James (Jim) Smith, (died 03/08/1974, aged 93 years) established an orchard growing snow apples in Happy Valley after returning from mining activities in South Africa. The orchard was called "Springdallah" and was beside the Linton/Happy Valley Road across from the old Happy Valley railway station. Jim was the son of George Henry Smith (18/12/1840 - 26/11/1903) and Emma Keys Smith born Keys (07/08/1842 - 28/08/1888). George and Emma left Liverpool with other unassisted immigrants on the "Bates Family" with baby Clara on 08/06/1863 arriving in Melbourne on 08/06/1863. George and Emma emigrated to Australia on the invitation of Emma's brother Edward Keys who owned a property near the school at Happy Valley on which there were two houses. Teddy offered George and Emma the smaller one to live in. When "Teddy" decided to go into hotel keeping George took over the 200 acres of his property and made it a pleasant orchard and garden called "Cress Green Gardens". George had various secretarial jobs - rate collector; paymaster at the mines; until he became Shire Secretary for the Shire of Grenville, whose centre was Linton and Government Auditor for Western Victoria (1894-1903), the means of transport being horse and buggy. Another son followed his father as Shire Secretary. George and Emma had 14 children, Emma dying giving birth to Emma Keys who lived for 16 months. George later married Annie Bolte with 2 more children being born. Annie later sold the property. The land was used for grazing and the two houses fell into disrepair. In 1995 George's grandson Ernest (Alf) Alfred Watson visited the site and reported a wrought iron gate at the site and a mulberry tree near the site of his grandmother's family home. Bluestone blocks can still be seen in the paddocks from the roadside. Jim Smith was the brother of Clara Emma Yung nee Smith.Sepia photo of two men and a girl. One of them is Jim Smith who established on orchard at Happy Valley. He also went to South Africa - mining activities. The orchard is now part of Clarkesdale Bird Sanctuary located at 360 Linton-Piggoreet Rd, Linton, Vic. 3360. Verso: Jim Smith South Africa (Mining) Established orchard halfway between Yendon and Happy Valley. Clara Emma's brother. [ Orchard established near Linton at Happy Valley.]jim smith, james smith, clara emma smith, happy valley, yendon, piggoreet, south africa, mining, orchard, edward keys, george henry smith, emma keys smith, clara emma yung, annie bolte, shire of grenville, clarkesdale bird sanctury

Interior of Library at Mechanics Institute c1955. Female is Miss Anne Carroll Librarian. The male standing on the right holding the book is Walter (Jim) Fleetwood Smith.stawell

Copy of photo of Prince Alfred Hotel c1910. Nine men standing in Bay Street include Maurice Twohig (publican family) and Walter Cooke (barber), Jim Smith, Bert Cooke and Gol Gallagher.hotels, maurice twohig, ellen twohig, eliza twohig, jim smith, walter cooke, bert cooke, gol gallagher

The folder or correspondence is the result of a Freedom of Informaition request made to the Department of Primary Industries in 2011. The folder was collected for research being conducted by David Waldron. John Higgins, managing editor of the Maryborough Advertiser was interested in sightings of what some suggested to be a puma or mountain lion in Central Victoria. A number of A4 printouts relating to large cat sightings in the Maryborough (Vic) area, many reported by the Marlborough Advertiser. The large cat referred to is often referred to as a Puma or Mountain Lion. (.7) Profile of Central Victorian Cat Australian Animal Folklore Collectionaustralian animal folklore collection, cat, ferral cat, puma, mountain lion, maryborough, maryborough victoria, ds saunders, bryan walters, bernie mall, peter chapple. graham george, australian cougar, felid, pamela parker, alan foskett, daisy hill, panther, john dix, ray elliott, dennis wiley, police sightings, graham hunt, brian douglas, stuart mill, graeme grant, a. venes, avoca, julie hobbs, greg gallagher, taltarni, moonambel, fred beach, majorca, michael rayner, chateau remy, john robb, wayne irvine, brian anderson, peter davies, talbot, joyce davies, tom davies, len farthing, barry rinaldi, edward stone, brian stone, judith tranter, alan poole, shane long, jim smith, lloyd forge, carisbrook, murray henderson, doug grose, john higgins, footprint cast, australian dasyurids, felis concolor, lioness, lion, shane long, wareek, koo-jar hill, american troops, betley cat, daisy hill cat, phelan road cat, amherst cat, john higgin, angus reynolds, betley tiger, tim clark, walters cougar catcher, identification chart, david towler, bob carr, rare fauna research society, lancefield cat, bernie mace, robert pattison, bryan de lacy, romsey, murray henderson, brian collinson, neil grummett, grummett, kenneth lamont, lamont, foskett, hobbs, rinaldi, poole, forge, henderson, grant, elliott, anderson, stone, irvine, douglas, stewart, long, mythical, myth, folklore, australian mythical animals collection, david waldron, land protection, d.s. saunders, judith henke, ravenswood, wedderburn, feral cat, laanecoorie, shellbourne, barru rinaldi, lan poole, dorothy smith, amherst cemetery, graham grant, maryborough advertiser, central victorian cat, st arnaud, kyneton, shane one wareek, lack of fossil evidence, koo-jat hill, cougar hill, plaster casts, lummis, goldsborough, ian lummis, hamilton, swan hill, wodonga

'The Years Between' is an oral history of RVIB 1866 - 1991. It was put together by Allan Nuske and Jamie Kelly and consists of narration and excerpts of oral histories from past staff/students. Through historical data and personal recollections, former students tell the story of how the institution developed under the changing approaches of teachers and other staff, the need to keep fundraising, being shipped to Olinda during the war, 153 MP3 audio recordings comprising a file for each section of the bookMany thanks to Alan Nuske, Betty Vinters, Jon Lock, Ross Johnstone, Simon von Saldern, Leo Hartman, Elaine Leahy, Mary Adams, Ben Quin, Kasia Graphics, Art Attack, June Treadwell, Jamie Kelly, Neville Kerr, Dorothy Hamilton, family and friends of Alan Nuske, Pam McAleese and Julie Brain.royal victorian institute for the blind, allan nuske, jamie kelly, alice mcclelland, john murphy, harry worland, dorothy hamilton, hugh jeffrey, violet arnett, ian cooper, harry finlayson, elaine leahy, joan neich, reuban ryan, neville kerr, e.e. (ted) petersen, neil westh, norman rees, charlie bradley, ethel sutcliffe, esme dunnell, margaret fialides, carol baxter, ben quin, graeme mcgowan, margaret bull, jim smith, dick sutcliffe, ray smart, george findlay, edward (ted) hanlon, david blyth, martin stewart, len stevens, oral history