Warrnambool's Mechanics' Institute (or Institution as it was sometimes called) was one of the earliest in Victoria. On 17th October 1853 a meeting was held where it was resolved to request the Lieutenant Governor of the Colony to grant land for the erection of a Mechanics' Institutes building. A committee was formed at the meeting and Richard Osburne chaired the first meeting of this committee. The land on the North West corner of Banyan and Merri Streets was granted but there were no funds to erect the building. The Formal Rights of the Warrnambool Mechanics' Institute's encompassed its aims and these were officially adopted in1859; "This Institution has for its object the diffusion of literary, scientific, and other useful knowledge amongst its members, excluding all controversial subjects, religious or political. These objects are sought to be obtained by means of a circulating library, a reading room, the establishment of classes, debates, and the occasional delivery of lectures on natural and experimental philosophy, mechanics, astronomy, chemistry, natural history, literature, and the useful and ornamental arts, particularly those which have a more immediate reference to the colony." The Warrnambool Mechanics' Institute opened its first reading room in November1884 in the National School building at the corner of Banyan and Timor Streets. The Institute was funded by member subscription, payable on a quarterly, half yearly or yearly basis. Samuel Hannaford, the Manager of the Warrnambool Bank of Australasia, was the first Honorary Secretary of the Mechanics' Institutes, and an early President and Vice-President. He also gave several of the early lectures in the Reading Room. Another early Secretary, Librarian and lecturer was Marmaduke Fisher, the teacher at the National School. Lecture topics included The Poets and Poetry of Ireland', 'The Birth and Development of the Earth', 'The Vertebrae - with Remarks on the pleasures resulting from the study of Natural History' and 'Architecture'. In 1856 the Reading Room was moved to James Hider's shop in Timor Street, and by 1864 it was located in the bookshop of Davies and Read. In the 1860's the Mechanics' Institute struggled as membership waned but in 1866, after a series of fund raising efforts, the committee was able to purchase land in Liebig Street, on a site then called Market Square, between the weighbridge and the fire station. A Mechanics' Institute building was opened at this site in August 1871. The following year four more rooms were added to the main Reading Room and in 1873 the Artisan School of Design was incorporated into the Institute. The same year Joseph Archibald established a Museum; however it deteriorated when he was transferred to Bendigo in 1877. In 1880, with Archibald's return to Warrnambool, the Museum was re-established, and in 1885 a new building was built at the back of the Institute to accommodate the re-created School of Design, the Art Gallery and the Museum. In 1887 the Museum section was moved to the former court house in Timor Street (for some time the walls of the building formed part of the TAFE cafeteria but all is now demolished)). In 1911 the Museum was transferred back to the original building and the management of the Mechanics' Institute was handed over to the Warrnambool City Council. The Museum and Art Gallery became one and housed many fine works of art, and the Library continued to grow. The building was well patronised, with records showing that at the beginning of the 20th century there were between 500 and 800 visitors. During World War One the monthly figures were in the thousands, with 3,400 people visiting in January 1915. The Museum was a much loved Institution in Warrnambool until the contents of the Museum and Art Gallery were removed to make room for the Warrnambool City Council Engineers' Department. The contents were stored but many of the items were scattered or lost. When the original building was demolished the site became occupied by the Civic Centre, which included the new City Library. (The library was temporarily located in the old Palais building in Koroit Street.) In the process of reorganisation the Collection was distributed amongst the community groups: -The new City Library took some of the historic books and some important documents, historic photographs and newspapers. -The Art Gallery kept the 19th Century art collection and some of the artefacts from the museum. -The Historic Society has some items -The State Museum has some items -Some items were destroyed -Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village has old newspapers, Government Gazettes, most of the Mechanics' Institute Library, ledgers and documents connected to the Mechanics' Institute Library, some framed and unframed art works and some photographs. The Warrnambool Mechanics' Institute Library book collection is deemed to be of great importance because it is one of the few collections in an almost intact state, and many of the books are now very rare and of great value. The Cities of Australia Author: Kathleen Ussher Publisher: JM Dent and Sons Date: 1928Label on spine cover with typed text RA 919.4 USS Inside front loose endpaper has a sticker from Warrnambool Mechanics Institute and Free Library The next paper has a stamp from Warrnambool Mechanics Institute and Free Library warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, shipwrecked-artefact, great ocean road, book, warrnambool library, warrnambool mechanics’ institute, mechanics’ institute library, victorian library board, warrnambool books and records, warrnambool children’s library, warrnambool public library, the cities of australia, kathleen ussher

Large Silver Plated Medal minted by the City of Nunawading for the Australian BicentenaryCity of Nunawading Crest Australia Festival The Australian Bicentenary Symbol 1788 - 1988.numismatics, medals - civic, civic mementoes, souvenirs

Blank Certificate issued by Nunawading City Council 'In Recognition and Appreciation of Your Sponsorship of the City of Nunawading Australia Day Festival'. Space is available for a signature by the Mayor and a date.Blank Certificate issued by Nunawading City Councilcity of nunawading, australia day

Colour slide in a mount. View of Perth city, Perth, Western AustraliaMade in Australia / Perth City (Handwritten)perth, slide

This award is in recognition for the Society's 60th Birthday Open Day ExhibitionRDHS was nominated for an award for our Ringwood and District Heritage Open Day, held on 27 October 2018. The Society was announced as the winner at the Maroondah City Council Australia Day Awards Ceremony held at Ringwood Lake Reserve on 26th January 2019. It was accepted by RDHS President Russ Haines. This catalogue item consists of - Maroondah City Council Australia Day Awards & Australian Citizenship Ceremony Booklet - Nomination Certificate - Winning award Certificate - Maroondah Council Official Photograph of Russ Haines with Certificate (See Item 11001 for photographs of the presentation ceremony)

The Nunawading Council produced Commemoration First Day Covers stamped First Day of Issues for Australia Day during the years 1981-1992Envelope on which stamped:- 'First Day of Issue, Nunawading Victoria. Australia Day 1981'. At bottom left hand corner:- Nunawading coat of arms and 'Nunawading City Council, Australia Day Family Festival, 26 January 1981'Municipal Office, Nunawadingphilately, date stamps, civic mementoes, souvenirs

Medallions became redundant when City of Nunawading became City of Whitehorse2 Silver plated medallions donated by City of WhitehorseCity of Nunawading Victoria Australianumismatics, medals - civic

Display made for Book Week 1983 by donor, Jay MILLER who was a newly qualified part-time librarian at Port Melbourne City Library from 1983 - 1984. The library was then situated next to the old Fire Station on the site where Coles is now located.Photograph of Book Week 1983 display at Port Melbourne City Library - Contemporary Australian Writers.jay miller, port melbourne library, coles, fire station

Flag was used prior to the changeover from City of Nunawading to City of Whitehorse in 1994.White polyester flag with Nunawading Coat of Arms in colour and City of Nunawading Australia in black lettering underneath.flags, civic

Early photograph of a railway line heading West towards the city. Australian Tesselated Tile building on the background.railways, australian tesselated tile co. pty. ltd.

BHS CollectionFourteen pages booklet with grey cover and small red rope tying the pages together. On the front Golden Bendigo, the forest city Victoria...Australia. Panoramic view of Pall Mall, Bendigo and other photographic reproductions of views of the city. Printed and published by Cambridge Press, Bendigo.bendigo, golden bendigo, photographs of bendigo

The Ringwood line was electrified in 1922 and extended to Lilydale and Fern Tree Gully in 1925An early black and white photograph of a passenger train heading West towards the city. Australian Tesselated Tile chimney in the background.electric trains, passenger trains, railways

This invitation to a ‘Conversazione’ to celebrate the Federation of the six colonies in Australia into the six States of Australia in 1901 was sent to the invitees after the event to keep as a souvenir of the occasion. The event was hosted by the Government of Victoria. The certificate was designed by George Brougham Austin, a Melbourne architect and artist employed by the Victorian Department of Public Works. He also designed many of the public decorations displayed in Melbourne during the Federation celebrations. Austin’s original work was lithographed by an artist at Sands and McDougall, Melbourne. This particular invitation was sent to George Rolfe and his wife, Annie. George Rolfe (1836-1919), a tea merchant from Melbourne, began buying blocks of land near the mouth of the Hopkins River in Warrnambool in the 1870s. By the early 1880s he owned 50 acres of land in the town and some nearby farming properties. He used the building on the ]and near the mouth of the Hopkins River as holiday accommodation and called the property, Lyndoch. He improved the property with the additions of stables, jetty, boathouse, bone and chaff sheds, reservoir and windmill and extensive gardens. Rolfe spent most of his later life at Lyndoch. Today the property is the site of an Aged Care facility. This certificate is of considerable importance for two reasons: 1. It is an important and attractive memento of a signal event in the history of Australia – the Federation of the States in 1901. 2. The certificate was an invitation to Mr and Mrs George Rolfe. George Rolfe was a prominent Warrnambool person in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This is a multi-coloured certificate printed on a cream-coloured card. The certificate has an image of the Exhibition Building surrounded by an ornate border of heraldic shields, portraits of the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York, views of the six capital cities of Australia, native flora and fauna, the Royal Crest and the Crest of Australia. The names of the invitees are handwritten in black ink. ‘United Australia 1901 One Flag One Hope One Destiny Australian Commonwealth Celebrations’ ‘The Government of Victoria requests the honor of the presence of Mr & Mrs G. Rolfe at a Conversazione in the Exhibition Building on the Evening of Tuesday 7th May 1901 at 8 p.m.’ george rolfe of lyndoch, warrnambool, federation of australia, history of warrnambool, george rolfe

One of the three projectors used in every trip was this 16mm Portable Projector, which was used taken to about 60 towns and cities around Australia, as Mr Yiannoudes states. This projector is in working condition serviced by Mr Yiannoudes himself regularly. It is an optical and magnetic sound projector, a rare one of its type.Primary historic significance as well as rarity significanceFrom January 1959 and until 1982, “Cosmopolitan Motion Pictures”, owned by Mr Peter Yannoudes (Παναγιώτης Γιαννούδης) and Mr Stathis Raftopoulos (Στάθης Ραφτόπουλος) travelled around Australia to entertain the Greek, Turkish, Indian and Yugoslav speaking population of Australia and provide a significant cinema culture. They travelled as far as Perth in WA, Adelaide in SA, Tasmania, Darwin in Nt, Canberra in ACT and Sydney and NSW. However they found themselves also in places like Berri and Renmark in NSW, where concentrations of migrants lived and thrived during the period. Initially they were travelling by train, carrying all their equipment by hand and placing them in boxes and suitcases. However after 1962 when they acquired their first automobile, travelling became less of a burden, nevertheless cumbersome and laborious. They carried with them initially two portable projectors (second one as a backup) and at times travelled with a third in order to ensure that technology will not be letting them down at the time of film projection. At times the films were projected onto a white sheet of cloth because there was no proper screen to project it on at the venue they were using. One of the three projectors used in every trip was this 16mm Portable Projector, which was used taken to about 60 towns and cities around Australia, as Mr Yiannoudes states. This projector is in working condition serviced by Mr Yiannoudes himself regularly. It is an optical and magnetic sound projector, a rare one of its type. Apart from this projector these items were taken on each trip. -a- 3 projectors in total -b- 2 tripod stands -c- 1 20 feet x 10 feet screen -d- 6 projector lamps and 2 exider lamps for sound -e- 2 extra lamps per film to be shown -f- 1 film rewinder (see rewinder in same collection)Siemensprojector, film, magnetic, sound, optical, language, greek, siemens, german, γιαννούδης, προβολέας, yiannoudes, plutarch

Colour slide in a mount. Unknown location, possibly city laneway, Melbourne, Victoria, AustraliaMade in Australia / 19 / JUN 67M6 / Encircled 27 (Handwritten)slide, robin boyd

Report - 16 pages + two plans within a grey cover stapled - titled "Commonwealth of Australia Department of Home Affairs - The Federal Capital - Report Explanatory on the Preliminary General Plan" - looking at the site, functions and layout of the proposed capital city of Australia - Canberra. Includes some notes on railways and a rapid transit facility. Signed Walter Burley Griffin, Federal Capital Director of Design and Construction, October 1913.Has in ink in the top right hand corner "Mr. Lormer"trams, tramways, commonwealth government, planning, canberra

Coloured photo of City of Nunawading Pipe Band - Australia Day.city of nunawading pipe band, australia day

Coloured photo of City of Nunawading Pipe Band - Australia Daycity of nunawading pipe band, australia day

This award is in recognition for the Society's 60th Birthday Open Day ExhibitionRDHS was nominated for an award for our Ringwood and District Heritage Open Day, held on 27 October 2018. The Society was announced as the winner at the Maroondah City Council Australia Day Awards Ceremony held at Ringwood Lake Reserve on 26th January 2019. It was accepted by RDHS President Russ Haines. This catalogue item consists of 4 photographs taken on the day by Ken Briscoe. (Edited/Cropped). See Item 11000 for the actual award certificates and BookletNone

This book by Rod Kirkpatrick gives a summary of the history of newspapers in provincial towns and cities in Australia. There are some references to newspapers in Warrnambool and surrounding districts. This book will be useful for research.This is a soft cover book of 266 pages. It has a white cover with black printing and one sepia-coloured photograph on the front cover and one black and white photograph on the back cover. The pages contain 13 chapters with a bibliography, appendix and index. The book contains many black and white photographs and tables. newspapers in australia, history of warrnambool

Black and white photo of City of Nunawading Pipe Band - Australia Day.city of nunawading pipe band, australia day

Soldiers sitting outside the YMCA Soldiers' Club. Location unknown. There were YMCA soldiers' clubs in most capital cities in Australia, where soldiers could meet, relax and have a meal.Digital copy of black and white postcard.world war i, ymca soldiers club, young mens christian association

The seaside town of Geelong is the second largest city in Victoria, Australia.An image of a number of multi-storey buildings that made up the Geelong Civic Precinct in 1934. geelong

Post Box Close up of PlaqueA Colour Photgraph of a plaque with the Inscription "For Histrical Significance this postage box has been donated to the city of Stawell by Australia Post on the 12/11/1989"stawell