Mt Beauty was built as a construction town by the S.E.C.V. for workers on the K.H.E.S.. Thee 5 houses in Beauty Ave were the first to be built.The power lines were already erected.Photo: Sepia photo of 5 new houses built at Mt Beauty on the higher side of Beauty Avenue.mt beauty township, beauty avenue

Established in 1946, during the construction of the Kiewa Hydro Electric Scheme, the township of Mt Beauty was developed by the State Electricity Commission of Victoria to provide additional accommodation for the thousands of workers during the construction of the country’s second largest hydro-electricity scheme. 
Although these towns were built as temporary accommodation for the workers and their families, many stayed after the scheme finished. Combined with the influx of European migrants, with their rich cultural backgrounds, all played a major part in shaping the future character of the Mount Beauty, the Kiewa Valley and Falls Creek. The Bright Council, now the Alpine Shire took over the control of the township in 1960. This relatively young town of Mount Beauty, along with the surrounding townships of Falls Creek, Bogong, Tawonga South and Tawonga, are all part of a prospering tourist area with excellent services, accommodation, food and a wide range of recreational activities available for all ages. According to Shire records, the population of Mt Beauty has grown from 1,500 in 1981 to 1,800 in 2016 with a projected increase to 2,000 in 2013The photographs taken around 1993 show a prosperous commercial centre catering for both locals and the needs of visitors. It provides a pictorial history of the changes which have occurred in the retail/commercial district of Mt Beauty over the years. It also demonstrates the attention paid by Alpine Shire towards providing accessible recreational green space around the town centre.Set of 7 colour photographs of Lakeside Avenue, Mt Beauty. Circa 1993 showing retail services and streetscape of the time. No markingsmt beauty, lakeside ave mt beauty

A photo of Beauty Avenue houses looking south. A good example of the garden's created very early in Mount Beauty's history. Photo circa 1947These houses were built for the workers and their families during the construction phase of the Kiewa Hydro Electric Scheme by the State Electricity Commission of Victoria.Large coloured photograph with mountains in the background, houses,and SEC poles in the centre, and gardens in the foregroundOn the back in pencil 13411mount beauty housing, kiewa hydro electric scheme, mount beauty gardens, mount beauty township

The shopping centre in Mt Beauty, both buildings and streetscape, have undergone significant changes since 1973. The kindergarten has undergone extensive remodelling, The Chalet has been replaced by Svarmisk Resort and Accommodation Spa. Tawonga hospital has undergone extensive renovation and is now Mt Beauty Hospital AND Kiewa Valley House. The Workman’s Club changed name to the Country Club and has since closed down. Hospital and Kiewa Valley House now occupy what is shown as a vacant lot opposite the motel which is now called Mt Beauty Motor Inn.The houses in Mt Beauty were brought in by the State Electricity Commission of Victoria when they constructed Mt Beauty Town for their workers building the Kiewa Hydro Electric Scheme. Mt Beauty is unique began as a construction town in the late 1940's.Colour photographs of various buildings in Mt Beauty taken in 1973 1. Workman’s Club 2. View over the pondage 3. Tawonga Hospital (Mt Beauty) 4. Mt Beauty Chalet 5. Mt Beauty Kindergarten 6. The Merjei Motel 7. 8 Valley Avenue 8. Shopping Centre Handwritten in ink on the back of photos 1. Workman’s Club 1973 (after the brick makeover) From the sports oval – the high school is to the right 2. A view over the pond 1973 3. Tawonga Hospital 1973 (Mt Beauty) 4. Mount Beauty Chalet 1973 5. Kindergarten 1973 6. The Merjei Motel 1973 7. Our house at 8 Valley Ave 1973, Owner after us erected the car port, let the front hedge run amok and vanquished the vegetable garden and citrus trees Dad created. 8. Shopping Centre 1973. At the end of the street is the hospital (believe it is now Mt Beauty Bush Nursing Hotel) mt beauty, workman's club, chalet, tawonga hospital

The fire hose reel was purchased by the Fire Ladies' Auxiliary for the Mt Beauty S.E.C. Fire Brigade in the late 1950's for over 1000 pounds. Initially they competed with Bogong fire brigade as both were 'Industry' Fire brigades - both owned by the State Electricity Commission. Competition was at 2 levels - north east Victoria and state competitions involving rural and urban brigades with a difference in the equipment. Mt Beauty was/is an urban brigade whereas Tawonga is a rural brigade. Competition involved members to improve their skill, keep fit and was a very social occasion. After the Shire took over Mt Beauty township in 1961, the Fire Brigade ran by itself but soon became affiliated with the C.F.A. because of insurance and legal liability e.g.. enabling them to stop traffic or wreck buildings if required. The CFA were not happy with the Mt Beauty truck so a new one was obtained while the old one went to Bogong. Competitions gradually ceased as it was a young man's sport and young members had prior commitments. The reel was donated to the KVHS in the mid 1980's as it failed to be sold as it competed with new, cheaper, aluminium reels. The practice strip was located beside the fire station in Lakeside Avenue. This fire hose reel was used by the Mt Beauty Fire Brigade for demonstrations at competitions during the 1950's and 1960's. The Mt Beauty Fire Brigade Team won the competition in 1966 at Wangaratta. The score was close against the home team and was decided on a play off. The team benefitted by the man who wound the hose on allowing it to end up at the easiest height to handle when full of water and very heavy.The Mt Beauty Fire Brigade was an 'industry' fire brigade belonging to the State Electricity Commission of Victoria from the 1940's. It became a member of the Country Fire Authority in the early 1960's. During the 1950's and early 1960's members would compete with other local fire brigades in competitions against other brigades in the north east of Victoria using skills such as unwinding the hose off the reel and turning on the water in record time. The Mt Beauty Fire Brigade continues today as an urban fire brigade affiliated with the CFA.Varnished wooden cart reinforced by painted red steel frame. The wheels have 14 wooden spokes and steel around the outside of the wooden wheel. A long canvas hose is wound around a central winding cylinder. The cart has a wooden handle with a rubber jockey wheel at its end. There is a brass hose nozzle attached by a stainless steel frame on the outer side near one of the wheels.Each Reel: "Mt Beauty F.B." yellow print outlined in black with red background.fire hose. mt beauty fire brigade. country fire authority. fire reel.

This badge, which was used in the mid to late 1900's (Scouts started in Australia in 1909) clearly demonstrates that the families in the Kiewa Valley although slightly remote were still able to participate in one of the prime "boy" only social groups. The Boy Scouting movement brought together boys from all the socio-economic areas in the Australian population. The scouting group applied the concept of self sufficiency and friendship to all its membership. It was an avenue to cross the boundaries of distance and regional mores. Many of the boys in the Kiewa Valley and its regions would have been more "in tune" with the core principles of the scouting movement because being in a rural environment and "living on the land" was a day to day part of their life. What was an important aspect to they was the "mateship" and the belonging to a very large, and international, group of "like minded" boys. This avenue of interacting with a larger group of boys cut through the "small population" mores of a rural and at times isolated environment. This Boy Scouting activity was both mentally and physically significant to growing boys within the Kiewa Valley as it opened up the world to them.This brass badge has a front formed in a half circle base supporting a "Fleur de Leis" in a spear shape with "cut outs" at the appropriate places to provide the emphasis needed to project the form. Attached to the badge is a crescent moon shaped pronged frame for attaching the badge to lapels or collars or button eyelets. On the bottom scroll "BOY SCOUTS" and on the back type fastener "STOKES & SONS" below this "Melb".societies, boy scouts, apparel badges, numismatics badges

This photograph is one of the first photos of golfing in Mt Beauty. It is dated 1948 and it pictures three high-profile Kiewa Hydro Electric Scheme staff members having a hit of golf on a rudimentary course which was the fore runner to the beautiful golf course we enjoy today. This photo may have been published in one of the SECV magazines.Jack Giniff, Jack Ormerod and Lloyd Dunn were well known on the K.H.E.scheme. The photo shows how quickly community facilities were organised to provide sporting opportunities for the 4000+ workforce.Photo of 3 men playing golf copied from the original onto photo-quality paper in an enlarged form.Hand written at the bottom of the photo: "Mount Beauty Golf Course 1948 (7th Fairway). This is now the 2nd Fairway. Fairway Avenue will run along - the fenceline on the left. Players: Jack Giniff, Jack Ormerod, Lloyd Dunn." Note: "Jack Andrews" crossed out.golf at mt beauty, sport and recreation

The King family lived in Tawonga South where my older brother and sister went to school. We lived over the road from Wally Madison's farm. Later when a house became available, we moved into Valley Avenue, Mt Beauty. This is when I turned 5 and started my schooling. It was a long walk for a 5 year old as I remember. Then later we moved to 50 Lakeside Ave. I remember we loved living there as it was close to the school, footy ground and kindergarten. My father, Ted King, wad a carpenter and was involved in the building of many houses in Mt Beauty which was the home for the workers on the Kiewa Electric Scheme. So as they are part of the history of Mt Beauty I thought they may be useful to you as part of the history. The tennis photos, I vaguely remember Lou Hoad and Ken Rosewell giving exhibition matches in Mt Beauty. I may stand corrected on this, but I do remember my parents who were keen tennis players themselves were most excited at seeing these famous tennis players. As I was only 9 when we left Mt Beauty to live in Dimboola I still remember the shock of leaving a beautiful mountainous county side and arriving in a flat farming land next to a desert and seeing windmills One thing I do remember from school is, once a week (or fortnight) the teacher used to come around with a jar of little white pills, of which we were all to take. I really don't know what they were?? or for?? I also remember being taught to swim in the freezing cold river by a Mrs Smith who wore black bathers and wore her hair in a bun...... ...I am now in my 70s My father used to also carve intricate trays and jewellery boxes in his spare time. I think they were used for tennis trophies. by Diane Werner.x33 photos of small black and white photos of the Tawonga, Tawonga South and Mt Beauty - Photos not labelled but described as follows. See each photo for a possible label. A. Tawonga? B. Mt Beauty taken on the road to Bogong ? C. SEC Works D. Industrial buildings with mountains in the background E. Building site with wooden frame and 3 men F. Buildings with power poles G. Building site with lots of huts H. Buildings under construction I. Group of houses in the distance J. Group of houses in the distance K. Group of people in front of a building L. Group of 8 men sitting on timber planks, corrugated iron at back. M.& N. Building site with floor and upright timbers O. Mountain view with camp site in foreground P.& Q. Buiding site, several houses R.5 men at a building site S. portable building on trailer T & U. Mountain view V. Building site W. Group of men, car and mountains in background X. Cows Y. Pigs Z. 2 men standing next to cars. AA. Football players BB. Man painting a corrugated iron building CC. Football DD. Men in front of a building EE Buildings with mountains in background FF & GG Tennis payersHH & II. Electricity infrastructure

Mt Beauty was constructed by the SECV in the late 1940s. Built as a construction town for workers and their families during the construction of the Kiewa Hydro Electric Scheme. This photo shows the shops and cars in Kiewa St, Mt Beauty and the houses and Chalet in the background in the early 1960s.Large black and white photo taken from Lakeside Avenue end near the Post Office and looking towards the Chalet and Mt Beauty hill.Stamp in purple: "Please quote / No. LH1399 / when ordering / Laurie Richards / JW 1528"mt beauty township, kiewa st mt beauty, shops and cars in the 1960s mt beauty.

This item was manufactured in a period where the cheapest containers for portable equipment was canvas. The market place for cheap cameras was still restricted to European, England and its colonies. It was well before the post World War II explosion of the Asian manufacturing juggernaut.This item shows one of the most popular avenues of not only bringing new "modern" age equipment into the Kiewa Valley but also providing the local market with actual overseas inexpensive merchandise. It was a time when the new European fashion and "new age" equipment took years to permeate into regional Australia. The world, through Australia eyes, was still a very large planet and supply of "modern" lifestyle equipment emphasised the geographic isolation of Australia. Post World War II emigrants and an increasing flow of tourists to Australia provided the contact needed by rural settlements to open up not only their social contacts but lifestyle activities.Canvas, yellow, cream in color and with a weave pattern on the external side. It has stitched brown laminated fabric boarders containing all ends and corners. A flap opening top fastened on one side by a large press stud (15mm). A brown coloured leather carry strap (adjustable and 10mm wide) fasted at either of the longitudinal ends of the bag.camera, case photography, hobby, personal equipment

From the 1970's onward the relative isolation of regional areas was improving in "leaps and bounds". Social amenities, and life styles were changing at a great rate. Items such as this camera (recreational/life style/non professional) capture of the altering socio economic balance of rural based activities provided the catalyst for greater appreciation by city dwellers to the benefits of rural life. The greater levels of communicative avenues, especially the visual (photography, pictures, television and the internet), from the beginning of this period and throughout the time frame (1970 to the 2000s) has cut the major restraints of what was rural "isolationism".The significance of this type of camera, being a small two lens (normal, telescopic) and portable piece of equipment, allowed non professional tourists, locals or visitors to visually display the uniqueness of the Kiewa Valley and Alpine regions. This method of promotional and intimate visual reproduction of not only physical but also through personal involvement, of the photographer to the audience, a greater psychological impact, by the nature of intimacy involved. This type of photography is one of the most effective stimuli to promote the unique qualities of the Kiewa Valley region.This Item is dual lens (22mm,44mm) camera comprising of an elongated oblong shape, black hard plastic shell. It has a slightly rough surface(for a better fingers grip), two latches are located at the back, one to release the camera from its hinged protective cover and one to move to the next picture frame (film is within a cartridge).On swing cover "Kodak Tele 1 " on back in small print "MADE IN USA" On camera body "KODAK TELE EKTRA 1" underneath "CAMERA" and on slide switch(front) to change lenses:"Tele" and "Norm" kodak two lens camera, photographic hobby usa made camera

This set of small photographs was produced by the Rose Stenograph Co. c1913 to be included in photograph albums. The area known as South Sassafras, was opened up for settlement in 1893 and the name was changed to Kallista in 1925.A small, paper envelope containing 12 photographs of Sassafras that are reproductions of Rose Series postcards. There are 10 different photographs, 32a and 32c have doubles.Envelope : BEAUTY SPOTS in AUSTRALIA 12 Real Photographs For Your Snapshot Album Published by the Rose Stenograph Co. Rear 17 Auburn Grove, Armadale, Vic 3.E.3 SASSAFRAS, VICTORIA Photograph 32a - THE ROSE SERIES P. 905 CLEMATIS AVENUE, SHERBROOKE, VIC. Photograph 32b - THE ROSE SERIES P. 1603 THE CASCADES, SASSAFRAS, VIC. Photograph 32c - THE ROSE SERIES P. 204 PANORAMA AT SASSAFRAS, VIC. Photograph 32d - THE ROSE SERIES P. 4046 MAIN ROAD, SASSAFRAS, VIC. Photograph 32e - THE ROSE SERIES P. 1502 SASSAFRAS CREEK, SASSAFRAS, VIC. Photograph 32f - THE ROSE SERIES P. 1501 TOURIST TRACK, SASSAFRAS, VIC. Photograph 32g - THE ROSE SERIES P. 4244 TOURIST TRACK, SOUTH SASSAFRAS, VIC. Photograph 32h - THE ROSE SERIES P. 2725 CLEMATIS AVENUE, SHERBROOKE, VIC. Photograph 32i - MAIN ROAD, SASSAFRAS, VIC. Photograph 32j - THE OLINDA - SASSAFRAS ROAD, VIC. rose series, rose series, sassafras, sherbrooke, sassafras creek

David Miller (Dave) Mair (1879-1938) married Lily Vipond Deakin (1890-1945) in 1910. They had 5 children: Geoffrey David (1913-1970), Beryl (1916-1976), Gwynneth (1917-1997), Isabel Lillian (1921-1997) and Shirley Inez (1928-1968). Personal communication from Laurie Newton, Beryl's daughter: Dave and Beryl initially lived in East Melbourne after they married. Dave walked across the gardens to work at the MCG. He never drove or owned a car. Geoffrey, Beryl and Gwynneth were born in East Melbourne. They subsequently moved to Louise Avenue, Mont Albert and Isabel may have been born while they were there. Later they purchased 20 Barton Street, Mont Albert. Shirley was born after they moved to Barton Street. Electoral roll details: 1919 1922 24 Louise Avenue, Mont Albert 1924 20 Barton Street, Mont Albert Dave Mair was a very keen sportsman. This is part of a large donation of material from the Deakin, Mair and Young families. The Deakin, Mair and Young families had many connections with Mont Albert and Surrey Hills.A sepia photo of a woman and 2 girls standing behind about 30 fowls. The woman is holding a dish. In the background is an Edwardian (?) timber house with 2 brick chimneys and a corrugated iron roof, the ridge of which has a narrow peak with simple finials and ridge tiles. There is a centrally positioned (?) rear door with windows either side. There is a tank to the left of the house and a veranda to the RHS. The house is enclosed within a post and wire fence with a wire gate in line with the door. The fence appears to be lined with large rocks and behind the fence is garden plants of which cannot be identified. A few cows are to the right off-side.On the rear in black ink: "Feeding the fowls at / Derrinallum / Beryl Mair / 20 Barton Street / Surrey Hills / E10." Writing may be that of Lily Mair. In blue biro: " Gwen Beryl Mrs Jarman / Beauty (Jersey cow)" Thought to be Beryl Mair's handwriting. "KODAK PRINT" in black. beryl mair, gwen mair, farms, derrinallum, mrs jarman