Wooden handles, unpainted metal wheel, hoe and fittingsfarm machinery, soil cultivation, hoe scarifier, hand operated

Twelve blade, 5-6 horse scarifier, green, surface rust, yellow wheels and brakefarm machinery, soil cultivation, scarifier, horse drawn

unpainted wooden handles, surface rust on wheelfarm machinery, soil cultivation, wheel hoe, hand operated

Ploughing is a major part of soil conservation, and until 1945, it was mainly done with the aid of horses. The plough cuts into the soil with a coulter, and is followed by the share. The latter digs deeper and pushes up the soil which is then turned over by the mould board. This buries weeds, and exposes the soil to the elements whilst creating a furrow. Single furrow triangular mould board plough painted greenfarm machinery, soil cultivation, mould board plough, horse drawn

Ploughing is a major part of soil conservation, and until 1945, it was mainly done with the aid of horses. The plough cuts into the soil with a coulter, and is followed by the share. The latter digs deeper and pushes up the soil which is then turned over by the mould board. This buries weeds, and exposes the soil to the elements whilst creating a furrow. Single furrow mould board plough, handles painted green,silver worn off base of mouldboardfarm machinery, soil cultivation, mouldboard plough, horse drawn

Ploughing is a major part of soil conservation, and until 1945, it was mainly done with the aid of horses. The plough cuts into the soil with a coulter, and is followed by the share. The latter digs deeper and pushes up the soil which is then turned over by the mould board. This buries weeds, and exposes the soil to the elements whilst creating a furrow. A double furrow mould board plough makes two trenches, and although it does twice the work, it requires more power to pull than the single furrow design. Double furrow mould board plough, two wheels front, one rear, painted brownfarm machinery, soil cultivation, mouldboard plough, horse drawn

Unusual objectHand pushed two drum tiller, unpainted wooden handle, metal drumsfarm machinery, soil cultivation, hand tiller, hand operated

Horse-drawn shave plough, green structure, yellow wheeels. One disc removedfarm machinery, soil cultivation, shave plough, horse drawn

Ploughing is a major part of soil conservation, and until 1945, it was mainly done with the aid of horses. The plough cuts into the soil with a coulter, and is followed by the share. The latter digs deeper and pushes up the soil which is then turned over by the mould board. This buries weeds, and exposes the soil to the elements whilst creating a furrow. Green framework, single front wheelfarm machinery, soil cultivation, mouldboard plough, horse drawn

Ploughing is a major part of soil conservation, and until 1945, it was mainly done with the aid of horses. The plough cuts into the soil with a coulter, and is followed by the share. The latter digs deeper and pushes up the soil which is then turned over by the mould board. This buries weeds, and exposes the soil to the elements whilst creating a furrow. A double furrow mould board plough makes two trenches, and although it does twice the work, it requires more power to pull than the single furrow design. Green framework, yellow mouldboards and wheelsfarm machinery, soil cultivation, mouldboard plough, horse drawn

This type of plough was used to turn the soil for planting. In Australia, the horse was the chief source of power till the 1930's so in this case it would be hitched to the front of the plough and the farmer would hold the plough handles at the rear. As the horse pulled the plough along, the soil would be turned over and a single furrow created. The farmer, as he followed, would throw the seed or potatoes into the furrow.Single furrow mould board plough, green metal, unpainted woodchurchill island, farm machinery, soil cultivation, mouldboard plough, horse drawn

Ploughing is a major part of soil conservation, and until 1945, it was mainly done with the aid of horses. The plough cuts into the soil with a coulter, and is followed by the share. The latter digs deeper and pushes up the soil which is then turned over by the mould board. This buries weeds, and exposes the soil to the elements whilst creating a furrow. The stump jump plough was initially invented and developed by two brothers, Richard Bowyer Smith and Clarence Herbert Smith, on the Yorke Peninsula in South Australia in the 1870s. A lot of the farming land in this country was cleared from natural bush through extremely hard manual work and burning. Often there would be residual stumps and roots in the soil which played havoc with long-standing traditional ploughing equipment. The stump jump plough was designed to lift over the obstruction and down again and continue ploughing the soil. It was hailed as a revolutionary change in the way Australian farmers ploughed their land.Unpainted metal stump jump plough with information signagefarm machinery, soil cultivation, stump jump plough, horse drawn

The tynes on this horse-drawn machine would dig into the ground to break up and aerate the soil in preparation to plant crop.Burgundy structure with cream wheels seat and white hand brake. Single long unpainted polehistoric farm machinery, tiller, cultivation, horse drawn

This letter was sent by a customer D. Menzies at Skipton to the Mortlake Mill, detailing an unusual payment method for the processing of his wheat into flour. David Menzies was a Scots farmer who lived in Skipton c. 1860's on a bend in the Mount Emu Creek. He helped establish the local school and a lane in the township bears his name. The letter illustrates the nature of commerce and the difficulties of communication and life generally in the country at the time. The bluestone Mortlake Mill built in 1856, has been a prominent landmark in Mortlake for over 150 years. It played a significant role in the commercial life of the town and was initially a wind-mill to process district grain for sale. The goldrush at Ararat 100 km. away led to a temporarily increased population and demand for foodstuffs. In 1857 the Mill was sold to Aikman, Hamilton and Geddes who converted it to steampower and later built the prominent chimney, which is on the Heritage Register as part of the National Estate. D. Menzies at Skipton lived at least 85 km away - his wheat which urgently needed milling, faced a slow and arduous journey by bullock dray. After the demise of the Ararat goldfields and the decline in population (as well as the district soils proving unsuitable for sustained wheat cultivation), the operation of the Mill declined too and the proprietors increased their involvement in other activities - supply of building materials, timber felling and sawmills. Despite the apparent difficulties of conducting business in the 1850's, it is notable that commerce thrived at that time in country districts, as an examination of Mill accounts and records show.Handwritten letter dated 1864 (water-stained)Skipton March 7 1864 [to] Messrs. Hamilton & Co. Mortlake. Dear Gentlemen, I was in hope of hearing from you before now that you had commenced working the Mill, & that I could have sent you the enclosed money [for a] load of wheat for Gristing. Please receive the enclosed 2 halves of 2 [two] 5 [pound sign] notes forwarded to your account. the other halves will be sent on receipt of your stating you having received those notes sent. As I am out of flour be so good as say how soon I may send a load of wheat. In haste I am Gentlemen Yours truly D. Menziesmortlake mill grain wheat hamilton geddes aikman laang dixie menzies skipton

The Old Wind Mill in Mill Street Mortlake was constructed in 1856 by Thos. Bostock. It was erected to process locally-grown grain to supply the increased population of the Ararat goldfields with flour. It was painted in 1916 by W.Alen a local artist, who did not have first-hand knowledge of the old Mill, but would have relied on descriptions from those living in the district who did, as well as possibly recollections of windmills in Europe and Britain. The Mill has been a prominent landmark in Mortlake for over 150 years. It was converted to steam after it was sold in 1857 to Hamilton, Aikman and Geddes. Its use declined after the Ararat goldfields petered out, the diggers moved on and local soils proved unsuited to the sustained cultivation of wheat. The existing Mill Chimney is Heritage listed and is part of the National Estate.1 paintingSigned W.Alenmill windmill mortlake national estate hamilton bostock aikman geddes