Considered in terms of both loss of property and loss of life, the Black Friday bushfires on 13 January 1939 were one of the worst disasters to have occurred in Australia and certainly the worst bushfire up to that time. The fires burnt 2 million hectares, 69 sawmills were destroyed, 71 people died, and several towns and sawmills were entirely obliterated. Among those killed were four men from the Commission The subsequent Royal Commission conducted by Judge Leonard Stretton has been described as one of the most significant inquiries in the history of Victorian public administration. Its recommendations led to sweeping changes. In addition to building dams and water points, the Stretton Royal Commission recommended expanding and controlling the use of bushfire dugouts at forest sawmills. Well-constructed dugouts had saved the lives of many sawmill workers and their families during the 1939 bushfires. But in some locations, they had proved fatal. Dugouts became mandatory for those few sawmills that remained in the forest after the 1939 fires. Many remote logging coupes and FCV roading camps also had dugouts. The local District Forester was required to make annual pre-season inspections of all dugouts on State forests and those within the Fire Protected Area (FPA). Some were built privately on private land. Most were primitive construction with a log or corrugated iron roof covered with earth. A hessian bag often hung at the entrance to keep the heat and smoke out. But they were dark and damp with snakes and other creepy crawlies often lurking inside. By 1940-41 there were 19 new dugouts constructed by the Commission and a further 128 by forest licensees. Ten years later there were 8 new Commission dugouts and 21 new ones built by other interests. By 1960-61 the rate of new builds was declining but the Commission still managed 103 dugouts while 127 were looked after by others. However, as the forest road network improved and gave all-weather access to modern two-wheel-drive vehicles the reliance on dugouts receded.Large metal sign that was positioned near forest dugoutsbushfire, forest signs, forests commission victoria (fcv)

The images in the Bogong Village Collection were displayed in Bogong Jack’s Tavern for over 20 years and were donated to the Falls Creek Museum when the Tavern closed in 2021. In 1939, the State Electricity Commission of Victoria established a field headquarters at Bogong to house workers and their families for the Kiewa Hydroelectric Scheme which ran from the 1930s to the 1960s. The workmen's camp was originally started with tents and was called Junction Camp. By 1947, the village supported 300 workers and their families. It included 40 houses, a hostel for single staff, a post office, a police station, a medical centre, and a primary school. The staff hostel was known as Kiewa House. At the completion of the Scheme, in the 1960s, the village was opened to public/tourism use. In 1968 the Victorian Education Department acquired the camp buildings and four houses from the State Electricity Commission of Victoria to establish an Outdoor Education Centre which operated for over 50 years. The Kiewa Hydroelectric Scheme was privatized in the 1990s and sold to Southern Hydro, before being acquired by AGL in 2005. In 2023 the Grollo Group signed a 73 year sublease on Bogong Village and has plans for its redevelopment as a workers’ village.These images are significant because they capture the development of Bogong Village as an important element of the Kiewa Hydroelectric Scheme in Victoria.Two black and white images featuring houses in Bogong Village in January 1946. They are constructed of weatherboard, with brick chimneys and tin roofs. Timber steps lead up to the front door and a garden has been planted in front of the house.bogong alpine village, bogong high plains, bogong houses 1946

The images in the Bogong Village Collection were displayed in Bogong Jack’s Tavern for over 20 years and were donated to the Falls Creek Museum when the Tavern closed in 2021. In 1939, the State Electricity Commission of Victoria established a field headquarters at Bogong to house workers and their families for the Kiewa Hydroelectric Scheme which ran from the 1930s to the 1960s. The workmen's camp was originally started with tents and was called Junction Camp. By 1947, the village supported 300 workers and their families. It included 40 houses, a hostel for single staff, a post office, a police station, a medical centre, and a primary school. The staff hostel was known as Kiewa House. At the completion of the Scheme, in the 1960s, the village was opened to public/tourism use. In 1968 the Victorian Education Department acquired the camp buildings and four houses from the State Electricity Commission of Victoria to establish an Outdoor Education Centre which operated for over 50 years. The Kiewa Hydroelectric Scheme was privatized in the 1990s and sold to Southern Hydro, before being acquired by AGL in 2005. In 2023 the Grollo Group signed a 73 year sublease on Bogong Village and has plans for its redevelopment as a workers’ village.These images are significant because they capture the development of Bogong Village as an important element of the Kiewa Hydroelectric Scheme in Victoria.A collection of four black and white images capturing the weather conditions in the Bogong area in June 1944bogong alpine village, bogong high plains, bogong june 1944

The images in the Bogong Village Collection were displayed in Bogong Jack’s Tavern for over 20 years and were donated to the Falls Creek Museum when the Tavern closed in 2021. In 1939, the State Electricity Commission of Victoria established a field headquarters at Bogong to house workers and their families for the Kiewa Hydroelectric Scheme which ran from the 1930s to the 1960s. The workmen's camp was originally started with tents and was called Junction Camp. By 1947, the village supported 300 workers and their families. It included 40 houses, a hostel for single staff, a post office, a police station, a medical centre, and a primary school. The staff hostel was known as Kiewa House. At the completion of the Scheme, in the 1960s, the village was opened to public/tourism use. In 1968 the Victorian Education Department acquired the camp buildings and four houses from the State Electricity Commission of Victoria to establish an Outdoor Education Centre which operated for over 50 years. The Kiewa Hydroelectric Scheme was privatized in the 1990s and sold to Southern Hydro, before being acquired by AGL in 2005. In 2023 the Grollo Group signed a 73 year sublease on Bogong Village and has plans for its redevelopment as a workers’ village.These images are significant because they capture the development of Bogong Village as an important element of the Kiewa Hydroelectric Scheme in Victoria.Two black and white images capturing Bogong Village by night and the spillway at Junction Dam.bogong alpine village, bogong high plains, bogong 1947

The images in the Bogong Village Collection were displayed in Bogong Jack’s Tavern for over 20 years and were donated to the Falls Creek Museum when the Tavern closed in 2021. In 1939, the State Electricity Commission of Victoria established a field headquarters at Bogong to house workers and their families for the Kiewa Hydroelectric Scheme which ran from the 1930s to the 1960s. The workmen's camp was originally started with tents and was called Junction Camp. By 1947, the village supported 300 workers and their families. It included 40 houses, a hostel for single staff, a post office, a police station, a medical centre, and a primary school. The staff hostel was known as Kiewa House. At the completion of the Scheme, in the 1960s, the village was opened to public/tourism use. In 1968 the Victorian Education Department acquired the camp buildings and four houses from the State Electricity Commission of Victoria to establish an Outdoor Education Centre which operated for over 50 years. The Kiewa Hydroelectric Scheme was privatized in the 1990s and sold to Southern Hydro, before being acquired by AGL in 2005. In 2023 the Grollo Group signed a 73 year sublease on Bogong Village and has plans for its redevelopment as a workers’ village. John Maddison and his wife Mary Padman emigrated from London to Australia in 1850 with their five sons. Jack (John James William Maddison) was one of their great grandsons. In 1877 Jack’s grandfather George Maddison selected land between the East and West Kiewa branches of the Kiewa River - known as the "Island". It is now known as Mount Beauty. The Maddison family built Aertex Hut at the top of T Spur at Mt. Bogong for use when grazing cattle. It later became known as Maddison's Hut. Staircase Spur walking track at Bogong was formerly known as Maddison’s Track as it is the path once used by the Maddison family to drive their cattle on to the high plains. These images are significant because they feature the son of a pioneering family on the Bogong High Plains.A black and white photograph of Jack Maddison leading horses on the Bogong High Plains.bogong alpine village, bogong high plains, maddison family mt beauty, maddison's hut, aertex hut,

The images in the Bogong Village Collection were displayed in Bogong Jack’s Tavern for over 20 years and were donated to the Falls Creek Museum when the Tavern closed in 2021. In 1939, the State Electricity Commission of Victoria established a field headquarters at Bogong to house workers and their families for the Kiewa Hydroelectric Scheme which ran from the 1930s to the 1960s. The workmen's camp was originally started with tents and was called Junction Camp. By 1947, the village supported 300 workers and their families. It included 40 houses, a hostel for single staff, a post office, a police station, a medical centre, and a primary school. The staff hostel was known as Kiewa House. At the completion of the Scheme, in the 1960s, the village was opened to public/tourism use. In 1968 the Victorian Education Department acquired the camp buildings and four houses from the State Electricity Commission of Victoria to establish an Outdoor Education Centre which operated for over 50 years. The Kiewa Hydroelectric Scheme was privatized in the 1990s and sold to Southern Hydro, before being acquired by AGL in 2005. In 2023 the Grollo Group signed a 73 year sublease on Bogong Village and has plans for its redevelopment as a workers’ village.These images are significant because they capture the development of Bogong Village as an important element of the Kiewa Hydroelectric Scheme in Victoria.Two images capturing the depiction Bogong Village and the Howman's Dam Camp 1948bogong alpine village, bogong high plains, bogong 1947

The images in the Bogong Village Collection were displayed in Bogong Jack’s Tavern for over 20 years and were donated to the Falls Creek Museum when the Tavern closed in 2021. In 1939, the State Electricity Commission of Victoria established a field headquarters at Bogong to house workers and their families for the Kiewa Hydroelectric Scheme which ran from the 1930s to the 1960s. The workmen's camp was originally started with tents and was called Junction Camp. By 1947, the village supported 300 workers and their families. It included 40 houses, a hostel for single staff, a post office, a police station, a medical centre, and a primary school. The staff hostel was known as Kiewa House. At the completion of the Scheme, in the 1960s, the village was opened to public/tourism use. In 1968 the Victorian Education Department acquired the camp buildings and four houses from the State Electricity Commission of Victoria to establish an Outdoor Education Centre which operated for over 50 years. The Kiewa Hydroelectric Scheme was privatized in the 1990s and sold to Southern Hydro, before being acquired by AGL in 2005. In 2023 the Grollo Group signed a 73 year sublease on Bogong Village and has plans for its redevelopment as a workers’ village.These images are significant because they capture the development of Bogong Village as an important element of the Kiewa Hydroelectric Scheme in Victoria.An aerial view of Bogong Village and surrounds, date unknown.bogong alpine village, bogong high plains, aerial photos bogong village

The images in the Bogong Village Collection were displayed in Bogong Jack’s Tavern for over 20 years and were donated to the Falls Creek Museum by the Liz Krien & the Bogong Village Trust Board when the Tavern closed in 2021. In 1939, the State Electricity Commission of Victoria established a field headquarters at Bogong to house workers and their families for the Kiewa Hydroelectric Scheme which ran from the 1930s to the 1960s. The workmen's camp was originally started with tents and was called Junction Camp. By 1947, the village supported 300 workers and their families. It included 40 houses, a hostel for single staff, a post office, a police station, a medical centre, and a primary school. The staff hostel was known as Kiewa House. At the completion of the Scheme, in the 1960s, the village was opened to public/tourism use. In 1968 the Victorian Education Department acquired the camp buildings and four houses from the State Electricity Commission of Victoria to establish an Outdoor Education Centre which operated for over 50 years. The Kiewa Hydroelectric Scheme was privatized in the 1990s and sold to Southern Hydro, before being acquired by AGL in 2005. In 2023 the Grollo Group signed a 73 year sublease on Bogong Village and has plans for its redevelopment as a workers’ village.These images are significant because they capture the development of Bogong Village as an important element of the Kiewa Hydroelectric Scheme in Victoria.A collection of 10 black and white images capturing the development of Bogong Alpine Village. They depict development of the new village, the surrounding area and some staff members during 1940.bogong alpine village, bogong 1940, bogong high plains

The images in the Bogong Village Collection were displayed in Bogong Jack’s Tavern for over 20 years and were donated to the Falls Creek Museum when the Tavern closed in 2021. In 1939, the State Electricity Commission of Victoria established a field headquarters at Bogong to house workers and their families for the Kiewa Hydroelectric Scheme which ran from the 1930s to the 1960s. The workmen's camp was originally started with tents and was called Junction Camp. By 1947, the village supported 300 workers and their families. It included 40 houses, a hostel for single staff, a post office, a police station, a medical centre, and a primary school. The staff hostel was known as Kiewa House. At the completion of the Scheme, in the 1960s, the village was opened to public/tourism use. In 1968 the Victorian Education Department acquired the camp buildings and four houses from the State Electricity Commission of Victoria to establish an Outdoor Education Centre which operated for over 50 years. The Kiewa Hydroelectric Scheme was privatized in the 1990s and sold to Southern Hydro, before being acquired by AGL in 2005. In 2023 the Grollo Group signed a 73 year sublease on Bogong Village and has plans for its redevelopment as a workers’ village.These images are significant because they capture the development of Bogong Village as an important element of the Kiewa Hydroelectric Scheme in Victoria.A collection of seven black and white images capturing the development of Bogong Alpine Village and the Pretty Valley area during 1943.bogong alpine village, bogong high plains, bogong 1943

The images in the Bogong Village Collection were displayed in Bogong Jack’s Tavern for over 20 years and were donated to the Falls Creek Museum when the Tavern closed in 2021. In 1939, the State Electricity Commission of Victoria established a field headquarters at Bogong to house workers and their families for the Kiewa Hydroelectric Scheme which ran from the 1930s to the 1960s. The workmen's camp was originally started with tents and was called Junction Camp. By 1947, the village supported 300 workers and their families. It included 40 houses, a hostel for single staff, a post office, a police station, a medical centre, and a primary school. The staff hostel was known as Kiewa House. At the completion of the Scheme, in the 1960s, the village was opened to public/tourism use. In 1968 the Victorian Education Department acquired the camp buildings and four houses from the State Electricity Commission of Victoria to establish an Outdoor Education Centre which operated for over 50 years. The Kiewa Hydroelectric Scheme was privatized in the 1990s and sold to Southern Hydro, before being acquired by AGL in 2005. In 2023 the Grollo Group signed a 73 year sublease on Bogong Village and has plans for its redevelopment as a workers’ village.These images are significant because they capture the development of Bogong Village as an important element of the Kiewa Hydroelectric Scheme in Victoria.A collection of four black and white images capturing the development of Bogong Alpine Village and the Pretty Valley area during 1942.bogong alpine village, bogong high plains, bogong 1942

The images in the Bogong Village Collection were displayed in Bogong Jack’s Tavern for over 20 years and were donated to the Falls Creek Museum when the Tavern closed in 2021. In 1939, the State Electricity Commission of Victoria established a field headquarters at Bogong to house workers and their families for the Kiewa Hydroelectric Scheme which ran from the 1930s to the 1960s. The workmen's camp was originally started with tents and was called Junction Camp. By 1947, the village supported 300 workers and their families. It included 40 houses, a hostel for single staff, a post office, a police station, a medical centre, and a primary school. The staff hostel was known as Kiewa House. At the completion of the Scheme, in the 1960s, the village was opened to public/tourism use. In 1968 the Victorian Education Department acquired the camp buildings and four houses from the State Electricity Commission of Victoria to establish an Outdoor Education Centre which operated for over 50 years. The Kiewa Hydroelectric Scheme was privatized in the 1990s and sold to Southern Hydro, before being acquired by AGL in 2005. In 2023 the Grollo Group signed a 73 year sublease on Bogong Village and has plans for its redevelopment as a workers’ village.These images are significant because they capture the development of Bogong Village as an important element of the Kiewa Hydroelectric Scheme in Victoria.A collection of four black and white images capturing the development of Bogong Alpine Village. They depict development of the new village, the surrounding area and some staff members during 1941.bogong alpine village, bogong high plains, bogong 1941

This bowl was used by the SECV in their mess rooms for workers during the construction of the Kiewa Hydro Electric Scheme. The imprint of the year '1921' was to identify the year that the SECV was formed which relieved the private VHEC (Victorian Hydro-Electric Company). As the scheme was of such a huge scope, isolated and time consuming nature, the feeding of its workers was quite demanding of cutlery and crockery. (See more KVHS 0113)This bowl was used by SECV workers working on the Kiewa Hydro Electric Scheme (1938 - 1961) in camps and mess halls and at the Mt Beauty chalet. (See more KVHS 0113)This item is a white ceramic State Electricity Commission of Victoria bowl. It is made in England and is of strong and durable ceramic. The 5 mm thickness of the ceramic suggests this bowl (cereal / soup) belongs to a commercial kitchen environment and not domestic. The indent bottom of the bowl is 5 mm deep with a side curvature ratio of 2:5. The ceramic is glazed to a commercial standard (workers' mess). See also KVHS 0128 (B - D) for other ceramic crockery.The red printed seal of the State Electricity Commission of Victoria is imprinted on the top outside rim within a curved scroll and a raised fist with electrical "Charges" extending out. Snuggled within the borders of the scroll is a banner with the 5 stars of the Southern Cross. On the underside "Vitrified sold by Cafe & Hotel Supplies Pty Ltd Dunn Bennett & Co. Ltd. Burslem. Made in Englandcrockery; state electricity commission of victoria; dunn bennett pty. ltd.; bowl

Black and white photograph of four bush workers with a dog, axe and fern hook or slasher, one man with a rifle at Four Mile camp Buchan Road East Gippsland Victoriaforestry, government services, topography

Black and white photograph of eight bush workers Charles Pettman with a dog posed in a bush setting at the Four Mile Old Buchan Road East Gippsland Victoria. Names on second photoworkmen, engineering, government services