Sepia photograph. View looking north along High Street, Eaglehawk towards the Eaglehawk Town Hall and Virginia Hill behind. On either side of the street are double and single storied businesses. Wooden slatted tree guards, triangular configuration are close to the road gutter. Some horse-drawn vehicles are on the right side of the street. On Virginia Hill a mine and crushing battery building and chimney along with a few eucalypts can be seen. Inscriptions: Views of Bendigo No. 49', 'Township of Eaglehawk', 'NJ Caire photo Sandhurst', 'Casey & Wenborn's print', Forbes & Holmes Agents'. In grey lead on back of mount 'Mrs Brown, Barnard Street, Bendigo', Stamped 'Royal Historical Society of Victoria, Bendigo Branch'. In image 'Victoria Hotel, Sam Watson?', 'Saddler', 'Exchange Hotel'. History: in grey lead pencil, Mrs Brown, Barnard Street, Bendigo. Three col. Stamped 'Royal Historical Society of Victoria, Bendigo Branch', in ballpoint pen 1959, 71. (Two copies) Nicholas CaireNicholas J Caireplace, streetscape, high street, eaglehawk, the photographic mount

Bottom seated row, right side end, Alex and Alfred (Tommy) Smart. Donated by May Smart, (c/o Pine Tree Village, 330 Springfield Road), student at Eltham State School 1915-1923, daughter of Alex Smart Alexander Wilson Smart, father of Edward Alexander and Alfred Francis abandoned his family and moved to Perth in Western Australia where he was convicted of bigamy and murder and sentenced to death by hanging. Photo used on the cover of "We did open a school in Little Eltham", Eltham Primary School (2006) David Clark Head Teacher 1855-1888 and Assistant, Catherine Clark, his sister. Note: Photo is a Class not Grade (examination level). Photo taken c. 1886. Edward Alexander Smart was May Smart's father and Alfred Francis Smart her Uncle - Tommy the MilkmanSepia photographic print mounted on card Details on reverse re donor and Smart children identifiedeltham, state school no. 209, dalton street, alex smart, alfred (tommy) smart, alfred francis (tommmy) smart, david clark, edward alexander (alex) smart, eltham primary school, may smart, victoria may kamm (nee smart), alfred francis (tommy) smart, catherine clark, david george clark, eltham state school, eltham state school no. 209

Decorative wooden frame surrounding black and white photographs behind photographic mounting card in grey. The inscriptions are hand painted in white with some highlights in gold and blue. “Geelong West Cycling Club/Season 1913/Presented to H.Flowers, Esq/by the members of the above club in appreciation of his valuable services as President/W.O’Shannessy, Com Hcapper/R.Thomson, Com/J.J.McCracken/L.Welsh/W.Fisher/T.A.Grundell, whipp/F.Annear, Treasurer and Hcapper/C.Smith,Whip/H.Preschud, Auditor/J.Smith/H.Foot/A.G.Thomson, Comm/W.Grundell, Com/T.W.Grundell/H.H. Potter/G.Hotchin, Jnr Sec & Capt/H.Flowers, President/J. Tournier, Judge/A. Bradshaw, Judge/G. Dorling/J.Thomson/H.H.Preschud, Ass.Sec’t/H. Fisher, Vice Pres/P.Grundell, Sen. TimeK/C.Bond, C Man & Aud/TJB Grundell, Vice Cp/E.G. Stott, Time Keeper/H. Toyne/J.C. Bennett, Judge/C. Simmons/A. Bond/E. Atkinson/E. Keating/ S. Knight/T. F. Preschud/A. Marr/T.R.Balfour/Track Steward/C. Hudgell/J. O’Loughlin/J.W.Grundell/C.Ovendon/H.Toyne/J. Jarrett/R. Preschud/H. Morrish/S.Balfour, Track Stew/V.Balfour, Track Steward/C.Williams/D.M.Hogan” geelong west cycling club; h.flowers; w.o’shannessy;r.thomson; j.j.mccracken; l.welsh; w.fisher; t.a.grundell; f.annear; c.smith; h.preschud; j.smith; h.foot; a.g.thomson; w.grundell; t.w.grundell; h.h. potter; g.hotchin; h.flowers; j. tournier,; a. bradshaw; g. dorling; j.thomson; h.h.preschud; h. fisher; p.grundell; c.bond; tjb grundell; e.g. stott; h. toyne; j.c. bennett; c. simmons; a. bond; e. atkinson; e. keating; s. knight; t. f. preschud; a. marr; t.r.balfour; c. hudgell; j. o’loughlin; j.w.grundell; c.ovendon; h.toyne; j. jarrett; r. preschud; h. morrish; s.balfour; v.balfour; c.williams; d.m.hogan;

This photograph depicts six men and two horses with carts in the process of constructing a road. The men each stand in a relatively relaxed position, posing for the camera. However, the amount of upturned soil surrounding them suggests the hard work they have endured, armed only with pitchforks and shovels. The creation of new roads in the Beechworth area had become a priority for the Beechworth council in the second half of the nineteenth century. This included connecting roads which radiated out of Beechworth to surrounding towns. This led to the expansion of the local government authority over the surrounding countryside, greatly strengthening Beechworth's central position. The use of horse and cart to take away the removed soil, as well as the style of the men's attire, suggests that this photograph dates back to the late 1800s. It can also be assumed that this photograph was taken somewhere in the surrounding hills of Beechworth. This photograph is historically significant as it provides insight into the rapid expansion of roads in and around Beechworth during the second half of the nineteenth century. Sepia rectangular photograph on matte photographic paper mounted on card Reverse: BMM 2982 / road construction, beechworth roads, 1800s, 1800s beechworth, beechworth hills, horse and cart, beechworth road making, beechworth council roads, road expansion, beechworth surrounding hills

Taken around 1858, depicting a row of five business buildings on a rocky, sloping hillside at New Town, with a view across to residences and open land. Businesses included, Joseph E. Bishop, Coach Builders; Straughair Duncan, Engineers, Blacksmiths & Farriers; Straughair Duncan, Beechworth Foundry; Wholesale & Retail Est. 1855, Mackenzie Family Store ; and T. Pratten, Grocer. The Mental Hospital can be seen in the background. Mark Straughair and John Duncan, established the Beechworth Foundry, Newtown in 1858 and went on to build an important industry, employing around sixteen men, after acquiring Alexander Roger's New Ford Street Foundry in the late 1860s. Making and repairing mostly mining and agricultural machinery for the Ovens District and a Beechworth brewery, the business continued to function after Straughair's death in 1882, up until the death of Duncan in 1896, when the business folded. This photograph is historically significant because it shows the development of the businesses in Beechworth from the early establishment of the town.Sepia rectangular photograph printed on photographic paper mounted on boardObverse: [Pin holes from circular tacks in all four corners] Reverse: 84.216-1/ Newtown/ 1997.2650/ 21/ BMM3056/new town, newtown, newtown beechworth, local business, 1858, 1850s beechworth, joseph e. bishop, coach builder, coach, mark straughair, m. straughair, straughair and duncan, john duncan, j. duncan, beechworth foundry, mackenzie family store, t. pratten, grocer, beechworth grocers, beechworth mental asylum, beechworth mental hospital, mayday hills mental asylum, mental hospital, alexander rogers, new ford street foundry, 1860s beechworth, 1860s, mining machinery, agricultural machinery, manufacturing, bridge road

This photograph shows a group of workmen standing outside the Ford Street office of the Ovens and Murray Advertiser in Beechworth. The Advertiser was a local paper, first printed as a weekly in 1855, and then as a daily in 1857. It continues to be printed today, albeit in a different form. The Advertiser was launched by architect Francis Hodgson Nixon with assistance from businessman John Henry Gray, and newspaperman Richard Warren. Warren was sole owner from 1860 until his death in 1906, and it responsible for much of the paper’s success. Its goals included coverage of local events, as well as of global news, and the promotion of economic liberty, arts, and sciences. Beyond these initial goals, the Advertiser was instrumental in local politics, particularly Beechworth’s association with conservatism and constitutionalism in the 1860s and 1870s. Numerous other papers sprung up to contest the Advertiser’s hold during the latter half of the nineteenth-century, but none were able to completely oust it from its post. As well as representing a key chapter in Beechworth’s history, the Advertiser can be used as a key source for the stories and figures of historic Beechworth. This photograph has historic significance for its relationship to the history of the Ovens and Murray Advertiser, which is a key example of of successful nineteenth-century business in Beechworth.Faded sepia rectangular photograph printed on photographic material, mounted on board. Obverse: The Owens and Murray Advertiser Reverse: Parkinson (crossed out) BMM 7725 15/ Failey/ [logo Farrell and Martin Landscape Photographers]ovens and murray advertiser, the ovens and murray advertiser, newspaper, printing, ford street, richard warren, journalism, advertising, 1800s, 1800s beechworth, #beechworth, local business, advertiser, workmen, hats, printers, journalists

This photograph was taken in 1994 and depicts four Commissioners of the newly formed Shire of Indigo. The Commissioners were appointed on 18 November 1994 and served until the the election of Indigo Shire Councillor's on 15 March, 1997. The United Shire of Beechworth was established in 1871 following the merger of two entities: the Borough of Beechworth, established in 1856, and the Shire of Beechworth, which was created as the union of the Stanley and Wooragee Road Districts in 1865. This photograph is historically significant for its depiction of newly elected Indigo Shire Commissioners, who replaced the former United of Beechworth Shire Council. The only local government entity remaining in Victoria styled as a 'United Shire' at its dissolution in November 1994, the amalgamation of the United Shire of Beechworth, along with parts of the Shires of Chiltern, Rutherglen and Yackandandah into the Shire of Indigo, was part of an extensive restructuring of Victoria's Local Government Areas in the 1990s. The Victorian Governments restructuring of LGA's in the 1990s constituted a major transition in Victoria's systems of local governance. The reforms dissolved over two hundred councils and sacked sixteen hundred elected councillors. The Shire of Indigo was one of seventy-eight new councils that were subsequently created through amalgamations.Black and white rectangular photograph printed on photographic paper mounted on board.Reverse (original): Transcribed to DB / From left to right: Commissioner Kevin Gleeson ~ / Chairman of Commissioners, Mr Frank Burfitt ~ / Chief Executive Officer, Commissioner Kevin Crow, ~ / Commissioner Henry Brewer. / Commissioners were appointed to the Indigo Shire / on 18th November, 1994 and served until the / election of councillors on 15th March, 1997. / indigo shire council, shire councillors, indigo shire commissioners, governance, local government, beechworth, local representatives 1994-1997, lga restructuring, indigo shire amalgamation, victorian government, regional and rural governance, beechworth shire, yackandandah shire, chiltern shire, rutherglen shire

Taken some time between 1914-18, depicted is a large group of unidentified males. Four of them are dressed in Australian military uniforms. The remaining 19 men are dressed in striped uniforms. The male in the centre of the front row is cradling a football, suggesting that the group was part of a football or rugby league team. It is believed that the soldiers in this photograph were part of the Australian Imperial Force. This can be inferred by the chevron rank insignia visible on their uniforms. The placement of this insignia on the sleeve of the right arm suggests that this soldier was either a Warrant Officer or a Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO). Additionally, they are also wearing 'Rising Sun' collar badges on their coats. Australia, unlike most other Commonwealth countries, did not adopt metal regimental badges during the First World War. All units were issued with the Australian Army General Service Badge, better known as the 'Rising Sun’ badge. This insignia is almost always identified with the Australian Imperial Force. Sport has always been entwined with war. Both sport and war demand peak physical fitness, camaraderie, strategy, and allegiance to a team collaboratively working towards a common goal: to win. The connection between sport and war is especially strong in Australia since these two concepts form the basis of our national identity. The Australian War Memorial has a number of World War I recruitment posters linking war and sport in its collection. One of the posters produced in 1915 by the State Parliamentary Recruiting Committee in Victoria attempted to shame young men into enlisting by juxtaposing the image of an Australian soldier standing guard over his deceased mate with a photograph of a Victorian Football League match. Another poster, produced in 1917, features vignettes of different sports including cricket, bowling, boxing, kayaking and golf. Its slogan reads, "Join Together - Train Together - Embark Together - Fight Together: Enlist in the Sportman's 1000".The record is historically significant due to its connection to World War I. This conflict is integral to Australian culture as it was the single greatest loss of life and the greatest repatriation of casualties in the country's history. Australia’s involvement in the First World War began when the Australian government established the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) in August 1914. Immediately, men were recruited to serve the British Empire in the Middle East and on the Western Front. The record has strong research potential. This is due to the ongoing public and scholarly interest in war, history, and especially the ANZAC legend, which is commemorated annually on 25 April, known as ANZAC Day. Additionally, the record presents a unique opportunity to further explore the relationship between the arts, sport and war. This statement of significance has already established that war is integral to Australia's national identity - and sport is of equal importance. Specifically, the record begs to question how the peak physical fitness and camaraderie valued in team sports were creatively translated into military recruitment campaigns during World War I. Evidently, this record and its historic context demonstrates that there is potential here, and if further research is completed on this topic, it may provide insight into Australian military recruitment tactics used in the past and present, and into the future.Sepia rectangular photograph printed on matte photographic paper mounted on card.Reverse: 6529 / hyossest (?) / (?)1/11/1 /military album, army, military, war, wwi, world war i, sport, football, rugby, aif, australian imperial force

Photographed in the early 1900s, this black and white photograph depicts 25 members of the Mayday Hills Hospital Staff. Six men sit in front of the group (Mr Imhose stands fourth from the left in front row), upon the ground and behind them, in bright white clothing, sit eight female nurses upon a long bench (one of these nurses is identified on the rear as Miss A.J. Ross). Behind these women stand 10 men. The men are all wearing dark clothing and several have 'Kepi' style hats. The staff photograph was captured by Frazer and Vallance Photographers Melbourne. This image was originally combined with 1997.2491 but these images have since been torn apart and catalogued separately. Beechworth's Mayday Hills was chosen as the site of Victoria's newest asylum, at the time, due to the landscape and altitude. The hilltop atmosphere and the native fauna, it was argued, would assist in the cure of the patients kept at the hospital (Wood 1985, 122). The positioning of the hospital had a beneficial effect on the rural town. A pamphlet published by James Ingram and Son (1849) reveal that famous landmarks in Beechworth which included the Post Office, Gaol, Courthouse and Asylum "demonstrate the appreciation of Beechworth by the Government not only as as important district center, but also as a site unrivaled as a sanitarium". There were other locations in contention at the time, but ultimately Beechworth was chosen (Craig 2000, 33). Prior to the creation of the Asylum in Beechworth, those charged with having mental illnesses or, as it was termed, "insanity" were unable to be properly cared for in the Gaol (which is where they were often sent). John Buckley Castieau wrote, in 1861 for the Ovens and Murray Advertiser, that the Gaol was unable to properly care for those classified then as "insane" but that they would endeavor to treat them above the other inmates (which he notes is not always the case in other establishments). Castieau wrote this in favour of supporting the building of the Mayday Hills Hospital in Beechworth. It was stated that at the time the Mayday Hills Hospital was built, there were 83 prisoners kept in the Gaol who were to be rehoused to the Hospital on the grounds of "insanity". The classification as someone as "insane", in this period of time is a reflection on the inability to cure and understand illnesses of the mind during the mid to late 1800s. Opening on the 24th of October 1867, the Mayday Hills Hospital was originally named the "Ovens Lunatic Asylum", a title which is very much a product of its time. Whilst controversial, changes to the name is part of the history of the Hospital and can provide much insight into the understanding of mental illness throughout history and the use/disuse of this term provides information into the reception/changing opinions of mental illness in society. The Hospital would later become known as the "Mayday Hills Asylum" and/or "Mayday Hills Hospital" with the latter being the most commonly used title. An article in the Ovens and Murray Advertiser notes that on the 7th of March 1865, the foundation stone of the Hospital was laid (it would officially open in 1867) and that it was such a moment of accomplishment and joy for Beechworth that a letter to the editor even suggested that there should be a holiday dedicated to the day the foundation stone as laid. This reveals an extent to which the townspeople of early Beechworth valued the construction of the Hospital in their town. It provided the town with a sense of prestige and honour.At first glance, the remains of the Mayday Hills Hospital in Beechworth, Victoria, inspire tragedy, trauma and beauty. The buildings themselves, with their Italianate style Renaissance architecture designed by J.J. Clark (Craig 2000, 49 & Smith 2016, 203) reflect a bygone period of European and Australian history. The gardens provide a sense of tranquility and beauty. The experience of those within these walls remains a valuable area of study to provide a more complete understanding. This particular hospital is considered the fourth of its like and one of three identified as the largest of their kind. The Mayday Hills Hospital is a sister to the Kew and Ararat Asylums in Melbourne which are both located in relative proximity. Understanding the role of the Mayday Hills Hospital in Beechworth history is integral to understanding the development of the goldfields town, but also for providing important information as to the history of caring for, and the reception of, mental illnesses in Australian and wider European history. Mayday Hills provides a case study which can be researched through oral history, an analysis of the grounds/buildings and through images like this postcard which portray the structure in a highly deliberate manner. Images like this depict the strong façade of the Hospital and provide a glimpse into the tranquility of the gardens. This has been done deliberately to provide a sense of comfort and healing about the building to those looking from the outside. Further research into the importance of the Hospital in Beechworth and it's connection to the town will be supported through images like these kept in the Mayday Hills photo album in the collection of the Burke Museum.Black and white rectangular photograph printed on photographic paper mounted on cardHandwriting reads: "Mental Hospital / Beechworth / Miss A. J. Ross / about 82 in 1944".mental asylum, beechworth, mayday hills, mayday hills hospital, victoria, mental health, history of mental illness, treatment of metal illness, asylum, hospital for mentally unwell, miss a.j. ross, nurse, staff, doctors

Photographed in the early 1900s, this black and white photograph depicts 25 members of the Mayday Hills Hospital Staff. Five men sit in front of the group, upon the ground and behind them, in bright white clothing, sit eight female nurses upon a long bench (one of these nurses is identified on the rear as Miss A.J. Ross). Behind these women stand 12 men. The men are all wearing dark clothing and several have 'Kepi' style hats. The staff photograph was captured by Frazer and Vallance Photographers Melbourne. This image was originally combined with 1997.2490 but these images have since been torn apart and catalogued separately. Beechworth's Mayday Hills was chosen as the site of Victoria's newest asylum, at the time, due to the landscape and altitude. The hilltop atmosphere and the native fauna, it was argued, would assist in the cure of the patients kept at the hospital (Wood 1985, 122). The positioning of the hospital had a beneficial effect on the rural town. A pamphlet published by James Ingram and Son (1849) reveal that famous landmarks in Beechworth which included the Post Office, Gaol, Courthouse and Asylum "demonstrate the appreciation of Beechworth by the Government not only as as important district center, but also as a site unrivaled as a sanitarium". There were other locations in contention at the time, but ultimately Beechworth was chosen (Craig 2000, 33). Prior to the creation of the Asylum in Beechworth, those charged with having mental illnesses or, as it was termed, "insanity" were unable to be properly cared for in the Gaol (which is where they were often sent). John Buckley Castieau wrote, in 1861 for the Ovens and Murray Advertiser, that the Gaol was unable to properly care for those classified then as "insane" but that they would endeavor to treat them above the other inmates (which he notes is not always the case in other establishments). Castieau wrote this in favour of supporting the building of the Mayday Hills Hospital in Beechworth. It was stated that at the time the Mayday Hills Hospital was built, there were 83 prisoners kept in the Gaol who were to be rehoused to the Hospital on the grounds of "insanity". The classification as someone as "insane", in this period of time is a reflection on the inability to cure and understand illnesses of the mind during the mid to late 1800s. Opening on the 24th of October 1867, the Mayday Hills Hospital was originally named the "Ovens Lunatic Asylum", a title which is very much a product of its time. Whilst controversial, changes to the name is part of the history of the Hospital and can provide much insight into the understanding of mental illness throughout history and the use/disuse of this term provides information into the reception/changing opinions of mental illness in society. The Hospital would later become known as the "Mayday Hills Asylum" and/or "Mayday Hills Hospital" with the latter being the most commonly used title. An article in the Ovens and Murray Advertiser notes that on the 7th of March 1865, the foundation stone of the Hospital was laid (it would officially open in 1867) and that it was such a moment of accomplishment and joy for Beechworth that a letter to the editor even suggested that there should be a holiday dedicated to the day the foundation stone as laid. This reveals an extent to which the townspeople of early Beechworth valued the construction of the Hospital in their town. It provided the town with a sense of prestige and honour.At first glance, the remains of the Mayday Hills Hospital in Beechworth, Victoria, inspire tragedy, trauma and beauty. The buildings themselves, with their Italianate style Renaissance architecture designed by J.J. Clark (Craig 2000, 49 & Smith 2016, 203) reflect a bygone period of European and Australian history. The gardens provide a sense of tranquility and beauty. The experience of those within these walls remains a valuable area of study to provide a more complete understanding. This particular hospital is considered the fourth of its like and one of three identified as the largest of their kind. The Mayday Hills Hospital is a sister to the Kew and Ararat Asylums in Melbourne which are both located in relative proximity. Understanding the role of the Mayday Hills Hospital in Beechworth history is integral to understanding the development of the goldfields town, but also for providing important information as to the history of caring for, and the reception of, mental illnesses in Australian and wider European history. Mayday Hills provides a case study which can be researched through oral history, an analysis of the grounds/buildings and through images like this postcard which portray the structure in a highly deliberate manner. Images like this depict the strong façade of the Hospital and provide a glimpse into the tranquility of the gardens. This has been done deliberately to provide a sense of comfort and healing about the building to those looking from the outside. Further research into the importance of the Hospital in Beechworth and it's connection to the town will be supported through images like these kept in the Mayday Hills photo album in the collection of the Burke Museum.Black and white rectangular photograph printed on photographic paper mounted on cardFrazer & Vallance Photographers Melbournemental asylum, beechworth

This photograph was captured in approximately 1900 and depicts the on site nurses homes. During the 1880s, these detached cottages were constructed and provided accommodation for the staff (in this case, the nurses) who lived within the hospital walls. Within the image are weatherboard buildings, a number of nurses and water tanks. Beechworth's Mayday Hills was chosen as the site of Victoria's newest asylum, at the time, due to the landscape and altitude. The hilltop atmosphere and the native fauna, it was argued, would assist in the cure of the patients kept at the hospital (Wood 1985, 122). The positioning of the hospital had a beneficial effect on the rural town. A pamphlet published by James Ingram and Son (1849) reveal that famous landmarks in Beechworth which included the Post Office, Gaol, Courthouse and Asylum "demonstrate the appreciation of Beechworth by the Government not only as as important district center, but also as a site unrivaled as a sanitarium". There were other locations in contention at the time, but ultimately Beechworth was chosen (Craig 2000, 33). Prior to the creation of the Asylum in Beechworth, those charged with having mental illnesses or, as it was termed, "insanity" were unable to be properly cared for in the Gaol (which is where they were often sent). John Buckley Castieau wrote, in 1861 for the Ovens and Murray Advertiser, that the Gaol was unable to properly care for those classified then as "insane" but that they would endeavor to treat them above the other inmates (which he notes is not always the case in other establishments). Castieau wrote this in favour of supporting the building of the Mayday Hills Hospital in Beechworth. It was stated that at the time the Mayday Hills Hospital was built, there were 83 prisoners kept in the Gaol who were to be rehoused to the Hospital on the grounds of "insanity". The classification as someone as "insane", in this period of time is a reflection on the inability to cure and understand illnesses of the mind during the mid to late 1800s. Opening on the 24th of October 1867, the Mayday Hills Hospital was originally named the "Ovens Lunatic Asylum", a title which is very much a product of its time. Whilst controversial, changes to the name is part of the history of the Hospital and can provide much insight into the understanding of mental illness throughout history and the use/disuse of this term provides information into the reception/changing opinions of mental illness in society. The Hospital would later become known as the "Mayday Hills Asylum" and/or "Mayday Hills Hospital" with the latter being the most commonly used title. An article in the Ovens and Murray Advertiser notes that on the 7th of March 1865, the foundation stone of the Hospital was laid (it would officially open in 1867) and that it was such a moment of accomplishment and joy for Beechworth that a letter to the editor even suggested that there should be a holiday dedicated to the day the foundation stone as laid. This reveals an extent to which the townspeople of early Beechworth valued the construction of the Hospital in their town. It provided the town with a sense of prestige and honour.At first glance, the remains of the Mayday Hills Hospital in Beechworth, Victoria, inspire tragedy, trauma and beauty. The buildings themselves, with their Italianate style Renaissance architecture designed by J.J. Clark (Craig 2000, 49 & Smith 2016, 203) reflect a bygone period of European and Australian history. The gardens provide a sense of tranquility and beauty. The experience of those within these walls remains a valuable area of study to provide a more complete understanding. This particular hospital is considered the fourth of its like and one of three identified as the largest of their kind. The Mayday Hills Hospital is a sister to the Kew and Ararat Asylums in Melbourne which are both located in relative proximity. Understanding the role of the Mayday Hills Hospital in Beechworth history is integral to understanding the development of the goldfields town, but also for providing important information as to the history of caring for, and the reception of, mental illnesses in Australian and wider European history. Mayday Hills provides a case study which can be researched through oral history, an analysis of the grounds/buildings and through images like these. Images like these depict the strong façade of the Hospital and provide a glimpse into the tranquility of the gardens. This has been done deliberately to provide a sense of comfort and healing about the building to those looking from the outside. Further research into the importance of the Hospital in Beechworth and it's connection to the town will be supported through images like these kept in the Mayday Hills photo album in the collection of the Burke Museum.Black and white rectangular photograph printed on photographic paper mounted on card"Early nurses quarters, Beechworth Mental Hospital, now May Day Hills Hospital."may day hills hospital, nurses quarters, beechworth, mayday hills, asylum

This photograph is a copy of that captured in approximately 1900 and depicts the on site nurses homes. During the 1880s, these detached cottages were constructed and provided accommodation for the staff (in this case, the nurses) who lived within the hospital walls. Within the image are weatherboard buildings, a number of nurses and water tanks. Beechworth's Mayday Hills was chosen as the site of Victoria's newest asylum, at the time, due to the landscape and altitude. The hilltop atmosphere and the native fauna, it was argued, would assist in the cure of the patients kept at the hospital (Wood 1985, 122). The positioning of the hospital had a beneficial effect on the rural town. A pamphlet published by James Ingram and Son (1849) reveal that famous landmarks in Beechworth which included the Post Office, Gaol, Courthouse and Asylum "demonstrate the appreciation of Beechworth by the Government not only as as important district center, but also as a site unrivaled as a sanitarium". There were other locations in contention at the time, but ultimately Beechworth was chosen (Craig 2000, 33). Prior to the creation of the Asylum in Beechworth, those charged with having mental illnesses or, as it was termed, "insanity" were unable to be properly cared for in the Gaol (which is where they were often sent). John Buckley Castieau wrote, in 1861 for the Ovens and Murray Advertiser, that the Gaol was unable to properly care for those classified then as "insane" but that they would endeavor to treat them above the other inmates (which he notes is not always the case in other establishments). Castieau wrote this in favour of supporting the building of the Mayday Hills Hospital in Beechworth. It was stated that at the time the Mayday Hills Hospital was built, there were 83 prisoners kept in the Gaol who were to be rehoused to the Hospital on the grounds of "insanity". The classification as someone as "insane", in this period of time is a reflection on the inability to cure and understand illnesses of the mind during the mid to late 1800s. Opening on the 24th of October 1867, the Mayday Hills Hospital was originally named the "Ovens Lunatic Asylum", a title which is very much a product of its time. Whilst controversial, changes to the name is part of the history of the Hospital and can provide much insight into the understanding of mental illness throughout history and the use/disuse of this term provides information into the reception/changing opinions of mental illness in society. The Hospital would later become known as the "Mayday Hills Asylum" and/or "Mayday Hills Hospital" with the latter being the most commonly used title. An article in the Ovens and Murray Advertiser notes that on the 7th of March 1865, the foundation stone of the Hospital was laid (it would officially open in 1867) and that it was such a moment of accomplishment and joy for Beechworth that a letter to the editor even suggested that there should be a holiday dedicated to the day the foundation stone as laid. This reveals an extent to which the townspeople of early Beechworth valued the construction of the Hospital in their town. It provided the town with a sense of prestige and honour.At first glance, the remains of the Mayday Hills Hospital in Beechworth, Victoria, inspire tragedy, trauma and beauty. The buildings themselves, with their Italianate style Renaissance architecture designed by J.J. Clark (Craig 2000, 49 & Smith 2016, 203) reflect a bygone period of European and Australian history. The gardens provide a sense of tranquility and beauty. The experience of those within these walls remains a valuable area of study to provide a more complete understanding. This particular hospital is considered the fourth of its like and one of three identified as the largest of their kind. The Mayday Hills Hospital is a sister to the Kew and Ararat Asylums in Melbourne which are both located in relative proximity. Understanding the role of the Mayday Hills Hospital in Beechworth history is integral to understanding the development of the goldfields town, but also for providing important information as to the history of caring for, and the reception of, mental illnesses in Australian and wider European history. Mayday Hills provides a case study which can be researched through oral history, an analysis of the grounds/buildings and through images like these. Images like these depict the strong façade of the Hospital and provide a glimpse into the tranquility of the gardens. This has been done deliberately to provide a sense of comfort and healing about the building to those looking from the outside. Further research into the importance of the Hospital in Beechworth and it's connection to the town will be supported through images like these kept in the Mayday Hills photo album in the collection of the Burke Museum.Black and white rectangular photograph printed on photographic paper mounted on cardmayday hills, nurse, weatherboard, watertank, mayday hills hospital, asylum, mental health, kew, ararat, mental hospital, beechworth, gold town

Taken circa 1870, depicting twenty-eight staff members divided by gender standing in front of the Beechworth mental asylum. Constructed between 1864 and 1867 to the designs by the Public Works Department (PWD) is the Beechworth Lunatic Asylum that was renamed Mayday Hills. The decommissioned asylum was one of the largest psychiatric hospitals in Victoria and consisted of sixty-seven buildings, one thousand two hundred patients and five hundred staff members. The asylum was predominately inhabited by long-stay patients but there was active out-patients. The asylum was one of the first asylums to focus on treatment and rehabilitation instead of institutional confinement. At the asylum active works was considered imperative and workshops were located near the male accommodations and laundries and drying yards near the female accommodation. The asylum closed in 1995 and was sold to La Trobe University before being closed and sold again in 2011 to a private owner. This photograph is historically significant as it provides insight into the importance of Beechworth mental asylum as the asylum demonstrates the changing approaches to the treatment of mental illness in Victoria from confinement to treatment and rehabilitation. Sepia rectangular photograph printed on matte photographic paper mounted on card Reverse: 1997.2489/ Beechworthbeechworth, mental asylum, beechworth mental asylum, mental asylum administration building, mayday hills, mayday hills mental asylum, beechworth lunatic asylum

Taken about 1880, this photograph depicts nine people and a horse-drawn carriage in front of the Administration building of Beechworth Mental Asylum. Constructed between 1864 and 1867 to the designs by the Public Works Department (PWD) is the Beechworth Lunatic Asylum which was renamed Mayday Hills Mental Asylum. The decommissioned asylum was one of the largest psychiatric hospitals in Victoria and consisted of sixty-seven buildings, one thousand two hundred patients and five hundred staff members. The asylum was predominately inhabited by long-stay patients but there were active out-patients. The asylum was one of the first asylums to focus on treatment and rehabilitation instead of institutional confinement. At the asylum, active work was considered imperative and workshops were located near the male accommodations and laundries and drying yards near the female accommodation. The asylum closed in 1995 and was sold to La Trobe University before being closed and sold again in 2011 to a private owner. This photograph is historically significant as it shows one of the main buildings of the Beechworth Mental Asylum that was pivotal in changing the approaches to treating the mentally ill.Sepia rectangular photograph printed on matte photographic paper mounted on card.Reverse: 1997.2458/ Front view/ Beechworth/ about 1880/ Lunatic Asylum/ administration building, mayday hills, beechworth, beechworth lunatic asylum, beechworth mental asylum, horse drawn carriage, mayday hills mental hospital, beechworth lunatic asylum administration building, psychiatric hospitals

This photograph was taken of the “Wanderers” Football club at Barmutha Park, Beechworth in c1890. The Beechworth Football Club was formed in 1861 which then became affiliated to the Victorian Football Association (VFA) upon being founded in 1877. There were two football teams in Beechworth. One was the Beechworth FC and the other was the Wanderers FC, which was based at Hurdle Flat, near Stanley. In 1892, the two teams merged under the name "Beechworth District Wanderers Football Club." Those present include; Bob Wray, Jim Wray, Ike Brown, Jim Buckley, George Spencer, Jim McKenzie, Dave McAliece, Arite stone, Win Johnstone, Jack Tresize, Jim Shennan, Ned Turnbull, George Johnson, Jerry Sutherland, Jack Brown, Dick Hambleton, George Hacket, Jim Brown, Jack Johnson. The team adopted a red and black striped football jersey.The club joined the Ovens and King league, winning three consecutive premierships in 1912, 1913 and 1914, leaving the league that same year. The club suspended its activities from 1915 to 1918 during the WWI returning to the league in 1919. Sepia rectangular photograph printed on matte photographic paper mounted on board. Obverse: THE "WANDERERS" 1890 Reverse: From Mrs R. Scott beechworth, the wanderers, football, sports

Taken in 1880, the photograph depicts a group of eleven young men and women with a dog. They are having a picnic outdoors in what is thought to be Beechworth Forest. A number of the people in the photograph are holding bunches of wild flowers.Sepia rectangular photograph printed on matte photographic paper mounted on card.Reverse: 1997.270 / A02703 /entertainment album, picnic, beechworth, 1800s, dog, flowers, leisure, outdoors, forest

The photograph depicts eleven vignettes relating to the murders of Captain Lee Weller, Charles Burgess and Arthur Preston by Frank Butler (born Richard Ashe, alias Frank Harwood). Some historians consider Butler to be Australia's first serial killer. Butler submitted written advertisements to the classified columns of the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper looking for people to join him in prospecting for gold. Butler took his victims into the Blue Mountains in New South Wales and told fabricated stories of gold mines worth thousands of pounds. He then made his victims dig their own graves under the guise that they were digging for gold. He would then shoot them, take their valuables, and bury them.Sepia rectangular photograph printed on matte photographic paper mounted on card.Obverse: 1897 / Butler's inseparable Friend / Cap ' Lee Weller / The Victim Burgess / A OT Preston / Frank Harwood / alias / Butler / J. Mulhall & Son / discoverers of Burgess grave / Butlers supposed Wife / Frisco / Examining Burgess corpse at Black Range near Parkes NSW / The Swanhda / His Prospecting Tools / Burgs Waggonette used for Prospecting sold Butler / (?) / The Butler Tragedies Reverse: BMMA03308 / Removal story of the / 1997.3119 / Butler murders near / Parkes NSW 1897 / 84 - 35 - 1 / Enterprise Photo Company, / 26 Elizabeth Street, / SYDNEY. /entertainment album, captain lee weller, charles burgess, arthur preston, frank harwood, frank butler, crime, blue mountains, new south wales, murder, tragedy, gold, gold mine, sydney morning herald, swanhilda, richard ashe

Taken in the 1880s, depicted is a large group of children and adults dressed in formal clothing picnicking upon the bank of Lake Kerferd. The five members of the group are holding union jack flags that have been hoisted upon portable flag poles. The group is seated by the lakeside in a grassed area beneath eucalyptus trees.This image was taken in the 1880s at Lake Kerferd. Lake Kerferd was created in 1862 to retain water for gold mining purposes from the Hurdle Swamp, and to additionally serve as Beechworth's main water supply. It was named after George Briscoe Kerferd, a Beechworth businessman and councillor, who later became the tenth Premier of Victoria.Sepia rectangular photograph printed on matte photographic paper mounted on boardentertainment album, picnic, lake kerferd, beechworth, burke museum, kerferd

The photograph depicts a large group of young men and women dressed in formal attire. They were part of the Beechworth Methodist Church's Youth Group.The photograph provides insight into one of the first religious institutions in Beechworth. The Methodist Church is historically significant as it was the first permanent church built on the Ovens goldfield in 1857. A Sunday School group for local youth was established in 1869, emphasising the importance of children's religious education during the nineteenth century. Thus, the photograph reflects the importance of Methodism in Beechworth - and, more broadly, Victoria - at this time.Sepia rectangular photograph printed on matte photographic paper mounted on card.Reverse: 3714 / Beechworth Meth / 97.2332 / Endeavour / Beechworth Methodist / Endeavour Group /entertainment album, entertainment, church, religion, beechworth, methodist church, youth group, leisure, recreation

The photograph depicts a large group of young men and women dressed in formal attire. They were part of the Beechworth Methodist Church's Youth Group.The photograph provides insight into one of the first religious institutions in Beechworth. The Methodist Church is historically significant as it was the first permanent church built on the Ovens goldfield in 1857. A Sunday School group for local youth was established in 1869, emphasising the importance of children's religious education during the nineteenth century. Thus, the photograph reflects the importance of Methodism in Beechworth - and, more broadly, Victoria - at this time.Sepia rectangular photograph printed on matte photographic paper mounted on card.Reverse: 3716 / 97.2339 / Beechworth / Meth Endeavour / Beechworth Methodist Church / Endeavour Group / A03289 /entertainment, entertainment album, church, beechworth, religion, recreation, leisure, youth group, methodist church

The carte de visite features a photograph of Charles Sherwood Stratton (professionally known as General Tom Thumb) and his wife, Lavinia Warren Stratton. The image was taken in Paris, France in 1864. Charles Sherwood Stratton and Lavinia Warren Stratton were American performers who traveled with the Barnum & Bailey Circus, founded by Phineas Taylor (P. T.) Barnum in 1871. They each participated in various acts including singing, dancing, miming, and celebrity impersonations. Both Charles and Lavinia gained international fame for their successful careers and small physical stature. The duo performed in Australia in August 1870. They were joined by their touring party as part of the Barnum & Bailey Circus "Round the World" tour. The "Australian Tom Thumb", real name John David Armstrong, made his "audaciously competitive" stage debut alongside the popular Stratton couple when the circus performed at the Prahran Popular Entertainments in Melbourne. Charles, Lavinia, P. T. Barnum and the circus inspired the musical drama film, "The Greatest Showman" (2017).The carte de visite is historically significant due to Charles Sherwood Stratton's status as an internationally renowned performer. In a general sense, it also provides insight into the arts in Victoria during the late nineteenth century, illustrating the type of entertainment that was enjoyed by the public during this time. The record's historical significance is further enhanced by its medium as a "carte de visite"; a specific photographic method popularised in the nineteenth century. The record has a valid interpretive capacity for those interested in history and museum studies. It develops our understanding of the sensationalised "human curiosities" exhibition genre that was championed by the West during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Considering the record's historic context, it is a useful resource for discussing the ethics of representing live human beings for entertainment in a public exhibition context.Sepia rectangular photograph printed on matte photographic paper mounted on card.Obverse: General Tom Thumb and Wife, / in the identical costumes worn before Emperor Louis / Napoleon and the Empress Eugenie, at the Palace of / the Tuilleries, Nov. 29, 1864 / Reverse: 3707 / Compliments of / Charles SStratton. / Lavinia Warren Stratton. / Published by / E. & H. T. Anthony & Co. / CA / 591 Broadway New York. / MANUFACTURERS / of the best / PHOTOGRAPHIC ALBUMS / A02539 /entertainment, entertainment album, circus, general tom thumb, australian tom thumb, charles stratton, lavinia stratton, performance, arts, carnival, p. t. barnum, melbourne, prahran, john david armstrong, film

Taken in 1920, the photograph depicts a very large group of men, women and children dressed in fancy costumes. They are congregated inside the R & B Hall in Beechworth.The photograph is historically significant due to its production in the early twentieth century. Additionally, it also provides insight into the types of arts, recreation and leisure activities enjoyed by local residents during this time.Sepia rectangular photograph printed on matte photographic paper mounted on board.Obverse: R & B. Hall. / Beechworth. / Reverse: Fancy Dress / Ball / Federal Hall / Beechworth / 1920 / 30 + 12 / 1997.2554 /entertainment album, costume, fancy dress, beechworth, r&b hall, arts, recreation, leisure, entertainment, ball

Taken on an unknown date, depicted is a portrait of a young, unidentified male soldier kneeling beside a grave in a cemetery. He is dressed in an Australian military uniform. The cemetery pictured is the Arnos Vale Cemetery in Bristol, United Kingdom. There are multiple crosses marking graves in this photograph, all marked in memory of different soldiers who fought with the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) during World War I. It is believed that the soldier who is kneeling was also part of the Australian Imperial Force. This can be inferred by the chevron rank insignia visible on the uniform. The placement of this insignia on the sleeve of the right arm suggests that this soldier was either a Warrant Officer or a Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO). Another signifier of the Australian Imperial Force uniform are the three inverted chevron stripes positioned on the lower part of the left sleeve, near the wrist. These are called Good Conduct Stripes and were worn by Warrant Officers and NCOs. This patch consisted of a single chevron stripe for each year of military service meeting certain requirements of good conduct. Additionally, the man in this photograph is also wearing a 'Rising Sun' collar badge on his coat. Australia, unlike most other Commonwealth countries, did not adopt metal regimental badges during the First World War. All units were issued with the Australian Army General Service Badge, better known as the 'Rising Sun’ badge. This insignia is almost always identified with the Australian Imperial Force. Furthermore, the grave that this unidentified soldier is kneeling next to is the resting place of Private John James (J. J.) Simpson. He was born in Stanley, Victoria in 1883. He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force in Melbourne, Victoria on 12 July, 1915, with the service number 4909. John James Simpson was then posted to the 60th Company Depot at Seymour for military recruit training. John James Simpson was reported wounded in action in France on 19 July, 1916. He was admitted to 13th General Hospital, France with gunshot wounds to his legs. From Boulogne, France, he traveled to the United Kingdom aboard the Hospital Ship 'St. Denis' for medical care. Upon arrival, he was admitted to 2nd Southern General Hospital, Bristol, England on 27 July, 1916. John James Simpson passed away from his wounds on 1 August, 1916. He was 33 years old.The record is historically significant due to its connection to World War I. This conflict is integral to Australian culture as it was the single greatest loss of life and the greatest repatriation of casualties in the country's history. Australia’s involvement in the First World War began when the Australian government established the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) in August 1914. Immediately, men were recruited to serve the British Empire in the Middle East and on the Western Front. The first significant Australian action of the war was the Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force’s (ANMEF) landing on Rabaul on 11 September 1914. The ANMEF took possession of German New Guinea at Toma on 17 September 1914 and of the neighbouring islands of the Bismarck Archipelago in October 1914. On 25 April 1915, members of the AIF landed on Gallipoli in Turkey with troops from New Zealand, Britain, and France. This specific event holds very strong significance within Australian history. The record has strong research potential. This is due to the ongoing public and scholarly interest in war, history, and especially the ANZAC legend, which is commemorated annually on 25 April, known as ANZAC Day.Sepia rectangular photograph printed on matte photographic paper mounted on card.Obverse: A.I.F. / AUSTRALIA / 441, PTE.T. / T (?) / 26B (?) / 6.1.17 / (?) / LANGTON RD. / ST. ANNES PK. / BRISTOL / A.I.F. / AUSTRALIA. / 708, GNR B.L.CRAWFORD. / FR / 5 D.A.C. / 13.2.17 / A.I.F. / AUSTRALIA. / 4481, P (?) D.MORRIS. / (?) / 31.12.(?) / A.I.F. / AUSTRALIA. / 4909, PTE J.J.SIMPSON. / 608(?) / 1.8.16 / Winchester / LANGTON RD. / ST. ANNES PK / BRISTOL / Reverse: 2641 /military album, military, war, world war i, wwi, australian imperial force, aif, j. j. simpson, uniform, cemetery

Taken in 1910, this photograph depicts a scene of Bridge road in Newtown, Beechworth. Walking on the road are two men on horseback, one of which is pulling a carriage with a small dog standing beside it. Behind them are a line of small buildings and shops. Small industries began to expand dramatically in Beechworth, particularly during the 1860s, leading to a strengthening of the towns economy. As early as 1853, areas surrounding the waterway known as Spring Creek were surveyed with the intent of mapping out plans for new roads and building allotments. Land was sold and new buildings were erected, creating an expansion of the Beechworth township and retail services. One building shown in this photograph is Straughair and Duncan's Beechworth Foundry. This business was established in 1858 through the partnership of Mark Straughair and John Duncan. It dealt mostly in the manufacturing of castings and mining machinery, receiving orders from all over the Ovens district. The Business eventually collapsed after the deaths of Straughair in 1882 and Duncan in 1896 but was reopened by W.H. Phillips in 1905. The two other buildings are both associated with the name McKenzie. Evidence suggests that the McKenzie family has a long association with the town of Beechworth. This photograph is historically significant as it provides insight into the nineteenth and twentieth century industrial expansions that happened in the area of Newtown, leading to the urbanisation of Beechworth. Black and white rectangular photograph printed on matte photographic paper mounted on card.Reverse: Newton / 1997.2648 / 33 Newton Beechworth / 84-219-1 / McKenzies / BMM3055 / newtown beechworth, bridge road, 1910, j. duncan, r. mckenzie, m. straughair, industrial growth, ford street, beechworth foundry, straughair and duncan, mckenzie and sons grainstore, mckenzie family store

Louis Chevalier, brother of popular artist Nicholas Chevalier, opened a sawmill in Beechworth near Spring Creek in Newtown in 1853. This facilitated a boom in building in the town, as materials were much more available than they had been previously. A second sawmill was opened in the town in 1856. Louis Chevalier served on the Beechworth Council as a representative of Newtown between 1858 and 1860. As this photograph is taken in 1859, the mill would have been operating as a sawmill at the time this photograph was taken. Louis Chevalier’s mill stopped sawing wood and began milling flour at some point between 1860 and 1862. At this time, the Oven’s district was almost self-sufficient, producing considerable quantities of grain, dairy, fodder and meat. Unfortunately, the region experienced poor agricultural yields in the 1880s and 1890s, which lead to the closure of the Beechworth Flour Mills in the 1880s. This photograph depicts the first sawmill in Beechworth, which was responsible for making the materials available for other early buildings in the town. The mill race and wheel are also clearly depicted, which may shed light onto how mill wheels of this era and place were constructedBlack and white rectangular photograph printed on matte photographic paper mounted on boardReverse: 3146 / 1997.2654 / Louis Chevalier's Flour Mill on / the Newtown Falls before the / Bridge / Est 1853 / this photo 1859 / 84-229-1 / Burke Museum Beechworth / Page 41 / 81 % / (Illegible) / (Illegible) 14 / chevalier, louis chevalier, newtown, mill, grain mill, sawmill, flour mill, 1850s beechworth, beechworth council, farming and agriculture, victorian agricultural history, spring creek, buildings, industry, forestry, wood, timber

This photograph dates to 1899, towards the end of the gold rush in the Mopoke Gully area. A large opening to a mine can be seen behind the men in the photograph, with a wheeled cart on a track leading to the men's position, where the soil and rocks have been hauled away. This photograph interestingly contains dogs alongside the miners. While dogs have been recorded as deterrents to thieves in the Victorian goldfields, these dogs appear as companions to these men. Mopoke Gully mines came under the 'Fryer's Creek' division of the Castlemaine District during the Gold Rush. After the Gold Rush began in Victoria with the discovery of gold at Ballarat in 1851, Gold was found in Castlemaine by December of that year. 20,000 diggers were spread across the Castlemaine region, and the area was yielding about 23,000 ounces of gold per week. Mopoke Gully was the site of the Mopoke Gully Water Wheel, operating under the Bendigo and Fryers Goldmining Company from 1887 until 1900. This Water Wheel was used in the gold mining technique of 'sluicing'. Hydraulic sluicing uses high pressure water jets to blast away the earth, which runs through a sluice box, catching the gold with all remaining slurry washing away. This Water Wheel was built the same year as the more famous 'Chewton Water Wheel', but was smaller in diameter (60ft as opposed to Chewton's 72ft). The Mopoke Water Wheel ruins are quite intact today, and are a registered archaeological site. The search for gold is ingrained into the history of Victoria and therefore, images like this one can reveal important information for society and technology for the date when the photograph was taken. This image is of important historical significance for its ability to convey information about sluicing and the methods used to find gold in 1899. This photograph reveals important information on the use of dogs on Victorian goldfields in 1899. Dogs were used both as companions, such as this photograph depicts, as well as deterrents to thieves. Sepia coloured rectangular photograph printed on gloss photographic paper mounted on card. Obverse: Williams/ Good/ Luck Reverse: A02498/ 1997. 2498/ Good Luck/ Mine/ 1899/ Mopoke. beechworth, burke museum, gold, gold mining, 1899, castlemaine, mopoke gully, good luck mine, fryer's creek, gold rush, victorian gold rush, water wheel, sluicing, chewton

This photograph dates to 1899, towards the end of the gold rush in the Mopoke Gully area. A slurry of rocks after they have been broken up is depicted, and this is part of the hydraulic sluicing mining process. Four men are relaxing under a wooden structure, with a fifth bearded man standing near a stone wall. This photograph interestingly contains dogs alongside the miners. While dogs have been recorded as deterrents to thieves in the Victorian goldfields, these dogs appear as companions to these men. Mopoke Gully mines came under the 'Fryer's Creek' division of the Castlemaine District during the Gold Rush. After the Gold Rush began in Victoria with the discovery of gold at Ballarat in 1851, Gold was found in Castlemaine by December of that year. 20,000 diggers were spread across the Castlemaine region, and the area was yielding about 23,000 ounces of gold per week. Mopoke Gully was the site of the Mopoke Gully Water Wheel, operating under the Bendigo and Fryers Goldmining Company from 1887 until 1900. This Water Wheel was used in the gold mining technique of 'sluicing'. Hydraulic sluicing uses high pressure water jets to blast away the earth, which runs through a sluice box, catching the gold with all remaining slurry washing away. Hydraulicking is the process of breaking up the rocks and suspending it in a slurry. This Water Wheel was built the same year as the more famous 'Chewton Water Wheel', but was smaller in diameter (60ft as opposed to Chewton's 72ft). The Mopoke Water Wheel ruins are quite intact today, and are a registered archaeological site.The search for gold is ingrained into the history of Victoria and therefore, images like this one which portray a sluicing site can reveal important information for society and technology for the date when the photograph was taken. This image is of important historical significance for its ability to convey information about sluicing and the methods used to find gold in 1899. It also shows a location where sluicing was undertook which provides insight into the impact of sluicing on the environment at a time when it was done. This photograph reveals important information on the use of dogs on Victorian goldfields in 1899. Dogs were used both as companions, such as this photograph depicts, as well as deterrents to thieves. Sepia coloured rectangular photograph printed on gloss photographic paper mounted on card.Obverse: Reverse: A02497/ 1997.2497/ 'Good/ Luck/ Mine'/ Morepork/ Gully/ Mrs Joyce/ Bright/ Tunnel/ 800 ft/ 1899. beechworth, burke museum, gold, gold mining, 1899, castlemaine, mopoke gully, good luck mine, fryer's creek, gold rush, victorian gold rush, water wheel, sluicing, chewton, slurry

This photograph was captured at an undisclosed location and at an unidentified time but likely dates to approximately 1870. The photographer's details are not recorded and the identities of the men in the image are also not known. This image depicts a group of 10 men in typical miners fashion. Four of them are sat on a large log with one holding a small dog. Six miners stand behind those sitting. All these men are wearing a white button-up shirt and tan coloured work trousers. They wear heavy boots and seven have included a dark vest over their shirt. The man holding the dog has a pipe in his mouth. Two of these men are clean shaven with the remainder sporting a moustache and two with a beard. The ages of these men vary from late 20s to middle age. This group of men are located in a mining location with what appears to be an open cut mine in the background of the image. The ground is muddy and has elements which can help identify it as a mining location based on the condition of the landscape. The bottom of the men's trousers are muddy which provides the assurance that these men were working in this location when their photograph was captured. In the background there is one structure, possibly a dwelling, and bush which identifies the location as Australia. Open cut sluicing is a method used to extract gold and other precious metals from beneath the surface of the earth. This technique involved the use of high-powered hoses which broke down the soil enabling miners to come along and search this soil for gold. After the gold rush of the early 1850s, diggers had to enlist the assistance of heavy machinery and techniques like hydraulic sluicing in order to reach gold because the surface alluvial gold had already been discovered and removed. This heavy machinery was not used until after 1853. The search for gold is ingrained into the history of Victoria and therefore, images like this one which portray an open cut sluicing site can reveal important information for society and technology for the date when the photograph was taken. This image is of important historical significance for its ability to convey information about sluicing and the methods used to find gold in the late 1800s and early 1900s. It also shows a location where sluicing was undertook which provides insight into the impact of sluicing on the environment at a time when it was done. Images, like this one, of Australian gold rush history can reveal important information about the social and environmental impact of this period. This image depicts diggers standing in a mining location and therefore, this image has the capacity to reveal or support significant information for researchers studying the fashion and social status of diggers in Australia in approximately 1870. It can also provide information on the landscape of Australia in this period and the impact of mining for gold on both society and the Australian landscape. The Burke Museum is home to a substantial collection of Australian mining photographs which can be used to gain a deeper understanding into life on the gold fields, technology used in mining, the miners themselves and the impact of the gold digging on the environment.Sepia toned rectangular photograph printed on matte photographic paper mounted on board.Reverse: 1997.2518mining, goldfields, beechworth, 1870, australia, australian goldfields, diggers, victoria, sluicing, gold mining, miners, diggers victoria

Portrait of William Edward Peach in First World War military uniform, holding a crop in front of his thighs with military kit on the ground behind him. A Beechworth postal employee who enlisted in 1915, this photograph is probably taken in 1917, as he is a corporal in the photo and was promoted to this rank in May 1917. This photograph is of historic significance as it depicts William Edward Peach, a Beechworth postal assistant who enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) on his nineteenth birthday, 5 August 1915, which required his parents' permission. He was decorated with the military medal for his courage in battle 4/5 October 1917 at the Battle of Broodseinde Ridge near Ypres, the most successful allied attack of the Third Battle of Ypres (31 July to 10 November 1917), also known as the Battle of Paschendale, which saw the greatest loss of human life during World War One, with almost half a million lives were lost on all sides. According to the recommendation for his military medal, Peach 'displayed conspicuous courage and initiative', taking charge after his platoon commander became a casualty, handling the men 'under heavy fire with great skill'. He also assisted the Company Commander in reorganising their military objectives. The photograph is of social as well as historic significance for the Beechworth community, because it provides a direct link between local, national and international histories in relation to Australia' s participation in one of WWI's best-known battles. The record has strong research potential given the ongoing public and scholarly interest in war, history, and especially the ANZAC legend, which is commemorated annually on 25 April, known as ANZAC Day. Peach is also one of the diarists of WWI, including of this significant period of Australian military history, from 1916 to 18, which can be accessed via the Australian War Memorial. Sepia rectangular photograph printed on gloss Kodak photographic paper mounted on board. Reverse: BMM 8779 item catalogue number pencilled in right-hand bottom corner.military medal, defending australia and victoria, military service, hmat a64 demosthenes, wipers, anzac, burke museum, beechworth, ypres, australian military services, beechworth post office, first world war, wartime, our boys, belgium, flanders fields, ww1, british war medal, victory medal, broodseinde, third battle of ypres

The photograph, captured around 1900, depicts a large group of minors located in Beechworth. Importantly, this photograph can provide information into the clothing and fashion of minors during this period of history. These men wear loose fitting shirts which are mostly a pale white colour, several wear vests and/or jackets and loose fitting trousers with boots. The majority of men wear wide brimmed hats to protect their skin and eyes from the sunlight. One man has a wooden pipe in his mouth and a few have ties/neckerchief's tied around their necks. The outfits of these miners has the potential to provide insight into their social status, these men are all dressed equally which provides the notion that they are of equal societal standing. The outfits of these miners dating to the 1900s is not dissimilar to photographs of those captured in the 1880s. The location of this photograph is not easy to interpret, but the photograph is recorded to have been taken in the Beechworth region. Displayed in this image is some wild shrubbery and grass where the men are standing/sitting and behind the group is a tin wall or even tin building. At the end of 1899, companies were continuing to search for gold in Beechworth and the surrounds but these attempts were not overly successful. In the early 1900's Quartz mining was occurring but this was done by individuals or smaller parties. It is unclear if these men are mining for gold or for quartz.The search for gold is ingrained into the history of Victoria and therefore, the study of images like this one which portrays some of the miners who worked behind-the-scenes for these discoveries has the potential to reveal important information regarding society, fashion etc. The date when the photograph was taken is vague but it allows us to form a timeline of mining activities in the North East. This image is of important historical significance for its ability to convey information about society at the time, regarding fashion (which can potentially reveal social status) and mining in Beechworth in 1900. Black and white rectangular photograph printed on matte photographic paper mounted on board.Reverse: BMM 8032/ Group(?) Beechworth Mines about 1900/ 80quartz, north east gold, sluicing, gold sluicing, hydraulic sluicing, mining, gold mining, north-east victoria, beechworth, burke museum, 1900, group, miners, hats, vests, ties, wild shrubs, tin, quartz mining