"The breeze going through the eel trap gives a feeling of water flowing through the vessel with the feathers softly waiving as the water flows. My grandfather Nicholas Couzens and my uncles made eel traps to fish the Hopkins River - this is how my mother learnt the techniques which she passed on to me."Bronwyn RAZEM Gunditjmara/Kirrae Whurrong Bronwyn Razem is an Indigenous Australian basket weaver and painter. She is a Gunditjmara woman of the Kirrae Whurrong clan of western Warrnambool on the Victorian coastline. Bronwyn’s practice involves an exploration of her Indigenous heritage and identity, and she creates symbolic representations of places and events that are meaningful to her family. She integrates ochres, sand and other materials into her paintings, and her works also draw on the possum skin cloak traditions of her ancestors. In 2008, Bronwyn was chosen by the Australia Council for the Arts to be part of a delegation of Indigenous artists to attend the 10th Pacific Arts Festival in Western Samoa. Bronwyn’s mother, Aunty Zelda Couzens, was a well-respected basket weaver and elder who taught Bronwyn basket-making techniques. Bronwyn now regularly conducts basket weaving workshops with Victorian Indigenous communities in order to facilitate the revival of cultural traditions. She has a Bachelor of Arts with Honours at Deakin University, and in 2008 she was enrolled in a Master by Research degree at Deakin Institute of Koorie Education, Geelong, and was living in Ballarat. (https://www.daao.org.au/bio/bronwyn-razem/biography/, accessed 18 April 2016) This item is part of the Federation University Art Collection. The Art Collection features over 1000 works and was listed as a 'Ballarat Treasure' in 2007.Bronwyn RAZEM (1953- ) Gunditjmara/Kirraw Wurrong A woven New Zealand flax eel trap with emu feathers. This work won the University of Ballarat Acquisitive Award for work reflecting Victoria's Western District. The judges were impressed by Bronwyn Razem's translation of the traditional eel trap into a sculptural form evocative of the flow of water and possible the passage of time. The design and technical knowhow which Razem inherited from her mother, uncles, and grandfather connects this work to the family;s life and traditions. She then enhances the simplicity of this very functional object by the addition of delicate emu feathers, creating a work that creatively and symbolically transcends its original form. art, artwork, bronwyn razem, razem, eel trap, aboriginal, indigenous, available

A plume of emu feathers was worn in the puggaree of the slouch hat by Australian Light Horse. The tradition was continued by Australian armoured regiments wearing a smaller tuft of emu plumes behind the hat badge on the black beret. In 1992, the slouch hat with plumes was reintroduced as the official head dress of the Roya Australian Armoured corps although the black beret continues to be worn as work dress.A bunch of emu feathers attached to a piece of tanned skin.emu, light horse, plume

This felted coat of arms was made by Heather Frizzell for entry into the Australian Sheep and Wool Show in 2016. It was entered into the needle felting section, which it won. The emu and the kangaroo and predominantly made from ultra fine merino from a sheep named Ninja, with a micron count between 14-15, from Casalana Fine Wool. The emu feathers were supplied by an emu farm in South Australia. It took approximately fifty hours for the maker, Heather Frizzell, to complete this piece at her home in Barraboool, Victoria.Woollen Australian Coat of Arms, with felted Kangaroo and Emu. Includes a round metal stand, winning sash, plastic bag of sample materials and a certificate.heather fizzell, coat of arms, kangaroo, emu, feathers, felting, australian sheep and wool show, needle work, competition, casalana fine wool, merino

emu feathers, pine needles, job seeds, cotton.basket, woven, feathers, pine needles, indigenous, lisa waup, job seeds, handcraft

world war, world war 1, lighthorse, creswick lighthorse, emu, emu plume, emu feathers, slouch hat

emu feathers, parrot feathers and peacock feathers, seed, cottonbasket, feathers, seeds, indigenous, lisa waup, woven, emu, peacock, parrot, handcraft

The practice of wearing emu plumes in hats began with the Queensland Mounted Infantry. It is thought to have begun when the unit was engaged in suppression of the Shearers’ Strike of 1891. It remained a Queensland tradition till 1915 when other AIF units of the Light Horse began to do the same. After some dispute and discussion, the practice was approved provided the soldiers paid for their own plumes. Some regiments did not take up plumes: 6th and 7th LH continued to wear wallaby fur puggarees; 4th LH refused plumes because of the association with anti-unionism. The post-war militia adopted plumes and today all Royal Australian Armoured Corps (RAAC) regiments wear emu plumes in slouch hats. In the 1950s 8/13 Victorian Mounted Rifles and some other RAAC regiments wore an emu plume tuft behind the regimental badge on black berets. Framed Emu feathers with the use of, with news item on history of the Light HorseKangaroo feathersmilitary, light horse, queensland, plumes, emu, wwi, world war one, hat

emu feathers, white sulphur crested cockatoo feathers, cotton, possum jaw.basket, feathers, indigenous, lisa waup, cockatoo, emu, possom, woven

Plume from hat of Corporal Farrier Mervyn "Banjo" HARRIS VX22764 born 4/3/1914. He enlisted in the CMF 8th Light Horse in February 1937 then the AIF on 7th January 1941 and posted to 143 P.O.W Camp Murchison. He attained the rank of Sergeant prior to discharge on 1/5/1944 ..Discharge Certificate donated to Wangaratta High School together with a display box containing black and white images and blacksmith tools..refer Victorian Collections.0334/0396Plume comprising of 2 separate emu feathers gathered at base with glue and / or tape binding.emu, feather, plume

Part of the Leo Reoch Cohn Collection. See Catalogue No. 5527.2 for his service record.Emu feather plume for an Australian Light Horse slouch hat. Feathers are attached to pieces of leather and stitched together with black and white thread.australian light horse, emu plume, uniform, leo reoch cohn

Emu Feathers and leather band, possibly a chin strap for slouch hat. Thought to be worn by Trooper Games of the 5th Australian Light Horse.

It is known that we choose our family before we are born, for me I get a great deal of comfort knowing this, for me it is very true. I was adopted at birth, I have always known this. My mum is my best friend, she is my confidant in times of sadness and pain. She is my guiding light in times when I have lost my way. I share everything with her as she does me. She is my hero, especially now that I have my own children, seeing the sacrifices she has made along the way and is still sacrificing so much for our wellbeing. I celebrate her daily for all she does, we celebrate together the wonderful things that we achieve on a daily basis no matter how small they appear to be. She is always there for me – how privileged I am to have her in my life. I met my birth mother once I had children of my own, I understood what a sacrifice it must have been to give me up. The first words that I muttered out of my mouth when I met her was, “I am so proud of you, and thank you”. She was quite baffled by this and then I explained. Through your unconditional sacrifice I have been given a wonderful life, the doors have been opened to me in so many ways. I have been loved unconditionally and have had the devotion of my mum and dad behind me all the way – how blessed I have been. The dual figures that I have weaved signify my mothers, my mum is holding a babe in arms a gift from the universe. My birthmother is present within this figure, her face is at the back of my mums head. She wasn’t physically there during my many years without her, yet spiritually she never left. This figure is a homage to my mothers, a recognition of respect and admiration, to hold them in great esteem, adulation and worship. Lisa Waup, 2016emu feathers, parrot feathers, ostrich feathers, tapa cloth, fibre, crow’s feet, parrot feet, parrot wings, possum fur, seeds, raffia, woodmother and child, sculpure, weaving, lisa waup, torres strait islander, gunditjmara, indigenous, handcraft, chosen before birth, adoption, emu, feather, possum, mother, child

Designed and made by Linda Worthington for the Guild's Wool Exhibition 2010, and sold to the donor Joan Lefroy.Baby owl, couched brushed wool, some emu feathers. Glass eye. Owl is on tree, of constructed fabric. Threads of wool fibres, black sheer, free machine stitched and hand stitched. Recessed frame. embroidery, picture, owl, wool, emu fathers, exhibition 2010

Slouch Hat - Khaki, felt, puggaree Light Khaki with a maroon stripe, emu feathers, 17 Light Horse ensign, metal brass coloured with round maroon braid underneath. Leather Inner band and chin strap.17 LH. Prince of Wales Light Horse.passchendaele barracks trust, hat, uniform

This hat was worn by Martin Balsarini. Martin was a First World War veteran of the AIF Light Horse. He fought in the battle of Bersheeba. It is thought that Martin assembled this hat from various pieces to wear after the war on his property in Chiltern Valley. The hat is composed of different elements, including badges from various times and places and a set of emu feathers. chiltern, light horse, wwi, aif, martin balsarini

Victorian and Edwardian ladies adorned their hats with various bird feathers. Although living conditions in Moorabbin Shire c1910, were basic families still held onto their traditional English and European customs and took pride in presenting elements of refined society. Gladys Reed was a member of the Ormond Choral Society c 1950. who performed plays and musicals the City of Moorabbin and she was skilled in craftwork, hand knitting, crochet and dressmaking. Her garments were used by her family and the Ormond Choral Society C1910 Women in Moorabbin Shire followed the fashion from Europe and made their own clothes and accessories using their dressmaking, craftwork and design skills 8 x feathers of various sizes and colours for adorning a Lady's hat c 1910 a) Blue & b) White Ostrich, c) Black Cockerel, d) Black Emu Feathers. e) Brown stripped Coque Diamond Tail f) Pink dyed ostrich, g) Black duck, h) black fur clothing, millinery, hat feathers, haberdashery, crochet, doilies, brighton, moorabbin, pioneers, dressmaking, market gardeners, early settlers, craftwork , bentleigh, lacework, moorabbin shire,reed gladys, clark judy, dairy farms, fruit orchards, footwear, shoes, buckles, clothing, silver, pewter, brass, victorian fashion, edwardian fashion, mckinnon, moorabbin, cheltenham, wedding dresses, evening wear,

emu, parrot and peacock feathers, silk thread, cottonbasket, woven, indigenous, lisa waup, peacock, emu, feather, handcraft

William Brian (Badger) BATES (1947- ) Born Wilcannia Barkantji Badger Bates is a Barkantji Elder, political activist and contemporary artist. Known primarily for printmaking, wood and stone carving, his work is intrinsically linked to his lifelong fight for the safety and health of the Barka (the Darling River).'Gitji Woman' is carved from a very old piece of log found at Wittabrinna Creek near Tibooburra, Western New South Wales. The tree was dead for 60-80 years, and was hollow inside. "I could see a figure in the wood so I folowed the shapes already three. The woman has a drawn out figure with long fingers and is coming out of the log, she is an ancestral spirit. I put the pink cockatoo and emu feathers in the leg in the way people used to decorate themselves for corroborees."badger bates, paakantyi, wilcannia, timber, aboriginal, barkantji

1, Full length portrait of a light horsemen. Unarmed. Slouch hat has own emu feather. It also has a lighter strip in the puggaree. He is wearing a leather bandolier. He has a leather belt with an empty bayonet frog and is wearing leather leggings. 2. Group portrait of 5 Light Horsemen. Full uniform with bandoliers on. At least 3 have bayonets. On left of photo is a tent opening. Inside tent can be seen a mattress/palliase. Right side of photo shows a tent with tree line. 1. Embossed on postcard is "Bartlett Bros, Bendigo".photographs, postcard, ww1, light horsemen, australia

1. B & W portrait of an Australian Soldier standing to attention. At his side, he has a leather bandolier. He is wearing a slouch hat with emu feathers. He has leather leggings. His rifle appears to be a long Lee Enfield. 2. Portrait of 2 diggers super-imposed on map of Australia. Behind them are the British and Australian flags. 3.Portrait of a couple. The soldier is standing, the young lady is seated on a wooden chair. The man is in uniform, hat in hand. The lady has a long dark dress, long sleeves. She has a ring on her left hand. They both have a small light object in the centre of their chests. 4. Group Portrait (B & W) of hospitalised soldiers. They are in front of a building and door. There are 8 men in pix.1. On the rear is a small stamp "Kodak Print". 2. Front shows for the Honor of both. Victoria, A.J.E.F. 1915 on the rear is written Lin Shelton (RUN/RUP) Pearson. 3. On the rear is written in pencil "Nellie Curry". 4. On back is "Tom".passchendaele barracks trust, photographs, ww1, pearson

Robust leather leggings, wrapped around the ankle and calf from the boot top and fixed in place with the leather strapping coiled around the outside. These offered substantial protection to the lower legs of mouted troops such as, Light Horse, Mounted Artillery, and Mounted Field Ambulance. Tey are as readily identifiable with Light Horse as are the Emu Plumes, (Kangaroo feather) worn in the Pugaree.

Photograph of an ornamental adornment on top of a box. The ornament is an emu with a piece of timber across its back acting as a balance beam for two pans supported by chains. "No 3" written below the photograph. A small plaque on t e front reads "Napoli Prescott. Jeweller and Optician. Bendigo"jewellery, feather

Well presented display panel showing plumes and giving a history of their wearing by Australian mounted soldiers.Wooden frame with glass front contain set of emu plumes and a cutting from a magazine giving a history of the wearing of the plumes which are whimsically called 'kangaroo feathers'.military, uniform, light horse

Decorative object made by Ernest Leviny probably to sell in his jewellers and watchmakers shop in Market Square Castlemaine.Silver mounted emu egg goblet with gold-wash interior and cast emu figure on lid. Silver stem has elaborate scrolled ribbon design and cast decoration topped by four heads of the god Pan. Filigree silver design of grapes and vine leaves above base. 'Egg' rests in 'cup' of filigree feathers/shell and acanthus leaves. Lost wax casting method used.Noneernest leviny, silversmithing, colonial silverware, decorative arts, natural history specimens, ornithology

Photographer notations on slide: "Vice Regal visit to Zoo B42" Not published. Description: A group of men and one woman all dressed in hats and overcoats stand by a wire fence while watching an emu. Research by project volunteer, Fiona Collyer: On 25 June 1934, new Victorian Governor, His Excellency Lord Huntingfield and his wife Lady Huntingfield made an official visit to the Melbourne Zoological Gardens in order to grant his patronage to the Royal Zoological and Acclimatisation Society. During the visit, zoo director Mr. Andrew Wilkie introduced them to some of the zoo’s inhabitants, including an emu. After the First World War, many returned soldiers took up the Government’s offer of land in the Soldier Settlement Scheme. Most of the veterans had little or no farming experience and much of the land offered was of poor quality, with blocks often too small to be viable. Many of the settlers had ongoing physical and mental injuries from the war. The Western Australian government allocated land to 5000 former soldiers but by 1929, one quarter of the men had already abandoned their land, unable to make a living. Not only was the world economy struggling with the Great Depression, but the settlers also had to contend with plummeting wheat and wool prices, crippling drought and rabbit infestation. The Scullin Government (Oct 1929-Jan 1932) had promised subsidies to the Western Australian farmers if they increased their wheat crops but were unable to pass the legislation in the Senate. The new Lyons Government (Jan 1932-April 1939) abandoned the legislation and the subsidies were never paid, bringing calls from Western Australia of secession from Australia. In October 1932, a deputation of soldier settlers from the Campion wheatbelt region in Western Australia, petitioned Commonwealth Minister for Defence, Western Australian Senator Sir George Pearce, for assistance. A mob of 20,000 emus were migrating to the coast after breeding and were gathering along the eastern side of the Number 1 Rabbit Proof Fence, attracted to the ripening crops and the dams the farmers had built. They were heading towards Campion, 303 kilometres east of Perth, eating and trampling the wheat, destroying the fences and letting the rabbits in. Having witnessed firsthand the effectiveness of machine guns in killing people in war, the former soldiers thought the guns would be ideal for killing emus. Sir George, wanting to demonstrate that his government was sympathetic to the settlers and hoping to quell Western Australian succession talk, agreed. However, he stipulated that no expense would be incurred by the Commonwealth Government and only active military personnel could use the machine guns. The farmers had to pay for the ammunition, food and accommodation for the military for the length of the operation. The cost for the ammunition was £50 for 10,000 rounds. Sir George also felt the operation would provide excellent target practice for the soldiers! The operation was headed by Major Gwynydd Purves Wynn-Aubrey Meredith, 1887-1975, of the Seventh Heavy Battery of the Royal Australian Artillery, and assisted by Sergeant S. McMurray and Gunner J. O'Halloran. They were equipped with two American-designed Lewis light machine guns and 10,000 rounds. Each magazine held 47 rounds of ammunition and the gun was capable of firing 500 to 600 rounds per minute with effective firing range of 800 metres. A cinematographer from British Movietone News accompanied the soldiers in order to record what was expected to be not only an easy victory but also useful propaganda for both the military and the Lyons Government. Emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae, meaning New Holland Racer) is a species of long-necked flightless bird endemic to Australia. The Tasmanian and the dwarf King and Kangaroo Island subspecies were hunted to extinction after the European settlement of Australia. It is the second largest bird in the world after the ostrich, standing up to 1.9 metres tall and weighing up to 50 kilograms. The Emu has long, powerful legs with three forward facing toes and is the only bird with calf muscles. It is able to jump 2.1 metres into the air and run 50 kilometres per hour. It communicates by drumming and booming through an inflatable neck sac which can be heard up to two kilometres away. Along with its tough hide and a body more feathers than flesh, the emu can be a tricky target. Emus had been a protected native species until 1922, when the government changed their status to “vermin” in response to the emus breaking down fences and destroying crops. Major Meredith told the press that Colonel Oswald V. Hoad of the 1st Cavalry Division NSW had especially requested he send 100 emu skins to replenish the plumage on his Light Horsemen’s hat tops. On the first day of the Emu War, 2 November 1932, Major Meredith spotted a mob of emus out of range of the guns, so he asked the farmers to use their vehicles to drive the emus towards the fence and the guns. The panicked birds split into small groups, kicking up the dust and scattering every which way. Only six were killed, though some were wounded. After that, the emus became very wary of humans. On 4 November, Major Meredith staged a dawn ambush at a dam. As 1000 emus approached to drink, the soldiers opened fire, killing 12 emus. After reloading, the gun jammed and the emus dispersed in all directions, and were not sighted again that day. The West Australian newspaper reported on 4 November 1932 that, “The emus have proved that they are not so stupid as they are usually considered to be. Each mob has its leader, always an enormous black-plumed bird standing fully six-feet high, who keeps watch while his fellows busy themselves with the wheat. At the first suspicious sign, he gives the signal, and dozens of heads stretch up out of the crop. A few birds will take fright, starting a headlong stampede for the scrub, the leader always remaining until his followers have reached safety.” In a later attempt, they mounted a gun onto the bed of a truck in order to chase and mow down the birds. However the truck couldn’t drive fast enough over the rough terrain and it was too bumpy to fire the gun accurately. The birds easily outran the truck except for one hapless emu who faltered while being chased and fell under the truck, its body wedging in the steering gear, causing the driver to crash the truck, and bringing down half a chain of the rabbit proof fence. RSPCA inspector Mr. Arthur Austin arrived with a rifle and knife in order to finish the work of the Lewis guns and dispatch injured emus. He said that while his society was sympathetic to the stricken settlers, he was anxious that wounded birds should not be left to suffer. Major Meredith told the inspector, “What speed can you run? You have to be better than Peter Pan if you want to catch wounded emus that make for the scrub.” (Racehorse “Peter Pan” had won the 1932 Melbourne Cup a few weeks earlier.) The commentator of the British Movietime newsreel uses a jocular tone to optimistically proclaim, “The scouts [emus] of the advancing army have keen eyesight, and in order to get close to the main body, our lads have to do some real stalking, with the enemy watching events through their periscopes raised up over the heads of corn... Instead of the birds ruining the farmers, tables are turned, there will be no more damage down here for many a day to come once the enemy is eliminated.” Emus proved tougher adversaries than expected, barely breaking stride even when badly injured from machine gun bullets, and the suspicious emus soon learnt to stay out of range of the men and their guns. Meanwhile, in the eastern states concern was being expressed about the cruelty of machine-gunning the native birds. Senator James Guthrie UAP of Victoria suggested that there must be “more humane, if less spectacular methods” of coping with the pests. People wrote letters to the newspapers to express their dismay at the inhumane methods used. R.F. Bellchambers from Humbug Scrub, 25 November 1932, lamented that, “At the present rate of extinctions, it will shortly be necessary to go to the Museum to see the remains of our fauna.” The Murchison Times published a letter on 16 November 1932 from “Clay Pan Joe”: “War on Emus. Slaughter of innocent birds would be more appropriate... The birds may be a nuisance and it may be necessary to destroy them, but why cause so much suffering amongst these innocent birds.” E.S. Playford of Norton’s Summit wrote to The Advertiser, 22 November 1932, that “...habitation on the earth would be impossible without bird life. Therefore, it is unwise to say that any bird is useless. Is sentiment dying? Are we so keen on personal gain that our lovely and unique birds have to be ruthlessly slaughtered in thousands and their bodies left rotting in the sun?” In Sydney, picture palace patrons expressed “considerable concern” after viewing the Movietone News newsreel of emus fleeing from the barrage of machine-guns, and wounded emus in the fields in Campion. The press had a field day, dubbing it the “The Emu War” and joking that the “Chicago method” was being used against the feathered foe. The Daily News newspaper published a cartoon depicting the emus outrunning and outsmarting the soldiers. In Parliament NSW Senator James Dunn called Sir George the “Minister for the Emu War”. Labor member Mr. Rosevear, midst great laughter, asked if the minister would consider declaring an armistice and withdrawing his troops from the Western Front. Prime Minister Joe Lyons was asked if medals would be struck for those taking part in the war. Labor parliamentarian Mr. A.E. Green declared any medals should go to the emus who had “won every round so far”. With the embarrassing press coverage and poor results, Sir George ordered a stop to the project on 9 November, and Major Meredith and the soldiers departed for Perth. The WA Premier Sir James Mitchell and the Campion farmers demanded they return, citing the continued destruction of crops and fences by the emus. Major Meredith and his two gunners were allowed to return on 13 November and seemingly having learnt from their previous experiences, had slightly more success this time killing emus. The operation finally finished on 10 December with Major Meredith reporting “definite kills” of 986 emus for 9860 rounds of ammunition, coincidentally and conveniently exactly 10% of the number of rounds used. A further 2500 birds were said to have died from their injuries and although this is a disputed figure, even if accurate, the ratio of rounds expended to emu casualties was thought too high to justify continuing. The operation barely caused a dint in the marauding mob of 20,000 emus. “There’s only one way to kill an emu”, one of the party bitterly remarked: “Shoot him through the back of the head when his mouth is closed or through the front of his mouth when his mouth is open. That’s how hard it is.” Australian ornithologist Dominic L. Serventy noted that “The machine-gunners’ dreams of point blank fire into serried masses of Emus were soon dissipated. The Emu command had evidently ordered guerrilla tactics, and its unwieldy army soon split up into innumerable small units that made use of the military equipment uneconomic. A crestfallen field force therefore withdrew from the combat area after about a month.” Major Meredith expressed the greatest of respect for the enemy. He said, “If we had a military division with the bullet-carrying capacity of these birds, it would face any army in the world. They could face machine guns with the invulnerability of tanks. They are like Zulus, whom even dum dum bullets would not stop." The Major’s official report stated that there were no human casualties in “The Emu War.” Emus are considered the victors of “The Great Emu War.” Western Australian farmers requested military assistance in 1934, 1943 and 1948, including using bombs, but the government refused. The bounty system instigated in 1923 continued, with farmers using rifles against their fleet-footed foe, with 57,034 bounties for dead emus claimed in six months in 1934 in Western Australia alone. 284,704 emus were killed in Western Australia between 1945 and 1960. The other most effective defence against the emus was the construction of a robust, vermin proof fence spanning over a long distance. Emus were formally protected in 1999 by the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act. It’s estimated there are between 625,000 to 725,000 wild emus in Australia in 2024. An emu and a kangaroo feature on Australia’s coat of arms, holding up a shield illustrated with symbols of the six states. The animals symbolise the nation moving forward as neither animal can walk backwards. Campion is now a ghost town. A book about the operation, “Letters from the Emu War” by J.A. Bryden was published in 2023 by Playtime Books. In 2024, an Australian film called “The Emu War” was released, starring Damian Callinan and Luke McGregor. Andrew Arthur Wellesley Wilkie, 1853-1948, was Director of the Melbourne Zoo from 1923 to 1936 and was associated with the zoo for 70 years. He first worked as a horticultural assistant to Government botanist Baron Ferdinand von Mueller at the Botanical Gardens at the age of 13, along with his older brother David. One of Andrew’s jobs was to capture moths for the National Herbarium. In 1857, a group of prominent Melburnians assembled at St. Patrick’s Hall to form the Zoological Society of Victoria, with the aim of introducing animals and plants from overseas. It was conceived, “For the purposes of science and for that of affording the public the advantages of studying the habits of the animal creation in properly arranged zoological gardens.” The Victorian Government granted 32 acres (13 hectares) of land to the Zoological Society at the southern end of Richmond Paddock on the opposite bank to the Botanical Gardens. (This is where AAMI Stadium and Collingwood Football Club now stand.) In 1861, the Zoological Society of Victoria was renamed The Acclimatisation Society of Victoria. Unfortunately the Yarra River frontage was damp, swampy and subject to flooding, so the animals were briefly housed at the Botanical Gardens until in 1862, the City of Melbourne donated 55 acres (22 hectares) of land at Royal Park for the fledgling zoo. Baron von Mueller secured employment at Royal Park for Andrew and David and they helped to lay out the gardens, plant trees and take care of a collection of deer, pheasants, hares and partridges. Initially the zoo was used for the acclimatisation of animals recovering from the long voyage to Australia and for breeding them for sport. In 1872, the zoo bought two lions, a leopard and a cheetah that had been seized from circus showmen Keith and Phillips when they were unable to pay the bill of butcher Mr T K Bennet of Bourke Street. The first zoo director, Mr. Albert Le Souef, negotiated with captains of ships to buy animals at overseas ports they visited and soon a multitude of exotic species arrived, including a ten-year-old Indian elephant in 1878. In 1923, after being head keeper for some years, Andrew was appointed director of the zoo. By 1933, the zoo had 110 different species of animals, 200 species of birds and 72 species of reptiles under Andrew’s care. He had personally planted all but six trees and laid out the garden beds. As director he lobbied authorities for funds to build more humane enclosures for the animals. In June 1928, Table Talk magazine wrote of Andrew Wilkie: “Up at the Zoo there is a humble gentleman who is a lion among the lions, who knows the proper specific to employ when the boa constrictor has chilblains, and who is a friend and confidant of Queenie the elephant. His fount of zoological lore has never been plumbed. It is bottomless, like his good fellowship and geniality. Every day he may be seen somewhere in the grounds of that growing sanctuary for the strange and arresting fauna and creeping things of the world, and I assure you as one who is privy to his passion that that area and its inhabitants are rarely out of his thoughts.” Andrew retired from the zoo in 1936 at the age of 83 and in 1948 died at his home in Brunswick aged 94. He and his wife Josephine had six children. The Victorian Acclimatisation Society was founded in 1861 by Edward Wilson, 1813-1878, then owner and editor of The Argus newspaper. He said that Australian indigenous animals were practically useless, providing only “a little sport and an occasional meal”. The Society believed that Australia’s plants and animals were vastly inferior to those in Europe. They wanted to introduce and acclimatise to Victoria “all innoxious animals, birds, fishes, insects and vegetables, whether useful or ornamental” for sport and for the table, and to spread indigenous animals and plants from the colony around the world. Their motto was “if it lives, we want it”. The Society was primarily responsible for introducing sparrows, starlings, sambar and hog deer, ostriches, brown trout, blackberries, and carp to the Murray River. They released the European songbirds, thrush and blackbird to quell the homesickness of British settlers. The Society also sent Australian animals like platypus, echidnas, kangaroos and koalas to Europe for scientific and novelty purposes. Thomas Austin, a wealthy sheep farmer of Barwon Park, Winchelsea (property now owned by the National Trust) was a member and in 1859 he introduced hares, blackbirds, thrushes and partridges onto his property. He is probably best known for introducing 24 breeding rabbits onto his estate as game for shooting parties. Thomas quipped, “The introduction of a few rabbits could do little harm and might provide a touch of home, in addition to a spot of hunting." In 2022, genomic data confirmed that Australia’s feral rabbit population is entirely descended from these rabbits. Biological control has brought the rabbit population down from an estimated high of 10 billion rabbits in the 1920s to approximately 200 million today, inhabiting 70% of Australian landmass (5.3 million square kilometres). In 1872, the Acclimatisation Society was renamed The Zoological and Acclimatisation Society of Victoria and they focused on importing exotic animals for display purposes to the zoo. In 1937, the Royal Acclimatisation Society of Victoria was recreated as the Zoological Board of Victoria with a focus on research of native animals threatened with extinction. In an editorial for The Argus newspaper, 16 March 1856, Edward Wilson lamented: "...this country has been shamelessly stolen from the blacks. Had they been like the New Zealanders or the North American Indians, we should have bought their land, and supplied them with the means of living when we took it... In less than twenty years we have nearly swept them off the face of the earth. We have shot them down like dogs. In the guise of friendship we have issued corrosion sublimate in their damper, and consigned whole tribes to the agonies of an excruciating death. We have made them drunkards, and infected them with disease which has rotted the bones of their adults, and made such few children as are born amongst them a sorrow and a torture from the very instant of their birth. We have made them outcasts on their own land, and are rapidly consigning them to entire annihilation. There are but a few of them left, comparatively. This is what we would do for that few. We would feed and clothe every one of them.” [Note: this last sentence is italicized in the original newspaper article text]. Lord Huntingfield, (William Charles Arcedeckne Vanneck) 1883-1969, Governor of Victoria 1934-1939, was a British Conservative Party politician and the first ever Australian-born Governor of an Australian state (although he was always considered British). He was patron of the Royal Zoological and Acclimatisation Society of Victoria and was acting Governor-General for six months during the absence of Lord Gowie in 1938. Lady Huntingfield (née Margaret Eleanor Crosby) 1884-1943, his American-born wife showed great interest in social welfare and the advancement of women and children. She was president of the City Newsboys Society and Patroness of the Girls Friendly Society. In 1937, rose breeder Alister Clark named a yellow hybrid tea rose for her. In 1940, the City of Melbourne opened the Lady Huntingfield Free Kindergarten in North Melbourne, now the Lady Huntingfield Early Learning and Family Services Centre. Lady Huntingfield died in London in 1943 after her house was bombed during a German airstrike. The Lady Huntingfield Memorial Scholarship was established after the City of Melbourne raised £1000 in a public appeal conducted in her memory for students undertaking a Social Work degree at the University of Melbourne. It is awarded annually to this day. The Queen Victoria Hospital named a bed in her honour. References: VICE-ROYALTY GREETS THE KING OF BEASTS AT THE ZOO. (1934, June 26). The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954), p. 11. Retrieved August 23, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article204818472 Prominent Personalities ANDREW WILKIE (1928, June 7). Table Talk (Melbourne, Vic. : 1885 - 1939), p. 15. Retrieved August 29, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article146562949 'Edward Wilson (journalist)', Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Wilson_(journalist) 'Thomas Austin (pastoralist)', Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Austin_(pastoralist) 'The Acclimatisation Society was driven by misguided ideals about 'fixing nature' in Australia', ABC News, https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-11-04/acclimatisation-society-introduced-species-history-listen/101588262?utm_campaign=abc_news_web&utm_content=link&utm_medium=content_shared&utm_source=abc_news_web THE ABORIGINES. (1856, March 16). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), p. 5. Retrieved September 28, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article4833244 WAR ON EMUS. (1932, November 4). The West Australian (Perth, WA : 1879 - 1954), p. 12. Retrieved September 29, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article32588972 'The Great Emu War: how it started and who won', ABC Australia, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1wA0PKeJqc Advertising (1932, November 25). The West Australian (Perth, WA : 1879 - 1954), p. 2. Retrieved October 26, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article32584578 Emu Chasers Must Outstrip Peter Pan (1932, November 9). The Labor Daily (Sydney, NSW : 1924 - 1938), p. 5. Retrieved October 10, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article237042749 WAR ON EMUS (1932, November 22). The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1931 - 1954), p. 18. Retrieved October 15, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article73997254 WAR ON EMUS. (1932, October 28). The Labor Daily (Sydney, NSW : 1924 - 1938), p. 6. Retrieved October 24, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article237046601 EMU WAR (1932, December 3). Mirror (Perth, WA : 1921 - 1956), p. 7. Retrieved October 24, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article75626301 Machine Gun Offensive Against Emus. (1932, November 10). Western Mail (Perth, WA : 1885 - 1954), p. 3 (PICTORIAL SECTION). Retrieved October 24, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article37766670 A THOUSAND BIRDS IN LUCK. (1932, November 10). Western Mail (Perth, WA : 1885 - 1954), p. 28. Retrieved October 11, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article37766849 New Strategy In A War On The Emu (1953, July 5). The Sunday Herald (Sydney, NSW : 1949 - 1953), p. 13. Retrieved October 11, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article18516559 This is a nice emu-that was! (1932, November 5). The Daily News (Perth, WA : 1882 - 1955), p. 9 (HOME EDITION). Retrieved September 30, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article82878309 LOCAL AND GENERAL (1932, November 16). The Murchison Times (Cue, WA : 1924 - 1937), p. 2. Retrieved October 14, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article257500260 Taking Him for a Ride! (1932, October 13). The Daily News (Perth, WA : 1882 - 1955), p. 6 (HOME EDITION). Retrieved September 30, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article83717338 'The Emu War', History Nuggets, https://historynuggets.squarespace.com/nuggets/2018/4/21/the-emu-war New Strategy In A War On The Emu (1953, July 5). The Sunday Herald (Sydney, NSW : 1949 - 1953), p. 13. Retrieved October 23, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article18516559 'This is the story of how Australia went to war with emus and lost', First Dog on the Moon, https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/jul/26/this-is-the-story-of-how-australia-went-to-war-with-emus-and-lost Photographer notations on slide: "Vice Regal visit to Zoo B42"emu wars, governors, melbourne zoo, city of melbourne, 1930-1939, hunting, lord huntingfield, lady huntingfield, royal park, animals, wildlife