Clive Leslie Swift (RAAF 430415) was born in Elsternwick in 1924 and served in the RAAF in Borneo during WW2. He was mentioned in dispatches. He married Enid (Ina) Mary Smith in 1947. Together they ran the grocery store at 10 Croydon Road from 1949 until some time after 1954. In the 1980s they were living in Highbury Road, East Burwood and Clive was working for Unigate (later Bonlac) in a managerial position. (REF: Oral testimony, Libby Wilson, Canterbury History Group). The shop continued after the Swifts left but was later destroyed by fire. Clive Swift died in March 2014. This and other dockets were tucked into Ruth Matthews' recipe folder. Ruth and Harold Geoffrey (Geoff) Matthews lived at 42 Guildford Road, Surrey Hills. The donor recalled that her paternal grandmother (Ethel May Matthews) also occasionally shopped at the Swifts' shop as it was closer to her home (31 Guildford Road) than either than Griffith’s on Union Road or Thomas’ on Maling Road . Dockets such as these are reflective of shopping in the pre-supermarket era when women generally walked to the local shop or had proprietors or a staff member come to the house to take weekly orders. A pre-printed grocery docket for C. L. Swift (Late R.A.A.F.) on cream (slightly discoloured) paper printed in black, red and blue filled in with 19 hand-written items, their prices and the total of the grocery order. A green and cream duty stamp to the value of 3d is attached and over-signed with initials as having been paid. Order was for Mrs Matthews of Guildford Road.clive leslie swift, miss enid (ina) mary smith, mrs enid (ina) mary swift, croydon road, guildford road, grocery store, docket, accounts, bushells tea, mrs ruth matthews, harold geoffrey matthews, 'geoff' matthews

The district of Strathfieldsaye was proclaimed in 1861 and named a Shire on the 17th September in 1866. It remained a shire until amalgamation in 1994 when it became part of the City of Greater Bendigo. The shire was located 8 km to the south- east of Bendigo and covered an area of 601 square kilometres and extended from the Calder Highway to the Coliban and Campaspe Rivers. The shire's administration centre was in Strathfieldsaye until 1972 when new offices were opened in KenningtonFramed black and white head and shoulder portrait of Councillor Somerville with hand drawn detail. Profile slightly to left, face has full beard. Cut oval brown mount decorated with text and scrolls. Hand written title top and lower centre.Presented to / Strathfieldsaye / Shire Council / W. H. Robinson / Photo / Bendigo / by / Cr Thomas Somerville / President 1892 - 3. 1901.2. 1910.11 strathfieldsaye shire council, councillor somerville, president of strathfieldsaye shire

SUMMARY - Ernest W (Bon) Barrie, 1909 – 1985 Profile Melton Mechanics Institute Member 1935 - 1982i Trustee 1952 - 1982 Life Member 1968 Years of service – 47 years He constructed and provided a public address system which was used at Melton and district halls and sports grounds for a wide variety of community events including school sports, gymkhanas, theatrical productions and processions. Fire Brigade Melton Fire Brigade (and predecessor Bush Fire Brigade) Apparatus Officer, 1945 - 1953 Captain, 1951 - 1965 Mt Cotterill Fire Brigades’ Group Elected Group Officer, on the formation of the Group, 1967. As Group Communications Officer he operated the VL3 LY base radio station from home on a 24 hour basis for fire brigades of Melton, Rockbank, Sydenham, Diggers Rest, Toolern Vale, Truganina and Werribee. With his brother Edgar, he built the first Melton Fire Truck. It was housed on the family property until a fire station was constructed in the Melton township. Recipient of the Queens Medal, 1979 Recognised for 44 years of service on the Melton Fire Brigade Memorial Wall Plaque, dedicated May 2013 Melton State School, no 430 Committee – School Correspondent (secretarial and financial role) 34 years of Service Provided his Amplifier Equipment for events and the annual district School Sports from 1939-1973. Donated the House Athletic Shield Melton and District Historical Society 1968 – 1985 President and foundation member Willows Historical Park – supported the establishment of the park and contributed many volunteers hours in the construction and landscaping of the precinct Member, Western Metropolitan Groups of Historical Societies, 1980s Shire of Melton Councillor South Riding, 1969-1971 Member of the Water Trust Melton Uniting Church Melton Uniting Church (and its predecessors the Methodist, Methodist-Presbyterian churches). A lifetime association which extended from childhood when he attended Sunday school until his death in 1985. Member of the Presbyterian Board of Management for more than 25 years in which he held positions of Honorary Secretary and Treasurer, Board member of the Parish Council and Member of the Committee of Management. He was a Sunday school teacher 1933. Community development With Mr RC Butler met with Shire Council in 1937 to canvass residents to ascertain prospective Electric consumers in the district. Electricity was subsequently turned on at dusk on 20th December 1939. Melton Progress Association, including Melton Musical, Elocutionary and Vocal Competitions, Vice President 1939 1940 Melton Development Association, 1960s Volunteer Air Observers Corps (VAOC)ii Carried out plane spotting at Shire Office and spotting tower in Melton and later from home until 1944/45. Agriculture and farming Progress and Better Farming Association, Melton. Honorary Secretary, 1935 Member, Agricultural Engineering Society Australia c1960-1985 A successful grower of wheat, oats and barley, he planted experiment plots and held Field Days on the “Darlingsford” property. He later diversified into other grains and sheep (wool and meat). He took a enthusiastic interest in agricultural engineering and was keen to introduce innovative ideas that improved the productivity of farms and farming practices. In the mid 1950 he conducted trials during harvest on the family property of the original mechanical hay fork built on a British Bedford truck by Bill Gillespie. This design was further refined in collaboration with the Gillespie brothers and resulted in the construction the hydraulically operated tractor mounted hay fork. The innovative design of the hay fork created interest from far and wide and was quickly taken up by farmers because it significantly reduced hand labouring of loading sheaves of hay with a pitch fork. His father established chaff mills in Melton, Rockbank, Parwan, Diggers Rest in the first decade of 1900 and in 1915 went into partnership with JR Schutt to establish the Schutt & Barrie Pty. Ltd. Chaff Cutting and Flour Mill in West Footscray. When it ceased trading in 1968 the directors were: Ernest W Barrie and Thomas L Barrie, R, A, and M Schutt. Awards Queens Medal, 1979 Rotary Award for Community Service, 1980 Victoria 150th Anniversary Celebrations contributions, 1985 Service held at Melton Uniting Church local identities

A blue cloth hardcover book, A Great Mistake by Rev. T.S. Millington, with a gold, red and brown illustration of a boy climbing into a hot air balloon basket already in flight and a city skyline in sunset at the bottom of the cover. The title and author are printed in gold and black lettering on the front. An illustration in gold and brown is on spine of a soldier and a woman holding hands. Black initials RTS for the publisher are at base of the spine. Numerous black and white illustrations are inside. On the middle of the back cover black leaves are printed on it.fictionA novel from The Boy's Own Bookshelf No IV - a story of adventure of three boys who ran away from school, and later go to war and the siege of Paris.children's books, adventure, war, friendship

The Kangaroo Hoppet is Australia’s premier long distance cross country ski race, and a member of the Worldloppet series of international cross country ski events. The first race at Falls Creek was held in 1979 under the name of “Australian Birkebeiner”. It was a 21km race with about 80 participants organised by the Birkebeiner Nordic Ski Club of Mount Beauty. The course started and finished at Falls Creek Alpine Resort and took participants out into the Bogong High Plains. After running the event for 10 years, it was decided they should become part of the Worldloppet series of marathon ski races. Representatives from the Birkebeiner Nordic Ski Club and the Australian Ski Federation attended the Worldloppet Annual Meeting in Finland in June 1990 to put the case for the acceptance of an Australian event into the Worldloppet series. Before being admitted, they had to demonstrate that the Birkebeiner Club could run a world class event, so three months later in August 1990 a 42km event named the Australian International Ski Marathon was held at Falls Creek together with a 21km Birkebeiner race and a 7km event called the Birkebeiner Lite. The event was approved by delegates from USA, Norway and Austria, in 1991 Australia became the 12th member of Worldloppet, with the condition that there had to be a name change. After some late night discussion allegedly involving red wine from North East Victoria the main event became the 42km Kangaroo Hoppet, with the minor events being the 21km Australian Birkebeiner, and 7km Joey Hoppet. In the winter of 1991, the first Kangaroo Hoppet was held. It was a great success and has been a regular fixture on the international ski calendar ever since. It features the main 42km event as well as a 21km event and a 7km event. The Hoppet brings the Australian snowfields to an international audience. In 2007 the Men's Winner was Thomas Freimuth from Germany in a time of 1:46:57. The winner of the Women's event was Kate Calder of New Zealand in a time of 2:08:00. This poster is significant because it documents an event which brings international attention to Falls Creek and the surrounding region.A coloured poster with an image of a group of skiers skiing up a gentle slope. A kangaroo traffic sign has been stuck in the snow.. The logos of Falls Creek, Tourism Victoria and Worldloppet are on the bottom right hand side.Vertically on the left hand side: KANGAROO HOPPET 17 Horizontally on the left hand side: August 25 2007 Falls Creek Australia [email protected] www.hoppet.com.au kangaroo hoppet, worldloppet events, falls creek, mt. beauty

A letter of request in the Ballarat Courier newspaper for information about Thomas Toop from his great niece, Mrs Norah Jones of Southampton, England.Toop's grand-niece gives details about Toop's family and correspondence from Mrs Jones' family.Newspaper article darkened with ageLarge red dot stuck on the bottom of article with 1 in biro. Written on the left hand side in blue biro on small piece of newspaper attached to the article, Tom Toop died in 1957.john garner collection, garner, dr, toop, courier, newspaper, ballarat botanical gardens, ballarat, gardens, thomas toop, curator

Thomas Manly was a well-known resident of Bacchus Marsh. Born at Rowsley in 1863, Mr. Manly was a grandson in a family who had been in the service of the Greene family at "Greystones" from the time of its arrival in Victoria. The woolsheds at "Greystones" were built by deceased's grandfather, who also conducted a jeweller's shop at Rowsley. Like his forebears, Mr. Thomas Manly entered the service at "Greystones" and later worked for Messrs. Chomley and Boyd at "Glenmore." After his marriage to Miss Mary Johnston, whose mother arrived as an infant in Bacchus Marsh as early as 1839, Mr. Manly took up residence in the Main Street, Bacchus Marsh, where he has lived ever since. Deceased was a great walker, and mostly walked to his work, both at Rowsley and for the past 27 years to the Darley brickworks. Never a prominent man in public affairs, he was essentially a home-lover, and adopted horticulture as his hobby, gaining many prizes for both flowers and lucerne. Text for this description taken from the obituary for Thomas Manly in the Bacchus Marsh Express, 26 June, 1937, page 3, column 2.A framed painting based on a 1930 photograph of Tom Manly.'Heirloom' inscribed at the bottom right hand corner of the paintingthomas manly 1863-1937, bacchus marsh and district biographies

This image shows the house occupied by Thomas Mason and his family in 1883. The man in the centre of the image holding the reins of the horse is possibly Thomas Mason. One of the two women seated in the buggy is possibly his wife Catherine Mason (nee Whelan). This house was built by grazier George Palmer Hall around 1846-1848 north of what is now Lerderderg Street, Bacchus Marsh, at a point close to the Lerderderg RIver. The house and the accompanying farm of over 5,000 hectares was leased by George Ball to George Hobler in the late 1840s and early 1850s. During this time George Hobler's daughter Emily married Henry Bacchus the son of Captain William Bacchus. By 1865 Thomas Mason had purchased the property. Mason named the property Riverton. After his death in the 1890s the property was owned by a number of different people. The house was still in use until 1999 but since this time has been unoccupied and its condition has significantly deteriorated.This image is significant because it depicts one of the earliest houses built in the town of Bacchus Marsh. It is probably the earliest surviving image of this Bacchus Marsh pre-gold rush structure.Small sepia unframed photograph on card with gold border framing photograph. Housed in the album, 'Photographs of Bacchus Marsh and District in 1883 by Stevenson and McNicoll'. The image shows a brick house, with an iron roof and with a white picket fence around the front garden. There is a buggy to the left of the image with two women seated in it. A man stands in front of the buggy holding the reins of a white horse which is harnessed to the buggy. Further to the right of the image is an older man with his hands in his pockets. On the front: Stevenson & McNicoll. Photo. 108 Elizabeth St. Melbourne. COPIES CAN BE OBTAINED AT ANY TIME. On the back: LIGHT & TRUTH inscribed on a banner surmounted by a representation of the rising sun. Copies of this Portrait can be had at any time by sending the Name and Post Office Money Order or Stamps for the amount of order to STEVENSON & McNICOLL LATE BENSON & STEVENSON, Photographers. 108 Elizabeth Street, MELBOURNE stevenson and mcnicoll 1883 photographs of bacchus marsh and district, houses bacchus marsh, george hobler 1800-1882, henry bacchus 1820-1887, emily bacchus, mason family bacchus marsh

A pink covered paperback Tutor Book for the Violoncello. The title, publisher and series is printed in black lettering on the front cover. Price Two Shillings is written at the bottom along with the publisher details. The back cover lists 35 popular instruction books for other instruments. Listed inside the front and back covers are further Metzler's music books. Pp.36non-fictionA Violoncello tutor book No.12. in which everything relative to that instrument is clearly explained. To which is added - a selection of popular melodies easily arranged as Progressive Lessons by Henry W. Goodban.books, music books, music scores

Dark green paperback Victorian Historical Magazine with the title printed in black lettering with further details including the Contents, Publisher details, price ONE SHILLING and Printer noted. Stapled on the left side. It has a few photos of Samuel Thomas Gill's pencil drawings throughout as well as an article about him. He was renowned as an artist of the goldfields. p.144non-fictionThe Victorian Historical magazine was first published in 1911 This is issue Vol III March 1914, No.3. The Contents lists: Extracts from the diary of The Rev. William Waterfield, first congregational minister at Port Phillip, 1838 - 1843, Recent publications, Index to periodical literature, Samuel Thomas Gill, the artist of the goldfields and notes and queries - Murray pioneers - Lillydale - Jacka Jacka.history magazine, victorian history, magazines, s.t. gill

SUMMARY - Ernest W (Bon) Barrie, 1909 – 1985 Profile Melton Mechanics Institute Member 1935 - 1982i Trustee 1952 - 1982 Life Member 1968 Years of service – 47 years He constructed and provided a public address system which was used at Melton and district halls and sports grounds for a wide variety of community events including school sports, gymkhanas, theatrical productions and processions. Fire Brigade Melton Fire Brigade (and predecessor Bush Fire Brigade) Apparatus Officer, 1945 - 1953 Captain, 1951 - 1965 Mt Cotterill Fire Brigades’ Group Elected Group Officer, on the formation of the Group, 1967. As Group Communications Officer he operated the VL3 LY base radio station from home on a 24 hour basis for fire brigades of Melton, Rockbank, Sydenham, Diggers Rest, Toolern Vale, Truganina and Werribee. With his brother Edgar, he built the first Melton Fire Truck. It was housed on the family property until a fire station was constructed in the Melton township. Recipient of the Queens Medal, 1979 Recognised for 44 years of service on the Melton Fire Brigade Memorial Wall Plaque, dedicated May 2013 Melton State School, no 430 Committee – School Correspondent (secretarial and financial role) 34 years of Service Provided his Amplifier Equipment for events and the annual district School Sports from 1939-1973. Donated the House Athletic Shield Melton and District Historical Society 1968 – 1985 President and foundation member Willows Historical Park – supported the establishment of the park and contributed many volunteers hours in the construction and landscaping of the precinct Member, Western Metropolitan Groups of Historical Societies, 1980s Shire of Melton Councillor South Riding, 1969-1971 Member of the Water Trust Melton Uniting Church Melton Uniting Church (and its predecessors the Methodist, Methodist-Presbyterian churches). A lifetime association which extended from childhood when he attended Sunday school until his death in 1985. Member of the Presbyterian Board of Management for more than 25 years in which he held positions of Honorary Secretary and Treasurer, Board member of the Parish Council and Member of the Committee of Management. He was a Sunday school teacher 1933. Community development With Mr RC Butler met with Shire Council in 1937 to canvass residents to ascertain prospective Electric consumers in the district. Electricity was subsequently turned on at dusk on 20th December 1939. Melton Progress Association, including Melton Musical, Elocutionary and Vocal Competitions, Vice President 1939 1940 Melton Development Association, 1960s Volunteer Air Observers Corps (VAOC)ii Carried out plane spotting at Shire Office and spotting tower in Melton and later from home until 1944/45. Agriculture and farming Progress and Better Farming Association, Melton. Honorary Secretary, 1935 Member, Agricultural Engineering Society Australia c1960-1985 A successful grower of wheat, oats and barley, he planted experiment plots and held Field Days on the “Darlingsford” property. He later diversified into other grains and sheep (wool and meat). He took a enthusiastic interest in agricultural engineering and was keen to introduce innovative ideas that improved the productivity of farms and farming practices. In the mid 1950 he conducted trials during harvest on the family property of the original mechanical hay fork built on a British Bedford truck by Bill Gillespie. This design was further refined in collaboration with the Gillespie brothers and resulted in the construction the hydraulically operated tractor mounted hay fork. The innovative design of the hay fork created interest from far and wide and was quickly taken up by farmers because it significantly reduced hand labouring of loading sheaves of hay with a pitch fork. His father established chaff mills in Melton, Rockbank, Parwan, Diggers Rest in the first decade of 1900 and in 1915 went into partnership with JR Schutt to establish the Schutt & Barrie Pty. Ltd. Chaff Cutting and Flour Mill in West Footscray. When it ceased trading in 1968 the directors were: Ernest W Barrie and Thomas L Barrie, R, A, and M Schutt. Awards Queens Medal, 1979 Rotary Award for Community Service, 1980 Victoria 150th Anniversary Celebrations contributions, 1985 Photographs of Bon Barrielocal identities, pioneer families

"A perpetual spring in the adjacent creek provided a steady supply of fresh water to the site on which the homestead is built. Although we can not be certain of the identity of the builder, the first stage of ‘The Willows’ homestead appears to have been constructed in the mid 1850s. The house is situated on Crown Allotment No.1 (No Section), Parish of Kororoit, an allotment of 5 acres 3 roods 4 perches. Although it had surveyed the land, the Crown did not offer it for sale until 22nd November 1861, at which time it was purchased by Charles March Williams. (Although the property is directly opposite and immediately adjacent to the Township of Melton, and was sold as ‘Suburban Allotment 33’, it was situated within the Shire of Braybrook rather than the Shire of Melton until 1917.) Considerable improvements had taken place on the land prior to the Crown sale. When CM Williams purchased the allotment in November 1861 he paid £23.5.0 for the land itself, and valued the improvements at £400. Even allowing for some exaggeration by Williams, this is an extremely high valuation for improvements, and must have included a house. Some local research has claimed that in 1858 Williams had taken over the interest of a Mr Parkinson in the property, and that Parkinson built the house upon taking possession of the land c.1855. It was definitely built by 1861, when a map shows a square building on the site marked as ‘House’. The property is important in the district for its association with the establishment of the pound. The district pound had been established in 1854, when George Scarborough of Mount Cottrell (Mt Cottrell Road, south of Greigs Road) was appointed pound-keeper. Scarborough resigned in 1857. The pound was moved to Melton following agitation from local farmers and Charles March Williams appointed pound-keeper on 26th April 1858. Williams, the son of a doctor, had been born in London. Reminiscences of local residents of the time, as recorded in the Express newspaper, note Williams’ success in breeding horses on the property. Sales of up to 60 guineas were noted. Whether this was from Williams’s own stock or from unclaimed pound stock is not made clear. Williams appeared before a government inquiry in 1860 and advocated registration of all stock brands in the State. Williams died in 1862 leaving a widow, Catherine, and five living children aged 15 years to five months. At the time of his death Williams had entered negotiations with one Matthew Devenish and had a mortgage of £100 on allotments 1 and 2, Parish of Kororoit. Catherine Williams was appointed pound-keeper on 2 September 1863, with her eldest son Charles as her assistant. Her tenure was short for on 22nd March 1864 George Minns senior paid Matthew Devenish £135 for allotments 1 and 2 Parish of Kororoit (considerably less than Williams had claimed the property was worth in 1861) and on the same day paid William Tullidge £45 for the adjoining allotments 3 and 4. In April 1867, James Ebden Minns, the newly married son of George senior became the owner of The Willows property having entered into a mortgage arrangement with his father to the extent of £200. At the time George Minns was residing in Kaarimba having left Melton in 1867 for a short trip to England and upon his return having taken up a selection in the Kaarimba district with his son Frederick who had a hotel licence there. James paid out the mortgage on 2-1-1873. James Minns was appointed pound-keeper in 1872; in 1885 the pound was moved elsewhere and Minns purchased the old pound site and added it to his farm. The Willows residence underwent a major change about this time. A two room extension, similar in style but with a lower elevation was added to the original rear of the house with a chimney matching the distinctive originals. Window arrangements did not match the original but became a feature of the façade when the new addition became the front of the building. Six buttresses were attached to the east and west walls of the old building, two to the south wall and the whole rendered with mortar to give the appearance of dressed stonework around the windows. Galvanized iron was placed over the shingles and a verandah added on three sides. By 1876 The Willows was the homestead for a thriving mixed farm of 340 acres of which 156 was rented from a H. Ruck. In October of that year the Australasian travelling reporter visited and reported on the property. In common with the nearly every other property in the district the farm had ‘recently’ (generally within the last two years) abandoned cultivation of crops, and turned over completely to cattle pasture. Butter making was the principal occupation of the farm, which had about 50 head of cattle, a large proportion of which were milking cows. The reporter also noted that a ‘large number of pigs are kept upon this farm and are found to be very profitable stock’. Their manure was used in an orchard and garden in which ‘large quantities of lucerne and prairie grass are grown for the use of stock when ordinary feed is scarce’. Two bores attached to deep brick lined wells supplied water for the house in addition to the farm. A commodious timber barn and necessary sheds had also been constructed. Access to the property was improved following the construction of the bluestone ford across the creek c.1887, when the recreation ground came into use. Prior to this date it may have been that the crossing referred to as ‘Mr Minns bridge’ was used. This appears to have been a flimsy structure and has but two references in Council reports in the Melton Express in the 1880’s. It is believed that in the late 1890’s a timber building was added near the rear of the building to house a kitchen, ablutions and laundry rooms and rooms for seasonal workers. This was attached to the house by means of a trellised walkway using the original front entry to the house (long since the back door). A photograph of this building appears in a local history of Melton. This was demolished in recent decades during the period when the house was tenanted (after the Minns family had left). James Minns son, George, took over the property following his marriage to Alice Walsh in 1903. James and Caroline moved into a house on the former JH Games property at the eastern end of Henry Street. George held the position of Shire Secretary for Melton for 40 years. He was a most prominent member of the community being Secretary to, among others, the Melton Coursing Club, the Shooting Club and the Cemetery Trust. He also rode with the hunting parties who sported across the Plains and were entertained at Mount Kororoit. George and Alice had one son, Norman who followed his father into local government and became Secretary of the Shire of Werribee completing a record term in this position. George retired to Werribee in 1951, where he died in 1965. The National Trust records note that James Ebden Minns and his sons were ‘leading men of the district, Justices of the Peace, and Shire Councillors’. It claims that Sir Thomas Bent was a frequent visitor. The Willows passed into the hands of George’s grandson, Bruce Minns and the property was let for a number of years. In the 1960s it became vacant and was subject to vandalism. Major structural problems arose with the part demolition of the roof, the loss of windows and doors and holes dug into and under the floorboards. The outbuildings were particularly targeted. Following widespread public support, the Shire of Melton purchased the house, with 3.75 acres of land, in 1972. In 1975 the Shire of Melton and the Melton and District Historical Society were successful in nominating the building for National Trust classification, and then the Australian Heritage Commission’s Register of the National Estate. The AHC particularly noted its ‘townscape importance’. It was envisaged that the farmhouse would form ‘a picturesque centrepiece to Melton’s planned … historical park, along with Dunvegan bluestone cottage … and similar structures as they become available.’ In a time of great Melton’s ‘satellite city’ development the Council spelt out its broader vision in its submission to the AHC: ‘Melton is destined to become, by the end of the present century, a city of between 75,000 and 100,000 people. Significant relics of the past, such as ‘The Willows’, regrettably will be rare in that situation. It is essential that sufficient tangible links with Melton’s pioneering days remain to promote in the new community a sense of history and continuity’. Under the direction of ‘The Willows’ Restoration Committee and consultant architect John Hitch, all outbuildings, with the exception of the garage and toilet, were demolished and the dwelling house restored. Finances were provided by the Shire of Melton and the National Estate Grants Program, and considerable amount of voluntary labour was provided by the local community. The orchard was removed, and remaining wooden buildings were relocated to provide an open vista for visitors to the Park. The property was furnished with donations from district families keen to preserve this example of pioneer life in the area. The Willows became the headquarters of the Melton and District Historical Society". Invitation to the family reunion at the Willowslocal identities, pioneer families

Christening robe first worn in 1858 by William Thomas (Tom) Poulter, eldest surviving child of James & Mary Poulter. Used by several generations of Poulter descendants.Early Christening robe with local family significanceWhite lawn christening robe with embroidery detail to bodice and front skirt. Mostly hand sewn. Very good conditionpoulter, chapman, christening

A large red hardcover book with the title Goodnight Stories printed in blue lettering at the top with the publisher, Nelson at the right hand bottom corner. There is a coloured illustration of a young girl holding and feeding a white rabbit with a boy looking on. The spine has the title, a black outline drawing of a girl and the publisher at the bottom. Poems, rhymes and stories are illustrated with black lined illustrations and some coloured plates. 160p.fictionA collection of illustrated stories, nursery rhymes and poems for very young children by assorted authors. It has large print, wear on the front cover, some stains on the back cover, foxing on the edges of the pages. children's fiction., nursery rhymes

The Halfway Hotel was built c1871. It was a thriving business in the days of the bullock wagon and was virtual headquarters of border drovers and teamsters, who camped on the Wodonga Flats opposite. Mr. John Jennings applied for a license in 1871 but it was refused. In October 1872 a License was granted to Thomas Weeks who was advertising that he had purchased the premises. In December 1878 the licensee was advertised as Ann Weeks. Daniel McCormick took over as licensee in 1882 and was followed by Thomas Fitzgerald. In September 1886, Fitzgerald transferred the licence of the hotel which contained eight rooms, to Patrick Flanagan. Flanaghan was a hotel keeper, brewer and stock trader. Pearce Murphy became licensee in 1889, followed briefly by his wife, Julia, in 1890. In September 1890, the licence was transferred back to Patrick Flanagan, the hotel’s owner. During the 1890s, the licence changed hands a number of times. Licensees included Alexander McDonald, Mrs Spehrs, George and Mary Rust. In December 1895, George Rust held the ‘Halfway Races’ on a course at the back of the hotel. Towards the end of the 1890s, Patrick Flanagan was again licensee of the hotel. He died in his residence at the Halfway Hotel in 1929. The license was then held for two years by his son, Mr M.J. Flanagan. In June 1931 the licence was transferred from Maude J. Flanagan to Percy Pickering. In July 1939 the hotel was sold by Mr P.W. Pickering to Irene Weatherall. The new licensee was Mr H.O. Harris of Bonegilla. In April 1940 The Licensing Court granted an application to remove the Halfway Hotel, Albury Road, Wodonga, to the corner of Elgin and Smythe Streets, Wodonga, on condition that premises were to be erected within 42 weeks. Applicants were Irene A. Weatherall and Lena Emma Pickering, owners, and Harold O. Harris, licensee. Mr Edwin Harold and Mrs Ruby Scholz bought the property. Ruby was a sister of Emma Pickering. They lived there until the premises was demolished for the widening of the Lincoln Causeway. These images document an early business in Wodonga c1870 to 1940.A black and white image of a hotel building.Above building: HALFWAY HOTELhalfway hotel, wodonga hotels, wodonga businesses

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