Australia's first telephone exchange was opened in Melbourne in August 1880. It was operated by the Melbourne Telephone Exchange Company. Owned by W. H. Masters and T. T. Draper, the Manager of the Company was H. Byron Moore. This was only two years after the world's first exchange in the United States, and just four years after Bell first spoke on a telephone. The exchange was located in the old Stock Exchange building at 367 Collins Street, a site now occupied by the Commonwealth Bank. In 1884, the operations of the Company, by then known as the Victorian Telephone Exchange Company, had grown considerably and were transferred to Wills Street, Melbourne. Private ownership of this company continued until 1887 when it was bought out by the Victorian Colonial Government. Other colonial governments followed this example. By 1910, the growth in telephone services made additional accommodation necessary. This could not be provided in the existing building in Wills Street and arrangements were made for a new exchange in Lonsdale Street. Alexander Graham Bell visited Australia in 1910 to advise the Federal Government's Postal Commission. Telephone exchanges were established in Adelaide with (48 subscribers), Hobart (10 subscribers) and Launceston (35 subscribers). The first exchange in Western Australia was established in 1887 and located in a small three-room cottage in Wellington Street, Perth with 17 subscribers. The year 1888 marked the opening of the Fremantle exchange in a small room at the rear of the Town Hall. There were nine subscribers. Australia's first automatic exchange was installed in the GPO in Sydney, in 1911, for internal use. But the first automatic exchange for public use was opened at Geelong in Victoria in the next year July 1912 with 800 subscribers. Melbourne's first automatic exchange was opened in the suburb of Brighton in 1914; the first public automatic exchange in NSW began operating at Newtown, Sydney in 1915; and Queensland's first was installed at South Brisbane in 1925. 1929 saw the opening of Tasmania's first automatic exchange in Hobart. an automatic telephone service. In June 1977, the manual telephone exchange at Swansea was replaced with an automatic service and made Tasmania the first State in Australia to have a fully automatic network. The half-century following Federation saw the growth of the automatic operation; a great extension of trunk line services; The automatic telephone contributed greatly to the early popularity of telephones in Australia. It was a quicker and more convenient way of communicating with another person on the same exchange — instead of having to go through tedious processes with the operator. From its introduction, the number of automatic telephones in operation grew to a remarkable extent. In 1886, the first trunk link of 16 km was connected to the exchanges of Adelaide and Port Adelaide in South Australia. Then, in 1907, the first inter-capital telephone trunk line was opened between Sydney and Melbourne. It was followed by a line between Melbourne and Adelaide in 1914. Sydney and Brisbane were linked in 1923, and Perth and Adelaide in 1930. In 1930, the first overseas calls from Australia came possible with the introduction of a radiotelephone service to England, and through there to Europe and America. A similar service opened to New Zealand in the same year. Initially, trunk channels linked different manual trunk exchanges. It was necessary for a succession of trunk operators to connect the appropriate channels, one after the other until the connection was made. As trunk traffic grew. the system became increasingly unsuitable. More trunk operators had to be employed and so labour costs increased. It was a tedious and slow way of making a long-distance call, and it was sometimes hard to hear, particularly when several exchanges were linked With technical advances, trunk switching moved from manual operation through a partly automatic phase. Automatic transit switching equipment was used and only a single operator was required to connect a trunk call to a wanted automatic subscriber. Until well beyond the middle of this century, the majority of trunk traffic went through this single telephonist control. In 1953, the number of telephones in use in Australia passed the one million mark. By then, the need for improvement in the automatic exchanges was becoming well recognised. The need was for a telephone switching system which would do a better job more economically than the conventional step-by-step ex-change. This led to the adoption of the Crossbar system as the standard in automatic telephone exchanges in 1960. The introduction of Crossbar switching was a big step forward in the automation of trunk calls. It substituted automatic switching and charging equipment for the originating trunk operator, and improved the quality of the system radically. Before the introduction of the Crossbar system there were often very long delays in obtaining a booked trunk call, and the quality of sound was often very poor. With Crossbar, Subscriber Trunk Dialing (STD) became a reality. A trunk call by STD was as easy to make and almost as fast to connect as a local call.The item was made around the 1940s and used up until the 1970s in manual cord telephone exchanges as a way to time and charge users for trunk calls made over the telecom system of the time. Post Master General dept. - Trunk Call Timer.Inscribed PMG, C. of A, 37. Bell chimes at 3 min increments.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, timer, trunk call, telephone, cord exchange

Badges depicting Queen Victoria & Generals of the Boer Warplaque, boer war, general

Robin Boyd was an invited speaker at the 1967 New Zealand Institute of Architects Conference held in Queenstown, New Zealand. From New Zealand, he travelled on to Montreal, Canada, where he was Exhibits Architect for the Australian Pavilion at Expo ‘67. Colour slide in a mount. General views, New ZealandMade in Australia / 17 / APR 67M7new zealand, slide

Robin Boyd was an invited speaker at the 1967 New Zealand Institute of Architects Conference held in Queenstown, New Zealand. From New Zealand, he travelled on to Montreal, Canada, where he was Exhibits Architect for the Australian Pavilion at Expo ‘67. Colour slide in a mount. General views, New ZealandMade in Australia / 19 / APR 67M7new zealand, slide

Robin Boyd was an invited speaker at the 1967 New Zealand Institute of Architects Conference held in Queenstown, New Zealand. From New Zealand, he travelled on to Montreal, Canada, where he was Exhibits Architect for the Australian Pavilion at Expo ‘67. Colour slide in a mount. General views, New ZealandMade in Australia / 20 / APR 67M7new zealand, slide

Robin Boyd was an invited speaker at the 1967 New Zealand Institute of Architects Conference held in Queenstown, New Zealand. From New Zealand, he travelled on to Montreal, Canada, where he was Exhibits Architect for the Australian Pavilion at Expo ‘67. Colour slide in a mount. General views, New ZealandMade in Australia / 24 / APR 67M7new zealand, slide

Robin Boyd was an invited speaker at the 1967 New Zealand Institute of Architects Conference held in Queenstown, New Zealand. From New Zealand, he travelled on to Montreal, Canada, where he was Exhibits Architect for the Australian Pavilion at Expo ‘67. Colour slide in a mount. General views, New ZealandMade in Australia / 26 / APR 67M7new zealand, slide

Electric Cooking Recipes including general instruction for use.Prepared by State Electricity Commission of Victoriabooks, cookery

Invoice from A. Macrow and Sons, general merchants of Melbourne.luigi gervasoni, philately, invoice, a. macrow, merchant

This is the citation appointing Robin Gerard Penleigh Boyd, Esquire F.R.A.I.A., F.A.I.A., F.R.S.A. a Commander of the Civil Division of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire. The citation states "Member, National Capital Planning Committee. For services to Architecture and Government".Citation on Governor General Commonwealth of Australia letterhead in envelope.Honours and Awards 12 June, 1971. Appointed a Commander of the Civil Division of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire Robin Gerard Penleigh Boyd, Esquire F.R.A.I.A., F.A.I.A., F.R.S.A. Member, National Capital Planning Committee. For services to architecture and Government.

Colour Patches & Lieut. General Sir Leslie Morsheadphoto/pictures, ballarat rsl, ballarat

This shirt is part of a General Purpose Uniform issued by the Australian Airforce to Bernard Farley during service. This uniform type was developed in 2014 and replaced camouflage as the uniform worn during general base duties and in non-warlike environments. Although a camouflage pattern, this design is not intended for use as camouflage. This item has social significance, as an item of uniform worn by Warrnambool RSL community member and Secretary (2019), Bernard Farley during service with the Australian Airforce. The item is a representative example of current Airforce General Purpose Uniform and is in excellent condition. As a set, the uniform has aesthetic significance in it’s design, incorporating GPU uniform design from the Army alongside the colours and motifs of the Australian Airforce. General Purpose Uniform (GPU) shirt in Airforce colours of blue and grey in camouflage pattern. Long sleeve with 6 buttons up the front, two chest pockets with zippered verticle openings along the button seam; two button down pockets on both the left and right shoulder with velcro patches sewn to outside flap for attachment of patches. Above the chest pockets are two patches with embroidered inscriptions in white thread on navy backing. Shirt cuffs have adjustable velcro fasteners.Inscription on interior label is worn and illegible, halfway down the tag reads “PM KEYS NO.” Throughout (on shoulder seams, above left pocket and on back of collar) is the Australian Airforce badge/motif which features a circle with the words ‘Royal Australian Air Force', the Imperial Crown, and a Wedge-Tailed Eagle in flight though this detail is inferred not physically visible. Two embroidered patches above the chest pockets read “AIR FORCE” and “FARLEY.”camouflage, general purpose uniform, airforce, uniform, australian defence force

Plate created to celebrate the centenary of the Melbourne Harbor Trust beginning operations. Presented by Australian Dredging and General works Pty. Ltd. Large blue and white Dutch Delftware ceremonial plate with image of two ships, one sailing ship and the Abel Tasman at sea. The Melbourne Harbor Trust shield features above the ships. "The Melbourne Harbor Trust Commissioners/ 1877 Centenary 1977/ 1877 1977/ Abel Tasman" On reverse: "Presented by/ Australian Dredging and/ General works Pty. Ltd./ Delfts blauw/ Hand painted / Made in Holland/ Wp." Sticker attached "43196 B" "PMA 0166/1"

NilAustralian Active Service Medal1945-75 , Korean medal, General Service medal 1918-62 with clasp Malaya and General Service Medal 1962 with clasp South Vietnam.

Part of the 'Mann' collection in the Wodonga Historical Society, used for accounting in the J. Mann & Sons General Store in High Street, Wodonga in 1934-35. J. Mann and Sons was first established as a farm produce store in 1921. The range of products was extended in the 1930s and included groceries and hardware, as well as the first petrol bowser in Wodonga outside the store. After WWII, the premises were extended and the range of products continued to increase. In the 1960s the Mann Family opened a new supermarket in Wodonga, in addition to the hardware business, providing steel, plumbing and industrial supplies, and they employed over 100 people at one stage. With changes in the retail industry, the Mann Family sold the main hardware business to Bunnings and the produce business to the Kelly brothers in 2006. Local significance due to its use in the J. Mann & Sons General Store in High St, Wodonga and association with the prominent Mann family. National significance as kalamazoos were manufactured by an Australian company and used in the 1930s for accounting purposes by local businesses.Visible card book or kalamazoo used by the accounts department of J. Mann & Sons General Store, High Street, Wodonga, in 1934-35 for customers with surnames from K to P.Details for each customer provided on individual cards. "KALAMAZOO - ACME / Visible Card Equipment / THE "RAPID SIGHT" METHOD / Kalamazoo (AUST.) LTD. / SYDNEY - MELBOURNE - BRISBANE - ADELAIDE"mann, accounting, financial record, high street wodonga, wodonga, commerce, business, kalamazoo, general store, j. mann & sons

Report of the detailed review of The School of Mines and Industries Ballarat Limited undertaken by Alexander & Alexander in 1985. Previous reports were done in 1982 and 1983. The report covers all areas of the school - buildings and grounds. Some sections/buildings are still being completed. Report contains written evaluation, maps/diagrams and photographs.Spiral bound book - dark blue cover. 15 pages of written information plus 3 pages of photographs.Gold lettering on from cover "Alexander & Alexander" Signature "J W Elliott" on page 10 (Loss Control Surveyorballarat school of mines and industries, survey, alexander and alexander, j w elliott, maps, photographs

This honour board commemorates Victorian Postmaster General's Department workers who served in the First World War. A total of 3,726 employees of the Postmaster General's Department enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force during the First World War. This represented about one in every five of the total number of men employed by the Department. Many other employees volunteered, but were rejected for health or other reasons, whilst men in key positions could not be spared. This board was displayed at the Spirit of ANZAC Centenary Experience, Melbourne, in February 2016.This honour board was produced by the Postmaster-General's Department and passed through its successor entities until donation to the National Communications Museum in 2018. Its provenance is further supported by the supplementary photograph (VH256) held by the Museum which shows the board in production. The board provides a comprehensive list of the names of Postmaster-General staff across various departments, constituting an important resource for genealogical or social history researchers and a focal point for remembrance by fellow communications workers. The style of the board itself is rare, as it was an unusual practice for honour boards to be hand-lettered on paper.Handpainted paper on linen honour board, perspex glazed with a wooden frame."POSTMASTER GENERAL'S DEPARTMENT / VICTORIA" "ROLL OF HONOR / 1914 1918" "FOR / GOD / KING / AND / EMPIRE"|Headings that precede list of names: "CORRESPONDENCE / BRANCH" "CENTRAL EXCHE" "SUBURBAN AND COUNTRY / POST OFFICES" "TELEGRAPH / BRANCH" "ELECTRICAL ENGINEER'S BCH" "MAIL / BRANCH"pmg, postmaster general's department (pmg), world war 1, ww1, postal workers, honour boards, first world war

The Fashion Design Council (FDC) was founded by Robert Buckingham, Kate Durham and Robert Pearce in 1983. This issue of the Fashion Design Council of Australia Newsletter describes the role, purpose and motivation of the FDC. It also lists the programme of events for November 1984 - September 1985 and includes minutes of the General Meeting held 16th June 1984. The newsletter was designed by graphic designer, Robert Pearce. The FDC ceased operation in 1983, and its archive of some 1,500 artefacts is held at the RMIT Design Archives.The Fashion Design Council of Australia Newsletter. It describes the role, purpose and motivation of the Fashion Design Council. It also lists the programme of events for November 1984 - September 1985 and incudes minutes of the General Meeting held 16th June 1984.fashion design, australian fashion, graphic design

Survey tape used by P.J. Larkin, government surveyorInstrument owned and used by a government marine surveyor named P. J. Larkin who worked in Melbourne and Geelong in the 1930s.Survey tape in leather pouch about 100 feet long and housed on brass reel.Purton and Littlejohn's patent Wellington 1663surveying instrument, hydrography, larkin jp

Draftsman's drawing of Central Red, White and Blue Mine. Printed by Troedel & Cooper Pty Ltd, Surveyor Mr. H. Cumby, Bendigo April 1913 Forms part of the Margaret Roberts Collection of mining records.bendigo, margaret roberts, gold, central red white and blue gold mine, map

General Hobbs outside his tent HQ, Tel el Kebir, Egypt February 1917. Digital copy of photograph from a personal album of Lieutenant General JJT Hobbs.talbot hobbs, world war 1, tel el kebir

War news for Australian armed forces in BougainvilleAustralian newspaper, the Torokina Times, Vol 1, No 55, from Bougainville. It is a typed publication on brown paper. There are two double-sided pages. The first page includes a special order by Major General W Bridgeford, Commander 3 Australian Division dated 30 October 1945. Number of typed articles within the newspaper are: GENERAL MARSHAL DELIVERS STERN WARNING TO AMERICA BRITISH PM TO VISIT AMERICA FOR TALKS ONO ATOMIC BOMB US MARINES STAND TO IN CHINA PRESIDENT VARGAS RESIGNS IN BRAZIL TRADE UNION LEADER URGES GUARANTEED FAMILY INCOME OF 5 POUNDS A WEEK SPORTING SECTION NEWS BRIEFS torokina times, bougainville, australian armed forces, wwii newspaper, newspaper

This is a set of nine photographs of Defence Force Service Medal presentations by the Chief of the General Staff (CGS) Lieutenant General Sir Donald Dunstan AC, KBE, CB; at the Army Survey Regiment, Fortuna, Bendigo on the 5th of June 1979. The photos were taken next to the flagpole in Fortuna Villa’s front garden. Upon retirement from the Army in 1982, Lieutenant General Sir Donald Dunstan AC, KBE, CB; was appointed to the position of Governor of South Australia from 1982 to 1991. On this occasion the CGS presented the Defence Force Service Medal to WO2 Alex Cairney, WO1 Bob Mason and WO2 Ken Slater for 15 years of efficient remunerated service in the Australian Army. It is likely the unidentified UK Exchange senior NCO was the recipient of the UK Army’s equivalent service medal. Other key staff appearing in these photos are LTCOL Bob Skitch was the CO of the Army Svy Rgt from 1976 to 1980 and WO1 Aub Harvey, who was RSM from 1976 to 1982. MAJ Don Swiney MBE was later promoted to LTCOL and was CO of the Army Svy Rgt from 1985 to 1987. He was subsequently promoted to Colonel and was Director of the Royal Australian Survey Corp from November 1988 to January 1991, and the honorary position as Colonel Commandant from January 1993 to January 1996. See item 6034.14P for photos of the CGS’s tour through the production areas of the Army Svy Rgt.This is a set of nine photographs of Defence Force Service Medal presentations by the Chief of the General Staff (CGS) at the Army Survey Regiment, Fortuna, Bendigo on the 5th of June 1979. The photographs were printed on photographic paper and are part of the Army Survey Regiment’s Collection. They were scanned at 300 dpi. .1) - Photo, black and white, 1979. L to R: RSM WO1 Aub Harvey, CAPT Don Maskew, CGS LTGEN General Sir Donald Dunstan AC, KBE, CB; MAJ Don Swiney MBE, CO LTCOL Bob Skitch. .2) - Photo, black and white, 1979. Foreground L to R: CO LTCOL Bob Skitch, MAJ Don Swiney MBE, CGS LTGEN General Sir Donald Dunstan AC, KBE, CB; CAPT Don Maskew. Background L to R: WO2 Ken Slater, WO2 Alex Cairney, WO1 Bob Mason, unidentified UK Exchange senior NCO. .3) - Photo, black and white, 1979. L to R: WO2 Ken Slater, WO2 Alex Cairney, WO1 Bob Mason, unidentified UK Exchange senior NCO. .4) & .5) - Photo, black and white, 1979. L to R: WO2 Ken Slater, CGS LTGEN General Sir Donald Dunstan AC, KBE, CB; CAPT Don Maskew, MAJ Don Swiney MBE, CO LTCOL Bob Skitch. .6) - Photo, black and white, 1979. L to R: RSM WO1 Aub Harvey, unidentified UK Exchange senior NCO, , CGS LTGEN General Sir Donald Dunstan AC, KBE, CB; MAJ Don Swiney MBE, CO LTCOL Bob Skitch, unidentified aide de camp officer. .7) - Photo, black and white, 1979. L to R: RSM WO1 Aub Harvey, WO2 Alex Cairney, CAPT Don Maskew, LTGEN General Sir Donald Dunstan AC, KBE, CB; MAJ Don Swiney MBE, CO LTCOL Bob Skitch, unidentified aide de camp officer, unidentified photographer. .8) - Photo, black and white, 1979. L to R: RSM WO1 Aub Harvey, CAPT Don Maskew, WO1 Bob Mason, LTGEN General Sir Donald Dunstan AC, KBE, CB; MAJ Don Swiney MBE, CO LTCOL Bob Skitch, unidentified aide de camp officer, unidentified RAAF officer, MAJ Peter Eddy. .9) - Photo, black and white, 1979. L to R: WO1 Bob Mason, WO2 Ken Slater, RSM WO1 Aub Harvey, WO2 Alex Cairney, unidentified UK Exchange senior NCO..1P to .14P – no annotationsroyal australian survey corps, rasvy, army survey regiment, army svy regt, fortuna, asr

This early 1900's tin which contained loose leaf blended tea was imported into Australia by those tea merchants who wanted to provide the Australian tea drinkers with quality tea. It could well be early Lipton distributors to both city and rural clients and consumers. This was in a period when most rural families were heavy tea drinkers. It was well before the introduction of coffee as a drink (especially instant) for the early morning, after meals and general "drink any time" pick me up beverage.This relatively large tea tin marks a period in time when loose leaf tea was in great demand and large quantities were not only used by families but also restaurants, workers mess halls and remote large rural families. The ability to obtain a quick tea supply in semi remote rural areas such as the Kiewa Valley was not possible due to the factors of all weather road access and the economics of traders going out of their way. Stocking up with important beverages, such as tea, was a "one of those things" that early rural communities had to endure with. Bulk storage tins such as this item were not only a requirement but also offered storage for other household items. This usefulness was not overlooked by the "canny" rural family.This large metal tin container was specifically manufactured for the kitchens requiring a bulk storage "bin" type of loose leaf tea content. When emptied, it could also be used as a general kitchen storage container for other bulk consumables.On the front side and in the background, there are three sketches of Egyptian pyramids(increasing in size from left to right). At the forefront there is a camel "train" loaded with supplies and handlers, making their way over the sandy desert going towards a large sign(in a freehand script) "PYRAMIDS BLEND". The left side "Specially Selected" and underneath "PURE TEAS" below this and within a circle is the figure of a Geisha clad of Asian appearance (with a fan in a raised hand with boxes(of varying sizes) around her. All these are in (off white design and wording on a green background. On the back in green print on off white background "PYRAMIDS BLEND" and underneath "OF SPECIALLY SELECTED PURE TEAS". On either side are columns of similar print. To the left "THESE UNRIVALLED BLENDS ARE GUARANTEED TO CONTAIN ONLY PURE TEAS".To the right "SPECIALLY SELECTED FROM THE CHOICE GROWTHS OF CHINA INDIAN & CEYLON". Below both columns is "for delicacy & fragrance of flavor, combined with great strength, and are confidently recommended to the public as the best values in teas obtainable" On the last side is a sketch of an " Indian encircled, holding a staph with palm trees in the background and four tea containers on his left, with "PYRAMID BLEND" as a subject heading. There are two Oxen pulling a two wheeled cart with a load of six large boxes. On lid and barely readable "FIVE POUNDS NET"loose leaf tea containers, food storage tins, kitchen tidies