1940's E. Altmann and son R. Altmann harvesting Oaten Hay. Depicting McCormack Deering 10-20 tractor with reaper and binder.Black & white photograph of a harvest scene. The tractor a McCormack Deering 10-20 reaper and binder. stawell agriculture concongella

One of a collection of over 400 photographs in an album commenced in 1960 and presented to the Phillip Island & Westernport Historical Society by the Shire of Phillip IslandPhotograph of John McIlwraith and assistant loading hay onto a Horse Drawn Dray at "Heath Hill" in the early 1900'Slocal history, photography, hay harvesting, black & white photograph, rural industry, hay production, horse transport, john mcilwraith, john jenner, bryant west

A sepia photograph of two men and three children standing near a horse drawn dray loaded with hay.written on back: Load of Hay 1920 / Diggers Resthay bales, harvesting, diggers rest, cullinan, uraina, eileen, bayview farm, horse drawn vehicles, 1920s, george evans collection

A black and white photograph three horses harnessed and working with four men during harvest.on back: GROUP / DIGGERS RESTcullinan, uraina, eileen, bayview farm, diggers rest, harvesting, hay bales, horses, horse drawn vehicles, george evans collection

A black and white photograph of four men gathering hay to make hay stooks in a paddock.on back: STOOKING / DIGGERS RESTcullinan, uraina, eileen, bayview farm, diggers rest, harvesting, hay bales, horse drawn vehicles, george evans collection

Four photograph enlargements from John Jansson's collection. Farm work on three properties: Underdown's farm, Rhyll; Harbison's - wool being carted for shipment to Melbourne by Ketch from Cowes Jetty; McIlwraith's farm harvesting hay at their property called "Heath Hill" at Rhyll.Four enlargements of original photographs and postcards mounted on cardboard for display purposes. 292-01 Norm Smith with a four horse team preparing ground for Chicory. 292-02. Wool Team on road to Cowes 292-03. Horse and dray loaded with stacks of hay - workers in background at McIlwraith's farm "Heath Hill", Rhyll 292-04. Horse and dray with family including ladies and children.292-02. Many Happy Returns. Good Luck. Phillip island - Wool Team on road to Cowes. 292-03. Harvest time on Phillip Island. Victoria underdown, harbison, mcilwraith, heath hill, chicory farming, wool carting, john jansson

1950 decade HAY FORK - A local invention. Bill and Arthur Gillespie and Bon Barrie In the early 1950’s Bill Gillespie of Bulmans Lane had been experimenting in developing a machine to improve the collection of hay sheaves at harvesting and stack building time. The ripened crop was cut by a reaper and binder which bundled the storks into sheaves tied with binder twine. The reaper and binder was towed by a tractor by the mid 1940s previously teams of draught horses were used to pull the reaper and binder. A photograph taken at the Barrie farm shows three binders the first being towed with a tractor and the others with horse teams. Two workmen were needed to operate the binder when cutting a crop. The sheaves collected on the binder and released onto the ground and were scattered across the paddocks. Using a conventional two pronged pitch fork the harvest hands collected the sheaves and placed each one cut edge on the ground in an upright position and layered with about 15 sheaves into an apex shape to form was is known as a stook. The shape of the stook allowed for drying and draining of water if rain had occurred. Prior to the invention of the mechanical hayfork this was a laborious task requiring each sheaf to be pitched onto a tray truck and moved to the location of the haystack. The mechanised HAYFORK was operated by one person on tractor greatly reducing the need for gangs of labourers. At harvest time farmers had relied on itinerant teams of workers descending on the district looking for work. The three Barrie brothers on their adjoining farms combined forces to cut their crop at its optimum time while the weather was in their favour. Up to many 20 workers at times formed a team in earlier times. Agricultural university students were also keen to gain practical experience in the field. Each of the brothers had a particular skill, and Tom Barrie was the expert on stack building. The district haystacks had a distinctive shape and could be recognised by their builder. Bill Gillespie’s first operational HAY FORK consisted of a large 13 pronged fork situated forward of the truck cabin. It was attached with iron girders and mounted on the rear of the cabin to the tray of his British Bedford truck. It was constructed in metal and iron and welded in the farmers work sheds. The mechanism was raised and lowered by the driver scooping along the ground to pick up a complete stook to raise high enough to deposit all the sheaves in one stook onto the stack or truck tray. The fork section was released by a rope and operated by the driver in the cabin. This model was trialled on the Barrie farm at Ferris Lane. It proved to be very successful and the Barrie/ Gillespie brothers went on to develop a HAYFORK which attached to a tractor and was operated with a series of levers and was raised and lowered hydraulically. It was detached from the tractor when stacking was completed. In its early days farmers travelling along the Western Highway called at the Barrie farm at Ferris Lane to inspect its construction and operation of the invention. It became a widely adopted by farmers throughout the State. It was being used on Wattie Palmer’s farm on Bridge Road Melton South in 1997. Farming in Melton, hay growing and stack building. agriculture, local identities

The men in this photograph are harvesting dry bean plants. They have been threshed with flails and raked. the dry straw is tossed off and the dry beans are collected to be hand sorted.This item is associated with the seed bean industry which was a major industry in the Orbost district for the first half of the 20th century.A black / white photograph / postcard of five men raking hay in a paddock with two horses and carts in the background.on back - "Orbost, M. Gilbert"agriculture-beans orbost-bean-seeds

Building a stack at harvest time at 'Pigeon bank', Kangaroo Ground. Mrs Agnes Cameron and family; On hay wagon: Jessie and Jim Stewart, From left to right Archie, Flora Crighton, Gordon, Vera. Evelyn in front, Mrs Cameron, Maggie McInnes, Tom. In the background is one of the earliest shepherd huts still standing in 1914. Source: Family Story: The Bells of Scotland Kangaroo Ground and Yarra Flats by Vera Jackson, 1986 Supplementary unknown source states: Top L-R: Jessie Cameron, mother of Vera (Mrs E.M. Jackson donor of photograph and later resident at 'Pigeon Bank"), John Stewart (with fork) Lower L-R: Tom Cameron, Fiona Crighton, Gordon Cameron, Vera Cameron, Evelyn Cameron (sitting), Mrs Cameron (in black), Maggie McInnes, Archie Cameron About 1910 This photo forms part of a collection of photographs gathered by the Shire of Eltham for their centenary project book,"Pioneers and Painters: 100 years of the Shire of Eltham" by Alan Marshall (1971). The collection of over 500 images is held in partnership between Eltham District Historical Society and Yarra Plenty Regional Library (Eltham Library) and is now formally known as 'The Shire of Eltham Pioneers Photograph Collection.' It is significant in being the first community sourced collection representing the places and people of the Shire's first one hundred years.Digital imagesepp, shire of eltham pioneers photograph collection, kangaroo ground, pigeon bank, haystack, cameron family, stacks, hay, farming, summer

A hand sickle is typically used for harvesting grain crops or cutting succulent forage chiefly for feeding livestock (either freshly cut or dried as hay). this one was used for cutting back bracken fern.Sickles were not used as often on farms after the mechanisation of harvesting. They were still used for cutting awkward shaped small plots, for opening a path for the tractors and for clearing bracken. This item is an example of a tool used by the early settlers of the Orbost district.A wooden handled sickle used for fern cutting. It has a steel curved blade.Stamped on blade - RY4 MADE IN ENGLANDtool farming-implement sickle

According to the donor these image copies were used in an exhibition, and distributed at the conclusion. The originals are thought to be in the collection of Snake Valley HIstorical Society.Framed black and white photograph showing Eddie Nunn and Les Burt going off to mow hay on Nunn's property, Chepstowe. agriculture, chepstowe, eddie nunn, les burt, harvest, horses, farming

A Scythe was one of the most important of all agricultural hand tools, consisting of a curved blade fitted at an angle to a long, curved handle and used for cutting grain. In modern scythes the handle has a projecting peg that is grasped by one hand, facilitating control of the swinging motion by which grass and grain are cut. The exact origin of the scythe is unknown, but it was little used in the ancient world. It came into wide use only with agricultural developments of the Carolingian era (8th century AD) in Europe, when the harvesting and storing of hay became important to support livestock through winters. Scythes can still be found in use today by hobby farmers and permaculturists. ( producing food, by using ways that do not deplete the earth's natural resources) to cut grass in a more eco-friendly way as opposed to using a machine.A hand tool used for the cutting of crops and grain, modern versions are still being produced today in Europe. The subject item gives us a snapshot into agricultural practices in times past.Scythe with long wood Snath (curved handle) with 1 hand holding piece & curved blade. Noneflagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village

Churchill Island Heritage Farm has a large photographic collection dating from the nineteenth century. This series documents the Working Horse and Garden show held in 2001.Photograph of a display of apples and pumpkins arranged in two rows resting on bales of hay. The apples are stored in wooden crates while the pumpkins are displayed loose.Catalogue number written on reverse in pencil.churchill island, harvest festival, photograph, apple, pumpkin

Churchill Island Heritage Farm has a large photographic collection dating from the nineteenth century. This series documents the Working Horse and Garden show held in 2001.Photograph of a rear view of a pumpkin and apple display showing a wagon, garlic and an assortment of hay bales with market stalls visible in the background.Catalogue number written on reverse in pencil.churchill island, harvest festival, photograph, pumpkin

Churchill Island Heritage Farm has a large photographic collection dating from the nineteenth century. This series documents the Working Horse and Garden show held in 2001.Photograph of a foreshortened view of a pumpkin and apple display showing a wagon, garlic and an assortment of hay bales with a marquee and stalls visible in the backgroundCatalogue number written on reverse in pencil.churchill island, harvest festival, photograph, pumpkin

Churchill Island Heritage Farm has a large photographic collection dating from the nineteenth century.Colour photograph of staff member using a scythe to harvest grass and hay.catalogue number written on reverse in pencilchurchill island, photograph

Purchased through the Horsham Art Gallery Trust Fund with the assistance of the Caltex-Victorian Government Art Fund, 1983 Cibachrome photograph

A black and white photograph of a group of men working a threshing machine and building a haystack during hay making in 1922.cullinan, uraina, eileen, bayview farm, diggers rest, harvesting, haystacks, machinery, agricultural machinery, farm and garden equipment, hay bales, 1920s, george evans collection

A sepia photograph of a haystack being built with a bale elevator at the side and a hay cart at the end at Bayview Farm.on back in ink: HAYSTACK AT 'BAYVIEW'/ABOUT 1934 / 60' (feet) long, 20' (feet) high, 25' (feet) wide / ELEVATOR APPROX 25' (feet) long / 70-100 tons of hay / "Bayview" / 111 DAVIS ROAD / DIGGERS REST 3427cullinan, uraina, eileen, chris, bayview farm, diggers rest, farms, farming, clothing and dress, harvesting, haystacks, george evans collection

Feed for sheep farming is crucially important. Whether growing a sheep for breeding, wool or meat, it is vital to ensure that all sheep at whatever stage of life are maintaining or growing in weight. Sheep are often pictured grazing in paddocks; however, the grass available in a paddock is often not enough to maintain a sheep’s weight. In addition, if a sheep eats grass too low in a paddock then corrosion can affect the soil preventing any grass from growing in this location. For these reasons, supplementary feed is introduced to sheep’s diets. In most occasions’ food high in protein such as Lupins is sought. In times such as drought or to makeup a sheep’s roughage; feed such as silage, hay and straw may be required in the feeding of sheep. This is where the sickle is introduced to sheep farming. Although modern-day machines are used to harvest cereals, in times past the sickle was used for harvesting these crops. Once harvested, these crops can be fed to sheep freshly cut or dried. This sickle has been on display for 30 years at the National Wool Museum. It was at the entrance to Gallery One in the “A New Europe” wood hut display case. It was taken off display in 2021 with the “On the Land” redevelopment of this gallery space.Curved Metal serrated blade extending from carved dark wooden handletools of the trade, sheep feed, sheep farming

A black and white image of hay stooks of wheat at Yorke Peninsula, South Australia.hay, yorke peninsula, farming, wheat, agriculture

SUMMARY - Ernest W (Bon) Barrie, 1909 – 1985 Profile Melton Mechanics Institute Member 1935 - 1982i Trustee 1952 - 1982 Life Member 1968 Years of service – 47 years He constructed and provided a public address system which was used at Melton and district halls and sports grounds for a wide variety of community events including school sports, gymkhanas, theatrical productions and processions. Fire Brigade Melton Fire Brigade (and predecessor Bush Fire Brigade) Apparatus Officer, 1945 - 1953 Captain, 1951 - 1965 Mt Cotterill Fire Brigades’ Group Elected Group Officer, on the formation of the Group, 1967. As Group Communications Officer he operated the VL3 LY base radio station from home on a 24 hour basis for fire brigades of Melton, Rockbank, Sydenham, Diggers Rest, Toolern Vale, Truganina and Werribee. With his brother Edgar, he built the first Melton Fire Truck. It was housed on the family property until a fire station was constructed in the Melton township. Recipient of the Queens Medal, 1979 Recognised for 44 years of service on the Melton Fire Brigade Memorial Wall Plaque, dedicated May 2013 Melton State School, no 430 Committee – School Correspondent (secretarial and financial role) 34 years of Service Provided his Amplifier Equipment for events and the annual district School Sports from 1939-1973. Donated the House Athletic Shield Melton and District Historical Society 1968 – 1985 President and foundation member Willows Historical Park – supported the establishment of the park and contributed many volunteers hours in the construction and landscaping of the precinct Member, Western Metropolitan Groups of Historical Societies, 1980s Shire of Melton Councillor South Riding, 1969-1971 Member of the Water Trust Melton Uniting Church Melton Uniting Church (and its predecessors the Methodist, Methodist-Presbyterian churches). A lifetime association which extended from childhood when he attended Sunday school until his death in 1985. Member of the Presbyterian Board of Management for more than 25 years in which he held positions of Honorary Secretary and Treasurer, Board member of the Parish Council and Member of the Committee of Management. He was a Sunday school teacher 1933. Community development With Mr RC Butler met with Shire Council in 1937 to canvass residents to ascertain prospective Electric consumers in the district. Electricity was subsequently turned on at dusk on 20th December 1939. Melton Progress Association, including Melton Musical, Elocutionary and Vocal Competitions, Vice President 1939 1940 Melton Development Association, 1960s Volunteer Air Observers Corps (VAOC)ii Carried out plane spotting at Shire Office and spotting tower in Melton and later from home until 1944/45. Agriculture and farming Progress and Better Farming Association, Melton. Honorary Secretary, 1935 Member, Agricultural Engineering Society Australia c1960-1985 A successful grower of wheat, oats and barley, he planted experiment plots and held Field Days on the “Darlingsford” property. He later diversified into other grains and sheep (wool and meat). He took a enthusiastic interest in agricultural engineering and was keen to introduce innovative ideas that improved the productivity of farms and farming practices. In the mid 1950 he conducted trials during harvest on the family property of the original mechanical hay fork built on a British Bedford truck by Bill Gillespie. This design was further refined in collaboration with the Gillespie brothers and resulted in the construction the hydraulically operated tractor mounted hay fork. The innovative design of the hay fork created interest from far and wide and was quickly taken up by farmers because it significantly reduced hand labouring of loading sheaves of hay with a pitch fork. His father established chaff mills in Melton, Rockbank, Parwan, Diggers Rest in the first decade of 1900 and in 1915 went into partnership with JR Schutt to establish the Schutt & Barrie Pty. Ltd. Chaff Cutting and Flour Mill in West Footscray. When it ceased trading in 1968 the directors were: Ernest W Barrie and Thomas L Barrie, R, A, and M Schutt. Awards Queens Medal, 1979 Rotary Award for Community Service, 1980 Victoria 150th Anniversary Celebrations contributions, 1985 Service held at Melton Uniting Church local identities

SUMMARY - Ernest W (Bon) Barrie, 1909 – 1985 Profile Melton Mechanics Institute Member 1935 - 1982i Trustee 1952 - 1982 Life Member 1968 Years of service – 47 years He constructed and provided a public address system which was used at Melton and district halls and sports grounds for a wide variety of community events including school sports, gymkhanas, theatrical productions and processions. Fire Brigade Melton Fire Brigade (and predecessor Bush Fire Brigade) Apparatus Officer, 1945 - 1953 Captain, 1951 - 1965 Mt Cotterill Fire Brigades’ Group Elected Group Officer, on the formation of the Group, 1967. As Group Communications Officer he operated the VL3 LY base radio station from home on a 24 hour basis for fire brigades of Melton, Rockbank, Sydenham, Diggers Rest, Toolern Vale, Truganina and Werribee. With his brother Edgar, he built the first Melton Fire Truck. It was housed on the family property until a fire station was constructed in the Melton township. Recipient of the Queens Medal, 1979 Recognised for 44 years of service on the Melton Fire Brigade Memorial Wall Plaque, dedicated May 2013 Melton State School, no 430 Committee – School Correspondent (secretarial and financial role) 34 years of Service Provided his Amplifier Equipment for events and the annual district School Sports from 1939-1973. Donated the House Athletic Shield Melton and District Historical Society 1968 – 1985 President and foundation member Willows Historical Park – supported the establishment of the park and contributed many volunteers hours in the construction and landscaping of the precinct Member, Western Metropolitan Groups of Historical Societies, 1980s Shire of Melton Councillor South Riding, 1969-1971 Member of the Water Trust Melton Uniting Church Melton Uniting Church (and its predecessors the Methodist, Methodist-Presbyterian churches). A lifetime association which extended from childhood when he attended Sunday school until his death in 1985. Member of the Presbyterian Board of Management for more than 25 years in which he held positions of Honorary Secretary and Treasurer, Board member of the Parish Council and Member of the Committee of Management. He was a Sunday school teacher 1933. Community development With Mr RC Butler met with Shire Council in 1937 to canvass residents to ascertain prospective Electric consumers in the district. Electricity was subsequently turned on at dusk on 20th December 1939. Melton Progress Association, including Melton Musical, Elocutionary and Vocal Competitions, Vice President 1939 1940 Melton Development Association, 1960s Volunteer Air Observers Corps (VAOC)ii Carried out plane spotting at Shire Office and spotting tower in Melton and later from home until 1944/45. Agriculture and farming Progress and Better Farming Association, Melton. Honorary Secretary, 1935 Member, Agricultural Engineering Society Australia c1960-1985 A successful grower of wheat, oats and barley, he planted experiment plots and held Field Days on the “Darlingsford” property. He later diversified into other grains and sheep (wool and meat). He took a enthusiastic interest in agricultural engineering and was keen to introduce innovative ideas that improved the productivity of farms and farming practices. In the mid 1950 he conducted trials during harvest on the family property of the original mechanical hay fork built on a British Bedford truck by Bill Gillespie. This design was further refined in collaboration with the Gillespie brothers and resulted in the construction the hydraulically operated tractor mounted hay fork. The innovative design of the hay fork created interest from far and wide and was quickly taken up by farmers because it significantly reduced hand labouring of loading sheaves of hay with a pitch fork. His father established chaff mills in Melton, Rockbank, Parwan, Diggers Rest in the first decade of 1900 and in 1915 went into partnership with JR Schutt to establish the Schutt & Barrie Pty. Ltd. Chaff Cutting and Flour Mill in West Footscray. When it ceased trading in 1968 the directors were: Ernest W Barrie and Thomas L Barrie, R, A, and M Schutt. Awards Queens Medal, 1979 Rotary Award for Community Service, 1980 Victoria 150th Anniversary Celebrations contributions, 1985 Photographs of Bon Barrielocal identities, pioneer families

This document is has been compiled by Wendy Barrie daughter of Ernest (Bon) and Edna Barrie and granddaughter of Charles E and Jessie M Barrie. I was born in during WW 11 and the first child of my generation to live on the ‘ Darlingsford’ property at Melton. My grandfather was well known in the district and was mostly referred to as Ernie. He shared the same initials as his second son Edgar. His three eldest sons lived and farmed in Melton for their entire lives. His descendants are still associated with farming, engineering and earthmoving in Melton. Ernie Barrie operated a travelling Chaff Cutter in the St Arnaud area where his parents William and Mary Ann had taken up land at Coonooer West in 1873. Ernie commenced his working life with a team of bullocks and a chaff cutter. The earliest connection he had with Melton was in 1887. By the beginning of the 20th century Ernie and his father William and brothers, William, Samuel, James Edwin,[Ted] Robert, Arthur and Albert have been associated with farming and milling in the Melton district. In the early 1900’s Ernie and his brother Ted were in partnership in a Chaff cutting and Hay processing Mill on the corner of Station and Brooklyn road Melton South. The mill was managed by William for a time. By 1906 Charles Ernest and James Edwin were in partnership in the Station Road mill when a connecting rail line across Brooklyn Road for a siding was constructed to the Melton Railway Station. In 1911 the Mill’s letterhead shows C.E. BARRIE Hay Pressing and Chaff Cutting Mills. Melton Railway Station. Telephone No 1 Melton. This Mill as sold to H S K Ward in 1916 and stood until 1977 when it burnt down in a spectacular fire. Ernie built a house at Melton South beside the Chaff Mill at Station Road in 1906 and married Jessie May Lang in August at the Methodist Church. Jessie’s father was Thomas Lang. He came to Melton in 1896 and was the Head Teacher at Melton State School No 430 until he retired in 1917. They had 9 children with 8 surviving to adulthood. Jessie and Ernie had 6 sons and 3 daughters. All the children lived at Darlingsford. In April 1910 the family left Melton for a brief period and moved to a farm in Trundle in NSW. They returned to Melton and purchased Darlingsford in May 1911. For a time during WW1 they lived at Moonee Ponds near the Lang grandparents at Ascot Vale. Mary and Bon attended Bank St State School. The children developed diphtheria in 1916 and their youngest boy, Cecil died of complications. Mary and Bon were taken to Fairfield Hospital and both recovered. At the end of the war influenza broke out the family returned to Darlingsford and shared the home for a short while with the Pearcey family who had been working the farm. By 1922 the family had and grown and Edgar, Tom, Horace, Jessie, Joyce and Jim were living a Darlingsford. Ernie continued during the 1920’s working the farm and attend his many civic and community commitments. Two 8 clydesdale horse teams were used to work the land which meant early rising for the horses to be fed and harnessed to commence the days work. In 1916 Ernie also became involved in a Chaff Mill on the corner of Sunshine and Geelong Road West Footscray, which at the time was being run by John Ralph Schutt. It was known an Schutt Barrie. A flour mill was added at a later stage. Other Schutt and Barrie mills were situated at Parwan and Diggers Rest. Another mill was situated beside the railway line at Rockbank. The Footscray mill ceased operation in 1968 Ernie spent a lot of time and energy at the Parwan Mill and travelling around Parwan and Balliang farms, where he came to know many of the families in the district. Ernies commitment to the civic development to the Melton and district was extensive, he was involved with a number of large events during the 1920’s such as the Melton Exhibitions and the 1929 Back to Melton Celebrations. He was a member of the Australian Natives Association at the turn of the century. He was Chairman of the School Committee at Melton State School 430 and the Melton South State School in thw1920s. He donated the land for a Hall for Melton South in 1909, known as Exford Hall and later in 1919 renamed Victoria Hall. The Hall was demolished in 1992. He was a Councillor, JP, and Vice President and President of the Melton Mechanics Institute Hall Committee in 1915- 1916. He was a member of the Methodist Church and later the Scots Presbyterian Church. He was Superintendent of the Sunday School of the Methodist Church to 1910 and later Scots Presbyterian Church until 1931. This is reflected in the theme of children in the stained glass window which was dedicated in his memory by his wife Jessie as a gift to the Scots Church. Charles Ernest Barrie made many generous donations to many charities who supported young people and children. In 1918 Jessie and Ernie made the first donation to a very prominent Victorian charity whose work still continues. Yooralla. In July 1931 Ernie’s untimely death was a major blow to the family and the Melton community. To this day people still vividly recall the day they lined the streets for his funeral. The day of the funeral is recalled as the day Melton stood as two of their prominent citizens who tragically died on the same day. Their eldest daughter Mary had married Keith Robinson in 1930 and had just moved to Heatherdale Toolern Vale with their year old baby son. Bon the eldest son was 22, Edgar 18, Tom 16, Horace 15, Jessie and Joyce 10 and Jim 8 years old. A heavy burden of responsibility fell on the shoulders of the two eldest children, Mary particularly for her mother and Bon stepped in assuming head of the family for his mother, brothers and sisters living at the Darlingsford homestead. In the early 1930’s the three eldest sons took on many of the Civic and Church commitments which their father had held. This community involvement extended well into the 1980s. In 1941 Bon married Edna Myers and they moved into a house shifted from Harkness Lane to Harkness Lane on the eastern section of the Darlingford property. Edgar married Margaret Hodgkinson a Primary school teacher at Melton in 1949 and they lived in the Darlingsford house. Earlier Tom married May Ferris and lived on the eastern side of Ferris Lane in the Ferris home. Bon , Edgar and Tom often operated as a team effort, in particular at harvest time when a larger team of workers was needed. The three farms cultivated wheat, barley and oats and supplied the Mill with sheafed hay. They continued using horse teams until mechanisation in the 1940’s made the horses redundant. By the 1960s their five sons continued with farming. Many loads of hay were transported to the Mill in Footscray. Well into the 1960s hired harvest hands along with agricultural university students were involved in bringing in he harvest. Stacking was an art form in itself and Tom held the expertise for building and shaping the sides and roof. The stacks built in the district each had their own unique shape and could be recognized by their builders. The Barrie brothers developed a mechanical fork lift for picking up complete stooks and moving them to be loaded to the elevator to build the haystack. The prototype built by Bill Gillespie was attached to a Bedford truck. Later refinements in a collaborative effort with the Gillespie brothers a multi pronged fork was attached to the front of tractor which was hydraulically operated to raise each stook onto trucks to be transported to the site of the haystacks. This method of handling sheaves significantly reduced laborious pitchforking individual sheaves. This invention was soon taken up by farmers far and wide and was a common sight in the district at harvest time in the stacking season. I recall visiting farmers calling in at the house at Ferris Road farm to inspect this break through invention. The Clydesdale horse teams were used into the 1940s but by the 1950s the Barries’ farms were fully mechanised. When the demand for sheafed hay declined other crops were introduced these included barley, lucerne, wheat and peas. Sheep were added to the mix in the 1950s in an attempt to keep the farms more viable. In the 1970s part of the Barrie’s farms were facing a major disruption with the impending compulsorily acquisition of a strip of land for the construction the freeway bypass, which divided access between the Darlingsford homestead with those on Ferris Lane. Charles Ernest Barrie and Jessie May Lang's children: 1. Mary Ena BARRIE was born on 07 October 1907. She died on 29 April 1999. 2. Ernest Wesley BARRIE was born on 29 April 1909 in Ascot Vale, Victoria, Australia.He died on 25 December 1985 in Melton, Victoria, Australia. 3. Cecil William BARRIE was born on 23 February 1911.He died on 25 May 1916. 4. Charles Edgar BARRIE was born on 01 June 1913.He died on 06 October 1975. 5. Thomas Lindsay BARRIE was born on 25 November 1914.He died on 14 September 1990 in Melton, Victoria, Australia. 6. William Horace BARRIE was born on 11 October 1915.He died on 19 December 1950. 7. Jessie Maud BARRIE was born on 06 November 1920 in Bacchus Marsh, Victoria, Australia.She died on 26 February 1994. 8. Dorothy Joyce BARRIE was born on 06 November 1920 in Bacchus Marsh, Victoria, Australia.She died on 18 March 2003.. 9. James Edward BARRIE was born on 17 January 1922 in Bacchus Marsh, Victoria, Australia.He died on 23 August 2004Family Photo with Edgar, Tom, Mary, Ernest (Bon), Horace, Jim, Charles Ernest, Jessie and Joycelocal identities

Newspaper photographs.(1) From B99.1077 series. "Hay forking by the weaker sex." (2) "The last of the harvesting." (3) "Haymaking is in full swing." (4) "Dwarfed by a 10 ft. crop, a girl student at Burnley Horticultural School had a tough task reaping these tall stalks of maize."students, female students, burnley horticultural college, students working outside, maize, hay making

The photograph was taken in The Nook. Terence O'Brien rented the land from Goonawarra from the 1890s to 1905 where he grew cereal crops. The terraces on the hillside were built to grow vines when the property was one of the first vineyards in the area. The men in the image are from L-R: Mr. Heath in the white cutter owned the chaff cutter, John Leyden with hand on fence, Michael Dillon, Terence O'Brien and Phil Ratile are on top of the haystack, Andy Burke standing with hand on hip.The growing and harvesting of cereal crops was an important agricultural industry in the early days of Sunbury's settlement by both the Indigenous People and Europeans.A non-digital photograph black and white photograph of eleven men gathering hay with the aid of a steam traction engine in a wide open valley. A hillside in the distance has been terraced and there is a house on the hill in the distance.the nook, terence o'brien, andy burke, mr. heath, michael dillon, philratile, goonawarra, vineyards