Invitation card - colour sketched print, view of Fortuna Villa with palm tree on left hand side, flagpole in centre and partial view of lake. Wording inside the card reads ' On 1 October 2000 the Defence Topographic Agency will join with Australian Imagery Organisation and become part of the Defence Imagery and Geospatial Organisation. Defence Topographic Agency invites you to celebrate this special occasion by attending a presentation ceremony and BBQ. The ceremony will be held at Fortuna on Thursday 26 October 2000 commencing at 12 noon. RSVP 19 October 2000, with Email address and phone numberdefence topographic agency, fortuna villa

After 20 years, public tours of Fortuna, the historic mansion of George Lansell, are ending. The tours were run by Malcolm and Hayden Beer, who are moving away from Bendigo. Hayden Beer managed the canteen during weekdays and conducted tours with devonshire teas on weekends for the past four and a half years. Malcolm Beer educated himself about the mansion and the Lansell family to lead the tours, gathering information from a Lansell family reunion. Declining public interest and low attendance over the last six months contributed to the decision. The couple's departure means the Defence Topographic Agency will no longer offer the tours. The last tour is scheduled for Sunday, November 12.The tour includes a two-hour guided visit and devonshire tea for $11.For bookings, contact Pat Graham at the provided phone number.Fortuna Article - "The end of an era - Fortuna tours to close" - The Bendigo Weekly Nov 10 2000 This item contains the following: 11217.28a Colour photo of Hayden Beer at Fortuna 11217.28c Colour photo of Hayden Beer at Fortuna 11217.28b Part of page - Article "The end of an era - Fortuna tours to close"non-fictionbendigo, fortuna, george lansell, malcolm beer, hayden beer

The article describes the Army Survey Regiment's farewell to Bendigo with a final parade to hand back the "Freedom of the City" key. A smaller article on the second page describes the taking over of the mapping by the "Army Topographic Support Agency" (ATSE) which was a Defence Public Service based organisation. Newspaper Article of 2 pages, approx A3 sizeroyal australian survey corps, rasvy, fortuna, army survey regiment, army svy regt, army topographical support establishment, atse

The Army School of Survey was formed at Balcombe, Victoria in 1943 but later relocated to Bonegilla near Wodonga. The Australian Survey Corps had a proud history. It was raised as a unit of the Permanent Military Forces on July 1st 1915. Of the three officers and 17 other ranks who constituted the Survey Corps in 1915, all but three enlisted in the AIF and saw service in France, Belgium, Egypt or Palestine. The Corps entered World War 2 with nine officers and forty one other ranks. Its total strength reached a peak of 1,700 personnel with 5,500 men and women being engaged on mapping tasks during the war period. In 1948 the Australian Survey Corps was granted the prefix ‘Royal’ in recognition of its service during World War II. From the 1950s until its disbandment in 1996, members of the Corps undertook extensive geodetic surveys and mapping operations in all mainland states of Australia as part of the National Mapping Program as well as in Papua New Guinea. This included important work with the establishment of the Snowy River Hydro Scheme and the Woomera rocket range, The School of Military Survey moved to Bonegilla in 1965 when it also adopted ‘Wandering the Kings Highway’ as the Corps marching song. The School was responsible for training all RASVY personnel in Topographical Surveying, Cartography, Photography, Printing and Illustration. The School also trained Service and Civilian personnel from other agencies and countries, as part of Defence Co-operation Programmes The School moved into the newly developed Latchford Barracks in November 1982. Due to some military restructuring some of the roles of played by the Corps were taken over by civilian organisations or reverted to the Royal Australian Engineers and on the 1st July 1996 the Royal Australian Survey Corps was disbanded.This item is significant because it captures images of Bonegilla near Wodonga and the important role it played in both the history of migration to Australia and also the Australian military.A framed sketch depicting a variety of buildings at Bonegilla when it housed the School of Military Survey.Titles beneath different images At bottom - The School of Military Survey, Bonegilla, Victoria January 1933 - December 1982army at bonegilla, australian school of miltary survey