The Stony Creek Trestle Bridge was built in 1916 when the existing rail line from Melbourne to Bairnsdale was extended to Orbost. This 97km Bairnsdale to Orbost extension through rugged terrain was reputed to have been the most difficult rail project undertaken in Victoria. In service for over 60 years the bridge was damaged by bushfire in 1980, with the last train crossing in 1987. At 247m long and 20m high, it is the largest standing bridge of its kind in the State, and is listed on the Register of Historic Sites. Built of red ironbark and grey box timber, it is a fine example of the early engineering skills that utilised the resources and materials found on site.The Bairnsdale to Orbost rail line contains the most varied range of timber & timber composite bridges on any Victorian line. The Stoney Creek bridge is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register for its architectural and historical significance. A black / white photograph of a very tall wooden railway bridge with a train along the top.railway-bridge stoney-creek-bridge east-gippsland-railway

Buldah School was No. 4555. Mrs L. Petterson made application for a school at Buldah during 1936. It was opened on 8th of August 1937 by Herbert H. Eynstone acting as Head Teacher. He held this position for only about two weeks. The school closed during 1941. The Petterson brothers were early settlers in Cann River - late 19th century. This is a pictorial record of a school route in the first half of the 20th century. The Buldah School no longer exists.A black / white photograph of a bush track in a forest. There is water running across the track.on back - Don. by Mrs D. Petterson, only track to Buldah School in winter 1939...."buldah-east-gippsland

Photo shows an unidentified lady standing on the Orbost / Brodribb Road.A black / white photograph of a women in a long dress standing on a bush road surrounded by dense scrub.on back - " Track near Orbost / Brodribb Road, May 1897"orbost-brodribb-road

This photograph was taken at the 1937 Back to Orbost celebrations. Some of the family names recorded are: Boucher; Farquhar; Nixon; Richardson; Gilbert; Henderson; Rodwell; Herbert; Cameron; Reynolds; MacDonald; Cowell; Lyons; Warren; Pleydell; Ralston and Perry.This is a useful research tool. It is a contemporary pictorial record of Orbost residents in 1937.Two long black / white photographs of a large group of people standing or sitting outside a building. 983.1 has some names written underneath it. Both are on grey buff cards.on front - "Orbost Celebrations 1937 Back To School'orbost-back-to-celebrations-1937

There is no information with this item. "The Pyramids", was named due to huge rocks that jut out from the hill, being shaped similarly to the Egyptian Pyramids. " Where the Murrindal River winds between high limestone bluffs before disappearing into a mountainside and becoming an underground river, four miles north-east of Buchan, is the region known as The Pyramids. It is an area of limestone caverns and sink holes overshadowed by three rock stacks. Some of the caves are the last resting places of long dead Murrindal animals." ( from MBW Walk magazine 1970 - Melbourne Bushwalkers"A hand-painted colour photograph of a view of mountain ranges with men on horses in the background.on front - "Pyramid Gorge Buchan"pyramid-gorge-buchan murrindal limestone-caves

This photograph shows spectators watching the Orbost Races on the flat in 1899. Some of the earliest horse races were held on a course in a paddock belonging to Mr James Cowell at Jarrahmond. For a long time horse races were part of the Marlo Picnic Races. Bellagoogan on Majors Creek near Orbost was the site of the first race course.This item is a pictorial record depicting the popularity of horse racing in Orbost in the late 19th century.A black / white photograph of a large group of people in the background with three horse carriages under trees. Some ladies are sitting in the open carriages which are parked underneath tress. Some are holding open umbrellas. It is on a grey buff card.on front - " On the flat. Orbost Races 1899"equestrian orbost-horse-racing recreation

This photograph shows the former Orbost Police Station in Wolseley Street before it was demolished and a new larger brick building was built behind it in Lawson Lane - late 1980s.This is a pictorial record of a significant community building no longer existing.A large black / white photograph of the Orbost township police station. It is a weatherboard building surrounded by trees. A sign "POLICE" is hanging from a pole.on back - " Orbost Police Station in Wolseley Street, Donated by Debbie Hall 31/8/94"orbost-police-station

This photograph shows men cutting marble slabs at Buchan on James Cameron's property. The marble was used in the Shrine of REmembrance in Melbourne. The slabs in the photograph were about 8.5 metres long. The Shrine of Remembrance was created to meet the needs of a grieving community after the extensive loss of lives in the First World War (1914 –18). Sixteen dark Ionic columns were made of .Buchan marble In the early 1900s black marble was being mined in the Bruthen district. Some was used for the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne and also Australia House in London. 900 tonnes were shipped to London to be included in the construction of Australia House. Marble quarrying has been a significant part of the history of Buchan in East Gippsland. Its inclusion in the Shrine of Remembrance War Memorial is noteworthy.A black / white photograph of four men working in a quarry with three large slabs of marble on the ground.on back - " Cutting marble slabs......"buchan-marble shrine-of-remembrance cameron-james geology

Mary Lynch was the daughter of Matthew and Mary (nee Loorham) Lynch. She became Mrs Ivell. she was a noted horse-woman having ridden the Nixon Bros hack, "Gold Dust" at the Melbourne Show coming first in the 10 stone hack and first in the Eagley Hunting Contest. (info. Mary Gilbert) Horse racing was a popular past-time in early Orbost. The Nixon family was involved through Keith Nixon. Some of the earliest horse races were held on a course in a paddock belonging to Mr James Cowell at Jarrahmond. For a long time horse races were part of the Marlo Picnic Races.This item is connected to an activity once popular in the Orbost district. The Nixon family were prominent early settlers in the Orbost district.A black / white photograph of a lady dressed in a a tailored hip coat, bowler hat, knee breeches and boots. She is holding the reins of a saddled horse. There is a copy.on front at top - " 1st 10st hack - 19 entries 1st "EAGLEY" Hunting Contest - 22 entries. Still the only horse to win the double." on front at bottom - " MELBOURNE SHOW 1918 "GOLD DUST" owned by Nixon Bros ridden by Miss MARY LYNCH"lynch-mary nixon-bros-horses equestrian melbourne-show gold-dust

A new bridge over the Snowy River at Orbost was opened for traffic on June 20th 1922. It was designed for future joint use by road and railway traffic, but it was only used for road traffic. During the last few years the condition of an old suspension bridge [the 1893 bridge] which was the only vehicular crossing between the town of Orbost and the railway station, caused much concern. The structure was of timber, except for the wire suspension cables of its central span of about 100 feet. A design was prepared in 1914 for a permanent bridge with five spans of 85 feet composed of plate girders on concrete piers. With great increase in the price of steel work during the war, the cost of this design became prohibitive, and the need for a new structure becoming urgent, alternative proposals were investigated. As a result the present design was adopted as providing a sem-permanent bridge at moderate cost. The new bridge spans the river about 160 feet upstream from the old bridge on a slight skew, the piers being at an angle of 80 degrees with the centre line of the bridge. It has a camber of about 2 feet 5 inches in its total length of 527 feet. ( information from Newsletter March 2014 - Lois Crisp) The photograph shows Mrs James Cameron cutting the ribbon at the opening of the Orbost Pile Bridge in 1922. This second bridge, was built by the Victorian Railways and the Country Roads Board. Constructed at a cost of 35,000 pounds and used second-hand girders from the Flinders Street- Spencer Street viaduct. On July 4 1922 it was officially opened by Mrs James Cameron. Unfortunately, her husband, who had long championed the building of the bridge so that it would be ready for the railway to continue to the border, was too ill to attend the ceremony. In fact, James Cameron died on July 13 after a long and severe illness (ref. S.R.M. 20.7.1922). There is a section of this ribbon in the collection - Registration No. 366. This is a pictorial record of a significant event in Orbost's history.A black / white photograph of a pile bridge with a suspension bridge behind it. There are many people standing on the bridge.on back - "Opening of Pile Bridge - 1922"snowy-river-bridge ceremonies cameron-mrs

The photograph shows Mrs James Cameron cutting the ribbon at the opening of the Orbost Pile Bridge in 1922. The first bridge was officially opened in August, 1893 (ref. S.R.M. 12.8.1893) by Mrs W. Watt, the mother of Councillor Watt, who presided over the opening of the 1922 bridge. This bridge was extensively damaged when a herd of cattle allegedly stampeded over it causing the cable to snap. Even after repairs it became obvious that a new bridge was needed. This second bridge, was built by the Victorian Railways and the Country Roads Board. Constructed at a cost of 35,000 pounds and used second-hand girders from the Flinders Street- Spencer Street viaduct. On July 4 1922 it was officially opened by Mrs James Cameron. Unfortunately, her husband, who had long championed the building of the bridge so that it would be ready for the railway to continue to the border, was too ill to attend the ceremony. In fact, James Cameron died on July 13 after a long and severe illness (ref. S.R.M. 20.7.1922). There is a section of this ribbon in the collection - Registration No. 366.This item is a pictorial record of a significant event in Orbost's history.A black / white photograph of a lady standing up in a motor vehicle cutting a ceremonial ribbonsnowy-river-bridge-orbost cameron-mrs ceremonies

This photograph shows the pile drivers at work in the construction of the viaduct across the Snowy River flats. The Snowy River Floodplain Railway Bridges, two sequential and exceptionally long and low timber railway bridges on the Snowy River floodplain just west of Orbost, were built in 1916, and provided the original terminus point for the Bairnsdale-Orbost railway. The bridges are 770 metres and 183 metres long respectively. The shorter bridge is of uniformly 4.57 metre timber-beam construction, and has a sweeping curve in its deck. The longer bridge has a combination of 4.57 metre and 6.1 metrespans, and two 3.66 metre spans. The bridges are constructed from 'Southern Mahogany', Eucalyptus Botryoides, which grew along the coast east of Bairnsdale. The Snowy floodplain bridges were initially built in the context of an early twentieth-century interest in American-style 'Developmental Railways', designed to open remote areas to closer settlement, even if that meant running at a loss. The line was closed in August 1987. (information from Victorian Heritage Database)This item is associated with the history of the Orbost-Bairnsdale railway line and therefore reflects the role that the rail line played in the social and economic history of Orbost.A black / white photograph of the farming flats at Orbost during the construction of the East Gippsland railway.orbost-railway east-gippsland-railway viaduct-orbost transport railway

2169.3 is from the Mary Gilbert Collection. Graham Dyce was a long-time member of Orbost & District Historical Society. His family came from the Combienbar / Club Terrace district.This is a local history written by a local author, Graham R. Dyce.Three copies of a book of 80 pp titled Combienbar The Valley of Contentment. It has a cream cover with a b/w photograph of a family standing outside a log house (probably late 19th century). The book was written by Graham Dyce, Orbost.combienbar-history-settlement

This book was published by Orbost & District Historical Society in 2009 after the death of Graham Dyce in 2007. Graham Dyce was a long-time member of Orbost & District Historical Society. His family came from the Combienbar / Club Terrace district.This is a local history book written by a local author, Graham Dyce.A 144 pp book titled Club Terrace, A Town and its Diary 1895-1939. It has a grey and sepia cover with a sepia photograph of The club Terrace Hotel.The book was written by Graham Dyce.club-terrace-history-settlement gold-mining

This was a Slab Hut (Orbost Information Centre) display item. Cast iron was a suitable material for pots and pans because it heats up fairly quickly and retains the heat for some time. Soot from the fire would cover the cast iron and give the pot its black appearance. This was considered good because dark colours absorb heat more readily. The were used for cooking in a variety of situations, such as on an open fire and wood-burning stove. The long handle was essential for cooking on open fires to keep the flame of the fire at a distance, and to avoid burning one’s hand.This pan is an example of a common domestic item used in the late 19th century by early residents of Orbost.A shallow cast iron frying pan with a long tubular handle. In the top of the handle is a hole for hanging.On the handle is the number 3.domestic-utensils kitchen-ware cast-iron frying-pan

A mortise axe is a specialist axe designed for hewing sills and notches in joints. The axe has a long, narrow head, making it easier to work on large logs. The shape enables the user to hew a long way down into the notch, where otherwise a chisel would be used. This tool has one blade, which may be pushed, swung or struck with a mallet. Others, have two, one of which is used for separating the fibres, and the other for levering out the waste.This is an example of a common woodworking tool used by the early settlers in the Orbost district.A long wooden handled axe used to cut mortises in posts for post and rail fences. The blade is made of iron and is quite long.axe mortise-axe fencing timber farm-tool

Button hooks were used to fastens buttons on boots and long gloves. It is a tool used for the closing of shoes, gloves or other apparel that uses buttons as fasteners. The steel hook end is inserted through the buttonhole to capture the button by the shank and draw it through the opening. This hook is most likely to have been used to do up bootsWomen and young girls generally wore boots that were either front laced or side buttoned, particularly in the period from the 1870s . Buttonhooks were needed to do up the buttons on buttoned boots and were used by poking the metal hook through the buttonhole, grabbing the button and pulling it through the eyelet. This item is an example of a commonly used accessory no longer relevant.A button hook made of metal with a beaten silver handle ornately decorated with scrolls and foliate design. At the top is a small ring on the handle end. This could have been for a lady to attach the item to her chatelaine at her belt, or on a necklace. clothing footwear gaiters boots button-hook

This preserving jar was used in the first half of the 20th century to preserve cooked food - pickles. Preserving home produce in bottles is a method that applies heat to food in a closed glass home canning jar to stop the natural spoilage that would otherwise take place. It removes air from the jar to create a seal. he bottling process forms an air tight seal between the bottle and the lid. Residents of Orbost have long been self sufficient growing their own fruit and vegetables with earlier market gardeners They preserved their produce for use all year. Fowlers Vacola preserving kits were common in most kitchens.A brown glass Fowler's Vacola preserving jar filled with pickles. It is a No. 27 bottle with a size 3 metal clip. It has an 850ml capacity. The lid has metal tension clips which are secured during the canning process and are removed once a vacuum seal has formed. The lid is tin-plated with a lacquer coating, double-coated on the underside.On lid Fowlers Vacola Size 3 Top of jar- embossed with the words Fowlers Vacola food-preservation fowlers-vacola container-glass

This hanging rack has been made out of used horse shoes. It may have been used separately or as part of a longer rack attached to a wooden backing.This item shows the skill and craftmanship of self-reliant rural families.A home-made coat hook made from two small horseshoes which have been bent and welded together to make a hook for hanging coats. It has been painted black.horse-shoes handicraft hanging-rack

This is an example of a once common motoring accessory no longer used.A hand-operated car tyre pump with brass fittings. It has a steel tube, a wooden handle and a metal foot rest.pump tyre-pump car-accessories

This landing net is a small, bag-shaped net with a long handle at the mouth, for scooping a hooked fish out of the water and bringing it to shore or into a boat. this one is home-made by an Orbost angler.This fishing net is an example of a home-made piece of equipment. It shows the self-reliance of rural people.A home-made fish landing net. It has a long wooden handle. Hose clamps hold the wire frame of the net,. The end of the bag shaped string net is bound with tape.fishing-net handcraft

Scythes were used to manually mow wheat or grass. Scythes were used with a long sweeping movement which made them much less tiring for labourers to use than reaping hooks or sickles though they still involved great physical labour and considerable skill to perfect. Both hands were in use and the operator did not have to bend his back to reach down to the crop. On farms scythes were sharpened on a sandstone wheel mounted on an axle with a crank handle on one side. This was hand powered and used with water. Scythes were not used as often on farms after the mechanisation of harvesting. They were still used for cutting awkward shaped small plots and for opening a path for the tractors. This item is an example of a tool used by the early settlers of the Orbost district. An iron scythe blade, curved and tapered. There is no handle and the blade is rusted and pitted."ROSE"scythe tool agriculture rural

Scythes were used with a long sweeping movement which made them much less tiring for labourers to use than reaping hooks or sickles though they still involved great physical labour and considerable skill to perfect. Both hands were in use and the operator did not have to bend his back to reach down to the crop. Scythes were not used as often on farms after the mechanisation of harvesting. They were still used for cutting awkward shaped small plots and for opening a path for the tractors. This item is an example of a tool used by the early settlers of the Orbost district.A curved iron blade with one sharp edge. It is attached to a curved hollow handle with two extensions on one side where the scythe can be held by two hands.scythe agriculture tool

This sword was collected by Norman Ladner in New Britain during WW11. It was returned to Australia in 1946. Lorraine Joiner (Norman Ladner's daughter) gave the sword to Orbost Police in 2010.Katana were one of the traditionally made Japanese swords that were worn by the samurai class of feudal Japan, also commonly referred to as a "samurai sword.A Japanese Army Samurai sword from WW11. It has a Katana style blade - a curved, slender, single-edged blade with a circular or squared guard and long grip to accommodate two hands.sword ww11 katana samurai japanesse-army weapon

This trophy was won by Jim Trewin in 1953 at the annual regatta in January 1953. Cyclone was a power boat.this item is associated with an annual event which no longer takes place in the Orbost district.A silver coloured metal (tin?) cup with handles on both sides mounted on a Bakelite plinth.Marlo Cup 1953 Owner Driver 1953 Won by Cyclonetrophy marlo-cup trewin-james recreation

This uniform was worn by Murray Rodwell whose name is in the cap.Orbost High School / Orbost Secondary College has played a significant part in the education of senior students in the Orbost district . It is the sole senior educational institution. This uniform is representative of its history.An Orbost High School uniform consisting of a blazer (.1) ; cap (.2) ; tie (.3) and a shirt (.4). The woollen blazer and cap are grey. the woollen tie is navy with diagonal yellow/blue stripes and the long-sleeved cotton shirt is blue.education uniform orbost-high-school

Used in the timber industry in the Orbost district. This is a two person operated cross cut saw which functions as a pit saw. A log is placed over a pit lengthways. The man on the top walks along the log and pulls the saw upwards, and he man below pulls the saw downwards. This saw therefore cuts in both directions. This type of saw was often used in the ship building industry for cutting planks.A long raker saw which has been installed into the Slab Hut Shed in a vertical position as a pit saw. It has a metal handle extension at the top which has a wooden handgrip attached. Towards the bottom of the saw, a wooden handle had been added to the saw. timber-industry-tool raker-saw pit-saw

These coins are examples of currency no longer in common use.Seven assorted coins. .1 is a 1934 coin with a small hole at the top. .2 is a 1910 French centime coin. .3 is an 1870 English sixpence. .4 is a 1942 American dime. .5 is a 1911 Australian penny. .6 is a 1916 Australian halfpenny and .7 is a 1958 British(?) sixpence.coins numismatics currency

Presumed found in the Buchan area. Inspected by George Rawlings 6.2.2013Fossils are among the most valuable sources of information about the Earth's history. This fossil is part of the geological history of East GippslandTtwo pieces of jasper fossil. Genus-nautiloidea, family-cephalopoda, order - mollusca. Fossil of a cuttlefish like animal- head and tentacles protruding from one end of the long tubular shell. This is in red jasper. The small fossil piece has been polished.jasper fossil nautilloidea mollusc

Found at Hofen's Bluff at Bete Bolong in 1936 by Barry McLeod. Inspected by George Rawlings 6.2.2013.This fossil is an example of the geological history of the Orbost area.A rock with a piece of shark tooth embedded in it. It was found at Hofen's Bluff at Bete Bolong. It belongs to the Oligocene Miocene Age (20 million years ago). The tooth is from the upper jaw probably near the front from a white pointer shark about 6o metres long. Carcharodon Megalodon.fossil shark-tooth hofen's-bluff white-pointer .