Matilda was a Merino ewe who went missing for over 5 years on cattle country just outside of Hamilton. When she was found she had over 30 kgs of fleece that needed to be shorn. She was shorn in Melbourne's Federation Square in 2005. Her fleece was then processed into fabric by CSIRO. The fleece made enough fabric for six jackets. The jackets were auctioned at Crown Palladium Ballroom in March of that year. The winners had their jacket tailored to their measurements by Blazzer. All profits from the auction went to Celebration of Life, a fund established to support Victoria's Royal Children’s Hospital neonatal unitFour samples of wool in the different stages of process. The first two are of the raw fleece from the sheep, the second has been washed and combed, the third a fabric sample created from the wool.wool, sheep, merino wool, missing sheep, maltilda, fleece, csiro

This "lovers" necklace is made from Sterling Silver and was imported into "the Colony" before the Australian Federation was enacted. This was a time when very close "bondage" between Australia and England was shown by the amount of "quality" products that were purchased, and the motto "Best of British" was truly still entwined in all aspects of rural live, from "British" mores and values "inherited from the "colonial days". It was only after World War II (when Britain could not help to defend Australia from the Japanese) that these long held mores were, through generations and generations, that the USA and Asian markets and goods replaced the "old" ties.This ladies silver necklace is very significant to the Kiewa Valley because it demonstrates the "rural" mores and values at a time(1800's to mid 1900's) when the "gap" between city and rural mores was very pronounced. That gap was maintain only through the degree of "isolation" (communication and physical interactions) between the two major types of "communities" and the evolving mores which each of them were going through. The social structure was just as pronounced in rural areas as it was in the cities. Fine jewelry was a "sparkling" affirmation of status and "wealth". The rural sectors had very wealthy sectors before the World Wars, when "Australia" was riding "on the sheep's back", but the increased mineral wealth exports and "big" industry of the cities started to forge ahead.This necklace is made from sterling silver and has four double bar and six lover's knots coupled to a silver chain. There is one silver double bar missing and may have been removed to reduce the length of the necklace. Sterling silver Hallmarks and Makers marks are stamped on the links and the clasp. The meaning of the horizontal twin bars have not yet been interpreted .Hall marks "PWC" and "AA"necklace, jewellery, sterling silver, lovers knot

The stamp on this bench depicts a sheep hanging from its waist. This logo is on the Warrnambool City's coat of arms. It is also on the Bank of Australasia's coat of arms. However, there is no further information about the history of tis bench is currently available, it is believed to be homemade from around 1950s.Item at this time cannot be associated with an historical event, person or place, provenance is unknown.Bench, wooden, painted black. Made of planks. Inscription stamped onto wood.Depicts an imprint of a sheep hanging with back mid section. The words "Highly Inflammable" "H" (section missing) "GH"flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, wooden bench, bench made of planks, bench, workbench, hanging sheep logo, suspended sheep

In the early 1880s a small circus travelled between Millicent and Mt Gambier, South Australia. After camping overnight they discovered their Bengal Tiger at escaped and disappeared into dense scrub. After searching for hours they continued to Mt Gambier and reported the loss of the tiger to police. Police and local volunteers continued the search for the escaped tiger, but no sighting were made. In the early 1890s sheep in the Tantanoola area started to disappear with the still unsighted tiger being blamed. In 1893 reports of an unusual animal in the Tantanoola area started, with many describing the animal as the missing tiger, or a large dog. One eye witness claimed to have seen the animal carrying a full grown sheep in its mouth. The reports grew in number and exaggeration with sightings from Robe to Bendigo. In the Tantanoola district children were escorted with shotgun guards to and from school, with many homes keeping guns at the ready in case the tiger suddenly appeared. In August 1895 Tom Donovan shot the "Tantanoola Tiger" on Mt Salt Station, around 20 kms south of Tantanoola. The corpse was taken to Marks, a Mount Gambier taxidermist, at which time the animal was identified as an Assyrian or Northern Russian Wolf. Donovan displayed the animal far and wide. Despite the animal's death sheep continued to disappear from properties in the district over many years. It was of particular concern between 1909 and 1910. At that time Herbert Allchurch, an Adelaide detective, was sent to solve the mystery. A few days after his arrival Allchruch went to the front bar of the Tiger Hotel and arrested local rabbit shooter and trapper, Charlie Edmunson, with sheep stealing. After his 1911 trial Edmunson admitted to stealing over 4,000 sheep during the previous 20 years. He was gaoled for six years with hard-labour in January 1911. Edmunson had been selling the skins of the stolen sheep, leaving the carcusses to rot. He earned around five pounds per week during the 1990s and early 1900s, a time when the economy was depressed. It is not known had the animal known as the Tantanoola Tiger came to Australia, but it is believed it survived one of three ships wrecked of the coast between 1890 and 1893, making it to shore along with some of the shipwrecked passengers. (From a card produced by the Tantanoola Tiger Hotel, where the 'tiger' is on display.)A collection of Newsclippings from 1892 - 1895 photocopied onto A4 white paper. The clippings relate to the Tantanoola Tiger. Clippings include: * Border Watch 1892 - Tantanoola Tiger Reward * Sydney Morning Herald, 04/07/1857 - Animals in Zoological Gardens, including a number of large cats. * Claims the Tantanoola Tiger was an escaped circus animal (ie The Advertiser [Adelaide], 31 October 1893) * Search parties for the Tantanoola Tiger (ie Barrier Miner 19/05/1893; Barrier Miner 03/1081893) * Thylacine claim (ie Morning Bulletin [Rockhampton] 11/03/1895 * Afghan and Indian Hunters (ie Barrier Miner 07/02/1895) * Sighting by John Bird of Scarsdale - Wanganui Herald 15/12/1900. " ... Mr Bird was travelling on foot along a lonely track through very dense scrub, when he was stricken with amazement to see a full-grown tiger standing in a small dam about 30ft away, and holding in its jaws the carcass of a newly-killed lamb. He remained long enough to thoroughly take in the animals appearance, and then beat a hasty retreat unmolested. His description of the animal is as follows: A tawny-coloured creature, with a dirty mottled skin; in general appearance like an immense cat; body 4ft long, and of a uniform thickness from shoulder to hindquarters; in bulk equal to a very large pig. The legs were hidden in the water. A similar animal is reported to gave been seen near Canico, some miles away. ..." * Victorian country sightings # Bullarto - Argus 06/05/1905 # Dean - Launceston Examiner 28/01/1895 # Bendigo - Hobart Mercury 15/03/1895 # Ballan - Launceston Examiner 03/08/1895 * South Australian register 17/06/1885 " There is a tiger or panther wandering at large in Victoria, according to a rumour. It has taken the place of the Bunyip, whom hundreds have seen but none captured. This tiger is supposed to have broken loose from a travelling menagerie in the North-eastern district. At the beginning we should like it roved that such an escape ever took place. Perhaps the showmen were afraid to report the fact to the police; at any rate they did not do so. The first story about the tiger being seen came from the neighborhood of Wangaratta, 60 miles from the place where it is said to have commenced business on its own account. He was followed, but vanished among trees. Next we hear of a strange animal, bigger than a St Bernard's dog, but shorter legged, having appeared at least 150 miles from Wangaratta. Between Lilydale and Wangaratta there is a dividing range 2,000 feet high in the lowest past, besides several large rivers. An finally, the tiger - changed from a panther - is reported as having been seen within the suburban circle, about 8 miles from the general Post Office. They show you footprints, and point to the carcasses of mangled cows and calves. Casts have been taken of the footprints for examination by scientific men, who pronounce them doglike, and yet not doglike, but panther-like, which gives a nervous turn, for the panther may take up killing children and grown-up people. One tiger will not account for so many apparitions. There must have been a general strike among the menageries, and a breaking-up companies. ... * Research article by Philip A. Clarke "Indigenous Spirit and Ghost Folklore of 'Settled' Australia. australian animal folklore collection, tantanoola tiger, tom donovan, herbert allchurch, charles edmunson, sheep, charlie edmunson, mythical, myth, folklore

Dalgety & Co Wool Limited Melbourne Wool Waybills booklet. Grey Light cardboard cover contains 3 pages missing 6 torn out along the perforations. The second page has handwritng detailing the 3 bales of wool received by R H Abbott. It also contains three sheets of carbon paper in special shiny pages at the back. The booklet also contains advertising for sheep related products and a Tobacco Ad Printed by T & H Hunter printers Melbourne

The ear punch is used to create a hole in the ears of domestic livestock such as cows and sheep so an identification tag can be applied. The variety of tags available these days are very important for identifying, monitoring, and managing individual animals and herds. Livestock ear tags were initially developed in England in 1799 under the supervision of Sir Joseph Banks, President of the Royal Society, for helping to manage the Merino sheep in the flock established for King George III. They have been in widespread use all over the world ever since.Steel. Two handled. Return spring missing. Apple shaped punchcattle, ear punch, farm, tool, churchill island

Clothing. Navy blue wool (or polyester?) fabric. Pointed lapel collar, lined on the underside with felt. Two brass Leidertafel style badges-one either side of collar. Two rectangular shield-shaped breast pockets have rounded lower corners, and a shield-shaped flap closure, fastened with a 1.8 cm brass like plastic button. All buttons have an impressed laural wreath and horn, (suspended by a three looped cord) - a replica of British Light Infantry buttons. Three brass like plastic buttons at centre front (4th one is missing). All buttons are pinned onto the garment to enable easy removable for cleaning. Two inside breast pockets. Fully lined with blue taffeta-like fabric. On each upper sleeve, at shoulder level there is an 8 cm diameter circular cloth badge, embroidered in blue, red, and gold, displaying a Coat-of- Arms, and two shields - one blue embroidered with a bunch of grapes, and one red, embroidered with a sheaf of wheat and a sheep. These are probably symbols of the rural aspect of the town of Marong. Two lower ''pocket flaps'' are decorative, but not real pockets.Back of buttons: STOKES AUSTRALIA. On inside breast pocket: Embroidered label featuring Australian Coat-of Arms, and Quality Garment by Australian Government Clothing Factory.costume, male ceremonial, marong municipal band blazer

Used for shearing sheep before shears were electrifiedHand shears for shearing sheep, sprung handle, has points missing on blades"Combination / T / U / S No.1 / Sheffield"shearing, farm work, agriculture, farm tools

Three auction catalogues, two with red covers and the third is missing the cover. Sale of Earth Moving Machinery. Spare Parts, Machine Tools, Motor Trucks, Engineering Plant, Concrete Mixing and Batching Plant, Air Compressor Plants, Buildings, Stores and Costly Equipment on 31st March to 5th April 1952 (inclusive) at the White Swan Reservoir, Ballarat, Victoria. J. H. Curnow & Son Pty. Ltd. Were the auctioneers. Included in the catalogue is a Locality Plan showing location of lot areas - access roads, etc. Page 4 has a black and white photo showing Super c Tournapull, Lot 63 and Tractor hauling 12-15 cub. Yd. capacity scoop. Page 9 photo is Lot 209, a Sheep's Foot Roller, Page 12 photo is Lots 258, 259 & 260 - Class 1 tractor hauling two 12-15 c yd Te Tourneau Scrapers, and page 68 has a black & white photo of Lot 2377, the Concrete Batching Plant.business, auctioneers, j h curnow & son pty ltd, ian dyett collection - auction catalogue - white swan reservoir, the ballarat water commissioners, j h curnow & son pty ltd, prahran telegraph printing co