This image of the Ralph Falkiner’s Mueller Petrol-Electric Road Train was taken in Wodonga in February 1914. Imported from Germany by Mr Ralph S Falkiner in late 1913, the train’s inventor, Major W A Mueller with two assistants, came to Melbourne to assemble then commission the train. The train cost Mr Falkiner about £13,000 plus £4,591 import duties. The Falkiner family were sheep breeders in the Western Riverina and he hoped to use the road train primarily to convey wool to the railways for despatch to Sydney. The train was 216 feet long, weighed 43.5 tons with a top speed loaded of 6-8m/h and petrol consumption up to two gallons per mile. Its first Australian journey was to haul 50 tons of cargo to Edmondson & Co at Wagga Wagga, 277 miles away. The journey from Melbourne was plagued with problems including broken cylinders and crank shaft and overheating as it was not designed for Australian climatic conditions. Three months after leaving Melbourne it arrived in Wodonga. A series of problems between Springhurst and Wodonga, including broken cylinders and valves caused an eight day delay. Some of the cargo was off-loaded in Albury, then after repairs the train continued on to Wagga where it arrived in May 1914. After unloading there, the road train was taken to Mr Falkiner's Groongal Station, near Hay and subsequently made several long trips into drought-stricken areas or the Western Riverina. Eventually the dream collapsed when the engines gave out after the train bogged in the sticky black soil of the Hay plain with 251 bales of wool on board. The train was finally railed back to Melbourne and stored but destroyed when the warehouse burnt down. In this photo, the road train is drawn up outside the Wodonga Stores and Bakery owned and operated by George Leighton. Mr Leighton began his business opposite the Terminus Hotel in Sydney Street, Wodonga in 1885. His business included a general store, stocking groceries, ironmongery, drapery, crockeryware, boots and shoes as well as a bakery. He was very actively involved in the community and served on the Wodonga Council for 18 years including three terms as Wodonga Shire President in 1901 – 02, 1910-11 and 1913-14. He was also Chairman of the Wodonga Waterworks Trust for several terms. Mr. Leighton also took a prominent part in the movement to establish a Public Library in Wodonga. His other involvements including being a Founder of the Wodonga Lodge of Freemasons, Honorary Treasurer of the Wodonga Bulldogs Football Club and Secretary of the Wodonga Racing Club. Mr Leighton passed away in Wodonga in 1916.This image is significant because it records a rare event in Wodonga and an experiment in Australian road transport.Black and white images of the Falkiner Road Train in Wodonga and on its first journey from Melbourne to Wagga, NSW It is taken in front of the Wodonga Stores and Bakery operated by George Leighton in Sydney Street, Wodonga.falkiner electric train, early road transport, high street wodonga, george leighton

Spiral bound containing hand written record and informationnon-fictionHandwritten information from the Strad Jones collection. Detailed explanation of the formation of Australian Rules football leagues and competition in Northeast Victoria. It provides information about key families in the Rutherglen area as well as other clubs in what became the Ovens and Murray Football League. Basic rules of football at the time are explained in the introduction. Details of meetings, games and game data, key events and premiership and medal winners are included. Covers period from 1890 to 1940. Clubs referenced in this publication include the initial members of Lake Rovers, Excelsior, Chiltern, Howlong, Corowa, Barnawartha and Border United. Member clubs changed over this period with the inclusion of Beechworth, Wodonga, Wangaratta and Benalla at different stages.australian rules football, football northeast victoria, ovens and murray football

Maori's Idol (Ike Frost Imp P 2.2.8 - Maori Miss Vic P 2.14.8 Tr 2.10.6 (Grand Monarch)) Bay Horse. Foaled 1972 (5th Foal). Breeder/Owner: R McD Healy & Co Pty Ltd. Trainer R McD Healy. Maori's Idol raced from 1976 (3yo) through to 1982 (9yo). Career: 40 wins 3 seconds 1 third 46 starts $98,820.50 1.59.3 Winning Driver: BR Healy (40). Won on 11 Tracks: Moonee Valley (16) Globe Derby SA (4) Albion Park Qld (2) Kilmore (5) Cranbourne (5) Bendigo (3) Stawell (1) Ballarat (1) Maryborough (1) Hamilton (1) Geelong (1)1978 Australian Harness Horse of the Year won by Maori's Idol. Season 1978 record 22 wins 1 second 1 third 24 starts $64,087 1.59.3 Two Heats Interdominion Championship / Two Heats Qld Sir Clive Uhr Championship / VL Dullard Cup / Freestone Cup / Cranbourne Trotting Club Flying Mile / Geelong All Star FFA.Two Handled Globe shaped trophy on a Wooden BaseAustralian Harness Racing Award / Australian Harness Horse of the Year Trophy / Maori's Idol / Australian Trotting Counciltrophy, australian harness racing award, maoris idol, australian harness horse of the year, harness horse, australian trotting council, bryan healy, br healy, ric healy, r healy, b healy, r mcd healy

Adelaide Direct (10 yo mare at the time) won the 1917 New Zealand Trotting Cup over 2 miles starting from a 7 second handicap. She ran a New Zealand race winning record time of 4 minutes 27.8 seconds. She defeated Cathedral Chimes 2nd by 4 lengths with Author Dillon 3rd. She was Owned/Leased, Trained and Driven by Manny Edwards.Two Handled Cup shaped Trophy with a LidNew Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club / Presented by / Mr Chas Louisson / President / to / M Edwards / Owner of "Adelaide Direct" Time 4 min 27 4/5 sec / Winner of N.Z. Cup Race NovR 1917trophy, harness horse, new zealand metropolitan trotting club, adelaide direct, 1917, new zealand cup, nz cup, mr chas louisson, manny edwards

Mother Courage (Stoneridge Scooter Imp P 1.50.8 - Talk To Me Vic P 1.59.6 (What's Next)) Bay Mare. Foaled 1995 (3rd Foal) Breeder/Owner: Castle Family Pty Ltd. Trainer B Morgan. Mother Courage raced from 1998 (2yo) through to 2003 (7yo). Career: 30 wins 19 seconds 9 thirds 81 starts $462,520 1.56.9 Winning Drivers: JJ Caldow (27) BR Gath (3). Won on 8 Tracks: Moonee Valley (14) Ballarat (6) Bendigo (2) Horsham (2) Maryborough (2) Kilmore (2) Hamilton (1) Mildura (1) Mother Courage tied for the 2002 Lawn Derby Award for Australian Aged Pacing Mare of the Year with Five Star Comfort. 2002 Season record: 6 wins 6 seconds 3 thirds 22 starts $84,800 1.56.9 Ladyship Cup/ Bendigo Pacing Cup/ Angelique Club Cup/ Mildura Qantaslink FFA.Wooden PlaqueTop: 2002 / Australian Harness Racing Awards / Lawn Derby Award / Aged Pacing Mare of the Year (Tied) / * Mother Courage * Bottom: Supplied by Renown Silverware Tel (03) 9486 2688trophy, harness horse, mother courage, 2002, australian harness racing awards, lawn derby award, renown silverware, award, jj caldow, john caldow, bruce morgan, b morgan

Sumthingaboutmaori (Pine Chip Imp Tr 1.51.0 - Maori Princess Vic Tr 2.45 (Entrepreneur)) Bay Mare. Foaled 1998 (4th Foal). Breder/Owner: R McD Healy. Trainer BR Healy. Sumthingaboutmaori raced from 2001 (2yo) through to 2006 (7yo). Career: 31 wins 8 seconds 8 thirds 75 starts $461,499 2.00.9 Winning Drivers: Gavin Lang (26) BR Healy (3) DK Douglas (1) JJ Caldow (1). Won on 9 Tracks: Moonee Valley (10) Bendigo (5) Maryborough (5) Kilmore (3) Geelong (3) Shepparton (2) Cranbourne (1) Horsham (1) Globe Derby SA (1)2000-2001 Victorian Square Trotters Association 2yo Trotter of the Year Trophy won by Sumthingaboutmaori. 2yo Season record 4 wins 1 second 2 thirds 8 starts $14,505 2.05.4Glass plaqueVictorian Square Trotters Association 2000-2001 / 2yo Trotter of the Year / Winner / Sumthingaboutmaori / Donated by Victoria Harness Racing Clubtrotting, harness racing, sumthingaboutmaori, 2yo trotter of the year, victorian square trotters association, 2000-2001, award, trophy, gavin lang, g lang, br healy, bryan healy, r healy, ric healy, b healy, r mcd healy

Maori Miss (Grand Monarch NZ P 2.9.2 - Yendarra Hall NZ - (Loreto)). Brown Mare. Foaled 1960 (2nd Foal). Breeder/Owner: R McD Healy. Trainer G Gath. Maori Miss raced from 1963 (2yo) through to 1967 (6yo). Career: 20 wins 12 seconds 10 thirds 63 starts. 2.10.6 Winning Drivers: G Gath (13) Neville Gath (6) B Gath (1). Won on 8 Tracks: Melbourne Showgrounds (6) Harold Park NSW (2) Ballarat (4) Warragul (3) Geelong (2) Bendigo (1) Stawell (1) Cranbourne (1)Maori Miss won the 1966 Geelong Trotters Cup (also known as G McNamara Memorial Trotters Cup) at a rate of 2-12 1/5, equalling the Track Record, starting off 24 yds over 14 furlongs at Geelong on 13 January 1966 defeating Tamboritha 2nd and Corop McElwin 3rdTwo Handled Cup Shaped Trophy with a LidGeelong Trotters Cup / 1966 / Won by / Maori Miss / Rate 2-12 1/5trophy, harness horse, maori miss, geelong trotting club, geelong trotters cup, 1966, r healy, ric healy, g gath, george gath, neville gath, ng gath, r mcd healy

Gordon Rothacker died in 2010 at the age of 81. Harness Racing Victoria's (HRV) highest individual award, the Gordon Rothacker Medal, is named in his honour. Rothacker won a record 14 Melbourne drivers' premierships between 1949 and 1973 as well as capturing 10 Melbourne trainers' premierships between 1953 and 1976. He was the first reinsman to land 500 winners on Melbourne tracks, doing so at Moonee Valley in 1987 some 39 years after driving his first winner at the Royal Melbourne Showgrounds as an 18-year-old in the inaugural season of night trotting. Awarded an MBE in the Queen's Birthday honours of 1972 for his services to trotting, Rothacker was the Caduceus Club's first living legend when inducted in 1995 and has also been awarded the Distinguished Service Medal by HRV. He won numerous feature races with the likes of Angelique, Rhett, Gallagher and Raiarmagh Pool and also represented Australia in the second World Drivers' Championship in 1971 in the US and Canada.Red with blue Vrothacker, trotting, gallagher, angelique, showgrounds, premiership, rothacker medal, g rothacker, gordon rothacker, gw rothacker