This horse-drawn, two-wheeled cart with a tank, is known as a Furphy Farm Water Cart that was made in Shepparton, northern Victoria, c. 1942. John Furphy (1842-1920) was born in Moonee Ponds, in 1842 to Irish immigrant parents and subsequently raised in the Yarra Valley before the family moved to Kyneton in central Victoria, where he completed an apprenticeship with the firm Hutcheson and Walker. Murphy began operations of his own at a site on Piper Street in Kyneton in 1864. He relocated for a business opportunity and founded the first blacksmiths and wheelwrights shop in the newly surveyed town of Shepparton in 1873. Furphy invented many farming tools and machines including a patented grain-stripper, and won awards at the 1888-89 Melbourne International Exhibition. His most famous invention is the Furphy Farm Water Cart, designed in the 1880s, at a time when water for most households and farms was carted on wagons in wooden barrels. The Furphy’s water cart is a single item that combines a water metal tank and a cart. The design of the cart was simple yet effective, and became popular very quickly and established itself as a vital piece of farming equipment. The water cart has had a number of words cast into its ends over many years. References to the foundry’s location in Shepparton, as well as advertising of other products also manufactured by J. Furphy & Sons were present on the ends. However, the most significant set of words to feature on the tank, was a poem encouraging continual improvement: ‘Good Better Best, Never Let it Rest, Until your Good is Better, And your Better Best’. During The Great War (1914-1918), the water cart was used by the Australian militarily at a large AIF (Australian Imperial Force) camp in Broadmeadows (Melbourne) where thousands of men were camped for months, before being transported aboard. Furphy Water Carts provided water to the troops, and were usually placed near the camp latrines, which was one of the few places the troops could share gossip and tall tales away from the prying eyes and ears of their officers. The water cart drivers were also notorious sources of information, despite most of their news being hearsay, or totally unreliable. By the time the men of the AIF were in engaged in combat on the Gallipoli Peninsula and the Western Front, the carts used for water supply had no markings and became simply referred to as Furphys. This owed as much to the coining of the term ‘Furphy’, Australian slang for suspect information or rumour. After a number of decades as principally a soldier’s word, 'Furphy' entered the broader Australian vernacular and was used mainly by the political class until recently when the term was taken up by a Australian brewer as a beer brand. This Furphy Water Cart was purchased by Friends of Flagstaff Hill in 2014. The support of local individuals, organisations and businesses enabled its restoration and later its installation alongside the existing late-19th century water pipe stand and 1940s hand pump The Furphy Farm Water Cart is of historical significance as it represents a famous Australian time-saving and energy-saving invention of the 1880s, replacing the labour intensive activity of collecting and dispensing water from barrels and casks on the back of carts. The water cart’s connection with manufacturing companies J. Furphy & Sons and Furphy Foundry are significant for being early Australian businesses that are still in operation today. Furphy carts are of military significance for the role they played during The Great War (1914-1918) in Australian army camps, and theatres of war in Europe and the Middle East, to supply the AIF troops with fresh water. A wooden framed, two-wheeled, horse-drawn cart, fitted with a horizontally mounted, cylindrical metal tank. The tank is made of rolled, sheet steel with a riveted seam, and cast iron ends with cast iron ends. The spoked metal wheels have fitted flat iron tyres and metal hubs. A metal pipe is joined to the outlet. The tank is silver coloured, the ends, wheels and trims are crimson, and the script lettering on tank sides is black. There are inscriptions on the tank, ends, and hubs. The water tank was made in 1942 in Shepparton, Australia, by J. Furphy & Sons and has a capacity of 180 gallons (848 litres). Hub perimeter, embossed “J. FURPHY & SONS” “KEEP THE / BOLTS TIGHT” Hub centre embossed [indecipherable] Tank, each side, painted “J. FURPHY & SONS / Makers / SHEPPARTON” Tank ends, embossed – “FURPHY’S FARM WATER CART” “BORN ABOUT 1880 – STILL ‘GOING STRONG’ 1942” “j. FURPHY & SONS / MAKERS / SHEPPARTON - VIC “ “S - - - - - L MANUFACTURERS” [SPECIAL] “SPIKE ROLLERS” “SINGLE TREES” “PLOUGH WHEELS” “IRON CASTINGS” “LAND GRADERS” “STEEL DELVERS” “CAST IRON PIG” “CHAIN YOKES” “GOOD – BETTER – BEST / NEVER LET IT REST / TILL YOUR GOOD IS BETTER / AND YOUR BETTER – BEST” Image [Stork carrying a baby] above shorthand, transcribed "Produce and populate or perish" Image [Furphy Pig Feeder] beside ‘Cast Iron Pig’ Shorthand, transcribed “"Water is the gift of God but beer and whiskey are concoctions of the Devil, come and have a drink of water"warrnambool, flagstaff hill maritime museum, water cart, furphy cart, furphy tank, furphy farm water cart, furphy, john furphy, john furphy & sons, furphy foundry, kyneton, shepparton, mobile water tank, jinker, hutchinson & walker, blacksmith, farm equipment, implement maker, tool maker, horse drawn, stork and baby, good, better, best, barrel, tank, first world war, wwi, eastern front, gallipoli, j furphy & sons

This bike belonged to Wally Paten who worked in the Orbost Butter Factory in the 1940's. Wally's father, Thomas Paten came to Orbost in 1893 and began growing fancy seeds in 1907 for H. James. He built the first levee bank in Orbost (ref. Mary Gilbert). The Comet bike was distributed by the Myer Emporium. "Comet:" was their house brand. They also sold the "Peter Pan". It was named "The Comet" probably because it was a fast bike. At the time it was an expensive bike . Ted Waterford made headlines riding Melbourne to Adelaide one way then return on a Comet in 1932.Bicycles have been a part of Australian life for more than 140 years. The bicycle soon began competing with the horse as a convenient and economical way for people to get around. This bicycle is an example of an early style which was used by an Orbost local.A man's road bicycle. It has 26inch wheels, back pedal brakes and has a wire basket attached to the curved handle bars. There is a leather seat in poor condition. The back wheel has a mudguard painted white. The bike is ungeared. This is probably the original frame with newer wheels. The pedals are metal.Tyres - made in Korea down tube -COMETcomet-bicycle bicycle paten-wally transport

Part of the Zakrzewski Collection of spinning wheels donated to the National Wool Museum by Mr Wlodzimierz Zakrzewski. For many years, Mr Zakrzewski collected, researched and repaired spinning wheels from all over the world. This wheel is from Rajistan in India and would have been one of the last wheels acquired by Mr Zakrzewski for his collection.Part of the Zakrzewski Spinning Wheel collection.handicrafts - history, spinning wheels, highlights of the national wool museum: the zakrzewski spinning wheel collection - exhibition (28/07/2001 - 02/12/2001), zakrzewski, mr wlodzimierz

Platform Scale with four weights and weight holder, green and black, has wheels. Manufactured in Melbourne by Fairway Scale Company.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, scale and weights, scale, weights

This type of sight was used in British fighter aircraft C1941No significance but of general interest example of technology of the timeMetal instrument with glass lens and reflector plate at top. At the base are incremented adjuster wheels with light fitting and power leads.A- M Reflector sight Mark IIs. AM serial No.22238/4 Stores Ref No. 88/2350

A pram used by an early settler family in Moorabbin Shire c 1900A pram used by early settlers in Moorabbin Shire c1900A brown wicker perambulator c 1900 with a long handle, long tapering seat,3 steel wheels with rubber tyresNILperambulators, baby carriages, craftworker, wicker work, early settlers, pioneers, market gardeners, bentleigh, cheltenham, moorabbin shire, ormond, mckinnon,

Small black and white photo of a Hollman Ace Compressor with Scalebuoys. Compressor has steel wheels. Name written on the back.sciences, instruments - general, scalebuoy, bill ashman collection - correspondence, hollman ace compressor with scalebuoys

Small brownish black photo of a Hollman Ace Compressor Unit with S.Bs. Compressor has steel wheels. Name on the back.sciences, instruments - general, scalebuoy, bill ashman collection - correspondence, hollman ace compressor unit with scalebuoys

black and white postcard. Racing car upended in ditch, wheels in air. Potentially at Brooklands Raceway, Weybridge, although not marked as such.event, sports, car racing

USED IN CLUNES HOSPITAL, CLUNES, VICTORIA, AUSTRALIAHOSPITAL COT, BABY COT METAL FRAME, COT IS ON WHEELS, A METAL RECTANGULAR BASKET WHICH CAN BE LIFTED OUTNILhospital cot, baby cot

Used in the Yarrawonga District in the 1940's and restored by Bill Church Dec 2000 A box-like caravan on 2 wheels which was towed to the job and catered for two employees to live in until the job was completed

The carriage was made by William Graham for his grandson, John E. Graham, 386 Mitcham Road, MitchamCarriage has metal roof, wooden ends, wooden sides with six windows, one door, five metal wheels.toys, general, train

Beige cloth covered horse on wheels. Brown wool mane and tail. Brown leather saddle. Black button eye.toys, general

In the early 20th century it was common for ladies to work doilies in lace or embroidered cloth. They were used to decorate sideboards or dressing tables and also on trays underneath crockery and on plates under food. These could be made from purchased kits or pattern books. They may form part of a trousseau Set of partially worked doilies. They are comprised of daisy wheels of two sizes. A central circular motif is surrounded by smaller motifsdoilies, household textiles

Trolley used to load cargo onto Belfast and Koroit Steamship Co. ships at the Port Fairy WharfThis trolley was used to load cargo onto many of the Belfast and Koroit Steam Navigation Company ships at the Port Fairy wharf.Wooden Cargo trolley with 4 braces and one curved handle longer than the other with heavy metal wheels and step No.50 on both uprightsshipping, coastal steamer, belfast and koroit steam navigation co., bkns, cargo, loading, casino, coramba

Cast iron grain sickle with hand-cranked wooden handle, stone grinder head, and 4 wheels, on a wooden base.International Harvestersickles, grinding tools

The Churchill Island collection includes objects from the late 1800s. The collection is presented in sets and series, of which this object represents the early Amess era.The cannon was left on Churchill Island after the last private resident left and the Island was purchased by the Victorian State Government. During the time of ownership by Samuel Amess, the cannon was positioned in the front garden facing the bay. In 1982, the Victorian Conservation Trust sought to identify the manufacture and provenance of the cannon. Images held within the Churchill Island Museum and Archive demonstrate the annual use of the cannon by the Amess family, in particular the firing of the cannon on New Years Eve of each year.Six pounder cast iron smooth bore cannon, mounted on a white painted wooden carriage with four iron wheels.860 / FRECKchurchill island, cannon, samuel amess, 1800s, victorian conservation trust

The Churchill Island collection includes objects from the late 1800s. The collection is presented in sets and series, of which this farm item represents the late Amess era.These horse-drawn wagons were early transport vehicles used for hay or heavy loads of timber or related farming goods. Designed in the early 18th century, these items found within the Churchill Island heritage collection were used throughout the private ownership periods of the Island.Blue wooden wagon with red metal wheels suitable for one horse - a bag lifter is operated from side of wagon.farm machinery, wheat, horse drawn vehicles, wagon, 1800s

The collection of thirteen model horse drawn vehicles were carefully handmade by Mr Chas W Davis 1925 - 2002. He was a talented artist and saw doctor. These models are of single horse drawn military gun carriages and accessories.Three gun carriages: 1. A brown four wheeled wooden model of a gun carriage for military use with a white horse. The carriage wheels have black rims with grey painted spokes. There is a brown storage box at the front for the driver with a brown vinyl padded seat.Three wooden slats form the footrest. A gun cleaning rod and lighter rod are attached to the back of the narrow support tray towards the back wheels. The saddled horse is linked to the carriage by a wooden shaft. A gun carriage is a frame and mount that supports the gun barrel of an artillery piece allowing it to be maneuvered and fired. These platforms often had wheels so that the artillery pieces could be moved more easily. 2. A brown large two wheeled gun carriage with no horse. The wheels have grey painted spokes and black rims. There is a cleaning rod and a lighting rod attached to the carriage shaft near the wheels. An additional accessory is included of a black vinyl saddle with lambswool lining as well as clips for attaching to the horse tack. 3. A grey two large wheeled gun carriage with no horse. The wheels have grey painted spokes and black rims. There is a cleaning rod and a lighting rod attached to the carriage shaft near the wheels. There is a chain to attach the carriage to the horse tack.56 VIR (3rd VIR)military vehicles, military models, gun carriages, military equipment

Austral 8 HP oil engine on 4 wheeled steel chassis with wrought iron wheels. Two double flywheels and flat belt pulley. Water cooled exhaust system at the crank end of the engine. Galvanised iron fuel tank slung under the engine. Painted green and black with red wheels.On an oval brass plate on the side of the engine :- "The Austral Oil Engine / Ronaldson Bros / Makers / No 663 / & Tippett / Ballarat Victoria"machinery ... engine ... oil ... metalwork

Photograph shows W7 1003 at East Preston Depot and the components that went to make resilient or quiet running wheels. Also shown is a carbon skid trolley pole head which also made tram operations quieter. The wheels were introduced with the W6 class and W7s. The carbon skid trolley pole heads were continued but the resilient wheels not continued with during the 1980s.Yields information the components that were used to make trams quieter running during the 1950s.Photograph - black and white with MMTB stamp on rear.trams, tram 1003, w7 class, resilient wheels, carbon skids, noise, mmtb, double helical gears

Black and White photo of Sister Rock's with people in horse and buggies in front of the rocks. One with two wheels and 3 people the other with 4 wheels and one person. There are 3 people sitting up on the rocks. Two Black & White photograph of Sister Rock's. The photos have in the foreground, a two wheel buggy with 3 people and a four wheel buggy with one person. There are also people up on the rocks.

Portable blue wheel with orange crank, blue communication line, orange and blue diving line, wheels and silver metal frameGARDENA/Gardenadiving

Photo of a Rambler Wireless Patrol car in 1965Rambler Classic with unidentified person in driver's seat. The front wheels are turned to the right. Registration number JNC-003. Circa 1966police vehicles; motor transport branch; motor transport section; wireless patrol; rambler classic car

Used by the Uebergang family of Tooram Park, Allansford.Upright hand-propelled vacuum cleaner has a canvas bag suspended by a spring with stencilled brand name and two rear wheels.Vacuette Special/ Model C Serial number 597887 Distributed by Sole Distributors/Vacuette Distributing Company, London Stores bldg., Melbourne, Australia/Guaranteed service.allansford, uebergang, vacuette, london stores, scott & fetzer, cleaning equipment, vacuum cleaners

The trolley entered service for the Commonwealth Railways (later Australian National Railways) as trolley number "386" and was originally built to the gauge of 3"6.Historic - Commonwealth Railways - Narrow Gauge Railway - Track vehicleThe tricycle is red and has three wheels, two large on one side with a single offset wheel on the other. Timber and steel constructionhand tricycle, commonwealth railways, australian national railways, trolley, puffing billy