The City of Moorabbin Historical Society was formed c 1960 by a group of Moorabbin residents who were concerned that the history of the area should be preserved. A good response to a call for items related to the historical area of Moorabbin Shire brought donations of a wide variety of artefacts which are now preserved by the current members of CMHS at Box Cottage Museum . Helen Stanley, Secretary of CMHS, began producing a Newsletter for members in April 2007 to provide current information and well researched items of historical interest.Helen Stanley has produced a bi-monthly Newsletter, 2007 - 2013, for the members of the City of Moorabbin Historical Society that contains well researched interesting historical items, notification of upcoming events, current advice from Royal Australian Historical Society , Museums Australia Victoria and activities of Local Historical Societies. The Newsletter is an important record of the activities of the CMHS. Tom Sheehy, past President of CMHS, was an Historian and Author of ‘Battlers Tamed the Sandbelt’. A4 paper printed both sides x1. Issue 7 of the bi-monthly, City of Moorabbin Historical Society Newsletter produced by Society member and Secretary, Mrs Helen Stanley in June 2008. Notice for meeting June 29th and August 31st at which Ms Dorothy Booth’s topic will be ‘The Historical Mentone Railway Gardens’. Another excerpt from the CMHS Newsletter November 1965, by Tom Sheehy, President, called ‘Memories of Old Cheltenham’ This is the story ‘as told’ to Tom Sheehy by Jack McCarthy b 1890, a member of CMHS, and includes a photocopied photograph of passengers on SS Hygeia c 1900 on a trip across the Bay to the Geelong area. CITY of MOORABBIN HISTORICAL SOCIETY / JUNE 2008 NEWSLETTERcity of moorabbin historical society, stanley helen, melbourne, moorabbin, brighton, chelsea, cheltenham, ormond, bentleigh, market gardeners, pioneers, early settlers, moorabbin shire, sheehy tom, box cottage museum, highett, cheltenham railway station victoria, mccarthy jack, power maurice j., charman road state school, standard certificate education, cheltenham post office, point nepean road, sports, moorabbin show, processions, parades, mentone ice skating rink, sheperd’s café, bourke street, horse tram, sandringham, beach road, ss hygeia, ss courier, ss edina, mechanics hall, memorial hall, magic lantern shows, crooks mr., engine drivers strike 1903, park road cheltenham, booth dorothy, mentone railway station gardens

This fixed round was unique in that it could only be fired from two guns produced by Maxim-Nordenfelt as prototype guns. Subsequent guns were loaded with a separate projectile and shell casing. The 14 pounder Quich Firing (QF) guns were acquired for use on the armed commercial steamer SS Courier. While not in use they were used at Fort Queenscliff before being returned to the Victorian Navy. The guns were then fitted to HMVS Nelson and then HMVS Cerberus in 1897. In 1900 they were fitted to field gun carriages and accompanied the Victorian Naval Contingent to China.Cylindrical steel projectile with conical nose.Noneammunition

"Three interesting and valuable volumes on mineralogy by Jameson, an old-time authority, published in 1916, have been presented to the School of Mines by Mr J.F. Austin, headmaster of Wendouree State School." (Ballarat Courier 31 May 1916) Author Robert Jameson was the Regius Professor of Natural History, Lecturuer on Mineralogy and keeper of the Museum in the University of Edinburgh.Blue hard covered bookStamped on inside cover with Ballarat School of Mines Stamp Pasted in label on inside cover "May 1916 Presented by J.F. Austin Esq, SS. Wendouree" Signed on Frontice page "I.C. Wirst" "J.F. Austin"j.f. austin, robert jameson, mineralogy

The SS ‘Excelsior’ was an iron screw steamer, built in Southampton, England, in 1882 and first registered in Melbourne, Victoria, in 1882. Her journey from Southampton, England to Melbourne, Victoria is reported to have taken just 66 days. She would prove to be a very popular vessel on Port Phillip Bay, though her reign may have been relatively short as she was sunk in 1890. She was refloated sometime between 1890 to 1900 as some records state 1890, others at 1900. Gross Tonnage: 350, Net Tonnage: 172, Length: 186 ft 6 in (56.85 m), Beam: 21 ft 1 in (6.43 m), Depth: 10 ft 7 in (3.23 m), First Owner: Huddart Parker & Co. A Timeline of SS Excelsior’s life: 15 Jan 1883 → the SS ‘Excelsior’ commenced the Melbourne to Geelong run. 27 Jan 1940 21 Jan 1890 →the SS ‘Flora’ ran aground whilst heading out to Hobart, Tasmania, on a tight bend in the Yarra River at Spotswood. Whilst stuck fast in the mud, the SS ‘Excelsior’ ran into her stern – thankfully the damage to both vessels was only minor. 9 Jan 1897 → The SS ‘Excelsior’ sank the Ketch ‘Lu Lu’ on the south bank of the Hopetoun Channel near Geelong, Victoria. Blame is shared between Captains of both vessels: At the meeting of the Marine Board the report of the nautical expert committee, relative to the collision between the steamer Excelsior and ketch Lulu, was considered. The committee recommended that the matter should be remitted to the Marine Court, and a charge of misconduct preferred against Gilbert Moore, master of the Excelsior. Mr Wilson, one of the committee, dissented. He thought in view of the nature of the evidence charges should be preferred against both masters. Mr Dickens moved an amendment to the latter effect, but it was rejected, and the report adopted. 11 Jul 1899 → The SS ‘Edina’ sinks the SS ‘Excelsior’ during thick fog: Shortly after, half-past 11 o’clock this, morning a serious collision took place in Port Phillip Bay between the steamers Edina and the Excelsior. The Edina was on her way to Geelong, to which place she makes a trip every forenoon in the course of her trade with that port, and the Excelsior was coming up the bay to Melbourne. The weather was calm but thick, and a fog hung over the water. The Edina struck the Excelsior on the port side amidships, and she sank within a quarter of an hour. Both vessels carried a large number of passengers, and large cargoes, but there was very little excitement. The whole thing happened so suddenly that until the crash came those on board the steamers were not aware that any other boat was near at all. When both vessels began to draw away after the collision it was at once seen that the Excelsior was the most seriously injured of the two, and she at once began to settle down rapidly. Some of the Excelsior’s passengers were dragged on board the Edina at once, while the remainder, including the crew, were rescued by boats. As far as can be ascertained no one was drowned, but some 20 or 25 were injured. Dr. Wilson, headmaster of the Brighton Presbyterian Ladies’ College, was perhaps the most seriously injured of the Excelsior’s passengers. He was looking down the companion ladder ‘when the collision took place, and he was thrown violently below, sustaining a compound fracture of the right fore-arm. When attended to it was found, that he suffered severely from the shook of his fall and was rather in a bad way. A lady passenger by the Excelsior had her side lacerated, while another had her ankle sprained. The remainder of the others injured had either small cuts or were suffering from shock. The Excelsior went down stern first, and now lies in about five fathoms of water, with her bow above the surface. The Edina is almost uninjured, but she will be immediately placed in dock, as she is making water slightly. c 1900 → The SS ‘Excelsior’ was raised from her watery grave where a large cut can be seen on the SS Excelsior in dock and reveals the breach made and damage done by the Edina. c 1939 → Records regarding the SS ‘Excelsior’ are elusive until c 1939, when she was commissioned to relocate to Brisbane, Queensland, during the Second World War: The Excelsior came to Brisbane on a voyage north during the 1939-45 War. Being unseaworthy she could not be taken further and was used here as a workshop. After the war, she was discarded on Bishop Island. c 1946 → Sometime after WWII was over, the SS ‘Excelsior’ joined many a ship in the graveyard at Bishop Island in Queensland. The island has been the site for the disposal of many ships. Ships recorded as being discarded here include the Groper, Adonis, Roderick Dhu, Excelsior, Yosemite, Maida, Civility, Captain Cook, Bingera, St. Kilda, Lucinda, Moreton, Miner, Schnapper, Lochiel, Queensland, Victoria, and BadgerThe SS Excelsior is a well known ship from the history of Geelong. Its collision with the equally well known SS Edina is of particular interest to Geelong. She was a famous ship in the reckon of Port Phillip despite her short life stand, especially when compared to the SS Edina. Colour painting of ship departingship collision, ship wreck, ss excelsior, ss edina, bishop island

Ticket was used in 1931 and kept in storage by a member of the Edina's crew. The SS Edina was the most famous steamer in Australia and underwent a number of changes and refits during its lifetime. It had an unchallenged record of strandings and collisions with other vessels and of escaping serious damage itself. The vessels City of Melbourne, Courier, Manawatu, Excelsior (twice), Hovell, Batman, all suffered. When Edina was retired in 1938 it was the world's oldest working steamer and had travelled more than 1 million km. She was finally broken up by George Seelf on the banks of the Maribyrnong in 1957.The SS Edina was an iconic and affectionately regarded part of Port Phillips maritime history and culture. It is historically significant for being internationally famous as the worlds oldest working screw steamship between 1912 and 1938. Its career was varied and interesting and it is considered significant for its involvement in the Crimean War, US Civil War, NZ gold rushes, and locally for its career as a western district steamship and Bay steamer. The site is archaeologically significant as the only remnant of the hull of the vessel and as part of the Maribyrnong riverine landscape situated amongst the remnants of shipbuilding slipways, Footscray wharves, S781 UnidentifiedClipped and used steamship tickets [the children's tickets are an adult ticket cut in half diagonally] - Melbourne to PortarlingtonAustralian Steamships Pty Ltd, Howard Smith Ltd, managing agentsticket, steam screw vessels, ss edina, port phillip, bay steamers