Denis Gibbons (1937 – 2011) Trained with the Australian Army, before travelling to Vietnam in January 1966, Denis stayed with the 1st Australian Task Force in Nui Dat working as a photographer. For almost five years Gibbons toured with nine Australian infantry battalions, posting compelling war images from within many combat zones before being flown out in late November 1970 after sustaining injuries. The images held within the National Vietnam Veterans Museum make up the Gibbons Collection.A black and white photograph The Ambassador of the United States of America, His Excellency Mr William H. Crook accompanied by his wife, arrive to attend the Trooping of the Regimental Colour on the occasion of the Presentation of the United States Presidential Distinguished Unit Citation to D Coy , 6 RAR/NZ, on the 18/08/1968 in Townsville, Queenslandphotograph, townsville, mr william h crook - ambassador of the usa, 6 rar/nz, battle of long tan, presidential citation, gibbons collection catalogue, united states presidential distinguished unit, mrs crook, trooping of the colour, d coy, denis gibbons

This item was donated by Sgt Derrill Vivian de Heer (37643) who served with the Royal Australian Infantry Corps. He was in Vietnam with 8th Battalion, the Royal Australian Regiment from Nov 1969 to April 1970, 1st Psychological Operations Unit from April 1970 to November 1970 and 4th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment from September 1971 to December 1971.A Copy of The Viet Cong Easter Offensive, Phuoc Tuy Province, South Vietnam, April - June 1972 by Derrill de Heersgt derril vivian de heer, 37643, royal australian infantry corps, 8th battalion, the royal australian regiment, 1st psychological operations unit, 4th battalion, the easter offensive, phuoc tuy province, president nixon, president nguyen van thieu, us ambassador ellsworth bunker, nui dat, vung tau, 1st australian task force, battle of nui le, 274 vc regiments, 33 nva regiment, d445 battalion (nva/vietcong), arvn, nva, dong khoi operation, 74th north vietnamese army (nva), 4 rar/nz (anzac), baria, long kanh province, galia rubber plantation, binh ba, lt col bich - province chief, xuyen moc, 5th ranger group - south vietnamese, long le district village, hoa long

Margaret Woodward is a an artist and an an associate professor of design at Charles Sturt University. Artist statement: "The Sea is All Around us is a multi-layered event which creates a memorable experience for those visiting the Dome Gallery and the Mission to Seafarers in Melbourne’s Docklands. The event acknowledges and raises awareness of the often difficult and dangerous working lives and journeys of seafarers by making visible their role in transporting commodities, materials and objects to and from Australia’s shores. This installation at the Dome Gallery in the Mission to Seafarers in Melbourne’s Docklands marks the third stage of an ongoing research project which seeks to reveal the ‘social life’ of souvenirs. Beyond their representational role souvenirs also trigger intangible, affective qualities – reminders of journeys and places, new associations with tastes, sounds and people, and thereby becoming objects which focus and hold memories. This installation invites seafarers and visitors to participate in a global project which aims to witness sea journeys and trace the mobile life of seafarers and souvenirs. For a fortnight in May 2015, the Dome Gallery became an architectural large scale compass, with the circular floor marking the intersection of its latitude and longitude (37 º 49'21" S 144º 57'03"E). Over these two weeks the Dome Gallery was inscribed with marks recording journeys made by seafarers, recording destination and departure ports, home lands and waterways, and in doing so making visible a small segment of the global patterns of seafaring. Custom-made souvenirs designed for the installation are given to seafarers as gestures of welcome and a memento of their visit. The souvenirs originating in Poland continue their journey by sea, to destinations beyond the Dome becoming part of the global network of seafaring, with an invitation for seafarers to record their future journeys using QR code scanning technologies. It is hoped that by releasing the 200 limited edition souvenirs accompanying the seafarers the mobile life of souvenirs and seafarers will also become visible. Like messages in bottles they leave our shores, becoming ambassadors, representing the Dome Gallery at the Mission to Seafarers, the waters of Port Phillip Bay, Australia’s red soil and vegetation, and carrying memories of visiting Melbourne." The Mission has always been open to the community and has a tradition of hosting cultural events: shows, concerts, exhibitions, festivals.Small flyer in PDf for the art installation by artist Margaret Woodward at the Mission to Seafarerscultural events, norla dome, mso, 2015, art installation, margaret woodward

This sideboard was from the home of Henry and Mary Jane Giles, who lived in Mailor's Flat, Wangoom, and Purnim West, Victoria, and is part of the many 19th century items of furniture, linen, and crockery donated to Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village by, Vera and Aurelin Giles. The items are associated with Warrnambool and the Giles Family history. Items donated by the family have come to be known as the “Giles Collection”. Many items in the Lighthouse Keeper’s Cottage were donated by Vera and Aurelin Giles and mostly came from the home of Vera’s parents-in-law, Henry Giles, and his wife Mary Jane (nee Freckleton), who married in 1880 and whose photos are on display in the parlour. Henry was born at Tower Hill in 1858 and was a labourer on the construction of the Warrnambool Breakwater before leaving in 1895 for around seven years to build bridges in NSW. Mary Jane was born in 1860 at Cooramook, and she attended Mailor’s Flat State School and where she eventually was to became a student-teacher. After which she became a governess at “Injemiara”, where her grandfather, Francis Freckleton, had once owned land. Henry and Mary’s family consisted of six; some of the children were born at Mailor’s Flat, and later, some children were born at Wangoom. They lived with their parents at Wangoom and Purnim west, and this is where Henry died in 1933 and Mary Jane died in 1940.The Giles family collection is of social significance at a local level, because it not only illustrates the level of material support the Warrnambool community gave to Flagstaff Hill during it’s establishment. But the Giles collection also gives us today a snapshot into what domestic life was like in early colonial times prior to Federation.Sideboard: Kauri Pine, mirror-backed sideboard. Its two drawers have brass, swing handles, and the two doors are carved traditionally with a leaf design. The back has two shelves, each supported on two turned columns. Three mirrors are fitted into carved panels, matching the design of the doors. The pediment is also carved in the same manner, finishing with scrolled edges. Circa 1880. The sideboard has inscriptions. This item is part of the Giles Collection. Marked in pencil: "Villa Rica" "Ambassadors" "Claro" "50"flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, sideboard, furniture, dresser, giles collection, henry giles, vera giles, tower hill, cooramook, mailor’s flat, wangoom, 19th century furniture, purnim west, 1880s furniture, villa rica, ambassadors, claro, 50, australian made furniture, 1880

Denis Gibbons (1937 – 2011) Trained with the Australian Army, before travelling to Vietnam in January 1966, Denis stayed with the 1st Australian Task Force in Nui Dat working as a photographer. For almost five years Gibbons toured with nine Australian infantry battalions, posting compelling war images from within many combat zones before being flown out in late November 1970 after sustaining injuries. The images held within the National Vietnam Veterans Museum make up the Gibbons Collection.A black and white photograph of Townsville, Queensland 18/08/1968 a portion of the guests at the Trooping of the 6 RAR Colour. Right to left Mrs Townsend, Lt Col C Townsend, Mrs Jackson, Brig O.D. Jackson, Lady Pollard, Lt Gen Sir Reginald Pollard KBE CB DSO, the Colonel Commandant, The Royal Australian Regiment, Mrs Crook, His Excellency Mr William H Crook, the Ambassador of the United States of America.photograph, d coy, 6 rar, battle of long tan, john gorton, lt col c townsend, brig o d jackson, lt gen sir reginald pollard, mr william h crook (ambassador of the us), gibbons collection catalogue, the royal australian regiment, townsville, trooping of the colour, mrs townsend, mrs jackson, lady pollard, knight commander of the most excellent order of the british empire, kbe, mrs crook, prime minister of australia j g gorton mp, denis gibbons