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Orbost & District Historical Society
trap
Control of feral animal pests was and is a major problem in agricultural areas, and methods are widely debated. For over a century traps such as this one were in common use where wild dogs and dingoes were a problem, and indeed are still permitted in certain conditions in certain Australian states. Feral animals, including rabbits, foxes and hybridised dogs (dingo mix), have been a major problem in agricultural Australia since colonisation. This example of a dog or dingo trap would have inflicted great pain on the target animal, and focuses the viewer towards aspects of the problem not otherwise faced. This trap illustrates the historic treatment of animals, in particular native Australian animals. It also signifies the larger debate around the balance between wilderness and agriculture. Metal dingo trap. The spring-loaded jaws of the trap are held upright by metal pieces turning back onto themselves and ending in rings attached to the trap. There is a short chain attached to the trap.trap dingo-trap agriculture -
Eltham District Historical Society Inc
Negative - Photograph, Audrey Cahn (nee Osborne) aged two, c.1907-08
Negative copy of an original print and associated print copy of Ethel Osborne photos featuring William Alexander Osborne, Ethel Elizabeth Osborne, Audrey Josephine Osborne, two cows and a calf in front of their home in Warrandyte. Inscribed on reverse of print: WAO EEO Audrey aged 2 Warrandyte 1907-8Negative black and white film 120 6x9 format 2 strips Associated B&W printFuji Safety Neopan SSwarrandyte, audrey cahn, audrey osborne, ethel osborne, houses, william osborne, osborne family, farm animals -
Federation University Historical Collection
Photograph - Photograph - Colour, David Pepper-Edwards, Paw Prints, 04/1999
Three colour photographs of paw prints near Lake Murdeduke, Winchelseaaustralian animal folklore collection, lake murdeduke, winchelsea, mythical, myth, folklore, legend -
Federation University Historical Collection
CD-ROM, Thylacine Oral History
White CD-ROM in white paper CD envelope. The CD-ROM contains an oral history between Simon Townsend and Bernie Mason on Thylacines.australian animal folklore collection, simon townsend, townsend, bernie mason, thylacine -
Federation University Historical Collection
report, Assessment of Evidence for the Presence in Victoria of a Wild Population of 'Big Cats', 08/2012
For over 100 years people have reported sighting of big cats in the Victorian bush. This report assessed the evidence.22 page report by the Arthur Rylah Institute on whether their are big cats loose in the Victorian bush. Ir asks questions such as if 'big cats' exist in Victoria what species they would be; the veracity of available evidence; Deakin Puma Study Group; Kurt Engel cat; Winchelsea faecal sample Carrie Magnik australian animal folklore collection, big cats, cat, ferral cats, cryptozoology -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Postcard - Picture Postcard, Louis Wain (illustrator / artist), 1880s to 1930s
The picture postcard is illustrated in a simple, child-like manner. It has a personal message on the back, perhaps sent by an adult called Lily to a young relative or friend. Its rough edges indicate that it may have been torn out of a book or from a sheet of cards. It is one of the hundreds of illustrations by artist Louis Wain, quoted as being "one of the most popular commercial illustrators in the history of England" (IllustrationChronicles.com). English artist Louis Wain (1860-1939) was famous for his illustrations of cats, many of which he gave human characteristics and personalities. Wain married Emily. They owned a cat called Peter who was a great comfort to Emily through her cancer illness and consequent death after only a few years of marriage. At 22 years old Wain gave up his job as a teacher to work full time as an illustrator. He was able to produce hundreds of drawing a year for journals, books, postcards and advertisements. Later he wrote and illustrated children's books. However he didn't benefit much from copyrighting his work as he sold his work to publishers together with the copyright, so reproductions of his works didn't earn him money. Wain said that he owned his career as a cat artist to Peter. Wain spent over a decade in mental asylums before his death in 1939.This picture postcard is an example of the work of Louis Wain, English artist of the 19th and early 20th century. He is famous for his drawings of cats, which he continued producing throughout his life. He is also known for producing the world's first screen cartoon cat, called "Pussyfoot". In 1972 Wain's work was presented at an exhibition in the Victorian and Albert Museum.Rectangular picture postcard printed on think cream card. Picture on postcard is outlined in black and coloured in roughly painted watercolours. The drawing has two cats dressed in armour standing and fighting in front of a turreted castle. The picture is a black framed outline. The artist's printed signature is in the bottom left corner. The artist is Louis Wain. The reverse has a vertical dividing line and a square outline for a postage stamp's location. It also has printed headings. There is a handwritten Pencil inscription. The postcard's left side and lower edge have rough uneven edges.Signature: "Louis Wain." Printed headings: "POST CARD" "THIS SPACE MAY BE USED FOR COMMUNICATION" "THE ADDRESS TO BE WRITTEN HERE" Handwritten on back: "To Dr R - - - - - - / with love / from Lilly"flagstaff hill maritime museum and village, warrnambool, great ocean road, shipwreck coast, postcard, picture postcard, louis wain, fighting cats, child's postcard, cat artist, animal portraits, national cat club, fencing, illustrator, children's books, children's author, children's illustrator, watercolour, cats dressed as humans, cats dressed as knights, popular art, victorian art -
Federation University Historical Collection
Newsclip, Ballarat Courier, Big Cats May Roam Area, 2012
Dr David Waldron has spent years trawling through government documents and speaking to old farmers and policemen trying to gather as much information as possible for a book on the subject of giant cats. In 2013 his book, co-authored with Simon Townsend, "Snarls from the tea-Tree: A History of Victorian Big cat Folkore" was published.Half a page from an undated Ballarat Courier with information relating to big cats in the Australian bush. It also includes an image of Dr David Waldron. The article is a response to the findings of Noel Judd of Smythesdale who reported the death of a Shetland pony , and found paw prints of a large cat nearby. Dy David Waldron considered plaster casts of the paw print and concluded they were almost certainly not made by a cat.australian animal folklore collections, big cats, smythesdale, waldron, judd -
Federation University Historical Collection
Document, Articles on the Bunyip, 1983 - 1989
The bunyip is a large mythical creature from Aboriginal mythology, said to lurk in swamps, billabongs, creeks, riverbeds, and waterholes. The origin of the word bunyip has been traced to the Wemba-Wemba or Wergaia language of Aboriginal people of South-Eastern Australia. However, the bunyip appears to have formed part of traditional Aboriginal beliefs and stories throughout Australia, although its name varied according to tribal nomenclature. Various written accounts of bunyips were made by Europeans in the early and mid-19th century, as settlement spread across the country. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bunyip) This material was collected and used for resarch purposes by David Waldron A number of articles on the Bunyip * The Nessie Mystery Solver by Roy Fraser (October 1983) * Developers meet match (Wagyl) (The Age, 06 Jan 1989) * Narrandera's bunyips burst into tourism's limelight by Melanie Sincock (wagga Advertiser, 18 November 1986) * Hunting the bunyip by M.A. Troyahn (Australiasian Post, 06 October 1883) * Beware the bunyip, you Moomba skiers by Edel Wignell (The Age, 05 March 1982) * The yarn that grew the bunyip legend (Australasian Post, 30 December 1971) australian animal folklore collections, bunyip, bunyipswagyl, shane picket, narrandera, swan river, david waldron -
Federation University Historical Collection
Magazine, Sporting Shooter
Two copies of the Magazine 'Sporting Shooter' dated April 1999 and May 2005. .1) April 1999. Eighty page magazine with articles such as looking after your hunting dog, Australia's Toughest Game, Pigs in Mud, Black Panthers in Oz, scoring Trophy Heads, Hunting in New Zealand. .2) May 2005. 106 page magaine including an article called "Big Cats in the Bush? by Rebecca Lang.australian animal folklore collection, black panthers, panther, mittagong, merimbula, , thylacoleo carnifex, puma, feral cats -
Federation University Historical Collection
Skeletal remains of an animal
Skeletal remains of a sheep collected as evidence of a potential big cat 'kill'. The skull has been bitten off, probably by a stag hound.australian animal folklore collections, big cats victoria, skeleton, bones, m14156 -
Federation University Historical Collection
Plaster cast, David Pepper-Edwards (probably), Plaster Cast of a Big Cat Footprint, c 2004
David Pepper-Edwards used a number of plaster cast footprints made at Taronga Zoo in the identification of Big Cat sightings in the bush.David Pepper-Edwards used a number of plaster cast footprints made at Taronga Zoo in the identification of Big Cat sightings in the bush.australian animal folklore collection, david pepper edwards, pepper edwards, big cat, cat, plaster cast, footprint -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Animal specimen - Whale Tooth, Probably 19th century
The toothed whales (also called odontocetes, systematic name Odontoceti) are a parvorder of cetaceans that includes dolphins, porpoises, and all other whales possessing teeth, such as the beaked whales and sperm whales. Seventy-three species of toothed whales are described. They are one of two living groups of cetaceans, the other being the baleen whales (Mysticeti), which have baleen instead of teeth. The two groups are thought to have diverged around 34 million years ago (mya). Toothed whales range in size from the 4.5 ft (1.4 m) and 120 lb (54 kg) vaquita to the 20 m (66 ft) and 55 t (61-short-ton) sperm whale. Several species of odontocetes exhibit sexual dimorphism, in that there are size or other morphological differences between females and males. They have streamlined bodies and two limbs that are modified into flippers. Some can travel at up to 20 knots. Odontocetes have conical teeth designed for catching fish or squid. They have well-developed hearing, that is well adapted for both air and water, so much so that some can survive even if they are blind. Some species are well adapted for diving to great depths. Almost all have a layer of fat, or blubber, under the skin to keep warm in the cold water, with the exception of river dolphins. Toothed whales consist of some of the most widespread mammals, but some, as with the vaquita, are restricted to certain areas. Odontocetes feed largely on fish and squid, but a few, like the killer whale, feed on mammals, such as pinnipeds. Males typically mate with multiple females every year, but females only mate every two to three years, making them polygynous. Calves are typically born in the spring and summer, and females bear the responsibility for raising them, but more sociable species rely on the family group to care for calves. Many species, mainly dolphins, are highly sociable, with some pods reaching over a thousand individuals. Once hunted for their products, cetaceans are now protected by international law. Some species are attributed with high levels of intelligence. At the 2012 meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, support was reiterated for a cetacean bill of rights, listing cetaceans as nonhuman persons. Besides whaling and drive hunting, they also face threats from bycatch and marine pollution. The baiji, for example, is considered functionally extinct by the IUCN, with the last sighting in 2004, due to heavy pollution to the Yangtze River. Whales occasionally feature in literature and film, as in the great white sperm whale of Herman Melville's Moby-Dick. Small odontocetes, mainly dolphins, are kept in captivity and trained to perform tricks. Whale watching has become a form of tourism around the world. Reference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toothed_whaleWhale teeth were much prized for use in scrimshaw work.Whale tooth. Significant staining and yellowing. Broken at base, and missing the root.Noneflagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, whale tooth, whaling, whaling industry, whales -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Animal specimen - Shell
Shell large in spiral shapeflagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Animal specimen - Ram's skull, No known
Skull of ram's head with hornsflagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Animal specimen - Whale bone, Undetermined
Prior to carrying out a detailed condition report of the cetacean skeletons, it is useful to have an understanding of the materials we are likely to encounter, in terms of structure and chemistry. This entry invites you to join in learning about the composition of whale bone and oil. Whale bone (Cetacean) bone is comprised of a composite structure of both an inorganic matrix of mainly hydroxylapatite (a calcium phosphate mineral), providing strength and rigidity, as well as an organic protein ‘scaffolding’ of mainly collagen, facilitating growth and repair (O’Connor 2008, CCI 2010). Collagen is also the structural protein component in cartilage between the whale vertebrae and attached to the fins of both the Killer Whale and the Dolphin. Relative proportions in the bone composition (affecting density), are linked with the feeding habits and mechanical stresses typically endured by bones of particular whale types. A Sperm Whale (Physeter macrocephalus Linnaeus, 1758) skeleton (toothed) thus has a higher mineral value (~67%) than a Fin Whale (Balaenoptera physalus Linnaeus, 1758) (baleen) (~60%) (Turner Walker 2012). The internal structure of bone can be divided into compact and cancellous bone. In whales, load-bearing structures such as mandibles and upper limb bones (e.g. humerus, sternum) are largely composed of compact bone (Turner Walker 2012). This consists of lamella concentrically deposited around the longitudinal axis and is permeated by fluid carrying channels (O’Connor 2008). Cancellous (spongy) bone, with a highly porous angular network of trabeculae, is less stiff and thus found in whale ribs and vertebrae (Turner Walker 2012). Whale oil Whales not only carry a thick layer of fat (blubber) in the soft tissue of their body for heat insulation and as a food store while they are alive, but also hold large oil (lipid) reserves in their porous bones. Following maceration of the whale skeleton after death to remove the soft tissue, the bones retain a high lipid content (Higgs et. al 2010). Particularly bones with a spongy (porous) structure have a high capacity to hold oil-rich marrow. Comparative data of various whale species suggests the skull, particularly the cranium and mandible bones are particularly oil rich. Along the vertebral column, the lipid content is reduced, particularly in the thoracic vertebrae (~10-25%), yet greatly increases from the lumbar to the caudal vertebrae (~40-55%). The chest area (scapula, sternum and ribs) show a mid-range lipid content (~15-30%), with vertically orientated ribs being more heavily soaked lower down (Turner Walker 2012, Higgs et. al 2010). Whale oil is largely composed of triglycerides (molecules of fatty acids attached to a glycerol molecule). In Arctic whales a higher proportion of unsaturated, versus saturated fatty acids make up the lipid. Unsaturated fatty acids (with double or triple carbon bonds causing chain kinks, preventing close packing (solidifying) of molecules), are more likely to be liquid (oil), versus solid (fat) at room temperature (Smith and March 2007). Objects Made From the Whaling Industry We all know that men set forth in sailing ships and risked their lives to harpoon whales on the open seas throughout the 1800s. And while Moby Dick and other tales have made whaling stories immortal, people today generally don't appreciate that the whalers were part of a well-organized industry. The ships that set out from ports in New England roamed as far as the Pacific in hunt of specific species of whales. Adventure may have been the draw for some whalers, but for the captains who owned whaling ships, and the investors which financed voyages, there was a considerable monetary payoff. The gigantic carcasses of whales were chopped and boiled down and turned into products such as the fine oil needed to lubricate increasing advanced machine tools. And beyond the oil derived from whales, even their bones, in an era before the invention of plastic, was used to make a wide variety of consumer goods. In short, whales were a valuable natural resource the same as wood, minerals, or petroleum we now pump from the ground. Oil From Whale’s Blubber Oil was the main product sought from whales, and it was used to lubricate machinery and to provide illumination by burning it in lamps. When a whale was killed, it was towed to the ship and its blubber, the thick insulating fat under its skin, would be peeled and cut from its carcass in a process known as “flensing.” The blubber was minced into chunks and boiled in large vats on board the whaling ship, producing oil. The oil taken from whale blubber was packaged in casks and transported back to the whaling ship’s home port (such as New Bedford, Massachusetts, the busiest American whaling port in the mid-1800s). From the ports it would be sold and transported across the country and would find its way into a huge variety of products. Whale oil, in addition to be used for lubrication and illumination, was also used to manufacture soaps, paint, and varnish. Whale oil was also utilized in some processes used to manufacture textiles and rope. Spermaceti, a Highly Regarded Oil A peculiar oil found in the head of the sperm whale, spermaceti, was highly prized. The oil was waxy, and was commonly used in making candles. In fact, candles made of spermaceti were considered the best in the world, producing a bright clear flame without an excess of smoke. Spermaceti was also used, distilled in liquid form, as an oil to fuel lamps. The main American whaling port, New Bedford, Massachusetts, was thus known as "The City That Lit the World." When John Adams was the ambassador to Great Britain before serving as president he recorded in his diary a conversation about spermaceti he had with the British Prime Minister William Pitt. Adams, keen to promote the New England whaling industry, was trying to convince the British to import spermaceti sold by American whalers, which the British could use to fuel street lamps. The British were not interested. In his diary, Adams wrote that he told Pitt, “the fat of the spermaceti whale gives the clearest and most beautiful flame of any substance that is known in nature, and we are surprised you prefer darkness, and consequent robberies, burglaries, and murders in your streets to receiving as a remittance our spermaceti oil.” Despite the failed sales pitch John Adams made in the late 1700s, the American whaling industry boomed in the early to mid-1800s. And spermaceti was a major component of that success. Spermaceti could be refined into a lubricant that was ideal for precision machinery. The machine tools that made the growth of industry possible in the United States were lubricated, and essentially made possible, by oil derived from spermaceti. Baleen, or "Whalebone" The bones and teeth of various species of whales were used in a number of products, many of them common implements in a 19th century household. Whales are said to have produced “the plastic of the 1800s.” The "bone" of the whale which was most commonly used wasn’t technically a bone, it was baleen, a hard material arrayed in large plates, like gigantic combs, in the mouths of some species of whales. The purpose of the baleen is to act as a sieve, catching tiny organisms in sea water, which the whale consumes as food. As baleen was tough yet flexible, it could be used in a number of practical applications. And it became commonly known as "whalebone." Perhaps the most common use of whalebone was in the manufacture of corsets, which fashionable ladies in the 1800s wore to compress their waistlines. One typical corset advertisement from the 1800s proudly proclaims, “Real Whalebone Only Used.” Whalebone was also used for collar stays, buggy whips, and toys. Its remarkable flexibility even caused it to be used as the springs in early typewriters. The comparison to plastic is apt. Think of common items which today might be made of plastic, and it's likely that similar items in the 1800s would have been made of whalebone. Baleen whales do not have teeth. But the teeth of other whales, such as the sperm whale, would be used as ivory in such products as chess pieces, piano keys, or the handles of walking sticks. Pieces of scrimshaw, or carved whale's teeth, would probably be the best remembered use of whale's teeth. However, the carved teeth were created to pass the time on whaling voyages and were never a mass production item. Their relative rarity, of course, is why genuine pieces of 19th century scrimshaw are considered to be valuable collectibles today. Reference: McNamara, Robert. "Objects Made From the Whaling Industry." ThoughtCo, Jul. 31, 2021, thoughtco.com/products-produced-from-whales-1774070.Whale bone was an important commodity, used in corsets, collar stays, buggy whips, and toys.Whale bone in two pieces. Advanced stage of calcification as indicated by deep pitting. Off white to grey.None.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, whale bones, whale skeleton, whales, whale bone, corsets, toys, whips -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Functional object - Megaphone, Bef. 09-02-1984
This megaphone's conical shape amplifies the sound from the narrow end and would have been used to signal a warning or give instructions. Its design is similar to an earlier brass fog horn used on a marine vessel, as it has a wide brim that allows it to be free-standing, and a shoulder rope makes it portable and frees up the user's hands. The narrow end is shaped into a mouthpiece. The megaphone may have been used at sea foghorn on a vessel, although it has no reeds for the sound, or used by a leader of a band or a fireman or other similar uses. This megaphone's conical shape is based on the centuries-old ram's horn or horn from other animals, used to amplify sound to make it travel a long distance or be heard above other sounds. It represents a similar instrument made in the 19th century and used as a signal or to give instructions, such as on a vessel at sea, to a lifesaving team, or in a marching band. Megaphone; brass conical shape with an opening at both ends and a join near the wide end. The wide opening has a broad brim and is painted red inside. A brass ring is attached near each opening and a narrow rope is attached to each ring. warrnambool, flagstaff hill maritime museum and village, fog horn, marine equipment, navigation, warning signal, maritime, nautical, fireman, captain, shoulder rope, signal, safety equipment -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Animal specimen - Lamb Fetus
This lamb fetus has been placed in preserving fluid. This can be formaldehyde, isopropyl or ethanol. It is important that glass jars are used, as plastic will be affected by the chemicals over time in the preserving fluid. Note the glass lid and the rubber seal; also the plastic covered metal clasp that has no contact with the contents. It is not known how long the lamb has been in this jar, but it is remarkably well preserved with just a little film of scum on parts on the top of the interior of the jar.The use of such preserved specimens is widespread in teaching students of all ages, veterinary operatives and museums of the composition of certain animals, insects and birds. Any information about an animal — be it photographs, blood, feathers or fur samples — is better than no information at all. But specimens are vital to ground-truth.Large glass jar containing a lamb fetus in preserving fluid. Glass lid is secured with rubber seal and metal fastening. flagstaff hill, flagstaff hill maritime museum and village, warrnambool, maritime museum, maritime village, great ocean road, shipwreck coast, lamb, fetus, lamb fetus, animal specimen, biological specimen -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Animal specimen - Whale bone, Undetermined
Prior to carrying out a detailed condition report of the cetacean skeletons, it is useful to have an understanding of the materials we are likely to encounter, in terms of structure and chemistry. This entry invites you to join in learning about the composition of whale bone and oil. Whale bone (Cetacean) bone is comprised of a composite structure of both an inorganic matrix of mainly hydroxylapatite (a calcium phosphate mineral), providing strength and rigidity, as well as an organic protein ‘scaffolding’ of mainly collagen, facilitating growth and repair (O’Connor 2008, CCI 2010). Collagen is also the structural protein component in cartilage between the whale vertebrae and attached to the fins of both the Killer Whale and the Dolphin. Relative proportions in the bone composition (affecting density), are linked with the feeding habits and mechanical stresses typically endured by bones of particular whale types. A Sperm Whale (Physeter macrocephalus Linnaeus, 1758) skeleton (toothed) thus has a higher mineral value (~67%) than a Fin Whale (Balaenoptera physalus Linnaeus, 1758) (baleen) (~60%) (Turner Walker 2012). The internal structure of bone can be divided into compact and cancellous bone. In whales, load-bearing structures such as mandibles and upper limb bones (e.g. humerus, sternum) are largely composed of compact bone (Turner Walker 2012). This consists of lamella concentrically deposited around the longitudinal axis and is permeated by fluid carrying channels (O’Connor 2008). Cancellous (spongy) bone, with a highly porous angular network of trabeculae, is less stiff and thus found in whale ribs and vertebrae (Turner Walker 2012). Whale oil Whales not only carry a thick layer of fat (blubber) in the soft tissue of their body for heat insulation and as a food store while they are alive, but also hold large oil (lipid) reserves in their porous bones. Following maceration of the whale skeleton after death to remove the soft tissue, the bones retain a high lipid content (Higgs et. al 2010). Particularly bones with a spongy (porous) structure have a high capacity to hold oil-rich marrow. Comparative data of various whale species suggests the skull, particularly the cranium and mandible bones are particularly oil rich. Along the vertebral column, the lipid content is reduced, particularly in the thoracic vertebrae (~10-25%), yet greatly increases from the lumbar to the caudal vertebrae (~40-55%). The chest area (scapula, sternum and ribs) show a mid-range lipid content (~15-30%), with vertically orientated ribs being more heavily soaked lower down (Turner Walker 2012, Higgs et. al 2010). Whale oil is largely composed of triglycerides (molecules of fatty acids attached to a glycerol molecule). In Arctic whales a higher proportion of unsaturated, versus saturated fatty acids make up the lipid. Unsaturated fatty acids (with double or triple carbon bonds causing chain kinks, preventing close packing (solidifying) of molecules), are more likely to be liquid (oil), versus solid (fat) at room temperature (Smith and March 2007). Objects Made From the Whaling Industry We all know that men set forth in sailing ships and risked their lives to harpoon whales on the open seas throughout the 1800s. And while Moby Dick and other tales have made whaling stories immortal, people today generally don't appreciate that the whalers were part of a well-organized industry. The ships that set out from ports in New England roamed as far as the Pacific in hunt of specific species of whales. Adventure may have been the draw for some whalers, but for the captains who owned whaling ships, and the investors which financed voyages, there was a considerable monetary payoff. The gigantic carcasses of whales were chopped and boiled down and turned into products such as the fine oil needed to lubricate increasing advanced machine tools. And beyond the oil derived from whales, even their bones, in an era before the invention of plastic, was used to make a wide variety of consumer goods. In short, whales were a valuable natural resource the same as wood, minerals, or petroleum we now pump from the ground. Oil From Whale’s Blubber Oil was the main product sought from whales, and it was used to lubricate machinery and to provide illumination by burning it in lamps. When a whale was killed, it was towed to the ship and its blubber, the thick insulating fat under its skin, would be peeled and cut from its carcass in a process known as “flensing.” The blubber was minced into chunks and boiled in large vats on board the whaling ship, producing oil. The oil taken from whale blubber was packaged in casks and transported back to the whaling ship’s home port (such as New Bedford, Massachusetts, the busiest American whaling port in the mid-1800s). From the ports it would be sold and transported across the country and would find its way into a huge variety of products. Whale oil, in addition to be used for lubrication and illumination, was also used to manufacture soaps, paint, and varnish. Whale oil was also utilized in some processes used to manufacture textiles and rope. Spermaceti, a Highly Regarded Oil A peculiar oil found in the head of the sperm whale, spermaceti, was highly prized. The oil was waxy, and was commonly used in making candles. In fact, candles made of spermaceti were considered the best in the world, producing a bright clear flame without an excess of smoke. Spermaceti was also used, distilled in liquid form, as an oil to fuel lamps. The main American whaling port, New Bedford, Massachusetts, was thus known as "The City That Lit the World." When John Adams was the ambassador to Great Britain before serving as president he recorded in his diary a conversation about spermaceti he had with the British Prime Minister William Pitt. Adams, keen to promote the New England whaling industry, was trying to convince the British to import spermaceti sold by American whalers, which the British could use to fuel street lamps. The British were not interested. In his diary, Adams wrote that he told Pitt, “the fat of the spermaceti whale gives the clearest and most beautiful flame of any substance that is known in nature, and we are surprised you prefer darkness, and consequent robberies, burglaries, and murders in your streets to receiving as a remittance our spermaceti oil.” Despite the failed sales pitch John Adams made in the late 1700s, the American whaling industry boomed in the early to mid-1800s. And spermaceti was a major component of that success. Spermaceti could be refined into a lubricant that was ideal for precision machinery. The machine tools that made the growth of industry possible in the United States were lubricated, and essentially made possible, by oil derived from spermaceti. Baleen, or "Whalebone" The bones and teeth of various species of whales were used in a number of products, many of them common implements in a 19th century household. Whales are said to have produced “the plastic of the 1800s.” The "bone" of the whale which was most commonly used wasn’t technically a bone, it was baleen, a hard material arrayed in large plates, like gigantic combs, in the mouths of some species of whales. The purpose of the baleen is to act as a sieve, catching tiny organisms in sea water, which the whale consumes as food. As baleen was tough yet flexible, it could be used in a number of practical applications. And it became commonly known as "whalebone." Perhaps the most common use of whalebone was in the manufacture of corsets, which fashionable ladies in the 1800s wore to compress their waistlines. One typical corset advertisement from the 1800s proudly proclaims, “Real Whalebone Only Used.” Whalebone was also used for collar stays, buggy whips, and toys. Its remarkable flexibility even caused it to be used as the springs in early typewriters. The comparison to plastic is apt. Think of common items which today might be made of plastic, and it's likely that similar items in the 1800s would have been made of whalebone. Baleen whales do not have teeth. But the teeth of other whales, such as the sperm whale, would be used as ivory in such products as chess pieces, piano keys, or the handles of walking sticks. Pieces of scrimshaw, or carved whale's teeth, would probably be the best remembered use of whale's teeth. However, the carved teeth were created to pass the time on whaling voyages and were never a mass production item. Their relative rarity, of course, is why genuine pieces of 19th century scrimshaw are considered to be valuable collectibles today. Reference: McNamara, Robert. "Objects Made From the Whaling Industry." ThoughtCo, Jul. 31, 2021, thoughtco.com/products-produced-from-whales-1774070.Whale bone was an important commodity, used in corsets, collar stays, buggy whips, and toys.Whale bone piece. Advanced stage of calcification as indicated by deep pitting. Off white to grey.None.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, whales, whale bone, corsets, toys, whips -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Animal specimen - Whale bone, Undetermined
Prior to carrying out a detailed condition report of the cetacean skeletons, it is useful to have an understanding of the materials we are likely to encounter, in terms of structure and chemistry. This entry invites you to join in learning about the composition of whale bone and oil. Whale bone (Cetacean) bone is comprised of a composite structure of both an inorganic matrix of mainly hydroxylapatite (a calcium phosphate mineral), providing strength and rigidity, as well as an organic protein ‘scaffolding’ of mainly collagen, facilitating growth and repair (O’Connor 2008, CCI 2010). Collagen is also the structural protein component in cartilage between the whale vertebrae and attached to the fins of both the Killer Whale and the Dolphin. Relative proportions in the bone composition (affecting density), are linked with the feeding habits and mechanical stresses typically endured by bones of particular whale types. A Sperm Whale (Physeter macrocephalus Linnaeus, 1758) skeleton (toothed) thus has a higher mineral value (~67%) than a Fin Whale (Balaenoptera physalus Linnaeus, 1758) (baleen) (~60%) (Turner Walker 2012). The internal structure of bone can be divided into compact and cancellous bone. In whales, load-bearing structures such as mandibles and upper limb bones (e.g. humerus, sternum) are largely composed of compact bone (Turner Walker 2012). This consists of lamella concentrically deposited around the longitudinal axis and is permeated by fluid carrying channels (O’Connor 2008). Cancellous (spongy) bone, with a highly porous angular network of trabeculae, is less stiff and thus found in whale ribs and vertebrae (Turner Walker 2012). Whale oil Whales not only carry a thick layer of fat (blubber) in the soft tissue of their body for heat insulation and as a food store while they are alive, but also hold large oil (lipid) reserves in their porous bones. Following maceration of the whale skeleton after death to remove the soft tissue, the bones retain a high lipid content (Higgs et. al 2010). Particularly bones with a spongy (porous) structure have a high capacity to hold oil-rich marrow. Comparative data of various whale species suggests the skull, particularly the cranium and mandible bones are particularly oil rich. Along the vertebral column, the lipid content is reduced, particularly in the thoracic vertebrae (~10-25%), yet greatly increases from the lumbar to the caudal vertebrae (~40-55%). The chest area (scapula, sternum and ribs) show a mid-range lipid content (~15-30%), with vertically orientated ribs being more heavily soaked lower down (Turner Walker 2012, Higgs et. al 2010). Whale oil is largely composed of triglycerides (molecules of fatty acids attached to a glycerol molecule). In Arctic whales a higher proportion of unsaturated, versus saturated fatty acids make up the lipid. Unsaturated fatty acids (with double or triple carbon bonds causing chain kinks, preventing close packing (solidifying) of molecules), are more likely to be liquid (oil), versus solid (fat) at room temperature (Smith and March 2007). Objects Made From the Whaling Industry We all know that men set forth in sailing ships and risked their lives to harpoon whales on the open seas throughout the 1800s. And while Moby Dick and other tales have made whaling stories immortal, people today generally don't appreciate that the whalers were part of a well-organized industry. The ships that set out from ports in New England roamed as far as the Pacific in hunt of specific species of whales. Adventure may have been the draw for some whalers, but for the captains who owned whaling ships, and the investors which financed voyages, there was a considerable monetary payoff. The gigantic carcasses of whales were chopped and boiled down and turned into products such as the fine oil needed to lubricate increasing advanced machine tools. And beyond the oil derived from whales, even their bones, in an era before the invention of plastic, was used to make a wide variety of consumer goods. In short, whales were a valuable natural resource the same as wood, minerals, or petroleum we now pump from the ground. Oil From Whale’s Blubber Oil was the main product sought from whales, and it was used to lubricate machinery and to provide illumination by burning it in lamps. When a whale was killed, it was towed to the ship and its blubber, the thick insulating fat under its skin, would be peeled and cut from its carcass in a process known as “flensing.” The blubber was minced into chunks and boiled in large vats on board the whaling ship, producing oil. The oil taken from whale blubber was packaged in casks and transported back to the whaling ship’s home port (such as New Bedford, Massachusetts, the busiest American whaling port in the mid-1800s). From the ports it would be sold and transported across the country and would find its way into a huge variety of products. Whale oil, in addition to be used for lubrication and illumination, was also used to manufacture soaps, paint, and varnish. Whale oil was also utilized in some processes used to manufacture textiles and rope. Spermaceti, a Highly Regarded Oil A peculiar oil found in the head of the sperm whale, spermaceti, was highly prized. The oil was waxy, and was commonly used in making candles. In fact, candles made of spermaceti were considered the best in the world, producing a bright clear flame without an excess of smoke. Spermaceti was also used, distilled in liquid form, as an oil to fuel lamps. The main American whaling port, New Bedford, Massachusetts, was thus known as "The City That Lit the World." When John Adams was the ambassador to Great Britain before serving as president he recorded in his diary a conversation about spermaceti he had with the British Prime Minister William Pitt. Adams, keen to promote the New England whaling industry, was trying to convince the British to import spermaceti sold by American whalers, which the British could use to fuel street lamps. The British were not interested. In his diary, Adams wrote that he told Pitt, “the fat of the spermaceti whale gives the clearest and most beautiful flame of any substance that is known in nature, and we are surprised you prefer darkness, and consequent robberies, burglaries, and murders in your streets to receiving as a remittance our spermaceti oil.” Despite the failed sales pitch John Adams made in the late 1700s, the American whaling industry boomed in the early to mid-1800s. And spermaceti was a major component of that success. Spermaceti could be refined into a lubricant that was ideal for precision machinery. The machine tools that made the growth of industry possible in the United States were lubricated, and essentially made possible, by oil derived from spermaceti. Baleen, or "Whalebone" The bones and teeth of various species of whales were used in a number of products, many of them common implements in a 19th century household. Whales are said to have produced “the plastic of the 1800s.” The "bone" of the whale which was most commonly used wasn’t technically a bone, it was baleen, a hard material arrayed in large plates, like gigantic combs, in the mouths of some species of whales. The purpose of the baleen is to act as a sieve, catching tiny organisms in sea water, which the whale consumes as food. As baleen was tough yet flexible, it could be used in a number of practical applications. And it became commonly known as "whalebone." Perhaps the most common use of whalebone was in the manufacture of corsets, which fashionable ladies in the 1800s wore to compress their waistlines. One typical corset advertisement from the 1800s proudly proclaims, “Real Whalebone Only Used.” Whalebone was also used for collar stays, buggy whips, and toys. Its remarkable flexibility even caused it to be used as the springs in early typewriters. The comparison to plastic is apt. Think of common items which today might be made of plastic, and it's likely that similar items in the 1800s would have been made of whalebone. Baleen whales do not have teeth. But the teeth of other whales, such as the sperm whale, would be used as ivory in such products as chess pieces, piano keys, or the handles of walking sticks. Pieces of scrimshaw, or carved whale's teeth, would probably be the best remembered use of whale's teeth. However, the carved teeth were created to pass the time on whaling voyages and were never a mass production item. Their relative rarity, of course, is why genuine pieces of 19th century scrimshaw are considered to be valuable collectibles today. Reference: McNamara, Robert. "Objects Made From the Whaling Industry." ThoughtCo, Jul. 31, 2021, thoughtco.com/products-produced-from-whales-1774070. Whale bone was an important commodity, used in corsets, collar stays, buggy whips, and toys.Whale bone vertebrae. Advanced stage of calcification as indicated by deep pitting. Off white to grey.None.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, whales, whale bone, corsets, toys, whips -
Federation University Historical Collection
Reports, Thylacenes and Large Predators Sightings, 2000-2010, 2000-2010
The folder or correspondence is the result of a Freedom of Information request made to the Department of Sustainability and Environment in 2011. The folder was collected for research being conducted by David Waldron.Folder of correspondence and newsclips relating to "Big Cats" and other large predators. Sections of this file includes redacted areas relating to the privacy of correspondents.australian mythical animals collection, david waldron, depatment of primary industries, marsupial lion, thylacoled, thylacine, apollo bay, dingo, east gippsland, metung, lake king, s. temby, footprint, feral cat, puma, australian rare fauna research association inc, geelong, ceres hill, gippsland tasmanian tiger, tasmanian tiger, wilsons promomontory, fauna, scats, lochsport, philip g. gittins, wilson's promontory national park, peter hall, lang lang, alberton, yanakie, fish creek, waratah bay, walkerville, cap liptrap, lower tarwin, middle tarwin, grantville, toora, koonwarra, foster, welshpool, cotters lake, wild dogs, stuart atkins, bob cameron, big cat, sheep kills, jaw bones, livestock loss, peter walsh, woodside, binginwarri, yarram, mountain lion, cougars -
Federation University Historical Collection
Document - Reports, Large Cats, Thylacenes and Large Predators Sigtings, 1975-1985 and 2002-2011
The folder of correspondence is the result of a Freedom of Information request made to the Department of Sustainability and Environment in 2011. The folder was collected for research being conducted by David Waldron.Folder of correspondence and newsclips relating to "Big Cats" and other large predators. Please note: sections of this file are closed to protect the privacy of correspondents.australian mythical animals collection, david waldron, brian waters, moonambel, joyce collins, ian smith, thylacene, marrarkuli, burragorang, m.g. hornocker, mt bepcha, billywing upland, john a. henry, bryan wlaters, ken bodinnar, harcourt, kevin farley, fowlers bay, carolyn hodges, puma, macarthur, paynesville, john aldreson, animal damage control, mountain lion, bryan walters, cougar, big cat, maryborough, joan kirner, bernard mace, tasmanian tigers, d.g. willey, calder highway sightings, kevin phelen, mt richmond national park, feral cat, felis catus, lancefield, pyalong, broadford, pyalong pantherleopard, porsche park, dick shaw, big cats in victoria, peter hall, lyn sellens, south gippsland, plaster cast, foot cast, unidentified wildlife, john seeback, michael moss, carnivores, halls gap, halls gap puma scats, kooreh, ballan, ballan large cat, a.g. kerr, south gippsland tasmanian tiger sightings, central victorian puma, otways, wilsons promontory, john higgins, tasmanian wolf, j.k. depmster, vermin, lion, cooper's creek, warrego river, dingo, thylacinus cynocephalus, mirboo north, newham, operation puma victoria, australian skeptics, kangaroo ground, rare fauna, black wildcat, pyalong panther, bob warneke, black puma, maryborough puma, creswick panther, cape bridgewater, pyrenees panther, footprints, daisy hill, bung bong, phantom puma, geranium springs, maurice hornocker -
Federation University Historical Collection
Reports, Big Cats Sightings and Stock Kills 2000-2011, 2000-2011
The folder or correspondence is the result of a Freedom of Informaition request made to the Department of Primary Industries in 2011. The folder was collected for research being conducted by David Waldron.Folder of reports of Big Cat by rangers. australian mythical animals collection, david waldron, department of primary industries, rangers, peter walsh, warragul creek, binginwarri, coongulla, straford, licola, blanket hill, darramin, blanket hill, woodside beach, heyfield, puma, panther, cowwarr, glenmaggie, bolands bluff, darrimen, bolands bluff, binginnwarri, dawson, the springs, mt taylor, black range, driffield west, snowy plains airstrip, glenmaggie north, jack smith lake, munro, briagaling, dutson downs, connors plain, giffard west, darriment, joyces road junction, giffard west, wallaby creek, south gippsland highway, avon river, orbost, four mile creek -
Federation University Historical Collection
Reports, Big Cat sightings (dates), 1989
Research of dated sightngs of Big cats in Victoria from 1868-1989. australian mythical animals collection, david waldron, dse, big cats, panthers pumas, nuggety, gippsland, black cats, tasmanian tiger, marysville, wood's point, thylacine, south gippsland, felid, gippsland big cat, kelvin healey, peter hall, sherbrooke forest, woodside, walaces flat, mountain lion, heyfield, mt taylor, walhalla, mt selma, warrnambool, kyneton, korumburra, canadian forest, grampians, panton hill, beaconsfield, apollo bay, forrest, victoria valley, rapanyup, dargo, inglewood, doncaster east, tidal river, cape bridgewater, walkerville, dooen, st arnaud, lake bung bong, mitta mitta, moliagul, emerald, kinglake, cape otway, dereel, leonard's hill, daylesford, korweinguboora, lal lal, noojee, eltham, lancefield, trentham, daisy hill, tanjil south, wonthaggi, cockatoo, warrenheip, greendale, howqua, lake buchan, melville caves, portland, mt elephant, morwell, navarre, yarram, yandoit, moonambel, maryborough, taravale, coghill's creek, trentham, carisbrook, inglewood, warrenmang, yarragon, creswick, emerald, stawel, clunes, majorca, heathcote, talbot, daylesford, newham, broadford, peter chapple -
Federation University Historical Collection
Reports, Unidentified Mammal Report, 1970-1990, 1970-1990
The folder or correspondence is the result of a Freedom of Information request made to the Department of of Conservation, Forests and Lands in 2011. The folder was collected for research being conducted by David Waldron.Folder of reports relating to "Big Cats", Thylacines, and other large predators sightings australian mythical animals collection, david waldron, thylacine, sassafras, peter monhorst, jodie hoey, kelvin smith, traralgon south, gormondale, bridgewater, g. mcclure, whorouly, albury, jim walker, andrea westcott, john dawson, nicole walsh, grampians, eddy scott, talbot, lancefield, kalorama, inglewood, gavin cerini, dereel, rosemary fernandez, brian walters, alexandra, unidentified mammel, romsey, bill butterworth, flowerdale, bob hoare, trafalgar, lyn demopolis, broadford, green gully, ian weir, noel pascoe, bruce carter, mount stirling, andrea cooper, stawell, yvonne shepherd, red hills, halls gap, jill reid, puma, w.r.c. hill, caelli -
Federation University Historical Collection
Book - Scrapbook, Scrap Book Compiled by William Robertson, c1911
Maroon covered minute book that has had handwritten minutes pasted overs with clippings collected by William Robertson. The minutes appear to be of the Budding Rose Juvenile Temple IOGS held in hte Piggoret Public Hall and/or Piggoreet Presbyterian Church Clippings include: Origins of man (Jubilee of Darwin's Theory) Fight Against Evolution (E. Grant Conklin) Neanderthal Man and Grimaldi Man Our First Immigrant Had Human Head, But MOuth Like a Mnkey Darwinism Mutton BurdsThe Missing Link: Supposed Discovery. Man who walked on all-fours Channel tunnel Ernest Haeckel and his work Mr McCabe's Lecture Taungs Skull Jumbo's Trunk Man hand written notes by Roberston are evident, including Heredity, Classification, Fossil Men, Broken Hill Skull (South Africa) budding rose juvenile temple, piggoreet public hall, piggoreet presbyterian church, charlotte leaske, james robertson, nellie robertson, richard webb, bella laidler, john christie, e. prolonseau, charles christie, andrew jamieson, david sinclair, sam webb, origin of man, darwin's theory, darwinism, embyology, origin of creation, sir oliver lodge, missing link, heredity, fossils, pedigree of birds, fourth dimension, joseph mccabe, huxley's reserves, animal intellegence -
Federation University Historical Collection
Photograph - Colour, The Royal Melbourne Zoological Gardens 1985: Mzuri the baby gorilla, 1985
Laminated colour photographic image of Blue Macaw parrot laminatedsignature lower right 'David Higgins '85'bird photography, encapsulated photograph, colour photograph, david higgins, gorilla, mzuri, fauna, animal -
Federation University Historical Collection
Booklet, University of Ballarat Centre for Environmental Management, 1996
The Centre for Environmental Management as established in July 1995 as a strategic development initiative to consolidate the University's position as a centre for industry linked environmenttal teaching, resarech and consultancy. Page 19 "SPECIAL INITIATIVES Establishment of field Research Stations Two areas of concentration of research effort for the Centre are the Otways in the south western Victoria and the Scotia Country in the rangelands of NSW. In both these areas it is essential that ther be a secure accomodation abase for research students. In the former case there is a need for a sheltered base to enable year round field work in cold wet conditions and in the latter a base with a reliable water supply and the facilities to allow field work in very hot dry conditions which prevail from much of the year. It has been an ibjective of the Centre to establish field stations at these two sites and considerable progress has been made through the year. (i) Nanya Field Station in the Scotial Country Through the generosity of the owner, Mr Rob Taylor, an unused homestead on Nanya Station was made available to the Centre. Largely through voluntary labour during research field trips during the year this previously derelict homestead has been restored to functionality and now has facilities for up to 20 research workers with a reliable water supply, cooking, washing, and refrigeration facilities. (ii) Cape Otway Resaerch Centre Negotiations have continued through the year with the potential lessees of the Cape Otway Lighthouse Precinct with the support of the Vice Chancellor and other potential user groups within the University these have reached a successful outcome. The University will be working with the lessees to develop the historic Telegraph Station as a dual purpose facility for interpretation and research." Black and white cover with clear plastic sheet. university of ballarat, centre for environmental management, martin westbrooke, richard mcewan, mal weston, john miller, nanya, telegraph station, cape otway, cape otway lighthouse station, cape otway telegraph station, field resaerch stations, s. hadden, peter dahlhaus, r.j. macewan, pat prevett, native vegetation assessment, fauna management, pest plants and animal research, soil and water assessment, conservation reserve management, paul ryan, richard macewan -
Federation University Historical Collection
Booklet, Little Desert National Park and Wail State Forest Proposed Management Plan, 1991, 11/1991
Grey soft covered report of 80 pages. Includes a pull out map.little desert national park, wait state forest, management plan, horsham, department of conservation and environment, rod gowans, don spence, wimmera river, threatened plants, fauna, flora, birds, mammals, wergaia, scarred trees, mounds, pest plants, pest animals, tourism and recreation, timber, grazing, conservation -
Federation University Historical Collection
Book, Department of External Affairs, Melbourne, Bulletin of the Northern Territory, Bulletin No. 1, March 1912, 1912
Soft brown covered book of 68 pages. Photographic images of Roper River, Mount McMinn, Abraham's Lagoon, Edith Creek, Red Lily Lagoon, Darwin Boy Scouts, China Town in Darwin, Umbrawarra Creek, Paddy's lagoon, McMinn's Homestead, gold cradle, Aborigines, Syphilis, Mungurai, yaws.northern territory, scientific expedition, health, domesticated animals, j.a. gilruth, a. breinl, mosquitos, paul foelscher, roper river, mount mcminn, abraham's lagoon, edith creek, red lily lagoon, darwin boy scouts, china town in darwin, umbrawarra creek, paddy's lagoon, mcminn's homestead, gold cradle, aborigines, syphilis, mungurai, yaws, buffalo fly, henry tryon -
Ringwood and District Historical Society
Letter, 1946 letter from Municipal Association of Victoria stating that stray dogs will not be sent to universities but Dog's Home and Animal Hospital
Two-page letter