Bernard Plohberger was one of the early ski instructors at Falls Creek. He was born in Austria on 14 January 1930. He was a ski instructor before he left Austria in 1955. He spent the winter of 1956 working as a ski instructor and during the summer Bernie worked as a chainman for the SEC Surveyor. He built the Ski School at Falls Creek in 1957 as well as the Frying Pan Inn. In 1960 the Frying Pan Inn was taken over by Bill Bridgford who had helped to finance its construction. Bernie married his wife Trudi in 1958 and their son Gerhard was born at the ski school in 1959, the first child born at Falls Creek. Both Trudi and Bernie worked for Bob Hymans for a period at Grand Coeur Chalet. After leaving Falls Creek, Bernie and Trudi moved to Canberra where Bernie took work on civil engineering projects such as the coal loader in Wollongong, the Vietnam memorial in Canberra, highway work on the Hume and Sugarloaf Dam in Victoria. Bernie Plohberger died on 18 May 2020. Felix Soratroi was also an Austrian Ski Instructor who was encouraged by Bernie to move to Falls Creek and work at the Ski School.This item is significant because it depicts early Ski Instructors at Falls Creek Ski School.A black and white image of two skiers near the Falls Creek Ski School.bernard plohberger, frying pan inn, falls creek ski school, felix soratroi

This item is from the ‘Pattison Collection’, a collection of books and records that was originally owned by the Warrnambool Mechanics’ Institute, which was founded in Warrnambool in 1853. By 1886 the Warrnambool Mechanics’ Institute (WMI) had grown to have a Library, Museum and Fine Arts Gallery, with a collection of “… choice productions of art, and valuable specimens in almost every branch and many wonderful national curiosities are now to be seen there, including historic relics of the town and district.” It later included a School of Design. Although it was very well patronised, the lack of financial support led the WMI in 1911 to ask the City Council to take it over. In 1935 Ralph Pattison was appointed as City Librarian to establish and organise the Warrnambool Library as it was then called. When the WMI building was pulled down in 1963 a new civic building was erected on the site and the new Warrnambool Library, on behalf of the City Council, took over all the holdings of the WMI. At this time some of the items were separated and identified as the ‘Pattison Collection’, named after Ralph Pattison. Eventually the components of the WMI were distributed from the Warrnambool Library to various places, including the Art Gallery, Historical Society and Flagstaff Hill. Later some were even distributed to other regional branches of Corangamite Regional Library and passed to and fro. It is difficult now to trace just where all of the items have ended up. The books at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village generally display stamps and markings from Pattison as well as a variety of other institutions including the Mechanics’ Institute itself. RALPH ERIC PATTISON Ralph Eric Pattison was born in Rockhampton, Queensland, in 1891. He married Maude Swan from Warrnambool in 1920 and they set up home in Warrnambool. In 1935 Pattison accepted a position as City Librarian for the Warrnambool City Council. His huge challenge was to make a functional library within two rooms of the Mechanics’ Institute. He tirelessly cleaned, cleared and sorted a disarrayed collection of old books, jars of preserved specimens and other items reserved for exhibition in the city’s museum. He developed and updated the library with a wide variety of books for all tastes, including reference books for students; a difficult task to fulfil during the years following the Depression. He converted all of the lower area of the building into a library, reference room and reading room for members and the public. The books were sorted and stored using a cataloguing and card index system that he had developed himself. He also prepared the upper floor of the building and established the Art Gallery and later the Museum, a place to exhibit the many old relics that had been stored for years for this purpose. One of the treasures he found was a beautiful ancient clock, which he repaired, restored and enjoyed using in his office during the years of his service there. Ralph Pattison was described as “a meticulous gentleman whose punctuality, floorless courtesy and distinctive neat dress were hallmarks of his character, and ‘his’ clock controlled his daily routine, and his opening and closing of the library’s large heavy doors to the minute.” Pattison took leave during 1942 to 1942 to serve in the Royal Australian Navy, Volunteer Reserve as Lieutenant. A few years later he converted one of the Museum’s rooms into a Children’s Library, stocking it with suitable books for the younger generation. This was an instant success. In the 1950’s he had the honour of being appointed to the Victorian Library Board and received more inspiration from the monthly conferences in Melbourne. He was sadly retired in 1959 after over 23 years of service, due to the fact that he had gone over the working age of council officers. However he continued to take a very keen interest in the continual development of the Library until his death in 1969. The Pattison Collection, along with other items at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village, was originally part of the Warrnambool Mechanics' Institute’s collection. The Warrnambool Mechanics’ Institute Collection is primarily significant in its totality, rather than for the individual objects it contains. Its contents are highly representative of the development of Mechanics' Institute libraries across Australia, particularly Victoria. A diversity of publications and themes has been amassed, and these provide clues to our understanding of the nature of and changes in the reading habits of Victorians from the 1850s to the middle of the 20th century. The collection also highlights the Warrnambool community’s commitment to the Mechanics’ Institute, reading, literacy and learning in the regions, and proves that access to knowledge was not impeded by distance. These items help to provide a more complete picture of our community’s ideals and aspirations. The Warrnambool Mechanics Institute book collection has historical and social significance for its strong association with the Mechanics Institute movement and the important role it played in the intellectual, cultural and social development of people throughout the latter part of the nineteenth century and the early twentieth century. The collection of books is a rare example of an early lending library and its significance is enhanced by the survival of an original collection of many volumes. The Warrnambool Mechanics' Institute’s publication collection is of both local and state significance. The Care of Trees Author: Bernhardt Fernow Publisher: Henry Holt & Co Date: 1910 Label on spine with typed text PAT 582.16 FER Inside front cover has a sticker that reads Warrnambool Mechanics Institute and Free Library 1st page on right side of front cover has a sticker that reads Corangamite Regional Library Service warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, shipwrecked-artefact, book, pattison collection, warrnambool library, warrnambool mechanics’ institute, ralph eric pattison, warrnambool city librarian, mechanics’ institute library, victorian library board, warrnambool books and records, warrnambool children’s library, bernhardt fernow, the care of trees

Black and white photograph of Students in Grade 6 in 1946 at Mitcham Primary - Back Row - Arthur Cutting; Jim Hayes; Vernon Osterlund; Boll Bernhardt; Rex Wells; Howard Staples: Don Ireland; Alan Treverton. 2nd Row - Hilton Boxhall; Robert Woolard; Graham Clements; Dave Sands; ? Shaw; Neville McClean; Andrew Stuart; Brian Bale; Leo Millist. 3rd Row - Irene Schafer; Liela Charles; Barbara Woods; Thelma Burton; ????; Barbara Spelling; Lorna Watt; Barbara Savage; Esme Green. 4th Row - ??????, Yvonne Robertson; Valda Hancock; Patsy George; Betty Dashwood; Margaret Bamford; Dorothy Summerton; Barbara Freemam'|Front Row- Geoff Irvine; Peter Cumming; Jim Mc Bride; Fred Donkin; Graham Cassidy; Barry Dunbar; Peter Gorsuch.cutting, arthur, hayes, jim, osterlund, vern, bernhardt, boll, wells, rex, staples, howard, ireland, don, treverton, alan, hilton boxhall;, woolard, robert, clements, graham, sands, dave, shaw, mcclean, neville, stuart, andrew, bale, brian, millist, leo, schafer; irene, charles, liela, woods, barbara, burton, thelma, spelling, watt, lorna, savage, green, esme, robertson, yvonne, hancock, valda, george, patsy, dashwood, betty, bamford, margaret, summerton, dorothy, freeman, irvine, geoff, cumming, peter, mc bride, donkin, fred, cassidy, dunbar, barry, gorsuch, mitcham primary school no. 2904

Australian premierStars Evelyn Krape as Sarah Bernhardt. After injuring her knee Bernhardt finally had part of the leg amputated but continued to perform. She was offered a circus tour in America in 1914-15 this play is based on those eventsafter the lions, athenaeum theatre two, program, programme, ronald harwood, sarah bernhardt, circus tour, america