Fortuna Villa was initially commenced as a modest single storey home in 1861 next to the 180 Mine by Theodore Ballerstedt, who sold the mine and house to George Lansell in 1869. Lansell already owned the adjacent Fortuna Mine, and through deeper mining techniques greatly expanded the mine's operation, his personal wealth, and the house and grounds. Lansell was soon known as the 'Quartz King', Australia's first gold mining millionaire and credited as the driving force behind much of Bendigo's prosperity. He continuously added to and expanded the villa, decorating it extravagantly with the finest of artworks and materials, into a sprawling mansion with extensive landscaped grounds, to create a house and grounds of a size and grandeur with few rivals in Australia. After his death in 1907, his second wife Edith carried on with improvements, creating a house and grounds developed over 50 years. The attached mine also contributes to its significance, being one of the richest mines in Bendigo, and at one stage probably the deepest gold mine in the world at 3176 feet. The 1875 crushing works are attached directly to the mansion, and the mine's tailings and settling ponds (turned into ornamental lakes) represent a direct link between George Lansell's wealth and its source. Fortuna was compulsorily acquired by the Commonwealth in 1942 as the Cartographic Headquarters of the Australian Survey Corps during World War II, and many ancillary structures were added while preserving the main house and ornamental grounds. Victorian Heritage Database Report https://vhd.heritagecouncil.vic.gov.au/places/68334/download-reportPreliminary report of Structural assessment of Building 16 Fortuna Complex, Chum Street, Bendigo. Four page preliminary report finding the building is structurally safe as at Wed 19 December 2007 with three recommendations. Prepared for DIGO by Structural Engineers - Terry Stevens Consulting Engineers Pty Ltd.fortuna, structural assessment

PROPERTY MARKET Fortuna, Bendigo The Bendigo mansion property, Fortuna, for many years the home of the late Mr George Lansell, will again be offered for sale by auction. Some few years ago the property was purchased by Gold Mines of Australia Ltd., and it was used for a time for the offices of Bendigo Mines N.L. The company now has no further use for the building. As a last effort to retain this historic 52-room mansion, it will be offered as it now stands, with the spacious grounds which contain three lakes, a terrace, a rose garden, a swimming-pool, and a Roman fountain. It is hoped that it may be purchased by some organisation for use as a school, hospital, or other institution. If a sale is not effected the building will be sold immediately for demolition. This should arouse much interest as it con-tains many cedar and mahogany fittings, parquetry floors, central heating and hot-water plants. The auction sale will be held within the next few weeks by J H Curnow and Son of Little Collins street and Bendigo. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/11158857?searchTerm=fortuna%20auction%20sale Demolition Auction Sale Flyer for Fortuna under instructions from Bendigo Mines. Dated 29th and 30th June 1930. Auctioneers J H Curnow and Son. Black ink on yellow paper.fortuna villa, auction, bendigo mines

BHS CollectionTwo small pamphlets. One titled "Guide to relaxation" Eppalock in details compiled and printed offset in Bendigo by Cambridge Press. the other "Lake Eppalock" ceremony to mark the completion of the Eppalock Dam, the Eppalock pumping station and the pipeline to Bendigo; Friday 17 April 1964. Published by the State Rivers and Water Supply Commission. Aileen and John Ellison Collection.lake eppalock, 1964

HOSKING AND HUNKIN COLLECTION: PHOTO OF FIVE PEOPLE IN A ROW BOAT Writing on front of photo '9th Jan 1907' On rear of photo: 'Small boy John Hunkin 21 years younger than Bride (his sister) Wm and Emily raised him' 'Wm H. Lawrey and Emily nee Hunkin on Daylesford lake affter wedding Daylesford Methodist Church 9th Jan 1907' 'Mrs Bath and son Matron of Honour (Bride could have made her own clothes).photo

Black and white photograph, aerial view of part of grounds showing some buildings, partial view of lake and partial view of Fortuna Villa. Writing in pen on back of photo (top left hand side) is an inscription stating 'approx 1962-3'.

Invitation card - colour sketched print, view of Fortuna Villa with palm tree on left hand side, flag pole in centre and partial view of lake. Wording inside the card reads ' On 1 October 2000 the Defence Topographic Agency will join with Australian Imagery Organisation and become part of the Defence Imagery and Geospatial Organisation. Defence Topographic Agency invites you to celebrate this special occasion by attending a presentation ceremony and BBQ. The cermony will be held at Fortuna on Thursday 26 October 2000 commencing at 12 noon. RSVP 19 October 2000, with Email address and phone number

Christmas cards ( X 2) - sketched colour print with view of Fortuna Villa, palm tree on left hand side and partial view of lake in foreground. Writing inside card reads ' Best Wishes for Christmas and the New Year' and on the back of the card is a 'Royal Australian Survey Corps' insignia & the words 'Army Survey Regiment'

Colour photograph of view of Fortuna Villa showing part of the lake and a palm tree in the middle of the photo.

MERLE HALL COLLECTION: ROSALIND PARK CREATIVE VILLAGE BENDIGO PROJECT PAMPHLET Pathway to History Bendigo Creek Linear Park Inside pages - Graphic image of the Linear Park from Alexandra Fountain to the Botanical Gardens, includes Rosalind Park, Golden Dragon Museum, Shamrock Hotel, Bendigo Gas Works, Chinese Joss House, Chinese Tea House, Lake Weroona, Wetlands, White Hill Cemetary and mine sites. On outside pages, cover, historical notes on Bendigo and Notes on the Bendigo Creek Linear Park. Notes on the back cover: A joint project of the City of Greater Bendigo and the Department of planning and development. Production by the Publick Affairs Branch, Department of Planning and Development. Printed in Bendigo June 1993 4360/93.

Aulsebrook Collection: Griffith Cup January 30 1972, lake Eppalock, Official Program (a) -A4 booklet, 15 pages, -extensive booklet filled with comments/articles from people involved in the events, advertisements, previous winners, lists of people involved and the boats they are racing (b), supporting events, officials involved,

Aulsebrook Collection: January 28 1973 Griffith Cup Souvenir program (a) -Lake Eppalock -A4 book, 15 pages -Extensive book filled with comments/articles from various people involved in the events, rules/regulations, advertisements, past winners, lists of events and people/boats racing (b)

Black and white of lake Weeroona with a lady standing near the bank, part of the rose series P.2854.bendigo, streetscape, lake weeroona

Tram 28 at the intersection of Sturt and Lydiard Streets, with destination Gardens via Sturt St. West, two inspectors by tram, many people sitting on park benches in centre median strip. Tram with lights, but small white strip, has early 'Twin Lakes' sign on front of tram.'F' in blue inktramways, trams, sturt st, tramway centre, lydiard st, tram 28

Belonged to Heinrich Wilhelm Klowss's mother Augusta Louie Gladigue. Book of Common Prayer.Leather bound prayer book, inscribed, in German. Gold cross on front. 1891Gerang-Buch, Mrs G Klowss, Natimuk Lake - written inside the front cover.natimuk, natimuk lake, german prayer book, augusta louise gladigau, arapiles, lutheran, heinrich wilhelm klowss, bible, germany, migration

The photographs depict the "Back to Natimuk Celebrations" organised between 28 February and 4 March 1924 in Natimuk. From top to bottom, left to right: - Welcome sign in the main road. - Locals in the school titled "Back to school" - "Group of comebacks at lake" (Natimuk) - Band procession on main road - Start of motor ? - Swimming carnival at Natimuk lake - Evolution of farm implements - Group taken on the site of Mrs Scudasore's old home: Mr A.W. Lockwood (secretary), Mrs Scudasore (first white woman resident in district), Mr G. Graham (president), Mrs J. Russell (first white child born in district-daughter of Mrs Scudasore), Mr John Russell. - Group of cars at Mount Arapiles. Significant as it depicts first settlers.9 black and white photographs set in inscribed board and wooden frameBack to Natimuk Celebrations. Feb 28th to March 4th 1924natimuk, festivities, mount arapiles, lake natimuk, a.w. lockwood, mrs scudasore, g.t. graham, john russell, mrs john russell, swimming carnival

Likely from the Emerson Estate at Clear LakeMetal curved blade with wooden handle. Agricultural tool for harvesting

Handcrafted, tapestry stitch, created by Elaine Emmerson of Clear Lake and NatimukArtwork made by local resident.Cross stitch embroidery depicting a chair in garden with a kitten in a basket in the background. The embroidery is in a wooden frame (no glass).cross stitch, embroidery, kitten, garden, natimuk, elaine emmerson

Map shows the first layout of Melbourne by Government surveyor Robert Russell, who accompanied Governor Richard Bourke in 1837. The surveyed blocks extend from present-day Flinders Street to Lonsdale Street, and Spring Street to Spencer Street, with extensive vacant land west to a salt lake (afterwards Batman's Swamp, later drained), north beyond Flagstaff Hill and south towards South Melbourne. Vegetation coverage is indicated, and tracks and existing buildings and cultivated land are shown.Printed map was created by Day & Haghe, Lithographers to the Queen, sometime after 1838, when the company received its Royal appointment. Copies of the 1837 map exist in several major map collections in Australia; most are uncoloured. This particular map is the earliest in the Kew Historical Society's map collection. It is a nationally significant artefact. Black and white lithographed map hand-coloured in blue and yellow gouache of the town of Melbourne in 1837. In contrast to the original lithograph, the river and the township blocks are coloured blue and yellow. A similar, partly coloured copy is in the collection of the University of Melbourne.maps - melbourne - 1830s, governor sir richard bourke, robert russell - surveyor, cartography

Dight’s Falls in Studley Park is an artificial weir built on a natural rock bar across the Yarra. The weir was built in the 1840s to provide water to the ‘Ceres’ flour-mill, one of the first in Victoria. The falls were later to become known as Dight’s Falls after the owners of the mill. Later, a pumping station was built on the Kew side of the river, which pumped water uphill to a reservoir in Walmer Street that provided water to the Melbourne Botanical Gardens and to Albert Park Lake. The area around Dight’s Falls was and is frequently used for recreational activities.This photograph forms part of the collection assembled by the historian Dorothy Rogers, that was donated to the Kew Historical Society by her son John Rogers in 2015. The manuscripts, photographs, maps, and documents were sourced by her from both family and local collections or produced as references for her print publications. Many were directly used by Rogers in writing ‘Lovely Old Homes of Kew’ (1961) and 'A History of Kew' (1973), or the numerous articles on local history that she produced for suburban newspapers. Most of the photographs in the collection include detailed annotations in her hand. The Rogers Collection provides a comprehensive insight into the working habits of a historian in the 1960s and 1970s. Together it forms the largest privately-donated collection within the archives of the Kew Historical Society.Black and white photograph of the Richardson family seated on the Kew side of Dight's Falls in 1920. One of the girls in the photograph was to become the Melbourne historian Dorothy (Richardson) Rogers.Annotation on reverse: "Mrs D. Rogers, 29 Park Crst Kew. Dights Falls 1920"dight's falls - kew (vic) - fairfield (vic), sport and recreation - kew (vic), dorothy rogers

Dight’s Falls in Studley Park is an artificial weir built on a natural rock bar across the Yarra. The weir was built in the 1840s to provide water to the ‘Ceres’ flour-mill, one of the first in Victoria. The falls were later to become known as Dight’s Falls after the owners of the mill. Later, a pumping station was built on the Kew side of the river, which pumped water uphill to a reservoir in Walmer Street that provided water to the Melbourne Botanical Gardens and to Albert Park Lake. The area around Dight’s Falls was and is frequently used for recreational activities.Dated postcard allowing one to analyse the form of the Falls in 1911Colour postcard, of Dight's Falls on the River Yarra between Kew and Fairfield. The photograph is taken looking upstream towards the Falls from the Kew side, from the embankment in the vicinity of the Pumping Station. Obverse: "Dight's falls, Kew" Reverse: "Printed in Great Britain Writing in ink on Reverse: "31/3/1911 / To dear Nell with best wishes for a happy birthday from your old friend Eve / [Addressed to] "Mrs N Dunn, Prahran" Franked Victorian 1d stamp on Reverse top rightdight's falls, dight's falls - kew (vic) - fairfield (vic)

Dight’s Falls in Studley Park is an artificial weir built on a natural rock bar across the Yarra. The weir was built in the 1840s to provide water to the ‘Ceres’ flour-mill, one of the first in Victoria. The falls were later to become known as Dight’s Falls after the owners of the mill. Later, a pumping station was built on the Kew side of the river, which pumped water uphill to a reservoir in Walmer Street that provided water to the Melbourne Botanical Gardens and to Albert Park Lake. The area around Dight’s Falls was and is frequently used for recreational activities.Rare original print photograph of people walking across Dight's Falls when the river flow was low. View west towards Abbotsford. Photograph taken from Kew side of river above the Falls.Reverse: "M Holmes"dight's falls, river yarra -- kew - abbotsford

A postcard with an oval photograph of Howtown Bay, Ullswater (Lake District, England) sent to the W.R. Rylah, a solicitor who lived at 31 (now 68) Charles Street in 1911. The postcard and item 2017.0079 were discovered during renovations to the house. Front: "B.B. London Series No. E70 ***" / Reverse: "Wishing you all a bright and happy Xmas + New Year, from all at "Doon", Xmas 1911." Postcard addressed to: "W.R. Rylah, Glen Mavis, [31] Charles Street, Kew".ullsworth, howtown bay, postcards, weir collection, 68 charles street - kew (vic.)

SHARP DOWNPOUR. ONE INCH IN 45 MINUTES. SOUTHERN SUBURBS DELUGED. TRAIN STOPPED AT SOUTH YARRA. One of the sudden downpours of rain which occasionally fall in Melbourne occurred yesterday afternoon, when nearly an inch of rain fell in the course of three quarters of an hour, and caused a flood for an hour or two in certain localities. During the early part of the day, the sky had been clouded over, but there was nothing to indicate a storm of such intensity as that which followed. At about half-past 1 o'clock residents of South Yarra, South Melbourne, Prahran, and St. Kilda noticed a few drops of rain. Still, it appeared unlikely that there would be anything exceptional, until with startling suddenness at about 10 minutes to 1 o'clock, one of the heaviest downpours within the memory of residents burst upon those suburbs. A strange feature of the storm was that it was practically confined to an area of about three miles square. The city was but little affected, though at a spot as close as the Observatory 86 points of rain were recorded in three-quarters of an hour. Thunder and lightning accompanied the downpour, which was cyclonic in character, the rain driving heavily from all points of the compass as the cyclone passed. It was in South Yarra and Prahran that the rain fell heaviest. Within a few minutes after it commenced, the low-lying portions of Toorak-road and practically the whole length of Chapel-street were under water. The depression at the intersection of Toorak-road and Darling-street speedily filled to the dimensions of a small lake. Several shops were inundated, while the water from the higher levels rushed down like a mountain torrent, and in several in-stances swept through the rear of houses and shops, carrying furniture in a floating mass against the further walls. In one case a footbridge was carried bodily away and dashed to pieces. Darling-street itself Great Davis-street, and other low-lying and flat thoroughfares in the vicinity became flooded from kerb to kerb, while on the other side of the railway-bridge the valley between Kensington-road and River-street became filled for some minutes to a depth of several feet. Meanwhile the waters from South Yarra hill, seeking a lower level, found it in the railway cutting, and the excavations from South Yarra station to Prahran on the one line, and to the Chapel-street bridge on the other, were converted into a couple of canals. At the platforms at South Yarra the water was two feet deep on the permanent way, and towards Hawksburn, at the sudden depression under Chapel-street bridge, it was at one time deep enough to cover a tall man's head. Into this swirling mass of water the 1:50 p.m. train from Oakleigh plunged on its way to Melbourne. The impact caused a mighty fountain of water to rise to a height of about 20 feet above the level of Chapel-street and send clouds of spray in all directions. Under the belief that a terrible explosion had occurred residents braved the rain and rushed to the spot, only to find that the train had been brought to a stand-still in the middle of what seemed to be a river. The water was so high that it had entered the fire-box from below, extinguishing the fires and cutting off the steam supply. In the meantime the officials at the South Yarra station had been preparing for emergencies. Inspectors were on duty at intervals along the line, and the moment the alarm was given an extra engine was backed carefully down and continued on to connect with the stranded train without losing its own power. There was a delay of about ten minutes in the service for an hour or two, but by 5 o'clock all the trains were running on time again, and the water had run off all but the spot beneath the Chapel-street bridge. Here the water remained about four feet deep until nightfall, and throughout the afternoon several hundreds of people including biograph operators and photographers, were gathered around watching each train pass through. Even with the water two feet lower, this was a work attended with considerable difficulty. Each train had to absolutely force its way through the weight of water, almost enveloped by the spray thrown up, and it was only just able to negotiate the "ford" by using every ounce of steam. ... The Argus, 26 January 1907, p19.The item forms part of the Laurie Bennett collection of thirty-six postcards and photographs of Kew and early Melbourne, donated to the Kew Historical Society in 1980. The postcards in the Bennett collection, like other images in the Society's holdings date from the 1890s to the present and comprehensively indicate points-of-view or scenes considered historically, aesthetically or socially significant in the period in which they were produced.Postcard depicting a flood at South Yarra Station in 1907. The title and photographer's name are identified on the front of the postcard. Donated by L. Bennett, 1980flood - south yarra, trains - melbourne, postcards, r mcgeehan - prahran

The Kew Historical Society's postcard collection includes views of Kew, Melbourne and Greater Melbourne as well as those including overseas scenes sent or received from Europe or the Middle East. They date from the 1890s to the 2000s. These postcards may or may not include the name of the publisher or printer. A number of the cards were published as parts of popular series. A way of dating early postcards is to identify whether the reverse was divided by a central line which became the norm after 1902 in the United Kingdom. However, other postcards produced after this date do not always conform to this print layout.Polychrome postcard of High Street, Kew looking west towards Kew Junction. The photograph was also printed in monochrome format by the publishers, with different names and additions.Reverse - (to) Miss __. J. Thompson, "Dry Lake", Kerang (from) Very sorry indeed to hear of your Mother's illness. Sincerely hope all quite well ere this. Still going about very tired waiting __ being away. Love to all M.B.L.high street -- kew (vic.), postcards -- kew (vic.), horse tram -- kew (vic.)

Dight’s Falls in Studley Park is an artificial weir built on a natural rock bar across the Yarra. The weir was built in the 1840s to provide water to the ‘Ceres’ flour-mill, one of the first in Victoria. The falls were later to become known as Dight’s Falls after the owners of the mill. Later, a pumping station was built on the Kew side of the river, which pumped water uphill to a reservoir in Walmer Street that provided water to the Melbourne Botanical Gardens and to Albert Park Lake. The area around Dight’s Falls was and is frequently used for recreational activities.One of a series of photographs, probably taken by Henry Christian of the Yarra River in Kew. An item from an outstanding and diverse photographic collection, assembled by members of the Christian and Washfold families of Kew.River Yarra at Dight’s Falls, Kew/Fairfield photographed from Kew bank.dight's falls, river yarra, christian-washfold collection

Dight’s Falls in Studley Park is an artificial weir built on a natural rock bar across the Yarra. The weir was built in the 1840s to provide water to the ‘Ceres’ flour-mill, one of the first in Victoria. The falls were later to become known as Dight’s Falls after the owners of the mill. Later, a pumping station was built on the Kew side of the river, which pumped water uphill to a reservoir in Walmer Street that provided water to the Melbourne Botanical Gardens and to Albert Park Lake. The area around Dight’s Falls was and is frequently used for recreational activities.Original, black and white positive of water flowing over the 'Race' at Dight's Falls in MelbourneInscribed verso: "The Race at Dight's Falls / River Yarra Melbourne / 1.3.25" "Kodak Print"dight's falls, river yarra, yarra -- kew (vic.)