Established in 1953 the Ballarat Begonia Festival was inspired by Scotland’s Edinburgh Festival. From 1953 to1993 the Ballarat Begonia Festival hosts the Queen of Begonias competition. A judging panel would select one woman to become the annual Queen of Begonias. Her role was to promote the festival and appear in the parade.   The official opening of the first Begonia Festival on Saturday 8 March 1953 was marked by the symbolic arrival of a Cobb & Co coach, completing a trip from Ballarat to Melbourne and Geelong then return. Colour images of the Ballarat Begonia Parade, with Beverly Coles as Begonia Queen.begonia festival, ballarat, begonia queen, floats, james michael morris

This slide shows the 1956 "Queen of Begonias" in Ballarat, on her float during the Begonia Festival street parade. Miss Carol Penrose, who was crowned by the Prime Minister Robert Menzies, is shown in the background. The runners up that year were Janet Saunders and Hillary Richards, otherwise known as "Princesses", one being pictured here, in front of the Begonia Queen. Mrs Bon Strange and her husband Bert were well known Ballarat residents. When Mrs Strange died some years ago, her extensive slide collection was sorted through and those relevant to Ballarat were gifted to the Ballarat Library.begonia festival, festival, queen of begonias, ballarat, parade

Large scrapbook covered in yellow contact. It includes photographs, newspaper clippings and epherma relating to the Ballarat Teachers' College in 1970. The front page includes a list of autographs. A copy of the Educaiton Department of Victoria Curriculum Research Bulletin. Voliv, no 4, October 1969, is included. ballarat teachers' college, scrap book, peter martin, janet tkatch, winston silbereisen, ian tori, garry powell, x-ray, student x-ray, tb xray, xray, mobile chest x-ray unit, t.w.h. turner, begonia queen, student residences, victoria street residence, raft race, george alexopoulos, vida morton, alyson kennedy, jim henry, kathleen martin, jennie grinter, geoffrey hobson, geoff mcrae, ian gribble, greg binns, ian page, ian hemingway, john gilbert, ian fryar, edward doney, margaret talbot, mavis canty, alan sonsee, peter sargeant, peter fryar, mary egan, margaret brown, jeff fyffe, anne mcmillan, tony benson, wallace state school, state college of victoria at ballarat, scvb, ray woolard

Foolscap programme printed in green ink. The 1954 Begonia Festival boasted a royal visit by Queen Elizabeth IIbegonia festival, queen elizabeth, ballarat, royal visit

A series of photographs showing a street parade, it may be an early Begonia Festival Parade. Because of the bunting, Union Jacks, and crowns, it may be dated to 1954 when Queen Elizabeth II visited Ballarat at the time of the Begonia Festival. This float may be the float of the Queen of Begonias. Mrs Bon Strange and her husband Bert were well known Ballarat residents. When Mrs Strange died some years ago, her extensive slide collection was sorted through and those relevant to Ballarat were gifted to the Ballarat Library. parade, sturt street, royal visit

Soft Covered souvenir booklet. Images include * Ballarat Botanical Gardens * Wallace Statue * Sturt Street with Tram * Eureka Stockade Memorial * Lake Wendouree * Ballarat Town Hall * Begonia Glasshouse * St Andrew's Kirk (Presbyterian) * St Peter's (Anglican) * Statues * Ballarat Post Office * Ballarat State Offices * Ballarat Orphanage * Queen Elizabeth Benevolent Home * Adam Lindsay Gordon's Cottage * Lydiard Street * Congregational Church * Ballarat Cenotaph * St Patrick's Cathedral (Catholic) * St Patrick's College * Ballarat Arch of Victory * Arch of Vitoria * Eureka Swimming Pool (natural water) * Prime Ministers Avenue (statues) * I & R. Morley Pty Ltd ballarat botanical gardens, wallace statue, sturt street with tram, eureka stockade memorial, lake wendouree, ballarat town hall, begonia glasshouse, st andrew's kirk (presbyterian), st peter's (anglican), statues, ballarat post office, ballarat state offices, ballarat orphanage, queen elizabeth benevolent home, adam lindsay gordon's cottage, lydiard street, congregational church, ballarat cenotaph, st patrick's cathedral (catholic), st patrick's college, ballarat arch of victory, eureka swimming pool (natural water), prime ministers avenue (statues), i & r. morley pty ltd, ballarat, arch of victory, ballarat churches

Yields information about Ballarat through pictures of the 1940-50's various locations, institutions and street scenes, including tramways. Good comparison with earlier books, eg Item 3900.24 page book, plus embossed covers saddle stapled with two staples titled "Ballarat - 'The Garden City' ". Features photographs of Ballarat and district - full colour with accompanying text about Ballarat and its history. Cover features Gardens view with statute of Wallace in foreground - see image c1 p3 - photo of No. 22 (bogie) at Grenville St in Sturt St with a single trucker behind in the City loop - see image c2 - see also Reg Item 5354 for a postcard version. p5 - Eureka Stockade memorial p6 - Lake Wendouree p7 - Sturt St with Town hall in background, and No. 33 in Sturt St. south side. p9 - Begonia hothouse p10 - St Andrews Kirk p11 - St Peter's Church of England p12 - Lake Wendouree p13 - Botanical Gardens p14 - Monuments and statues around Ballarat p15 - Post Office, State Offices, Ballarat Orphanage and Queen Elizabeth Benevolent Home p16 - A Ballarat Reservoir p17 - Botanical Gardens p18 - Gordon's Cottage, Congregational Church, Lydiard St and The Cenotaph p19 - Ballarat Grammar School, St. Patrick's Cathedral (no spire), St. Patrick's College, street scene p20 - Arch of Victory, Lake Wendouree, Sturt St with tram in distance and Eureka Swimming pool p22 - Avenue of Prime Ministers p23 - Harvest near Mt Warrenheip, Country side photo, I&R Morley Pty Ltd factory and houses in the lake area. Purchased through eBay 25/10/2004. See worksheet for eBay emails. See also Reg. Item 3041 for the same image of No. 22. 2nd Copy added 26/12/2007 - donation of Ron Scholten. pdf image of the full book added 8/5/19 as btm2925i.pdf trams, tramways, ballarat, sturt st, history, gardens

A series of photographs showing a street parade, it may be an early Begonia Festival Parade. Because of the bunting, Union Jacks, and crowns, it may be dated to 1954 when Queen Elizabeth II visited Ballarat at the time of the Begonia Festival. Mrs Bon Strange and her husband Bert were well known Ballarat residents. When Mrs Strange died some years ago, her extensive slide collection was sorted through and those relevant to Ballarat were gifted to the Ballarat Library. brass band, parade, sturt street, royal visits, ballarat

A series of photographs showing a street parade, it may be an early Begonia Festival Parade. Because of the bunting, Union Jacks, and crowns, it may be dated to 1954 when Queen Elizabeth II visited Ballarat at the time of the Begonia Festival. Unfortunately it is not clear which band this is, if you have any further information please comment below. Mrs Bon Strange and her husband Bert were well known Ballarat residents. When Mrs Strange died some years ago, her extensive slide collection was sorted through and those relevant to Ballarat were gifted to the Ballarat Library.

George Seddon, Gardener and Foreman, Ballarat Botanical Gardens. Carole Townsend, daughter of George Seddon at opening of the "Faces in the Street: Portraits of Ballarat Lives" exhibition at the Gold Museum. Courier newspaper. Also Royal Visit of Queen Elizabeth to the Ballarat Botanical Gardens, 1954. Also snow in the gardens, November 1949 at 7.30am, matron and nursing sisters from the Ballarat Base Hospital.Firsthand account of a Gardener and Foreman of the Ballarat Botanical Gardens for 25 years, c.1952-1977.All visibleAll visiblejohn garner collection, garner, dr, seddon, gardener, ballarat, ballarat botanical gardens, interview, townsend, courier, newspaper, gardens, foreman, tom beaumont, keel house, quarantine, begonias, statues, ballarat city council, changes in the ballarat botanical gardens over time., queen elizabeth, mayor, 1954, snow, nurses

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