The steamer S.S.CASINO was much loved by the whole Port Fairy community- with the possible exception of some of the fishermen whose boats she ran down! Transport of the large quantities of wool, potatoes, onions, grain, sheep, cattle and other produce grown on the rich lands of the Western District Belfast was served by a plethora of shipping, both sail and steam, but only one of the steamers then in the regular trade (S.S. DAWN) would ever be able to get up the river and reap the cost savings of loading against a wharf. It was not unusual for four steamers to be anchored in the bay at once and for seven or eight different steamers to call during a week. A number of inter-colonial steamers also called to pick up produce for delivery to Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide. Production in the Western District was increasing and virtually all of that production had to go through one of the western ports in order to reach markets. By 1882 a meeting 15ft. March, 1882, in the office of auctioneer, J.B. HoIden in Cox Street took action and it was unanimously resolved - that the Belfast & Koroit Steamship Company be formed with a capital of £20,000 in 10,000 shares of £2 each". A number of steamers were offered by letter to the fledgling company, including the new and almost sister ships, CASINO and HELEN NICHOLL. The CASINO was on her delivery voyage from England was due to arrive in Warrnambool to load potatoes for Sydney and, initially, arrangements were made for her to call into Port Fairy for inspection by the BKNS Co directors. She eventually proceeded direct to Warrnambool and the Directors inspected her there. Without hesitation they purchased her even though they had to raise a large bank loan to do so. The CASINO arrived in Port Fairy on Saturday, 29th. July, 1882, steaming triumphantly up the Moyne River, and was greeted by crowds, many of whom had driven in from the surrounding countryside, which gave her “loud ringing English cheers". By 1884 the CASINO could not carry all the cargoes available to her and in December of that year the company purchased the new steamer BELLINGER to provide additional capacity. She helped to open up the intermediate ports of Lorne, Apollo Bay and Port Campbell, but the BELLINGER was not really suitable for the trade and she was sold in 1887, leaving the CASINO to operate alone -as she was to do for almost all of the next 45 years. The opening of the railway in 1890 decreased the cargo available to the steamers and the economic depression of the early 1890's worsened the situation. The weak soon began to fall by the wayside and when the Portland & Belfast SN Co. decided to go into liquidation in April 1895, the Belfast & Koroit Company bought the Portland Company's steamer DAWN on advantageous terms, a substantial part of the payment being in BKSN Co shares. The BKNS Co and the Howard Smith Line came into direct head to head competition and nearly forced the BKNS Co out of existence. Cargo dropped to such an extent that in 1899, they reached agreement that only one ship would run and that the ship which ran would pay a weekly amount to the competitor to stay out of the trade. This controlled service ceased in1909, and competition intensified when Howard Smith placed the newly built, larger steamer EUMERALLA on the run. The BKNS Co survived this competition and even prospered during it partly by extending on a more regular basis, the CASINO'S voyages to South Australian ports Port Macdonnell, Kingston, Beachport, Robe and, on occasions Adelaide. There were setbacks when, on 20 October 1924, CASINO went ashore at the Kennett River, near Apollo Bay, and again, in February l929, when she struck a submerged object at Warrnambool and had to be beached. The railways placed great competitive pressure on the small steamship company and this pressure was intensified when the Great Depression slashed the market for Western District produce, BKNS Co struggled on, paying dividends in most years, and the company planned a big celebration for the CASINO'S fiftieth anniversary in the trade on 29th July, 1932. Disaster struck soon after 9 o'clock on the morning of Sunday I0 July, 1932 when the CASINO was lost at Apollo Bay together with the lives of 10 crew members. black and white panaramic photograph mounted on cardboardMoyne River & East Beach Port Fairy- s.s.Casino-A.C.Aberline-Canterburyship, boat, sea, river, training walls, wharf, moyne river, s.s.casino, steamer

Black and white panoramic photograph of the Moyne rivership, boat, sea, river, ss casino

Iron Steamship SS Casino in the Moyne River (sank at Apollo Bay in 1932)Black & white photograph of ship near wharfboat, sea, river, ss casino, moyne river, steamer

The Dredge 'Pioneer' brought in to clear sand drift from the Moyne river caused by the South West passage sweeping throughBlack and white photograph of a dredge in Moyne riversea, river, moyne river, south west passage, pioneer, deredge, ship

HMAS Huon berthed at the wharf in Port Fairy Nov 1921. HMAS Huon (D50), named after the Huon River, was a River-class torpedo-boat destroyer of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). Originally to be named after the River Derwent, the ship was renamed before her 1914 launch because of a naming conflict with a Royal Navy vessel. Huon was commissioned into the RAN in late 1915, and after completion was deployed to the Far East. In mid-1917, Huon and her five sister ships were transferred to the Mediterranean. Huon served as a convoy escort and anti-submarine patrol ship until a collision with sister ship HMAS Yarra in August 1918 saw Huon drydocked for the rest of World War I. After a refit in England, Huon returned to Australia in 1919. The destroyer spent several periods alternating between commissioned and reserve status over the next nine years, with the last three spent as a reservist training ship. Huon was decommissioned for the final time in 1928, and was scuttled in 1931 after being used as a target ship. She visited Port Fairy on a goodwill trip in November .Black and white photograph of naval ship berthedship, boat, sea, river, h.m.a.s.huon, moyne, naval ship

This photograph show the ship in dry dock (possibly Melbourne) for maintenance. The steamer S.S.CASINO was much loved by the whole Port Fairy community- with the possible exception of some of the fishermen whose boats she ran down! Transport of the large quantities of wool, potatoes, onions, grain, sheep, cattle and other produce grown on the rich lands of the Western District Belfast was served by a plethora of shipping, both sail and steam, but only one of the steamers then in the regular trade (S.S. DAWN) would ever be able to get up the river and reap the cost savings of loading against a wharf. It was not unusual for four steamers to be anchored in the bay at once and for seven or eight different steamers to call during a week. A number of inter-colonial steamers also called to pick up produce for delivery to Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide. Production in the Western District was increasing and virtually all of that production had to go through one of the western ports in order to reach markets. By 1882 a meeting 15ft. March, 1882, in the office of auctioneer, J.B. HoIden in Cox Street took action and it was unanimously resolved - that the Belfast & Koroit Steamship Company be formed with a capital of £20,000 in 10,000 shares of £2 each". A number of steamers were offered by letter to the fledgling company, including the new and almost sister ships, CASINO and HELEN NICHOLL. The CASINO was on her delivery voyage from England was due to arrive in Warrnambool to load potatoes for Sydney and, initially, arrangements were made for her to call into Port Fairy for inspection by the BKNS Co directors. She eventually proceeded direct to Warrnambool and the Directors inspected her there. Without hesitation they purchased her even though they had to raise a large bank loan to do so. The CASINO arrived in Port Fairy on Saturday, 29th. July, 1882, steaming triumphantly up the Moyne River, and was greeted by crowds, many of whom had driven in from the surrounding countryside, which gave her “loud ringing English cheers". By 1884 the CASINO could not carry all the cargoes available to her and in December of that year the company purchased the new steamer BELLINGER to provide additional capacity. She helped to open up the intermediate ports of Lorne, Apollo Bay and Port Campbell, but the BELLINGER was not really suitable for the trade and she was sold in 1887, leaving the CASINO to operate alone -as she was to do for almost all of the next 45 years. The opening of the railway in 1890 decreased the cargo available to the steamers and the economic depression of the early 1890's worsened the situation. The weak soon began to fall by the wayside and when the Portland & Belfast SN Co. decided to go into liquidation in April 1895, the Belfast & Koroit Company bought the Portland Company's steamer DAWN on advantageous terms, a substantial part of the payment being in BKSN Co shares. The BKNS Co and the Howard Smith Line came into direct head to head competition and nearly forced the BKNS Co out of existence. Cargo dropped to such an extent that in 1899, they reached agreement that only one ship would run and that the ship which ran would pay a weekly amount to the competitor to stay out of the trade. This controlled service ceased in1909, and competition intensified when Howard Smith placed the newly built, larger steamer EUMERALLA on the run. The BKNS Co survived this competition and even prospered during it partly by extending on a more regular basis, the CASINO'S voyages to South Australian ports Port Macdonnell, Kingston, Beachport, Robe and, on occasions Adelaide. There were setbacks when, on 20 October 1924, CASINO went ashore at the Kennett River, near Apollo Bay, and again, in February l929, when she struck a submerged object at Warrnambool and had to be beached. The railways placed great competitive pressure on the small steamship company and this pressure was intensified when the Great Depression slashed the market for Western District produce, BKNS Co struggled on, paying dividends in most years, and the company planned a big celebration for the CASINO'S fiftieth anniversary in the trade on 29th July, 1932. Disaster struck soon after 9 o'clock on the morning of Sunday I0 July, 1932 when the CASINO was lost at Apollo Bay together with the lives of 10 crew members. Black and white photograph of ship in dry dockship, boat, sea, river, industry, belfast and koroit steam navigation company

In this image a woman weaves two different colours of plastic cording into a interconnecting X shaped pattern. Weaving has often been done as a commercial skill taught by blind institutes, however machine woven materials and goods have now turned this skill into a recreational one.1 black and white photograph of woman weavingrecreation, weaving

In this image two woman sit in a canoe and paddle across a waterway. There are bushes and trees in the background, with a wide clearing separating the water way from the bush. Both woman wear life jackets and hats.1 black and white photograph of woman in a canoerecreation, canoeing

Rehabilitation covers learning how to undertake various tasks with assistive devices. In this image, a seated man presses buttons, guided by the hands of a female rehabilitation instructor. Some buttons are labelled with Braille markers.1 black and white photograph of man and womanrehabilitation, royal victorian institute for the blind

To recognise the dedication and service of non-military persons, the Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (civil order) was established. Shortened to MBE, the award consists of a silver cross with a circular centre and a fleur de lis attached on four sides. Above the north facing fleur de lis is a crown which is connected to a rose pink crossgrain ribbon with pearl grey edges, and tied into a bow. In the central part is the profile of King George V and Queen Mary, and the words 'For God and Empire' in raised letters against a roughened background edging the portrait. On the rear are the copperplate letters 'GRI' (which stand for Georgius Rex Imperator) and an image of a crown directly above this. It is designed to be worn on the left hand side by the female recipient. In 1974 this medal was awarded to Miss Elsie May Henderson for services to blind persons.1 silver coloured medallion in black frame association for the blind, medals, elsie henderson

2 photographs of residents (one unknown with a volunteer and the other of Evelyn Grace Bryant and Terry Fraser, and 1 photograph of Terry Fraser and Carole O'Reilly at the launch of the Australian Large Print cookbook. Terry Fraser was the manager of Baringa and Carole O'Reilly a public relations officer with the AFB.3 black and white images of various sizesnon-fictionelizabeth maxwell, neil maxwell, association for the blind, terry fraser, carole o'reilly, evelyn grace bryant

Invitation to attend the laying of the foundation stone for the redevelopment of 451 Glenferrie Road by Mr Don Argus AO, Patron of the Vision Australia Foundation and Chairman of the Centenary Appeal, on Monday 27th March 2000.A4 cream coloured page with black writingnon-fictionelizabeth maxwell, neil maxwell, vision australia foundation

Letter from Planned Giving manager Ralph Roath to Neil Maxwell, accompanying a certificate of appreciation thanking him for his past support and urging him to continue to ensure that the "Vision for Tomorrow" is fulfilled. Although part of a mass appeal program, this version includes acknowledgement of offices at the base of the letter and Patronage of the Governor of Victoria.A4 cream coloured page with black writingnon-fictionelizabeth maxwell, neil maxwell, association for the blind

Articles in annual report include: a short history of the AFB, President's Report, report on Ballarat, Bendigo and Brighton Homes, financial information, the work of the Welfare Service division, opening of two flatlets for aged blind at Ballarat, resignation of Celeste Baird as choirmaster after 17 years and A Williams stepping into the role, need for a better clubhouse which has been little changed since it was built over 30 years ago, students from Ballarat Teachers college read to home residents, publication of 'Courage' magazine to keep everyone up to date on Association events, and a profile on Russian migrant Alex Momot and how the AFB assisted him settle into Australia.1 printed volume with black and white illustrationsassociation for the blind, kelaston home (ballarat), elanora home (brighton), mirridong home (bendigo), alex momot, rosalie tyers, e irvine, l adamson, mrs r clarke, matron e mcleod, a sharry, matron rosewall, mrs s mcenroe, celeste baird, e goulding, mrs a bulluss, mrs a n roach, mrs m macdowell, mrs t carson, mrs j stanley smith, pam barker, mrs l thomas, mrs a mansfield, mrs l rogerson, elsie henderson, mrs murphy, mrs w christian, h h mackenzie, sister b agar, annual reports

Brief article on Neil Maxwell and his involvement with Vision Australia Foundation.1 newspaper article with black and white photographnon-fictionneil maxwell, vision australia foundation

"Reminisce as we get together to say goodbye to Paterson Hall and Day Centre. Listen to some of those who were there and share in the memories of times gone by. Look to the future." To commemorate Paterson Hall and all those who entertained, celebrated and enjoyed this special meeting place before it was demolished, a party was held on Friday 25th September 1998, as advertised by this flyer.1 yellow page with black writing and bordernon-fictionneil maxwell, association for the blind, paterson hall, elizabeth maxwell

An older man looks to camera as he smokes his pipe. He wears a flannelette shirt, jumper and jacket as he sits on a couch.2 black and white photographs of an elderly manelanora home (brighton), association for the blind

RNIB sold a number of devices around the world, including games, clocks, brailling equipment and handicraft items. These are listed in this catalogue and some are found in this collection. 62 page booklet with black and white illustrationsroyal national institute for the blind, braille equipment, games, recreation equipment

Boys scramble over a 1920's style car, in the front gardens of RVIB St Kilda Road. One sits on the roof and another on the bonnet, both reaching to feel the windscreen wipers. Three boys are at the front, touching the engine, whilst two more touch the front of the tyre and another boy touches the rear of the tyre. The final three boys sit on the running board with various components in their hands.royal victorian institute for the blind, education, children

Carols by Candlelight was initially held to raise funds for the children's ward at the Austin Hospital. This image was probably taken for publicity purposes once the building was completed in 1951, for inclusion in the programs. In 1949, it was decided to split funding between the Austin and RVIB. From 1965, RVIB (now Vision Australia) has been the sole beneficiary.Black and white image of a three storey buildingChildren's Ward Austin Hospitalcarols by candlelight, austin hospital

As well as assistance in education and employment, agencies also provided support for adapting around the home. In this example, one woman is shown by a worker how to feel the temperature points in a pressure cooker. They stand in a kitchen, in front of an upright Davell cooker, next to a fridge and with steel utensils hanging on the wall behind the cooker.orientation and mobility, royal blind society of nsw

Weaving is a craft activity that has been a part of many day centres. In this image, a blind woman sit in front of a loom, holding the threads, her lips slightly pursed, as if in conversation. Another woman stands beside her and looks down at the work, her hand holding the weaving slightly forward as she looks at the stitches.royal victorian institute for the blind, day centres

Front of the Royal Blind Society of NSW's Newcastle branch. The building has two storeys, large glass windows and a staircase is also visible.Black and white photograph of the RBS branch in Newcastleroyal blind society of new south wales, newcastle

Employment is a key area that blind or vision impaired people are under-represented. These photographs were taken to demonstrate and provide examples of how blind and visually impaired workers can undertake skilled positions as switchboard operators. In the first image, a man wearing a headset sits behind a small switchboard and on the desk is a sign that reads "Please buzz for attention. Our receptionist/telephonist is blind". In a second image, two people sit at a desk. The woman uses a device to locate a key on the switchboard whilst wearing a headset. Beside her a man points to the key and holds a telephone receiver to his ear. In the third image, a seated man reaches forward to find a socket in the switchboard, with an audio jack attached to his finger. Beside the switchboard a man stands and holds his wrist, possibly guiding him.employment, royal victorian institute for the blind

Early childhood educator Sandie Mackevicius holds a small boy as he reaches overhead for some wooden rods that are suspended from the ceiling. Beside them is a large square cube with holes, that children can play in, and outside the window there is a grassed area bordered by trees. The curtains are distinctly patterned and the room stretches out behind them. This image was probably taken at RVIB School.rvib school, royal victorian institute for the blind, sandie mackevicius

The Lady Nell Seeing Eye Dog School was founded at Wonga Park in April 1960. This plaque commemorates the official opening by Hon. T.W. Mitchell and reads: This plaque marks the opening of the Lady Nell Seeing Eye Dog School by the Hon. T.W. Mitchell M.L.A. on the 10th April 1960. Later that year, a property at 16 Thanet Street Malvern was purchased, and the school relocated to that site.This plaque marks the opening of the Lady Nell Seeing Eye Dog School by the Hon. T.W. Mitchell M.L.A. on the 10th April 1960nameplates, lady nell seeing eye dog school

White size 16 tee shirt with Illawarra Staff printed in flocked lettering across the chest. Back has no imagery.White tee shirt with black velvet writingIllawarra Staffassociation for the blind, advertising