A red hard covered book titled 'The Life and Adventures of Robinson Crusoe'. Published by Cassell & Co London 428 pages. Includes many illustrations. First published 25th April 1719. Author Daniel Defoe inspired by the story of Alexander Selkirk, a Scottish Sailor who went to sea in 1704. Markings & Inscriptions: To Roy with Mr Stewarts best wishes Xmas 1899.Daniel Defoebook, human survival

These reels where used by a local family in catching Murray Cod and trout in the Kiewa Rivers and Murray River. This old Pilot side cast fishing reel was made in the late 20's & early 30's They were used in the mid 1950s. Although the original inhabitants (Aborigine tribe) would have used spears for fishing the use of reels and rods by non indigenous fisher persons are also very effective especially if raised in the valley.These items are significant because they demonstrate the harvesting of fish from valley rivers and streams is one of continuation from the first human habitation of this region. The ability to harvest the natural food source of the valley's rivers and streams has come from earlier survival requirement to one of recreational pleasure. Brass & Wooden Frame Side Casting Fishing Reel. This reel has 2 winding bakelite handles.Pilot, Tag states W. Davies Please return.recreation, river, kiewa, fishing, industry, reel, side, casting, davies

This tuyere (word from French origin) was used by professional blacksmiths and or cattlemen before and during the Kiewa Hydro Electricity Scheme was being constructed. The need to use a furnace or forge in the shaping of metal rods, horse shoes and pipes is both a rural necessity and a construction, on site requirement. The "inventiveness" of cattlemen and construction workers to produce metal objects not available "off the shelf" is one of the inherent traits not only of rural self sufficiency but in the "pioneer" days of rural isolation one of survival.This tuyere is of great significance to the Kiewa Valley and its regions because it highlights one of the greatest strengths of the rural (especially isolated) life and its folk living there, and that is the great human factor of adaptability and survival techniques in sometimes harsh and demanding environmental circumstances. The inventiveness and the attitude, "she'll be right mate", demonstrates life on the land where specialised blacksmith activities can be found in non "professionals" because of the fact that "someone" has to do the job. This is one of the differences between country "rural" life and that found in cities and larger towns.This iron cone shaped tuyere has a small hole (diamenter 25mm) starting within an ever enlarging cone (amplification of the air pressure going through) delivering varying hot or extremely hot air into a furnace or hearth which intensifies the heat to allow the "shaping" of metal objects. The larger "flared" cone extension allows for the directed air to be spread and not concentrated.blacksmith tool, tue, bellows, fashioning metal, forge manufacturing process

This bottle of castor oil was used during the mid to late 1900's when there was a Hospital in the Kiewa Valley, but regarded as only for serious injuries and near death situation. For this reason many households had a "first aid" box full of items such as this bottle of castor oil. Home based remedies for non life threatening injuries and illnesses were a part of life in a semi remote rural region. True and trusted family "health" remedies were passed from generation to generation.This Castor Oil bottle is very significant to the Kiewa Valley as it demonstrates the self reliance of the early farming and grazing pioneer families. Knowledge of "first aid" was uppermost to the survival of families before the late 1900's. Naturopathic remedies such as connected with the castor oil contained in this bottle, although may not be sanctioned by medical research, does not take into account of the positive "self healing" of the human mind (if you think it is doing you good it creates a positive action). Such preservation techniques were handed down through the generations.Medical Reference material was limited to books available and read and not not from "the internet" in the latter part of the 1900's. The availability of General Practitioners increased because of the boost in the population growth (SEC Vic Hydro Electricity Scheme) in the Kiewa Valley from 1940's onward. This small indigo coloured glass bottle has a narrow neck and a screw on lid.It has an embossed manufacturer's name and contents (Castor Oil) on one side and identification marks embossed on the underside base.medicine bottles, home first aid remedies, indigo glass medicine bottles

Native Sulphur in its solid form is a yellow crystalline mineral that forms near volcanic vents and fumaroles where it is the solid form of hot gases. It is also frequently found in the subsurface as a by-product of sulphide ore mineralization. In all its forms, sulphur is one of the most commonly occurring minerals on the planet, especially in natural gases, and is key to the make-up of a range of other minerals. It is essential to continuing life on earth, and was used in ancient societies as part of medical care, religious rites, and entertainment, and was key to the invention of gunpowder by the Chinese. Native Sulphur in its solid form is a yellow crystalline mineral that forms near volcanic vents and fumaroles where it is the solid form of hot gases. It is also frequently found in the subsurface as a by-product of sulphide ore mineralization. In all its forms, sulphur is one of the most commonly occurring minerals on the planet, especially in natural gases, and is key to the make-up of a range of other minerals. It is essential to continuing life on earth and was used in ancient societies as part of medical care, religious rites, and entertainment, and was key to the invention of gunpowder by the Chinese. The exact site of extraction for this specimen is unknown, but it was probably collected in New Zealand in the 1850s. Sulphur is significant both for its historical and current uses, and for its nature as one of the most abundant minerals on the planet. Sulphur's importance comes both from its abundance and its role in ensuring survival, creating other minerals, and daily human life. This specimen is significant as representative of sulphur's solid properties. This specimen is part of a larger collection of geological and mineral specimens collected from around Australia (and some parts of the world) and donated to the Burke Museum between 1868-1880. A large percentage of these specimens were collected in Victoria as part of the Geological Survey of Victoria that begun in 1852 (in response to the Gold Rush) to study and map the geology of Victoria. Collecting geological specimens was an important part of mapping and understanding the scientific makeup of the earth. Many of these specimens were sent to research and collecting organisations across Australia, including the Burke Museum, to educate and encourage further study.A solid, small, crystalline mineral specimen that is largely bright yellow, with some darker spotting. geological specimen, geology, geology collection, burke museum, beechworth, sulphur, native sulphur, new zealand, native sulphur specimen, sulphur specimen

non-fictionOn August 21, 1940, a Nazi raider torpedoed the British merchantman Anglo-Saxon and machine-gunned the survivors as they tried to escape in their lifeboats. One little boat escaped with seven men. Five of them perished, but Robert Tapscott and Wilbert Widdicombe endured for seventy full days and 2,300 miles to landfall on the other side of the Atlantic. This is the incredible account of their ordeal, one of the most thrilling stories of the sea ever written--and one that almost never came to light. "It has seldom happened," writes William McFee in the introduction, "that a narrative so circumstantial, so entirely stripped of all humbug and false sentiment, has come out of the depths of the sea, to inspire us with admiration for human valor." In the tradition of the Shackleton adventure and Nathaniel Philbrick's In the Heart of the Sea, Two Survived is an unforgettable true story of survival against the very longest odds.ww2, survivors, german submarines, robert tapscott, wilbert widdicombe

Index, ill (some colour), portraits (some colour), maps (some colour) p.254.non-fictionThe human psyche, when confronted by the all-but-impossible, can produce the most extraordinary reactions, acts of heroism, self-sacrifice, endurance and sheer grit that in many instances remain unbelievable. Whether these are the product of the extreme pressures of warfare, acts of faith or compassion, or examples of utter tenacity and determination against all odds, the outcomes are incredible. Many of the behind-the-scenes stories have remained secret, until now. No other book gathers together so many riveting and heroic tales of rescue and survival in a single volume. Divided into seven chronological sections, this book provides revealing insights and explains the significance of each operation, although not all proved to be successful. Detailed maps of each encounter, timelines, diagrams, archival photographs and official documents accompany these gripping stories.military history, politics and war

p.390.fictionDonkey Simpson, a typically naive young Australian, thrust into uniform by his country, sets out on the adventure of a lifetime -- or so he thinks. But Vietnam is not what he expected. It's a horror story. It's a story over which he has no control, at first a 'typical Army stuff-up' which wrenches him this way and that, like a puppet soldier on a string, and then something far more dangerous and sinister threatens to destroy him -- but who's pulling the strings? This is the story of Simpson and his mates, caught in a war between powerful ideologies which none of them understood. They walk the fine line of sanity, swinging wildly between love and hate, pathos and humour, patriotism and treason, life and pointless death. Donkey Simpson's story is centred around the Public Relations Office of the Australian contingent, and a spy in the nearby Intelligence Office -- a spy of unclear loyalties, working for the South Vietnamese allies, working for the enemy, or working only for survival? The novel has its ugly aspects -- most soldiers' lack of respect for the Vietnamese, whether ally or enemy, the callous disregard for human life, and the treachery practised on both sides. Collapse summary vietnam war 1961-1975 - fiction, vietnam war 1961-1975 – personal recollections – australia

This item is from the ‘Pattison Collection’, a collection of books and records that was originally owned by the Warrnambool Mechanics’ Institute, which was founded in Warrnambool in 1853. By 1886 the Warrnambool Mechanics’ Institute (WMI) had grown to have a Library, Museum and Fine Arts Gallery, with a collection of “… choice productions of art, and valuable specimens in almost every branch and many wonderful national curiosities are now to be seen there, including historic relics of the town and district.” It later included a School of Design. Although it was very well patronised, the lack of financial support led the WMI in 1911 to ask the City Council to take it over. In 1935 Ralph Pattison was appointed as City Librarian to establish and organise the Warrnambool Library as it was then called. When the WMI building was pulled down in 1963 a new civic building was erected on the site and the new Warrnambool Library, on behalf of the City Council, took over all the holdings of the WMI. At this time some of the items were separated and identified as the ‘Pattison Collection’, named after Ralph Pattison. Eventually the components of the WMI were distributed from the Warrnambool Library to various places, including the Art Gallery, Historical Society and Flagstaff Hill. Later some were even distributed to other regional branches of Corangamite Regional Library and passed to and fro. It is difficult now to trace just where all of the items have ended up. The books at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village generally display stamps and markings from Pattison as well as a variety of other institutions including the Mechanics’ Institute itself. RALPH ERIC PATTISON Ralph Eric Pattison was born in Rockhampton, Queensland, in 1891. He married Maude Swan from Warrnambool in 1920 and they set up home in Warrnambool. In 1935 Pattison accepted a position as City Librarian for the Warrnambool City Council. His huge challenge was to make a functional library within two rooms of the Mechanics’ Institute. He tirelessly cleaned, cleared and sorted a disarrayed collection of old books, jars of preserved specimens and other items reserved for exhibition in the city’s museum. He developed and updated the library with a wide variety of books for all tastes, including reference books for students; a difficult task to fulfil during the years following the Depression. He converted all of the lower area of the building into a library, reference room and reading room for members and the public. The books were sorted and stored using a cataloguing and card index system that he had developed himself. He also prepared the upper floor of the building and established the Art Gallery and later the Museum, a place to exhibit the many old relics that had been stored for years for this purpose. One of the treasures he found was a beautiful ancient clock, which he repaired, restored and enjoyed using in his office during the years of his service there. Ralph Pattison was described as “a meticulous gentleman whose punctuality, floorless courtesy and distinctive neat dress were hallmarks of his character, and ‘his’ clock controlled his daily routine, and his opening and closing of the library’s large heavy doors to the minute.” Pattison took leave during 1942 to 1942 to serve in the Royal Australian Navy, Volunteer Reserve as Lieutenant. A few years later he converted one of the Museum’s rooms into a Children’s Library, stocking it with suitable books for the younger generation. This was an instant success. In the 1950’s he had the honour of being appointed to the Victorian Library Board and received more inspiration from the monthly conferences in Melbourne. He was sadly retired in 1959 after over 23 years of service, due to the fact that he had gone over the working age of council officers. However he continued to take a very keen interest in the continual development of the Library until his death in 1969. The Pattison Collection, along with other items at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village, was originally part of the Warrnambool Mechanics' Institute’s collection. The Warrnambool Mechanics’ Institute Collection is primarily significant in its totality, rather than for the individual objects it contains. Its contents are highly representative of the development of Mechanics' Institute libraries across Australia, particularly Victoria. A diversity of publications and themes has been amassed, and these provide clues to our understanding of the nature of and changes in the reading habits of Victorians from the 1850s to the middle of the 20th century. The collection also highlights the Warrnambool community’s commitment to the Mechanics’ Institute, reading, literacy and learning in the regions, and proves that access to knowledge was not impeded by distance. These items help to provide a more complete picture of our community’s ideals and aspirations. The Warrnambool Mechanics Institute book collection has historical and social significance for its strong association with the Mechanics Institute movement and the important role it played in the intellectual, cultural and social development of people throughout the latter part of the nineteenth century and the early twentieth century. The collection of books is a rare example of an early lending library and its significance is enhanced by the survival of an original collection of many volumes. The Warrnambool Mechanics' Institute’s publication collection is of both local and state significance. Sexual Behaviour in The Human Male Authors: Kinsey, Pomeroy & Martin Publisher: W B Saunders Co Date: 1953Label on spine cover with typed text PATT 301.424 KIN Front pastedown endpaper has sticker from Warrnambool Public Library Front loose endpaper has a sticker from Corangamite Regional Library Servicewarrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, shipwrecked-artefact, book, warrnambool mechanics’ institute, pattison collection, warrnambool library, ralph eric pattison, warrnambool city librarian, mechanics’ institute library, victorian library board, warrnambool books and records, warrnambool children’s library, sexual behaviour in the human male, kinsey, pomeroy & martin, kinsey, pomeroy, martin

This item is from the ‘Pattison Collection’, a collection of books and records that was originally owned by the Warrnambool Mechanics’ Institute, which was founded in Warrnambool in 1853. By 1886 the Warrnambool Mechanics’ Institute (WMI) had grown to have a Library, Museum and Fine Arts Gallery, with a collection of “… choice productions of art, and valuable specimens in almost every branch and many wonderful national curiosities are now to be seen there, including historic relics of the town and district.” It later included a School of Design. Although it was very well patronised, the lack of financial support led the WMI in 1911 to ask the City Council to take it over. In 1935 Ralph Pattison was appointed as City Librarian to establish and organise the Warrnambool Library as it was then called. When the WMI building was pulled down in 1963 a new civic building was erected on the site and the new Warrnambool Library, on behalf of the City Council, took over all the holdings of the WMI. At this time some of the items were separated and identified as the ‘Pattison Collection’, named after Ralph Pattison. Eventually the components of the WMI were distributed from the Warrnambool Library to various places, including the Art Gallery, Historical Society and Flagstaff Hill. Later some were even distributed to other regional branches of Corangamite Regional Library and passed to and fro. It is difficult now to trace just where all of the items have ended up. The books at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village generally display stamps and markings from Pattison as well as a variety of other institutions including the Mechanics’ Institute itself. RALPH ERIC PATTISON Ralph Eric Pattison was born in Rockhampton, Queensland, in 1891. He married Maude Swan from Warrnambool in 1920 and they set up home in Warrnambool. In 1935 Pattison accepted a position as City Librarian for the Warrnambool City Council. His huge challenge was to make a functional library within two rooms of the Mechanics’ Institute. He tirelessly cleaned, cleared and sorted a disarrayed collection of old books, jars of preserved specimens and other items reserved for exhibition in the city’s museum. He developed and updated the library with a wide variety of books for all tastes, including reference books for students; a difficult task to fulfil during the years following the Depression. He converted all of the lower area of the building into a library, reference room and reading room for members and the public. The books were sorted and stored using a cataloguing and card index system that he had developed himself. He also prepared the upper floor of the building and established the Art Gallery and later the Museum, a place to exhibit the many old relics that had been stored for years for this purpose. One of the treasures he found was a beautiful ancient clock, which he repaired, restored and enjoyed using in his office during the years of his service there. Ralph Pattison was described as “a meticulous gentleman whose punctuality, floorless courtesy and distinctive neat dress were hallmarks of his character, and ‘his’ clock controlled his daily routine, and his opening and closing of the library’s large heavy doors to the minute.” Pattison took leave during 1942 to 1942 to serve in the Royal Australian Navy, Volunteer Reserve as Lieutenant. A few years later he converted one of the Museum’s rooms into a Children’s Library, stocking it with suitable books for the younger generation. This was an instant success. In the 1950’s he had the honour of being appointed to the Victorian Library Board and received more inspiration from the monthly conferences in Melbourne. He was sadly retired in 1959 after over 23 years of service, due to the fact that he had gone over the working age of council officers. However he continued to take a very keen interest in the continual development of the Library until his death in 1969. The Pattison Collection, along with other items at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village, was originally part of the Warrnambool Mechanics' Institute’s collection. The Warrnambool Mechanics’ Institute Collection is primarily significant in its totality, rather than for the individual objects it contains. Its contents are highly representative of the development of Mechanics' Institute libraries across Australia, particularly Victoria. A diversity of publications and themes has been amassed, and these provide clues to our understanding of the nature of and changes in the reading habits of Victorians from the 1850s to the middle of the 20th century. The collection also highlights the Warrnambool community’s commitment to the Mechanics’ Institute, reading, literacy and learning in the regions, and proves that access to knowledge was not impeded by distance. These items help to provide a more complete picture of our community’s ideals and aspirations. The Warrnambool Mechanics Institute book collection has historical and social significance for its strong association with the Mechanics Institute movement and the important role it played in the intellectual, cultural and social development of people throughout the latter part of the nineteenth century and the early twentieth century. The collection of books is a rare example of an early lending library and its significance is enhanced by the survival of an original collection of many volumes. The Warrnambool Mechanics' Institute’s publication collection is of both local and state significance. Essay on the Human Understanding Author: John Locke Publisher: Thomas Tegg Date: 1838Label on spine with typed text RH 192 LOC Pastedown end page has sticker from Warrnambool Mechanics Institute and Free Library covered by sticker from Corangamite Regional Library Servicewarrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, shipwrecked-artefact, book, warrnambool mechanics’ institute, pattison collection, warrnambool library, ralph eric pattison, warrnambool city librarian, mechanics’ institute library, victorian library board, warrnambool books and records, warrnambool children’s library, essay on the human understanding, john locke

Nathan Mullins deployed to Afghanistan as a Special Forces Commando. Spearheading Australia's Special Operations troops, he and other Australians like him sought the Taliban in the valleys and hills of Uruzgan through Afghanistan's harsh winter while at the same time attempting to bring a human face to the villagers caught in the middle of the fighting. They lived with the daily threat of roadside bombs, ambush and firefights, where survival meant learning to read the signs to determine friend from foe. And they did what they could to relieve the awful effects of war on the men, women and children of the civilian population caught in the crossfire. But these were not your regular soldiers. Sure, they had trained for years for the role but these were citizen soldiers, reservists who had put aside their usual jobs as salesmen, farmers, scientists, lawyers and students to fight Australia's 'war on terror'. Keep Your Head Down is a brutally honest, first-hand account that takes you into the centre of the action and asks some tough questions. What is Australia doing in Afghanistan? What would winning that war look like? What makes a man leave his family to go to war when he doesn't have to? Can there be such a thing as a just war? Nathan Mullins isn't a typical Special Forces soldier. In his day job he is the International Program Manager for Australian Aid International, a humanitarian organisation that responds to disasters and emergencies around the globe.soft cover bookaustralian special forces, australian commando, afghanistan

This is an Aboriginal artwork that depicts a Goanna Totem. Designed by Ballarat-based, Gunditjmara artist Aunty Diana Nikkelson, the design is inspired by the artist’s totem and is a tribute to the first artists of the region, the Wadawurrung people. It acknowledges Aboriginal survival and the dynamic regeneration of the Aboriginal art and culture in the region. The artwork is in-set to the basalt paving along Police Lane by a series of etched footsteps, which evolve from human footprints to goanna prints as viewers approach the rear of the Art Gallery of Ballarat. The artwork was originally located only outdoors and half of it was brought into the Art Gallery of Ballarat in 2011, when the former Federation Plaza was enclosed to form the Art Gallery of Ballarat's McCain Annexe. The artwork was created in 2006 as part of the cultural festival of the Commonwealth Games. The artwork is of cultural and aesthetic significance to the people of BallaratSand blasted petroglyph forms into bluestone on laneway surface. The carved inlay of the Goanna Totem design into the bluestone of Police Lane (beside Art Gallery of Ballarat) continues inside the building.goanna totem ballarat, goanna totem, diana nikkelson, aboriginal, dreaming, nikkelson, gunditjmara

SoftcoverStamped: Library of John Dowell Daviessociety, evolution, social evolution, walsh st library

Karl Duldig carved this marble sculpture of a mask in the Vienna Kunstgewerbeschule (School of Applied Arts) in 1921. His teacher, Anton Hanak, the Professor of Sculpture at the School, encouraged him to carve directly into the stone. It was an accomplished work for the 19 year-old student and was selected by Hanak to represent the students of the School at the Deutschen Gewerbeschau (German Applied Art exhibition) in Munich in 1922, an early accolade for the young artist. The sculpture and another Kneeling Nude were reproduced in the journal Deustche Kunst and Dekoration in 1923-24 in an article on the Hanak-Klasse. In 2011 Mask was exhibited in the National Gallery of Victoria exhibition Vienna: Art and Design. The sculpture is one of ten substantial sculptures in marble and stone, and a larger group terracotta sculptures and masks, portrait busts and small stone sculptures created by Karl Duldig in Vienna that are held in the Museum collection. These art works are complemented by an archive of contemporary documents including letters, photographs, documents and ephemera. In 1938 Duldig’s Viennese sculptures were sent to Paris in 1938 for a proposed exhibition, and were hidden in Paris by Slawa Duldig’s sister Rella, throughout the Second World War, and arrived in Australia post-war over 5 decades. Karl Duldig was a student of the Kunstgewerbeschule from 1921 until 1925, and then attended the Akademie Der Bildenden Künste (Academy of Fine Arts) from 1929 until 1933. He was accepted into the Professor Josef Mullner’s “Meisterschule” at the Academy of Fine Arts from 1929 until 1933. His teacher at the Kunstgwerebeschule was Austria’s foremost contemporary sculptor Anton Hanak, and he was a formative influence on Duldig’s work. Hanak had been a member of Viennese Secession, and worked with Josef Hoffman on architectural commissions prior to the First World War. Hanak shared both his love of the expressive quality of materials and a humanist vision with his students. Various writers have written about Duldig’s interest in masks. His interest may have been stimulated by his classical education, the Greek and Roman antiquities in the Kunsthistoriches Museum in Vienna, or the ethnological collections in Vienna’s Museum of Ethnology (now known as the Weltmuseum). The mask was a motif explored by expressionist and cubist artists whose work was exhibited at the Vienna Secession. Duldig would have been familiar with the psychological investigations of the neurologist and founder of psychoanalysis Sigmund Freud, who established his practice in Vienna. In the Duldig Studio library, Duldig’s keen interest in the arts of a myriad of visual cultures is apparent. Of particular note are two well-thumbed copies Rudolf Utzinger’s, Masken, published by Ernst Wasmuth in Berlin in 1923, depicting masks from around the world. It is likely that a multitude of influences were at play. Slawa Duldig also worked with this motif, and also carved a smaller mask in Salzburg marble as well as a remarkable mask in clay, and these are held in the collection. Ann Carew 2016The Mask has national and international aesthetic significance. It is one of the earliest works by Karl Duldig in the Studio collection, and is a subject that he would continue to explore throughout his working life. The sculpture demonstrates a high degree of technical skill and mastery at an early age. It is evidence of Duldig’s engagement with the art of his peers during this period – the mask is a motif that inspired contemporary expressionist and cubist artists. It also demonstrates his interests in portraiture, human psychology, and the creation of identity and transformation of personalities. The Mask also provides an important link to the studio practice in the Vienna Kunstgwerbeschule, the teaching of Anton Hanak, and the program of international art exhibitions in Europe during the period. It is also of historical significance: the story of its survival and eventual recovery provides a counterpoint to the story of the Nazis’ confiscation of art during the Second World War. Ann Carew 2016Carving in Salzburg Marble. Holes for eyes and mouth cut through the block. Highly polished finish at front contrasting with rough finish at back and stylised curled hair. Marble base separate (75 x 275 x 198, wt 9000) and added later by artist. Karl Duldig 1921 incised on back

Hard cover book, Abandoned. Author: Jules Verne Publisher: Sampson Low Marston Searle and Rivington, St. Dunstans House, Fetter Lane Fleet Street, London. EC. Date: 1892 Light blue hardcover with the title on the spine having lettering to spine in black hand written text pen. fiction"Abandoned" is the second part of Jules Verne’s “The Mysterious Island trilogy”, continuing the story of a group of castaways testing their ingenuity and courage on a remote Pacific island. The 1892 Sampson Low, Marston, Searle & Rivington edition is an early English language reprint of this work.This novel is not among Verne’s absolute core masterpieces like “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas” or “Around the World in Eighty Days”. Abandoned (also known as its original French title, "L’Île mystérieuse: Deuxième partie L’Abandonné" picks up the narrative of five or six men (including the engineer Cyrus Harding and the sailor Pencroff) who have already survived a balloon crash and built a rudimentary civilisation on a seemingly uninhabited island. As they explore the island further, they discover signs of a mysterious benefactor and eventually meet the “abandoned” character Ayrton, a former convict who has lived in isolation while the island itself faces natural and human threats that test their survival and moral choices. The story blends adventure, technology, and social Utopian themes, showing how rational cooperation can triumph over hardship and moral degeneration.warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, shipwrecked-artefact, book, warrnambool mechanics’ institute, pattison collection, warrnambool library, corangamite regional library service, warrnambool city librarian, mechanics’ institute library, victorian library board, warrnambool books and records, warrnambool children’s library, ralph eric pattison, jules verne, voyages extraordinaire series, l’école des robinson's

Sera Waters is an artist, arts writer and academic living on Kaurna land, South Australia. Since being awarded a Ruth Tuck Scholarship in 2006 to study hand embroidery at the Royal School of Needlework in the UK, Waters’ art practice has been characterised by a darkly stitched meticulousness. Her embroideries and hand-crafted sculptures dwell within the gaps of Australian histories to examine settler-colonial home-making patterns and practices, especially her own genealogical ghostscapes. More recently Waters has been exploring how textile traditions can help navigate a future affected by climate change. These two works by Sera Waters draw on myths, histories, and narratives of the Australian bush and interior, weaving together research into explorers, family stories, popular culture, and folklore. Teeth and wild mouths become portals into different times and experiences: our colonial past, fictional bush tales, and lived encounters with a harsh, unpredictable land. Hand-embroidered and embellished with time-intensive techniques once linked to domestic craft, the works embody both fragility and ferocity. Delicate yet unsettling, these works reflect on survival, risk, and endurance, transforming personal and collective histories into strange offerings that are humorous, dark, and deeply human.

Sera Waters is an artist, arts writer and academic living on Kaurna land, South Australia. Since being awarded a Ruth Tuck Scholarship in 2006 to study hand embroidery at the Royal School of Needlework in the UK, Waters’ art practice has been characterised by a darkly stitched meticulousness. Her embroideries and hand-crafted sculptures dwell within the gaps of Australian histories to examine settler-colonial home-making patterns and practices, especially her own genealogical ghostscapes. More recently Waters has been exploring how textile traditions can help navigate a future affected by climate change. These two works by Sera Waters draw on myths, histories, and narratives of the Australian bush and interior, weaving together research into explorers, family stories, popular culture, and folklore. Teeth and wild mouths become portals into different times and experiences: our colonial past, fictional bush tales, and lived encounters with a harsh, unpredictable land. Hand-embroidered and embellished with time-intensive techniques once linked to domestic craft, the works embody both fragility and ferocity. Delicate yet unsettling, these works reflect on survival, risk, and endurance, transforming personal and collective histories into strange offerings that are humorous, dark, and deeply human.