It is not known where this photograph was taken. James(?) Scarf who lived at Madden's Flat was said to be a charcoal burner (Source - Bill Grigg Snr in interview with Max Standish - typescript in Grigg family file.)Black and white copy of original photograph which shows a more or less circular stack of timber. The stack appears to have been made from the thinner branches of trees. It is understood that the timber may have been stacked in this way prior to being burnt for charcoal, which was the main source of fuel used in blacksmith's forges.timber stack, burning pile, charcoal burning, wood

Beech Forest was the principal despatch centre for split timber and mining laths in 1906, most of which was carried to the railway yards by bullock wagons, or a horse-hauled wooden tramline along the Olangolah Road to the east of the town. At the yards it awaited trans-shipment by rail.B/w. 190mm x 265mm. Timber stacked in the Beech Forest railway yard. Four roads passing. A goods shed in the background. beech forest; railways;

The old brick Murray River Sawmill office was demolished around 1975. This appears to be part of one of the office buildings associated with the sawmill, taken in shadow, with the building well back on the block, on the bridge side. There is a dirt driveway in front of the building and stacks of timber next to the chimney side of the building. Trees are visible behind these stacks of timber. Two stacks of timber (1x 4 blocks high, 1 X 3 blocks high) are in front of the building between the window and the chimney This relates to photographs P000106, P000105 Sawmills in the Echuca area were historically and socially significant being a large employer in the area. The Murray River sawmill was one of the biggest and longest operating sawmills in the area. Black and white photograph of an old Murray River Sawmill building with the chimney to the right and a door and window on the left. Two stacks of timber planks are against the wall between the window and the chimney. A dirt driveway is in front of the building with timber planks edging the driveway.On the reverse in pencil "Old M. R. S. Building well back on the block on the bridge side. Near old offices, also demolished about 1975??" Kodak, , in blue ink "0932"murray river sawmills, echuca, echuca, victoria, pullicino, j (unconfirmed)

After kiln drying the wood was stacked in open sheds. The stack shown is an original timber stack straight from the kiln.The Briar Hill Timber and Trading Company was active during the 1930s - 1950s during the development of the local area with many houses being built by owner-builders who used the company for their needs. Group of 7 black and white photographsbriar hill timber and trading company, briar hill timber, alison lendoudis, bob manuell, sherbourne road briar hill, squire family

Black and white photograph (3 copies- 1 large, 2 smaller) Typed below large photograph: "Bamford's Timber Yard. Cnr. Warrandyte and Main Rds. (Later to become Safeway Site). c1915". Image shows men standing outside building. Timber stacked to left and utility vehicle with P. Bamford written on cabin.

Sepia photograph showing the steamer S S Gippsland being built at the shipyard at Paynesville. Hull and framework in progress, struts supporting hull in position, timber stacked on site, eleven workmen, McMillan Strait and Raymond Island in background. Paynesville VictoriaBuilding of the S S Gippsland at Paynesville in 1907. J C Bull co-author of this book is the young apprentice second from the left in the middle. ships and shipping, slipway, boat building

Two photos of tennis players on the Methodist Church tennis court Devonshire Road Sunshine One photo of female player shows Moons paddock looking approximately North East The other photo male player has a background of timber stacks before use by Mochries Cabinet Works This area later housed the Dept of Social Security officessunshine methodist church, sunshine, devonshire road, tennis

Also new sepia print 10 x 15 cm. See also Peter Synan's book 'Highways of Water'Sepia photograph showing paddle steamer Tanjil at Latrobe Wharf. Swan Hotel on left and Victoria Hotel on right. Timber stacked on wharf. People on wharf and in small boats on river on left, taken from opposite side of Latrobe River. This scene is immediately downstream of present swing bridge on Latrobe River. Sale Victoriaboats and boating, jetties, hotels

By 1910 revenue from the Beech Forest railway was $15,500, working expenditure $12,000, with a net loss (including interest charges) of about $4,000. This and the following year were the lowest net losses ever experienced. Passenger journeys rose steadily, outwards goods traffic rose to a record 12,959 tons (in 1911), and inwards goods traffic was a record 3,359 tons.. The railway station possessed a goods shed, stock race and yards, engine shed, coal stage, crew cabins, a refreshment room, and a four-roomed station building, with the station staff to match. Beech Forest was the principal despatch centre at this stage for split timber. Bill Devitt laid a timber tramway to the Beech Forest railway station to cart the palings for on-shipment..B/W. 177mm x 271mm. A general view from the eastern end of Beech Forest station in 1910. Note the Goods Shed, three tracks with No.3 Road having a NU louvre van and loaded NQR wagons, timber stacks to the left, and Devitt's Tramway with unloaded trolleys at the lower left. To the right, crew cabins with shops and houses in the background.beech forest; railways; timber; tramway;

Set of nine photocopied plans or drawings on A3 sheets of the "Preston Workshops" - c1939 .1 - P8491 - Plan of land showing layout and associated drawings including Reservoir railway line - 19-4-1939. .2 - P8492 - Plan of Timber stacks and Hall - 3-2-1939 .3 - P8493 - Plan of Offices and location of sub-station - 13-12-1938 .4 - P8494 - Plan of Store including Oil store - c1939. .5 - P8495 - Plan of Paint Shop and relationship to timber stack - 1-3-1939 .6 - P8496 - Plan of Car building and Repairs shop - 6-12-1938 .7 - P8497 - Plan of machine shop - 10-12-1938 .8 - P8500 - Plan of Blacksmiths shop - 1-12-1938 .9 - P8590 - Plan of Substation - 1-12-1938trams, tramways, drawings, depots, property, preston workshops, workshops, substation

On 24 March 1962 the special train marking the closure of the Colac-Beech forest railway line was again put on by the Australian Railway Historical Society, this time called the "Bye-Bye Beechie". It had G42 as the locomotive, eight NBH excursion carriages with NC guard's vans at either end, pulling a crowd of keen passengers. Special excursion trains until mid-1962.Colour. G42 locomotive inscribed "Australian Railway Historical Society, Bye-Bye Beechie, 24-3-62", an NC guard's van, eight NBH excursion carriages and another NC guard's van on No.2 Road at Beech Forest Railway Station, with dismounted passengers all around. On No.4 Road a number of loaded or semi-loaded NQR wagons and an NUU louvre van, with a truck, a car, and a van at the end of the row. A parked red truck in the foreground is next to a timber stack.beech forest: railways; "bye bye beechie";, beech forest: railways; "bye bye beechie";

"Smoko" for guards with their mountsB & W. Two guards seated on stack of timber. Three horses in harness.internment camp guards, ww2, camp 13, army personnel, garrison guards, garrison horses

Black and white postcards showing Great Extended Hustlers poppet head in foreground. Timber buildings, stacks of timber in background. Three copies of loose postcards. Inscriptions: 'Royal Historical Society of Victoria, Bendigo Branch, Great Extended Hustlers. Locality, Hustlers Hill, Nth. Bendigo. Formed 1865 - last production 1921. Depth of shaft - 3,470 feet. Poppet legs - steel, 70 feet high. Winding Engine: first motion, 8ft. Drums. Gold Very Rich, Total yield - 3000,000 ozs. Dividends L675,000.cottage, miners

The photo shows a timber worker "riding the load".The photo shows a man sitting on a load of sawn timber, which is stacked on a trolley. The trolley is sitting on timber rails. The man is holding a rope which is attached to a large lever (brake) on the right side of the trolley (near the front).timber industries, logging

Two photographs of the first Sunshine bus service a seven passenger vehicle operated between Sunshine and Footscray by Mr Ron Tresize 1 Ron Tresize and George Singleton 2 Ron Tresize George Singleton and Laura Thorpe One photo of three males on entrance to Albion railway station Two photos of HV McKay timber yard stacks and employees The stacks show the method of air seasoning of the timbertransport

Beech Forest railway yards, 1907. Passenger carriage; good's van; boy (half hidden; NQ goods wagon; stacks of timber awaiting loading.beech forest; railway; yard; passenger car; timber; goods wagon;

BHS CollectionBlack and white photograph of mining landscape with poppet head, chimney and mining sheds (plus timber in stack) in foreground. Other mines in bare landscape on LHS background and housing on RHS background. Inscriptions: on front - 'The Hustler's Line of Reef from Redan Hill Hustler's Tribute Coy', 'Gt. Extended Hustler;s Claim', 'The Old Hustler's Claim, Gt. Hustlers (Late Latham & Watson's). On back - 'A Richardson, 29 Harrison Street, Bendigo'.mine, gold, hustlers reef mine, bendigo, mines and mining, mine, mines, mining, landscape, mining landscape, redan hill, poppet head, old hustlers, mining cottages

Faded black and white mounted photograph of a group of men taken at the Moreland Timber Yard in the early years of the 20th century. Some are seated and some standing. Several are leaning against stacked timber. It appears to be a photograph of the Yard's employees, including office staff. There are four other photos in this.

Pile Siding was opened in December 1915 because of the Pettit Brothers sawmill and pile extraction operation. The siding was a spur with points facing Beech Forest with a timber tramway feeding the siding. During 1916/17 Pettit's sent away 5,000 tonnes of timber before moving to another site, after which loading dropped to insignificant proportions. Pettit's again occupied the site from 1924 and traffic rose to major levels again.B/W. A six horse-drawn timber tram at Pile Siding station in c.1920. Two timber workers are seated at the centre. Stacks of timber are awaiting collection. Note the bare tree trunks in the background. pile siding; weeaproinah; railways; tramways;

Originally known as Smith's Siding, in November 1914 the siding was renamed "Pettits" following the sale of a nearby mill to the north. The sawn timber was initially carted out by bullock wagon but the mud and slush caused such difficulties that Pettits caused a thirty chain incline to be built from the mill to a tramway. The tramway connected the mill to the railway until 1924. An annual average of 2,450 tonnes of timber was despatched from the siding. No provision was made for passenger traffic. After ten years Pettit Brothers had cut out the area and moved on, abandoning the siding which was put out of commission on 23 September 1924. However, local residents, not wishing to suffer the loss of railway facilities, managed to have the siding reopened in February 1925 for goods and passengers. It was lightly patronised until all traffic ceased in 1936. B/W. Sam Knox, timber loader and tallyman, and George Pritchard, a teamster, resting at Pettit's Siding after delivering a six-horse-drawn load of timber to the Siding. Stacks of wood awaiting transport by rail are in the background.pettits siding; wyelangta; railways; smith's siding; sam knox; george pritchard;

B/W. "G" class locomotive and goods carriages crossing from No.1 road to No.2 road after leaving the balloon reversing loop at Beech Forest station. In the background are stacks of timber awaiting collection, and further in the background, the edges of the tennis courts.beech forest; railways; reversing loop;

Aerial view of HV McKay Massey Harris Factory building administration office and Sunshine including Sunshine Gardens and gardeners residence This photograph shows many other points of historical nature Top Left 1 Storage shed stacks of timber air drying 2 Old clock tower and new factory office block 3 Main or head office block opposite clock tower Then along Devonshire Road Adjacent to Head Office new drawing office on 1st floor over new workshop for experimental department These two later amalgamated and formed what became known as The Engineering Department Right Centre 4 on both sides of Devonshire Road 5 State Savings Bank before rebuilding 6 Blair Athol guesthouse with National Bank on ground floor opposite State Savings Bank 7 Along Hampshire away from Blair Athol some houses then McKays laboratory Duplicates department Service Street Morgue Steel Storage and Pickling Annex and Roberts Quarry and some houses in background top right Top Left to Right 8 In front of timber stacks Stony Creek winds through factory site to dam fire fighting before running under Hampshire Road in front of Annexe and Quarry across Service Street Creek was diverted through a channel and tunnel not shown Also Railway lines to Bendigo and Mildura show McKays railway engine hauling trucks from factoryh.v. mckay massey harris, sunshine, devonshire road

Slide: railway track running alongside New Chum Mine, Breen Street, Golden Square, Bendigo. Mine buildings on right hand side of track, chimneys, poppet head, horse and dray and large stacks of timber in foreground of image. Boy standing on rail way line.number 1 in blackmine, gold, new chum railway, poppet heads, chimney stacks, timber stacks, 3 mine bridges, horse and dray, mining, bendigo, gold mining, railway line, new chum mine

B/W. Engine G41, showing the sign "Puffing Billy Preservation Society, Beech Forest, 21-11-59", leaves the balloon loop at Beech Forest Railway Station, with guard and child hanging from the engine. A number of people are in the area, particularly two on top of a stack of timber. beech forest; railways;

This is a picture of timber workers loading a truck with sawn timber at Sandersons Mill.The photo shows a tray truck loaded with sawn timber. There is a partially roofed timber building behind the truck and stacks of sawn timber all around. A man is walking from the back of the truck towards a stack of timber to the right and another is standing on the timber on the tray of the truck, holding a piece of timber. There is thick bush in the background.timber industries, logging, sawmilling

Charcoal burning was one of the earliest activities of the settlers in the Whitehorse area Large print in gold frame by Tom Roberts. Picture of three men doing charcoal burning with felled timber in a wooded area. Lightish green foreground grass with stacked timber and forest tress in background. Tom Roberts left side On back, Tom Roberts, the wood splitters (The charcoal burners) 1888. Ballarat Fine Art gallery, Victoria. Bequest of J. R .Hartley 1961 On back State of the Art Framing 510 Whitehorse Rd, Mitcham 3132 Ph 9873-5525 Tom Robertscharcoal burning, tom roberts, prints

Ski-Horizon is the official journal of the Federation of Victorian Ski Clubs which began publication in 1949. The were 26 original member clubs which included Albury Ski Club, Bogong Ski Club, Myrtleford Ski Club, Tallangatta and District Ski Club and Wangaratta Ski Club. Two pioneers of Falls Creek, Tom Mitchell, M.L.A., and Martin Romuld were Vice-Presidents of the Federation.This Journal is significant because it documents the early development of skiing in Victoria.The journal features stories and events chronicling developments in Victoria and internationally. Items related to the Falls Creek Area in this issue include:- Page 2 - Fred Griffith, Albury Ski Club's dynamic President should be pleased with the article about his property "Toollanook" in the Leader newspaper and Tom Mitchell celebrated 40 years of skiing with a day spent on the Dargals in the Kosciuszko area. Page 4 - Albury Ski Club appointed a new supervisor, Mr Les Orton formerly catering officer with a British migrant hostel in Sydney. The SEC has also allowed Falls Creek clubs to use timber from the stack at Rocky Valley for firewood. Page 5 - Broadcasting Station 2AY Albury has interviewed some N.E.D.S.A. skiers - Tom Dunlop, Toni St. Elmo, Fred Griffith and Neil Newton. This is a sign of the tremendous interest in skiing in the North East and the publicity it is given. Nissen Ski Tow charges had been set for the season at 8/- per day and 6/- per half day. The novice tow is also ready for a good season. Page 17 - A page of suggested places to ski in Victoria included Bob Hymans' Lodge which was the only commercial concern in the area and the Bogong Ski Club Lodge was available for booking by members of other ski clubs by arrangement with the Secretary. Inside Cover - an advertisement for Fred Griffith's "Toonallook" Romney Stud.fred griffith, bob hymans, tom mitchell, les orton, tom dunlop, toni st. elmo

Photographer notations on slide: "Unloading Timber at Wharves 1933 Age B5" Published: Age (Melbourne, Vic.: 1854- ), Tuesday 15 August 1933 MAHOGANY FROM MANILA. (1933, August 15). The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954), p. 11. Retrieved January 16, 2026, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article204377024 Published title: MAHOGANY FROM MANILA Published Caption: Age Tue 15 Aug 1933 Caption: Unloading Mahogany Logs brought from Manila, Philippine Islands, by the steamer Taiping, which berthed yesterday at Victoria Dock. The vessel discharged twenty logs, each weighing three tons, the first shipment of this type of timber landed in Melbourne. Research by Project Volunteer, Louise McKenzie: This photograph in many ways epitomises Melbourne in the 1930s. It is a time of enormous growth, development and change. But before delving into that, the photo itself is very powerful. The huge mahogany logs being unloaded appear to be so heavy that the ship itself seems to list to port as they are craned over the side. They are being levered into a cart to which two large and sturdy Clydesdale horses are hitched. In contrast to the traditional horses, the wharf is crisscrossed with modern railway tracks. Unloading is both mechanical and manual, and the scene is one of intense interest to a young boy bystander. The ship appears to be squat and solid, but the whole image also gives a feeling of movement and intensity. The mahogany being delivered to Melbourne would be intended for high quality furniture. In the 1930s Australia actually had a growing timber industry, but much of the eucalyptus wood was being utilised for mass produced furniture, and much of this furniture would then have had a veneer applied to it. The fact that it was economic to import this timber from the “Philippine Islands” – not a traditional trading market for Australia – reflects a Victorian economy that was strong enough to support a growing demand for good quality furniture Mahogany was described as a classic, strong hardwood, often used for dark opulent furniture. In the 1930s the importation of timber from Manila (Philippines) to Australia was a notable trade, particularly in Philippine Lauan (often referred to as Philippine Mahogany), which was used as a cheaper alternative to other hardwoods. 1930s furniture, dominated by the art deco style, used a mix of luxurious exotic woods like mahogany, macassar and ebony for high-end pieces, often veneered over less expensive woods such as walnut, birch and poplar, and with plywood, chrome and lacquer also popular for more practical, streamlined designs during the Depression era. By the mid 1930s timber mills were being relocated away from the immediate dock area, but the fact that these logs were being transported by horse-drawn cart implies that the load would not have had to be taken too far for milling. 1885 the Melbourne Harbour Trust Commissioners had decided that land in or near the city was far too valuable to be used as timber yards. Furthermore, large stacks of timber posed a fire risk. The Trust asked the Victorian Government to reserve a site on the east side of the Yarra River opposite Yarraville and Spotswood. Here, in 1889, the Trust began building six jetties and a wharf specifically for the landing of timber. Clydesdale horses were initially brought to Victoria from Tasmania in the 1830s, and with the 1850s gold rush they were imported direct from Scotland. Melbourne was from its earliest years an important centre of horse-breeding from both imported and colonial-bred stock, providing the well-built draught horse for pulling heavily loaded wagons, the harness horse for delivery work and drawing coaches, and the saddle-horse used for riding. Stud breeding facilities were advertised from the early 1840s. By the 1870s the horse export trade was thriving, and the Port of Melbourne was the country's busiest exporter of horses to Indian, Asian and New Zealand markets. Kirk's Melbourne Horse and Carriage Bazaar in Bourke Street first advertised for business in 1840, and by the 1850s Bourke Street West was famed for its horse bazaars and saleyards. The Victorian Clydesdale Horse Society reports that Clydesdale working horses were a vital part of Melbourne's infrastructure and agricultural industry in the 1930s, when they reached the peak of their popularity despite the increasing competition from mechanization. Their main roles and usage at this time were: • City Delivery: Clydesdales were a common sight for metropolitan deliveries, particularly for breweries (such as Carlton & United Breweries), milk runs, and bread deliveries. • Industrial Work: They were heavily used for hauling cargo at the docks, in construction, and at specialized sites like the Truganina Explosives Reserve, where they pulled wagons. • Agriculture: In surrounding rural areas, they were the primary power source for ploughing and agricultural machinery. • Specialization: By the 1930s, the Clydesdale was smaller and more compact than the Shire or Percheron breeds, making them ideal for navigation in urban environments. After the 1930s their numbers decreased due to the onset of WWI and mechanisation. Wartime petrol rationing led to a brief revival for the working horse, as suburban tradesmen, now used to motor delivery, took their old jinkers out of mothballs. By 1947, however, only 1.5% of city traffic was horse-drawn. In 1952 the large horse cartage company A. Kellet Pty Ltd sold its 250 horses and converted its Richmond stables to storage. In the 1950s at Station and Princes piers, wharf labourers refused to work with the six draught horses still being used to haul trolleys and which were soon superseded by the fork lift, semi-trailer and mobile crane. Where carefully trained horses had once shunted trains in city goods yards, a few hundred a week were now being killed at the abattoirs for pet and human consumption. The last MCC dray horse was withdrawn from service in 1958, but some of the few remaining working animals are used by the mounted police for crowd control at demonstrations and football games. The death knell had also sounded for the associated trades of farrier, saddler and blacksmith. Our photo, therefore, showing the wharf with both the haulage Clydesdales and the rail lines, is a strong visual summary of the social and economic changes experienced in Victoria in the 1930s and on towards the 1950s. Our photo is located at Victoria Dock (also known as Victoria Harbour) which is still an active component of Melbourne’s port system. In 1892 the West Melbourne Dock (later Victoria Dock) was opened, downstream and immediately west of the Spencer Street railway shunting yards. It contained a swing basin for ships, replacing the one which had been provided on the south side of the river, later to be the Duke and Orr dry dock, west of the Charles Grimes Bridge. Further west was the South Wharf along the river bank. The history of Victoria Dock is extremely well described by Ashley Smith in his 2 March 2022 article in Docklands News, and its accompanying aerial photo of the Dock taken in 1934. He writes: "In the early 1930s Victoria Dock was one of the biggest sites for trade and export in Melbourne. A constant queue of ships sailed in, unloaded their cargo, recharged and reloaded, then left for the next port. Around the time this photo was taken (found in a 1934 photo book), the trapezium-shaped basin had been through some changes since its construction in the 1890s. The 497-metre-long Central Pier, finished in 1919, now featured six sheds to house the ever-increasing volume of cargo. The entrance had also been widened in the 1920s to allow better access. Some of the berths featured three-ton jib electric cranes to help with loading cargo and a rail network connected to the State Railway service. By the time construction was completed, the dock was 39 hectares and hailed as the second-largest dock in the world (behind Cavendish Dock, Barrow-in-Furness). To further save costs, excavations were dug to a more reasonable seven metres below low water, instead of British engineer Sir John Coode’s recommended 8.3 metres. Even then, the costs were still around £900,000. It was envisaged, with the extra wharfage, that around thirty 90-metre ships could berth inside. On March 22, 1892, Victoria Dock was opened by Victoria’s Governor, the Earl of Hopetoun (later Australia’s first Governor-General) who opened the sluice to let the Yarra in. It took six days to fill the basin with The Leader newspaper estimating that it would take another six months to completely fill (March 26, 1892). In the end, it took nearly a year before the first ship was allowed to enter on February 20, 1893, when the steamer Hubbuck sailed in to unload 1200 tonnes of cargo in 15 hours. The Argus (February 23, 1893) reported that the ship’s captain, J. R. Brodie, called the Yarra “better than the Thames”, and compared Victoria Dock favourably to the Albert Dock (Liverpool)." This would be a good time to move our focus on to the Taiping, which is the transporter of these giant mahogany logs. The Taiping was a steel-hulled, single-screw passenger-cargo Chinese steamer, which today has the dubious legacy of being involved in a collision headlined as “The Chinese Titanic”. It was constructed by the Hong Kong and Shampoa Dock Company at its facility in Hong Kong, with completion in 1926 for service under the Australia Oriental Line. Her gross register tonnage measured 4,324 tons, reflecting her design for inter-island and coastal trade routes, accommodating both passengers and freight. She operated routes connecting Australian ports with East Asian destinations. As World War II approached, Taiping continued predominantly working the trade routes between China and Australia, until December 1941, when she evacuated women and children from Hong Kong to Manila just before Japanese forces overran the region. She then safely reached Australia despite enemy air raids. Taiping was then requisitioned by the Royal Navy and repurposed as a victualling stores issuing ship for the Eastern Fleet, supporting logistical needs in the Pacific and Indian oceans. Returned to the Australian Oriental Line in 1947, she underwent refitting and by mid-1948 was chartered to the Shanghai Shipping Company, and modified for greater passenger accommodation – approximately 500 passengers. In 1948/49 the Chinese Civil War took place. The Taiping departed Shanghai on 26 January 1949 as one of the final vessels evacuating civilians from to Keelung Harbour in Taiwan. Reports indicate that the Taiping carried double the rated capacity of passengers i.e. 1000. The ship carried families, military personnel, civilians, carrying personal belongings, gold and valuables in hope of resettlement in Nationalist Taiwan. It also held heavy cargo in the form of silver and gold bullion loaded by the Central Bank of China. Because of the risk of patrols, and to conserve fuel, the Captain took the ship away from the usual open-sea passage, and instead navigated along the coast. He also extinguished navigation lights to avoid detection. Shortly after midnight on 27 January 1949 the Taiping collided with the smaller cargo steamer Chien Yuan in the East China Sea near the Zhoushan Archipelago. The Chien Yuan was also operating in darkness. The subsequent collision was catastrophic. The Chien Yuan sank with in 5 minutes, with the loss of 72 of its 74 crew. The Taiping sustained severe structural compromise from the broadside strike and initially remained afloat, then made a swift descent into the freezing water, with no attempt at an organised evacuation. No formal recovery process was instigated, however a distress signal went out. 32 survivors were picked up by the Australian destroyer HMAS Warramunga (on patrol nearby), a passing US vessel found 2 more, and local Zhoushan fishermen retrieved others. In the end, only 37 people survived. The event is remembered as a poignant moment in the mass migration to Taiwan, with families tragically separated. A memorial to the disaster exists at the Keelung Harbour naval base on Taiwan. With its total of over 1,500 deaths, it constituted one of the worst peacetime maritime losses. It is sometimes referred to as the “Oriental Titanic” because of the similarly large loss of life and speed of demise with the RMS Titanic in 1912. A fictional depiction of this event appears in the John Woo movies “The Crossing (Part 1) (2014), and The Crossing II (2015), known in Chinese as “Taiping Wheel”. The narrative weaves a story around pre-disaster romances and wartime turmoil among passengers, culminating in the ship’s rapid sinking. “The production, a high-budget Sino-Taiwanese-Hong Kong co-effort, portrays the event as a microcosm of the 1940s Sino-Japanese and civil war legacies, though critics noted the melodramatic style prioritizing spectacle over historical precision.” In conclusion, it is nice to return to our photo, and observe the people involved in this moment. The dockworkers are, so typical of the 1930s, dressed in what looks to us like formal clothing – dark suits or coats, white shirts, and black hats. I am particularly drawn to the young boy, bare-headed, arms crossed, and so intent on the unloading process. He too is wearing a white shirt, black trousers and jacket, and black shoes. This is 1933 Melbourne – but the haircut he is sporting is now very “hipster” and modern in 2026 Melbourne. References: MAHOGANY FROM MANILA. (1933, August 15). The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954), p. 11. Retrieved January 30, 2026, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article204377024 Wikipedia, Taiping steamer, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taiping_(steamer) Wikipedia, Victoria Dock, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victoria_Dock_(Melbourne) Docklands News, Ashley Smith, 2 Mar 2022, https://www.docklandsnews.com.au/victoria-dock/ Living Histories: Heritage Council of Victoria, Jill Barnard, 2008, Jetties and Piers, https://livinghistories.net.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Jetties-ONL-intro_Part-1.pdf eMelbourne, Wharves and Docks, https://www.emelbourne.net.au/biogs/EM01612b.htm Australian Academy of Technological Sciences – Harvesting Wood, https://www.austehc.unimelb.edu.au/tia/225.html Old Treasury Building, On the Water – The Docks, https://tinyurl.com/3wkbk66m Old Treasury Building, On The Road, https://tinyurl.com/dw44yr3t Port of Melbourne, Victorian Places, https://www.victorianplaces.com.au/port-of-melbourne Docklands Heritage Study - Environmental History, https://mvga-prod-files.s3.ap-southeast-4.amazonaws.com/public/2024-05/docklands-heritage-review-thematic-environmental-history-1991.pdf eMelbourne, Horses, https://www.emelbourne.net.au/biogs/EM00723b.htm Victorian Clydesdale Horse Society, https://www.clydesdalesvic.org.au/history The Crossing, https://letterboxd.com/film/the-crossing-i/Photographer notations on slide: "Unloading Timber at Wharves 1933 Age B5"ships, shipping, timber industry, shipwrecks, horses, docks, wharves, 1930-1939, wars, docklands