These type of gaiters were used by soldiers who would have been attached to the Light Horse Regiments. No other men other than soldiers in the Light Horse Regiments wore these gaiters as they were part of their uniform and added protection of their lower legs when riding their horses. All levels for AIF people wore these gaiter from Privates to Officers. There seems to be several types of gaiters which were lace ups or had straps over the outside of the gaiters or some were just done up with the buckles at the top. It is unknown it the ones we have would have had straps on the outside or if this was a choice of the wearer. Towards the end of WWI many of the light horse regiments combined with each other as their numbers became less and eventually with the advancement of military weapons the use of horses in war battles become less and were not needed in consequent world wars. These gaiters are historical significant to world war one and the light horse regiments especially the 4th and 13th Regiments. Men from the the Kiewa Valley went off to war and fought with the these regiments. Henry Higginson fought with both the 4th and 13th LHR in France. Sydney Stewart fought with the 4th LHR in France and was killed in France aged 20 years of age. A few of the young men that left from Tawonga in the Kiewa Valley went into the Light Horse Regiments as they were farmers that had experience with horse. Even though the AIF said they just did not automatically put country men into the LHR . Despite not having provenance of these gaiters the fact that men from Tawonga were in the light horse regiments, and only men from the LHR wore these gaiters it would be safe to say they would have been from some one in the local area that fought in WWI who owned these. Therefore they are representative of gaiters from the LHR and have excellent interpretive capacity as KVHS have a photo of Henry Higginson wearing his uniform which clearly shows his gaiters similar to these ones.One pair of brown leather gaiters with buckle at top. Seam at ankel. Left gaiter has strap missingmilitary, army, horse, gaiters

R. Wilson and A D Rose maths books were very popular and formed a basis of education maths classes in the 1950's in Victoria. This is what would have been used in Mt Beauty Secondary School at the time.This has historic significance as it shows what maths was taught in the early - mid 20th century. This book would have been used in the Kiewa Valley schools by a local identity Wilma Davies therefore has social significance and good interpretive capacity. This book is now out of print and is a collectible item. Black cover with strips on side of the front. Light brown centre with brown writing and squiggle pattern below.Publisher inscription - Wilson and Rossbook, school, text book, wilma davies, educational, maths

This book follows on from the revised edition of "First Two Years Geometry" and contains all the geometry for the intermediate certificate and trigonmetry included in the syllabus during the mid 20th century. This would have been used by students of the Kiewa Valley.This book show us the type of maths that was taught in Victorian schools in the mid 20th century. Students from Mt Beauty Elementary High School would have used this book. Therfore has historical and research significance. The book has the name G Davies, which is a local family and therefore has social significance. As this is part of our school book collection it has good interptive capacityThe book has a brown cover with light brown striped pattern along the edge of the front cover. Black writing on front for name and light brown writing stating author and publisher. Has a light brown gemonetry pattern on front cover and logo of printer on each corner.Name of G Davies Form 111 in red pen on inside page.book, school, geometry, educational, math, mt-beauty-elementary, wilma davies

This document (dated 1911), is a receipt covering the compensation for the three acres of land required to establish the Tawonga School from its original site (since 1880) to a more central site (since 1911), within the township. This receipt clearly shows the era in which the community involvement and social commitment of landholders was at a higher level, in the early 20th century, than at the latter part. Matters involving community welfare in relatively isolated rural regions was of high priority to every person whether town folk or grazier/farmer or miner. The letter of acceptance of the amount of twenty one pounds for three acres was signed by John Cooper on behalf of Ada Ryder (parent at the school), did not require State Government Compulsory Acquisition process (as it may have, had it been in the latter part of the century and if it were in a city or large town. This social benevolency was part of the period (up to the late 1900's) of the rural Australian environment. This was well before international land investments changed the picture of the socio-economics of country towns.A4 letter of confirmation of payment on pre-lined paper and with a margin. Both margin and lines are coloured in light grey. The page has been folded four times and shows faintly, horizontal lines, of manufacture. The letter is framed with a glass front.This receipt for the compensation of money is hand written in ink and reads: "Tawonga Dec 2 1911, I have this Day Received from the Residents and other People interested in the new State School the Sum of (Pounds sign) 21-0-0 twentyone Pounds being value of compensation for three Acres of land on which is erected the new State School No.2282 Paid by Cash & Cheques with thanks 2/12/11 (Signed) John Cooper" Below this is affixed a Victoria 1 pence stamp duty stamp, on which is written(freehand) Paid 2/12/11 Initialed J Cfinancial letters, receipts, school acquisitons, stamp duty

This ledger was started in 1901 when ledgers and other bookkeeping methods were hand written and with nib or fountain pen application. The various ink spots on the pages of this ledger suggests that when the office worker scribed they used the nib and the owner used the fountain pen. It was not until the mid 1950s that ball point pens were discovered and used in rural areas. The owner of this rural general store was more interested in recording transactions, be it in ink or pencil than the aesthetics of a neat and tidy document. Even though in this era, the principle of neat and tidiness was instilled in workers, this was overlooked and fell away through the economics of employing one staff member to do a variety of tasks for which they may not have had the proper training. It was in the early 1900s that the rural areas such as the Kiewa Valley "had to do" with local employees who had basic training but knew their customers very well and were very respectful of age and the mores of the trading public. The respect by shop owners and staff towards their customers was greater in small rural townships and villages within the Kiewa Valley than in the larger towns and cities. Their was no rushing to get the groceries or to spend the least amount of time within the shop. The social interactions where mixed with commercial activities at a very personalised level of one on one. This closeness gave the customer the confidence that those in the commercial transactions in the shop, where looking after them. This ledger is very significant to the Kiewa Valley as it lists the personal transactions of local businesses, farmers, graziers and miners. Larger accounts and other businesses had one or more pages set aside for their transactions. The words are in large freehand (Capitals 5 mm high) possibly to be read by those with poorer eyesight. The relative long distance to travel for reading glasses or specialised optometrist was overcome by writing in larger fonts. The time taken to register produce or other consumables was not critical during the period when this ledger was in use because the local population was not at the critical level where the demand was not as intense as later on when periods of tourist influx became more demanding. The lay back and relaxed attitude of the local population during this period (early 1900s) was not intense and impersonal as within the larger city shopping and commercial environment. The ability of the shop keepers to interact with their customers not only in the commercial sense but also in a social atmosphere permitted the long hand scribbling of purchases without causing any offence.This item is a cloth and suede leather covered ledger.The spine is suede leather with a red stamped "LEDGER" title. The cover is covered with a dark blue cloth and shows a faded unrecognisable pattern. Each page has light blue lines running horizontal and 90 mm apart. Each page has, from the second line going horizontal two fine 1 mm apart red line. Each page is divided horizontally by single vertical line (except for the two double lines in the centre of the page). The first division separates the month from the day.Next to these lines is an area for the description of the item being purchased. Within the central double lines are vertical lines separating the type of tender paid, i.e., pounds, shillings and pence. The last section of the page has various comments, as required by the scribe.Each page is approximately 160 g/ms. The ledger has 698 pages drawn up on both sides and page numbers of 5 mm in height. 'On spine " LEDGER"commerce, book keeping, shop ledger, local history

William Jarrold's cottage on left was used by the Police 1858-1860. The Court house and Police precinct (upper right) were opened in 1859-1860 Photographer: J.H. Clark John Henry Clark was the youngest of three boys born to William Henry Clark (1823-1877) and Maria White (1843-1914). He and his brothers, William Charles Clark (1872-1945), Clement Kent Clark (1874-1912) operated a photography business (Clark Bros.) from 25 Thomas Street, Windsor near Prahran during the period c.1894 to 1914. Following death of Clement in September 1912 and their mother in 1914, the Clark Bros business appears to have dissolved, the premises demolished, and a new house was under construction in 1915. John set up business independently in 1914 operating out of 29 Moor Street, Fitzroy where he is registered in the 1914 and 1915 Electoral Rolls. By 1916 John had relocated to Eltham where he continued his practice as a photographer and took many of the early images around the district of Little Eltham. Around 1930 John changed professions and opened a small cobbler's shop in 1931 near the pond opposite Dalton Street adjacent to the Jarrold family cottage. He never married and continued his profession as a bootmaker from this little shop, maintaining a close relationship with Mrs Jarrold for the rest of their lives. His bootmaker shop remains today beside the Whitecloud cottage and is one of only three remaining shops in the area from the early 20th century. There are a couple of images of Eltham taken by Clark Bros. in the Eltham District Historical Society collection, one such example being Hunniford’s Post Office with Miss Anne Hunniford out front (EDHS_00140 - marked on the back of the print, Clark Bros., 25 Thomas St. Windsor), which would date this image between c.1894 and 1914. Other early images of Eltham taken by John Henry Clark are marked on the face “J. H. Clark Photo” and it is assumed these are dated between 1914 and 1930. It is noted that the Grant of Probate for John H Clark of Eltham South dated 5 April 1957 (513/387) records his occupation as "X Photographer".Sepia postcardNotations in biro 'A. Petrie', rest in pencil as follows Telegraph poles show one wire No 1918 Avenue of Honour trees c.1907 Jarrolds house No shop at White Cloud on fence line Police Residence has extensions Chimney on wash house Office Brickwork on stables Lock-up, entry and window end Light lamp - cnr Dalton and Maria streets Surface damage to lower left cornermain road, eltham, maria street, dalton street, william jarrold, jarrold cottage, police residence, courthouse, j.h. clark photo

Black and white photograph of Benjamin Gould a sympathiser of the Kelly Gang. Photograph is in an oval frame and shows a man with a long bushy beard wearing a jacket facing right. Man is wearing a jacket buttoned up with light coloured neck tie.benjamin gould, kelly sympathiser, kelly gang, edward kelly, ned kelly

Black and white photograph of Michael Haney a sympathiser of the Kelly Gang. Photograph is in an oval frame and shows a man with a long bushy beard wearing a jacket facing forward. Man is wearing jacket buttoned up with light coloured neck tie.michael haney, michael hanney, kelly sympathiser, kelly gang, edward kelly, ned kelly

The following is an extract from Warrnambool and District Historical Society Website which explains briefly the Great Exhibition of 1896-97 The Great Industrial and Art Exhibition in Warrnambool in 1896-97 was an exciting affair for the town and the surrounding area. People came from far and wide to be enlightened, educated and entertained, with 70,000 visitors passing through the doors during the three months of the exhibition. Not bad for a town with a population of only 6,500 and a further 9,200 living in the surrounding shire! Planning began at a public meeting attended by 60 people in May 1896 and the exhibition opened in December the same year on the site of the current Light House Theatre. The architects submitted plans for four annexes, complete with turrets, a fernery and a giant flagpole. The site covered 1 acre and included a Marine court, industrial exhibits, an education court, defense and agriculture court, stalls, coach builders, dairy show, an art court and provision for a smorgasbord of various entertainment. (The Story of the Warrnambool Industrial & Art Exhibition 1896-97- E O’Callaghan) This certificate was one of many awards for competency and /or excellence in a wide range of activities and skills. Warrnambool Industrial & Art Exhibition 1896-1897 Competitions-Piano forte solo Gertrude Lewin- prizewinner W J Hickford- Mayor E Lyle Rossiter As a link to one of the biggest events ever held in Warrnambool this item has significant value to the history of Warrnambool. It has social significance also linking a number of names related to the event. Rectangular cardboard. pale cream and aqua background, multi linear gold and deeper aqua border with rounded and right angled corners. An interior border has a swag, linear vertical ribbons with four emblems related to science, labour, arts and industry. Four local black and white photographs, the town council crest and town officials, patron and councillors. An inscription of the prizewinner, event and signatures is written in a cream square in the middle of the certificate.Warrnambool/Industrial & Art Exhibition Opened Dec 21st 1896/ By the Chief Justice of Victoria/ Sir John Madden, K.C.M.G. upper L corner. Closed March 19th 1897/ By the Mayoress of Warrnambool/ Mrs WJ Hickford 'First Order of Merit/ Awarded to Gertrude Lewin/ of Parkville/ for Piano forte Solo (under 15) Signatures of WJ Hickford, President and E Lyle Rossiter, Secretary gertrude lewin, wj hickford, e lyle rossiter, the great warrnambool exhibitiion, warrnambool, pianoforte

Badge belonged to Lois,Thea & Lenore BrauerBraemar Grammar closed 1951? Badge shows school motto and coloursShield shape with 3 flag sections for motto. White & Light /\ arrow, book, shield cover shield with 2 holes to secure Prorsum et semper honestebadge, motto, braemar grammar, warrnambool

The City of Warrnambool Art show is an Annual event organised by Warrnambool East Rotary Club, displaying work by various local and State artists. Proceeds to charity.Light green card with black text.Logos of Callaghan Motors , Rotary International and Warrnambool Spirit of the Sea . Numbered 075 in red. Text gives details of time place of the event.art show, warrnambool, rotary club warrnambool east, warrnambool city council, callaghans, official opening.

Author Herbert Newell. Alphabets of varied fonts, headings, flourishes, plans, numerals, sketch maps, scrolls, shading, common errors, compass points. Especially designed for use in Australian Schools, offices of Lawyers, Architects, Surveyors, Engineers, Engravers, and Draughtsmen. Table of contentsThe author is a teacher of show card and ticket writing at Sydney Technical College. Book used by many students and offices. Note by the publishers provides standards for the correct form of the characters. Light brown light card cover with black ink font and border patterns. 32 Cream pages with black ink. Two staples. Hand written name on top of outline black border S. R Coleston. Price 3/9warrnambool, lettering book, angus & robertson limited, s.r. coleston, herbert newell

This booklet is a lookbook of male and female flight attendants uniforms designed by David Weiss for the period 1984-1986. It shows the different options and combinations of accessories, tops and bottoms presented on mannequin and also photographed on models. It also explains the presentation standards expected from the in flight staff in regards to grooming, jewellery, make-up, hairdo.This lookbook contains the vision of designer Peter Weiss for this collection. Landscape format catalogue with light blue background and colour pictures of uniforms for male and female flight attendants. It contains david weiss, 1984-1986, uniform, flight attendant, stewardess, steward, hostess, clothing, accessory, hat, ansett, lookbook, ansett australia

This picture shows a group of people outside of a weatherboard house. There are four persons sitting on a metal seat. Two male and two female. Both boys have a boat neck collar on their shirts and button up boots on. One girl has a light coloured dress with a money purse across one shoulder, her hair tied up with a ribbon. The older girl has white uniform on with watch hanging from the bolice, her hair is up. A youth is standing leaning on the house with his thumbs in his vest holding a whip. He has on foot resting on the seat and is wearing short pants and boots. Standing behind the seat is a large framed women wearing a dress with her hair up and a man wearing a suit with facial hair, hands behind his back. To the side another youth with his hands in his pants. Next to him another man with his hands behind his back, dressed in a suit with facial hair. Lace can be seen on the windows.Shows a typical family and housing of the period.Black and white rectangular picture post card.In black ink, stamped on back "Post Card, Correspondence, Address. Written in black ink " Robert Oman, Clifton, Jack, Roy, Jean, Gladys, Evelyn, Father John, Mother. R Oman 5 Locjhart Ter Edwardstown SA". In blue pen "Dos Dunn".

Eltham Primary School. This building is the earliest building remaining on site today. It was built in 1875 and was the second school building replacing the original 1856 building of stone walls with wooden shingles on the roof. That building needed to be replaced after the stone walls collapsed outwards. In August 1912 the school issued a requisition for remodelling of the school concerned with replacement of the existing windows with larger and wider windows to allow additional light into the school rooms and the erection of a wooden partition in the centre of the room. This work commenced in early 1914 and this photo shows the altered windows. Pre 1921 extension and skylights in roof. Only two low wooden stairs present to enter the porch. These were rebuilt by 1928. A steel mud grate was introduced 1930s/1940s and an infant shelter shed is shown on the 1945 plan. Photo most likely taken between 1914 and 1921.This photo forms part of a collection of photographs gathered by the Shire of Eltham for their centenary project book,"Pioneers and Painters: 100 years of the Shire of Eltham" by Alan Marshall (1971). The collection of over 500 images is held in partnership between Eltham District Historical Society and Yarra Plenty Regional Library (Eltham Library) and is now formally known as the 'The Shire of Eltham Pioneers Photograph Collection.' It is significant in being the first community sourced collection representing the places and people of the Shire's first one hundred years.Digital image 4 x 5 inch B&W Negsepp, shire of eltham pioneers photograph collection, eltham, dalton street, state school no. 209, eltham primary school, eltham state school, schools

This item is an important example of the early technology of artificial light. It has historical significance in demonstrating lighting devices used before the widespread use of electricity.Kerosene/oil hand-held lantern with carry handle. Red glass window (for a show of red light) and a clear glass window that opens for lighting of wick. (Dietz Dainty Tail Lamp)lantern candle dietz-dainty-tail-lamp

This book is the 1835 second edition of John Harrison Curtis' 1833 'A Treatise on the Physiology and Diseases of the Eye, containing a new mode of curing cataract without an operation, experiments and observations on vision, also on the inflection, reflection and colours of light together with remarks on the preservation of sight, and on spectacles, reading glasses etc'. The title page describes J H Curtis (1778-1860) as an oculist and also as an expert on the ear. His knowledge of eye pathology and surgery was poor but this was typical of the medical profession until the middle of the 19th century. He was 'aurist in ordinary' to His Majesty and other members of the royal family and his hospital and teaching appointments had more to do with the ear rather than the eye. The last pages of the book list his other publications most of which concern the ear and the deaf. He was the first person, in 1803, to apply speaking tubes to assist the deaf. He established the Royal Ear Hospital in Soho, UK in 1816.This book is of historic significance as it shows contemporary understanding of ocular pathology in the early nineteenth century. It is quite rare as no other copies of the second edition are known in Australia.'A Treatise on the Physiology and the Diseases of the Eye' by J H Curtis is book of 1835 bound in its original boards, in very good condition, 230 x 140 mm, 242 pages, second edition. There is a coloured plate facing the title page with three figures featuring an ingenious lift up section of a woman's face to show the blood vessels and nerves underneath. There is a philosophical introduction, a chapter on ocular anatomy, two chapters on diseases and their treatment, one on the nature of light and one on the preservation of vision. Cataract is treated by withdrawal of blood from behind the ear and the application of an ointment to an induced blister on the neck, with potash applied to the cornea daily.optics, ocular anatomy, ocular disease, physiology, cataract

These 2 photos are of Orbost men who were part of the 13th Light Horse volunteer regiment. This military training activity continued on after W W I. These photos were taken at the training camp at Seymour, Victoria. The Orbost troop would journey to other areas for training, sometimes to Bombala, and also practice on the Orbost Rifle Range. Although not identified in these photos, George William Wraight was a leader of the Light Horse Troop in Orbost and it is his daughter Dorothy Hepburn who has donated these photos. George W Wraight was the railway-station master at Orbost from 1935. The Troop often met at the Wraight house in Tarra Street, Orbost for training. George had been in W W I in the Middle East with the Light Horse. While at the railway station at Orbost, George had an accident and suffered 2 broken legs which meant that he could no longer work there. During W W II, he worked as a recruiting officer at Sale and Warrnambool. The Troop was disbanded in the c. late 1930s.Shows evidence of military training activities, Orbost district Two sepia photographs onto grey card. Both photos show a line-up of 20 soldiers standing at attention. Size is H-22cm W-34cmIn Line Picket 2 Troop C Squad 13 LH - written on to both photos13th light horse brigade, c squad 2 troop, military training, george w wraight

Councilor William Henry Uren was elected as a member of council in1876 until 1889.He served three terms as President,1880-81,1881-82 and 1882-83.His residence was at Cardigan.This original photo is part of a collection of photos which show all councilors for the year 1883-84. This photo of Councilor William Henry Uren (M.L.A.) in sepia tones and oval in shape,is set in a"light tan" mount with gold trim to the edge of the "cutout". Around the photo is a fine line with decorative ink features which link it to the photo next to it.It is at the bottom right of the circle of photos showing all councilors for the year 1883-84.PRESENTED by the PRESIDENT J.DALGLIESH,ESQ.to the BALLAARAT SHIRE COUNCIL 1883-84.ballarat shire council, 1883 84, william henry uren mla

This toy dog was part of the cargo from the Fiji and amongst the articles salvaged from the wreck. The three-masted iron barque Fiji had been built in Belfast, Ireland, in 1875 by Harland and Wolfe for a Liverpool based shipping company. The ship departed Hamburg on 22nd May 1891 bound for Melbourne, under the command of Captain William Vickers with a crew of 25. The ship’s manifest shows that she was loaded with a cargo of 260 cases of dynamite, pig iron, steel goods, spirits (whisky, schnapps, gin, brandy), sailcloth, tobacco, coiled fencing wire, concrete, 400 German pianos (Sweet Hapsburg), concertinas and other musical instruments, artists supplies including brushes, porcelain, furniture, china, and general cargo including candles. There were also toys in anticipation for Christmas, including wooden rocking horses, miniature ships, dolls with china limbs and rubber balls. On September 5th, one hundred days out from Hamburg in squally and boisterous south west winds the Cape Otway light was sighted on a bearing differing from Captain Vickers’ calculation of his position. At about 2:30am, Sunday 6th September 1891 land was reported 4-5 miles off the port bow. The captain tried to put the ship on the other tack, but she would not respond. He then tried to turn her the other way but just as the manoeuvre was being completed the Fiji struck rock only 300 yards (274 metres) from shore. The place is known as Wreck Bay, Moonlight Head. Blue lights were burned and rockets fired whilst an effort was made to lower boats but all capsized or swamped and smashed to pieces. Two of the younger crewmen volunteered to swim for the shore, taking a line. One, a Russian named Daniel Carkland, drowned after he was swept away when the line broke. The other, 17 year old able seaman Julius Gebauhr, a German, reached shore safely on his second attempt but without the line, which he had cut lose with his sheath-knife when it become tangled in kelp. He rested on the beach a while then climbed the steep cliffs in search of help. At about 10am on the Sunday morning a party of land selectors - including F. J. Stansmore, Leslie Dickson (or Dixon) and Mott - found Gebauhr. They were near Ryans Den, on their travels on horseback from Princetown towards Moonlight Head, and about 5km from the wreck. Gebauhr was lying in the scrub in a poor state, bleeding and dressed only in singlet, socks and a belt with his sheath-knife, ready for all emergencies. At first they were concerned about his wild and shaggy looking state and what seemed to be gibberish speech, taking him to be an escaped lunatic. They were reassured after he threw his knife away and realised that he was speaking half-English, half-German. They gave him food and brandy and some clothing and were then able to gain information about the wreck. Some of the men took him to Rivernook, a nearby guest house owned by John Evans, where he was cared for. Stansmore and Dickson rode off to try and summon help. Others went down to the site of the wreck. Messages for rescuing the rest of the crew were sent both to Port Campbell for the rocket rescue crew and to Warrnambool for the lifeboat. The S.S. Casino sailed from Portland towards the scene. After travelling the 25 miles to the scene, half of the Port Campbell rocket crew and equipment arrived and set up the rocket tripod on the beach below the cliffs. By this time the crew of the Fiji had been clinging to the jib-boom for almost 15 hours, calling frantically for help. Mr Tregear from the Rocket Crew fired the line. The light line broke and the rocket was carried away. A second line was successfully fired across the ship and made fast. The anxious sailors then attempted to come ashore along the line but, with as many as five at a time, the line sagged considerably and some were washed off. Others, nearly exhausted, had to then make their way through masses of seaweed and were often smothered by waves. Only 14 of the 24 who had remained on the ship made it to shore. Many onlookers on the beach took it in turns to go into the surf and drag half-drowned seamen to safety. These rescuers included Bill (William James) Robe, Edwin Vinge, Hugh Cameron, Fenelon Mott, Arthur Wilkinson and Peter Carmody. (Peter Carmody was also involved in the rescue of men from the Newfield.) Arthur Wilkinson, a 29 year old land selector, swam out to the aid of one of the ship’s crewmen, a carpenter named John Plunken. Plunken was attempting to swim from the Fiji to the shore. Two or three times both men almost reached the shore but were washed back to the wreck. A line was thrown to them and they were both hauled aboard. It was thought that Wilkinson struck his head on the anchor before s they were brought up. He remained unconscious. The carpenter survived this ordeal but Wilkinson later died and his body was washed up the next day. It was 26 year old Bill Robe who hauled out the last man, the captain, who had become tangled in the kelp. The wreck of the Fiji was smashed apart within 20 minutes of the captain being brought ashore, and it settled in about 6m of water. Of the 26 men on the Fiji, 11 in total lost their lives. The remains of 7 bodies were washed onto the beach and their coffins were made from timbers from the wrecked Fiji. They were buried on the cliff top above the wreck. The survivors were warmed by fires on the beach then taken to Rivernook and cared for over the next few days. Funds were raised by local communities soon after the wreck in aid of the sufferers of the Fiji disaster. Captain Vickers was severely reprimanded for his mishandling of the ship. His Masters Certificate was suspended for 12 months. At the time there was also a great deal of public criticism at the slow and disorganised rescue attempt to save those on board. The important canvas ‘breech buoy’ or ‘bucket chair’ and the heavy line from the Rocket Rescue was in the half of the rocket outfit that didn’t make it in time for the rescue: they had been delayed at the Gellibrand River ferry. Communications to Warrnambool were down so the call for help didn’t get through on time and the two or three boats that had been notified of the wreck failed to reach it in time. Much looting occurred of the cargo that washed up on the shore, with nearly every visitor leaving the beach with bulky pockets. One looter was caught with a small load of red and white rubber balls, which were duly confiscated and he was ‘detained’ for 14 days. Essence of peppermint mysteriously turned up in many settlers homes. Sailcloth was salvaged and used for horse rugs and tent flies. Soon after the wreck “Fiji tobacco” was being advertised around Victoria. A Customs officer, trying to prevent some of the looting, was assaulted by looters and thrown over a steep cliff. He managed to cling to a bush lower down until rescued. In 1894 some coiled fencing wire was salvaged from the wreck. Hundreds of coils are still strewn over the site of the wreck, encrusted and solidified. The hull is broken but the vessel’s iron ribs can be seen along with some of the cargo of concrete and pig iron. Captain Vickers presented Bill Robe with his silver-cased pocket watch, the only possession that he still had, as a token for having saved his life and the lives of some of the crew. (The pocket watch came with 2 winding keys, one to wind it and one to change the hands.) Years later Bill passed the watch to his brother-in-law Gib (Gilbert) Hulands as payment of a debt and it has been passed down the family to Gilbert Hulands’ grandson, John Hulands. Seaman Julius Gebauhr later gave his knife, in its hand crafted leather sheath, to F. J. Stansmore for caring for him when he came ashore. The knife handle had a personal inscription on it. A marble headstone on the 200m high cliffs overlooking Wreck Beach, west of Moonlight Head, paying tribute to the men who lost their lives when Fiji ran aground. The scene of the wreck is marked by the anchor from the Fiji, erected by Warrnambool skin divers in 1967. Amongst the artefacts salvaged from the Fiji are bisque (or china) toys, (including miniature animals, limbs from small bisque dolls), rubber balls, a slate pencil, a glass bottle, sample of rope from the distress rocket and a candlestick holder. These items are now part of the Fiji collection at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum, along with Captain Vickers’ pocket watch and Julius Gebauhr’s sheath knife.Flagstaff Hill’s Fiji collection is of historical significance at a State level because of its association with the wreck Fiji, which is on the Victorian Heritage Register VHR S259. The Fiji is archaeologically significant as the wreck of a typical 19th century international sailing ship with cargo. It is educationally and recreationally significant as one of Victoria's most spectacular historic shipwreck dive sites with structural features and remains of the cargo evident. It also represents aspects of Victoria’s shipping history and its potential to interpret sub-theme 1.5 of Victoria’s Framework of Historical Themes (living with natural processes). The Fiji collection meets the following criteria for assessment: Criterion A: Importance to the course, or pattern, of Victoria’s cultural history. Criterion B: Possession of uncommon, rare or endangered aspects of Victoria’s cultural history Criterion C: Potential to yield information that will contribute to an understanding of Victoria’s cultural history.China toy dog salvaged from the wreck of the Fiji. This moulded toy is made of bisque (sometimes described as bisque or porcelain) and is tan in colour. The dog is solid with a pitted surface1891, china, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwrecked artefact, flagstaff hill maritime village, shipwreck coast, warrnambool, porcelain, moonlight head, wreck bay, cargo, bisque, toys

This sheath knife belonging originally to German seaman Julius Gebauhr and an artifact associated with the story of the survivors of the wreck of Fiji. A three-masted iron barque Fiji had been built in Belfast, Ireland, in 1875 by Harland and Wolfe for a Liverpool based shipping company. The ship departed Hamburg on 22nd May 1891 bound for Melbourne, under the command of Captain William Vickers with a crew of 25. The ship’s manifest shows that she was loaded with a varied cargo consisting of cases of dynamite, pig iron, steel goods, various spirits, sailcloth, tobacco, coiled fencing wire, concrete, 400 German pianos and other musical instruments. On September 5th, one hundred days out from Hamburg in a squally and boisterous south-west wind, the Cape Otway light was sighted on a bearing differing from Captain Vickers' calculation of his position. At about 2:30 am, Sunday 6th September 1891 land was reported 4-5 miles off the port bow. The captain tried to put the ship on the other tack, but she would not respond. He then tried to turn her the other way but just as the manoeuvre was being completed Fiji struck rock only 274 meters from shore. The place is known as Wreck Bay, Moonlight Head. Efforts were made to lower boats but all capsized or became swamped two of the younger crewmen volunteered to swim for the shore, taking a line. One, a Russian named Daniel Carkland, drowned after the line broke. The other, 17-year-old able seaman Julius Gebauhr, a German, reached shore safely on his second attempt without a line, which he had cut loose with his sheath-knife when it becomes tangled in kelp. He rested on the beach a while then climbed the cliffs in search of help. At about 10 am on Sunday a party of land selectors including F. J. Stanmore, Leslie Dickson found Gebauer. They were on their travels back from Princetown towards Moonlight Head. Gebauer was lying in the scrub in a poor state, bleeding and dressed only in a singlet, socks, belt and his sheath-knife. His rescues gave him food and brandy and some clothing and gain information about the wreck. Some of the men took him to Rivernook, a nearby guest house owned by John Evans, where he was cared for. Stanmore and Dickson rode off to try and summon help. Messages for rescuing the rest of the crew were sent both to Port Campbell for the rocket rescue crew and to Warrnambool for the lifeboat. The S.S. Casino sailed from Portland towards the scene. After travelling the 25 miles to the scene, half of the Port Campbell rocket crew and equipment arrived and was set up on the beach below the cliffs. By this time the crew of Fiji had been clinging to the jib-boom for almost 15 hours. Mr Tregear from the Rocket Crew fired the line the light line broke and the rocket was carried away. A second line was successfully fired across the ship and made fast. The anxious sailors then attempted to come ashore along the line but, as many as five at a time, however, some were washed off. Only 14 of the 24 men who had remained on the ship made it to shore. Many onlookers on the beach took it in turns to go into the surf and drag half-drowned seamen to safety. The wreck of Fiji has smashed apart within 20 minutes of the last man being brought ashore, and it settled in about 6 m of water. Of the 26 men on Fiji, 11 in total lost their lives. The remains of 7 bodies were washed onto the beach. They were buried on the clifftop above the wreck. Captain Vickers was severely reprimanded for his mishandling of the ship and his Masters Certificate was suspended for 12 months. At the time there was a great deal of public criticism at the slow and disorganised rescue attempt to save those on board. The important canvas ‘breech buoy’ or ‘bucket chair’ and the heavy line from the Rocket Rescue was in the half of the rocket outfit that didn’t make it in time for the rescue: they had been delayed at the Gellibrand River ferry. Communications to Warrnambool were down so the call for help didn’t get through on time and the two or three boats that had been notified of the wreck failed to reach it in time. Captain Vickers presented Bill Robe who had dragged the captain out of the surf with his silver cased pocket watch, the only possession that he had left, as a token for having saved his life and the lives of some of the crew. Years later Bill passed the watch to his brother in law Gilbert Hulands as payment of a debt. Since that time it has been passed down the family to Gilbert Hulands’ grandson, John Hulands. Seaman Julius Gebauhr later gave his knife, in its hand crafted leather sheath, to F. J. Stanmore for caring for him when he came ashore. The knife handle has a personal inscription on it. A marble headstone on the 200 m high cliffs overlooking Wreck Beach, west of Moonlight Head, paying tribute to the men who lost their lives when Fiji ran aground. The scene of the wreck is marked by the anchor from the Fiji, erected by Warrnambool skin divers in 1967. Amongst the artefacts salvaged from the Fiji are china miniature animals, limbs from small china dolls, rubber balls, a glass bottle, sample of rope from the distress rocket and a candlestick holder. These items are now part of the Fiji collection at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum, along with this sheath knife and Captain Vickers’ pocket watch. Flagstaff Hill’s collection from the wreck of the Fiji and Julius Gebauhr knife is of historical significance at a State level because of its association with the vessel, which is on the Victorian Heritage Register (VHR S 259). The Fiji is archaeologically significant as the wreck of a typical 19th-century international sailing ship with cargo. It is educationally and recreationally significant as one of Victoria's most spectacular historic shipwreck dive sites with structural features and remains of the cargo still evident. Also the story of the heroic attempt by many to save the crew of the Fiji. The knife also represents an aspect of shipping history and fits in well with Victoria's framework of historical themes of living with natural processes as items such as these contribute to a better understanding of Victoria’s cultural history.Knife, metal with black wooden handle. Handle is riveted to knife in 3 places, with shaft of knife between the 2 parts of the handle. The handle also has a carved ring around the end, possibly for attaching a wrist strap. Knife blade is pointed in the centre of the tip and is rusty. The knife has a rectangular metal plaque on handle with inscription. The hand crafted dark brown, soft leather sheath is shaped to fit the knife and joined at the back with cross stitching. The sheath also has a leather belt strap that has come away from the sheath at one end.Metal plaque “FROM JULIUS GEBAUHR/”FIJI” /TO F.J.S.” (F J Standmore recipient)1891, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwrecked artefact, flagstaff hill maritime village, shipwreck coast, warrnambool, knife, fiji, pocket watch, moonlight head, gebauhr, stansmore, wreck bay, sheath knife