This photo album was given to Kevin Allen by Kit Williamson (Kit Will), who was the Grammar School matron for many years. Some of the photos depict the naming of boats, with Michael Boyle, Miles Burke, Charlie Davis (in overcoat) and Norman Must c1960. A flip type photo album with a red cover and gold lettering, with ten x 2 flips inside some containing photographs of buildings and people.Front cover: NGL Flip Album in gold lettering top left hand corner. Back under photos: Handwritten "To Kevin with Grateful Thanks From Kit Will"ballarat grammar, photo, kevin allen, kit williamson, ballarat, bqags, cegs, chapel, quadrangle, snow, ovals, sheds, rowing, boat naming, gardens, founders' wing,

In the 1920s and 30s, rowing on the Yarra was a very popular weekend pastime. Each of the early boats was individually named in gold letters on its varnished wooden backboard. This is all that remains of one of the Thames pulling boats from Burns' Boatshed at Studley Park which was destroyed by a falling tree in a storm. Their entire fleet of rowing boats has now been replaced by fiberglass boats.Varnished wooden backplate of a rowing boat. The shaped sign is embossed with the name 'Wagana" in gold lettering, outlined and shaded in black paint. Gilt scroll work surrounds the name. The ends of the backplate shows the holes where the plate was once attached to the seat of the boat. The name Wagana means 'to dance' in Wiradjuri language."Wagana"burns' boatshed, thames pulling boats, yarra river -- kew (vic.), boathouses - river yarra

Black and white digital photograph of Mordialloc-Chelsea High School students on boat named Venture on Mordialloc Creek. Venture is also the name of the school magazine.

In 1952 the subject surf boat crewed by Geoff Scott, Ron Blackney, Wes McLaren, Jim Tibb, and Stan Stephens, won the Victorian Surf Boat Championships. When the club had finished with the boat Mr. Harold Stephenson paid one shilling and it eventually found its way into a garage where it remained for over 20 years before being donated to Flagstaff Hill. This boat is regarded as a unique example of craftsmanship, closely resembling Bay whaleboats used around the Warrnambool area in the 1800s. This timber caravel surf boat was named “Aeroplane Jelly” and was built by N & E Towns a Newcastle boat builder in 1949 Aeroplane Jellies and David Jones as sponsors of the Sydney Surf Carnival of 1950/1951 donated jointly the vessel. George Towns started his boat-building business in 1869 on Dempsey Island on the Hunter River, NSW. George's sons took over the business as N & E Towns (Norman and Eldrid) and continued until the early 1950s. The business made a variety of small craft including fishing boats, launches, and flood boats. In 1928 they built their first surf boat it took about six weeks to build with cedar planks and hardwood frames. After World War II surf boats became their main focus and they became well known for the lighter and faster designs. Many “Towns built” craft have won events at state and national surf championships. They were renowned Boat Builders producing a much lighter and faster running boat than anything previously made, with a buoyant type bow design giving it the lift necessary to get out and through heavy surf. while its sleek lines from amidships aft provided very fast running qualities. Either side of its bows, it bore the bright silver aircraft transfer of the Aeroplane Jellies Company After a surf competition at Narrabeen NSW, the competing Warrnambool surf lifesaving team returned home to Warrnambool their club committee decided to purchase the "Aeroplane Jellies" Surf boat if and when it became available as the team had been so impressed with the boat. On 30 October 1951 a cheque for £207-2/6' was raised, £180 for the boat, balance for oars. Transport was arranged and the boat was delivered in November 1951. When the "Aeroplane Jellies" competition days were over in the early 1960's due largely to changing surf boat design, Warrnambool Club's Secretary, Mr. Harold Stephenson, sought permission from the Committee to purchase the boat for the nominal sum of one shilling thus preserving the vessel for posterity. The boat had been stored for many years at the Nullawarre Bakery where it remained until Mr. Stephenson died in 1985. After Mr. Stephenson's passing his family loaned the vessel to Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum in 1986 where it is currently awaiting restoration for incorporation in a static display of Early Surf Rescue Craft. A very rare example of a surf lifesaving boat that for its time was a unique creation that revolutionised small vessel design in Australia. It was made by a renowned maker that today unfortunately many of his examples of boats he made, especially surf life-saving boats no longer exist making the Flagstaff Hill boat very significant to not only surf lifesaving history but to the part it played in our social life for all those who went to the beaches in 1960s Australia.Surf boat named "Aeroplane Jellies". Timber, double ender carvel, built in 1949 by N & E Towns, Newcastle, NSW. Only a few are in existence. She was a trophy prize at Sydney Surf Carnival 1950/1951, donated by Aeroplane Jellies and David Jones Dept. Store, Sydney. The boat was won by South Narrabeen Surf Club. Warrnambool Surf Club purchased her on 30/10/1951 for £207-2/6, and she was sold to Harold Stephenson in early 1960's for 1 shilling. Donated to Flagstaff Hill by the family of Harold Stephenson around 1985-1986. The name Aeroplane Jellies was lettered in gold across the boat's coaming and there is a remnant of some of the gold lettering still there.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hillflagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, ememgency, historic boat, surf boat, n & e towns, carvel, vintage boat, double ender boat, lifesaving boat, geoff scott, south narrabeen surf club, warrnambool surf life saving club, lifeboat

Echuca was the largest inland port in Australia by the end of the 1890s. The first wharf at Echuca was constructed by Melbourne based stock agency Clough &Co. in 1859. The Victorian government built its wharf in 1865, the final section completed in 1876. The Echuca wharf was 1 kilometre in length and was 9 metres above the summer river level. The riverboat trade flourished until the depression of the 1890s and the advancing railways put the paddlesteamers out of business. In 1944, due to a shortage of firewood the railways demolished three-quarters of the wharf. In 1973 a grant from the Victorian government enabled restoration of the wharf to begin. It then became the major attraction for the Port of Echuca tourist industry. The wharf area at the Port of Echuca is one of the major parts of this tourist attraction. The wharf consists of the docking platforms for the paddle steamers and the rail tracks where goods were transported from one means of transport to another at the height of the wool and logging trade. Goods were transported to Melbourne by rail. The Port underwent repairs to the wharf area in 1984 and has since become the major attraction for The Port of Echuca. A black and white photograph of Echuca Wharf with two paddlesteamers moored in port. P. S. Pevensey is in the background with an un-named boat, possibly The Canberra, in the foreground. There are people (looks like school children) on the Wharf in front of the cargo shed.On reverse: stamped in purple ink "Port of Echcua". Stamped in grey ink" This photograph is with the compliments of the Ministry of Tourism Government of Victoria. Please acknowledge. Photo: Michael Cheshire."echuca wharf, port of echuca, michael cheshire, echuca paddlesteamers

The Launch Master Frederick Heather was licensed to be Master of Launches within the Port of Launceston. Amongst the vessels that he captained was the S.S. ROWITTA. Fredrick’s son is one of the volunteers at the Low Head Pilot Station Museum, Frederick Heather is also related to a Harry Heather from Tasmania and was also a ship master, one of his ships being the "Alma Doepel", a sailing schooner built in 1903 and sailed by Harry for about 21 years until his death in 1937. Flagstaff Hill’s collection includes a painting of the Alma Doepel. THE S.S. ROWITTA S.S. ROWITTA was built in 1909 as a wooden, single screw, steam passenger ferry/cargo vessel. The builders were Purdon & Featherstone, Hobart (Tasmania). Her timbers included Huon Pine and Kauri planking. S.S. ROWITTA took its first voyage from Hobart to Launceston in 1909 and operated for 30 years as a passenger ferry on the Tamar and Derwent Rivers. She also served as a freighter, an army supply ship, a luxury charter ferry and a floating restaurant as well as a prawn boat at Lakes Entrance. (She has also been named “Sorrento” and “Tarkarri”.). In the very early days of Flagstaff Hill ROWITTA was purchased from Lakes Entrance by Warrnambool City Council and the Victorian State Government for $20,000. sHE had a hull configuration very similar to a local boat named the SPECULANT that played a key role in the Port of Warrnambool in the early 1900’s. (The SPECULANT was the largest ship ever registered with Warrnambool as her home port. Local owner and trader P J McGennan & Co, (Peter McGennan) used her as a freight carrier to Melbourne and timber trader between New Zealand and Victoria. She sunk at Cape Otway in 1911 on a voyage to Melbourne.) When finances became tight in 1976 a review of all plans ended in the decision to restore ROWITTA to her original configuration. She was then restored, renamed the original name and installed in the Village’s Harbour lake to become one of the popular vessels on display for visitors to enjoy. In 2015 SS ROWITTA was demolished due to major deterioration. Items associated with the Rowitta continue are held in Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village’s Collection. The licence is significant for its association with the Tasmanian early to mid-1900's passenger ferry, the S.S. Rowitta.Launch Master's License No 8 issued to Fredrick Heather to act as Master of a steam, oil or electric launch trading within the Port of Launceston. Date issued 13th February 1920. Paper has been folded and the left edge has perforation marks. The license is printed with hand written details added.(A copy of the License is framed for display.)flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, launch master's licence, rowitta, frederick heather, port of launceston, launch master's license, marine board of launceston, sorrento, tarkarri, speculant, purdon & featherstone of hobart, passenger ferry 1909, vessel, charles street wharf launceston

The subject of this photograph is the S.S.Rowilla, a passenger ferry built in Hobart for use in Tasmania's rivers, the Derwent and the Tamar. The photograph shows her docked at the Charles Street Wharf in Launceston. The S.S. Rowitta, a passenger steam ferry, was built by Purdon & Featherstone, in Hobart (Tasmania) in 1909 from Huon Pine and Kauri planking. Her final configuration included three masts and ship rig. S.S. Rowitta took its first voyage from Hobart to Launceston in 1909 and operated for 30 years as a passenger ferry on the Tamar and Derwent Rivers. She also served as a freighter, an army supply ship, a luxury charter ferry and a floating restaurant as well as a prawn boat at Lakes Entrance. (She has also been named “Sorrento” and “Tarkarri”.). In the very early days of Flagstaff Hill ‘Rowitta’ was purchased from Lakes Entrance by Warrnambool City Council and the Victorian State Government for $20,000. The Rowitta had a hull configuration very similar to a local boat named the SPECULANT, which played a key role in the Port of Warrnambool in the early 1900’s. The Speculant was the largest ship ever registered with Warrnambool as her home port. Local owner and trader P J McGennan & Co, (Peter McGennan) used her as a freight carrier to Melbourne and timber trader between New Zealand and Victoria. She sunk at Cape Otway in 1911 on a voyage to Melbourne. In the 1974 Rowitta was delivered to Port Fairy then later sailed to Warrnambool’s Breakwater where she was lifted out of Lady Bay and loaded onto the back of a long transport truck and slowly and carefully driven along Pertobe Road, through the Surfside Caravan Park and over the railway line, into Flagstaff Hill’s Maritime Village. Transfer arrangements were coordinated by Jack Morse, of Morse Engineering, member of the Flagstaff Hill Planning Board, and Ken Goyen, local crane operator. The ‘Rowitta’ was originally acquired to be rebuilt to match the original SPECULANT. When finances became tight in 1976 a review of all plans ended in the decision to restore the “Rowitta” to her original configuration. She was then restored, renamed the original name of “Rowitta” and installed in the Village’s Harbour Lake to become one of the popular vessels on display for visitors to enjoy. It was the decision of the Advisory Committee to Flagstaff Hill to have Rowitta demolished in April 2015 due to extensive deterioration. Items associated with the Rowitta continue are held in Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village’s Collection. The photograph is significant for its association with the Tasmanian early to mid 1900's passenger ferry, the S.S. Rowitta.Black and White photograph of the S.S. Rowitta at Charles Street Wharf, Launceston. Built by Purdon & Featherstone, Hobart 1909. The photograph shows her docked at the Charles Street Wharf in Launceston. Smoke is coming from her funnel and there are people on board.Handwritten in green ink on front of photograph, top left margin "ROWITTA AT LAUNCESTON"flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, photograph, s.s. rowitta, charles street wharf,, launceston., purdon & featherstone, rowitta, sorrento, tarkarri, speculant, purdon & featherstone of hobart, passenger ferry 1909

This remote controlled ship model was made by the blacksmith at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village in the likeness of the Village's display passenger ferry, the S.S. Rowitta. About the S.S. Rowitta The S.S. Rowitta, a passenger steam ferry, was built by Purdon & Featherstone, in Hobart (Tasmania) in 1909 from Huon Pine and Kauri planking. Her final configuration included three masts and ship rig. S.S. Rowitta took its first voyage from Hobart to Launceston in 1909 and operated for 30 years as a passenger ferry on the Tamar and Derwent Rivers. She also served as a freighter, an army supply ship, a luxury charter ferry and a floating restaurant as well as a prawn boat at Lakes Entrance. (She has also been named “Sorrento” and “Tarkarri”.). In the very early days of Flagstaff Hill ‘Rowitta’ was purchased from Lakes Entrance by Warrnambool City Council and the Victorian State Government for $20,000. The Rowitta had a hull configuration very similar to a local boat named the SPECULANT, which played a key role in the Port of Warrnambool in the early 1900’s. The Speculant was the largest ship ever registered with Warrnambool as her home port. Local owner and trader P J McGennan & Co, (Peter McGennan) used her as a freight carrier to Melbourne and timber trader between New Zealand and Victoria. She sunk at Cape Otway in 1911 on a voyage to Melbourne. In the 1974 Rowitta was delivered to Port Fairy then later sailed to Warrnambool’s Breakwater where she was lifted out of Lady Bay and loaded onto the back of a long transport truck and slowly and carefully driven along Pertobe Road, through the Surfside Caravan Park and over the railway line, into Flagstaff Hill’s Maritime Village. Transfer arrangements were coordinated by Jack Morse, of Morse Engineering, member of the Flagstaff Hill Planning Board, and Ken Goyen, local crane operator. The ‘Rowitta’ was originally acquired to be rebuilt to match the original SPECULANT. When finances became tight in 1976 a review of all plans ended in the decision to restore the “Rowitta” to her original configuration. She was then restored, renamed the original name of “Rowitta” and installed in the Village’s Harbour Lake to become one of the popular vessels on display for visitors to enjoy. It was the decision of the Advisory Committee to Flagstaff Hill to have Rowitta demolished in April 2015 due to extensive deterioration. Items associated with the Rowitta continue are held in Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village’s Collection. The remote controlled model of the S.S. Rowitta is significant for its association with the Tasmanian early to mid-1900's passenger ferry.Model of the ship "S.S. Rowitta". This is a radio controlled model built by the Flagstaff Hill blacksmith.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, ship model, remote controlled steam ship model, s.s. rowitta, sorrento, tarkarri, speculant, purdon & featherstone of hobart, passenger ferry 1909, tasmanian passenger ferry, vessel, charles street wharf launceston

Les Pound Shield Donor: Victorian Jubilee Controlling Body Deed of Gift: In 1966 in recognition of his great contribution in developing the Jubilee class and to its ongoing success over many years, the Victorian Jubilee Controlling Body donated the Les Pound Shield. It is to be awarded to the best Victorian Jubilee yacht competing in the annual Huntingfield Cup. Les Pound was one of the original owners, building his own BJ4 Aeolus in 1935. In his later years, to minimize the task of maintaining a timber boat, he purchased a fiberglass boat which he named after his wife Stella. He was made an honorary life member in 1972. First Winner: Aeolus BJ4, L. N. Pound 1966 jubilees, pound, aeolus

Here we have a delicate example of chemical lace which is 7.6cm x 48cm. This is an interesting method of lace making where the lace is embroidered onto a sacrificial fabric which has been treated (initially chemically treated) to dissolve in a chemical solution on completion without damaging the lace. The chemicals used were not environmentally friendly and consequently this method of lace making has developed to use water soluble base fabrics or fabrics which will disintegrate with the application of heat. A remnant of the sacrificial fabric can be seen on the top of this piece. Originally chemical lace was made on a home embroidery machine but is now also known as Schiffli Lace and made on a Schiffli machine. This machine was invented by Isaak Grobli in 1863 using the same principles as the newly invented sewing machine except that the bobbin of the sewing machine was replaced by a shuttle shaped like the hull of a sail boat, hence the name ‘schiffli’ which means ‘little boat’ in Swiss-German. The Schiffli machine uses two threads and makes a stitch similar to a closely spaced zigzag stitch on a domestic sewing machine. Over time the number of needles and shuttles increased until the present day when some machines can be up to 18 metres in length and use over a thousand needles. Previously the pattern was followed by hand using a pantograph arm where the operator followed the design pattern but the development of computer technology has meant that software designed to drive Schiffli machines can now create a wide variety of stitches and lace designs. The Amess family owned Churchill Island from 1872 to 1929. This lace collection was owned and contributed to by three generations of Amess women - Jane, Janet and Unity (Bright - donor). Jane was wife of Samuel Amess, first Samuel Amess to own Churchill Island.Length of lace trimPackage contains note: FICCHU c1860/70 (hand made) [not associated with this item]churchill island, lace, janet amess lace collection, amess, trim

A Jabot, from the French meaning ‘a bird’s crop’, is a decorative clothing item consisting of fabric or lace designed to fall from the throat suspended from or attached to a collar or neckband or simply pinned at the throat. Jabots made of lace were an essential male upper class fashion item in the baroque period but in the late 19th century a jabot would be a cambric or lace bib decorating women’s clothing and it would be held in place with a brooch or a sewn in neckband. This example with its exquisite chemical lace trim could possibly even be clerical in nature. Jabots continue to be worn to this day in the field of Law and in highest formal Scottish evening attire. The lace is embroidered onto a sacrificial fabric which has been treated (initially chemically treated) to dissolve in a chemical solution on completion without damaging the lace. The chemicals used were not environmentally friendly and consequently this method of lace making has developed to use water soluble base fabrics or fabrics which will disintegrate with the application of heat Originally chemical lace was made on a home embroidery machine but is now also known as Schiffli Lace and made on a Schiffli machine. This machine was invented by Isaak Grobli in 1863 using the same principles as the newly invented sewing machine except that the bobbin of the sewing machine was replaced by a shuttle shaped like the hull of a sail boat, hence the name ‘schiffli’ which means ‘little boat’ in Swiss-German. The Schiffli machine uses two threads and makes a stitch similar to a closely spaced zigzag stitch on a domestic sewing machine. Over time the number of needles and shuttles increased until the present day when some machines can be up to 18 metres in length and use over a thousand needles. Previously the pattern was followed by hand using a pantograph arm where the operator followed the design pattern but the development of computer technology has meant that software designed to drive Schiffli machines can now create a wide variety of stitches and lace designs.The Amess family owned Churchill Island from 1872 to 1929. This lace collection was added to and refined over the course of three successive generations of women.Jabot with chemical lace trim.Package contains note: "FICHU c1860/70 (hand made)lace, janet amess lace collection, churchill island, insert, amess, jabot

This black and white photograph in Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village’s collection is of the steamboat “Lady Loch” towing 5 rowing boats on the Hopkins River, Warrnambool. Both the “Lady Loch” and the rowing boats carry many passengers. The Lady Loch is travelling from the riverbank near Jubilee Park downriver towards Warrnambool and the river mouth. Rowing on the Hopkins River was a very popular sport and recreational pastime in the late 19th and early 20th century. People would travel a long way to spend their weekends and holidays at Warrnambool. The photograph was taken between February 1907 and June 1910. It was taken by Mrs. A. G. Dawson from the Hopkins River Bank at “Allandale”, which was leased to her. At the time of the photograph, the Lady Loch was operated by boatshed owners Mr James Flett & Sons. The photograph is one of a pair that was taken by Mrs. Dawson and published in the Warrnambool Standard 24th March 1973. An item a few years earlier in the Warrnambool Standard of 1899 promoted an evening excursion to aid in a fund-raising event for the Warrnambool Hospital. The excursion on the steamer Lady Loch, towing boats, would leave Flett and Son's boatshed on the Hopkins River at 7:30pm travelling towards Jubilee Park. It can be presumed that both the Lady Loch and the rowing boats in tow were all from Mr James Flett & Son’s boating establishment. The Lady Loch was described as “a fine little steamer with capacity for about 70 passengers.” She was a screw-driven steamboat so hardly disturbed the waters of the Hopkins River, dismissing the fears of local mullet fishermen, as there was almost no wash from the steamer. She measured 52 feet in length, a beam of 9 feet and weighed about 7 tons. HISTORY OF “LADY LOCH” Mr. Mark Hooper purchased a new steamboat for his pleasure boating business in Colac. The boat, “Lady of the Lake”, was possibly made by one of the boatbuilders at Lake Wendouree, a very popular recreational venue in the 1880s. The little launch arrived at Lake Colac by road from Ballarat on 21st November 1887; her boiler and engine had been transported by rail the day before. On at least one occasion she was chartered for the entertainment of ladies and gentlemen on a moonlight excursion on Lack Colac. The steamboat was renamed the “Lady Loch” by her new owner Mrs. Fanny Nelson who purchased her in June 1888 for her business “Nelson’s Boating Establishment” on the Hopkins River, Warrnambool. Some people have wondered whether Mrs. Nelson re-named the boat in honour of the wife of the then-current Governor of Victoria, Sir Henry Loch, Governor from 1884 – 1889. It was stated by one of the local papers that the Lady Loch flew the Governor’s colours of yellow, black and blue on her first trip under Mrs. Nelson’s ownership, Sunday 12th August 1888. HISTORY ASSOCIATED WITH MRS. FANNY NELSON’S BOATING ESTABLISHMENT Frances (Fanny) Maria Mann was born in 1828, at Gloustershire, England. She married Andrew Abernethy II Nelson of County Downs, Ireland (born 1831) in July 1848. Their eldest child of six was born there in 1854. They emigrated to Australia in May 1855. The second child was born in 1856, the following children in 1859 and 1862 (both in Wangoom) 1866 and 1870 (both in Warrnambool). Mr. Andrew Nelson and his wife Fanny lived near the mouth of the Hopkins River from the late 1850’s. Andrew was a keen fisherman and also operated a boat hire business on the lower Hopkins River. He was mentioned in the local Warrnambool Examiner for a notably sized kingfish that he and his mate caught in the Hopkins River in 1859. Fanny was also well known for ‘hearty meals’ There were another boatshed and boat hire business on the Hopkins River, on the corner of Simpson and Bostock Sts., near the cemetery. It was owned by Joseph Aberline in 1871. Aberline’s boat business was taken over by Mr Charles Everett by August 1872. Mr Everett obtained a Colonial Wine Licence in October 1872 for ‘a house situated at the Hopkins’. In 1873 he sold the land and boating business to Mr Peter McGennan, who was granted the Colonial Wine Licence transfer in September 1873. He built a large boatshed in which the Warrnambool Rowing Club stored its boats. In October 1876 the main boatshed and a workshop nearby burnt down but the house, (known later as Hopkins Hotel) was saved. Mr. McGennan rebuilt the boatshed and continued with his businesses. Andrew Nelson passed away from a heart aneurism, June 21st 1875 aged 44. Fanny took over the McGennan business to support herself and her 6 children. It was now “Mrs. Nelson’s Boating and Fishing Establishment”. In 1877 the Hopkins Colonial Wine Licence was transferred to Mrs. Fanny M. Nelson. In 1878 she advertised that the renovated establishment now had boats, fishing gear and accommodation available at moderate prices. She renewed the Colonial Wine Licence for the Hopkins Hotel in December 1883. In 1884 she purchased four new clinker-built rowing boats, two of which were outriggers with sliding seats, to join her sculling boat. Her premises also included the local Post Office. In August 1885 Mrs. Fanny Nelson called for tenders for a boathouse to be built on the Hopkins River closer to the river bank and near the Nelson house. It would be “specially built for housing of eight-oared boats, with dressing room and bath for the rowers. There will be a platform on one side and two jetties into the river.” It became known as The Nelson’s Boathouse. In December 1885 Fanny Nelson was granted a Hotel Licence for Hopkins Hotel; this was her home but also had six rooms that were separate from the Nelson family’s rooms. She was now proprietress of both the Hopkins Hotel and the Nelson’s Boating Establishment. Fanny Nelson, the proprietress of the Hopkins Hotel, received a very favourable mention in the esteemed book ‘Victoria and its Metropolis” in1888, one of the very few women mentioned. Andrew Nelson (the third), son of Fanny and Andrew Nelson, was by trade a baker and confectioner. He was also a keen member of the Warrnambool Rowing Club and was a member of the team that won the Colac Regatta in 1887. He occasionally helped his mother and brother with the boats and later with a ‘small steamer’. Mrs. Nelson was looking for a suitable steam launch to run on the Hopkins River in conjunction with her “Nelson’s Boating Establishment” business. It was Messers St. Quintin and M. McDonald of Warrnambool who then sold Mr. Mark Hooper’s steamboat “Lady of the Lake” to Mrs. Fanny Nelson of the Hopkins. She had it transported overland from Colac to Warrnambool by Messrs. Stansmore Bros.. The following day, Sunday 5th August 1888, a large crowd of people were on the Hopkins River to have a look at the steamer, which was still to have her fittings, such as the boiler, installed. This was done by the former owner (Mr Hooper) and Lady Loch was ready for a trial run on Saturday 11th August 1888. Lady Loch’s first trip took place the following day to Jubilee Park and the ‘islands’ at Allansford. Mr Hooper was on board, along with John Steel, her future engineer, Mr. T.H. Osborne at the wheel and there were over 70 passengers. She made the trip back to Mrs. Nelson’s boatshed at an “easy steam of six miles an hour. The whole trip took one and three-quarters of an hour”. Mrs. Nelson sold her complete business “Hopkins Hotel and Boat Establishment” in 1890 to Mr E.S.V. (Edward Samuel Vincent) Chapman. She moved to Melbourne and in 1896 was living in Napier St. South Melbourne, where she catered for her daughter Clara’s wedding. Later her address was Mills St, Albert Park. On 26th May 1900 she died from a burns accident and was buried in the Melbourne General Cemetery. [A photograph in the State Library of Victoria; ID 7022, 1889 - “Hopkins River” shows a picture of the Nelson’s Boatsheds, with Fanny Nelson holding her granddaughter Ruby’s hand. Another photograph shows the boathouse taken from the river. Its title is “Chapman’s on Hopkins (River)” c. 1890, Image No: b22487 and shows what the boathouse looked like around the time that it changed hands from Fanny Nelson to Mr Chapman. .] Mr. Chapman ran advertisements in the Colac Herald for Sunday afternoon Excursions on the Hopkins River from his boatsheds to Jubilee Park, where participants disembarked on the landing and walked up the steps to enjoy a picnic before returning to Chapman’s boatsheds at the end of about a one and a half hour journey. In February 1892 the Hotel was transferred to Mrs. Chapman, Edward’s wife. In July 1893 Mr George Coate received the transfer of the Hotel Licence and ran it for nine years. It was then purchased by Arthur Hyde in 1903. During this year there were two separate earth tremours, in which the Hopkins Hotel suffered some damage, but the embankment behind the boatshed was torn away. The Hopkins Hotel changed hands again in July 1907, the new owner being Thomas David Lindsay. The hotel closed its doors in June 1911 after a fire. The building was re-erected but never again became a hotel. The boatsheds, owned at this time by Mr Flett, were unharmed. Hopkins Hotel changed owners and the accommodation was then called Hopkins House. It changed hands several times until it was purchased by the Warrnambool City Council and demolished in 1974 and became part of the Hopkins River Recreation Reserve now King Park. On New Years Day 1895 a newspaper item announced that the Lady Loch would run from Chapmsn’s Jetty at 10:30am and 3pm. [Warrnambool and District Historical Society have a photograph in their collection showing Chapman’s Boat House on the Hopkins River with the Hotel on the hillside in the background.] Mr. James Flett & Sons purchased the boating business from Mr. Chapman in January 1897. James Flett had already been involved in boating. In 1875 he had “erected a large blackwood lighter on the Jetty Flat for Spencer Smith & Co. All the lighters owned by Mr John Young were built by him at the jetty some years before”. A tragedy occurred on Jan 7th 1899 when William Grayson drowned after he had been boating on Hopkins River with a companion, a jockey named Style. William had fallen into the river and his companion was unable to save him. The boat had been hired from Flett’s shed. In 1904 the Camperdown Chronicle advertised excursions to Warrnambool including a trip on the “Lady Loch”. [There is a photograph in the State Library of Victoria titled “Jubilee Park Landing Stage and S.S. “Lady Loch” Warrnambool”, taken circa 1908. It shows a group of 4 ladies on the landing beside the “Lady Loch” and other people still on the boat.] [The website “Picture Victoria” displays a photograph “Mouth of the Hopkins” that shows the Hopkins River mouth, bridge, Proudfoot’s boathouse and the rear of [the former] Mrs Nelson’s Hopkins Hotel, [once] occupied by Frances Maria (Fanny) and Andrew Abernathy Nelson Snr. ]. (narration for the photo on the website incorrect, in that it was the former’ home of Fanny and Andrew Nelson, and it dates approximately 1910-1915.) Sunday 12th November 1911 it was reported as ‘one of the busiest days of the season’ in Warrnambool. A special train, for the ‘Camperdown Church of England Sunday School’, was run from Camperdown to Warrnambool and Port Fairy, returning in the evening. It was ‘largely availed by all denominations, and the general public from Camperdown district, fully 600 adults and children and about half that number spent the day in Warrnambool. A large number of boats were on the river and the Lady Loch was well patronised. Flett’s boating business was still in operation until Mr. Flett advertised everything for sale in January 1916, including the boatshed and the steam launch “Lady Loch”. Until that time, both the Flett’s boatsheds and Proudfoot’s boathouse operated boat hire businesses alongside each other. In 1921 there was a new passenger boat on the Hopkins River; the motor launch “Nestor”. This new boat was owned and built by Mr. Edward Geary himself and completed on 23rd December 1920. She was licenced to carry up to 80 passengers. Unfortunately “Nestor” met with disaster when she sank in the Hopkins River on 9th January 1921. She was on her way from the Jetty near the Rowing Club to Jubilee Park on a fine and calm Sunday afternoon when, 10 minutes into the journey, she sprung a leak. There were about 80 adults and children on board, resulting in the loss of 10 lives. Dr. Henderson (Koroit St. Warrnambool) attended the scene and resuscitated some of the passengers. The survivors were taken to Flett’s boatshed where a large number of people had gathered. (Perhaps the name ‘Flett’ was still in use as a local name for the boatshed, as Mr. Flett had sold it in 1916.) The boatsheds erected by Mrs Fanny Nelson became the headquarters for the Warrnambool Ski Club but was demolished in 2004 when a new club building was erected nearby. (NOTE: In 1885, Thomas Proudfoot also began building his boathouse, at the same time as Fanny Nelson’s new boathouse. In 1886 Proudfoot’s started offering afternoon teas as well as operating their fishing and boating business. Proudfoods boathouse was closer to the mouth of the Hopkins Rive than Fanny Nelson’s. In 1893 he added other buildings.) [References; The Warrnambool Standard; Colac Herald; Mann Family Tree website; Warrnambool Past and Present, Vidler; State Library of Victoria; Warrnambool Hotels, E. O'Callaghan; 140 years on the Hopkins River, Warrnambool Rowing Club; Warrnambool Examiner; The Australasian; Trove, National Library of Australia; Fanny M. Nelson's great-great-granddaughter LC; The Age; South West Genealogist; Camperdown Chronicle; John Lindsay; Australian Postal History and Social Philately website]The photograph of Lady Loch pleasure steamer represents the social and recreational activities of late 19th century people from Warrnambool and the local district. It shows and example of pleasure craft of that era. The history of the Lady Loch includes the history of fishing and boat hire businesses of that period.Photograph, black and white, of the river steam boat “Lady Loch”. The “Lady Loch” is towing five rowing boats on the Hopkins River from Jubilee Park towards the river mouth and carrying many ladies and gentlemen. It was taken from the south river bank, from a property called “Allandale” by Mrs. A. G. Dawson between February 1907 and June 1910. During these years the “Lady Loch” was owned by Mr James Flett & Sons. Her previous owner was Mrs. Fanny Nelson.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, lady of the lake, lady loch photograph, lady of the lake steamer, lady loch steamer, lake colac steamer, hopkins river warrnambool, jubilee park warrnambool, proudfood's boat house, francis maria mann, andrew abernathy nelson iiird, hopkins hotel, nelson's boathouse, chapman's boathouse, flett's boathouse, proudfoot's boathouse, fanny (francis) nelson, james flett & sons, nestor, ferry

This medal commemorates the 150 years of Australia and the first govenor of Australia, Arthur Phillip, he arrived with the First Fleet along with 729 convicts.Celebrates the 150th of Australia and the first govenor of Australia, Arthur Phillip. 1788 - 1938This medal was struck in 1938 to commemorate the 150th anniversary of British settlement of Australia. It depicts Australia standing with the sun behind her head. At her feet kneel two men, one representing industry (with tools, city buildings and shipping) and the other representing agriculture (with sheep, fruit, silos and an aircraft). It is a round medal which is silver plated.Obverse - Australia standing with front arms raised, sun behind her head, men representing industry and agriculture kneel at her feet, biplane in sky on right, tall building on left; inscribed with "Australia's 150th Anniversary 1938 and the initials C.E on the lower left. Reverse - Figure of Govenor Arthur Phillip standing on the shore, left rocks with the makers name, Amor, in the background is a ship on the left, right hill with trees and a long boat with a sailor, under this the letters C.E.australia 150th, govenor arthur phillip

This hand written letter, in black ink script on blue lined paper, is impressed with the official stamp of the Victoria Steam Navigation Board. The left margin has the reference “S82/12" It is transcribed: "Victoria Steam Navigation Board, Melbourne, January 12th 1882 To Frederick Chapman, Master, S.S. "Julia Percy" You are herewith furnished with a copy of the report of the Official Court which assembled to enquire into the circumstances attending the collision between the steamers "Julia Percy" and "Nelson" off Apollo Bay near Cape Otway on the morning of the 25th December 1881, and you are hereby expected to attend at the Board Room, Custom House, Melbourne, at 2pm, on 13th January instant to show cause why you should not be censured accordingly. [Signature] Secretary" This document refers to the matter of a collision between two steamships, the Julia Percy and the Nelson, on 25th December 1881. The Julia Percy was at that time owned by her first owners, the Warrnambool Steam Packet Company, and she sailed under the command of Captain Chapman. She had left Melbourne the evening of 24th December, with about 150 passengers, sailing in fine weather through Port Phillip Heads around 9pm. She was headed for Warrnambool, Belfast (now named Port Fairy) and Portland. The Julia Percy was off Apollo Bay when Captain Chapman was woken by the ship’s whistle after midnight, the steamer Nelson being on a collision course with the Julia Percy.[See Link.] The Nelson struck Julia Percy midship. Boats were lowered from the ship (apart from a damaged lifeboat) and about 30-40 of the passengers boarded the Nelson. The engine room and the forehold were checked and found clear of water. The company manager, Mr Evans, had been on the Nelson, so he boarded and inspected the Julia Percy and the decision was made to continue on to Warrnambool with the passengers as there appeared to be no immediate danger. However, Captain Thomas Smith said the Nelson was taking on water, so Julia Percy followed her for about an hour towards Melbourne on standby in case of need. Then Julia Percy turned around towards Warrnambool again. Shortly afterwards the Nelson turned to follow her, the ships stopped and passengers were returned to Julia Percy, and three from Julia Percy boarded the Nelson. Both ships proceeded on their way. Julia Percy passed Cape Otway light afterwards, signalling that there had been a collision. It was discovered later that one of the passengers was missing, then thought to have boarded the Nelson but later thought to have fallen into the sea and drowned while trying to jump from Julia Percy to Nelson. There had been 3 tickets purchased under the same name of that passenger “Cutler”; a father, son and friend named Wordsworth, which had caused quite some confusion. No further mishap occurred to either ship and both the Julia Percy and the Nelson reached their destinations safely. An enquiry was instigated by the Victoria Steam Navigation Board regarding the cause of the accident between the two steamships, in connection with the death of Cutler who was supposed to have lost his life by the collision. The enquiry resulted in the following decision: "The Victorian Steam Navigation Board having taken into consideration the points urged by Captain Thos [Thomas] Smith and also by his legal advisers, is of opinion that the charge prepared against him has been sustained, but taking into consideration Captain Smith’s previous good conduct and character, the board suspends his master’s certificate No 227 issued by this board for a period of six calendar months from this date – Robert Fullarton, Chairman. “The Victorian Steam Navigation Board having beard the statement of Captain Frederick Chapman urged in his defense to the charge of dereliction of duty as master of the Julia Percy, in having no standing order on board that vessel to be called in the event of any approaching steamer’s lights being seen, find such charge sustained, and censure him accordingly – Robert Fullarton, Chairman.” ABOUT “JULIA PERCY” The S.S. Julia Percy (later named Leeuwin ) was an iron passenger-cargo steam ship built in 1876. At one point in time the Julia Percy would sail from Warrnambool to Melbourne every Friday and return from Melbourne to Warrnambool every Tuesday. The cost of a return ticket for a Saloon Fare was £1.0.0. She would sail “if practical and weather permitting”. Shipping was the cheapest and most practical means of carrying produce and goods during the period 1840-1890. Regular domestic steamer services commenced in the Warrnambool district in the late 1850’s and by 1870 the passenger trade was booming. Produce was loaded from the jetty into ‘lighters’ (small boats), which took it to the ships at anchorage in the bay. Passengers were taken to the ship’s side then climbed aboard up ladders or gangways. The coming of the railway in October 1889 meant the gradual decline and end of the steam shipping era. The Julia Percy was built in Glasgow by Thomas Wingate & Company, Whiteinch, in 1876 for the Warrnambool Steam Packet Company, which commissioned her for trade in Victoria’s western district. She was first registered in Warrnambool, Victoria in 1876. The Julia Percy changed hands several times. Her next owner was the Western Steam Navigation Co (1887), managed by Mr. T.H. Osborne (the company’s office was on the corner of Timor and Liebig Streets, Its north-western wall is now part of the current Warrnambool Regional Art Gallery. ) The Melbourne Steamship Co became the next owners (1890), followed by William Howard Smith and Sons (1901) for use in Queensland coastal trades, then she was bought by George Turnbull in 1903 and used for local mail contract in Western Australia. The Julia Percy was sold to the Melbourne Steamship Company Ltd. (1906) and re-named the “Leeuwin” but continued in her Western Australian coastal run. She was converted into a coal hulk in Melbourne in 1910 as a result of damaged caused when she was driven against the jetty at Dongara during a gale. The ship was eventually dismantled and scuttled in Bass Strait on 28 December 1934. The document is significant for its association with the wreck of the Leeuwin (Julia Percy), which is on the Victorian Heritage Register, VHR S413. . It is historically significant for being a rare artefact that has potential to interpret aspects of Western Victoria’s 19th century steamship trade and Victorian cultural history. The Leeuwin (Julia Percy) is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register as being historically significant ‘as one of only four wrecks of steamships in Victorian waters associated with the western district of Victoria’s coastal steamship trade. Reports of Victoria Steam Navigation Board about the collision on 25th December 1881 between the steamers " Julia Percy" and "Nelson". Letter from Victoria Steam Navigation Board, Melbourne to Frederick Chapman, Master, S.S. "Julia Percy", dated January 12th 1882. reference on letter in left margin "S82/12"flagstaff hill, warrnambool, flagstaff hill –maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, victoria steam navigation board, captain frederick chapman, captain thomas smith, thomas wingate & company, steamer julia percy, steamer leeuwin, steamer nelson, steam ship, warrnambool steam packet company, t. h. ostorne, western steam navigation co., charles cutler

When the ship Schomberg was launched in 1855, she was considered the most perfect clipper ship ever to be built. James Blaine’s Black Ball Line had commissioned her to be built for their fleet of passenger liners. At a cost of £43,103, the Aberdeen builders designed her to sail faster than the quick clippers designed by North American Donald McKay. She was a three masted wooden clipper ship, built with diagonal planking of British oat with layers of Scottish larch. This luxury vessel was designed to transport emigrants to Melbourne in superior comfort. She had ventilation ducts to provide air to the lower decks and a dining saloon, smoking room, library and bathrooms for the first class passengers. At the launch of Schomberg’s maiden voyage, her master Captain ‘Bully’ Forbes, drunkenly predicted that he would make the journey between Liverpool and Melbourne in 60 days. Schomberg departed Liverpool on 6 October 1855 with 430 passengers and 3000 tons cargo including iron rails and equipment intended the build the Geelong Railway and a bridge over the Yarra from Melbourne to Hawthorn. The winds were poor as Schomberg sailed across the equator, slowing her journey considerably. She was 78 days out of Liverpool when she ran aground on a sand-spit near Peterborough, Victoria, on 27 December; the sand spit and the currents were not marked on Forbes’s map. Overnight, the crew launched a lifeboat to find a safe place to land the ship’s passengers. The scouting party returned to Schomberg and advised Forbes that it was best to wait until morning because the rough seas could easily overturn the small lifeboats. The ship’s Chief Officer spotted SS Queen at dawn and signalled the steamer. The master of the SS Queen approached the stranded vessel and all of Schomberg’s passengers were able to disembark safely. The Black Ball Line’s Melbourne agent sent a steamer to retrieve the passengers’ baggage from the Schomberg. Other steamers helped unload her cargo until the weather changed and prevented the salvage teams from accessing the ship. Local merchants Manifold & Bostock bought the wreck and cargo, but did not attempt to salvage the cargo still on board the ship. They eventually sold it on to a Melbourne businessman and two seafarers. After two of the men drowned when they tried to reach Schomberg, salvage efforts were abandoned.32 In 1975, divers from Flagstaff Hill, including Peter Ronald, found an ornate communion set at the wreck. The set comprised a jug, two chalices, a plate and a lid. The lid did not fit any of the other objects and in 1978 a piece of the lid broke off, revealing a glint of gold. As museum staff carefully examined the lid and removed marine growth, they found a diamond ring, which is currently on display in the Great Circle Gallery.33 Flagstaff Hill also holds ship fittings and equipment, personal effects, a lithograph, tickets and photograph from the Schomberg. Most of the artefacts were salvaged from the wreck by Peter Ronald, former director of Flagstaff Hill. The Schomberg, which is on the Victorian Heritage Register (VHR S612), has great historical significance as a rare example of a large, fast clipper ship on the England to Australia run, carrying emigrants at the time of the Victorian gold rush. She represents the technical advances made to break sailing records between Europe and Australia. Flagstaff Hill’s collection of artefacts from the Schomberg is significant for its association with the shipwreck, The collection is primarily significant because of the relationship between the objects, as together they have a high potential to interpret the story of the Schomberg. It is archaeologically significant as the remains of an international passenger Ship. It is historically significant for representing aspects of Victoria’s shipping history and for its association with the shipwreck and the ship, which was designed to be fastest and most luxurious of its day Lithograph of the Schomberg. The vessel is partially rigged with a buoy in the foreground. Behind the vessel are a number of small boats. The writing on the lithograph states "The Schomberg, GALOP Dedicated to Mrs Charles Schomberg (of Liverpool) by Chas D'Albert" Two names BRANDARD and M & N HANHART.IMP on bottom of lithograph.warrnambool, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, schomberg, shipwrecked-artefact, clipper ship, black ball line, 1855 shipwreck, aberdeen clipper ship, captain forbes, peterborough shipwreck, ss queen, brandard, lithograph, m & n hanhart.imp

Photograph shows the ship FIJI where she met her demise, in Wreck Bay, on the shipwreck coast of South West Victoria. The three-masted iron barque Fiji had been built in Belfast, Ireland, in 1875 by Harland and Wolfe for a Liverpool based shipping company. The ship departed Hamburg on 22nd May 1891 bound for Melbourne, under the command of Captain William Vickers with a crew of 25. The ship’s manifest shows that she was loaded with a cargo of 260 cases of dynamite, pig iron, steel goods, spirits (whisky, schnapps, gin, brandy), sailcloth, tobacco, coiled fencing wire, concrete, 400 German pianos (Sweet Hapsburg), concertinas and other musical instruments, artists supplies including brushes, porcelain, furniture, china, and general cargo including candles. There were also toys in anticipation for Christmas, including wooden rocking horses, miniature ships, dolls with china limbs and rubber balls. On September 5th, one hundred days out from Hamburg in squally and boisterous south west winds the Cape Otway light was sighted on a bearing differing from Captain Vickers’ calculation of his position. At about 2:30am, Sunday 6th September 1891 land was reported 4-5 miles off the port bow. The captain tried to put the ship on the other tack, but she would not respond. He then tried to turn her the other way but just as the manoeuvre was being completed the Fiji struck rock only 300 yards (274 metres) from shore. The place is known as Wreck Bay, Moonlight Head. Blue lights were burned and rockets fired whilst an effort was made to lower boats but all capsized or swamped and smashed to pieces. Two of the younger crewmen volunteered to swim for the shore, taking a line. One, a Russian named Daniel Carkland, drowned after he was swept away when the line broke. The other, 17 year old able seaman Julius Gebauhr, a German, reached shore safely on his second attempt but without the line, which he had cut lose with his sheath-knife when it become tangled in kelp. He rested on the beach a while then climbed the steep cliffs in search of help. At about 10am on the Sunday morning a party of land selectors - including F. J. Stansmore, Leslie Dickson (or Dixon) and Mott - found Gebauhr. They were near Ryans Den, on their travels on horseback from Princetown towards Moonlight Head, and about 5km from the wreck. Gebauhr was lying in the scrub in a poor state, bleeding and dressed only in singlet, socks and a belt with his sheath-knife, ready for all emergencies. At first they were concerned about his wild and shaggy looking state and what seemed to be gibberish speech, taking him to be an escaped lunatic. They were reassured after he threw his knife away and realised that he was speaking half-English, half-German. They gave him food and brandy and some clothing and were then able to gain information about the wreck. Some of the men took him to Rivernook, a nearby guest house owned by John Evans, where he was cared for. Stansmore and Dickson rode off to try and summon help. Others went down to the site of the wreck. Messages for rescuing the rest of the crew were sent both to Port Campbell for the rocket rescue crew and to Warrnambool for the lifeboat. The S.S. Casino sailed from Portland towards the scene. After travelling the 25 miles to the scene, half of the Port Campbell rocket crew and equipment arrived and set up the rocket tripod on the beach below the cliffs. By this time the crew of the Fiji had been clinging to the jib-boom for almost 15 hours, calling frantically for help. Mr Tregear from the Rocket Crew fired the line. The light line broke and the rocket was carried away. A second line was successfully fired across the ship and made fast. The anxious sailors then attempted to come ashore along the line but, with as many as five at a time, the line sagged considerably and some were washed off. Others, nearly exhausted, had to then make their way through masses of seaweed and were often smothered by waves. Only 14 of the 24 who had remained on the ship made it to shore. Many onlookers on the beach took it in turns to go into the surf and drag half-drowned seamen to safety. These rescuers included Bill (William James) Robe, Edwin Vinge, Hugh Cameron, Fenelon Mott, Arthur Wilkinson and Peter Carmody. (Peter Carmody was also involved in the rescue of men from the Newfield.) Arthur Wilkinson, a 29 year old land selector, swam out to the aid of one of the ship’s crewmen, a carpenter named John Plunken. Plunken was attempting to swim from the Fiji to the shore. Two or three times both men almost reached the shore but were washed back to the wreck. A line was thrown to them and they were both hauled aboard. It was thought that Wilkinson struck his head on the anchor before s they were brought up. He remained unconscious. The carpenter survived this ordeal but Wilkinson later died and his body was washed up the next day. It was 26 year old Bill Robe who hauled out the last man, the captain, who had become tangled in the kelp. The wreck of the Fiji was smashed apart within 20 minutes of the captain being brought ashore, and it settled in about 6m of water. Of the 26 men on the Fiji, 11 in total lost their lives. The remains of 7 bodies were washed onto the beach and their coffins were made from timbers from the wrecked Fiji. They were buried on the cliff top above the wreck. The survivors were warmed by fires on the beach then taken to Rivernook and cared for over the next few days. Funds were raised by local communities soon after the wreck in aid of the sufferers of the Fiji disaster. Captain Vickers was severely reprimanded for his mishandling of the ship. His Masters Certificate was suspended for 12 months. At the time there was also a great deal of public criticism at the slow and disorganised rescue attempt to save those on board. The important canvas ‘breech buoy’ or ‘bucket chair’ and the heavy line from the Rocket Rescue was in the half of the rocket outfit that didn’t make it in time for the rescue: they had been delayed at the Gellibrand River ferry. Communications to Warrnambool were down so the call for help didn’t get through on time and the two or three boats that had been notified of the wreck failed to reach it in time. Much looting occurred of the cargo that washed up on the shore, with nearly every visitor leaving the beach with bulky pockets. One looter was caught with a small load of red and white rubber balls, which were duly confiscated and he was ‘detained’ for 14 days. Essence of peppermint mysteriously turned up in many settlers homes. Sailcloth was salvaged and used for horse rugs and tent flies. Soon after the wreck “Fiji tobacco” was being advertised around Victoria. A Customs officer, trying to prevent some of the looting, was assaulted by looters and thrown over a steep cliff. He managed to cling to a bush lower down until rescued. In 1894 some coiled fencing wire was salvaged from the wreck. Hundreds of coils are still strewn over the site of the wreck, encrusted and solidified. The hull is broken but the vessel’s iron ribs can be seen along with some of the cargo of concrete and pig iron. Captain Vickers presented Bill Robe with his silver-cased pocket watch, the only possession that he still had, as a token for having saved his life and the lives of some of the crew. (The pocket watch came with 2 winding keys, one to wind it and one to change the hands.) Years later Bill passed the watch to his brother-in-law Gib (Gilbert) Hulands as payment of a debt and it has been passed down the family to Gilbert Hulands’ grandson, John Hulands. Seaman Julius Gebauhr later gave his knife, in its hand crafted leather sheath, to F. J. Stansmore for caring for him when he came ashore. The knife handle had a personal inscription on it. A marble headstone on the 200m high cliffs overlooking Wreck Beach, west of Moonlight Head, paying tribute to the men who lost their lives when Fiji ran aground. The scene of the wreck is marked by the anchor from the Fiji, erected by Warrnambool skin divers in 1967. Amongst the artefacts salvaged from the Fiji are china miniature animals, limbs from small china dolls, rubber balls, a slate pencil, a glass bottle, sample of rope from the distress rocket and a candlestick holder. These items are now part of the Fiji collection at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum, along with Captain Vickers’ pocket watch and Julius Gebauhr’s sheath knife. Flagstaff Hill’s Fiji collection is of historical significance at a State level because of its association with the wreck Fiji, which is on the Victorian Heritage Register VHR S259. The Fiji is archaeologically significant as the wreck of a typical 19th century international sailing ship with cargo. It is educationally and recreationally significant as one of Victoria's most spectacular historic shipwreck dive sites with structural features and remains of the cargo evident. It also represents aspects of Victoria’s shipping history and its potential to interpret sub-theme 1.5 of Victoria’s Framework of Historical Themes (living with natural processes). The Fiji collection meets the following criteria for assessment: Criterion A: Importance to the course, or pattern, of Victoria’s cultural history. Criterion B: Possession of uncommon, rare or endangered aspects of Victoria’s cultural history Criterion C: Potential to yield information that will contribute to an understanding of Victoria’s cultural history. Black and White Photograph of the ship "Fiji" taken from Wreck Creek. warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, shipwrecked artefact, pocket watch, fob watch fiji, william vickers, william robe, bill robe, gebauhr, stansmore, carmody, wreck bay, moonlight head, fiji shipwreck 1891, port campbell rocket crew, wreck bay victoria

A foghorn is a device that uses sound to warn of navigational hazards like rocky coastlines, or boats of the presence of other vessels, in foggy conditions. The term is most often used with marine transport. When visual navigation aids such as lighthouses are obscured, foghorns provide an audible warning of rocky outcrops, shoals, headlands, or other dangers to shipping. An early form of fog signal was to use a bell, gong, explosive signal or firing a cannon to alert shipping. From the early 20th century an improved device called the diaphone was used in place of these other devices, The diaphone horn was based directly on the organ stop of the same name invented by Robert Hope-Jones, creator of the Wurlitzer organ. Hope-Jones' design was based on a piston that was closed only at its bottom end and had slots, perpendicular to its axis, cut through its sides, the slotted piston moved within a similarly slotted cylinder. Outside of the cylinder was a reservoir of high-pressure air. Initially, this air would be admitted behind the piston, pushing it forward. When the slots of the piston aligned with those of the cylinder, air passed into the piston, making a sound and pushing the piston back to its starting position, whence the cycle would be repeated. This method of producing a low audible sound was further developed as a fog signal by John Northey of Toronto and these diaphones were powered by compressed air produced by an electric motor or other mechanical means that admitted extremely powerful low-frequency notes. The example in the Flagstaff collection is an early cased and portable diaphone used on pleasure or sailing craft. By manually turning the crank handle air is produced and fed into valves that direct air across vibrating metal reeds to produce the required sound. in foggy weather, fog horns are used to pinpoint a vessels position and to indicate how the vessel is sailing in foggy conditions. One blast, when sailing on starboard tack and two blasts, when sailing on a port tack and three dots, when with wind is behind the vessel. Since the automation of lighthouses became common in the 1960s and 1970s, most older foghorn marine installations have been removed to avoid the need to run the complex machinery associated with them, and have been replaced with an electrically powered diaphragm or compressed air horns. The example in the collection is significant as it was used in the early 19th century for sailing vessels was important but these portable crank fog horns have also been superseded by modern electric varieties. Therefore the item has a historical connection with sailing and maritime pursuits from our past.English Rotary Norwegian Pattern nautical foghorn within a boxed pine varnished case with exposed corner dovetailing, original leather carrying strap, brass side crank, and original copper trumped horn. Card accessory with Directions for Use in both English and French.Noneflagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, foghorn, maritime technology, maritime communication, marine warning signal, portable foghorn, bellows foghorn, crank handle, robert hope-jones, john northey

This row lock was fitted onto the Warrnambool Lifeboat, which is also on-site at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village. The construction of the lifeboat 'Warrnambool' began 15th September 1909 and was completed almost 12 months later 1st September 1910. It was built at the Government Dockyard in Williamstown, Victoria, along the lines designed by Great Britain's Royal Lifeboat Institution, and included whale back decks fore and aft, mast and centre board, and rudder and tiller hung from the stern post. It could be propelled by both sail and oar. At that time Captain Ferguson was Chief Harbour Master and Mr Beagley was a foreman boat builder. Mr Beagley built the lifeboat with his fellow workmen. It had all the latest improvements in shape, disposition of weight with watertight compartments, and it had space for a large number of people in addition to the crew. It appears that 'H Meiers' whose signature was on the plaque that was found concealed in the hull, was involved with the building of the lifeboat. His signature and the dates of the start and finish of the boat's construction are penciled on the raw timber 'plaque' found in the hull in the early 1990s when the lifeboat was being restored. It is interesting that the 'Melbourne Directory' of 1911, published by Sands and MacDougal, lists McAuley and Meiers, boat builders, Nelson Place foreshore, between Pasco and Parker Streets, Williamstown, It is quite possibly the business of the person whose name is inscribed on the lifeboat plaque. Flagstaff Hill's documentation also mentions that the keel was laid at 'Harry Myers, boat builders, Williamstown, Melbourne the name 'Myers' can also be spelled 'Meiers', which could be the same person as the Meiers in "McAuley and Meiers" (as mentioned in genealogy lines of Myers). The new lifeboat, to be named 'Warrnambool' was brought to town by train and launched at the breakwater on 1st March 1911 using the Titan crane (the old lifeboat built-in 1858, was then returned to Melbourne in 1911). This new lifeboat was stationed at Warrnambool in a shed located at the base of the Breakwater, adjacent to the slipway. The lifeboat ‘Warrnambool’ was similar in size to the old lifeboat but far superior in design, with new sea-going qualities such as greater maneuverability. The ‘self-righting, self-draining’ design was made the vessel difficult to capsize and even if the boat overturned it would right itself to an even keel and the water would drain away. The hull was built of New Zealand Kauri, using double diagonal planking, laid in two layers at right angles, with a layer of canvas and red lead paint between the timbers to help seal the planking. It has plenty of free board. The backbone timbers were made of Jarrah. The Warrnambool lifeboat was one of several rescue boats used at Port Fairy and Warrnambool in the early 1900s. In late 1914 the Warrnambool lifeboat and crew were used to help find what was left of the tragic wreckage of the Antares and were able to discover the body of one of the crewmen. Between 1951 and 1954 the lifeboat was manned under the guidance of Captain Carrington. He held lifeboat practice each month on a Sunday morning, to comply with the Ports and Harbour’s request that lifeboats be ready for action in case of an emergency. In the early 1960’s it ended its service as a lifeboat and was used in Port Fairy as a barge to help dredge the Moyne River. Flagstaff Hill obtained the Warrnambool lifeboat in 1975. In 1984 it was on display at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village, Warrnambool. On 23rd May 1990, she was lifted from the water and placed in a cradle for restoration. The name 'WARRNAMBOOL could be seen faintly on the lifeboat before it was restored. It was during the restoration that Flagstaff Hill's boat builder discovered the 'plaque' inside the hull. A copy of the blueprint plans has the name “V.E.E. Gotch” printed on it. His advertisement in Footscray’s ‘Independent’ newspaper of Saturday 11th May 1901 states he is “Principal and Skilled member (Naval Architect) to the Court of Marine Inquiry of Victoria and holds classes for naval architectural drawing and arithmetic.” The subject row lock is significant due to its association the Warrnambool Lifeboat which was an integral part of an important service to the local community as a lifesaving vessel for a half-century. One of the lifeboats many achievements was when it was used to help retrieve the body of a shipwrecked crew member of the ship Antares. Rowlock from the Warrnambool Lifeboat.Noneflagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, lifeboat warrnambool, life boat, life saving vessel, 1910 vessel, port fairy, boat builder plaque, rescue boat, beagley, government dockyard, williamstown, v.e.e. gotch, royal lifeboat institution, captain ferguson, non-capsizeable lifeboat, self-righting lifeboat, antares shipwreck, double diagonal planking, captain carrington, rowlock, lifeboat rowlock

The SS Peter Silvester was named after a New York Congressman. Thought to be the last ship to be sunk by enemy action in the Indian Ocean. The German U-Boat U-862 had made her way along the west coast of Australia, under Tasmania and over the New Zealand. The U-Boat was in the process of retracing her steps when she came across the Peter Silvester en route from Melbourne to Colombo with US army supplies and mules on 6 February 1945. Some 5 or 6 torpedoes were landed before the order to abandon ship was given. The final torpedo ripped the ship in half. Whilst 32 crew members were lost either at the time or later from wounds one of the last groups of survivors rescued were found some 38 days after the sinking. From the recount of Georges Rimes: " In early 1945 he was Warrant Officer George (Rud) Rimes, one of the crew of a Liberator bomber of No 25 Squadron, RAAF. The squadron was based in Cun-derdin, inland from Perth, and was making regular bombing raids on Japanese-occupied Java. However, on February 12 Rimes's aircraft was diverted to search for the survivors of an American ship sunk of Western Australia. About noon Rimes made one of the most exciting and import-ant discoveries of his life. The search area had only just been reached, when Rimes, standing next to the pilot, sighted a red flare on the water. The pilot reduced height and began to circle the flare. Below were two rafts lashed together, not much larger than a pair of double beds crammed with 19 men, black with oil, waving frantically. The men were from the Liberty ship Peter Silvester. The German U-boat menace, which earlier had threatened to cut the vital sea lanes to Britain, had by 1945 been defeated. More ships were being built than the U-boats could sink. In February 1945 U682 was on its way to Singapore, after a three-month voyage around Australia and New Zealand in which only one ship had been sunk. But on the morning of February 6, some 1300km west of Fremantle, the U-boat sighted the masts of Peter Silvester on the horizon. 'The ship had left Melbourne the week before for Colombo, carrying 317 army mules, destined to become pack animals in Burma, a crew of 42 and 132 American servicemen travelling as passengers. The ship had had no warning of enemy submarines and was taking no precautions. It should have been easy for U862 to reach ail attack position, but the ship was armed, and the U-boat commander decided to wait till dark. The first three torpedoes were fired just before midnight, when most aboard the ship were asleep. The ship was hit on the starboard side by at least two of them, and was immediately plunged into darkness. Thrown from their bunks, men floundered about below decks, yelling for their mates and assailed by the fear that they might go down with the vessel. The ship was stopped, flooded, and thickly enveloped in smoke, but managing to stay afloat. To make sure of the kill U862 fired again. The torpedo hit just in front of the bridge. There was a large explosion and the ship broke in half, the forward portion sinking immediately. Thirty-two men had been killed. The master ordered abandon ship and four boats and six rafts not destroyed in the explosions were launched. The survivors struggled in a sea full of fuel oil, cargo crates and mules, which were just as anxious to reach safety. One survivor recalled: "The mules were like a school of fish. When we put the boathook out to pick up the men, if something didn't grab hold of it we knew it was a mule and would hit it on the head." U862 surfaced to survey the scene. The men in the boats had heard of German U-boats strafing survivors, so most got back into the water and stayed quiet, but the U-boat merely circled the wreckage and made off. 112 men got away, but their ordeal was only beginning. Many had swallowed oil and were violently sick; others had been injured, most were clad only in their underwear and were shivering in the freezing night air. Water was constantly buffeting them up to their hips. The wood and canvas rafts were less than 6m square and in the rough seas they were in constant danger of breaking up. The men could not lie down and could doze only fitfully while sitting up. The lifeboats were only a little more comfortable. Two had cap-sized when they were launched and required steady baling. Smokers used cigarette packs to stuff the cracks.The ship's wireless and auxiliary equipment had been put out of action during the attack, so no distress signal had been sent. Rimes regards the incident as one of the biggest thrills of his life. It might be weeks before the authorities began a search. The coming of day provided little relief. The sun beat down mercilessly. Rationing began on the second day. For those on the raifs it was a teaspoon of water twice a day and no food. The boats were better provisioned: a cup of water and four maltedmilk tablets per day. The effects of constant immersion and exposure were soon felt: feet and legs swelled, but almost nothing could be done to relieve the discomfort. Attempts were made to keep the rafts and boats together but it took an entire day for those on one raft to paddle 300m to another. As the men's strength ebbed the vessels began to drift apart again. By noon on the second day the survivors were in six separate groups and most had lost sight of one another. Relief for some would come quite soon. By chance on the fourth day after the torpedoing, a merchant ship on its way to Melbourne recovered one of the lifeboats carrying 15 survivors. The boat had drifted 45 miles from the position of the sinking. With the alarm raised, a search for the remaining survivors was initiated under the direction of the senior Australian naval officer in Fremantle. It began with the sailing of HMAS Dubbo and USS Corpus Christi." Many merchant and passenger vessels were requisitioned into service in order to help the keep the Allied supply and commerce lines open and the merchant navy played a pivotal role in the overall war effort. A rare photograph taken at the time of rescued survivors.Photograph taken from another ship (HMS Activity) depicting a lifeboat at sea with approximately 16 crew members of the sunken Peter Silvester aboard. Some are standing but most are sitting. One of the oars has fallen into the water but there is a line that has been thrown to the boat to facilitate the rescue.torpedo, conflict, merchant navy, sinking, peter silvester, uboat, u862, new york, indian ocean, survivors, lifeboat, oars, korvetten kapitan heinrich timm, rescues, ran, raft, ww2, world war 2, second world war, 1945, american, sea power centre, hms activity

The SS Peter Silvester was named after a New York Congressman. She has the dubious honour of being the last ship to be sunk by enemy action in the Indian Ocean. The German U-Boat U-862 had made her way along the west coast of Australia, under Tasmania and over the New Zealand. She was in the process of retracing her steps when she came across the Peter Silvester enroute from Melbourne to Colombo with US army supplies and mules. Some 5 or 6 torpedoes were landed before the order to abandon ship was given. The final torpedo ripped the ship in half. Whilst 32 crew members were lost either at the time or later from wounds. One of the last lot rescued were found some 38 days after the sinking.This photograph shows the Peter Silvester intact docked, possibly in Melbourne, before its sinking in February 1945.Black and white photograph of the SS Peter Silvester in port. Port unknown. Many mooring ropes are visible. There is washing hanging on a makeshift line toward the front of the ship. Two men are standing on the dock. There is a man standing atop.torpedo, conflict, merchant navy, sinking, peter silvester, uboat, u862, new york, indian ocean, survivors, lifeboat, oars, korvetten kapitan heinrich timm, ww2, wwii, world war 2, second world war, 1945

This ship's pully sheave was part of the Antares rigging, a pulley sheave is a circle on an shaft that is manufactured to hold up movement and change of way of a cable or/and rope, or transfer of power between the shaft and cable or/and rope. A pulley is a special mechanism that is used to leverage the lifting of heavy loads to required heights. The Italian barque Antares was an iron three-masted sailing clipper built in 1888 by Russell & Co of Port Glasgow originally named the “Sutlej” and renamed in 1907 the “Antares” when sold to the Semider Bros of Genoa Italy. The vessel left Marseilles on the 18th December 1913 with its master captain Gazedo destined for Mullaly & Byrne of Melbourne with a cargo of roofing tiles but failed to arrive. The wreckage was found near the Bay of Islands twenty-two miles east of Warrnambool after a body had washed ashore. Some of the timbers washed up were charred by fire, and a small boat's stern board with the name "Sutlej" led to the identification of the wreck as Antares which had been reported missing. According to later reports, the Antares wrecking was overshadowed by war news at the time. A young local boy had remarked that the Germans had arrived off the coast as he had seen them firing off shells and rockets, but his story was passed off as a joke. These rockets were most likely the distress signals from the stricken ship. The Italian barque/clipper Antares was sometime later reported as overdue. The wreck of the ship was later found at the base of a cliff at the Bay of Islands near Warrnambool in November 1914, there were no survivors.The Antares is significant as it was a sail trader carrying an international inbound cargo during the early part of the 20th century. It is part of the Great Ocean Road Historic Shipwreck Trail and as such is registered as a protected wreck in the Victorian Heritage Database VHS S34.Pulley Sheave, brass, all recesses full of concretion. Recovered from the wreak of the Antares. Noneflagstaff hill, warrnambool, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, pulley sheave, antares, tall ship, peterborough, 1914 shipwreck, phillip le couteur, peter mathieson, constable stainsbury, sutlej, bay of islands, pully sheave

This pair of navigational lamps or lights was fitted to the vessel S.S. Rowitta when it was renovated to become a display passenger ferry at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village from 1976-2015. Navigation lamps are used to indicate a vessel’s position and direction of travel to other vessels nearby. This system of coloured lamps is standardised throughout the world for all marine vessels, red is for port and green for starboard, (red is for the boats right hand side). These navigation lamps were not the original fittings for this vessel but had come from a similar vessel of the same era of the early 1900’s. The history of the lamp fittings at this time is unknown. S.S. ROWITTA The S.S. Rowitta, was a passenger steam ferry, built by Purdon & Featherstone, in Hobart (Tasmania) in 1909 from Huon Pine and Kauri planking. Her final configuration included three masts and ship rig. The S.S. Rowitta took its first voyage from Hobart to Launceston in 1909 and operated for 30 years as a passenger ferry on the Tamar and Derwent Rivers. She also served as a freighter, an army supply ship, a luxury charter ferry and a floating restaurant as well as a prawn boat at Lakes Entrance. (She was also previously named “Sorrento” and “Tarkarri”.). In the 1974 Rowitta was delivered to Port Fairy then later sailed to Warrnambool’s Breakwater where she was lifted out of Lady Bay and and moved into Flagstaff Hill’s Maritime Village. Transfer arrangements were coordinated by Jack Morse, of Morse Engineering, member of the Flagstaff Hill Planning Board, and Ken Goyen, local crane operator. The ‘Rowitta’ was originally acquired to be rebuilt to match the original Speculant. When finances became tight in 1976 a review of all plans ended in the decision to restore the “Rowitta” to her original configuration. She was then restored, renamed the original name of “Rowitta” and installed in the Village’s Harbour Lake on display. Unforntually the Advisory Committee to Flagstaff Hill decided to have the Rowitta demolished in April 2015 due to extensive deterioration. These lamps are an historical example of navigational equipment used in the early 20th century, adhering to a navigational standard that is worldwide, and a design similar to what is still being used today. They were used on an historical display vessel at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village as an aid to maritime education.Two side Navigation ships lamps quarter circle shaped metal boxes with glass window and removable lid. Lid attaches to box using four brackets, wingnuts and screws that swing down out of the way. Window of double thickness glass is inserted on curved side of box and attached by screws around the frame. The inner glass panel is coloured according to the lamp’s use; port is red starboard green. The port lamp has a round hole cut into each of the two straight sides and an electrical fitting inside. The starboard lamp also has a hole in each straight side (one with a threaded fitting on it). Its lid has additional cross bar on top that have a circular space in the centre, nuts and screws fit through holes in the ends and a folding handle is attached across the centre space. Impressed into metal of 3689.2 is “STARBOARD PATT 8025” flagstaff hill, warrnambool, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, flagstaff hill maritime village, navigation lamp, navigation light, navigation equipment, starboard patt 8025, ship’s fitting, rowitta, sorrento, tarkarri, speculant, purdon & featherstone of hobart, passenger ferry 1909, vessel, display rowitta, display passenger ferry

The rope was part of the distress rocket used during the time that the sailing ship Fiji was in distress, before it became a wreck. The three-masted iron barque Fiji had been built in Belfast, Ireland, in 1875 by Harland and Wolfe for a Liverpool based shipping company. The ship departed Hamburg on 22nd May 1891 bound for Melbourne, under the command of Captain William Vickers with a crew of 25. The ship’s manifest shows that she was loaded with a cargo of 260 cases of dynamite, pig iron, steel goods, spirits (whisky, schnapps, gin, brandy), sailcloth, tobacco, coiled fencing wire, concrete, 400 German pianos (Sweet Hapsburg), concertinas and other musical instruments, artists supplies including brushes, porcelain, furniture, china, and general cargo including candles. There were also toys in anticipation for Christmas, including wooden rocking horses, miniature ships, dolls with china limbs and rubber balls. On September 5th, one hundred days out from Hamburg in squally and boisterous south west winds the Cape Otway light was sighted on a bearing differing from Captain Vickers’ calculation of his position. At about 2:30am, Sunday 6th September 1891 land was reported 4-5 miles off the port bow. The captain tried to put the ship on the other tack, but she would not respond. He then tried to turn her the other way but just as the manoeuvre was being completed the Fiji struck rock only 300 yards (274 metres) from shore. The place is known as Wreck Bay, Moonlight Head. Blue lights were burned and distress rockets fired whilst an effort was made to lower boats but all capsized or swamped and smashed to pieces. Two of the younger crewmen volunteered to swim for the shore, taking a line. One, a Russian named Daniel Carkland, drowned after he was swept away when the line broke. The other, 17 year old able seaman Julius Gebauhr, a German, reached shore safely on his second attempt but without the line, which he had cut lose with his sheath-knife when it become tangled in kelp. He rested on the beach a while then climbed the steep cliffs in search of help. At about 10am on the Sunday morning a party of land selectors - including F. J. Stansmore, Leslie Dickson (or Dixon) and Mott - found Gebauhr. They were near Ryans Den, on their travels on horseback from Princetown towards Moonlight Head, and about 5km from the wreck. Gebauhr was lying in the scrub in a poor state, bleeding and dressed only in singlet, socks and a belt with his sheath-knife, ready for all emergencies. At first they were concerned about his wild and shaggy looking state and what seemed to be gibberish speech, taking him to be an escaped lunatic. They were reassured after he threw his knife away and realised that he was speaking half-English, half-German. They gave him food and brandy and some clothing and were then able to gain information about the wreck. Some of the men took him to Rivernook, a nearby guest house owned by John Evans, where he was cared for. Stansmore and Dickson rode off to try and summon help. Others went down to the site of the wreck. Messages for rescuing the rest of the crew were sent both to Port Campbell for the rocket rescue crew and to Warrnambool for the lifeboat. The S.S. Casino sailed from Portland towards the scene. After travelling the 25 miles to the scene, half of the Port Campbell rocket crew and equipment arrived and set up the rocket tripod on the beach below the cliffs. By this time the crew of the Fiji had been clinging to the jib-boom for almost 15 hours, calling frantically for help. Mr Tregear from the Rocket Crew fired the line. The light line broke and the rocket was carried away. A second line was successfully fired across the ship and made fast. The anxious sailors then attempted to come ashore along the line but, with as many as five at a time, the line sagged considerably and some were washed off. Others, nearly exhausted, had to then make their way through masses of seaweed and were often smothered by waves. Only 14 of the 24 who had remained on the ship made it to shore. Many onlookers on the beach took it in turns to go into the surf and drag half-drowned seamen to safety. These rescuers included Bill (William James) Robe, Edwin Vinge, Hugh Cameron, Fenelon Mott, Arthur Wilkinson and Peter Carmody. (Peter Carmody was also involved in the rescue of men from the Newfield.) Arthur Wilkinson, a 29 year old land selector, swam out to the aid of one of the ship’s crewmen, a carpenter named John Plunken. Plunken was attempting to swim from the Fiji to the shore. Two or three times both men almost reached the shore but were washed back to the wreck. A line was thrown to them and they were both hauled aboard. It was thought that Wilkinson struck his head on the anchor before s they were brought up. He remained unconscious. The carpenter survived this ordeal but Wilkinson later died and his body was washed up the next day. It was 26 year old Bill Robe who hauled out the last man, the captain, who had become tangled in the kelp. The wreck of the Fiji was smashed apart within 20 minutes of the last man being brought ashore, and it settled in about 6m of water. Of the 26 men on the Fiji, 11 in total lost their lives. The remains of 7 bodies were washed onto the beach and their coffins were made from timbers from the wrecked Fiji. They were buried on the cliff top above the wreck. The survivors were warmed by fires on the beach then taken to Rivernook and cared for over the next few days. Funds were raised by local communities soon after the wreck in aid of the sufferers of the Fiji disaster. Captain Vickers was severely reprimanded for his mishandling of the ship. His Masters Certificate was suspended for 12 months. At the time there was also a great deal of public criticism at the slow and disorganised rescue attempt to save those on board. The important canvas ‘breech buoy’ or ‘bucket chair’ and the heavy line from the Rocket Rescue was in the half of the rocket outfit that didn’t make it in time for the rescue: they had been delayed at the Gellibrand River ferry. Communications to Warrnambool were down so the call for help didn’t get through on time and the two or three boats that had been notified of the wreck failed to reach it in time. Much looting occurred of the cargo that washed up on the shore, with nearly every visitor leaving the beach with bulky pockets. One looter was caught with a small load of red and white rubber balls, which were duly confiscated and he was ‘detained’ for 14 days. Essence of peppermint mysteriously turned up in many settlers homes. Sailcloth was salvaged and used for horse rugs and tent flies. Soon after the wreck “Fiji tobacco” was being advertised around Victoria. A Customs officer, trying to prevent some of the looting, was assaulted by looters and thrown over a steep cliff. He managed to cling to a bush lower down until rescued. In 1894 some coiled fencing wire was salvaged from the wreck. Hundreds of coils are still strewn over the site of the wreck, encrusted and solidified. The hull is broken but the vessel’s iron ribs can be seen along with some of the cargo of concrete and pig iron. Captain Vickers presented Bill Robe with his silver-cased pocket watch, the only possession that he still had, as a token for having saved his life and the lives of some of the crew. (The pocket watch came with 2 winding keys, one to wind it and one to change the hands.) Years later Bill passed the watch to his brother-in-law Gib (Gilbert) Hulands as payment of a debt and it has been passed down the family to Gilbert Hulands’ grandson, John Hulands. Seaman Julius Gebauhr later gave his knife, in its hand crafted leather sheath, to F. J. Stansmore for caring for him when he came ashore. The knife handle had a personal inscription on it. A marble headstone on the 200m high cliffs overlooking Wreck Beach, west of Moonlight Head, paying tribute to the men who lost their lives when Fiji ran aground. The scene of the wreck is marked by the anchor from the Fiji, erected by Warrnambool skin divers in 1967. Amongst the artefacts salvaged from the Fiji are china miniature animals, limbs from small china dolls, rubber balls, a glass bottle, this sample of rope from the distress rocket and a candlestick holder. These items are now part of the Fiji collection at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum, along with Captain Vickers’ pocket watch and Julius Gebauhr’s sheath knife. (references are on file)This rope is part of the collection of artefacts from the wreck of the Fiji. Flagstaff Hill’s Fiji collection is of historical significance at a State level because of its association with the wreck Fiji, which is on the Victorian Heritage Register VHR S259. The Fiji is archaeologically significant as the wreck of a typical 19th century international sailing ship with cargo. It is educationally and recreationally significant as one of Victoria's most spectacular historic shipwreck dive sites with structural features and remains of the cargo evident. It also represents aspects of Victoria’s shipping history and its potential to interpret sub-theme 1.5 of Victoria’s Framework of Historical Themes (living with natural processes). The Fiji collection meets the following criteria for assessment: Criterion A: Importance to the course, or pattern, of Victoria’s cultural history. Criterion B: Possession of uncommon, rare or endangered aspects of Victoria’s cultural history Criterion C: Potential to yield information that will contribute to an understanding of Victoria’s cultural history.Rope, plaited, brown in colour, cut straight at one end, and the other end is separated into 3 pieces, from distress rockets used during the wreck of the sailing ship Fiji. Rope was in envelope printed with an address, and a description, and there was a display card with further details on it. Printed on the envelope: "Shire of Hampden / PO Box 84, Camperdown 3260" and hand written "rope of wreck of Fiji / 7cm / Mr Wm "Boyce" Display card with rope includes words "Piece of Rope from the Fiji distress rockets and was donated to Flagstaff Hill by a private donor in 1989"flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, rope, the fiji, william boyce, distress signal

The Italian barque Antares was an iron three-masted sailing clipper built in 1888 by Russell & Co of Port Glasgow originally named the “Sutlej” and renamed in 1907 the “Antares” when sold to the Semider Bros of Genoa Italy. The vessel left Marseilles on the 18th December 1913 with its master captain Gazedo destined for Mullaly & Byrne of Melbourne with a cargo of roofing tiles but failed to arrive. The wreckage was found near the Bay of Islands twenty-two miles east of Warrnambool after a body had washed ashore. Some of the timbers washed up were charred by fire, and a small boat's stern board with the name "Sutlej" led to the identification of the wreck as Antares which had been reported missing. According to later reports, the Antares wrecking was overshadowed by war news at the time. A young local boy had remarked that the Germans had arrived off the coast as he had seen them firing off shells and rockets, but his story was passed off as a joke. These rockets were most likely the distress signals from the stricken ship. The Italian barque/clipper Antares was sometime later reported as overdue. The wreck of the ship was later found at the base of a cliff at the Bay of Islands near Warrnambool in November 1914, there were no survivors.The Antares is significant as it was a sail trader carrying an international inbound cargo during the early part of the 20th century. It is part of the Great Ocean Road Historic Shipwreck Trail and as such is registered as a protected wreck in the Victorian Heritage Database VHS S34 .Piece of clay terracotta roofing tile recovered from the wreck of the Antares. Tile has letters and symbols inpressed into the clay. ”- E R I E S DE LA MEDITERRANEE” “ … T S – MI-LES BOU- R …..” & SYMBOL of Sideways crown or tree (could be TULLERIES DE LA MEDITERRANEE)flagstaff hill, warrnambool, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, roofing tile, building materials, antares, peterborough, 1914 shipwreck, sutlej, antares rock., bay of islands, terracotta tile, clipper

Several items were given by a seafarer, Mr Nicholas Garlick (1926-2009) into the care of Father Brady who retired from St Pauls Cathedral, Melbourne in 2018. Father Brady later donated the collection of; objects, documents and an extensive collection of cruise ship menus (1937-end of 20thC) to the Mission via the intermediary William Hastie, volunteer at the Mission for Seafarers. This particular item provides an example of a ticket for a Greek ferry the 'Apostolis' boarded on the 13th August 1949 by Mr Garlick's sister.This ferry pass for the Greek ferry 'Apostolis' is made of thin, cream-coloured paper. On the front of the ticket the official details are printed in Greek. The passenger details are hand-written in Greek. On the back is a note written by Mr Garlick. Front; see image for details. Back; 'A Greek Ferry Boat/pass. After W.W.II Greece/had a Civil War./ In '49 passenger had to obtain/permission to board a ferry, when/permission given a pass was issued./Name of boat 'Apostolis'./My sister visited Greece at the time - stayed 3 yrs./ Her name is on the pass, her number and alien are written in.'nicholas garlick, greek ferry ticket, 1949, 'apostolis'

The ship Carnarvon Bay bound from Liverpool to Sydney with a general cargo struck rocks off Stokes Point on the coast of King Island on Thursday 15 September 1910. On the day the crew used two lifeboats but were separated. One of them with Captain W. Griffith and 17 men was rescued by the SS Taracoola and brought back to Melbourne. Apprentice, R.J.N Filkin was amongst them (his name is listed on the Argus article relating the event (Monday 19 September 1910). In the article called "Welcome Shelter" it seems it was the first sea voyage for the young Filkin. The other boat with 15 men was lost for several hours. There was no casualties but the 3000 ton cargo was lost. The seamen were received at the Sailors Home then welcomed at the Mission by Reverend Haire as shown on a photograph publish in the Punch (22 September 1910). Reverend Gurney Goldsmith was in England at the time. The crew was invited to an evening of entertainment organised by artist Violet Teague at the Masonic Hall on the 19th of September. According to the article "Welcome Shelter" she was painting the "tableaux" at the Mission when the seamen were present, interviewed by the journalist. This evening organised by the Ladies Harbour Lights Guild was planned to raise funds for the Mission.Sepia photograph depicting the ship Carnarvon Bay at sea with a written inscription in black ink.Ship Carnarvon Bay wrecked King Island 15 September 1910 - R.J.N Filkin apprenticeshipwreck, apprentice, king island, carnarvon bay, captain griffith, violet teague, masonic hall, ss taracoola

This ship was number 1 of 2 ships named Bangalore and run by P & O. This ship has listed the same tonnage as that on the inscription on the frame of this work. The ship was subsequently sold in 1886 sold to Hajee Cassum Joosub and used for passengers on pilgrimage into Jeddah. Another view of the history of the Bangalore is that to be found at the Maritime Museums of Sydney listing of another painting of the Bangalore which provides a somewhat different history. It is possible that the story of Bangalore 1 and Bangalore 2 have become conflated further research is needed to verify. see Links field. SS BANGALORE was built in 1867 by William Denny of Dumbarton. Owned by P&O, SS BANGALORE operated from Bombay and Galle to Melbourne and Sydney from 1872 to 1886 as a passenger and mail ship. In 1891 BANGALORE was sold to Wilh. Wilhelmsen, Norway and renamed SS CORINGA.Maritime ArtThinly painted image on board featuring centrally a moored, at anchor, 19th C dual masted steamship with black funnel and flying at the stern a red ensign. To either side are conventional rigged clippers or sailing ships. Near the bow of the steamship there seems to be a tug or paddle steamer face on. In the foreground is a small rowing boat with boatman and two passengers, a male and a female. The painting on board is mounted in a large polished or varnished cedarwood frame with edge carving and a decorative pitted slip which holds in place a thin piece of glazing. Backing paper and seal has all been removed except for hanging wire. Central at front lower edge of frame is a small chipped wood plaque with inscription.s.s. bangalore, p & o steamships, marine painting, sailing ships, 1867, william denny

Found by the donor in 2017 in a thrift or Opportunity shop in Richmond, North Yorkshire, England. The names of the ships featured recalled some of the names and their crews known to have visited Melbourne and recorded in various records associated with the MTSV.Page from a children's book featuring full colour hand drawn illustrations of five ocean going ships.Ships names featured: MV Carnarvon Castle 20,000 tons Union Castle Line; S.S. Majestic, White Star Line 56,000 tons; M.V Chibu Maru, 16,500 tons, N.Y.K Line; S.S. Orontes, Orient Line 20,000 tons, S.S. Empress of Britain, 42,000 tons C.P.R. Line. Printed page of text on reverse starts mid sentence: "...going to Bombay, and then right away for Australia, this time next month she will be on the other side of the world. ..."children's book, ships, illustration, steamships, orontes, empress of britain, chichibu maru, majestic, carnarvon castle

One of a collection of over 400 photographs in an album commenced in 1960 and presented to the Phillip Island & Westernport Historical Society by the Shire of Phillip IslandPhotograph of a painting by F Wheatley National Portrait Gallery, of Vice Admiral Arthur Phillip standing on beach between water and rocks. Small boat with sailor nearby and ship under sail in background.Vice Admiral Arthur Phillip - first Governor of New South Wales. The man after whom Phillip Island was named.local history, photography, photographs, exploration, maritime, governor arthur phillip, arthur phillip, john jenner, bryant west

This display was put together by the Curlip Committee and used as promotion in the shed during the construction of Curlip 11 A community project, this boat was constructed out of local hardwood timbers utilizing the traditional skills of wooden boat builders and is powered by a steam engine. Paddle Steamer Curlip II is a replica of an historic paddle steamer of the Snowy River, in Far East Gippsland, Victoria. The original Paddle Steamer Curlip was built by Sam Richardson and his sons Mark, Albert and Frank, at their sawmill at Tabbara, a pioneering settlement on the Brodribb River, a tributary of the Snowy River. The keel was laid on 14th October 1889 and PS Curlip was launched in 1890. The name “ Curlip” is derived from the indigenous name for the area where Tabbara is located and includes land to the east of the Snowy and Brodribb Rivers towards Cape Conran. PS Curlip was registered in 1893 and the Passenger Certificate issued on 30th January 1903 to Captain Alan Richardson by the Marine Board of Victoria entitled her to carry 25 passengers and only 10 passengers when engaged in towage service. Two children under 12 years of age to be reckoned as one passenger. PS Curlip towed five barges at a time, traveling upstream as far as Bete Bolong, 20 km upstream of the mouth to collect produce to be transferred to schooners near Marlo. She towed vessels in and out through the Snowy river entrance and was also used for social functions such as Sunday School picnics. She was the main means of transport for imports and exports on the Snowy River for almost 30 years. The Curlip era ended abruptly on Friday 28th February when a flash flood carried her and 2 barges down river and out to sea, where she washed ashore at Marlo and broke up.More than eighty years after the original Paddle Steamer Curlip was wrecked at sea, the Orbost community launched a replica which it hoped would draw tourists to the region. The P.S. Curlip II, is based on drawings of the original Curlip that made its home in the Snowy and Brodribb Rivers of East Gippsland in the 1890s and early 1900s, It took six years of planning and hundreds of hours of volunteer work from the local community.A display cabinet containing tools and sundry items related to the Paddle Steamer Curlip. (More information on individual items in Catalogue 1400-1600)p.s.curlip richardson-samuel boat-building-tools transport