Information on Westgarthtown history and personalities, including photographer Fred Kruger, the Ziebel family, and the origins of the Pura Milk brand.8 p. newsletter, with leaflet westgarthtown, thomastown

Coloured photograph of the sanctuary of St Johns Church Westgarthtown. Th organ was made in the late 19th century.westgarthtown, st johns church westgarthtown

A short history of Westgarthtown (Thomastown Historic Precinct)Revised and enlarged edition. 44 p., illus. (some col.)westgarthtown

Coloured photograph of The rear of Zeibell's Cottage at Westgarthtown .westgarthtown, ziebell's cottage

Coloured photograph of view of the front of the St Johns Church at Westgarthtown,westgarthtown, st johns church westgarthtown

Coloured photograph of St Johns Church, Westgarthtown from the cemetery.westgarthtown, st johns church westgarthtown

Coloured photograph of the outbuildings at Wuchatsch Cottage at Westgarthtown. Cottage is the oldest home continually lived in by descendents of the one family.westgarthtown, wuchatsch cottage

Coloured photograph of interior of St Johns Church, Westgarthtown and the members who visited.|L-R Valda Arrowsmith, Lois Binnie (Whitehorse Council), Irma Hatty. Ellen Mitchell, Peter Simmenauer, Frances Warren and Barbara Gardiner.westgarthtown, arrowsmith, valda, binnie, lois, simmenauer, peter, warren, frances, gardiner, barbara, hatty, irma, mitchell, ellen

Coloured photograph of Ziebell's Cottage from the entrance gate.westgarthtown, ziebell's cottage

A history of Westgarthtown, German and Wendish immigrants first settled at Westgarthtown in March 1850, situated 16 Kilometres north of Melbourne this land now forms part of the suburbs of Thomastown and Lalor. Soft cover 36 pages with black & white and coloured photographs,maps & illustrations. Published by the Heritage Council Victoria and the City of Whittlesea.victoria, history, german, victoria-history-german-westgarthtown

BHS CollectionWhite 3 ring binder contains information on Westgarthtown,Tatura german heritage trail with illustrations, photographs and maps, mostly written in German language.victoria, history, german, history-victoria-german-westgarthtown-tatura

Coloured photograph of Ziebell's Cottage and garden.westgarthtown, ziebell's cottage

Coloured photograph of the garden at Ziebell's Cottage Garden taken from the front garden looking to the street.westgarthtown, ziebell's cottage

non-fictionPapers delivered at a Conference 17/04/1999von mueller ferdinand, melbourne, german community

Contents: • Next meeting, guest speaker; Robert Wuchatsch: Westgarthtown • November Meeting • Christmas Function • Society Headquarters • President’s Report • Spring Excursion • Eltham Heritage Trail • Nillumbik Heritage Study • More News • A Punt Across the Yarra at Eltham? • Former Eltham Shire Office Site The Shire of Eltham Historical Society was formed in October 1967. The first newsletter of the Society was issued May 1978 and has been published continuously ever since on a bi-monthly basis. With the cessation of the Shire of Eltham in late 1994, the Society's name was revised to Eltham District Historical Society and this name first appeared with issue No. 103, July 1995. The collection of the Society's newsletters provides a valuable resource on the history of the Society's activities, office bearers and committee members, guest speakers and subjects of historical interest pertinent to the former Shire of Eltham and the Eltham District.A4 photocopied newsletter distributed to membersnewsletter, eltham district historical society, shire of eltham historical society

Handmade by Carl Heinrich Alfred "Carl Alfred" Ziebell (1867–1940), great-grandson of Westgarthtown pioneers Christian and Sophia Ziebell, this toy horse is an example of the skilled craftsmanship practised within the Ziebell family. It was made for the children of his eldest son, Alfred Ziebell, and remained within the family until donated by Joan Morris (née Ziebell).Handmade wooden toy horse known as Pearly Bridge, constructed and painted white with a dark painted saddle and mounted on a rectangular wheeled base with four red-painted wheels. The horse features a stylised carved body with a flat, shaped head and simple painted details

Large leather-bound illustrated family Bible published in the United States c.1871 and printed in the German language. The Bible contains a family register section recording births and deaths, as well as a dedicated section for family photographs. The volume is richly illustrated throughout and reflects the importance of religion and family record keeping within German Lutheran communities of the nineteenth century. The Bible belonged to the Seeber family of Westgarthtown. The Seeber family lived in a house on High Street, opposite the present-day Lalor Railway Station, for almost one hundred years. Family patriarch John Seeber worked as a shoemaker and operated his business from the family home. Many members of the Seeber family are buried in the Westgarthtown Lutheran Cemetery. The Bible was retained within the Seeber family for generations and was donated to Ziebell's Farmhouse Museum by Helen Pearce, granddaughter of Agnes Seeber, the youngest child of John and Johanna Seeber.

This 19th-century German secretaire is a refined example of the Biedermeier style, valued for its restrained elegance, high-quality craftsmanship, and practical, compartmentalised interior. Made with fine veneers, typically cherry or walnut, over a sturdy timber carcass, Biedermeier secretaires represent an important era of German domestic design that emphasised order, utility, and tasteful simplicity. Its significance to Ziebell’s Farmhouse Museum is elevated by its direct association with Christian Ziebell, who returned to Germany in 1855 after having settled in Westgarthtown and brought the secretaire back to Melbourne by ship. As a personally selected furnishing, it reflects both Christian’s continued connection to his homeland and the aspirations of a settler family building comfort, status, and familiarity in a new country. The secretaire contributes meaningfully to the interpretation of German migrant domestic life, craftsmanship, and transnational identity, offering tangible insight into what the Ziebell family valued and chose to carry across the world.

This finely crafted women’s gold fob watch, made by Robert Stauffer & Fils of La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, is an elegant example of mid-19th-century Swiss watchmaking. Its engraved floral motifs, protected beneath glass and repeated on the reverse, reflect the refinement and skill associated with one of Europe’s foremost horological centers. Believed to have belonged to either Elizabeth Ziebell (née Sprenger, 1836–1892) wife of Carl Chrsitian Ziebell or Amelia Alice Ziebell (née Bodycoat 1870-1948) wife of Albert Heinrich Ziebell, the watch provides a personal link to the women of the early Ziebell family and to domestic and social life within Westgarthtown’s German settler community. Women’s watches of this era were both functional and fashionable, commonly worn on a long necklace chain, suspended from a chatelaine at the waist, or attached to a decorative bodice brooch. Such pieces served as markers of refinement, femininity and social standing. The tiny winding key is central to the object’s significance. Before stem-winding mechanisms became standard in the 1870s, watches were wound and set by inserting a small key into an arbor at the back of the case. The survival of both the watch and its original key strengthens their historical integrity and deepens understanding of 19th-century personal technology. Donated to Ziebell’s Farmhouse Museum in 2025 by Kristina Colic (née Ziebell) and her father Mervyn Turner Ziebell, the watch holds strong familial and interpretive value, enriching the museum’s representation of women’s heritage, adornment and craftsmanship within the Ziebell family. Robert Stauffer & Fils of La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland

Vol. 4, No. 1, Jan-Feb 1999 CONTENTS LEGACY OF WILLIAM WESTGARTH Beginnings of German culture in Victoria 3 POSTCARD FROM VIENNA Soni Stecker in the coffee capital of Europe 6 SMALL IS BEAUTIFUL Poets Christen the Montsalvat barn 9 NEW BLOOD FOR ARTS OF ELTHAM 11 HILARY JACKMAN IN PROFILE An artist examines her motives 12 POETRY 14 VOLUMES 1ST BIRTHDAY Celebrating a new chapter in the story of Nillumbik 16, 17 NEW HEIDE EXHIBITION Luna Park and the Art of Mass Delirium 18 SONGLINES A dream takes shape for Nerida Kirov 20 THEATRE WITH CAROLYN PICKETT 23 BOOK REVIEWS 24 - 28 CD REVIEWS Coco's Lunch -Wally Wombat Shuffle; Hooray! for Mr Whiskers 29, 32 "Peter Dougherty has been involved in the local art scene for many years. As publisher and editor of the arts magazine Artstreams, his comments on the various branches of the arts are widely respected. His "The Arts" column in the Diamond Valley Leader presents a brief summary for a much wider cross section of the local community. Peter also operates his own gallery and the Artstreams Cafe at the St Andrews market. Peter has a wealth of knowledge about present day and historical aspects of local art and artists." - Eltham District Historical Society Newsletter No. 161, March 2005Colour front and back cover with feature articles and literary pieces with photographs and advertisements printed in black and white. 36 pages, 30 cm. Vol. 1, no. 1 (Nov. 1996) - Vol. 10, no. 5 (summer ed. 2005/​06) art streams, john borrack, ziebell farmhouse, sumer in the parks, william westgarth, westgarthtown, yarra valley country club, llobex image wizards, soni stecker, vienna, victorian artists supplies, adams of north riding, pool & spa care centre, montsalvat, eltham arts council, hilary jackman, st andrews hotel, jordie albiston, ian mcbryde, city of whittlesea community festival, volumes, clive dickson, luna park, museum of modern art at heide, art in public places, songlines, nerida kirov, manningham arts centres, carolyn pickett, women's circus, edna walling, trisha dixon, jennie churchill, gwen ford, eltham library community gallery, roberta sykes, soni silvan strecker, dymocks booksellers, wintyre recital gallery, carolyn morwood, anne delaney, coco's lunch, bulleen art & garden centre, franciscus henry, monty deli & catering services

This plate was attached to the buggy (0254.2) which acted similarly to a number plate in denoting ownership. As such it is the only one of its kind. Estimated date of manufacture was late 19th or early 20th Century.This object is of primary significance. Its significance relates to the buggy (0254.2), belonging to Alfred Ziebell, to which it was attached.Metal hand painted ownership plate. Black background with yellow writingA. Ziebell Thomastownbuggy, number plate, alfred ziebell, ziebell's farmhouse, friends of westgarthtown

Painted from the home (or front) paddock which ran south to the creek. The paddock was used for the cultivation of lucerne and maize crops in the lower regions while closer to the house where Ainwick Crescent is now situated, it was a burgeoning market garden for the cultivation of all varieties of vegetables. The large pines beyond, sheltered the farmyard on the west of Gardenia Road. That complex can be partly glimpsed on the left of the painting. This is a directly painted watercolour relying on the use of white paper and transparencies to impart a feeling of morning light. The figure is the artist's mother for whom the picture was painted. Provenance: Augusta Borrack (nee Ziebell) Collection, John Borrack CollectionThese two paintings by acclaimed Victorian artist John Borrack, a direct descendant of the Ziebell family through his mother Augusta, hold substantial artistic, historical, and familial significance for Ziebell’s Farmhouse Museum and the broader Westgarthtown narrative. Borrack, recognised as one of Australia’s leading landscape painters, is known for his sensitive, precise and atmospheric depictions of place. His professional standing and artistic skill considerably elevate the cultural value of these works. The paintings depict Ziebell’s Farmhouse and the associated outbuildings on the opposite side of Gardenia Road, capturing the rural character of the property prior to subdivision and suburban encroachment. They function as accurate visual records of the farm’s earlier setting and the self-sufficient lifestyle. Their documentary value is amplified by Borrack’s own reflections: he explained that he made the original sketches in the 1950s and later, in the 1970s, “decided to make a positive record of what the farm looked like”, developing these paintings from those earlier drawings. One work shows the farmhouse and milking shed as seen from the cemetery: the other captures the view from the front garden toward the former vegetable garden. Their provenance deepens their significance. As works created by a Ziebell descendant who consciously sought to record his family heritage, the paintings embody intergenerational memory, personal connection, and the enduring legacy of the Ziebell family within Victoria’s cultural landscape. They enrich the museum’s interpretive capacity, offering rare artistic insight into the historic farmstead and contributing meaningfully to the preservation and understanding of Westgarthtown’s heritage. Watercolour painting, depicting Ziebell's Farmhouse from the south (Thomastown and Mernda). Painting is mounted in a gold frame with cream board.Artist signature: John Borrack; Last Days at Ziebells "The Pines" Thomastown, 'Pro mea matre hanc picturan feci (In Memoria)'illustrations, watercolours, john borrack, ziebell, watercolour, painting

Painted from Gardenia Road. The extensive farm complex on the right. (Western side of Gardenia Road). was demolished in 1972 for housing development. Buildings shown are cowshed, hay barn, engine shed and stables. Painted in the late afternoon, the lengthening shadows and lowering sky, could presage the ominous fate awaiting the farm with development. The Ziebell Farm was known as “The Pines” and sadly none of the many that proliferated there remain. Today they would be equivalent to those at the cemetery, having been planted at the same time. Provenance: John Borrack CollectionThese two paintings by acclaimed Victorian artist John Borrack, a direct descendant of the Ziebell family through his mother Augusta, hold substantial artistic, historical, and familial significance for Ziebell’s Farmhouse Museum and the broader Westgarthtown narrative. Borrack, recognised as one of Australia’s leading landscape painters, is known for his sensitive, precise and atmospheric depictions of place. His professional standing and artistic skill considerably elevate the cultural value of these works. The paintings depict Ziebell’s Farmhouse and the associated outbuildings on the opposite side of Gardenia Road, capturing the rural character of the property prior to subdivision and suburban encroachment. They function as accurate visual records of the farm’s earlier setting and the self-sufficient lifestyle. Their documentary value is amplified by Borrack’s own reflections: he explained that he made the original sketches in the 1950s and later, in the 1970s, “decided to make a positive record of what the farm looked like”, developing these paintings from those earlier drawings. One work shows the farmhouse and milking shed as seen from the cemetery: the other captures the view from the front garden toward the former vegetable garden. Their provenance deepens their significance. As works created by a Ziebell descendant who consciously sought to record his family heritage, the paintings embody intergenerational memory, personal connection, and the enduring legacy of the Ziebell family within Victoria’s cultural landscape. They enrich the museum’s interpretive capacity, offering rare artistic insight into the historic farmstead and contributing meaningfully to the preservation and understanding of Westgarthtown’s heritage. Watercolour depicting Ziebell Farmhouse from the north, Thomastown and Mernda. In gold frame with cream border.Artist signature: John Borrack; 70's Ziebells German Lane South Viewillustrations, watercolours, john borrack, ziebell, watercolour, painting

Purchased by Christian Ziebell on one of his two visits back to Germany.This object is of primary significance. Christian Ziebell brought it back from Germany on his return visit to Germany in 1856. It always hung where it is now and it is retractable to different heights. It hung on the lowest chain length over the table and was only raised when the family had festive events such as dances when Dorothea would accompany them on the piano. Great care had to be exercised when the lamp was raised because if it went up too high, and therefore became too close to the wooden ceiling, it could cause a fire. Francis Adams – son of Sylvia Adams (Ziebell) restored the lamp in the 1990’s. This Miller-style hanging oil lamp is a rare and culturally layered object that connects American industrial manufacture with German domestic life and early migrant history in Victoria. Produced by Bradley & Hubbard (B&H) in the United States in the 1890s, the lamp displays characteristic features of the firm’s Rayo line, including a brass body, opaque white glass shade, quality burner mechanism, and a chain-operated raising and lowering system. The inscriptions “B&H Valpirfor” and patent dates 1894-1895 confirm its authenticity as an American-made B&H Rayo lamp. This lamp was likely purchased in Mecklenburg, Germany, reflecting the export of modern lighting technologies into rural German households in the late 19th century. The lamp’s significance is further enhanced by its believed association with the Ziebell family. It is understood that a family member brought the lamp to Melbourne on a subsequent return journey to Germany after the family had established themselves at Westgarthtown. As a result, the lamp embodies themes of migration, technological adaptation, and the lived domestic environment of the Ziebell family across two continents. Its high level of intactness, combined provenance and dual- history contribute to its importance as a culturally rich artefact within the Ziebell’s Farmhouse collection. Original Miller hanging lamp, made of brass and opaque white glass. Lamp has chain-operated raising and lowering mechanism. Decorative brass trimming around widest edge of glass lampshade. Contains tubular wick.B & H Valpirfor written on lowering mechanism on top of the lamp. Rayo 24.98, PAT'D. NOV. 20.94, FEB 28.95, written on top of oil compartment.lighting, kerosene & oil, oil lamp, hanging lamp, original.

The chest was constructed to allowable dimensions for storage in the ship's hold. The sturdy watertight construction afforded protection for the chests contents. It can be imagined that these would be household utensils, items of clothing and the most treasured ornaments as space permitted. It is likely that the contents included some building tools and as well, implements which Christian Ziebell used in his trade as a butcher in Bruel, thereby enabling him to undertake profitable work on his arrival in Australia.This object is of primary significance. The Koffer was constructed to allowable dimensions for storage in the ship’s hold. The sturdy watertight construction afforded protection for the Koffer’s contents on the voyage aboard the Privislaw from Hamburg, Germany to Hobsons Bay, Australia in 1850. The Koffer held the precious necessities for life for Christian Ziebell's family at their new destination. It is likely that the contents included some building tools as well, implements that Christian used in his trade as a butcher in Bruel, thereby enabling him to undertake profitable work on arrival in Australia. The wooden Koffer was airtight, so if lost overboard it would be retrievable. Some were fixed to the ship’s deck. After they settled at Westgarthtown the Koffer continued to contain the precious documents through each generation. Only the current owners saw the contents in each generation, and the children always regarded it as a “treasure chest”, which was always locked and out of bounds for them. This German-made sea chest, dating from the late 1840s, holds exceptional historical, cultural, and interpretive significance as an original migration object belonging to Christian and Sophia Ziebell during their maiden voyage to Australia. Serving as the family’s personal storage trunk aboard the Pribislaw in 1849, the chest would have functioned as a container for clothing, tools, and essential belongings. Later it served as storage for family archives and Lutheran church committee papers. Constructed in the robust mid-19th-century German style, the chest likely features oak timbers, dovetail joinery, and iron fittings typical of sea-going koffers of the period. Its painted decoration, including the name “C. Ziebell” in large black charcoal script, provides strong, direct provenance and reflects both ownership and pride in family identity. Such personalised embellishment was common among German migrants who decorated their chests during periods of spare time aboard the ship. As one of the rare surviving objects directly associated with the Ziebell family’s migration story, this chest embodies themes of aspiration, hardship, cultural continuity, and settlement. It is a tangible link between the family’s Mecklenburg origins and their new life at Westgarthtown, offering powerful interpretive value for understanding early German-Wendish migration and daily life at sea. Built to specifications for sea voyaging it is also a reminder of the planning required prior to considered migration. Its survival enriches the museum’s capacity to convey the lived experience of Christian and Sophia Ziebell and the foundational story of the community they helped to establish. Large wooden trunk/koffer. Base is rectangular, and lid is rectancular to fit the base but curves between the front and back. Morticed corners; protruding base with beveled edge. Supported by profiled runners with four built-in feet. Handle for carrying on each end, and locking mechanism on front.'C. Ziebell' written in large font on back of chestpersonal effects, travel goods, pribislaw, johann christian ziebell, german migration, luggage

Worn by Pastor Steiniger. These three items, a black top hat, white leather gloves, and a white pastor’s collar, form a significant ensemble representing the life, service, and cultural legacy of Pastor Ewald Herman Otto Steiniger. Donated by his son, Dieter Steiniger, the objects provide rare, tangible insight into the clerical traditions and community leadership of the German Lutheran congregation at Westgarthtown. Pastor Steiniger served both Trinity German Lutheran Church in East Melbourne and the Thomastown congregation from 1935 to 1964. Over nearly three decades, he guided his community through socially and politically turbulent times, including the years surrounding the Second World War. In April 1942, he was suddenly interned by the Australian Government and held at Tatura Internment Camp for 930 days before his release in 1944. Despite this profound disruption, he returned to his pastoral duties, continuing to support, stabilise, and preserve the cultural and spiritual life of his congregation. The black top hat reflects formal clerical dress of the early–mid twentieth century. Within German Lutheran tradition, such hats were worn to important services and solemn occasions, particularly funerals, symbolising respect and reverence. The accompanying white gloves and pastor’s collar complete the ceremonial ensemble, offering a fuller understanding of pastoral attire and the visual language of Lutheran liturgical practice of the time. Together, these objects hold strong historical, cultural, and interpretive value. They honour the enduring contribution of Pastor Steiniger and deepen the connection between the Westgarthtown site and the community it served. Pastor Steiniger and his wife, Annemarie (née Kraemer), are buried in the historic Westgarthtown Lutheran Cemetery, further strengthening the significance of this ensemble as part of the precinct’s heritage story. Collapsible black top hat, leather band inside, lined.gold symbol of man walking on globe in top hat on inside top of hat.costume, male headwear, pastor, top hat, lutheran, steiniger