 pages, front has space for details (all blurred), entries are in blue pen or pencil, stamped in purple “Discharged”. .2) Pay book Serial number 126092 dark brown covers with black tape on edges 10 pages with a single slip pasted in the back, entries are in blue pen or pencil, stamped “Cancelled” Entries relate to pay and deductions also inoculations.On Both. “ Pay book No 5025, Gardiner, John Donaldson, Regt No 2832, Pres, Pte"pay books, administrative, records

White wooden cross with knitted poppy attached coloured red with green and black centre. Soldier's name and serial number printed in black ink on front. Australian flag attached on back of crossHOUSTON, JAMES MICHAEL 43893cross, houston

White wooden cross with knitted poppy attached coloured red with freen and black centre. Soldier's name and serial number printed in black ink on front. Australian flag attached on back of crossSALVERON, DOUGLAS JAVING 1731040cross, memorial cross, salveron

White woodedn cross with knitted poppy attached coloured red with green & black centre. Soldier's name & serial number printed in black ink on front of the Australian flag attached on the back of the cross.McCormack, Dennis James. 1730994.cross, memorial cross, mccormack

White woodedn cross with knitted poppy attached coloured red with green & black centre. Soldier's name & serial number printed in black ink on front of the Australian flag attached on the back of the cross.Grice, Victor Roy, 1730947cross, memorial cross, grice

White woodedn cross with knitted poppy attached coloured red with green & black centre. Soldier's name & serial number printed in black ink on front of the Australian flag attached on the back of the cross.Aldersea, Richard Alfred 55120cross, memorial cross, aldersea

White woodedn cross with knitted poppy attached coloured red with green & black centre. Soldier's name & serial number printed in black ink on front of the Australian flag attached on the back of the cross.Drabble, Glenn Alfred 1730929cross, memorial cross

White woodedn cross with knitted poppy attached coloured red with green & black centre. Soldier's name & serial number printed in black ink on front of the Australian flag attached on the back of the cross.Topp, Francis Brett 1200265cross, memorial cross, topp

White woodedn cross with knitted poppy attached coloured red with green & black centre. Soldier's name & serial number printed in black ink on front of the Australian flag attached on the back of the cross.Gant, Kenneth Howard 1730941.cross, memorial cross, gant

White woodedn cross with knitted poppy attached coloured red with green & black centre. Soldier's name & serial number printed in black ink on front of the Australian flag attached on the back of the cross.Mitchell, Warren David 1731013cross, memorial cross, mitchell

White woodedn cross with knitted poppy attached coloured red with green & black centre. Soldier's name & serial number printed in black ink on front of the Australian flag attached on the back of the cross.Large, Paul Andrew 2781704.cross, memorial cross

White woodedn cross with knitted poppy attached coloured red with green & black centre. Soldier's name & serial number printed in black ink on front of the Australian flag attached on the back of the cross.Sharp, Gordon Cameron 2781465.cross, memorial cross

White woodedn cross with knitted poppy attached coloured red with green & black centre. Soldier's name & serial number printed in black ink on front of the Australian flag attached on the back of the cross.Whiston, Colin Joseph 3787607.cross, memorial cross

White woodedn cross with knitted poppy attached coloured red with green & black centre. Soldier's name & serial number printed in black ink on front of the Australian flag attached on the back of the cross.Wales, Maxwell Ray 216559.cross, memorial cross

White woodedn cross with knitted poppy attached coloured red with green & black centre. Soldier's name & serial number printed in black ink on front of the Australian flag attached on the back of the cross.Grant, Ernest Francis 3411673.cross, memorial cross

White woodedn cross with knitted poppy attached coloured red with green & black centre. Soldier's name & serial number printed in black ink on front of the Australian flag attached on the back of the cross.McCormack, Albert Frederick 1730993.cross, memorial cross

White woodedn cross with knitted poppy attached coloured red with green & black centre. Soldier's name & serial number printed in black ink on front of the Australian flag attached on the back of the cross.Clements, Peter Edward 54570.cross, memorial cross

Pentacon AK8 8mm Movie Camera Carl Zeiss Jena Lens Made in Germany 1950s. Leather sides are coming away from the metal box. Brown leather case of similar size (Camera can be used whilst still in the case)AK8 (on front) Made in Germany (inside) 439629 (underneath, serial number?)

Victoria once had well over one hundred fire lookouts and firetowers. Fire lookouts, or observation posts, were often just a clearing on a hill or a vantage point, whereas firetowers were definite structures. Many were established by the Forests Commission Victoria (FCV) in the 1920s, but the network was expanded rapidly in response to recommendations of the Stretton Royal Commission after the 1939 Black Friday bushfires. When a fire or smoke was spotted from the tower a bearing was taken with the alidade and radioed or telephoned into the district office. It was then cross referenced with bearings from other towers on a large wall map to give a "fix" on the fire location. Alidades and telescopes were used in the post war period but were replaced with a much simpler map table and reference string suspended from the centre of the tower cabin. This "Fire Finder" was used in Canadian fire towers to identify the location of wildfires. The unique design was first developed by the British Columbia Forest Service (BCFS) in the early 1950s. Close examination of the map indicates that this particular Fire Finder may have been once used at Bluejoint Mountain lookout in Granby Provincial Park. This Fire Finder was a gift to Barry (Rocky) Marsden from the British Columbia Forest Service in the late 1980s in recognition of the close relationships that had been forged with the staff at the Altona Workshops over many decades. Fire Finders were originally painted black but this one was repainted green after it arrived at Altona. The BC Forest Service had a large facility where they manufactured Fire Finders and many other items of equipment, but in the 1980s it was shut down. Heavy cast iron circular object with a paper topographic map mounted on it. The metal dial and ruler works similar to a compass. The sight tube is used to determine the bearing and elevation of the fire on the map. This Fire Finder also sometimes known as an Alidade. Its a different design from the Osborne Fire Finder widely used in North American fire lookouts from the 1920s. British Columbia Forest Service. Model 62A. Serial Number 6308.bushfire

Victoria once had well over one hundred fire lookouts and firetowers. Fire lookouts, or observation posts, were often just a clearing on a hill or a vantage point, whereas firetowers were definite structures. Many were established by the Forests Commission Victoria (FCV) in the 1920s, but the network was expanded rapidly in response to recommendations of the Stretton Royal Commission after the 1939 Black Friday bushfires. When a fire or smoke was spotted from the tower a bearing was taken with the alidade and radioed or telephoned into the district office. It was then cross referenced with bearings from other towers on a large wall map to give a "fix" on the fire location. Alidades and telescopes were used in the post war period but were replaced with a much simpler map table and reference string suspended from the centre of the tower cabin. This "Fire Finder" was used in Canadian fire towers to identify the location of wildfires. The unique design was first developed by the British Columbia Forest Service (BCFS) in the early 1950s. Close examination of the map indicates that this particular Fire Finder may have been once used at Bluejoint Mountain lookout in Granby Provincial Park. This Fire Finder was a gift to Barry (Rocky) Marsden from the British Columbia Forest Service in the late 1980s in recognition of the close relationships that had been forged with the staff at the Altona Workshops over many decades. Fire Finders were originally painted black but this one was repainted green after it arrived at Altona. The BC Forest Service had a large facility where they manufactured Fire Finders and many other items of equipment, but in the 1980s it was shut down. Heavy cast iron circular object with a paper topographic map mounted on it. The metal dial and ruler works similar to a compass. The sight tube is used to determine the bearing and elevation of the fire on the map. This Fire Finder also sometimes known as an Alidade. Its a different design from the Osborne Fire Finder widely used in North American fire lookouts from the 1920s. British Columbia Forest Service. Model 62A. Serial Number 6308.bushfire