This historical family photograph spans three generations of the Cooper Family, a pioneer family, still residing in the Kiewa Valley. The large axe held by Pat was a handy tool for pioneer families to chop down trees for land clearing, building sheds and fences, outhouses and fire wood. This photograph was taken during a time where both male and females did some heavy lifting and processing. The rural sector at this point in time was physically a hard location for both sexes. The segregation of the sexes into specific job categories was some times non existent although household "chores" was in the main a woman's domain. The rural sector was in this point of time one which women were highly respected and the unwritten law of providing "assistance" and "reverence" by men in such actions as, socially opening doors, tipping the cap, offering a sturdy arm for support and refraining from doing or saying anything "uncouth" in a woman's presence. It was in a time when women's liberation was just starting to grow strength. Rural areas, on the hole, took longer to interfuse "city" hatched norms of behaviour. This photograph of a pioneer family still residing in the Kiewa Valley demonstrates not only the close protective environment that the valley has on all its inhabitants but also the close bonding that neighbors have towards each other. The term "God's gifted country" fits warmly with all the settlements in the valley. The relatively isolated (physically, visually and communications wise) has since post World War II been whittled away by faster and vastly improved communications with "the outside" world. The strength of commitment to the rural life can be seen in the faces of the family members in this photograph. The proud heritage is displayed without any external pressure. This large black and white family photograph is a reproduction on Fujicolor Crystal Archive Paper manufactured by Fujifilm. It is 200gsm matt finished paper with no borders. On the reverse side, written in pencil "Ted Cooper sitting aged 24-25, Pat Amery (Ted's youngest sister) holding Ted's eldest son Doug and Ted's father John Franklin Cooper(22-8-1892)"john cooper, ted cooper, pat amery, doug cooper, pioneer family kiewa valley

Maize has been grown on the Orbost flats for at least 70 years. When early settlers began to arrive on the Snowy River somewhere in the 1880s, the land was mostly swamps and heavily timbered jungle on the river frontages. The swamps were drained, bit by bit, with short handled shovels working in mud and water. The frontages were cleared by axe and shovel and fire. Several kinds of crops were experimented with such as hops, hemp and maize which grew particularly well and became the main crop of district. The problem then was to thresh and deliver the product to the market. A small single cob machine was brought here and one man turned the handle, while the boy or Mum fed the cobs singly into the machine. A good day’s work would thresh about 50 bushels or about 12 bags (4 bushels). The task then was to cart the maize to market. For a few years this was done by horses and dray carrying about 60 bushels to Mossiface, where it was loaded onto river boats to Lakes Entrance, and then by ocean boats to Melbourne. (information from NEWSLETTER OCTOBER, 2006)The growing of maize in the Orbost district contributed significantly to the economy of the township for many years, The many maize cribs once seen on the surrounding farms have now disappeared and this photograph is a pictorial record of that significance.A small sepia photograph with six men in front of a wooden barn. They are bagging maize. In the foreground are two rows of filled bags. On the right is a lifting machine to take the bags to the top storey. On the far right is a water tank on a stand"on back - "Thrashing Maize"maize-orbost agriculture-maize industry

Maize,has been grown on the Orbost flats for at least 70 years. When early settlers began to arrive on the Snowy River somewhere in the 1880s, the land was mostly swamps and heavily timbered jungle on the river frontages. The swamps were drained, bit by bit, by men with short handled shovels and working in mud and water. The frontages were cleared by axe and shovel and fire. Several kinds of crops were experimented with such as hops, hemp and maize, the latter grew particularly well and became the main crop of district. The problem then was to thresh and deliver the product to the market. A small single cob machine was brought here and one man turned the handle, while the boy or Mum fed the cobs singly into the machine. A good day’s work would thresh about 50 bushels or about 12 bags (4 bushels). The task then was to cart the maize to market. For a few years this was done by horses and dray carrying about 60 bushels to Mossiface, where it was loaded onto river boats to Lakes Entrance, and then by ocean boats to Melbourne. Later it was taken to Bairnsdale by foot and loaded onto the trains to Melbourne. (more information in Newsletter October 2006)The growing of maize in the Orbost district contributed significantly to the economy of the township for many years, The many maize cribs once seen on the surrounding farms have now disappeared and this photograph is a pictorial record of that significance.A black / white photograph of a man unloading maize from a horse-drawn wagon into a maize crib. Another man is standing by the horse.maize-crib-orbost agriculture maize-corn-orbost

Maize, or corn as it is called in America and New South Wales, has been grown on the Orbost flats for at least 70 years. When early settlers began to arrive on the Snowy River somewhere in the 1880s, the land was mostly swamps and heavily timbered jungle on the river frontages. The swamps were drained, bit by bit, by stout hearted men with short handled shovels and working in mud and water. The frontages were cleared by axe and shovel and fire. Several kinds of crops were experimented with such as hops, hemp and maize, the latter grew particularly well and became the main crop of district. The problem then was to thresh and deliver the product to the market. A small single cob machine was brought here and one man turned the handle, while the boy or Mum fed the cobs singly into the machine. A good day’s work would thresh about 50 bushels or about 12 bags (4 bushels). The task then was to cart the maize to market. For a few years this was done by horses and dray carrying about 60 bushels to Mossiface, where it was loaded onto river boats to Lakes Entrance, and then by ocean boats to Melbourne. ( from NEWSLETTER OCTOBER, 2006) This is a pictorial record of farming practices in Orbost in the early 20th century.A black / white photograph of a horse team hauling a wagon loaded with bags of maize.A man is sitting on the edge of the wagon.farming-orbost agriculture maize corn transport

Bushfire perimeter rather than bushfire area is the main control problem for firefighters on the ground. A conundrum rapidly compounded by spot fires. A small 5 ha fire can be nearly 1 km around the perimeter. That's a long way to build a control line by hand in rough bush. Dry firefighting techniques by hand were mostly confined to “knocking down” or “beating out” the flames, as well as "digging out". Digging or raking a “mineral earth” trail down to bare dirt proved most effective in forest fuels which, unlike grass, tend to retain heat and smoulder. Early tools were whatever happened to be close at hand. They were simple and primitive and included shovels, slashers, axes, hoes, beaters and rakes. A cut branch to beat the flames was often the only thing available. Farming and logging tools, developed over centuries of manual labour, and readily available at local hardware stores came into use, but little thought was given to size, weight, and balance. For years foresters experimented with combination tools. In about 1952 fire beaters and other implements were being replaced with Rakuts.Fire tool used before the introduction of RakehoesRakut - Fire Rake and cutting toolGreen and red coloured handle and 020 marking indicated which FCV District the tool belonged tobushfire

Used to measure the rate of rise of helium balloons The telescope is mounted on two movable axes. One axis (vertical) rotates to change elevation, the other (horizontal) azimuth. There are vernier scales and in some cases micrometres that give precise readouts of the relative position of the telescope to each axis. The instrument is set up so that it is level and it is pointed towards true north with both scales reading 0 degrees exactly. A balloon is released in front of the theodolite. It is sighted at timed intervals (usually one minute apart) and the position of the theodolite's telescope (azimuth and elevation) is recorded. It can chart the direction and velocity of winds at various altitudes The rate of ascent of a balloon is mostly dependant on the balloon's drag and its "free lift" (the vertical pull of the balloon). There is some degree of control over these these factors, and as a result, it possible to know approximately how high our balloon will be at any given time after its release. Given a known height and an angular direction (read off the theodolite) to the balloon, a fix is made of the horizontal movement component of the balloon's travel as it moves through different altitudes. The horizontal movement is due to the winds blowing the balloon around at the altitudes that the balloon is traveling throughTheodolite used to measure the rate of rising helium balloons The rate of rise is used in atmospheric calculations such as upper winds and determining inversion layersforests commission victoria (fcv), bushfire, weather

This rod was salvaged from the American three-masted wooden clipper ship, Eric the Red, named after the Viking discoverer, Eric the Red. The ship first traded in coal between America and Britain and later traded in guano nitrates from South America. In 1879 its hull was re-metalled and the vessel was in first class condition. On 10th June 1880 Eric the Red departed New York under the command of Captain Z Allen, with 24 crew plus two passengers. It was heading for Melbourne and then Sydney. The ship was commissioned by American trade representatives to carry a special cargo of 500 American exhibits for the U.S.A. pavilion at Melbourne’s first International Exhibition. The items included furniture, ironmongery, wines, chemicals, dental and surgical instruments, paper, cages, bronze lamp trimmings, axles, stamped ware, astronomical and time globes, and samples of corn and the choicest of leaf tobacco. Also on board was general merchandise such as cases of kerosene and turpentine, brooms, Bristol's Sarsaparilla, Wheeler and Wilson sewing machines, Wheeler’s thresher machine, axe handles and tools, cases of silver plate, toys, pianos and organs, carriages and Yankee notions. The ship had been at sea for 85 days when, on 4th September 1880, it hit the Otway Reef on the southwest coast of Victoria and was quickly wrecked. Captain and crew ended up on floating parts, or in the long boat or the sea. He was amongst the 23 battered and injured men who were rescued by the steamer Dawn and later taken to Warrnambool, where they received great hospitality and care. Four men lost their lives; three crew and one passenger. Captain Allen took the train back to Melbourne and then returned to America. The captain and crew of the Dawn were recognised by the United States Government in July 1881 for their humane efforts, being thanked and presented with substantial monetary rewards, medals and gifts. The salvaging ship Pharos collected Wheeler and Wilson sewing machines, nests of boxes, bottles of Bristol’s sarsaparilla, pieces of common American chairs, axe handles, a Wheelers’ Patent thresher and a sailor’s trunk with the words “A. James” on the front. A ship’s flag board bearing the words “Eric the Red” was found on the deckhouse; finally, those on board the Pharos had found the name of the wrecked vessel. The government steamer Victoria and a steamer S.S. Otway picked up flotsam and wreckage. A whole side of the hull and three large pieces of the other side of the hull, with some of the copper sheathing stripped off, had floated onto Point Franklin. Some of the vessel's yards and portions of its masts were on shore with pieces of canvas attached, confirming that the vessel had been under sail. On shore were many cases of Diamond Oil kerosene labelled R. W. Cameron and Company, New York. large planks of red pine, portions of a small white boat and a large, well-used oar. There were sewing machines, some consigned to ‘Long and Co.”, and notions, axe and scythe handles, hay forks, wooden pegs, rolls of wire, some branded “T.S” and Co, Melbourne”, and kegs of nails branded “A.T. and Co.” from the factory of A. Field and Son, Taunton, Massachusetts. Other cargo remains included croquet balls and mallets, buggy fittings, rat traps, perfumery, cutlery and Douay Bibles, clocks, bicycles, chairs, a flywheel, a cooking stove, timber, boxes, pianos, organs, wooden clothes pegs and a ladder. There were three cases of goods meant for the Exhibition Other items salvaged from amongst the debris floating in the sea were chairs, doors, musical instruments, washing boards, nests of trunks and flycatchers. Most of the goods were saturated and smelt of kerosene. A section of the hull lies buried in the sand at Parker River Beach. An anchor with a chain is embedded in the rocks east of Point Franklin and a second anchor, thought to be from Eric the Red, is on display at the Cape Otway light station. A life belt was once on the veranda of Rivernook Guest House in Princetown with the words “ERIC THE RED / BOSTON”. Parts of the ship are on display at Bimbi Park Caravan Park and Apollo Bay Museum. Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village also has several artefacts from the wreck. There seemed to be no personal luggage or clothing. “The Eric the Red is historically significant as one of Victoria's major 19th century shipwrecks. (Heritage Victoria Eric the Red; HV ID 239) The wreck led to the provision of an additional warning light placed below the Cape Otway lighthouse to alert mariners to the location of Otway Reef. The site is archaeologically significant for its remains of a large and varied cargo and ship's fittings being scattered over a wide area. The site is recreationally and aesthetically significant as it is one of the few sites along this coast where tourists can visit identifiable remains of a large wooden shipwreck, and for its location set against the background of Cape Otway, Bass Strait, and the Cape Otway lighthouse.“ (Victorian Heritage Database Registration Number S239, Official Number 8745 USA)Iron rod with flat lugged washer. The rod is made of a heavy metal with encrustations and signs of rusting on the surface. It is stepped down in diameter mid-shaft and is slightly bowed on the narrower end. The narrow end flares out slightly in the last few centimetres with a burred foot and has a circular head on the wider end. The washer on the narrower end cannot move past the centre or the narrow end of the rod. The washer is a different metal from the rod and has a small lug jutting out along the circumference in one position. The rod was recovered from the wreck of the ship the Eric the Red.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, rod, iron-rod, eric the red, steamer dawn, cape otway reef, 1880, captain allen, usa pavillion, melbourne exhibition, melbourne international exhibition, captain jones, medal, united states government, pharos, a. james, flag board, steamer victoria, steamer otway, diamond oil, r w cameron and company, long and co., t s and co melbourne, a. field and son, taunton, massachusetts, ketch apollo, ship nail

Maize,has been grown on the Orbost flats for at least 70 years. When early settlers began to arrive on the Snowy River somewhere in the 1880s, the land was mostly swamps and heavily timbered jungle on the river frontages. The swamps were drained, bit by bit, by men with short handled shovels and working in mud and water. The frontages were cleared by axe and shovel and fire. Several kinds of crops were experimented with such as hops, hemp and maize, the latter grew particularly well and became the main crop of district. The problem then was to thresh and deliver the product to the market. A small single cob machine was brought here and one man turned the handle, while the boy or Mum fed the cobs singly into the machine. A good day’s work would thresh about 50 bushels or about 12 bags (4 bushels). The task then was to cart the maize to market. For a few years this was done by horses and dray carrying about 60 bushels to Mossiface, where it was loaded onto river boats to Lakes Entrance, and then by ocean boats to Melbourne. Later it was taken to Bairnsdale by foot and loaded onto the trains to Melbourne. (more information in Newsletter October 2006) This crib, measuring seven chains, sixteen feet, contained 10,000 bags of maize cobs which were grown by Linc Timmons on Peter Irvine's farm (Fairlea?) in Orbost, East Gippsland. The growing of maize in the Orbost district contributed significantly to the economy of the township for many years, The many maize cribs once seen on the surrounding farms have now disappeared and this photograph is a pictorial record of that significance.A black / white photograph of a large maize crib full of maize in a paddock. There is a large framed copy of the original.agriculture-orbost farming-maize-orbost maize-crib-orbost

One of a collection of books by local writer Alan Marshall held at EDHS. This one is of "anecdotes and yarns" as described by Marshall before its publication in July 1981 in the Canberra Times. Alan Marshall's Australia, the Australia of "I Can Jump Puddles" has vanished. No longer do we have time to sit on the sliprail and exchange yarns, to drive buggies down long, quiet dusty roads, or to watch the king-hit merchant operating in some small hotel. Even the Cu-nims hold no terrors for a Boeing 427! And yet - Alan Marshall's Australia lives for all those who read this book. Meet Lance Skuthorpe who tethered an old bull in Bourke Street and offered £5 to anyone who could ride it for half a minute and Binjarrpooma, the Arnhem Land terror. Accompany Alan in his horse-drawn caravan or buggy to country sales, pubs and stations and listen with him to great bush eccentrics, lairs and yarn spinners. Go further back and remember Conversation Lollies, the cigarette cards you collected and the school yard games. Can you recall how to test an axe blade, choose a pocket knife, or the penetrating power of Goanna Oil? But this book is more than a nostalgic journey into the past ; it is history for the young and a timely reminder for us all - it is our roots. - Front end papers viii, 165 p. : ill. ; Two copiesISBN 0908090390alan marshall, prose, short stories, ancedotes, australia, tales, yarms

The original small, pioneer cottage was built in the late 1840s to early1850s, by an unknown pioneer. It was located on part of a 30 Acre allotment that was originally part of Henry Dendy’s 'Special Survey Brighton' granted in 1841 (5120acres). There is a small display of external cladding shingles from the original pioneer cottage. Wooden shingles were usually thin (3⁄8 to 3⁄4 in or 10 to 19 mm), relatively narrow (3 to 8 in or 76 to 203 mm), of varying length (14 to 36 in or 360 to 910 mm), and almost always planed smooth. The traditional method for making wooden shingles was to rive - hand split - them from straight-grained knot-free sections of logs pre-cut to the desired length known as bolts. These bolts were quartered or split into wedges. A mallet and axe were used to split out thin pieces of wood. The wood species varied according to available local woods, but only the more durable inner section of the log was usually used. The softer sapwood generally was not used because it deteriorated quickly. Because hand-split shingles were somewhat irregular along the split surface, it was necessary to dress or plane the shingles to make them fit evenly on the roof. This reworking was necessary to provide a tight-fitting roof over typically open shingle lath or sheathing boards. These are the original shingles found on Box Cottage by L Lewis 1970 and used in the reconstruction in 19843 x wood Shingles used on roof of Box Cottage c 1850box cottage museum ormond, henry dendy special survey brighton 1841, brighton, moorabbin shire, parish of moorabbin, county of bourke,cottages, pioneers, ormond, colonial, mckinnon, dendy henry, box william, box elizabeth, reitman william, convicts, lewis timber co. ltd., deam h, museums, box alonzo, smith a,

Bushfire perimeter rather than bushfire area is the main control problem for firefighters on the ground. A conundrum rapidly compounded by spot fires. A small 5 ha fire can be nearly 1 km around the perimeter. That's a long way to build a control line by hand in rough bush. Dry firefighting techniques by hand were mostly confined to “knocking down” or “beating out” the flames, as well as "digging out". Digging or raking a “mineral earth” trail down to bare dirt proved most effective in forest fuels which, unlike grass, tend to retain heat and smoulder. Early tools were whatever happened to be close at hand. They were simple and primitive and included shovels, slashers, axes, hoes, beaters and rakes. A cut branch to beat the flames was often the only thing available. Farming and logging tools, developed over centuries of manual labour, and readily available at local hardware stores came into use, but little thought was given to size, weight, and balance. This leather beater was based on a century-old stockman's design which used green cow hide leather lashed to a broom handle. It's recommend that users lift no more than above knee height to conserve energy and let the beater to the work. For years foresters experimented with combination tools. In about 1952 fire beaters and other implements were being replaced with Rakuts and later RakehoesEarly firefighting toolBushfire beater - Leather with wooden handlebushfire, forests commission victoria (fcv)

Object. Oval shaped silver medal with suspension ring. Obverse: 19th Century City of Bendigo -Coat of Arms. Reverse: Around edge ''COUNTY OF BENDIGO AGRICULTURAL AND HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY''. Across the top: ''AWARDED TO''. Engraved below: ''2nd PRIZE POST & HEAD PRACTICE MILITARY TOURNAMENT 1885''. Ian Nunn received the medal from Miss Code when he was 12 years old, believing it belonged to her father Colonel Code who lived at Longlea. Miss Code lived on the family farm on the bankd of the Axe Creek.Ian used to collect the mail and newspaper for Miss Code, who paid him two shillings a week. She gave the medal to Ian as a thnk you. Ian believes that Miss Code's father was in charge of the military escorts between Bendigo and Heathcote. OBITUARY. DEATH OF MR. B. CODE. Article - Bendigonian (Bendigo, Vic. : 1914 - 1918)Tuesday 15 December 1914 - Page 20 Obituary. Article - The McIvor Times and Rodney Advertiser (Heathcote, Vic. : 1863 - 1918)Thursday 10 December 1914 - Page 2numismatics, badges-civil, 19th century city of bendigo

An adze is an ancient and versatile cutting tool and has been in use for thousands of years. Adze are similar to an axe but with the cutting edge perpendicular to the handle rather than parallel. They have been used since the Stone Age. Adzes are hand tools used for smoothing or carving wood. The subject item was made by Ward & Payne of the Limbrick Works at Hillsborough, Sheffield England manufacturers of hand-forged tools. Their trademark registered in 1850 was a Letter "W" & "P" stamped into the steel. The firm was established by David Ward (1767-1822) in 1803 the company became David Ward & Sons, in 1837 after Ward's son Edward joined the firm. In 1845 Henry Payne the founder's son-in-law became a partner but died in 1850 after which the company reverted to the Ward family. The business then concentrated on making carving tools, chisels and gouges. In 1882 David Ward's grandson David Ward Jr. (1835-1889) purchased land and built a factory at Sheffield North known as the "Limerick Wheel". For a time Wards operated from both 106-114 West Street Sheffield and at Limbrick Road, Hillsborough on the river Loxley. By 1911 they had expanded into making spades, forks, sheep shears and many other types of edged tools including drills and wood planes. In 1967 Wilkinson Sword purchased all the company's share capital and continued to sell Ward & Payne tools until 1970 when a fire burned the factory down and housing development was built on the site.The subject item is significant as it gives a snapshot of the technological development of sailing ships and their operation before steam-powered vessels took over around the world. Tools such as the subject item demonstrate the traditional craftsmanship and skill of the shipwright and the aesthetic quality of the timber ships designs of the time. Adze with wooden handle curved painted green with patent number and maker's name inscribed on inside curve of blade. Inscribed "Patd 561 Ward" "2w". flagstaff hill, warrnambool, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, smoothing tool, hand tool, carpenders tool, adze, coopers tool, woodworking tools

Black powder splitting guns were commonly used to split large logs into more manageable pieces before the advent of excavators and front-end loaders in bush logging operations. A typical splitting gun used in Victorian forests was a piece of high-grade steel about 1-1/2 to 2 inches in diameter and about 16 inches long, and slightly tapered at one end. They had a ¾ inch hole drilled about 9 inches deep into the centre of the shaft with a small pilot hole drilled from the outside to load the fuse. The tube was carefully loaded with an amount of black gunpowder using a funnel and spoon. Experience being the guide on how much powder to use, which depended on log size, species and difficulty of splitting the wood. The hole was stopped with a piece of wadded paper and the gun positioned at the end of a length of the log to be split. The splitting gun was then belted into the log with a large wooden maul or even the back of an axe to a depth of about 3 to 4 inches. There were often markings as a guide. This also had the effect of tamping the black powder inside the gun. Preferably the gun was backed up by another large log to absorb the shock and avoid it flying off in the bush somewhere. I have seen guns where a length of string and coloured flag could be attached to help find them. A length of fuse was then inserted in the small hole and lit. Kaboom !!!! Needless to say, the splitting gun was a dangerous implement.Commonly used to split pulpwood but now rareBlack Powder Splitting GunFive marking rings used to guide how far the gun was in the logforest harvesting

Wayne Alfred is a member of the Namgis Tribe of the Kwakwaka'wakw people. As a master carver he has an extremely high level of carving skill and knowledge about his peoples cultural objects, customs, tribal stories and legends. The Totem Poles of the North Pacific Coast in British Columbia and Alaska are traditionally carved out of red or yellow cedar, which has a spiritual and practical purpose. The wood was known for its durability, its resistance to rotting and the inner bark was utilised in ropemaking, clothing, hats, baskets and so forth. The Kwakitul People consider the cedar tree to be among the most sacred of all things provided by the Creator. They believed the Cedar tree to be the axis of the world and a pathway to the upper world. The wood is shaped using implements such as adzes, axes, chisels, carving knives, and chainsaws. Misinterpreted as Gods and idols to be worshipped, totems usually serve six purposes, such as a house pillar for support, a memorial or mortuary pole to commemorate (and house) the deceased, a potlatch pole (used for important traditional indigenous celebrations), a ridicule pole used to shame and a heraldic or family crest pole. Characters and symbols on these totem poles usually display family crests, history, wealth, social rank, inheritance, and privilege, as well as animalistic imagery derived from native animals and mythological creatures. Their sequence are indicative of past family events, ancestors, myths, and heraldic crests, with the bottom figure usually being the most prominent. In this work the 'thunderbird' is symbolic of power, strength and of ancestory. The Commonwealth Games Totem Pole was presented to the people of Nillumbik on behalf of the Canadian Government in recognition of Melbourne as the hosts of the Melbourne Commonwealth Games Team in 2006. Carved in cedar wood, this totem pole incorporates bold cuts and colours (such as red and green) offset by strong black. A relative degree of realism is used to depict the alligator located on the bottom of the pole, a man and a 'thunderbird'/eagle located on the top. With protuding element. No inscriptions. Bold cuts used to outline the characters and symbols as well as decorative and stylised features all over the pole. public art, kwakwaka'wakw, namgis, alfred, north pacific coast, british columbia, canada, totem pole, carved, commonwealth games, melbourne festival, cedar

Black powder splitting guns were commonly used to split large logs into more manageable pieces before the advent of excavators and front-end loaders in bush logging operations. A typical splitting gun used in Victorian forests was a piece of high-grade steel about 1-1/2 to 2 inches in diameter and about 16 inches long, and slightly tapered at one end. They had a ¾ inch hole drilled about 9 inches deep into the centre of the shaft with a small pilot hole drilled from the outside to load the fuse. The tube was carefully loaded with an amount of black gunpowder using a funnel and spoon. Experience being the guide on how much powder to use, which depended on log size, species and difficulty of splitting the wood. The hole was stopped with a piece of wadded paper and the gun positioned at the end of a length of the log to be split. The splitting gun was then belted into the log with a large wooden maul or even the back of an axe to a depth of about 3 to 4 inches. There were often markings as a guide. This also had the effect of tamping the black powder inside the gun. Preferably the gun was backed up by another large log to absorb the recoil shock and avoid it flying off in the bush somewhere. I have seen guns where a length of string and coloured flag could be attached to help find them. A length of fuse was then inserted in the small hole and lit. Kaboom !!!! Needless to say, the splitting gun was a dangerous implement.Log Splitting gun (large 50cm)forests commission victoria (fcv), hand tools

Black powder splitting guns were commonly used to split large logs into more manageable pieces before the advent of excavators and front-end loaders in bush logging operations. A typical splitting gun used in Victorian forests was a piece of high-grade steel about 1-1/2 to 2 inches in diameter and about 16 inches long, and slightly tapered at one end. They had a ¾ inch hole drilled about 9 inches deep into the centre of the shaft with a small pilot hole drilled from the outside to load the fuse. The tube was carefully loaded with an amount of black gunpowder using a funnel and spoon. Experience being the guide on how much powder to use, which depended on log size, species and difficulty of splitting the wood. The hole was stopped with a piece of wadded paper and the gun positioned at the end of a length of the log to be split. The splitting gun was then belted into the log with a large wooden maul or even the back of an axe to a depth of about 3 to 4 inches. There were often markings as a guide. This also had the effect of tamping the black powder inside the gun. Preferably the gun was backed up by another large log to absorb the recoil shock and avoid it flying off in the bush somewhere. I have seen guns where a length of string and coloured flag could be attached to help find them. A length of fuse was then inserted in the small hole and lit. Kaboom !!!! Needless to say, the splitting gun was a dangerous implement.Log Splitting gun (large 45cm)forests commission victoria (fcv), hand tools

Articles for Royal Historical Society (Bendigo Branch) Newsletter - April 1973. 1. From Bendigo Advertiser 15/10/1950 re Bendigo's first unofficial postman, Mr Collier, White Hills. 2.''Inaugurating the New Lock Up'' from Bendigo Advertiser 20/9/1861; mention of Detective Thompson and first inhabitant of Market Square lockup (man named Diamond). 3. Chinese Testimonial (Bendigo Advertiser 27/11/1856) re ring presented to Mr Lysaght as their ''first lawyer''. 4. Bendigo City Coat of Arms - description of this in detail and the representations of the Coat of Arms that are incorrect (eg on three sides of the City Hall) Suggestion - '' see the old Council Chambers'' for ''portraits'' of the (full and correct?) Bendigo Coat of Arms.5. Article from Bendigo Advertiser 4th Jan 1864 re storm of 31/1/1864 (sic) December? Mention of Axe Creek Bridge Hotel of Mr Costelloe. A note from 1973 from author that this hotel might later have been renamed 'The Perseverance' hotel; details of severed storm and flash flood of the day. [Two copies].document, names of bendigo pioneers, bendigo

Red and blue negatives folder with a Konica camera on the front and Boldt written on the front in texta. It contains negatives of the Boldt Family. Also in the folder is a blue sheet of writing paper with the names of the people in the negatives. They are: 1 - 3 group back row L - R, Ernst, Carl, Wilhelm, Edward. Front row Hermina, Elise, Albert, d in law Charlotte & baby Florence. 4. Albert Boldt (1894). 5. Hermann & Marie lived in Wilhelmslust (Germany). 6. Herman & Marie. 7. Eugenie & August Boldt & Lilli Weich (adopted daughter). 8. Edward Boldt killed under Monier Bridge. 9. Wilhelm Boldt in front of present house with Tip Top stallion. 10. Wilhelm Boldt in front with axe (wood carting). 11. Elise wife of Albert Boldt. 12. Monier bridge (collapse due to bad concreting) Edward Boldt under the rubble (app. 1900) near Gas Works, Bendigo. 13. Carl Jess, school teacher Rays Hill State School scholars. 14. Teachers & Headmaster, Violet St. State School, Bendigo. 15. Elise Boldt (70 years old). 16. Johanna Boldt. negative, bendigo, german heritage society, german heritage society collection - negatives - boldt, ernst, carl, wilhelm, edward, hermina, elise, albert boldt, charlotte, florence, marie, eugenie & august boldt, lilli weich, edward boldt, wilhelm boldt, elise boldt, monier bridge (king's bridge near gas works), gas works bendigo), carl jess, rais hill state school, violet st state school, johanna boldt

Bushfire perimeter rather than bushfire area is the main control problem for firefighters on the ground. A conundrum rapidly compounded by spot fires. A small 5 ha fire can be nearly 1 km around the perimeter. That's a long way to build a control line by hand in rough bush. Dry firefighting techniques by hand were mostly confined to “knocking down” or “beating out” the flames, as well as "digging out". Digging or raking a “mineral earth” trail down to bare dirt proved most effective in forest fuels which, unlike grass, tend to retain heat and smoulder. Early tools were whatever happened to be close at hand. They were simple and primitive and included shovels, slashers, axes, hoes, beaters and rakes. A cut branch to beat the flames was often the only thing available. Farming and logging tools, developed over centuries of manual labour, and readily available at local hardware stores came into use, but little thought was given to size, weight, and balance. This canvas hose beater was based on a century-old design which used lengths of canvas fire hose rivetted together and lashed with wire to a broom handle. The hose was be soaked in water to improve its effectiveness. If the flames were more than a metre or so the user was generally not able to get close enough to extinguish the fire It's recommend that users lift no more than above knee height to conserve energy and let the beater to the work. For years foresters experimented with combination tools. In about 1952 fire beaters and other implements were being replaced with Rakuts and later RakehoesEarly firefighting toolBushfire beater - Canvas with wooden handleR P PWD (Public Works Department) The handle has painted markings which indicate which FCV District it belonged to.bushfire, forests commission victoria (fcv)

Sepia image (copy) picture shows family gathered at base of large tree trunk with door opening. Two small children in doorway, woman holding younger child inside tree, two men either side of image. Both men are wearing suit coats, vests and wearing hats. Straw broom and pots fixed to tree trunk. Man on RH side has an axe to his right. PLEASE NOTE: Letter with photo inquiring about the people in photo, states that the image is that of Peter Tyson, younger brother of James, his wife Margaret Sheil, and their twin daughters, Alice and Harriet. Diary is of accounts with limited text of a written diary on RH wide of sheets. Bookkeeper was Robert Primrose, whose name appears frequently in the book. Further research by Murray Poustie discovered that the photograph may actually be of Nicholas Penny, his wife Eva and their children Charlie, May, George and Nicholas. Also in the photograph on the left is their neighbour, Mr. John Green. The Photograph was taken by Max Lowenhardt when the Penny family was living in the tree at Fumina in 1906-07 following devastating bushfires. Fumina is in timber country at the foot of the Baw Baw Mountains and the area was frequently affected by major bushfires. The photograph was featured on the cover of the Gippsland Heritage Journal No.19, 1996 and is also extensively noted as ''The Penny family's tree home at Fumina'' in other publications including Vision & Realisation.person, receipts

"Marydale", at 2270 McIvor Hwy., Axedale, was part of the original Campaspe Plains and Axe pastoral runs. By 1857 William Heffernan(1803-1891) had purchased the property from the "Axedale Station's" Robert Ross. it's heritage listing includes the outbuildings that remain in their original format and include the summerhouse and the schoolroom. Also included in the listing are the extensive gardens of mature trees. 1. William Heffernan (1803-1891) was born in Tipparary, Ireland and came to Australia in 1853 with Mr J Crowley. Together they first went to the Heathcote goldfields before moving on to Bendigo where they initially opened a tent restaurant. This successful endeavour allowed them to purchase the Pall Mall site of the Shamrock hotel. They built their first hotel and a large hall for entertainment that was later called the Theatre Royal. They continued to grow and expand until they built the current Shamrock building. He went on to several other successful theatres and hotels before retiring to "Marydale" in 1879/80. Before moving to New Zealand in 1884/5 he sold "Marydale" to Jeremiah Heffernan. He went to NZ to manage a hotel for his newly widowed sister and then built the Pier Hotel in Dunedin. By the time of his death in Dunedin he had lost most of his fortune. 2. Jeramiah Heffernan (1831-1897) was also born in Tipparary, Ireland but was no relation to William. He came to Australia in 1854 and to Bendigo in 1855, where he was employed by William and his partner, Mr Crowley at the Shamrock Hotel in Pall Mall. Twelve months later he became the manager of Heffernan and Crowley's Rose Shamrock and Thistle Hotel at Epsom. After twelve months in this position he bought the Albert Hotel in McCrae Street, Bendigo. He was a successful businessman who later purchased the Victoria Hotel in Pall Mall before retiring in 1887,firstly to "Marydale" that he had bought from William Heffernan in the early 1880's and then to his home in St Kilda. On doctors orders he returned to "Marydale" where he died 13/5/1897.Bendigo Advertiser from 18/07/1970. Article titled "Before Bendigo was....Marydale was." by Toora. The article describes the historic homestead of Marydale at Axedale.In red pen "Bendigo Advertiser 18-7-70"marydale, axedale, historic homestead

Bushfire perimeter rather than bushfire area is the main control problem for firefighters on the ground. A conundrum rapidly compounded by spot fires. A small 5 ha fire can be nearly 1 km around the perimeter. That's a long way to build a control line by hand in rough bush. Dry firefighting techniques by hand were mostly confined to “knocking down” or “beating out” the flames, as well as "digging out". Digging or raking a “mineral earth” trail down to bare dirt proved most effective in forest fuels which, unlike grass, tend to retain heat and smoulder. Early tools were whatever happened to be close at hand. They were simple and primitive and included shovels, slashers, axes, hoes, beaters and rakes. A cut branch to beat the flames was often the only thing available. Farming and logging tools, developed over centuries of manual labour, and readily available at local hardware stores came into use, but little thought was given to size, weight, and balance. For years foresters experimented with combination tools. In about 1952 fire beaters and other implements were being replaced with Rakuts. However, its believed the now common Rakehoe is an Australian variation of the American McLeod Tool which was developed in 1905 by forest ranger Malcolm McLeod of the Sierra National Forest. The late Athol Hodgson advised that predecessors, Reg Torbet who had been the Chief Fire Officer for the Forests Commission from 1948-1956, along with his QLD counterpart Clive Price, went in late 1951 as Australian delegates on a 10 week fire study tour of Nth America organised by the United Nations. They came back with a couple of McLeod tools from Canada. Cam MacLeod (different spelling) had been the Head of Fire Research for the Canadian Forest Service at the time and had supplied them. The tools were ideal for deciduous forests in the eastern provinces and Clive arranged to have them manufactured in QLD. The Rakho, as it was then spelled, was first issued to FCV crews 65 years ago in 1955-56. The American Pulaski had been trialled, but never found favour with Australian firefighters.First used in 1955Rakehoebushfire, forests commission victoria (fcv)

Bushfire perimeter rather than bushfire area is the main control problem for firefighters on the ground. A conundrum rapidly compounded by spot fires. A small 5 ha fire can be nearly 1 km around the perimeter. That's a long way to build a control line by hand in rough bush. Dry firefighting techniques by hand were mostly confined to “knocking down” or “beating out” the flames, as well as "digging out". Digging or raking a “mineral earth” trail down to bare dirt proved most effective in forest fuels which, unlike grass, tend to retain heat and smoulder. Early tools were whatever happened to be close at hand. They were simple and primitive and included shovels, slashers, axes, hoes, beaters and rakes. A cut branch to beat the flames was often the only thing available. Farming and logging tools, developed over centuries of manual labour, and readily available at local hardware stores came into use, but little thought was given to size, weight, and balance. For years foresters experimented with combination tools. In about 1952 fire beaters and other implements were being replaced with Rakuts. However, its believed the now common Rakehoe is an Australian variation of the American McLeod Tool which was developed in 1905 by forest ranger Malcolm McLeod of the Sierra National Forest. The late Athol Hodgson advised that predecessors, Reg Torbet who had been the Chief Fire Officer for the Forests Commission from 1948-1956, along with his QLD counterpart Clive Price, went in late 1951 as Australian delegates on a 10 week fire study tour of Nth America organised by the United Nations. They came back with a couple of McLeod tools from Canada. Cam MacLeod (different spelling) had been the Head of Fire Research for the Canadian Forest Service at the time and had supplied them. The tools were ideal for deciduous forests in the eastern provinces and Clive arranged to have them manufactured in QLD. The Rakho, as it was then spelled, was first issued to FCV crews 65 years ago in 1955-56. The American Pulaski had been trialled, but never found favour with Australian firefighters.Pulaski Fire Tool Digging end and cutting end with short wooden handleforests commission victoria (fcv), hand tools, forest harvesting, bushfire

Bushfire perimeter rather than bushfire area is the main control problem for firefighters on the ground. A conundrum rapidly compounded by spot fires. A small 5 ha fire can be nearly 1 km around the perimeter. That's a long way to build a control line by hand in rough bush. Dry firefighting techniques by hand were mostly confined to “knocking down” or “beating out” the flames, as well as "digging out". Digging or raking a “mineral earth” trail down to bare dirt proved most effective in forest fuels which, unlike grass, tend to retain heat and smoulder. Early tools were whatever happened to be close at hand. They were simple and primitive and included shovels, slashers, axes, hoes, beaters and rakes. A cut branch to beat the flames was often the only thing available. Farming and logging tools, developed over centuries of manual labour, and readily available at local hardware stores came into use, but little thought was given to size, weight, and balance. For years foresters experimented with combination tools. In about 1952 fire beaters and other implements were being replaced with Rakuts. However, its believed the now common Rakehoe is an Australian variation of the American McLeod Tool which was developed in 1905 by forest ranger Malcolm McLeod of the Sierra National Forest. The late Athol Hodgson advised that predecessors, Reg Torbet who had been the Chief Fire Officer for the Forests Commission from 1948-1956, along with his QLD counterpart Clive Price, went in late 1951 as Australian delegates on a 10 week fire study tour of Nth America organised by the United Nations. They came back with a couple of McLeod tools from Canada. Cam MacLeod (different spelling) had been the Head of Fire Research for the Canadian Forest Service at the time and had supplied them. The tools were ideal for deciduous forests in the eastern provinces and Clive arranged to have them manufactured in QLD. The Rakho, as it was then spelled, was first issued to FCV crews 65 years ago in 1955-56. The American Pulaski had been trialled, but never found favour with Australian firefighters.Fire Beater (canvas) 1930s designforests commission victoria (fcv), hand tools, forest harvesting, bushfire

Bushfire perimeter rather than bushfire area is the main control problem for firefighters on the ground. A conundrum rapidly compounded by spot fires. A small 5 ha fire can be nearly 1 km around the perimeter. That's a long way to build a control line by hand in rough bush. Dry firefighting techniques by hand were mostly confined to “knocking down” or “beating out” the flames, as well as "digging out". Digging or raking a “mineral earth” trail down to bare dirt proved most effective in forest fuels which, unlike grass, tend to retain heat and smoulder. Early tools were whatever happened to be close at hand. They were simple and primitive and included shovels, slashers, axes, hoes, beaters and rakes. A cut branch to beat the flames was often the only thing available. Farming and logging tools, developed over centuries of manual labour, and readily available at local hardware stores came into use, but little thought was given to size, weight, and balance. For years foresters experimented with combination tools. In about 1952 fire beaters and other implements were being replaced with Rakuts. However, its believed the now common Rakehoe is an Australian variation of the American McLeod Tool which was developed in 1905 by forest ranger Malcolm McLeod of the Sierra National Forest. The late Athol Hodgson advised that predecessors, Reg Torbet who had been the Chief Fire Officer for the Forests Commission from 1948-1956, along with his QLD counterpart Clive Price, went in late 1951 as Australian delegates on a 10 week fire study tour of Nth America organised by the United Nations. They came back with a couple of McLeod tools from Canada. Cam MacLeod (different spelling) had been the Head of Fire Research for the Canadian Forest Service at the time and had supplied them. The tools were ideal for deciduous forests in the eastern provinces and Clive arranged to have them manufactured in QLD. The Rakho, as it was then spelled, was first issued to FCV crews 65 years ago in 1955-56. The American Pulaski had been trialled, but never found favour with Australian firefighters.Rakhoeforests commission victoria (fcv), hand tools, forest harvesting, bushfire

Ward Brothers (George and Samuel) registered a company (Australian Sewing Machines Limited Pty Ltd) with the head office address in Errol St, North Melbourne, and Prahan. The earliest newspaper advertisement for this company was in 1897. Around this time the Ward Brothers first imported sewing machines from England and Wertheim placed their decal on them and mounted them in their own Australian made cabinets. David Ward later imported machines from Beisolt & Locke in Germany and registered name  A.N.A. (All Native Australian), his shop was in Collingwood Melbourne. Some of these machines had Ward Brothers decals on them as well. The three brothers sold under the same name as Ward Brothers. The early Ward Brothers logo had a map of Australia with a picture of all three brothers on it. In 1911 all three of the Ward Brothers decided to share a stall in the yearly Melbourne exhibition. The A.N.A was the machine that got rave reviews. It was at this time that the Australian Sewing Machine Company Pty Ltd decided to add the A.N.A logo to their logo to cash in on the new found celebrity status that the A.N.A has gained. To cut a long story short. David Ward took his brothers to court to prevent this from happening. This was a long drawn out affair that took quite a few years. The settlement was decided out of court and nothing was disclosed of the deal that was made. David seemed to have left the scene, then the remaining Ward Brothers and A.N.A. combined and then became “Wardana”. There are many Ward Brothers sewing machines in displays, they originated from Japan, England, America, and Germany. It seems that where ever they got the best deal for sewing machines or parts is the direction they went. This is where the Bendigo sewing machine company came into the picture. All imported sewing machines into Australia drew a government tax. Bendigo Cording's Traction Company was given proposed two-pound tariff protection that gave the company a significant price advantage for its machines. As a result, the Ward Brothers purchased a huge number of Bendigo shares to get cheaper machines for their sewing machine cabinets. Ward Brothers then placed one of their company officials on the Board of “Bendigo Sewing Machines Limited” and the rest is history. Ward Brothers had shops Australian wide and in most of the major country towns. History for “Bendigo Sewing Machines Limited”     Cordings Traction Company owners (H. Keck MLC, W. Wallace, and W. Ewing) operated their business out of the former W. Webb & Co. building in Queen St. Bendigo. Around 1923-1924 they decided to switch from traction engines to manufacturing sewing machines. The actual date is not known but that year's financial report made note of both Cordings and Bendigo Sewing Machines Limited. The switch was made with the government of the day agreeing to a tariff of two pounds per head for every machine head made completely in Australia. The change from traction engines to sewing machines went well. Government representatives visited the factory in Bendigo to inspect and ensure that the sewing machines were Australian made as a result they agreed on granting the two-pound tariff to the company. After the first 12 months, they built 30, the following 12 months the company had produced 1500 machines probably due to the involvement of the Ward brothers. However, the government proposed a new condition to the tariff agreement which was that the company must produce 20% of Australia's requirements for sewing machines. In 1924 after having had produced 1500 machines resulting in reaching their financial limit for tariff support. According to the government, the requirement was 15,000 machines for the next year had to be produced to qualify for the tariff. The company had already reached its production limit and unfortunately folded. There were several attempts to regain government assistance to save this new industry but it was to no avail. Even a promise to open another factory in Sydney was offered but unfortunately wasn't accepted. An item fabricated in Australia from a majority of imported parts from either Germany, America or England giving a snapshot into the early manufacturing industries that were operating at the time of Federation. Sewing machine, treadle, in timber cabinet. Branded Ward Bros, A.N.A., Australian Sewing Machine Coy. Decorative carved timber cabinet, hinged, fold-out laminated timber top and five drawers; two small on each side with handles and one long, shallow, between side drawers without handle. Thread is on bobbin in a rocket shuttle (both in good condition) plus spare empty shuttle (rusty). Brass ‘Half Yard’ ruler inlaid across front, measuring scale in inches and centimetres. Two metal shuttle cover plates (or throat plate / slide plate); front one is impressed with a gauge for needle and thread. Gold trim and decals on flatbed and machine front and back, serial number under shuttle cover, brand on decals and on round metal plate on back of machine. Front right of machine has a bobbin winder. Treadle belt shows signs of wear and laminate on timber machine cover is peeling slightly.Decal coat of arms on right front of machine: kangaroo on left, man with broad-brim hat, holding pick-axe on right, in centre, top “SEWING MACHINE / THE / A. N. A.” then below it, the rising sun, then below that is state of Victoria shield with the Southern Cross constellation. Wheat sheaves around edge on left and flowering plant on right. Gold ribbon banner at bottom with script “WARD BROS.“ Decal of map of Australia on flatbed of machine. States and capital cities are marked and named (no northern territory), portrait of two men. In centre of map are interwoven letters “A. N. A.” and written in script “WARD BROS.” Decal across front of machine body has large, decorated gold lettering “A. N. A.” Decal across the top of machine “THE AUSTRALIAN SEWING MACHINE COY. PTY. Ltd.” Steel shuttle cover at front has an impressed gage listing cotton and needle sizes and number of stitches. Brass disc on back of machine “A. N. A.” in centre. Brass ruler across front of machine has carved or pressed words in the timber. In centre “INCHES” above ruler and “CENTIMETRES” below ruler, and on right above ruler is “HALF YARD” Decal across back of machine’s body “A.N. A. / MADE IN U.S.A.” Stamped into metal under shuttle cover is “219415” (2 and 5 are partially there, first 1 could instead be a 7) flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, ward bros., australian sewing machine co., a.n.a., treadle sewing machine, rocket shuttle sewing machine, home industry, clothing, wardana, australian sewing machine company, all native australian, dressmaking, clothing manufacturer

From the early days of our race, the knife represented one of the first and most important tools that enabled rise of our technology, military, culture, science and all other things that brought us to this point of modern civilisation. As a vital tool for survival, combat, construction and food preparation, the knife quickly became the most basic tool from which all others were born. In those ancient times, 500,000 years ago, sharpened stones started slowly evolving, becoming more and more like their modern counterpart. Before the time when fire enabled the melting of the various metals, and forging them into modern knives, their stone counterparts received several visual upgrades. Double bladed knives were most popular, and their wooden or stone hilts were decorated with animal skins and feathers. Those knives represented a great deal of pride for the warriors and elders who owned them, and that tradition continued to be practised with the arrival of the Bronze Age. The appearance of metallurgy brought the ability to create knives from softer types of metal. Even though knives from bronze did not provide durability over longer periods of time [easily dulled, and susceptible to corrosion), their sharpness and slim designed proved to be superior to any stone knife tool. As the centuries went on, iron and then steel became commonplace across the entire world. Knives created from those materials were much more durable and easier to maintain their sharpness after prolonged use. During medieval times in Europe, steel metallurgy managed to evolve knives from small single or double-bladed edges to larger sizes - swords, spears and axes. Even with all those advancements, the use of knives as an eating utensil continued to be used in some small circles. Even as early as the 15th century, wealthy circles of people started carrying personal knives, intended for double use - both eating and defending against threats. During those times the host were not obliged to provide their guest with any kind of eating utensil in addition to plates, so wealthy males used their eating knives for cutting their own meals, and the meals of nearby female guests. Slim double-bladed knives were good for cutting and piercing foods. As the use of forks became widespread in the whole of Europe by the late 17th century, most people used this kind of small knife on a regular basis (a combination of two knives, one for stabilising and other for cutting the meal). http://www.eatingutensils.net/history-of-cutlery/knife-history/The knife is one of the most important items that has enabled the development of civilisation over thousands of years.Carving knife with wooden handle and rusted slender metal blade.None.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, knife, kitchen equipment, dining