Eight issues of "MMTB News" - The Magazine of the Melbourne and Metropolitan Tramways Board. Two copies of issues 1 to 6 held. Second copy added 31/8/2004. All issues printed with an cream colour paper cover with the rest of the magazine white gloss paper. 2720.1 - Vol. 3, No. 1 - 16 pages, January 1966, with a photo of the Mark VI bus No. 702 on the front cover, notes on Traffic Congestion, motor cars and supermarkets, depot masters, engineering, bus maintenance, sports and social club news. On rear cover includes a photo of a Christmas function with past senior employees - left to right - H. R. Steains (architect), H. S. McComb (Chief Surveyor), Mr. Aird, Mr. P. M. Ireland (Rolling stock engineer), J Fisher (Civil Engineer) and H. A. Warner (Secretary) 2720.2 - Vol. 3, No. 2 - 16 pages, February 1966, with a photo of counting decimal coins, Tribute to the W2 class tram written by Norm Cross, (with photo), Hawthorn Clothing Depot, retirement of Harry Munroe, introduction of decimal currency, donation of 1B bogies to SPER, tramways band, death of Neil Olsen, sports and social club news. See btm2720i9.jpg for image of the Norm Cross photograph. 2720.3 - Vol. 3, No. 3 - 12 pages, March - April 1966, with a photo of Tramways Bowl Tournament presentation on the front cover, Recent developments in public transport in North America, Vera Cruz Mexico, cable cars at Rushworth, sports and social club news and photo of the Melbourne bogies under Sydney tram. 2720.4 - Vol. 3, No. 4 - 16 pages, May 1966, with a photo of W2 321being overhauled at Preston Workshops, change over to decimal currency for accounting machines, "Tram Driver Salutes the L class tram" - written by A. Bailey, Melbourne's New Trams, retirement of Gordon Wilson, sports and social club news. 2720.5 - Vol. 3, No. 5 - 16 pages, June 1966, with a photo of the track relaying in Camberwell Rd with Camberwell fire station in background, Melbourne cable tram routes, opening and closing dates, retirement of G. H. Box, visit of SPER members to Melbourne, memories of Malvern Depot, sports and social club news. 2720.6 - Vol. 3, No. 6 - 16 pages, July - August 1966 with a photo of the view from the St Kilda Junction signal box, more trams for Russia, retirements of 31 Employees, a contest to win an old W2, St Kilda Road Junction box - and how it works - signalling and interlocking, closure of Port Melbourne bus depot, sports and social club news. 2720.7 - Vol. 3, No. 7 - 16 pages, September - October 1966 with a photo of 610 on the Maribyrnong River Bridge, during the SPER tour, "Public Transport in Big Cities" - R. Risson - with photo - see image i10, MMTB Ambulance division, new trams, trams or buses, death of Harry Hood, Chas Samuels, retirement of Jack Ferguson, Reg Maxwell, manufacture of trackwork, cable tram working, sports and social club news. 2720.8 - Vol. 3, No. 8 - 16 pages, November - December 1966 with a photo of a wedding party on a tram (Richards / Fuller), apprenticeship training, Christmas message from the Chairman, tramway canteens, art of rostering by R. Drummond, Wattle Park Chalet, clock and instrument shop at North Fitzroy, tramways band, sports and social club news.Each issue has stamped on the front cover or inside "The Australian Railway Historical Society (S.A. Branch).trams, tramways, mmtb, sper, wattle park, port melbourne, st kilda junction, decimal currency, w2 class, l class, hawthorn

Yields information about Ballarat's trams in the late 1960'ss and the street scape in Victoria St?, Yields information about Ballarat's trams in the late 1960'ss and the street scape in Victoria St?Black and white print of Ballarat 35, northbound to Lydiard St North, crossing the Railway level crossing with Moodys Provincial Hotel and the Ballarat "B" signal box in the background. The tram has a roof advertisement for Ilford film. Note the entry canopy to the hotel. Two copies. Photo by Wal jack, 18/11/1961. Photo print courtesy of Port Dock Railway Museum, now the National Railway Museum. See worksheet 4311 for letter and details of prints sent to Bill Scott, 19/10/2001. Any photo credit to mention NRM Collection.On rear of copy 1 "SEC Ballarat / 35 / Lydiard St North / 18/11/61 2920 / Wal Jack " Copy 2 "DAC" in ink, bottom right hand corner.trams, tramways, lydiard st, ballarat railway station, level crossings, tram 35

Yields information about the operations of the Ballarat Tramway system on the last day of SEC tramway operations in Ballarat.Set of 6 Kodak - Kodachrome slides - cardboard mounts - all taken on 19/9/1971, last day of operations prior to closure of the SEC operated tramway. .1 - Tram 40, waits at the level crossing gates - the gates are being opened. In the background is the station building and the signal gantry. Tram has the destination of Sebastopol. .2 - No. 42, with destination of Lydiard St north, northbound in Lydiard St, with railway station buildings and VRI in the background. .3 - No. 35 on inbound, Lydiard St North. .4 - No. 35, on inbound service, leaving Skipton St loop with another bogie in the background. .5 - No. 39 on inbound service, Albert St Sebastopol with the Sebastopol boundary sign and Binks Ford in the background. Tram has an everything under control in my all electric kitchen roof advert. .6 - No. 42, with destination of Sebastopol, Albert St Sebastopol.In ink on slide: .1 - Sun 19 Sept 71 - up Lydiard St Nth waits for gates to be opened after fast goods. .2 - Sun 19 Sept 1971, down Lydiard St Nth near VRI. .3 - Sun 19 Sept 1971, Up Lydiard St Nth .4 - Sun 19 Sept 1971, Up Sebastopol (supplementary service) has just crossed down in Skipton St near Drummond St. .5 - Sun 19 Sept 1971, Up Sebas at Ballarat / Sebastopol boundary. .6 - Sun 19 Sept 1971, c5.30pm down Sebas in Sebas shire.tramways, trams, lydiard st nth, railway station, level crossings, skipton st, albert st, sebastopol, closure, last day, tram 40, tram 42, tram 35, tram 39

Yields information about Railway Level crossing in Lydiard St North and some of the trains that used it.Set of six 35mm slides - Hanimex light grey white plastic mounts or AGFA dark blue / white plastic mounts of trams and trains crossing the level crossing at Lydiard St North Ballarat. .1 - tram 33 with destination of Lydiard St North, just after crossing the rail tracks - has a Twin Lakes sign with Victoria House in the background. .2 - tram 40 with destination of Lydiard St North, waiting at the level crossing with S303 entering the station. .3 - ditto, but with S304 in the photograph under the signal gantry. .4 - tram 17 crossing the crossing with the signal box and Victoria House in the background. .5 - ditto - tram has a Twin Lakes signs and a "Make Bliss No Love" roof advert for Bliss Bombs. .6 - ditto - with the S. F. Motors Pty Ltd Mercedes Benz dealership in the background.tramways, trams, railway station, lydiard st north, level crossings, victorian railways, tram 33, tram 40, tram 17

Yields information about the Ballarat Railway Station and the adjacent level crossing.Set of two 35mm slides - Hanimex light blue grey plastic mount of a the view from No. 1 platform at Ballarat Railway Station looking towards the Lydiard St level crossing. Shows the crossing gates, signals and tracks. A goods train with a Z van at the rear is in the platform.tramways, trams, railway station, victorian railways

Yields information about the Lydiard St level crossing.Black and white photograph of No. ESCo No. 10 about to cross the Lydiard St level crossing. Photo has the title of "Arrival of Adelaide Express, Ballarat", which is not correct for the trains consist - more like a picnic special - this photo has been written up somewhere. D class loco, with two six wheel carriages behind the locomotive. Group of women with umbrellas (sun) waiting for the tram. Horse drawn carts, interlocked gates, signals prior to resignalling of the post and railway level crossing signs. In the background is Reids Coffee Palace, advertising Sunlight soap, Suttons Music, Pearson's Hard soap, Hans Irvines Champion Wines and Standard & Smith.trams, tramways, railway station, lydiard st north, reids coffee palace, esco, tram 10

Yields information about Ballarat Tramways and trams prior to the closure of the tramway system.Set of 9 digital images of Ballarat trams prior to closure, scanned from original slides by Tony Smith, 1971 prior to closure of the system. This set of slides appears to be the last day of operations - 19/9/1971 .1 - 40 south bound in Lydiard St Nth, at the Gregory St Loop. .2 - 40 after passing through the loop .3 - 42, north bound in Lydiard St. North at Macarthur St. .4 - 42 southbound at the Railway station level crossing with the Kennedy Murray Pty Ltd General Carriers building at the station yard in the background. .5 - 42 southbound in Lydiard St North after crossing the railway - taken from the signal box (B) with Reids Palace in the background and the Provincial Hotel. .6 - 35 northbound after passing through the level crossing. .7 - bogie tram crossing the tracks with Ballarat Railway Station in the background. .8 - bogie tram entering the double track section in Lydiard St with Reids Palace in the background. Note the new bus stop bay. .9 - 35 and another bogie in Sturt St, with the Town Hall, Golden Star Chinese Cafe and Georges Fish & Chip shop in the background.trams, tramways, lydiard st nth, gregory st, level crossings, ballarat railway station, sturt st, closure, tram 40, tram 42, tram 35

Black and White photograph, of Bendigo 3 climbing Mitchell St, near the Railway Station with the Destination of Quarry Hill. Has a Hutton's Ham ad on the front drivers panel and two rood ads. In the background are Sandhurst Dairies shop advertising Toppa Ice Cream, a boot repairer and a van marked Jeffreys Bread parked on the north side of Mitchell St. Nearing the point where the double track became single - see the signal wire insulators in the overhead. Printed on Fujichrome paper. Two copies held."TMSV Sales" stamp on rear. On rear of in ink 'HTT16 = MM N 102 = Geel 32 = BED 3"trams, tramways, bendigo, mitchell st, quarry hill, overhead, tram 3

Yields information about the appearance of SEC trams in the mid 1950'ss at the Railway level crossing and the streetscape.Black and white photograph of Ballarat tram No. 14 crossing the railway level crossing in Lydiard St Nth - 14-3-1954. Tram has the destination of Sebastopol. In the background is Ballarat Goods Shed, the signal gantry and the Kennedy & Co. General Carriers building.On rear in ink "ARHS Photo, Ballarat, 14-3-1954"trams, tramways, level crossings, lydiard st north, railway station, tram 14

Yields information the appearance and details about SEC Tram No. 36 in the late 1950's and the railway level crossing at Ballarat station.Digital scan from the Ben Parle collection of SEC No. 36 crossing the level crossing at the Ballarat Railway station with the signalling mast and Reid's Coffee Palace in the background. Photo 1950's or early 1960 prior to introduction of dash canopy lighting. Photo received with the Ben Parle slides 09/2004. trams, tramways, lydiard st nth, railway, level crossings, tram 36

Laurie McCabe was in charge of Beech Forest Station until October 1929. When the timber industry went into decline because of poor markets and the crippling effects of the 1929 strike, and when road haulage signalled the beginning of a new transport era it was the beginning of the end. As a result staffing levels were severely cut over the period 1927/29 with the two station masters at Beech Forest and Gellibrand replaced by caretakers in October 1929. The line was then supervised by travelling station masters of whom Laurie McCabe was one of two.B/W. Laurie McCabe in charge of Beech Forest Railway Station in the 1920s, pictured on track one just down from the station buildings. Note the slight snow covering on the tracks.beech forest; railways; laurie mccabe;

This original station on the Colac-Beech Forest line was first known as "Moorbanool" after the local parish, and then shortened to "Banool" on 1 November 1904. At first facilities consisted of a passenger shelter, a loop siding for 11 trucks, plus a residence for the ganger of the track gang based there. By 1912 with the extension of the line to Crowes increased train services on the line required a crossing station in this section of the track, and therefore Banool became a staff and ticket station with a crossing loop and home signals. However, this only lasted for two years and was abolished as an economy measure in 1916. Loading figures show that in most years the outwards tonnage at Banool was less than 150 tonnes. The station was reduced to a passenger shelter and goods loop only by 1929, and by the time of closure in 1962 most trains were steaming through.Colour. Locomotive G42 and its NQR goods wagons, loaded and unloaded, steaming past Banool station passenger shelter. 143mm x 274mm print.banool; moorbanool; railways; locomotive g42;

1965 fire at the Bendigo Railway Station A dull explosion in the refreshment room about 1:30 p.m. touched off the blaze, which quickly spread and burnt out the station in less than an hour. Just before the explosion a train carrying more than 200 Melbourne-bound holiday makers pulled out of the station. Scores of railways employees in other parts of the station did not realise the refreshment room was on fire until a signal box attendant gave the alarm. Early estimates place damage at more than £100,000. Quick work by station staff saved many thousands of pounds worth of equipment before flames engulfed the building from end to end. At the height of the blaze, a Bendigo fire brigade Station Officer, Vin Lapsley, fell 18 feet – and miraculously landed on his feet – after being overcome by smoke while directing a hose from a ladder on to the roof. Mr. Lapsley was later treated for a broken bone in his right leg.Many images from by Arthur Pulfer copied to slides. Nineteen Slides of Bendigo images: Bendigo Railway Station after fire 1965 New Bendigo Railway Station after the fire Bendigo Town Hall and Bull Street Bendigo Law Courts and Police Station from the conservatory gardens Gold Panners Monument with the Bendigo Technical school in the background Bendigo Cenotaph - set up for an event - Charing Cross - 1957 New Bendigo Chinese Dragon 'Loong' 1970 Easter Procession 1957 Golden Square High School September 1965 Hattam Street Bendigo Opening of Golden Oaks retirement village September 1965 - Hattam Street Bendigo High Street Golden Square, Bendigo - monument to the founding of gold in the area Bendigo Showgrounds with the Benevolent Home and the Base Hospital in the background Old Base Hospital Lucan Street Bendigo Arnold Street former shop Bendigo Alexandra Fountain Charing Cross Bendigo Banner - Bendigo Training Centre Bendigo House - address unknownhistory, bendigo, james lerk collection, bendigo conservatory, conservatory gardens bendigo, bendigo town hall, bull street bendigo, bendigo railway station fire, golden square high school, golden oaks village bendigo, dragon loong, bendigo cenotaph, alexandra fountain bendigo, bendigo base hospital, bendigo benevolent home, bendigo easter procession

The photo, shows tram 38 decorated for the 1954 Royal Visit, crossing the railway tracks at Ballarat Station in Lydiard St North. The tram has the destination of Sebastopol. In the background is the railway signal gantry, Reids Coffee Palace and the Post Office. Many of the buildings are flying flags.Yields information about the 1954 Royal Tram.Photograph, black and white - plain black with Ken Magor stamp and negative number written on the rear.Ken Magor Negative Number - "3427" tramways, trams, royal visit, decorated trams, tram 38, lydiard st nth, level crossings

Yields information about the Gold tram of 1951 and of the railway level crossing in Lydiard St North.Negative and Digital image of the Wal Jack Ballarat Negative file of No. 23 as the gold tram crossing the level crossing in Lydiard St North, during 1951 on its way to Lydiard St North. In the background is the signal gantry and the Kennedy Murray Pty Ltd General Carriers. trams, tramways, lydiard st nth, level crossings, ballarat railway station, gold tram, tram 23

Yields information about SEC Ballarat Welding truck fitted with a trolley pole.Colour slides, Kodak white cardboard mount, developed Dec 1969 of the SEC Ford Welding truck, complete with Trolley Pole in the Power Station yard. Welder, weld Note the hand vice on the front bumper bar and the hand operated turn and stop signal device. See Reg Item 2864 for a view of this truck at work.ballarat, tramways, trams, sec, trackwork, welding

Shows trams at the Lydiard St level crossing gates and the signal gantry.Yields information about Ballarat tram No. 20 and the locationBlack and White photograph of SEC Ballarat tram No. 20 crossing the railway level crossing in Lydiard St North. Has the signal gantry in the background. Photo by Keith Kings 22/1/1955.On rear has the photographers file number (M)(d)(3)ballarat, lydiard st north, level crossing, railway station, tram 20

Wal Jack swapped photographs with his correspondents. This photo by Keith Kings, a railway photograph of QGR locomotive 748 crossing the complex arrangements of tracks at Woolloongabba - three tram tracks, one trolley bus route. The photographer noted that trains could block all tram lines at times. Trains were always proceeded by a man carrying a red flag and ringing a bell. Has the tramway signal box in the background and a large Penfolds Wines advert on a building, a Caltex service station and an advert for Plume petrol.Demonstrates a photograph that would have been sent to Wal Jack by Keith Kings.Black and white photograph of QGR locomotive 748Has extensive details of the photograph on the rear. Keith Kings photo number E(k)(vii)letter, wal jack, keith kings, qgr, railways, woolloongabba

Stawell Railway Yards 1950’s or 60’s. Two Diesel locomotives. Station on right. Goods shed on left. Signal Box in foreground.stawell transport

By arrangment with local and family history librarian, Myra Dowling, this diary was transcribed by Sandra Dexter from the original, which was donated to the City of Boroondara Library Service following the Boroondara Remembers project in 2015. It is a day-to-day account of a soldier's experience going to fight in World War 1, 1914-1919. Robert Thomas Garford (SERN 1138) was born in Fitzroy in 1892. He was aged 23 and living in Camberwell when he enlisted on 14 September 1914. He embarked from Melbourne on board HMAT A38 Ulysses on 22 December 1914. He was a sapper with the 2nd Divisional Signal Company. He was awarded a Military Medal: 'At CLERY, near MT.ST. QUENTIN, on the 31st of August 1918, this soldier was engaged as a linesman at the Brigade Forward Station. Throughout the day forward lines were repeatedly broken by enemy shell fire. Despite this Sapper FARFORD [sic], with very conspicuous coolness patrolled the lines from end to end repairing one break after another. His untiring efforts were responsible for the constant maintenance of communications from the Brigade Station to the Battalions.' Source: 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 115, 10 October 1919. He returned to Australia 3 December 1918. He married Annie Christina Devine in 1941. They lived at 16 York Street, Surrey Hills and later 17 Blackburn Street, Surrey Hills. He died 30 May 1969 at Surrey Hills and is buried in Box Hill Cemetery: P-A-0054.A day to day account of a soldier's experience going to fight in World War 1, 1914-1919world war, 1914-1918, diaries and journals, (mr) (sapper) r garford, box hill cemetery, robert thomas garford

This telegram was sent from the Royal Netherlands Airways, Sydney, to the manager of ABC Radio Station 2CO, Corowa, New South Wales. This telegram relates to the 1934 London to Melbourne Air Race. The telegram records the Royal Netherlands Airways' thanks to ABC Radio 2CO radio staff for their efforts in broadcasting an emergency message to the residents of Albury after the Dutch airliner ‘Uiver’ became lost at night in bad weather. As requested local radio listeners drove their cars to the Albury racecourse and illuminated an emergency landing ground using their vehicle headlights. This allowed the lost airliner to land safely.This item relates to the London to Melbourne Air Race of 1934, a significant event that shaped Australia's history as it proved travelling to and from Australia could be done within a reasonable time by air, thereby making the country less isolated. Up to that time Australia was three weeks away from Europe by steam ship. The Air Race was dreamt up by the Lord Mayor of Melbourne, Harold Smith, to commemorate the centenary of Victoria's statehood and was sponsored by the Melbourne chocolate manufacturer Sir MacPherson Robertson. The Royal Netherlands Airways entered a Douglas DC2 plane 'Uiver' - the largest aircraft in the race, and the only one to carry passengers as well as crew, to show that a commercial passenger service to Australia was possible. But in the last leg of the race, the Uiver lost its way in an electrical storm over the Riverina town of Albury. Several communication methods were used to land the plane safely, including the signalling of the word "Albury" in Morse code using the town's street lights. Local ABC Radio station 2CO also made a call for locals to light up a makeshift landing strip for the plane at the town's racecourse. The plane landed safely and the next morning with the help of the townspeople who pulled it out of the mud, took off and finished the race in second place. The story of the Uiver points to the importance of communication in its various forms: two-way and broadcast radio, Morse, and light signals. The survival of the Uiver is a reflection of the ingenuity of Australian communications and the solutions that can be found through the sharing of ideas of information. The landing of the Uiver was an important moment in Albury's social history, as residents participated in the rescue of the plane and its passengers, helping the Uiver to continue on its journey and finish second in the Race. When the Uiver crashed in the Syrian Desert in December 1934, Albury residents contributed to a memorial which honoured those who were killed. Beige paper telegram printed with black ink and overwritten with typewriter. Telegram split into sections designating details of the telegram, details of the recipient and a space for the transmitted message. A small section of paper is missing from bottom left corner."Extend to you my warmest appreciation for your most valuable / assistance rendered to Netherlands machine by continuously keeping your / wireless organisation available during a period of extremely difficult / air navigation stop I assure you that in Holland and in Java your action / is most deeply appreciated Bakker chief representative in Australia for / Royal Netherlands airways. / 6 18pm"telegrams, telegraphic messages, communications, radio, uiver, royal netherlands airways, albury, london to melbourne air race, morse code

The donor George Lister Coop was about 21 years of age when he took this photo. It is one of a small series of photos donated by him that relate to Mont Albert and Surrey Hills stations. He has always had an interest in railways and there are other examples of his documentation of railway history in other collections contributing to this database. R J Mercer was the butcher at 112 Union Road. This property has a long history of being a butcher's shop beginning from c1904. He took over from Edward Lloyd in 1951. Spotless Dry Cleaners were at 104 Union Road.This is an important photo as there are few known colour images of the station prior to the installation of the third line in the early 1970s, which resulted in the demolition of the station built in 1883. It is also significant as a record of the housing along the south side of Stirling Crescent which was later replaced by light industry.A digital colour photo of Surrey Hills railway station taken from the overhead pedestrian footbridge looking towards Canterbury. Both tracks and the verandas on either side of the line can be seen, as can the railway gates in the open position and the signal box, beside which is a large palm tree. A section of red goods vans are positioned in the adjacent goods yard. Some of the businesses and advertising hoardings in Union Road can be seen in the background. These include A Doubleday (real estate agents), R J Mer..., grocer, baker, Spotless Dry Cleaning, Robur tea and Lipton tea (part of only). A number of the Edwardian houses along the south side of Stirling Crescent are also seen.george l coop, surrey hills railway station, goods yard, real estate agent, a doubleday, grocer, baker, union road, stirling crescent, spotless dry cleaning, r j mercer, butcher

In the 1950s with the introduction two-way HF and later VHF very high frequency radio sets. Melton Rural Fire Brigade was part of the Bacchus Marsh Group. Radio sets where located in the Melton Fire Truck, and in the house of the Barrie family at Ferris Road. This was an ideal location to observe a 360 degree view in all directions when smoke appeared on the horizon. An antenna was erected beside the house. The set OX 7 was located in the kitchen and monitored 24 hours by the family. When an electrical fire occurred at the junction of the electricity to the house there was time to radio the fire station and summons the men working in the paddocks, thus saving the house from possible destruction. With the introduction of UHF – ultra high frequency Vinten Radios the signal was clearer and static and interference lessened and radio traffic became easier to read, and reduced noise levels in the household. VL3 LY Radio Base became the Group Headquarters was established in 1967. By 1970 the Brigades were: Melton, Rockbank, Sydenham, Toolern Vale, Diggers Rest, Truganina, and Werribee. In 1974 when the family moved to First Avenue, another antenna and a small building were erected adjacent to the residence and used to house the equipment, maps. Radio traffic consisted of regular schedule times and communication with adjoining groups of brigades such as Bacchus Marsh, Mt Macedon and Little River Groups. Many of the brigade and group base radios were situated in private residences and operated primarily by fire fighters wives who held the position of Communications Officer, either registered as a brigade member or informally. Edna was never registered as an operational brigade member but operated informally as an assistant to her husband Bon. She was however a member of the Melton Fire Brigade Ladies Auxiliary from its inception in 1968, a non-operational position. Edna kept up to date with radio procedure following the 1967 handbook; preparing maps, plotting compass points and taking notes on weather forecasts from the SA Border and Western District. Daily notes were taken in anticipation of fire warnings. These log books and daily radio traffic were incidental to the regular radio schedules. Emergency turnouts noted, burning off times and predicted location of smoke. In the summer fire season all TBF (total fire ban days were recorded.) In times of emergency the Barrie family assisted Bon the base radio operator to plot the position and location of fire trucks and to help clarify garbled radio traffic, keep notes and make telephone calls. These log books are held in the EE and EW Family Archive. Items selected by Wendy Barrie for viewing Melton Fire Brigade celebrationsemergency services, local identities

In 1975 the Melton Fire Station opened in McKenzie Street. In the 1950s with the introduction two-way HF and later VHF very high frequency radio sets. Melton Rural Fire Brigade was part of the Bacchus Marsh Group. Radio sets where located in the Melton Fire Truck, and in the house of the Barrie family at Ferris Road. This was an ideal location to observe a 360 degree view in all directions when smoke appeared on the horizon. An antenna was erected beside the house. The set OX 7 was located in the kitchen and monitored 24 hours by the family. When an electrical fire occurred at the junction of the electricity to the house there was time to radio the fire station and summons the men working in the paddocks, thus saving the house from possible destruction. With the introduction of UHF – ultra high frequency Vinten Radios the signal was clearer and static and interference lessened and radio traffic became easier to read, and reduced noise levels in the household. In 1974 when the family moved to First Avenue, another antenna and a small building were erected adjacent to the residence and used to house the equipment, maps. Radio traffic consisted of regular schedule times and communication with adjoining groups of brigades such as Bacchus Marsh, Mt Macedon and Little River Groups. Many of the brigade and group base radios were situated in private residences and operated primarily by fire fighters wives who held the position of Communications Officer, either registered as a brigade member or informally.Regional News Gazette article about the construction of a new fire station in Melton and an Express article with brigade members at the opening of the station.emergency services

The forty-two navigational flags appear to be a complete set. Their purpose-built, grey painted wooden locker is divided into forty-two pigeonholes, each holding one of the rolled up flags. It is simply built and stands on short legs and was originally open-fronted, but has since been covered with a protective clear Perspex panel. The set of alphabetic and numeric visual signalling flags (including substitute and answering pennants) are made of wool in various colour combination designs, with canvas sewn to one end that is threaded with hemp rope. Some of the flags have metal clips attached to the rope. The flags were used for communicating messages to passing ships. Knowledge of visual signalling was mandatory for all lightkeepers and all stations maintained a set of flags. Although used for centuries, visual flag signalling formally developed in the nineteenth century and was published internationally as a system in 1857. By the early twentieth century it had developed into an effective means of conveying all kinds of short range visual messages. Most flags are in good condition and their first level significance is enhanced by their completeness and integrity as a set still housed in their original locker, and by the signal charts that remain in the museum collection which offer further insights into visual signalling.1 - 42. Navigational flag set of 42 individual flags. Coloured linen with canvas sewn to one end which has hemp rope threaded through it. Some flags have metal clips attached to the ends of the hemp rope. 43. Wooden cupboard divided into sections with wooden divides. Used to house the 42 flags. • 1. navy & white. 2. navy & yellow. 3. navy & white. 4. white. 5. red & yellow. 6. yellow & navy. 7. yellow & navy. 8.red. 9.red & white. 10. white & navy. 11. red & navy & white. 12.yellow & navy & & red. 13.navy & white. 14. navy & white. 14. navy & white. 15.navy & white. 16. navy & yellow. 17. yellow & white. 18. white & red. 19. white & red. 20. yellow & red. 21. white & navy. 22. yellow & navy. 23. navy & white. 24. white & navy. 25.red & white. 26. navy & white. 27.red & white. 28.red & white. 29. red & navy. 30. white & navy. 31. yellow. 32.red 7 navy. 33. red. 34 navy,white,red & yellow.35. red & blue. 36. white & red. 37. navy & yellow. 38.red, yellow & white. 39. white. 40. white & red. 41. yellow & red. 42.navy. 43.custom built wooden open cupboard divided into sections to house flags.Yes

The flags were used for communicating messages to passing ships. Knowledge of visual signaling was mandatory for all lightkeepers and all stations maintained a set of these flags. Although used for centuries, visual flag signaling formally developed in the nineteenth century and was published internationally as a system in 1857. By the early twentieth century it had developed into an effective means of conveying all kinds of short range visual messages.The Cape Nelson Lightstation is architecturally and scientifically (technologically) important as the most intact complex of lightstation buildings in Victoria. The octagonal signal station is a unique feature which is all the more important for its complete set of signal flags’. Cape Nelson Lightstation’s complete set of 41 alphabetic and numeric visual signaling flags (including substitute and answering pennants) are made of bunting, a coarse fabric of worsted (open yarn wool) in various colour combinations, and some of the fabric is hand sewn and bears inscriptions. Attachments include handmade wooden toggles, brass clips and hemp rope.