Sidney and Ivy-Jane Browne purchased the Lower Plenty ‘Golf Club’ Hotel in 1940. They owned it until 1943. Their daughter, Irene Stella, was born in Eltham in July 1923 and would have been between 17 and 20 years of age at the time this photograph was taken. Ivy-Jane (nee Williams) was born in Eltham in December 1899 and was the sister of George Alfred Williams who is commemorated on the WWI plaque at the back of St. Margaret’s church, Eltham, and whose name is also listed on the Cenotaph in front of the Eltham War Memorial in Main Road, Eltham. Irene Browne married Leslie Allan Walker in 1945 and following his death in 1958 she married Charles William Smith. She died in 2008 and is buried in Omeo Cemetery along with her husband, Charles Smith. Her granddaughter, Veronica Gunn, advises a few years earlier, Irene’s son took her to the hotel and spoke with the then owner who showed Irene the photo, which she confirmed was of herself. Digital filelower plenty, lower plenty hotel, hotels, irene stella browne, irene stella smith, golf club hotel, 1940s

This book was conceived by the Nillumbik Women's Network as a way of writing women into local history. When seeking nominations for the 2010 editon, the press release stated: Nillumbik Shire’s official histories don’t reflect the important but often unacknowledged contribution of local women to the development of the area. To redress this, the Nillumbik Women’s Network (NWN) initiated a small project, Celebrating Nillumbik women in late 2007.( For details of the Nillumbik Women’s Network refer to attachment) The NWN sought nominations of local women who had made, or continue to make, a significant contribution to the social and cultural life of our community. The brief profiles of the nominees were published in a booklet, which was launched at an International Women’s Day celebration in March 2008, and a second publication was produced in 2009. We continue to be inspired by the quality and activism of our local women. Many of the biographies tell of women’s contribution to the building of the ‘social’ infrastructure of the Shire. These stories complement the official historical accounts which primarily document men’s role in building the physical infrastructure of the Shire. One begins to develop a clearer picture of how women went about developing the services which we take for granted today, from the small kindergartens operating out of church halls to the wide ranging network of occasional and long day childcare care to the development of home based services for older frail and disabled residents of the area. They also tell of the bravery and resilience of women in their response to the devastating impact of the Black Saturday bushfires. This volume includes profiles of 23 women, 2013 Nominees in addition to those included since the project was launched in 2008. The 2008 nominations are: Wendy Alexander, Jane Ashton, Sharon Banner, Janet Boddy, Catherine Cervasio, Belinda Clarkson, Helen Coleman, Cathy Dean, Judy Duffy, Gwen Ford, Jenny Graves, Cath Giles, Meera Govil, Ona Henderson, Jill Jameson, Vicki Kaye, Mrs Kimber, Nerida Kirov, Jane Lauber, Pam Lawson, Anne Manne, Chris Marks, Elizabeth Marshall, Dawn McDonnell, Jenny Millar, Grace Mitchell, Jenni Mitchell, Michelle Molinaro, Joy Murphy, Rosie Murphy, Barbara Murray, Tracey Naughton, Josephine Norman, Pamela Pederson, Mary Robertson, Vicki Ruhr, Geraldine Sanderson, Dawn Shaw, Fiona Sievers, Myra Skipper, Selina Sutherland, Barbara Talbot, Marjorie Taylor, Julie Tipene-O’Toole, Susie Walker, Donna Zander. 2009: Jan Aitken, Rosemary Aitken – OAM, Edith Apted, Betty Anderson, Thelma Barkway, Diana Bassett-Smith, Jenneke Bateman-Korteweg, Amy Bryans, Sabi Buehler, Jenni Bundy, Audrey Cahn, Linda Cornelissen, Janice Crosswhite, Elean Dansey, Christine Durham Claire Fitzpatrick, Ailsa Fitzmaurice, Lucinda Flynn, Sheryl Garbutt MP, Fran Gronow, Ev Hales, Irene “Rennie” Harrison, Ena Jarvis, Heather Kaufmann. 1948-2007: Helen Kenney, Margot Knox – Pederson, Lois Loftus-Hills, Nina Mikhailovna Christesen AM (nee Maximov), Penny Mullinar, Gwayne Naug, Nanette Oates, Lisal O’Brien, Stella Reid, Laura Rohricht, Meg Russell, Sonia Skipper, Bronwyn South, Pauline Toner MP, Lisa Walton, Diana Warrell, Rachel Watt. The 2013 nominations are: Roslyn Addison, Sue Aldred, Lucy Anderson, Sue Arnold, Mary Avola, Anna Foletta, Morag Fraser, Danielle Green MP, Colleen Hackett, Pam Hayes, Barbara Joyce, Carol Leeson, Sandra and Bruce Poloni, Many Press, Carolyn Royse, Hannah Sky, Lorna Smith, Lynlee Tozer, Kilanthi Vassiliadis, Kerry Wailes, Gale Weiss, Irma Winton and Alexis Wright.This book is a significant in the recording of the contribution of local women to the development of the Shire of Nillumbik, especially for the time frame 2008 -- 2013. Historically women's stories generally have not been told at all, let alone their contributions acknowledged. This book profiles and documents women's stories that otherwise may not have been told.women, nillumbik women's network

This is a photograoh of students at the Higher Elementary School at Orbost. Mary Gilbert has identified those in the photograph. From L-R Back Row - ? Irvine; Madge Macalaster; Rhoda Perry; Daisy Scouller; Dorrie Napier; Lila Perry; Don Cameron_____________________- Rita Murray; Raay Fisher; Grace Morris; Reston Nish; Bill Irvine; Stella Rodwell; Headmaster Mr W. Guy; ?; Annie Stirling; Harold Napier; R Lay; Dora Smith; Doris Shortell; Percy Hambrock Nellie MacPherson; Irene Parker; Gertie Griebenow; Vera Saunders; Mr Jack Blaikie; Bernice Feltis; Dillkys Broome; Vera Spink; Jean Irvine; Lexie Nixon; Eda Ross; Maggie Whillance; Violet Scouller; Jean Stirling; Miss Zoe Hazlett; Lily Daly; Jack Parker; Eric Herbert; ?; Tom Henderson; Frank Richardson; Vance Moysey; Vernon Nevins; Frank Rodwell; Bill Fisher; ? Murray Kerr Molly Dreverman; Emmy Gibbs; Hilda Kerr; Charlie Richards; Mick; Spink; Tom Swan; Ronnie Gluth; Annie Gibbs; Madge Grose; Mary Reynolds During 1910-11 the first approaches were made to the Department for the establishment of a HES in Orbost and this became a reality in 1912. Orbost HES supplied post-primary education in the district until a high school was built in 1948.Orbost High School / Orbost Secondary College has played a significant part in the education of senior students in the Orbost district . It is the sole senior educational institution. This photograph is representative of its history.A black / white photograph of children in front of a timber building with an open door. One female and two adult male teachers are with the children. At the front centre is a drum. Behind the drum is a boy holding a board with H.E.S. Orbost hand-written in what appears to be white chalk on a blackboard. There are three smaller boys holding brass musical instruments. The photograph is mounted on a brown card which is damaged. a card with names written in it has been attached to the photograph, on the front of the card at the bottom - "X Frank Richardson Bill Guy H.T. 1915".education-orbost-higher-elementary