This sketch of a tree whose bark was cut, by aboriginal craftsmen, to produce a canoe for fishing in the rivers running through the Kiewa Valley either before or just after the 1800's. The tree trunk depicted in the sketch would have been used at the beginning of European settlement in the Kiewa Valley or just before contact was made.As this sketch was of a tree found along the Kiewa River it indicates that Aborigines lived by the river. This sketch depicts the usage of tree bark by the Aboriginal fisher person in crafting a canoe to cross rivers and to fish in the deeper sections of the river course.This freehand sketch detailing the outline of bark removed to provide a canoe is in ink portraying a tree trunk with one branch which has a plaque in front a gravel section to the right and open fields in the mid background and scattered trees on a hill slope in the far background. The sketch is on thick cardboard with a plastic protective cover over it (fastened on the flip side). It is a sketch of the tree now exhibited at the Kiewa Consolidated School.Written in black ink on the top section (heading) "ABORIGINES CUT CANOE FROM TREE. NOW AT KIEWA SCHOOL"crafted canoe, aboriginal craftsmanship, tree usage, early aboriginal craftsmen, kiewa river. kiewa consolidated school

1. Kiewa Valley Consolidated School was established in 1953 combining Dederang North, Kergunyah, Gundowring, Kiewa, Gundowring Upper, Red Bluff, Charleroi and Gundowing North schools on a 10 acre site with 11 rooms at Kiewa. The bark was cut from the canoe tree, by aboriginal craftsmen, to produce a canoe for fishing in the rivers running through the Kiewa Valley either before or just after the 1800's. The tree trunk, located at Kiewa, would have been used at the beginning of European settlement in the Kiewa Valley or just before contact was made. 2. Pictorial record of the graves of early pioneers C Ibbotson, Mrs Elizabeth Eyre and John Eyre who died between 1858 – 1904, all located at Tawonga Homestead 1. The above schools are in the Kiewa Valley. The date and number of combined schools give insight into the change in population and families in the Kiewa Valley before and after 1953. The tree was found along the Kiewa River and indicates that Aborigines lived by the river and used tree bark to craft canoes to cross rivers and to fish in the deeper sections of the river. 2. Pictorial record of the early history of Kiewa Valley pioneers whose descendants have lived and worked in the Kiewa Valley for many years 1. Newspaper article of local school children visiting a canoe tree in Kiewa July 11, 1972. mounted on buff card 2. Black and white photo of pioneer graves at old Tawonga Homestead. Mounted on buff card 1. Handwritten in black ink above newspaper clipping ‘Canoe Tree Kiewa Valley Consolidated School. 11 July, 1972’ Handwritten in pencil at bottom of article ’10 Nov. ‘72’ 2. Handwritten in black ink above photo ‘Tawonga Homestead graves’ Handwritten below photo ‘T Ibbotson D. 1858, Elizabeth Eyre D. 1879, John Eyre D 1879, John Eyre D. 1904 tawonga homestead, canoe tree at kiewa, tawonga graves