The Star Hotel was built in 1863 as a private dwelling, by James Shackell who owned the Bond Store, next door. It was a small house consisting of only a couple of rooms. In 1867 Joseph Salomon bought the house and converted it into a hotel. He built an underground bar to "deal with the peculiarities of the Echuca climate". It was called 'The Shades'. In 1890 Jane Pygall bought the hotel, which was described by the Riverine Herald as having ' three parlours, seven bedrooms, underground bar, kitchen, bathroom, outhouses, small stables, and entrance from two streets." She changed the name to The Esplanade Hotel. In 1890 it was de-licensed along with many hotels in Echuca. It had been a very popular drinking place for all the wharf workers, who continued to to drink illegally in the underground bar. It was then that the escape tunnel to the laneway was built , so the drinkers could escape the Police raids. For many years it was a private dwelling, or an office. In 1973 the City of Echuca bought the Star Hotel and resored it. At the time this photograph was taken it was the main tourist information centre for the Port of Echuca. It now operates as a hotel, serving meals and providing performance opportunities for musicians.The Star Hotel is very significant in Echuca's history due to its proximity to the Echuca Wharf. It was the closest bar to the wharf. Despite Jane Pygall trying to improve the quality of her clientele, the wharf drinkers preferred to drink at The Star Hotel, as the Bridge Hotel catered for more upmarket clientele. After de-licensing in 1897, the workers continued to drink at The Shades Bar and even put in place elaborate strategies to enable them to drink illegally there. It is now a large eating and entertainment site, and the public are still able to visit 'The Shades Bar'.A coloured photograph of the Star Hotel building in Murray Esplanade. The photograph is taken from the east side of the street. The Shackell's Bond Store can be seen on the left of the photograph. Printed on the back are the words, "This paper manufactured by Kodak". Also on the back is green Port of Echuca stamp. Written across the front of the Bond Store are the words 'World In Wax Museum.' On a sign outside the Star Hotel are the words, "Port Information Centre. Ticket Sales. Souvenirs . Star Hotel 1867."port of echuca, star hotel, shackell, james, salomon, joseph, pygall, jane, esplanade hotel, 1863, underground bar, the shades, de-licensing of echuca hotels

In 1984 the Commonwealth Government made available to Flagstaff Hill a collection of lead ingots and copper sheets recovered from the wreck-site of the LOCH ARD. They were presented to the Warrnambool City Council by the Hon. Tom Uren MHR, Minister for Territories and Local Government: “The Commonwealth recognises that shipwrecks like the LOCH ARD are our national heritage with important educational, recreational and tourist applications” (The Standard, Tuesday 8 May 1984). The LOCH ARD was wrecked in 1878. Unsuccessful salvage operations were then undertaken with the 90 ton paddle steamer NAPIER. In sudden bad weather this vessel too was sunk. The precise position of the LOCH ARD in the exposed and dangerous waters off Mutton Bird Island became lost to memory. The underwater location of the LOCH ARD was rediscovered in 1967 by a Warrnambool skindiver, Stan McPhee. In the two years following his find, the vessel was systematically pillaged by unauthorised salvagers. This led to the State and Federal Governments’ intervention in 1969. A roundup and seizure of recovered lead ingots and copper sheets was conducted by Commonwealth and Victorian Police. Offenders were charged and convicted. The “repossessed loot of the Tassie Boys” was placed into secure storage (Jack Loney, 1978, Wrecks & Reputations). The LOCH ARD manifest of cargo lists “Pig lead 50 tons, 994 pig & 37 rolls” and “Copper 33 plates, 53 bolts”. While the lead ingots have been subsequently described as “ballast”, the copper sheets are unlikely to have been associated with the ship’s normal complement in that way. Similar product lines in the cargo manifest are “Bar and rod iron 102 tons”, “Plate iron 3 tons” and “Zinc 12 tons”. These raw materials were used by colonial artisans such as blacksmiths and metal smelters to fashion, and repair, agricultural implements and industrial machinery. Copper was valued for its non-corrosive properties and its malleability, or ease of working. Both these qualities were useful, for example, in laying underground gas pipes that supplied lighting to residences, businesses and streetscapes in the mid-nineteenth century. As the nineteenth century progressed, the metal was also increasingly valued for its conductivity, with copper wiring linking colonial communities to each other, and the wider world, via the Telegraph system. The average weight of the copper sheets is 216 kilograms, calculated by "volume 0.1936m³ X Cu density 8930kgs/m³".The shipwreck of the Loch Ard is of significance for Victoria and is registered on the Victorian Heritage Register ( S 417). Flagstaff Hill has a varied collection of artefacts from Loch Ard and its collection is significant for being one of the largest accumulation of artefacts from this notable Victorian shipwreck. The collections object is to also give us a snapshot into history so we can interpret the story of this tragic event. The collection is also archaeologically significant as it represents aspects of Victoria's shipping history that allows us to interpret Victoria's social and historical themes of the time. The collections historically significance is that it is associated unfortunately with the worst and best-known shipwreck in Victoria's history. Large heavy sheets or panels of copper metal raised from the wreck of the LOCH ARD. The 10 sheets are of roughly similar dimensions and rectangular shape. They bear signs of prolonged submersion in seawater, with various degrees of limestone accretion, adhered marine growth, and green oxidisation. Three of the sheets are severely buckled, demonstrating the force of underwater explosives used in their salvage. One sheet appears cut or severed in a diagonal line downwards from its top left hand corner. One sheet has a 10cm X 10cm square cut out of its top right hand corner. All sheets are in sturdy, stable condition. No maker’s marks are visible.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, loch line, loch ard, captain gibbs, eva carmichael, tom pearce, glenample station, mutton bird island, loch ard gorge, sailing ship, copper sheet, manutacturing materials, metal imports, muntz

This helmet worn by SEC Victoria workers in the Kiewa Hydro Electricity Scheme is a mandatory safety requirement by all personnel employed by government and statutory agencies who worked on or around "dangerous" apparatus or underground location sites. This type of pressed fibre helmet was later superseded by moulded plastic helmets. The start of the project (late 1940's) was not greatly covered by later introduced health and safety regulations. This has been demonstrated by photos of workmen outside using heavy machinery and other apparatus, see KVHS 0396, KVHS 0405 and KVHS 0392. However in the tunnels and underground safety helmets were mandatory, see KVHS 0403.This safety helmet was used by workers during construction of the generators and tunnels of the Kiewa Hydro Scheme was issued once only to each worker during his employment covering the 1940's to 1960's period. The attitude to health and safety during this period, can be summed up by this "initiation" ritual. When the helmet had been instrumental in saving a bad accident to a worker, that worker would be "invested" into the "Turtle Club". Although a safety helmet was only issued once to a worker this changed when modern moulded plastic helmets and greater Health and Safety requirements were introduced. Helmets now are replaced bi-annually.This safety helmet is made from pressed fibres with eyelets for airflow to the head. On the base of the helmet (before the rim) are 15 metal eyelets and three quarters up are six other eyelets (3 on each side). A thick leather strap is fastened by two rivettes to the main helmet. This strap has a metal bar rivetted on to affix a "safety" lamp, for underground work (Tunneling). There are two additional metal prongs and a metal bar to secure the lamp on the rim of the front of the helmet.sec vic kiewa hydro scheme, alternate energy supplies, alpine population growth

Murray Comrie Collection. Information written by Donald Clark, (source Tarnagulla: A history of Tarnagulla and Districts website): The hotel was built on Commercial Road in 1859 and was opened on 26/12/1859. Festivities lasted for three days on opening. The building was of two storeys, built of brick and plastered throughout. It contained one bar, three parlors, billiard room, dining room, and four bedrooms with twelve others detached from the main building. Other out buildings consisted of kitchen etc. and stables to accommodate 30 horses. There was an underground tank capable of holding 3000 gallons of water. The licence was granted to Patrick McDermott at the Dunolly Court on 17/2/1860 and renewed on General Licensing Day on 12th June, 1860, and was transferred to William Hawkins in 1861. The premises became the headquarters of the Bet Bet Roads Board, following which it became the Council Chambers for the Borough of Tarnagulla, until 1915. The building was beyond repair and was removed by pulling the place down and storing the material for use of the Public Hall Committee. This took place on March 27th and 28th, 1981. This image must be after 1866, when the building was purchased for use as Council Chambers and the original heavy cornice was removed as that is not present in this image. This photograph is a reasonable copy created from an older original. Monochrome photograph depicting Company's Hotel in Tarnagulla. At the time of the photograph the old hotel is being used as the Mechanics' Institute. tarnagulla, hotels, company's hotel, companys hotel, burstall hall, businesses, commercial road