Piers Bateman was a local artist, held in very high esteem by his peers and community. He was born in Perth in 1947, moving to Eltham in 1955 as a young child with his family. In 1966 Bateman moved to London for eighteen months to develop his craft. In 1969 he settled in St Andrews, where he built a studio. The St Andrews locale is said to have been a strong influence on his work. Bateman’s talent was such that he was promoted and mentored by such ilk as Charles Blackman, Clifton Pugh and Arthur Boyd, among others. Bateman’s work is an intimate dialogue with the environment, renowned for his paintings of the outback, wilderness frontiers and the sea. He spent a year in the mid-seventies sailing the Greek Islands and the French canals to Amsterdam. In 1980 Bateman and Marcus Skipper embarked on a trans-Australian venture to the red centre and across northern Australia from Cairns to Broome. In the mid-eighties Bateman returned to the Mediterranean, before returning to the Australian outback in the late-eighties. His international career continued on an upwards trajectory between the Australian outback and European seas, providing a unique contrast throughout the course of his career. Bateman's work questions our relationship with the natural world, and in particular, reconciling our colonial heritage with our indigenous past. This line of questioning and his genuine response to place is the key to Piers Bateman’s work, for which he is lauded and celebrated. On September 4th 2015, Piers Bateman died in a boating accident on the NSW coast line. Piers Bateman was an instinctive painter whose inspiration came from nature. He reworked and scraped off the paint, moving it around until forms and colours of the landscape took shape. Although Bateman lived in Spain and Italy, his time in Europe made him aware of the contrast between the two continents and the bright clear light that defined the Australian landscape. At the time of this work, Bateman was living in St. Andrews, but travelled regularly to New South Wales and South Australia on painting trips. The ‘Grass Tree’ Xanthorrhoea johnsonii (commonly known as ‘blackboy’) is indigenous to these areas. It is a uniquely Australian, slow growing plant with twenty-eight species growing within Australia. Old examples of this tree are survivors of many wild fires, which can cause their blackened trunk, of one to two metres, branch into two or more heads. These heads consist of thick, rough corky bark, surrounded by long, wiry leaves and flowers that produce seed capsules with hard black seeds. The tree’s ability to be one of the first to flower after a wild fire ensures a food source for many insects and birds.Oil on canvas painting. Detail of three grass trees resting on the side of a mountain/hill. Green and gold palette throughout depicting the colours and light of the Australian landscape. Hand written, low right in capitals: 'BATEMAN'bateman, grass trees, xanthorrhoea johnsonii, landscape

Black and white photograph of H W Lowe General Store with horse drawn buggy in front, men aboard and also men on verandah Cassilis VictoriaLowes General Store Cassilis 1892 c transport, businesses

This photograph, in late 1950s, shows an Alpine Fire Prevention technique of "burning off" low levels of scrub to reduce the level of available fuel against any possible summer bush fires. The Alpine regions accumulate high levels of potential fuel (undergrowth and small shrubs) which if not reduced has the potential of breaking into a dangerous bush fire. The men in this photograph are not wearing any protective clothing. Their visibility to other firefighters is severely reduced by smoke. This photo is a snap shot in time when Occupational Health and Safety Legislation was in its infancy stage.This photograph details the fire prevention activities in the Victorian Alps under the management of the SEC Victoria. The level of undergrowth within the Australian bush needs to be kept under control to avoid the possibility of lightning strikes (during summer storms) igniting dry forests resulting in a major bush fire. Controlled fires within alpine regions are required not only to reduce the level of dry undergrowth but also to provide those various plant species requiring fire for regenerate. This method was used by the original inhabitants (Aborigines) as limited scrub fires were used to flush game and bird population for eating with the side benefit to those plants requiring the fire for regeneration.This black and white photograph shows an Alpine Fire Prevention technique of "burning off" low levels of scrub. The photograph is on 200gsm paper but it is not photographic paper. It can be assumed that the photo is not the original but a copy. alpine fire prevention, sec fire prevention

This is a photograph of one of the many stone ruins which can be seen in the Sunbury area and surrounding districts. These ruins are found in varying degrees of structural damage caused by erosion, vegetation growth and vandalism. The remains of the post and stone fence can be seen near Emu Creek at Bulla.A coloured photograph of the remains of a low post and stone fence in a sunburnt paddock. There are a few low growing bushes dotted across the paddocks.stone structures, dry stone walls, post and stone fences, george evans collection

Originally contained in an A4 spiral bound blue plastic document folder with clear inserts of inkjet printouts, 3 images per page, 7 pages with explanatory notes and "Sue Law" at the top of each page.Low-resolution copy of colour photographconstruction, eltham library

Originally contained in an A4 spiral bound blue plastic document folder with clear inserts of inkjet printouts, 3 images per page, 7 pages with explanatory notes and "Sue Law" at the top of each page.Low-resolution copy of colour photographmain road, road widening, bridge construction

Originally contained in an A4 spiral bound blue plastic document folder with clear inserts of inkjet printouts, 3 images per page, 7 pages with explanatory notes and "Sue Law" at the top of each page.Low-resolution copy of colour photographeltham lower park, diamond valley railway

Originally contained in an A4 spiral bound blue plastic document folder with clear inserts of inkjet printouts, 3 images per page, 7 pages with explanatory notes and "Sue Law" at the top of each page.Low-resolution copy of colour photographeltham lower park, diamond valley railway

Originally contained in an A4 spiral bound blue plastic document folder with clear inserts of inkjet printouts, 3 images per page, 7 pages with explanatory notes and "Sue Law" at the top of each page.Low-resolution copy of colour photographmain road, eltham festival, parade

Originally contained in an A4 spiral bound blue plastic document folder with clear inserts of inkjet printouts, 3 images per page, 7 pages with explanatory notes and "Sue Law" at the top of each page.Low-resolution copy of colour photograph150th anniversary, eltham primary school, state school no. 209

Originally contained in an A4 spiral bound blue plastic document folder with clear inserts of inkjet printouts, 3 images per page, 7 pages with explanatory notes and "Sue Law" at the top of each page.Low-resolution copy of colour photograph150th anniversary, eltham primary school, state school no. 209

Eltham District Historical Society, Local History Centre, 728 Main Road, ElthamLow-resolution copy of colour photographblanche shallard, eltham district historical society, opal smith, local history centre, russell yeoman

Eltham District Historical Society, Local History Centre, 728 Main Road, ElthamLow-resolution copy of colour photographblanche shallard, eltham district historical society, local history centre, russell yeoman, margaret deighton

Eltham District Historical Society, Local History Centre, 728 Main Road, ElthamLow-resolution copy of colour photographblanche shallard, eltham district historical society, local history centre, russell yeoman

Eltham District Historical Society, Local History Centre, 728 Main Road, ElthamLow-resolution copy of colour photographblanche shallard, eltham district historical society, local history centre

Eltham District Historical Society, Local History Centre, 728 Main Road, ElthamLow-resolution copy of colour photographblanche shallard, eltham district historical society, local history centre, opal smith, harry gilham

Eltham District Historical Society, Local History Centre, 728 Main Road, ElthamLow-resolution copy of colour photographblanche shallard, eltham district historical society, local history centre, harry gilham

Originally contained in an A4 spiral bound blue plastic document folder with clear inserts of inkjet printouts, 3 images per page, 7 pages with explanatory notes and "Sue Law" at the top of each page.Low-resolution copy of colour photographconstruction, eltham library

Originally contained in an A4 spiral bound blue plastic document folder with clear inserts of inkjet printouts, 3 images per page, 7 pages with explanatory notes and "Sue Law" at the top of each page.Low-resolution copy of colour photographconstruction, arthur street, carparks, eltham, coles store

Originally contained in an A4 spiral bound blue plastic document folder with clear inserts of inkjet printouts, 3 images per page, 7 pages with explanatory notes and "Sue Law" at the top of each page.Low-resolution copy of colour photographbook launch, kangaroo ground, mick woiwod

Originally contained in an A4 spiral bound blue plastic document folder with clear inserts of inkjet printouts, 3 images per page, 7 pages with explanatory notes and "Sue Law" at the top of each page.Low-resolution copy of colour photographcarparks, eltham, markets

Originally contained in an A4 spiral bound blue plastic document folder with clear inserts of inkjet printouts, 3 images per page, 7 pages with explanatory notes and "Sue Law" at the top of each page.Low-resolution copy of colour photographcemeteries, eltham, eltham cemetery

Originally contained in an A4 spiral bound blue plastic document folder with clear inserts of inkjet printouts, 3 images per page, 7 pages with explanatory notes and "Sue Law" at the top of each page.Low-resolution copy of colour photographeltham lower park, diamond valley railway

Originally contained in an A4 spiral bound blue plastic document folder with clear inserts of inkjet printouts, 3 images per page, 7 pages with explanatory notes and "Sue Law" at the top of each page.Low-resolution copy of colour photographeltham shire office, main road, skateboard competition, shire of eltham

Originally contained in an A4 spiral bound blue plastic document folder with clear inserts of inkjet printouts, 3 images per page, 7 pages with explanatory notes and "Sue Law" at the top of each page.Low-resolution copy of colour photographmain road, eltham festival, parade

Originally contained in an A4 spiral bound blue plastic document folder with clear inserts of inkjet printouts, 3 images per page, 7 pages with explanatory notes and "Sue Law" at the top of each page.Low-resolution copy of colour photographmain road, eltham festival, parade

Originally contained in an A4 spiral bound blue plastic document folder with clear inserts of inkjet printouts, 3 images per page, 7 pages with explanatory notes and "Sue Law" at the top of each page.Low-resolution copy of colour photograph150th anniversary, eltham primary school, state school no. 209

Originally contained in an A4 spiral bound blue plastic document folder with clear inserts of inkjet printouts, 3 images per page, 7 pages with explanatory notes and "Sue Law" at the top of each page.Low-resolution copy of colour photographparade, eltham

Twin girls riding a camel, probably at Eltham Festival, November 1993. Originally contained in an A4 spiral bound blue plastic document folder with clear inserts of inkjet printouts, 3 images per page, 7 pages with explanatory notes and "Sue Law" at the top of each page.Low-resolution copy of colour photographeltham festival, camel