1. Scythe - Agricultural hand-tool for mowing grass or harvesting crops.Horse drawn machinery and tractors replaced the scythe. The scythe with the metal rod may have been fitted later, replacing a wooden rod. 2. Fern Hook - Used for slashing or reaping plants 3. Long handled sickle - A traditional single handed agricultural tool with a curved metal blade and handle. Used for harvesting. 4. Mattock - Heavy duty hand tool featuring a long handle and a stout dual-headed metal blade used in many ways eg. digging 5. Pitch Fork - An agricultural tool used to pitch loose material such as hay or leaves. 6. Pick Axe - A tool used to break and pry at the pointed end and the axe end for hoeing, skimming and chopping through roots.Douglas used these tools 70-80 years ago (1950s) mainly on his family's farm at Dandongadale near Buffalo River for harvesting as well as clearing land. Some may have been used on a family property at Whorouly as well and at the Dederang family properties from 1964. At Dederang the family had a tobacco farm and a dairy farm - (now 4 properties). Douglas Petzke had a soldier settlement farm in Dederang. Property was 'Woodside' about 1 km south east of the Dederang store. Douglad had 100 acres on each of the top and bottom sides. The bottom side was the dairy farm and the top side was beside House Creek. The farm totalled more than 200 acres. Douglas left Dederang c 2000 and now (2026) lives at Baranduda.1. Scythes x2 - Long wooden and one is metal curved rod with offset handles and a curved 600 mm long steel blade projecting from one end 2. Fern Hooks x2 - Wooden handle with curved steel blade attached at one end 3. Long-handled Sickles x2 - Both have wooden handles one of which is made from a branch of a 'tree' hence the curve. The blade is curved metal 4. Mattock - A long wooden handle with a dual-headed metal blade 5. Pitch Fork - A long wooden handle with three curved metal prongs attached at one end 6. Pick Axe - A wooden handle with a T-shaped metal attachment fixed perpendicularly to one end. The metal has a pointed end on one side of its head and a broad flat blade on the other side. Fern Hook - "116-319 1250 forge steel" Mattock - "783 4 1/2 (half) lbs" "oomatty". On the other side "LTD" and "AM"farm tools, deans family, douglas petzke, dederang

A green covered book with the title and author printed in black print with a large black and white illustration of old machinery used on farms in the past. There is a list of other titles in the series on the following page with publisher details. There is a Foreword, Bibliography, Conversions, advertising, explanations of use of an extensive amount of machines, photographs and illustrations. The back cover has a full page advertisement listing the variety of items to buy at Federation Cash store 359 High Street Bendigo, 3550. Pp. 80.non-fictionThis book is a premier reference series for identifying and valuing Australian agricultural machinery, tools, and, in particular, implements from 1840 to 1940. It features extensive photos, illustrations, and historical data, including old advertisements, covering iron, steel, and wooden equipment. farming tools, farming equipment, farms, farms history

This Floating Dairy Thermometer was used on the A’Vard farm between 1930 and 1964. It is designed to enable the easy measuring of the temperature of liquids. In particular it facilitates checking whether dairy is at the right temperature for cheesemaking, churning and freezing. It was made to remain at the surface of the liquid, allowing workers to accurately take temperature readings with relative ease. Similar models of floating thermometers were used to measure the temperature of bath water in hospitals; these functioned identically but had different markers for their different use case.This was a specialised tool used historically in the local dairy farming industry.A glass vial thermometer housed in a wooden case. The glass thermometer has temperature markings visible from 20 to 120 degrees Fahrenheit. There are long gaps with rounded ends on the front and rear of the wooden casing, allowing a user to see the temperature markings and labels. There is also a round hole in the front and rear of the wooden casing near the bottom, exposing the tip of the thermometer. At the top of the wooden casing is a handle, with string passed through a small hole allowing for the suspension of the thermometer from the string.Front side of glass vial, middle: "Made / in Germany" Front side of glass vial, upper: "FLOATING DAIRY THERMOMETER" Rear side of glass vial, 85 degrees: "85 Cheese" Rear side of glass vial, 62 degrees: "62 Churning" Rear side of glass vial, 32 degrees: "32 Freezing"a’vard family, farming, tools, 20th century, a’vard dairy farm, dairy

Commemorative booklet celebrating the progress of machinery made by the Wolseley Sheep Shearing Machine Company, from 1877 to 1927. The booklet includes the history of company, comparisons in tools and machinery, and various products. The manual was delivered to the donor's grandfather, Mr T. J. Gorman, along with four stands, installed in October 1925 at the property 'Plentyana', near Corowa, New South Wales. The manual remained at the wool shed until the property was sold in 2005. It has been soaked in linseed oil.Twenty page booklet with black and red printed text and graphics, three staples at binding. Front: [printed] 1927 / 1877 / 1877 / 1927 / THE / WOLSELEY / Sheep Shearing / Machine Co., Ltd.shearing, manufacturing, wolseley sheep shearing machine co. ltd, publication, manual, machinery, farming, tools, products

Round wooden handle with metal blade bolted to one end.Hoe made by Sheffield impressed on metal blade.garden, farming, tools, sythe, weeding

Used in the 19th or early 20th centuryA long handled steel vintage post hole digger with two large curved split blades. Each blade is attached to the top of the handle by three screws. It has a rotating action with the digger boring into the earth as the handle is turned. There is an attachment at the end of the steel handle for a missing turning handle.'S' is stamped on the top of the handle.tools, agricultural tools, farming equipment, garden tools

Manufactured by F.E. Kohler & Co, Canton, OhioA vintage post hole digger with two long wooden handles and two metal scooped blades. It is operated with a lever action, with the two handles pulled apart to take a 'bite' of earth. The handles are attached by a nut and bolt. There is a crowbar on the end of one handle and a rammer on the end of the other. The brand is F.E. Kohler & Co, Canton, Ohio.'Kohler Little Giant' patented.tools, agricultural tools, farming equipment, garden tools

Farming tool used for moving fodder on farmsObject holds farming significance as retailed by Holden and FrostFive pronged steel pitch fork with wooden handlefarming, fork

Farming tool for moving hay in sheds, paddocks and stablesObject holds farming significance sold by Holden and FrostWooden handled three steel pronged pitch fork primarily for agricultural workfork, farming

Farming tool used to move fodder in fields, sheds and stablesObject holds strong farming significance circa 1900Two pronged steel pitch fork with wooden handlefarming, fork

Farming tool used for feeding out fodder in stables and sheds+as sold by Holden and Frostwooden handled steel head pitch forkfarming, fork

Historic - Farming - Track tool - Garden ScytheHistoric - Farming - Track tool - Garden ScytheGarden Scythe made of wrought Iron with wooden handle puffing billy, garden scythe

The Beechworth Foundry was vital to the industry of the town and surrounding district in the early years of the town’s development. Originally opened as the New Ford Street Foundry by A. Roger in 1858, J Duncan and M Straughair amalgamated and established the Beechworth Foundry in 1867. The business was extensive and operated out of many buildings, each with their own specialisation. All of the buildings pictured in this image are part of the larger Beechworth Foundry. In the late 1860s it employed 16 men. The foundry was fundamental to the running of the town and surrounding district, as it manufactured all manner of items, including tools and machinery for the mining and agricultural industries. The foundry business collapsed in 1896 after the death of it’s founder, John Duncan, the same year (Straughair had died in 1882). The foundry was reopened by W H Phillips in 1905 and taken over by H Delora in 1906 This image is significant as it shows some of the many buildings of the Beechworth Foundry, which was a fundamental business to the running of the town and surrounding district, and supplied many of the tools and machines required for the mining and agricultural industries, as well as other aspects of life between the 1850s and early 1900sSepia rectangular photograph printed on paper. It has rough, torn-looking edgesReverse 97.2321 / BMM A03115duncan, john duncan, j duncan, m straughair, straughair, foundry, beechworth foundry, industry, factory, newtown, new ford street foundry, a roger, roger, w h phillips, phillips, w phillips, h delora, delora, metalwork, farming and agriculture, tools, mining, workmen

Early settlers in Moorabbin Shire had to be self reliant and made their own clothes and tools as they established homes and farms for their families. An example of the tools used by pioneer settlers in Moorabbin Shire c1880c1880 A well used, hand made, square, wooden mallet with wooden handlepioneers, early settlers, market gardeners, moorabbin, brighton, cheltenham, tools, farming

Early settlers in Moorabbin Shire had to be self reliant and made their own clothes and tools as they established homes and farms for their familiesAn example of the tools used by pioneer settlers in Moorabbin Shire c1880c1880 Hand made, wooden mallet with cylindrical head, reinforced at ends with tin bands, and a wooden handlepioneers, early settlers, market gardeners, moorabbin, brighton, cheltenham, tools, farming

This horse-drawn, two-wheeled cart with a tank, is known as a Furphy Farm Water Cart that was made in Shepparton, northern Victoria, c. 1942. John Furphy (1842-1920) was born in Moonee Ponds, in 1842 to Irish immigrant parents and subsequently raised in the Yarra Valley before the family moved to Kyneton in central Victoria, where he completed an apprenticeship with the firm Hutcheson and Walker. Murphy began operations of his own at a site on Piper Street in Kyneton in 1864. He relocated for a business opportunity and founded the first blacksmiths and wheelwrights shop in the newly surveyed town of Shepparton in 1873. Furphy invented many farming tools and machines including a patented grain-stripper, and won awards at the 1888-89 Melbourne International Exhibition. His most famous invention is the Furphy Farm Water Cart, designed in the 1880s, at a time when water for most households and farms was carted on wagons in wooden barrels. The Furphy’s water cart is a single item that combines a water metal tank and a cart. The design of the cart was simple yet effective, and became popular very quickly and established itself as a vital piece of farming equipment. The water cart has had a number of words cast into its ends over many years. References to the foundry’s location in Shepparton, as well as advertising of other products also manufactured by J. Furphy & Sons were present on the ends. However, the most significant set of words to feature on the tank, was a poem encouraging continual improvement: ‘Good Better Best, Never Let it Rest, Until your Good is Better, And your Better Best’. During The Great War (1914-1918), the water cart was used by the Australian militarily at a large AIF (Australian Imperial Force) camp in Broadmeadows (Melbourne) where thousands of men were camped for months, before being transported aboard. Furphy Water Carts provided water to the troops, and were usually placed near the camp latrines, which was one of the few places the troops could share gossip and tall tales away from the prying eyes and ears of their officers. The water cart drivers were also notorious sources of information, despite most of their news being hearsay, or totally unreliable. By the time the men of the AIF were in engaged in combat on the Gallipoli Peninsula and the Western Front, the carts used for water supply had no markings and became simply referred to as Furphys. This owed as much to the coining of the term ‘Furphy’, Australian slang for suspect information or rumour. After a number of decades as principally a soldier’s word, 'Furphy' entered the broader Australian vernacular and was used mainly by the political class until recently when the term was taken up by a Australian brewer as a beer brand. This Furphy Water Cart was purchased by Friends of Flagstaff Hill in 2014. The support of local individuals, organisations and businesses enabled its restoration and later its installation alongside the existing late-19th century water pipe stand and 1940s hand pump The Furphy Farm Water Cart is of historical significance as it represents a famous Australian time-saving and energy-saving invention of the 1880s, replacing the labour intensive activity of collecting and dispensing water from barrels and casks on the back of carts. The water cart’s connection with manufacturing companies J. Furphy & Sons and Furphy Foundry are significant for being early Australian businesses that are still in operation today. Furphy carts are of military significance for the role they played during The Great War (1914-1918) in Australian army camps, and theatres of war in Europe and the Middle East, to supply the AIF troops with fresh water. A wooden framed, two-wheeled, horse-drawn cart, fitted with a horizontally mounted, cylindrical metal tank. The tank is made of rolled, sheet steel with a riveted seam, and cast iron ends with cast iron ends. The spoked metal wheels have fitted flat iron tyres and metal hubs. A metal pipe is joined to the outlet. The tank is silver coloured, the ends, wheels and trims are crimson, and the script lettering on tank sides is black. There are inscriptions on the tank, ends, and hubs. The water tank was made in 1942 in Shepparton, Australia, by J. Furphy & Sons and has a capacity of 180 gallons (848 litres). Hub perimeter, embossed “J. FURPHY & SONS” “KEEP THE / BOLTS TIGHT” Hub centre embossed [indecipherable] Tank, each side, painted “J. FURPHY & SONS / Makers / SHEPPARTON” Tank ends, embossed – “FURPHY’S FARM WATER CART” “BORN ABOUT 1880 – STILL ‘GOING STRONG’ 1942” “j. FURPHY & SONS / MAKERS / SHEPPARTON - VIC “ “S - - - - - L MANUFACTURERS” [SPECIAL] “SPIKE ROLLERS” “SINGLE TREES” “PLOUGH WHEELS” “IRON CASTINGS” “LAND GRADERS” “STEEL DELVERS” “CAST IRON PIG” “CHAIN YOKES” “GOOD – BETTER – BEST / NEVER LET IT REST / TILL YOUR GOOD IS BETTER / AND YOUR BETTER – BEST” Image [Stork carrying a baby] above shorthand, transcribed "Produce and populate or perish" Image [Furphy Pig Feeder] beside ‘Cast Iron Pig’ Shorthand, transcribed “"Water is the gift of God but beer and whiskey are concoctions of the Devil, come and have a drink of water"warrnambool, flagstaff hill maritime museum, water cart, furphy cart, furphy tank, furphy farm water cart, furphy, john furphy, john furphy & sons, furphy foundry, kyneton, shepparton, mobile water tank, jinker, hutchinson & walker, blacksmith, farm equipment, implement maker, tool maker, horse drawn, stork and baby, good, better, best, barrel, tank, first world war, wwi, eastern front, gallipoli, j furphy & sons

Bushfire perimeter rather than bushfire area is the main control problem for firefighters on the ground. A conundrum rapidly compounded by spot fires. A small 5 ha fire can be nearly 1 km around the perimeter. That's a long way to build a control line by hand in rough bush. Dry firefighting techniques by hand were mostly confined to “knocking down” or “beating out” the flames, as well as "digging out". Digging or raking a “mineral earth” trail down to bare dirt proved most effective in forest fuels which, unlike grass, tend to retain heat and smoulder. Early tools were whatever happened to be close at hand. They were simple and primitive and included shovels, slashers, axes, hoes, beaters and rakes. A cut branch to beat the flames was often the only thing available. Farming and logging tools, developed over centuries of manual labour, and readily available at local hardware stores came into use, but little thought was given to size, weight, and balance. For years foresters experimented with combination tools. In about 1952 fire beaters and other implements were being replaced with Rakuts.Fire tool used before the introduction of RakehoesRakut - Fire Rake and cutting toolGreen and red coloured handle and 020 marking indicated which FCV District the tool belonged tobushfire

Bushfire perimeter rather than bushfire area is the main control problem for firefighters on the ground. A conundrum rapidly compounded by spot fires. A small 5 ha fire can be nearly 1 km around the perimeter. That's a long way to build a control line by hand in rough bush. Dry firefighting techniques by hand were mostly confined to “knocking down” or “beating out” the flames, as well as "digging out". Digging or raking a “mineral earth” trail down to bare dirt proved most effective in forest fuels which, unlike grass, tend to retain heat and smoulder. Early tools were whatever happened to be close at hand. They were simple and primitive and included shovels, slashers, axes, hoes, beaters and rakes. A cut branch to beat the flames was often the only thing available. Farming and logging tools, developed over centuries of manual labour, and readily available at local hardware stores came into use, but little thought was given to size, weight, and balance. This leather beater was based on a century-old stockman's design which used green cow hide leather lashed to a broom handle. It's recommend that users lift no more than above knee height to conserve energy and let the beater to the work. For years foresters experimented with combination tools. In about 1952 fire beaters and other implements were being replaced with Rakuts and later RakehoesEarly firefighting toolBushfire beater - Leather with wooden handlebushfire, forests commission victoria (fcv)

Bushfire perimeter rather than bushfire area is the main control problem for firefighters on the ground. A conundrum rapidly compounded by spot fires. A small 5 ha fire can be nearly 1 km around the perimeter. That's a long way to build a control line by hand in rough bush. Dry firefighting techniques by hand were mostly confined to “knocking down” or “beating out” the flames, as well as "digging out". Digging or raking a “mineral earth” trail down to bare dirt proved most effective in forest fuels which, unlike grass, tend to retain heat and smoulder. Early tools were whatever happened to be close at hand. They were simple and primitive and included shovels, slashers, axes, hoes, beaters and rakes. A cut branch to beat the flames was often the only thing available. Farming and logging tools, developed over centuries of manual labour, and readily available at local hardware stores came into use, but little thought was given to size, weight, and balance. This canvas hose beater was based on a century-old design which used lengths of canvas fire hose rivetted together and lashed with wire to a broom handle. The hose was be soaked in water to improve its effectiveness. If the flames were more than a metre or so the user was generally not able to get close enough to extinguish the fire It's recommend that users lift no more than above knee height to conserve energy and let the beater to the work. For years foresters experimented with combination tools. In about 1952 fire beaters and other implements were being replaced with Rakuts and later RakehoesEarly firefighting toolBushfire beater - Canvas with wooden handleR P PWD (Public Works Department) The handle has painted markings which indicate which FCV District it belonged to.bushfire, forests commission victoria (fcv)

Bushfire perimeter rather than bushfire area is the main control problem for firefighters on the ground. A conundrum rapidly compounded by spot fires. A small 5 ha fire can be nearly 1 km around the perimeter. That's a long way to build a control line by hand in rough bush. Dry firefighting techniques by hand were mostly confined to “knocking down” or “beating out” the flames, as well as "digging out". Digging or raking a “mineral earth” trail down to bare dirt proved most effective in forest fuels which, unlike grass, tend to retain heat and smoulder. Early tools were whatever happened to be close at hand. They were simple and primitive and included shovels, slashers, axes, hoes, beaters and rakes. A cut branch to beat the flames was often the only thing available. Farming and logging tools, developed over centuries of manual labour, and readily available at local hardware stores came into use, but little thought was given to size, weight, and balance. For years foresters experimented with combination tools. In about 1952 fire beaters and other implements were being replaced with Rakuts. However, its believed the now common Rakehoe is an Australian variation of the American McLeod Tool which was developed in 1905 by forest ranger Malcolm McLeod of the Sierra National Forest. The late Athol Hodgson advised that predecessors, Reg Torbet who had been the Chief Fire Officer for the Forests Commission from 1948-1956, along with his QLD counterpart Clive Price, went in late 1951 as Australian delegates on a 10 week fire study tour of Nth America organised by the United Nations. They came back with a couple of McLeod tools from Canada. Cam MacLeod (different spelling) had been the Head of Fire Research for the Canadian Forest Service at the time and had supplied them. The tools were ideal for deciduous forests in the eastern provinces and Clive arranged to have them manufactured in QLD. The Rakho, as it was then spelled, was first issued to FCV crews 65 years ago in 1955-56. The American Pulaski had been trialled, but never found favour with Australian firefighters.Rakhoeforests commission victoria (fcv), hand tools, forest harvesting, bushfire

Bushfire perimeter rather than bushfire area is the main control problem for firefighters on the ground. A conundrum rapidly compounded by spot fires. A small 5 ha fire can be nearly 1 km around the perimeter. That's a long way to build a control line by hand in rough bush. Dry firefighting techniques by hand were mostly confined to “knocking down” or “beating out” the flames, as well as "digging out". Digging or raking a “mineral earth” trail down to bare dirt proved most effective in forest fuels which, unlike grass, tend to retain heat and smoulder. Early tools were whatever happened to be close at hand. They were simple and primitive and included shovels, slashers, axes, hoes, beaters and rakes. A cut branch to beat the flames was often the only thing available. Farming and logging tools, developed over centuries of manual labour, and readily available at local hardware stores came into use, but little thought was given to size, weight, and balance. For years foresters experimented with combination tools. In about 1952 fire beaters and other implements were being replaced with Rakuts. However, its believed the now common Rakehoe is an Australian variation of the American McLeod Tool which was developed in 1905 by forest ranger Malcolm McLeod of the Sierra National Forest. The late Athol Hodgson advised that predecessors, Reg Torbet who had been the Chief Fire Officer for the Forests Commission from 1948-1956, along with his QLD counterpart Clive Price, went in late 1951 as Australian delegates on a 10 week fire study tour of Nth America organised by the United Nations. They came back with a couple of McLeod tools from Canada. Cam MacLeod (different spelling) had been the Head of Fire Research for the Canadian Forest Service at the time and had supplied them. The tools were ideal for deciduous forests in the eastern provinces and Clive arranged to have them manufactured in QLD. The Rakho, as it was then spelled, was first issued to FCV crews 65 years ago in 1955-56. The American Pulaski had been trialled, but never found favour with Australian firefighters.Pulaski Fire Tool Combines an axe and a grubbing hoe. Digging end and cutting end with short wooden handleforests commission victoria (fcv), hand tools, forest harvesting, bushfire

Bushfire perimeter rather than bushfire area is the main control problem for firefighters on the ground. A conundrum rapidly compounded by spot fires. A small 5 ha fire can be nearly 1 km around the perimeter. That's a long way to build a control line by hand in rough bush. Dry firefighting techniques by hand were mostly confined to “knocking down” or “beating out” the flames, as well as "digging out". Digging or raking a “mineral earth” trail down to bare dirt proved most effective in forest fuels which, unlike grass, tend to retain heat and smoulder. Early tools were whatever happened to be close at hand. They were simple and primitive and included shovels, slashers, axes, hoes, beaters and rakes. A cut branch to beat the flames was often the only thing available. Farming and logging tools, developed over centuries of manual labour, and readily available at local hardware stores came into use, but little thought was given to size, weight, and balance. For years foresters experimented with combination tools. In about 1952 fire beaters and other implements were being replaced with Rakuts. However, its believed the now common Rakehoe is an Australian variation of the American McLeod Tool which was developed in 1905 by forest ranger Malcolm McLeod of the Sierra National Forest. The late Athol Hodgson advised that predecessors, Reg Torbet who had been the Chief Fire Officer for the Forests Commission from 1948-1956, along with his QLD counterpart Clive Price, went in late 1951 as Australian delegates on a 10 week fire study tour of Nth America organised by the United Nations. They came back with a couple of McLeod tools from Canada. Cam MacLeod (different spelling) had been the Head of Fire Research for the Canadian Forest Service at the time and had supplied them. The tools were ideal for deciduous forests in the eastern provinces and Clive arranged to have them manufactured in QLD. The Rakho, as it was then spelled, was first issued to FCV crews 65 years ago in 1955-56. The American Pulaski had been trialled, but never found favour with Australian firefighters.Fire Beater (canvas) 1930s designforests commission victoria (fcv), hand tools, forest harvesting, bushfire

Bushfire perimeter rather than bushfire area is the main control problem for firefighters on the ground. A conundrum rapidly compounded by spot fires. A small 5 ha fire can be nearly 1 km around the perimeter. That's a long way to build a control line by hand in rough bush. Dry firefighting techniques by hand were mostly confined to “knocking down” or “beating out” the flames, as well as "digging out". Digging or raking a “mineral earth” trail down to bare dirt proved most effective in forest fuels which, unlike grass, tend to retain heat and smoulder. Early tools were whatever happened to be close at hand. They were simple and primitive and included shovels, slashers, axes, hoes, beaters and rakes. A cut branch to beat the flames was often the only thing available. Farming and logging tools, developed over centuries of manual labour, and readily available at local hardware stores came into use, but little thought was given to size, weight, and balance. For years foresters experimented with combination tools. In about 1952 fire beaters and other implements were being replaced with Rakuts. However, its believed the now common Rakehoe is an Australian variation of the American McLeod Tool which was developed in 1905 by forest ranger Malcolm McLeod of the Sierra National Forest. The late Athol Hodgson advised that predecessors, Reg Torbet who had been the Chief Fire Officer for the Forests Commission from 1948-1956, along with his QLD counterpart Clive Price, went in late 1951 as Australian delegates on a 10 week fire study tour of Nth America organised by the United Nations. They came back with a couple of McLeod tools from Canada. Cam MacLeod (different spelling) had been the Head of Fire Research for the Canadian Forest Service at the time and had supplied them. The tools were ideal for deciduous forests in the eastern provinces and Clive arranged to have them manufactured in QLD. The Rakho, as it was then spelled, was first issued to FCV crews 65 years ago in 1955-56. The American Pulaski had been trialled, but never found favour with Australian firefighters.First used in 1955Rakehoe Combination of a heavy-duty six-toothed (each 9cm long) rake with a large, sturdy (25cm) hoe.bushfire, forests commission victoria (fcv)

Finger from an agricultural finger bar mower for cutting hay.This item has no known local provenance but is retained as an interesting example of a farming tool of the past. This is small metal tool in the shape of a knife with a sharp curved tapering point at the end, a mid cross piece and a hole at the top. The tool is very rusty. warrnambool, vintage farming tool

Possibly used for cleaning out animal pens.eg. horses and pigs. Used like a hoe but heavier and stronger.Used by residents of the Kiewa ValleyThick steel tool head with hole at one end for the handle and two parallel points. Possibly hand made.pick, double tyne prong pick, farming equipment, hand tool

These long handled "Blacksmith" tongs were used in the late 1800's to mid 1900's by a blacksmith(or others) within the Kiewa Valley. During these times blacksmiths would regularly visit "remote" rural properties and work on any "hard to manufacture" items. A few properties had either stockmen,farm hands, or owners able to do "minor" blacksmith work. The ability to undertake blacksmith functions was sometimes "by necessity" handled by a local "jack of all trades" person. During this period however demand for rural based blacksmiths was very high. The rural store, however was usually very small and many "off" the shelf rural appliances and apparatus available in the larger rural towns were not available to the semi remote rural areas.This long handled shaped nipper tongs is very significant to the Kiewa Valley because it represents one of the essential mores relating to isolated rural regions as was the Kiewa Valley at this period in time (1800's to mid 1900's). This "ingrained " more was the ability to achieve anything that was required to maintain a living standard or survival in a remote grazing, mining and farming region. The remoteness was due to the small population, poor transport routes and flood prone roads winding through the lower lying flat plains of the Kiewa Valley. Any blacksmith work whilst grazing Cattle on the Bogong High Plains or any part of the Kiewa Valley, had to be done in situ. The part of the "culture" of this regions was that of "self help" either from within the family or from a friendly neighbour.Long handled blacksmith's tongs. The handles are rusted and painted orange. The nippers have one central fixing and are flat edged.tools, blacksmith, horses, trades

These long handled "V" shaped tongs were used late 1800's to mid 1900's by a blacksmith within the Kiewa Valley. During these times blacksmiths would regularly visit "remote" rural properties and work on any "hard to manufacture" items. A few properties had either stockmen,farm hands, or owners able to do "minor" blacksmith work. The ability to undertake blacksmith functions was sometimes "by necessity" handled by a local "jack of all trades" person. During this period however demand for rural based blacksmiths was very high. The rural store, however was usually very small and many "off" the shelf rural appliances and apparatus available in the larger rural towns were not available to the semi remote rural areas.This long handled "V" shaped nipper tongs is very significant to the Kiewa Valley because it represents one of the essential mores relating to isolated rural regions as was the Kiewa Valley at this period in time. This "ingrained " more was the ability to achieve anything that was required to maintain a living standard or survival in a remote grazing, mining and farming region. The remoteness was due to the small population, poor transport routes and flood prone roads and lower flat plains of the Kiewa Valley. Any blacksmith work whilst grazing Cattle on the Bogong Plains had to be done in situ.Long handled tongs with "V" shaped ends on the nippers (used by blacksmiths)I.T.O.C.tools, blacksmith, horses, wrought iron tools

This item wasused before diesel, electric and battery drilling apparatus were used by farmers, and other trades requiring a portable yet reliable method of drilling holes. As this item is a 3/4 inch hole drill it would be suitable for fencing and providing holes for structural studs. As with all outdoor farm equipment, man power was required (be it the farmer or farm hands). Fitness of the operator was at a high standard but protective gloves were not highly thought of as it was before occupational, health and safety regulations became mandatory over all manual handling activities, be they on rural properties or town/city factories. This period was one where the male ego was at its pinnacle i.e. the harder the tasks the more of a man was required. Hard manual work was not only the "way to go" but also a necessity. Evolution of cheap portable electric/battery powered tools opened up a more efficient method available, especially to those with less muscle strength. This item personifies the rugged environment of the rural workplace. The Kiewa Valley with its main emphasis on farming and grazing provided ample opportunity to use this construction implement. The manufacturer being a Scottish tool company is very significant in the era when this hole maker was in high demand. British steel products were of high grade and had a good record of reliability. The reliability of any tool was a solid factor for farmers and tradesmen in this semi-isolated region (Circa early 1900s) within the Kiewa Valley and its regional area. This factor,although not as crucial, post 1960s, when Asian manufacturers entered the market place and produced cheaper tools and transportation and supplies was more frequent and reliable, the need for the more expensive British made tools diminished considerably. After the influx of tradesmen from war torn Europe (post 1945) and the increased availability of tradesmen in the Kiewa Valley and its region the price of tools was and still is not as crucial and the cost of all required tools has become a minimal part of the equation. It is only with the emerging younger trades person, farmer and grazier, who have more, "one eye on production costs" and no "old ties to the motherland" inert mind set that quality tools such as this auger and other hand tools "must be made to last a life time" is no longer part of the modern work environment.This cast iron, hand operated Auger has a short barrel shaped cylinder at one end (known as the "Eye") and at the other end a Helical screw blade (screws the cutting edge into wooden material, thereby creating a hole 3/4 inch diameter in the wood) . The barrel section at the top permits a metal or wooden leverage plank to be inserted. The main rod has a 180mm long cutting/screw blade running from the bottom up towards the "eye" end. From the end of the screw blade to the handle is 380mm and cylindrical, but this changes at 550mm from the "eye" end to a 14mm x 10mm rectangular shape shaft.This shaft end is welded to the "Eye".On the shaft below the "eye" is stamped " MATHESON GLASGOW" on the front side and a spade (cards) symbol on the back.auger, hand drill, fencing, tool, rural trades, brace & bit