Fence strainers were used to tension the wire on farm fences.Fence strainerfence strainers, farm equipment

Fence strainers were used to tension the wire on farm fences. This strainer was used on the Partington property in Greensborough. Walkers Fence Strainers are advertised in the Tweed Daily (Murwillumbah, NSW) on Saturday 11 April 1914, page 1. A relic from Greensborough's rural past.Metal fence-wire strainer. Some rust.Stamped on side of item "WALKERS"fence strainers, partington family, farm equipment

The wire strainer was commonly used on Australian farming properties for putting fences up. Sure Grip Wire Strainers were advertised in Australia from 1917 to 1953. The distinctive grips were patented in Britain in 1913 (William Swann, (spring, hook and chain manufacturer, Walsall,in England).Improvements in or relating to means for gripping wire or the like: British patent 24,520/13. 29 October 1913.Steel bar with 2 interlocking grips for fastening the wire.Corroded marking about halfway along the lever. wire strainer

This extract from an advertisement in the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper of 1/12/1959 places the era in which this water bag was prolific throughout rural Australia. " ABERDEEN CANVAS GOODS for the man on the land here is Australia's most useful, convenient and hygienic water bag. Its special unbreakable plastic nozzle is fitted with a perforated filter strainer. Made from long flax canvas, its universal handle enables it to be hung on bumper bar, wire fence or on hook or nail" The availability of clean cool drinking water in remote rural locations was essential for survival under the blistering Australian summer sun. This was in a pioneer era when transport, roads and convenience stores were ,in a lot of "outback" Australia, in short supply and survival was dependent upon what could be carried by vehicle or pack horse.When the Kiewa Hydro Electricity Scheme became a reality, the use of the water bag was one of the essential personal items of survival given to each person working in the forests and on and in the high plains environment. Even in an outside stationary work place the availability of cool clean water was a prerequisite. The canvas water bag allowed any wind or airflow to cool down the water, even on very hot days, to provide a refreshing and throat quenching supply of water. These bags could be fastened onto the front of vehicles or hanging from shady tree branches thereby permitting air flow around the bag. During the "wearing in" period the residual taste from the canvas was fairly strong, this became considerably less as time and a half moved on. This "Aberdeen" long flax canvas water bag is held together on two sides and the top by strong heavy cotton stitching. The iron fashioned carrying handle has, protruding from its top elevation ,a very strong hook (well in excess of the bags' weight requirement). At the top, of the bag, and on one side only, is a brown coloured bakelite spout (with an inbuilt filter) protruding upwards. This spout has its matching , screw on, lid complete with attachment chain (not fixed at the handle end)On the front of the bad and stenciled in bold lettering, "ABERDEEN" and directly below "Travellers" and below this "FILTER BAG". Below this are two parallel black lines enclosing an ochre coloured band(12mm wide) running around the bottom section of the bag. Below this band is stenciled the number 14 in black (25mm high) figures. The spout lid has stamped on the top surface and within the outline of Australia, "ABERDEEN FILTER WATER BAG". Above this and close to the edge of the lid is pressed "PAT. No 9149/32 and down at the bottom rim is stamped "RD. No. 9870". canvas, water bag, water container, camping equipment, survival pack

Dog bone wire strainer were used in tightening vineyard trellis wires. made from cast iron, shaped like a dog bone.with teo holes at each end for wires to be pased through"WALKERS" stamped in middle of strainer

The house at "Fintry" Lake Bolac, the home of Lewis Whiteway and Victoria May Wills and family and then of Lewis Wills and his wife Amy and their family. The house was constructed in 1906, the materials having been brought up from Geelong by ox-drawn dray. The fence of the tennis court can be seen extreme right with the bay-window of the sitting room through the wire netting. On the road is a wagon-load of redgum for use as strainer-posts.lake bolac, wills, fintry, ox-dray