The history of the Thunderchild gun is not known. It was presumably manufactured in Torquay in the second half of the 19th century. Such guns were often attached to a ship’s rail through the holes in the swivel base, as in the base of this gun. The guns fired grapeshot and were originally used on ships to repel boarders. They were also used to launch whaling harpoons and were sometimes employed for signalling. The relatively late date makes the latter application most likely. This Thunderchild gun is complete with ramrod and wad remover. It is in good working order and easily assembled. It is used locally for special ceremonies and for Whaleboat Races as a starting gun. (Guns and Cannon, South Wester Victoria, May 2008, ref W/F/03) The small bore cannon is part of a collection of nineteenth century Flagstaff Hill Guns and Cannon, which is classified as being a high level of significance, on State, National and World The nineteenth century artillery pieces are a very rare and representative collection of artillery of this era. The artillery pieces, individually and as a collection, are highly significant for historical, scientific and aesthetic reasons at the state, national and world levels. The artillery pieces are excellent examples of nineteenth century artillery designed for the shore defence of western Victoria in the mid to late 1800s. The collection demonstrates the system of nineteenth century Imperial Defence implemented by Britain and of the recycling of obsolete technology to the colonies by Britain. The collection represents the methods of artillery technology, its advancement and its modifications in order to remain active. It also illustrates the transference of defence technology from Britain to Australia and demonstrates the level of reliance Australia had on British defence equipment. The artillery pieces form prominent elements in their landscapes and, together with the batteries and sites in which they are located, create a strong visual link to the region’s defence history. Importantly the artillery pieces, individually and as a collection, represent a very rare and intact group of nineteenth century artillery. Very few examples of nineteenth century artillery have survived worldwide, the largest collections being sited in Canada. The collection is a rare collection of artillery which demonstrates the advancements made in artillery technology during the nineteenth century, and is one of the largest collections of nineteenth century artillery in Australia. Further, the collection is extremely intact, with most pieces retaining original carriages and many located within their original emplacement. This collection of artillery, with their carriages and in their locations, are of exceptional national significance as they represent the largest intact collection of artillery within a single defensive network, outside of major colonial ports. The collection of nineteenth century carriages and slides are in themselves an extremely rare and important collection, however their significance is enhanced by their placements within batteries and with guns. (Conservation Management Plan for Victorian Guns and Cannon, South Western Victoria, May 2008) Cannon; small 1pdr cast iron, smooth bore muzzle loading swivel gun, painted glass black. 19th century cannon has polished wood handle, two detachable metal stirrups and metal swivel base with cuff, attached to block of wood by four bolts. Accessories are a wood tamper and wood ramrod. Name on gun is Thunder-Child, Torquay, Vic. There are Maker’s Marks on the gun and base, and a number on the cannon.. Marks; Barrel "Thunder/ Child". Base cuff " THUNDER / -CHILD / TORQUAY / VIC ", Trunnion "2825/H"flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, cannon, torquay, thunder child cannon, thunderchild cannon, signal cannon, muzzle loading cannon, ordinance, munitions

A hand lance with a long iron shaft and a small oval or leaf-shaped tip was also known as a killing iron. It was designed to dispatch a whale quickly and efficiently, once the mammal came to the water surface for the last time. The hand lance was stabbed repeatedly into a whale’s thick neck arteries. The sharp leaf-shaped tip allowed easy removal for another thrust. Cutting these arteries prevented the whale from deep dives and hastened its bleeding to death. Normally, multiple hand lances were carried aboard a whaleboat, so that if one was lost it could be easily replaced without returning to the mother ship for a spare one. By the late 19th century, guns had replaced most hand-thrown harpoons and lances. They were more efficient, more accurate, and safer, for a whaler could shoot a dart at a greater distance from the dangerous whale than a harpoon could be thrown.An item that gives an insight into 19th century whaling practices that were carried out all along the southern coasts of Australia.Hand Lance or Killing Iron Noneflagstaff hill, warrnambool, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, whaling equipment, whaling, killing lance, whaling lance, harpoon

Harpoon wooden handle, known as a Hand Lance or Killing Iron. Used to kill the whale after it was harpooned. Spliced piece of rope wound around spear head. Handle is tapered at throwing end and where handle joins metal spear.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, whaling, harpoon, fishing industry

This badge was produced to celebrate a gathering of past and present residents at Port Fairy in 1921, with the event officially called ‘Back to Port Fairy’. Port Fairy is on the Princes Highway, 28 kilometres west of Warrnambool. By 1921 Europeans had settled in Port Fairy for about 85 years, with John Griffiths setting up a whaling station on Griffiths Island in 1836 and James Atkinson establishing the town area in the early 1840s. Atkinson called the town Belfast and it was known by this name until 1887 when the name reverted to Port Fairy. The Back to Port Fairy celebrations in 1921 ran from November 10th to November 19th. A month before, in October 1921, the Glaxo factory, a prominent business in Port Fairy for many years, had been established.This badge is of minor interest as a memento of a celebration at Port Fairy in 1921 and is retained for display purposes.This is a metal badge with red edging, red lettering and a grey-coloured image of boats at the Port Fairy wharf. Back to Port Fairy November 1921port fairy, history of warrnambool, badge, port fairy

This item was given to the Historical Society in 1972, with the donor indicating that the spirit level belonged to the Henty family. The Hentys of Portland are regarded as the first permanent settlers in the State of Victoria (1834). Stephen Henty, with his brother Edward, was involved in the whaling industry in Portland. He also had shipping interests, operating a regular Western District shipping service (‘Champion’, ‘Lady Bird’, ‘Western’, ‘Edina’ etc) and a property ‘Cadnook’, near Harrow. Stephen Henty had close connections with Warrnambool not only because of his shipping interests but also because he was the brother-in-law of an early Warrnambool Harbour Master, Captain Frank Helpman. A spirit level was an essential tool for early settlers as they often built their own homes and constructed the roads nearby, needing to ascertain if what was being constructed was on level ground.It does not seem possible to establish whether this item belonged to the Henty family or to a Henty property. But in the Historical Society collection we have a piece of sheet music which includes the handwriting ‘Mrs Smalpaige, Cadnook’, ‘S. J. Henty’ and the date ‘8th August 1859’. Also the Warrnambool Art Gallery has an authentic Henty piano dating from 1837 and Stephen Henty’s wife died in Hamilton in 1906 so it is possible that the spirit level came to us from a Henty family descendant living nearby via Mr N. Kelly. If the Henty provenance can be proved then this item is of high significance.This is an unvarnished wooden spirit level, apparently home made, with a bubble in the centre. The top has been attached with eight screws, now much rusted. There appears to be some letters in the bubble area but they have not been deciphered “Hentys spirit level, oldest in Australia” is written in ink on the back of the objectspirit level, henty brothers portland, warrnambool, henty family

The dead whale washed ashore at Warrnambool and has been in the photographed position for around a month when the photograph was taken. Warrnambool is Victoria's Southern Right Whale Nursery and whales have been visiting for hundreds of years. They were hunted almost to the point of extinction, but after whaling was outlawed in 1935 the numbers have been growing. Southern Right Whales live in the sub-Antarctic and migrate to warmer waters around southern Australia in Winter. Female whales migrate to the "nursery" areas close to the shores to bear their calves staying in the nursery for many weeks, allowing claves to feed and gather strength for the return journey to sub-Antarctic waters. The Southern Right Whale can be recognised but its smotth, black back with no dorsal fin. A number of crusty outgrowths, called callosities, are found on the head.Three images of a dead whale washed ashore at Warrnambool. warrnambool, whale, death, sea, shore, southern right

Harpoon, Blubber Spade, used to cut blubber from whale carcass, Handle is tapered at both ends. flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, harpoon, blubber spade, whaling, whaling harpoon

Wooden stand . top opens to reveal a basin which drains into a hole underneath.the name Volum is written at the back of the cabinetvolum collection, campaign furniture, seafaring, geelong, whaling, captain, whaler, peterhead, scotland, dry sink, wash stand, sink, james volum

The harpoon would have been attached to a long harpoon pole. A rope would be attached to the harpoon and used like a fishing line to draw the whale, or other large catch, alongside the whaleboat. Harpoons have been used for thousands of years in the fishing industry to catch and secure large fish and other sea creatures such as whales. Harpoon, Double Flute 2'9" metal end with 5'9" wooden shank with rope spliced around metal section and whipped to wooden shank.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, harpoon, double flute, whaling, flluke, fishing, tool

This chest is the typical mid-18th century model. Thought to have belonged to captain James Volum.A medicine chest was a necessity for all sea journeys. Sometimes surgeons were onboard ships if there were passengers but on merchant ships, the captain had to be able able to look after his crew. A medium size mahogany cabinet with four protruding feet, small free hinged handles on left and right sides which are positioned approximately 5/8ths up from the bottom of the item, these handles can hinge 100 degrees upwards. The front and back 6/8ths of the cabinet can hinge open, as can the top of. Both front and back doors can be locked closed with their own respective hook latch which is on both sides of the cabinet. The top lid can be locked by interacting with a metallic keyhole which is present on the front of the cabinet close to the top. Revealed by opening the top lit is storage location with two rows of three storage spaces and one row of four. Revealed by opening the front door, is a single shelf with six divided locations for an equal number of glass containers, though only five remain in complete form. Below this self are three rows of drawers of differing dimensions, each with a small white knob. There are two drawers of equal width in the first row. Each drawer has four equally divided sliding pieces on its top face. When removed, these lids reveal a respective small space. Present on small paper labels on each of these lids are identifiers of the material which was stored. There are three equally sized drawers in the second row, which are less wide than the previous row. Only two of the drawers in this row have lids, of which each only have a single lid which covers a single compartment, each of these have a single label on them. The middle drawer contains a small glass mortar and pestle which are restrained by small wooden fixtures within the drawer. There are two drawers of equal width and greater height than any of the previous drawers in the third row. The first drawer has a single compartment containing multiple vials of varying dimensions, some of which feature a paper label with a respective inscription. Some of these vials are broken. In the second drawer has no lid which covers its four equally sized glasses. These are restricted by a wooded piece with four circular cut-outs. Revealed by opening the back door are two equally sized and spaced shelves which both have four divided locations which are filled by eight respective glass containers. These glass containers are of similar design to those in the front compartment but are larger. Some of these glass jars have paper labels like those found on previous glass containers.Label on top lid:volum collection, medecine chest, portable furniture, geelong, peterhead, scotland, captain, seafaring, whaling, london, bishopsgate, old gravel lane, london docks, tobacco dock, james burrows

Writing chest or toiletry case with several compartments. In main compartment were several items from the Volum family: cigarettes case, business cards case, a boar tusk, 4 seeds. a piece of coral. Behind the board where the name Gordon Volum is written and where was possibly a mirror were hidden two documents: a pink card from a hospital about Andrew Volum, and a small leaflet about WWI ships.Label on top lid:volum collection, portable furniture, geelong, peterhead, scotland, captain, seafaring, whaling, gordon volum, andrew volum, wwi, first world war, great war, navy ships, hmat orsova

This is a set of six photographs of Lithographic Squadron personnel with Defence Cooperation Program (DCP) students at the Army Survey Regiment, Fortuna Villa, Bendigo Victoria, 1985. These informal and formal group photos were taken on the day of a CO’s Parade. Litho Squadron provided printing and photographic reproduction to the two DCP students. RA Svy also provided technical training to DCP students in map production skills such as, cartography and photogrammetry at the Army Survey Regiment and the School of Military Survey, Bonegilla. The Australian Defence Force over several years sponsored international students from counties such as Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu. It is not known which South Pacific country these DCP students came from.This is a set of six photographs of Lithographic Squadron personnel with Defence Cooperation Program (DCP) students at the Army Survey Regiment, Fortuna Villa, Bendigo Victoria, 1985. The photographs are on 35mm negative film and were scanned at 96 dpi. They are part of the Army Survey Regiment’s Collection. .1) Photo, black & white, 1985. L to R: Warren ‘Waldo’ Shirley, Per Andersen, Trevor Osborne, Roy Hicks, Lance Strudwick, Steve Burke, Dale Hudson, Paul Baker, Ralph Chant, Peter Breukel, John ‘Flash’ Anderson, Chad Hardwick, Peter Imeson, DCP student John or Henry, unidentified, Greg Rowe, John South, unidentified, Mick ‘Buddha’ Ellis, John ‘Junior’ Whaling, Terry King, Daryl South, DCP student John or Henry, Bronwyn Jones, John Bateman, Kerron South, unidentified officer, Peter Dillon, Kim Reynolds, Rob Jones, unidentified, Jeff Lynch, Garry Hudson, Mark ‘Dogs’ Doherty, Jim Ash, Gavin Neilson, Jeff Willey, unidentified, Graham Johnston, Steve Egan, Peter Barrett, George Austen, Dave Miles. .2) - Photo, black & white, 1985. L to R: Warren ‘Waldo’ Shirley, Per Andersen, Trevor Osborne, Roy Hicks, Lance Strudwick, Steve Burke, Dale Hudson, Paul Baker, Ralph Chant, Peter Breukel, John ‘Flash’ Anderson, Chad Hardwick, Peter Imeson, DCP student John or Henry, unidentified, Greg Rowe, John South, unidentified, Mick ‘Buddha’ Ellis, John ‘Junior’ Whaling, Terry King, Daryl South, DCP student John or Henry, John Bateman, Kerron South, unidentified officer, Peter Dillon, Kim Reynolds, Rob Jones, unidentified, Jeff Lynch, Garry Hudson, Mark ‘Dogs’ Doherty, Jim Ash, Gavin Neilson, Jeff Willey, unidentified, Graham Johnston, Steve Egan, Peter Barrett, Dave Miles, George Austen. .3) - Photo, black & white, 1985. Photo Troop L to R: Steve Burke, Garry Hudson, Warren ‘Waldo’ Shirley, Ralph Chant, Gavin Neilson, DCP student John or Henry, Paul Baker, Trevor Osborne, Peter Imeson, Mick ‘Buddha’ Ellis, unidentified, John ‘Junior’ Whaling, DCP student John or Henry, Chad Hardwick, Terry King, Dave Miles, Graham Johnston, Kerron South, Bronwyn Jones, Rob Jones, unidentified. .4) - Photo, black & white, 1985. L to R: WO1 Jeff Lynch, DCP student John or Henry, CAPT John South, unidentified officer, DCP student John or Henry, WO2 Dave Miles. .5) & .6) - Photo, black & white, 1985. Print Troop L to R: Per Andersen, Daryl South, Lance Strudwick, Peter Dillon, DCP student John or Henry, Jeff Willey, John Bateman, Roy Hicks, Paul Davis, Dale Hudson, Kim Reynolds, Greg Rowe, Jim Ash, DCP student John or Henry, Mark ‘Dogs’ Doherty, Peter Breukel, Peter Barrett, unidentified, unidentified officer, Steve Egan, George Austen.No personnel are identified. Date and DCP students noted on film negative sleeve.royal australian survey corps, rasvy, army survey regiment, army svy regt, fortuna, asr, litho sqn, litho

James Watkin (1805–86), Pioneer Missionary. James Watkin was born in Manchester in 1805. While still young he felt the call to preach and in 1830 was accepted as a candidate for the Wesleyan Ministry. In the same year he married Hannah Entwistle and they sailed with a missionary party to Tonga. The work of the mission was jeopardised by prolonged and involved struggles between Christian and non-Christian Tongan chiefs; Watkin faced alone the danger of tribal warfare, but the experience left him depressed and exhausted. On his removal with his family to Sydney in September 1837 he prayed for a return home to England. Instead, when John Jones offered a free passage for a missionary appointed to Waikouaiti, where Jones had a whaling station, Watkin was selected for the post and arrived there in May 1840. Here he established the first mission station in the South Island. Watkin found the whaling settlement of Waikouaiti a centre of violence, licentiousness, and drunken depravity. Thoroughly disliking the corrupted Maoris and convinced that they were doomed to extinction, and disgusted by the brutality and vices of his fellow Europeans, Watkin laboured without hope, in the bitterness of exile and with deepening depression and distress. In spite of an abhorrence for his situation he established schools at Waikouaiti and Matanaka, and stationed partly trained Maori teachers at Stewart Island and at Moeraki. He had a natural flair for languages, preached in Maori four months after his arrival, and compiled an elementary reading book to be printed in Ngai Tahu. In November 1840 Watkin was greatly disturbed by Bishop Pompallier's visit to Otago. When, however, this was followed by Anglican intrusion – for Bishop Selwyn visited Otago in January 1844 – Watkin thought of withdrawing his own Maori teachers and abandoning the field. Never reconciled to his position at Waikouaiti, Watkin was relieved by Charles Creed and in June 1844 he sailed for Wellington, leaving 227 church members in Otago. In 1855 Watkin settled in New South Wales, and was president of the National Methodist Conference at Adelaide in 1862. He retired in 1869 and died on 14 May 1886, at Ashfield, New South Wales. 'WATKIN, James', from An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand, edited by A. H. McLintock, originally published in 1966. Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand URL: http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/1966/watkin-james (accessed 30 Apr 2018) B & W engraving from a photograph of the Rev. James Watkin.Revd. James Watkin, Australia Engraved by J. Cochran from a Photograph.

When scrimshaw is mentioned, most people think of carving on sperm whale teeth only. But scrimshaw also includes engravings on skeletal whale bone–such as the jaw bone, called panbone–and ivory from other marine mammals such as walrus. Although scrimshaw is widely associated with nautical themes and designs of the 19th century whaling industry, vintage scrimshaw was also produced as tribal art in many cultures. Today, scrimshaw is recognized as a unique medium in which present-day artists have developed their own modern themes. Scrimshaw reproductions may take several forms. There are - New carvings on genuine ivory or bone with the deliberate intent to create an "antique” - New carvings on genuine ivory or bone sold as signed and dated contemporary art - Clearly marked synthetic museum reproductions and mass marketed - Unmarked synthetic replicas Painstakingly carved deliberate replicas are directed towards the scrimshaw collector and seldom appear in the general market. Pieces of contemporary art and museum copies are usually clearly marked and openly sold for what they are. The biggest problems in the general antiques market are the mass produced synthetic reproduction pieces, such as this item, that can be mistaken for the genuine item. The scrimshaw is a modern reproduction of a typical scrimshaw scene and engraved onto a synthetic substance. It has been created as a decorative piece and is currently displayed as a representation of the craft of scrimshaw.Scrimshaw carved on a non-natural material in the shape of a whale tooth. Engraving depicts a grizzly bear with two cubs next to a fallen tree. Nonewarrnambool, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, craft work, carving on bones, whale bone carving, engraving, scrimshaw, carving, reproduction scrimshaw

A thousand years of Warrnambool history has been documented in this creative tapestry, woven in 1988. The Tapestry hangs in the Great Circle Gallery at Flagstaff Hill and complements the theme of the display. Three local women with the help of Museum staff researched and designed the tapestry, which was woven in 1988 from wool and cotton. It is 10 meters long and 70 cm deep and took 7 months to create. The tapestry introduces the seafaring theme of the Center and illustrates a timeline of events dating back to the arrival of Europeans in the Warrnambool area. It begins with the settlement of the area by Europeans and travels back in time as you walk further into the gallery, depicting shipwrecks along the coast, whaling of the area, early exploration by Europeans James Grant and Nicholas Baudin, back to the indigenous settlement of the area, represented by middens and indigenous symbols. (Interestingly prior to being hung in the gallery, the tapestry was originally hung with the intention of being framed from right to left). All materials in the cotton and wool tapestry, includinghand-dyed dyed wool, were prepared for a cost of $33,000. (This information is from Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village's Exhibit fact sheet)Tapestry of the early history of Warrnambool area, rectangular in shape. Materials include cotton and wool, some of the wool being hand dyed. Made in 1988 by local women.A plaque accompanies the Tapestry "Flagstaff Hill Maritime Tapestry / 1989 / Tapestry: Woven Cotton and Wool / Mary O'Brien Gerda Shanley / Judith Stewart Beryl Conlan"flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, tapestry, warrnambool history, warrnambool textiles, south west victoria history, south west victoria timeline, indigenous people

Historical Information: The anchor is from the wooden sailing ship CHILDREN, which was wrecked at Childers Cove east of Warrnambool on the 15th of January 1839 with the loss of 16 lives. The Children anchor was raised from the wreck site by Flagstaff Hill Divers; Peter Ronald, Garry Hayden (Terang, still), Tim Goodall (now Warrnambool), and Colin Goodall (now Warrnambool), on Sunday 3rd January 1974. A week or so later it was dragged up the cliffs and taken to Warrnambool. It is now on display near the entrance to the Maritime Village and Museum. It appears to be a Pering’s Improved Anchor, developed at Portsmouth after 1813. The addition of broad curvature to the anchor arms provided a stronger purchase than the pre-existing Admiralty Old Pattern Long Shanked Anchor with straight arms. However, the evidence of hammer-welding the separate pieces of the arms and palms to the central shank (peaked crown and flat palms) suggests the manufacture is before the 1831 Rodger’s Anchor design, (which cast both arms and their flukes as one piece that was then attached to the shank by a bolt through the crown). This identification seems consistent with the date of the CHILDREN’s construction in 1824. The CHILDREN was a three masted barque with a wooden hull built at Liverpool in England. She was bought by the Henty family of Portland (Australia Felix) in 1837 for regular coastal trading between Van Diemens Land, the Port Phillip District of New South Wales and South Australia. Only 255 tons burden (92 feet in length, with a beam of 25 feet and depth of 17 feet), she sailed from Launceston bound for Adelaide in late December1838, on her first Australian voyage and under the English master who had brought her out – Captain H. Browne. On board the CHILDREN were 24 passengers, including 9 children; the captain and 14 crew; livestock of 1500 sheep, 8 bullocks and 7 horses; general cargo of beef, pork, tobacco, tripe, butter, limejuice, horse hair, currants, lead shot, beer and spirits; 5,000 house bricks from London; and six whaling boats with associated whaling gear. The vessel was battered by gale force north-westerly winds shortly after setting out from Launceston on 11 January 1839 and adverse sailing conditions persisted for the next four days. At 11 pm on the 15th of January 1839, and many miles north and east of the captain’s navigated position, the CHILDREN struck the Pinnacle, a limestone stack off Childers Cove. Within half an hour the ship was completely destroyed. As well as the loss of livestock and cargo, 16 passengers and crew perished, including the captain, six men, one woman and eight children. In 1931 shifting sands at Childers Cove uncovered the skeleton of an adult male. In 1951 another two skeletons were exposed by storms, an adult male and a child. In 1963 some district scuba divers retrieved a small signal-cannon from the site. And in 1974 Flagstaff Hill recovered the anchor and some house bricks. The shipwreck of the CHILDREN is of state significance – Victorian Heritage Register No. S116.A large forged-wrought iron anchor from the wreck of the CHILDREN. Flat hammer-welded flukes on opposing curved arms and a peaked crown. It has a metal (elbowed) stock or cross-bar and a heavy duty pinned shackle (not ring) for the anchor chain. It is in fair condition but extensively corroded after 135 years on seabed (supported on display) .warrnambool, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, flagstaff hill maritime museum, shipwreck artefact, maritime museum, the children, childers cove, anchor, pering’s improved anchor, 1839 shipwreck.

xv, 286 p., [12] p. of plates : ill., geneal. tables, maps, ports. Includes index. Geneal. tables on lining papers. Bibliography: p. 225-260non-fictionThe story of Charles and John Mills, pioneers of Port Fairy. Includes genealogical information. maritime, mills, john brabyn, 1810-1877, charles frederick, 1812-1855, mills family, pioneers -- victoria -- port fairy -- biography, pioneers -- tasmania -- biography, australian history, biography, exploration, genealogy, harbour master, mills : charles and john, mills brothers, port fairy, shipping, warrnambool history, whaling, wrecks, book

According to Lloyd's Shipping Register 1837-1839, the CHILDREN was built in 1825 at Liverpool and operated by owners Gordon & Co, of London. London registered number 123/1837. James Henty then bought her in 1837 as a three-masted barque of 254 tons, with a hull of “part pitch pine, felt sheathed” and “coppered 1837”. Launceston registered number 6/1837. In 1838 the CHILDREN, under her master Captain H. Browne, completed a successful round trip from Launceston to London (carrying wool and whale oil loaded in Portland), returning in late November of that year (carrying a general cargo including the house bricks). On the 11th January 1839, the CHILDREN sailed from Launceston for Adelaide, with 24 passengers, 14 crew, and an awkward mixed cargo, including 1500 sheep, 8 bullocks, 7 horses, and farming implements, and six whaleboats with associated whaling gear. One account states that when the CHILDREN “put out from port she was light and badly ballasted”. The vessel immediately encountered four days of hurricane force storms, eventually clearing on the early morning of the 14th to “west force 10”, but too late to take accurate measurements of the sun or stars to establish their position relative to the coast. The CHILDREN collided with a limestone stack at the entrance of Childers Cove, and the seas smashed her into pieces within half an hour. All the cargo and 16 lives were lost (including 8 children). The Henty’s contributed £150 towards a fund for the 22 survivors at a memorial service held in Launceston later that year. It was a major financial setback for the Henty’s, but one from which they recovered. In a submission to the Governor of New South Wales dated 24 March 1840, the Henty’s summarised their work over the previous six years of settlement: “Six stations have been occupied, one at Portland Bay…three at the open country about 60 miles inland called ‘Merino Downs’…They have erected two houses at Portland Bay and two others at Merino Downs”. The shipwreck of the CHILDREN is of State significance ― Victorian Heritage Register S116Part of terracotta bowl from the wreck of the Children, 2 segments have been glued together.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, children

According to Lloyds Shipping Register 1837-1839, the CHILDREN was built in 1825 at Liverpool and operated by owners Gordon & Co, of London. London registered number 123/1837. James Henty then bought her in 1837 as a three-masted barque of 254 tons, with a hull of “part pitch pine, felt sheathed” and “coppered 1837”. Launceston registered number 6/1837. In 1838 the CHILDREN, under her master Captain H. Browne, completed a successful round trip from Launceston to London (carrying wool and whale oil loaded in Portland), returning in late November of that year (carrying a general cargo including the house bricks). On the 11th January 1839, the CHILDREN sailed from Launceston for Adelaide, with 24 passengers, 14 crew, and an awkward mixed cargo, including 1500 sheep, 8 bullocks, 7 horses, and farming implements, and six whaleboats with associated whaling gear. One account states that when the CHILDREN “put out from port she was light and badly ballasted”. The vessel immediately encountered four days of hurricane force storms, eventually clearing on the early morning of the 14th to “west force 10”, but too late to take accurate measurements of the sun or stars to establish their position relative to the coast. The CHILDREN collided with a limestone stack at the entrance of Childers Cove, and the seas smashed her into pieces within half an hour. All the cargo and 16 lives were lost (including 8 children). The Hentys contributed £150 towards a fund for the 22 survivors at a memorial service held in Launceston later that year. It was a major financial setback for the Henty’s, but one from which they recovered. In a submission to the Governor of New South Wales dated 24 March 1840, the Henty’s summarised their work over the previous six years of settlement: “Six stations have been occupied, one at Portland Bay…three at the open country about 60 miles inland called ‘Merino Downs’…They have erected two houses at Portland Bay and two others at Merino Downs”. The shipwreck of the CHILDREN is of State significance ― Victorian Heritage Register S116Fired brick from the wreck of the Children, flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, children

This set of 38 black and white photographs were taken at the Army Survey Regiment’s parade rehearsal held at Fortuna, Bendigo in 1980. The rehearsal was for the Freedom of Entry parade held 1-2 weeks later in 1980. The exact date for the Freedom of Entry parade is not known. The Freedom of Entry to the City of Bendigo was an honour first conferred by the Bendigo City Council to the Army Survey Regiment in 1970. The Freedom of Entry parade in 1980 was the fourth time the unit exercised its right of freedom of entry. The Regiment also exercised its Freedom of Entry with anniversary parades in 1977, 1980 and 1995. Refer to items 6020.8P, 6021.25P, 6248P, 6266, 6409.2, 6430.39P, 6490.53P and 6491.19P for more Army Survey Regiment Freedom of Entry photographs, documents and certificates. See item 6471.2P for photos of Lithographic Squadron taken on the same day of this parade rehearsal. This set of 38 black and white photographs of the Army Survey Regiment (Army Svy Regt) were taken in a rehearsal for the Freedom of Entry parade to the City of Bendigo, held 1-2 weeks later in 1980. The photographs are on 35mm negative film and were scanned at 96 dpi. They are part of the Army Survey Regiment’s Collection. .1) - Photo, black & white, 1980. WO1 John McCulloch observes the rehearsal. .2) - Photo, black & white, 1980. RSM WO1 Aub Harvey, WO1 Dave Thomson and WO1 Roger Rix observe the rehearsal. .3) - Photo, black & white, 1980. Under command of SSM WO1 Bob Mason, Air Survey Squadron marches onto the parade ground - Front rank L to R: SPR Peter Jones, SPR Barry Miller, CPL Alan Hawkins. .4) - Photo, black & white, 1980. Air Survey Squadron marches on the parade ground - L to R: SPR Peter Jones, CPL Lyall Camp, SPR Barry Miller, SPR Geoff Havelberg, unidentified, CPL Alan Hawkins, CPL Peter Treble, unidentified (x2), SGT Mick Hogan, SGT Bruce Hammond, unidentified, SPR Steve Linane, SPR Jamie McRae, unidentified (x2). .5) - Photo, black & white, 1980. Air Survey Squadron formed up – CAPT Peter Ralston on far left. .6) - Photo, black & white, 1980. Air Survey Squadron inspection – L to R: CAPT Peter Ralston, CPL Alan Hawkins, CO LTCOL Bob Skitch, SGT Mick Hogan, SGT Bruce Hammond, SPR Jamie McRae. .7) - Photo, black & white, 1980. Air Survey Squadron inspection – L to R: SPR Peter Jones, unidentified, CPL Paul Hopes, unidentified, SGT Rick van der Bom, LTCOL Bob Skitch, SPR Steve Linane, CPL Mick Minchin, unidentified, SPR Gae (Robinson) Amato, unidentified, SPR Chris ‘CPL Peter Treble, Charlie’ Brown, SPR Ginny (Turner) Rowe. .8) - Photo, black & white, 1980. Lithographic Squadron marches onto the parade ground - Front rank L to R: SPR Brian Fauth, SPR Roy Hicks, SPR Per Andersen, commanded by LT Steve Cooper. .9) - Photo, black & white, 1980. Lithographic Squadron marches onto the parade ground - L to R: SSM WO1 Ken Slater, Front rank SPR Brian Fauth, SPR Roy Hicks, SPR Per Andersen, LT Steve Cooper. .10) - Photo, black & white, 1980. Lithographic Squadron inspection - L to R: CAPT Stan Vote, LT Steve Cooper, CO LTCOL Bob Skitch, SPR Neville Carr, SPR Laurie Justin, SPR Keith Quinton. .11) - Photo, black & white, 1980. Lithographic Squadron inspection - L to R: unidentified, LT Steve Cooper, CPL Frank Lenane, CPL Mick ‘Buddha’ Ellis, SPR Martin van de Maele, CO LTCOL Bob Skitch, unidentified (x2), SPR Garry Hudson, remainder unidentified. .12) - Photo, black & white, 1980. Lithographic Squadron inspection - L to R: LT Steve Cooper, CPL Rob Bogumil, unidentified, CO LTCOL Bob Skitch, CPL Bill Jones, CPL John ‘Flash’ Anderson, CPL Warren ‘Waldo’ Shirley, unidentified. .13) - Photo, black & white, 1980. Lithographic Squadron inspection - L to R: unidentified (x4), CO LTCOL Bob Skitch, unidentified, CPL Bill Jones, LT Steve Cooper, CPL Warren ‘Waldo’ Shirley. .14) - Photo, black & white, 1980. Lithographic Squadron performs form - right file L to R: SPR Brian Fauth, SPR Roy Hicks, SPR Per Andersen. .15) - Photo, black & white, 1980. Lithographic Squadron completes form at the halt. .16) - Photo, black & white, 1980. Lithographic Squadron marches in column of route – right file L to R: SPR Keith Quinton, SPR John Whaling, SPR Martin van de Maele, SPR John Whaling, SPR Garry Hudson, unidentified. Centre marker: CPL Warren ‘Waldo’ Shirley, remainder unidentified. .17) - Photo, black & white, 1980. Lithographic Squadron marches in column of route – right file L to R: SPR John Whaling, SPR Martin van de Maele, SPR John Whaling, SPR Garry Hudson, unidentified. Centre marker CPL Warren ‘Waldo’ Shirley, remainder unidentified. .18) - Photo, black & white, 1980. Lithographic Squadron marches in column of route – L to R: SPR Per Andersen, CPL Josh Degroot, SPR Neville Carr, SPR Laurie Justin, SPR Keith Quinton, SPR John Whaling, SPR Martin van de Maele, SPR John Whaling, SPR Garry Hudson, unidentified. .19) - Photo, black & white, 1980. Lithographic Squadron marches in column of route – L to R: SPR Per Andersen, CPL Josh Degroot, SPR Neville Carr, SPR Laurie Justin, SPR Keith Quinton, SPR Martin van de Maele, SPR John Whaling, SPR Garry Hudson, unidentified (x2), CPL Warren ‘Waldo’ Shirley, unidentified. .20) - Photo, black & white, 1980. Lithographic Squadron rehearses ‘rest on arms reverse.’ .21) - Photo, black & white, 1980. Cartographic Squadron marches onto the parade ground in column of route - L to R: SPR Cheryl Lofthouse, unidentified, SSM WO1 Gordon Lowery, unidentified, SPR Megan (McBurney) Reynolds, unidentified (x6), SPR Peter Main, CPL Stu Symonds, SPR Greg Else, SPR Rod Skidmore. .22) - Photo, black & white, 1980. Cartographic Squadron marches onto the parade ground in column of route - L to R: SPR Rod Skidmore, SPR Greg Else, CPL Phil McGuire, CPL Dennis Learmonth, CPL Brad Peppler, CPL Trevor Bottomley, SPR Gina (Coore) Neilson, SPR Carla Dell, CPL Lyn Johnson, commanded by CAPT Bob Williams. .23) - Photo, black & white, 1980. Cartographic Squadron inspection - L to R: unidentified officer, CAPT Bob Williams, SPR Greg Else, CO LTCOL Bob Skitch, CPL Phil McGuire, CPL Dennis Learmonth, CPL Brad Peppler, CPL Trevor Bottomley. .24) - Photo, black & white, 1980. Cartographic Squadron inspection - L to R: RSM WO1 Aub Harvey, unidentified officer, CAPT Bob Williams, CO LTCOL Bob Skitch. Front rank L to R: SPR Rod Skidmore, CPL Phil McGuire, CPL Dennis Learmonth, CPL Brad Peppler, CPL Trevor Bottomley, SPR Gina (Coore) Neilson, SPR Carla Dell, CPL Lyn Johnson. Centre rank L to R: CPL Terry Danger, SPR John Martin, SPR Bob Sheppard. SPR Megan (McBurney) Reynolds. .25) - Photo, black & white, 1980. Cartographic Squadron inspection - Front rank L to R: CPL Phil McGuire, CAPT Bob Williams, CPL Brad Peppler, CO LTCOL Bob Skitch, CPL Trevor Bottomley, SPR Gina (Coore) Neilson, SPR Carla Dell, CPL Lyn Johnson. .26) - Photo, black & white, 1980. Cartographic Squadron inspection - L to R: WO1 Roger Rix, RSM WO1 Aub Harvey, unidentified officer. Front rank L to R: SPR Rod Skidmore, SPR Greg Else, CPL Phil McGuire, CPL Brad Peppler, CPL Trevor Bottomley, SPR Gina (Coore) Neilson, SPR Carla Dell, CPL Lyn Johnson. Centre rank L to R: CPL Terry Danger, SPR John Martin, SPR Bob Sheppard. SPR Megan (McBurney) Reynolds. .27) - Photo, black & white, 1980. Cartographic Squadron inspection - L to R: CPL Dennis Learmonth, CPL Brad Peppler, CO LTCOL Bob Skitch, CPL Trevor Bottomley, SPR Gina (Coore) Neilson, SPR Carla Dell, CPL Lyn Johnson. .28) - Photo, black & white, 1980. Cartographic Squadron inspection - L to R: CAPT Bob Williams, unidentified, CO LTCOL Bob Skitch, SPR John Martin, SPR Bob Sheppard, SPR Megan (McBurney) Reynolds, rear rank L to R: SPR Peter Main, unidentified (x3). .29) - Photo, black & white, 1980. Cartographic Squadron rehearses ‘reverse arms’ - L to R: SPR Peter Main, CPL Stu Symonds, SPR Rod Skidmore, SPR Greg Else, remainder unidentified. .30) - Photo, black & white, 1980. Cartographic Squadron rehearses ‘rest on arms reverse.’ - Front rank L to R: SPR Rod Skidmore, SPR Greg Else, CPL Phil McGuire, CPL Dennis Learmonth, CPL Brad Peppler, CPL Trevor Bottomley. remainder unidentified. Centre rank L to R: unidentified (x2), SPR John Martin, SPR Bob Sheppard, SPR Megan (McBurney) Reynolds. Rear rank L to R: unidentified (x3), SPR Carla Dell on far right. .31) - Photo, black & white, 1980. Cartographic Squadron marches in column of route. .32) - Photo, black & white, 1980. Cartographic Squadron marches in column of route. Left file L to R: SPR Rod Skidmore, SPR Greg Else, CPL Phil McGuire, CPL Dennis Learmonth, CPL Brad Peppler, CPL Trevor Bottomley, SPR Gina (Coore) Neilson, SPR Carla Dell, CPL Lyn Johnson. Centre file L to R: unidentified (x2), SPR Dan Cirsky, SPR Bob Sheppard. Commanded by CAPT Bob Williams (foreground). .33) - Photo, black & white, 1980. Cartographic Squadron rehearses ‘order arms.’ Front rank L to R: SPR Rod Skidmore, SPR Greg Else, CPL Phil McGuire, CPL Dennis Learmonth, CPL Brad Peppler, CPL Trevor Bottomley, SPR Gina (Coore) Neilson, SPR Carla Dell, CPL Lyn Johnson. Centre rank L to R: unidentified (x2), SPR Dan Cirsky, SPR Megan (McBurney) Reynolds, SPR Ilen Isaac. Rear rank L to R: SPR Cathy Regan, unidentified, SPR Cheryl Lofthouse. .34) - Photo, black & white, 1980. Cartographic Squadron rehearses ‘right dress.’ Front rank L to R: SPR Rod Skidmore, SPR Greg Else, CPL Phil McGuire, CPL Dennis Learmonth, CPL Brad Peppler, CPL Trevor Bottomley, SPR Gina (Coore) Neilson, SPR Carla Dell, CPL Lyn Johnson. Centre rank L to R: SPR John Martin, SPR Bob Sheppard. SPR Megan (McBurney) Reynolds, SPR Ilen Isaac. Rear rank L to R: unidentified (x2), SPR Cathy Regan, unidentified, SPR Cheryl Lofthouse. Commanded by CAPT Bob Williams (far left). 35) - Photo, black & white, 1980. Air Survey Squadron section rehearses marching with reverse arms. L to R: SPR Bob Hopper, CPL Rick Downie, CPL Paul Hopes, unidentified (x2, SGT Rick van der Bom, SPR Steve Hilton, CPL Peter Treble, unidentified, SPR John Lane, remainder unidentified. .36) - Photo, black & white, 1980. Air Survey Squadron section rehearses marching with reverse arms. L to R: CPL Alan Hawkins, CPL John Smith, SPR Dave Jobe, unidentified (x2), SGT Mick Hogan, SPR Barry Miller, WO1 Dave Thomson. .37) - Photo, black & white, 1980. Cartographic Squadron sections practice drill. .38) - Photo, black & white, 1980. Air Survey Squadron rest break from drill practice. L to R: unidentified (x2), CPL Noel McNamara, SSGT Peter Warwick, SSGT Greg Buckingham (facing away), SGT Jim Beard, unidentified, SPR Sharon (Jones) Treble (foreground), unidentified, SGT Bruce Gordon, SPR Kristin (Isaac) Skidmore.There are no personnel identified. royal australian survey corps, rasvy, army survey regiment, army svy regt, fortuna, asr

These bricks are a sample of “5000 house bricks from London” carried by the CHILDREN as ballast, and intended for the Portland Bay settlement of her owners Henty Bros. Flagstaff Hill divers recovered them from Childers Cove in February 1974, and noted, “These bricks are the major feature of the wreck site. Subsequent notes indicate “The hull structure has broken up, leaving few visible remains, except for piles of house bricks intended for the Hentys of Portland”. According to Lloyds Shipping Register 1837-1839, the CHILDREN was built in 1825 at Liverpool and operated by owners Gordon & Co, of London, London registered number 123/1837; James Henty then bought her in 1837 as a three-masted barque of 254 tons, with a hull of “part pitch pine, felt sheathed” and “coppered 1837”. Launceston registered number 6/1837; in 1838 the CHILDREN, under her master Captain H. Browne, completed a successful round trip from Launceston to London (carrying wool and whale oil loaded in Portland), returning in late November of that year (carrying general cargo including the house bricks). On the 11th of January 1839, the CHILDREN sailed from Launceston for Adelaide, with 24 passengers, 14 crew, and an awkward mixed cargo, including 1500 sheep, 8 bullocks, 7 horses, and farming implements, and six whaleboats with associated whaling gear. One account states that when the CHILDREN “put out from port she was light and badly ballasted”. The vessel immediately encountered four days of hurricane-force storms, eventually clearing on the early morning of the 14th to “west force 10”, but too late to take accurate measurements of the sun or stars to establish their position relative to the coast. The CHILDREN collided with a limestone stack at the entrance of Childers Cove, and the seas smashed her into pieces within half an hour. All the cargo and 16 lives were lost (including 8 children). The Hentys contributed £150 towards a fund for the 22 survivors at a memorial service held in Launceston later that year. It was a major financial setback for the Hentys, but one from which they recovered. In a submission to the Governor of New South Wales dated 24 March 1840, the Hentys summarised their work over the previous six years of settlement: “Six stations have been occupied, one at Portland Bay…three at the open country about 60 miles inland called ‘Merino Downs’…They have erected two houses at Portland Bay and two others at Merino Downs”.These bricks are significant as a sample of 5000 house bricks carried from London as ballast by the Children and were intended for the Portland Bay settlement of her owners James Henty & Co. The CHILDREN was one of the first vessels to be lost in the Western District of Victoria, east of Warrnambool, on January 14th 1838, breaking up within twenty minutes. The wreck is also significant as one of the first vessels to have been lost in the Western District of Warrnambool and as such is registered on the Victorian Heritage Register S116.Five ‘house bricks from London’, some with white marine encrustation, recovered from the wreck of the ship CHILDREN. The bricks are oblong shaped and constructed of a blue-coloured and coarse-grained conglomerate. One brick is higher, shorter and narrower, than the other four bricks.Nonewarrnambool, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, flagstaff hill maritime museum, shipwreck artefact, maritime museum, london house bricks, children shipwreck, james henty and co, henty brothers, childers cove, early shipowreck

HISTORICAL INFORMATION In an article dated 26 March 1963, the Warrnambool Standard reported: “A cannon which has lain on the ocean floor since the barque, Children, was wrecked at Childer’s Cove on January 15, 1839, was raised by three Warrnambool skindivers at the week-end…The cannon, weighing about 750 lb. and 4-ft. 6-in. in length…is in excellent order considering the length of time it has remained under-water”. No conservation measures were taken at that time, other than chipping off the marine growth with hammers and cold chisels. The minutes for the 4 February 1974 meeting of the Flagstaff Hill Planning Board recorded that “a cannon recovered some time ago was lying in the garden of [one of the three original divers] and that it could be picked up at any time”. Peter Ronald, past Manager and Diver for Flagstaff Hill, notes that the CHILDREN cannon would have been recovered by the other divers around 1964. When the cannon came into care of Flagstaff Hill it was given basic conservation relevant to the time. (At the same meeting the Board was advised of the recovery of an anchor from the wreck of the CHILDREN by Flagstaff Hill divers (Peter Ronald, Colin Goodall and Gary Hayden, and Hank Howey and Andrew Coffee), and its interim relocation in the sea at the end of the Warrnambool Breakwater while awaiting conservation). The CHILDREN was owned by the pioneering Henty family of Portland. She was en route from Launceston to Adelaide, when she foundered in rough conditions at Childers Cove on 14 January 1839. The CHILDREN was a small three-masted barque, only 29 metres long and 254 tons weight, with 14 crew members and 24 passengers (including 9 children) on board. The ship was also carrying an awkwardly ballasted cargo of 1500 sheep, 8 bullocks, 7 horses, 5000 London house bricks, 6 whaling boats, and general trade goods. When the CHILDREN was driven into the limestone stack at the entrance to the cove, the seas smashed her into pieces within half an hour, and 16 lives were lost. The CHILDREN was an all-wooden ship, built in 1825 at Liverpool, and her shipwreck in 1839 is one of colonial Victoria’s earliest and most significant maritime disasters. There is little left to mark the tragedy on the seabed now, apart from some of the house bricks intended for the Henty’s Portland Bay settlement. Despite its poor condition, the CHILDREN’s signal cannon remains an important and interpretable record of her demise, (along with her anchor, the bottom half of her ship’s bell, and portions of a brass porthole - artefacts that are also in the Flagstaff Hill collection). In 2015 the CHILDREN cannon will undergo further conservation. (Conservation Management Plan for Victorian Guns and Cannon, South Western Victoria, May 2008, ref W/F/06) The shipwreck of the CHILDREN is of state significance — Victorian Heritage Register No. S116.A 1.3 metre iron 6pdr cannon recovered from the wreck of the CHILDREN. The shape of the cannon tapers from a thick round breech to a flared muzzle, with an 8 centimetre bore, and two side trunnions for pivoting on a wooden gun carriage. It was recovered from the shipwreck site of the CHILDREN by local divers in 1963. This small muzzle-loading signal cannon is in poor and unrestored condition. The cannon’s upper profile of smooth grey metal casing has corroded off, leaving an extensively oxidised rough red surface of crumbling iron. The bottom half of the cannon remains intact although the outer smooth casing also appears to be separating from the iron core of the barrel. Original grey casting is also missing from the breech and muzzle ends of the cannon. Corrosion and spalling of the upper surface layer of the cannon has removed the maker’s marks and specificationsflagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, the children, ship’s cannon, signal cannon, childers cove, 1839 shipwreck, conservation of marine artefactsm, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, cannon, 6pdr small bore cannon, children cannon, defence, children, shipwreck, 1839

The Mahogany Ship is today regarded as a legend and refers to an ancient wreck that is purported to lie beneath the sand beside Armstrong Bay, several kilometres west of Warrnambool, Its location is currently unknown. For well over a century the mystery of this ship has fascinated Australians because the existence of such a vessel could throw a different light on the earliest phases of exploration of eastern Australia by Europeans. The story is that in January 1836 a party of whalers from Port Fairy travelled to the mouth of the Hopkins River in search of seals. Their boat overturned and one man was drowned. The three survivors were walking the 30 kilometres back to Port Fairy along the coast when, about halfway along, they discovered the wrecked ship in the dunes. It is said that Captain John Mills, who was in charge of the whaling station at Port Fairy promptly visited the wreck with several of his men, including Hugh Donnelly. Donnelly who was the originator of that version of events is now regarded as unreliable. Local history researcher Joan Fawcett believes Donnelly could not have visited the wreck in 1836 because he did not arrive in Victoria until 1841. The "mahogany" description can be traced to a letter from Port Fairy builder, architect and surveyor John Mason and published in the Melbourne Argus in 1876. He said he had seen the hull in 1846 and it "had the appearance of either cedar or mahogany." In 1884 Argus journalist `The Vagabond' wrote that the hull was built of "Spanish mahogany" and six years later Mason wrote another letter saying it might not have been mahogany but red gum or ironbark from New South Wales. He was too late with this new description as the wrecks mahogany tag was here to stay all through the hull was not visible as it had disappeared beneath the shifting sands by 1880. A more reliable account was later presented by the former editor of the Warrnambool Examiner, historian Richard Osburne, who wrote about the wreck in his book History of Warrnambool (published 1887). In it the author remembers to have noticed a wreck in the hummocks between Belfast and Warrnambool, in 1847 or 1848; he stated it was much nearer Warrnambool than Belfast, now known as Port Fairy, going on to state “in fact, it was only two or three miles from the former place, to the west of the big hummock which was supposed to fill Warrnambool Bay with drift sand washed by the Merri River before the cutting was made.” Osburne followed up with a letter to the Port Fairy Gazette on June 25, 1876, during a period of heightened interest in the wreck, although he was unsure of the provenance of the ship he went on to state in his letter. “The old wreck was, in fact, miles away from the Port Fairy beach, and only about four miles from Warrnambool. In the years 1847 and 1848. I have often seen the wreck and I regret to say I do not believe she was a foreign ship at all.”The ship model is significant for its association with the Warrnambool story of what is now referred to as the Mahogany Ship, an ancient shipwreck. The model is significant as it is an interpretation of a Portuguese caravel and possibly associated with the early history and exploration of Southern Australia. The model is a fine example of a hand crafted ship made from plans, not from a kit. Some of the materials used for the model are significant to the Gembrook community in that the timber used is a portion from a 30-meter pine tree that fell onto and destroyed the 120-year-old Gembrook church building. The model is also a dedication to Edward Kermond, who grew up in Warrnambool and claimed to have seen the shipwreck in the dunes when he was a lad in the late 19th century. (See note section of this document for further information on the creator and donation of the subject item).Ship model, an interpretation of a mahogany Portuguese carvel vessel in a glass display case with wood frame and a description plaque. Model is made from dark stained wood. The three masted vessel is fully rigged, with a Portuguese-like flag on mast. Plaque is rectangular, free standing on a pedestal. The model was handmade by Joe Hilder (Senior) in 1999 from flooring obtained from the Gembrook Uniting Church in Victoria. Inscriptions, hand written, under base of case and on plaque.Under base, black felt tip pen “Ship & Case made From / Flooring from Gembrook uniting Church, Flattened in 1999 / By Large Pine Tree.” On plaque, white paint "This interpretation of the Fabled Mahogany Ship was made by Joe Hilder, Gembrook Vic. is displayed in the memory of the late Edward Kermond (Ted) 1887-1973, a Warrnambool son who claimed to have seen the original ship as a child." flagstaff hill, warrnambool, flagstaff hill maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, ship model, mahogany ship, mahogany ship story, portuguese caravel, joe hilder, edward kermond, ted kermond, gembrook uniting church, gembrook storm 1999, port fairy whalers, belfast whalers

Nails such as this solid copper nail were forged by blacksmiths. A nail of this length could have been used for the ship's decking. It was recovered from the shipwreck of the barque Children. The Children wrecking: The barque Children was one of the first vessels to be lost in the Western District the vessel was wrecked to the east of Warrnambool on 14th January 1838. When it ran ashore in hurricane-force winds, 22 passengers and crew were fortunate to escape being battered to death on the rocks. The Children broke up within 20 minutes, sweeping sixteen of those on board to their deaths. After eleven days, the survivors, all of whom were injured, were rescued and taken to Portland. According to Lloyd's Shipping Register 1837-1839, the Children was built in 1825 at Liverpool and operated by owners Gordon & Co, of London. Registration number 123/1837, James Henty then bought her in 1837 as a three-masted barque of 254 tons, with a hull of “part pitch pine, felt sheathed” and “coppered in 1837” at Launceston registered number 6/1837. In 1838 the Children, under her master Captain H. Browne, completed a successful round trip from Launceston to London (carrying wool and whale oil loaded in Portland), returning in late November of that year carrying a general cargo including house bricks used for ballast. On the 11th of January 1839, the Children sailed from Launceston for Adelaide, with 24 passengers, 14 crew, and an awkward mixed cargo, including 1500 sheep, 8 bullocks, 7 horses, and farming implements, and six whaleboats with associated whaling gear. One account states that when the Children were “put out from port she was light and badly ballasted”. The vessel immediately encountered four days of hurricane-force storms, eventually clearing on the early morning of the 14th. However, it was too late to take accurate measurements of the sun or stars to establish their position relative to the coast. The Children collided with a limestone stack at the entrance of Childers Cove, and the seas smashed her into pieces within half an hour. All the cargo and 16 lives were lost including 8 children. The Henty brothers contributed £150 towards a fund for the 22 survivors at a memorial service held in Launceston later that year. It was a major financial setback for James Henty and his brothers, but one from which they recovered. In a submission to the Governor of New South Wales dated 24 March 1840, the Henty’s summarised their work over the previous six years of establishing the Portland settlement stating. “Six stations have been occupied, one at Portland Bay three at the open country about 60 miles inland called ‘Merino Downs’ They have erected two houses at Portland Bay and two others at Merino Downs”.This nail is significant as part of the vessels original fixtures. The Children was delivering cargo intended for the Portland Bay settlement of her owners the James Henty brothers The wreck is also significant as one of the first vessels to have been lost in the Western District of Warrnambool. As a result the shipwreck of the Children is registered with the Victorian Heritage Register S116. Ship's nail, copper, with a washer attached. The nail has a round head, solid round shank and a flat end. It is bent, twisted and has indentations in the centre section. The nail was recovered from the wreck of the CHILDREN.warrnambool, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, shipwreck artefact, the children, nail, copper nail, ship's nail, children shipwreck

It is probable that the urinal was situated in the forward part of the ship rather than the stern, being one of two placed on either side of the deck and housed immediately adjacent to the doors into for-castle, or crew sleeping quarters. The toilets on maritime vessels were (and still are) called the ‘heads’, after the sanitation arrangements common until the end of the eighteenth century. The name was given to the ‘head’ of the ship, forward of the forecastle and around the beak or bowsprit. These first lavatories were floored with grating or nets so the force of the sea could wash them clean, and they were always used on the lee or non-weather side so the effluent fell directly into the water rather than back on board. The Children wrecking: The barque Children was one of the first vessels to be lost in the Western District the vessel was wrecked to the east of Warrnambool on 14th January 1838. When it ran ashore in hurricane-force winds, 22 passengers and crew were fortunate to escape being battered to death on the rocks. The Children broke up within 20 minutes, sweeping sixteen of those on board to their deaths. After eleven days, the survivors, all of whom were injured, were rescued and taken to Portland. According to Lloyd's Shipping Register 1837-1839, the Children was built in 1825 at Liverpool and operated by owners Gordon & Co, of London. Registration number 123/1837, James Henty then bought her in 1837 as a three-masted barque of 254 tons, with a hull of “part pitch pine, felt sheathed” and “coppered in 1837” at Launceston registered number 6/1837. In 1838 the Children, under her master Captain H. Browne, completed a successful round trip from Launceston to London (carrying wool and whale oil loaded in Portland), returning in late November of that year carrying a general cargo including house bricks used for ballast. On the 11th of January 1839, the Children sailed from Launceston for Adelaide, with 24 passengers, 14 crew, and an awkward mixed cargo, including 1500 sheep, 8 bullocks, 7 horses, and farming implements, and six whaleboats with associated whaling gear. One account states that when the Children were “put out from port she was light and badly ballasted”. The vessel immediately encountered four days of hurricane-force storms, eventually clearing on the early morning of the 14th. However, it was too late to take accurate measurements of the sun or stars to establish their position relative to the coast. The Children collided with a limestone stack at the entrance of Childers Cove, and the seas smashed her into pieces within half an hour. All the cargo and 16 lives were lost including 8 children. The Henty brothers contributed £150 towards a fund for the 22 survivors at a memorial service held in Launceston later that year. It was a major financial setback for James Henty and his brothers, but one from which they recovered. In a submission to the Governor of New South Wales dated 24 March 1840, the Henty’s summarised their work over the previous six years of establishing the Portland settlement stating. “Six stations have been occupied, one at Portland Bay three at the open country about 60 miles inland called ‘Merino Downs’ They have erected two houses at Portland Bay and two others at Merino Downs”.This urinal is significant as part of the vessels original fittings he Children was delivering cargo intended for the Portland Bay settlement of her owners the James Henty brothers The wreck is also significant as one of the first vessels to have been lost in the Western District of Warrnambool. As a result the shipwreck of the Children is registered with the Victorian Heritage Register S116. A lead urinal with a rounded back at the top splash plate with an attached semi-circular receptacle or basin (20cm deep and projecting forward 30cm). At the sides are flanges with bolt holes connecting to a ship's wall. The urinal is drained by a funnel-shaped outlet also made of lead, reducing from a 10cm radius to a joined 5 cm pipe. The urinal was recovered from the wreck of the CHILDREN.Noneflagstaff hill, warrnambool, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, shipwreck artefact, the children, lead ship’s plumbing, crew urinal, the ‘heads’, ship plumbing, james henty, portland bay, urinal, ship's urinal

No dust jacketnon-fictionsea voyage, allan villiers (1903-1982), keith oliver, donation, windjammers

Found at Point Riccardo in 1960's. Humpback whales migrate along the east coast of Australia from calving grounds in Queensland to feeding grounds in Antarctica.Whales migrate along the east coast of Australia from calving grounds in Queensland to feeding grounds in Antarctica and can be seen from many high spots from Marlo to Cape Conran.Whale vertebra bone. Possibly from a humpback whale.maritime whaling bone whale

Whales are sometimes beached on the coastline near Orbost, Marlo. Large, bowed bone flat ends with minor deterioration at tip.bones, whales, whaling trade, maritime history, gippsland coast, seafaring, h.g.wellings

These whale harpoons belonged to Arthur Ashby. The longer one was his personal hand-forged harpoon. Arthur Ashby was a harpoonist written about in the book, "Killers of Eden". They were handed down to his son, Norman Ashby who gave them to the donor's father for safe-keeping as he did not have a permanent residence. Two harpoons. .1 is a hand held iron harpoon. It is very long with an open neck at one end and a large blade at the other. .2 is smaller and was used in harpoon guns. It is made of brass with a pointed end.whaling harpoons ashby-arthur maritime-technology