This small barrel looks well used. Unfortunately, the inscription on the barrel is indecipherable so its story is a mystery. However, the bungholes on the side are a clue that it was once used for storing liquid, likely to have been liquor. Barrels have been used over many centuries for transporting and storing a wide range of dry and liquid goods. They are made by tradesmen called coopers, who use heat and steam to bend and shape the wood to suit the work in hand. They add metal reinforcing, handles, spouts and suchlike, to complete they process. Their produce also includes buckets, casks and tubs. Ships transported bulk liquor in their cargo, stored in wooden barrels. The barrels' round shape allowed them to be easily moved by rolling them into place. The body's shape gave the barrels added strength and the iron bands helped the wooden sheaves stay in place. The tops and bottoms allowed for easy grip. The bungholes gave access to government representatives, who would sample the contents, measure the alcohol percentage, and charge the appropriate duty or tax; the process was called Ullaging and the instrument they used was a Hydrometer. Hundreds of barrels of cement were imported into Warrnambool in the late 19th century for the construction of the Warrnambool Breakwater. Barrel-shaped concrete blocks are still visible at shipwreck sites such as on the LOCH ARD wreck, which carried cement among its cargo.This small barrel is representative of 19th century containers used for transportation and storage of liquid such as liquor. It is a historic shape that is still used in modern times.Barrel; wooden barrel, cylindrical shape with metal bands or ribs for reinforcement. The side has two bungholes; one has a bung or stopper. Inscription on top (indecipherable). (indecipherable)flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, barrel, cask, small barrel, trade, coopering, cooper, casket, transport, storage, bunghole

The Skylark 4, the final in the Slingsby Skylark series, dates from 1961. The design heralded a trend towards the use of plastics in the construction of gliders. Slingsby incorporated GRP (glass reinforced plastic) panels to achieve a streamlined fuselage nose and cockpit area while retaining the more traditional wood techniques for the rest of the aircraft. Another notable feature was the smooth wing surface that was obtained using a Gaboon ply skin across the ribs. Best glide performance of 1:33 was found to be comparable with the early full GRP glider designs. The Museum’s example (VH-GTB – C/N 1382) was built in 1963 and originally owned by Chuck Bentson of the UK. It was brought to Australia in 1967 by Jeremy Picket-Heaps and flown at various places including Benalla, Cooma and Gundaroo. In 1970 the glider was transferred to the New England Soaring Club. Many flights were made from Armidale and Bellata in Northern New South Wales. On one occasion, the glider was kept aloft for 8 hours 45 minutes and on another the pilot took it around a 500 kilometre triangle in nearly 8 hours. In 1980 it was sold to Ralph (“Feathers”) Crompton and was flown extensively in South Australia until 1988. The final owner before the glider was given to the Museum in 2004 was Ross Dutton of Melbourne. The last recorded flight occurred in 1992. The glider at that point had logged over 2000 hours flying time from about 2000 launches. The airframe is currently being restored to flying condition. Technically this aircraft represents the state of the art at the stage that sailplane design was changing from traditional wood construction to composites (GRP) The Slingsby Skylark 4 is high wing single seat sailplane of mainly wooden construction with plywood and fabric covering. However, the cockpit and forward part of the fuselage consists of glass reinforced plastic which was innovative at the time that the type was designed. The cockpit provides for a semi reclining position for the pilot protected with a full Perspex canopy. The wings are made up of a centre section with constant chord and tapered wing tips. The aircraft has a conventional arrangement for the tail stabiliser / control surfaces. The sailplane bears construction number 1382 and is registered in Australia as VH-GTBaustralian gliding, glider, sailplane, skylark, slingsby, bentson, picket-heaps, crompton, new england soaring club, dutton

The Hall Cherokee II glider is an American design for amateur construction from plans. The designer was Stan Hall (1915-2009), a professional engineer, who gained extensive experience in the United States aviation industry during World War 2 including the programs for military gliders. He continued to work as an engineer for aircraft manufacturers and as a consultant to the industry after the war. He was active in gliding and, in particular, the home built sailplane movement. The Cherokee II was one of about 10 glider designs that he produced: it came out in 1956. It is understood that over 100 Cherokee gliders have been built. In Australia the number is possibly 10 or 11. The Hall Cherokee VH-GVO was built by R.D Meares of Caringbah, New South Wales. The glider was registered as VH-GVO on 11 October 1973 and given serial number “GFA-HB-82” by the Gliding Federation of Australia. The Logbook for VH-GVO appears to be a complete record of the flying history; in aggregate 210 hours 40 minutes in the air from 331 flights. The first test hop occurred on 29 July 1972 at Camden, New South Wales. VH-GVO was last flown on 22 July 1986. Many of the flights recorded are of one or two hours duration. The glider was last inspected and certified as airworthy and in a reasonable condition at the Hunter Valley Gliding Club in July 1986. Since that time, until transferred to the Australian Gliding Museum, the glider was in storage. Structural restoration work has been completed on the fuselage and one wing. However, inspection of the other wing revealed extensive damage to the ribs and spars and consequently a decision was taken to make it a static exhibit. The exhibit is an example of home built construction of a type that has proved popular amongst amateur glider builders.The Hall Cherokee (formerly registered as VH-GVO) is a single seat wooden home built glider. The glider is constructed from wood, plywood, fabric and metal fittings, all commercial grade except for main wing fittings, pulleys, cables and bolts. The fuselage is simple with four main longerons and bulkheads with diagonal bracing. The wing has two identical solid spars which form a geodetic structure, hence the leading edge is non-structural. Registration VH-GVO – serial number GFA-HB-82 australian gliding, glider, sailplane, hall, cherokee, meares, hunter valley gliding club

Edna Barrie at the cairn, photo received from Graeme Minns in 1988. The cairn marks the site of Jimmy Melrose's plane crash in Melton South. The accident which happened on July 5th 1936. In 1934 Melrose made headlines with a series of spectacular flights. In July of that year, he set around Australia record and in that year established a new solo Australia England record when he flew to England to compete in the MacRoberston race with a De Havilland Puss Moth VH- YQO. The only Australian and the only solo pilot to complete the course within the time limit. He was seventh in finishing order and third in the handicap section making news again during the race with a dramatic landing in Darwin with empty fuel tanks. Late in 1935 Melrose imported the Phoenix for his “Adelaide to Anywhere” Charter Service. The previous year the Heston Aircraft Company had taken over the interests of the well known Comper Aircraft Company, and the first production of the new firm was the Phoenix, a single-engined all wooden five seater machine of sesquiplane configuration. The forward half of the fuselage was a streamlined rectangular section and the rear portion was a monocogue shell; the whole was of plywood fabric covered. The wing was built up of spruce box spars and lattice ribs, ply covered from the leading edge to the front spar and the fabric covered over the remainder. The tail surfaces were of similar construction. The most notable feature of the design was the lower stub wing which ran right across the fuselage embodying two box spars, plywood covered it housed the main undercarriage wheels when retracted and provided a substantial anchorage for the Nu form wing struts. The Dowty undercarriage retracted inwards, operated manually by hydraulic packs, Dual control fitted, with side by side seating for the pilots and three passenger seats behind. Power was a 200 h.p. De Havilland Gipsy VI 6 cylinder inverted in-line air-cooled engine. Six Phoenix were built; five of them registered in Great Britain and one of those was later sold abroad the remaining four were impressed into the R.A.F. in 1940. Specifications were: 40 feet 4 inches length 30 ft 2 ins height, 9ft 7ins, wing area 270 sq ft, Tare weight 2,600lbs loaded weight 3,300lbs; cruising speed 360 m.p.h. landing 50mph ceiling 14,000 ft range 700 miles. Melrose’s machine the first production aircraft was built early in 1936 and test flown of the 24th March. Painted green it carries the words “South Australian Centenary 1936” in silver of the fuselage and the name “Billing on the engine cowling in honor of Melrose’s uncle Noel Pemberton Billing, pioneer designer and founder of the Supermarine Aviation Company. The delivery flight was planned as a goodwill mission to publicise the forthcoming South Australian Centenary celebrations. Melrose left Dympne on the 9th April 1936, and flying via Marseilles, Naples, Athens, Baghdad, Basra, Karachi, Jodphur, Calcutta, Akyab, Penang, Singapore, Lombok, Darwin, Newcastle Waters and Alice Springs reached Adelaide on the 25th of April. Continuing the goodwill flight to other States, he visited Melbourne, Sydney, Newcastle, Grafton, Brisbane, Coff’s Harbour, Sydney again, Launceston, Hobart and Mount Gambier before returning to Adelaide on the 13th May. During June Jimmy made some charter flights and early in July was engaged by Mr. A.J. Campbell a director of several mining companies from Melbourne to Darwin to commence at Essendon on the4th July. However on that day low cloud and steady rain caused the postponement. There was little improvement and Melrose was advised to delay the departure again. However he wished to reach Oodnadatta that night, and when he observed the break in the clouds decided to leave. He planned to climb above the cloud and fly to Adelaide at 3,000 feet. The aircraft was airborne about 8.10 a.m. and was last seen from Essendon climbing above the clouds. At 8.45 people at Melton (30 miles West of Melbourne) heard an approaching aircraft. The engine noise increased abnormally and eye witnesses saw the machine fall out of control from the cloud base about 800 feet and then disintegrate, fragments were scattered for 1½ miles and both occupants were killed. Hand written carbon copy by Edna Barrie.Typed by Wendy Barrie March 2014 Last Flight of Jimmy Melrose by John Burke Parade Magazine July 1972 Page 2 –4 This article gives the take off time of 7.50 am from Essendon Airport Eyewitness account at the time Maisie Arthur’s description. Newspaper article. Edna Barrie at the site of the 'Cairn'local identities, local significant events

Canoeing on the River Yarra at Melbourne was an important and widespread recreational pursuit for Melbournians, especially in the first half of the twentieth century. The Victorian Canoe Club was formed in 1912 at a meeting in Melbourne and its first committee elected in the same year. Records indicate that the Club continued into at least the 1950s .The album has historic and social significance as a record of recreational activities (as well as canoe making) in the early years of the twentieth century. It has local significance as the site of the headquarters of the Club was in Studley park. A number of photographs in the album provide vistas of Kew on the Yarra that are otherwise unavailable.One of 24 labelled photos in part album, originating from the Victorian Canoe Club, which had its headquarters in Studley Park, Kew. The album includes a photographic record of canoe construction and also locations in Studley Park and Kew where the canoes were used. The subject of this photograph is identified as 'Ribs bent on mould' after being softened by steaming."Ribs bent on mould"victorian canoe club, canoe making, canoe construction