Nanya Station, owned and managed by the University of Ballarat (now Federation University Australia), was purchased with assistance from the Department of Environment and Heritage Government Caring for our Country program. Nanya Station is located in the Scotia country, west of the Darling Ana-Branch in far western New South Wales and consists of the Nanya Western Lands Pastoral Lease 3281 – Perpetual Leasehold Lot 1244 in Deposited Plan 762778, Parish of Winnebaga, County of Tara and part of Lot 1242 County of Windeyer. Nanya is within the tribal area of the Danggali Aboriginal people, a sub-group of the Barkindji. Many Aboriginal sites have been recorded adjacent to major rivers in the region providing evidence that these areas supported a large population. The Scotia region has one of the shortest stock grazing histories of western NSW. Along with five other Scotia properties, Nanya was created as a pastoral lease in 1927. The first European settlement on the land followed exploration of the area by Sturt and Eyre. In 1854, the Lake Victoria lease which encompassed this area comprised 465,000ha.included Scotia blocks 1, 2, 3 and 4, Amoskeag and Winnebaga which formed the area known as the Scotia. It was described as a region of thick mallee scrub, interspersed with bluebush flats and Belah woodland. In the 1920s artesian water was found and the dry Scotia country was surveyed and divided into six Homestead leases allocated by ballot (Withers 1989). All properties were approximately 30,000ha, with a recommended stocking level of 3,000 sheep. Winnebaga (renamed Nanya) was taken up by Gordon Cumming. He initially dug a dam near the southeast corner of the property. A larger ground tank and rudimentary dwelling at the site of the present complex was later established. An adjacent area was cleared and cropped to provide feed for the horses used in digging the earth tanks. The ruins of the original building are located between the shearing shed and Homestead Tank. A cottage was built in the 1930s and a more substantial Red Gum framed homestead in the early 1950s. The lease was held by Mr Gordon Cumming until 1984 when it was purchased by Mr Norm Scadding as an extension to the adjacent lease, Belvedere. It was sold in 1995 to Mr Rob Taylor of Waikerie then in 1999 to BeMax Pty. Ltd., a sand mining company. These last three owners all permitted use of the property by the University for teaching and research. The Centre for Environmental Management at the University of Ballarat had been involved in studies of flora and fauna in western New South Wales since 1988. Studies became concentrated on the Scotia region with its variety of intact ecosystems due to a short pastoral history. Of particular significance is a system of natural salt lakes of which the most extensive is the Scotia Discharge Complex located on Nanya Station. An extensive vegetation survey of the Scotia region Westbrooke et al. 1998) highlighted the significance of the area both in terms of the range of communities in relatively intact condition and the occurrence of species and communities of restricted distribution. Nearly 400 species were recorded of which nine had either not previously been recorded or have restricted distribution in western NSW. Twenty-two plant communities occur on Nanya Station of which two, Halosarcia lylei low open shrubland and Hemichroa diandra/Halosarcia/Frankenia low open shrubland, are dominated by species not previously recorded from NSW. H. lylei and Acacia loderi shrublands are listed as endangered under the NSW Threatened Species Conservation Act. As noted, the area has a relatively short grazing history and, due to the presence of large areas of mallee with a Triodia understorey and restricted water supplies, stocking rates have been low. The diversity of ecosystems in relatively intact condition and extensive areas of old growth mallee made Nanya a highly significant refuge for biological diversity. This factors led to the purchase of Nanya Station by the University of Ballarat in 2004 with the assistance of the Department of Environment and Heritage for the purposes of conservation, research and education. In 2010 the southern paddocks of Nagaella Station (10,000ha.) which lie along the northern boundary, were purchased with the assistance of Lower Murray Darling Catchment Management Authority and added to the Nanya lease to provide complete protection for the communities of the Nanya Discharge Complex and further high quality Malleefowl habitat. Four digital reports documents relating to Federation University's Nanya Station, Western New South Walesnanya station, scotia country, pastoral lease, winnebaga county, darling ana-branch, martin westbrooke, environmental education, nagaella station, lower murray darling catchment management authority, conservation research education, ian gribble, pat prevett, ian henderson, danggali

Mark Spargo had outstanding results from trade school. He completed his modules with 23 credits out od a possible 24. In two of his elective modules he scored 100 percent and his overall acerage mark over three years was 87.5 percent. However, it was not the results alone remarkable as they are - he managed to motivate and maintain the enthusiasm of both his teachers and the rest of the class during the three years. The Western Region Gampians Apprenticeship Scheme runs an annual award for the top apprentice. Mark Spargo Receiving an Award for Outstanding Trade School Results in 1988. He was equal top in the Western Region Apprenticeship Scheme. mark spargo, western region gampians apprenticeship scheme, awards, trades, apprenticeship, apprentice

Publication 'The Western District Centenary Souvenir' printed and published by Terang 'Express'. Contains images of Western District towns c1934 and history of the area and various advertisements from Western District business.

This photograph was taken when John Bennett was the Chairman of the North Western Woollen Mills Company of Stawell in 1926. English born John Bennett came to Warrnambool in1909 and was the first manager of the Warrnambool Woollen Mill. He went back to Yorkshire in England to purchase equipment before the opening of the Mill in 1910. He was manager of the Warrnambool Woollen Mill for nearly 20 years, finishing in 1928 and dying in the same year. The Warrnambool Woollen Mill was a major 20th Century industry, closing in the year 2000.This photograph is of considerable significance as a memento of the first manager of the Warrnambool Woollen Mill one of the most important industries in Warrnambool's history.This is a black and white photograph in a circular wooden frame, with a wooden mount covered with a concave glass. It has a plaque at the base with white printing.John E. Bennett First Chairman of Directors North Western Woollen Mills Pty. Ltd. 1926warrnambool woollen mill

Yellow and brown cardboard folder 'The Western Wonderland' containing brochures with information for Western District and south east of South Australia.