Shows wheat from the field bin being transferred into the back of the truck for cartage. Markings: Wheat from field bin into truck. Used as a teaching aid.Agfacoloragriculture, farm, crop, wimmera, wheat truck, mouat crawford collection

Filling the truck with wheat from the field bin. Name on door of truck is D W L V Hewitt, Warracknabeal. A man in the back of the truck and one standing on the ground at the controls of the field bin. Markings: Wheat - farm bulk field bin to truck. Used as a teaching aid.Agfacoloragriculture, farm, crop, warracknabeal, wimmera, truck wheat, hewitt, mouat crawford collection

BHS CollectionMouat Collection - Farming in the Wimmera. Markings; Bulk wheat trucks waiting to be weighed. 6 SEP 64M. Used as a teaching aid.Kodakagriculture, farm, crop transport

2 Black and White copies of photographs of Lewis Lewis Motor Tourist Service vehicles from the 1930's, Under glass in 2 blonde wood frames with gilt edging, markings read 'Lewis Lewis REO 1930', 'REO 1932', 'Lewis Lewis Motor tourist service Boort 1920 to 1940 and owned Weighbridge for weighing wheat trucks - Lewis Lewis Bus Bean'organization, business, lewis motor service, lewis lewis, lewis motor service

black and white photos ( copies ) of newspaper photos and article. 2 photos of wheat carting with wagons, darught horses, railway sheds, bags of wheat, railway trucks, men. Handwritten across top or original paper : Bendigo Views - 1908' Printed in image ' at Prarie in 1908'topic, farming, prarie

James Wills of "Fintry" Lake Bolac carting bags of wheat with his International truck which was purchased for Goodall's, Mortlake. The truck was able to carry 35 bags of wheat.lake bolac, fintry, wills, internation truck, goodall, mortlake

From the Victorian Heritage Register statement of significance H0791 The Marmalake/Murtoa Grain Store, originally the No.1 Murtoa Shed, is located within the Murtoa Grain Terminal, adjacent to the grain elevator tower and railway line. The shed is 280m long, 60m wide and 19m high at the ridge with a capacity of 3.4 million bushels. The hipped corrugated iron roof of the shed is supported on approximately 600 unmilled hardwood poles set in a concrete slab floor and braced with iron tie rods. These poles are the reason for use of the term "stick shed". With its vast gabled interior and the long rows of poles the space has been likened to the nave of a cathedral. An elevator at one end took wheat from railway trucks to ridge level where it was distributed by conveyor along the length of the shed, creating a huge single mound of grain. Braced internal timber bulkheads on either side took the lateral thrust of the wheat, and conveyors at ground level outside the bulkheads took wheat back to the elevator for transport elsewhere. Wheat had been handled in jute bags from the start of the Victorian wheat industry in the mid nineteenth century. Bulk storage had been developed in North America from the early 1900s. NSW began building substantial concrete silos from 1920-21. In Western Australia, farmers' co-operatives, who had to supply their own bulk storage from 1934-5, pioneered the use of low-cost horizontal sheds of timber and corrugated iron for bulk storage. Following its establishment in 1935 the Victorian Grain Elevators Board (GEB) planned a network of 160 concrete silos in country locations, connected by rail to the shipping terminal at Geelong. By the outbreak of the Second World War there was a worldwide glut of wheat, and Australia soon had a massive surplus which it was unable to export. Only 48 silos had been established under the Victorian Silo Scheme so far, and wartime material and labour restrictions prevented progress with this scheme. The storage deficit had become an emergency by 1941 as Britain obtained its imports from North America, rather than over the lengthy and difficult shipping route from Australia. In 1941 the GEB, under chairman and general manager Harold Glowrey, proposed large temporary versions of the horizontal bulk storage sheds already in use in Western Australia. The proposal was approved by the Victorian Wheat and Woolgrowers Association, who considered the use of shed storages as a longer term proposition. After initial resistance from the Australian Wheat Board, some of whose members represented wheat bagging interests, the Commonwealth and Victorian governments agreed to split the costs, and Murtoa was chosen as a suitable site for the first emergency storage. The main contractor, Green Bros, commenced work on the No.1 Murtoa Shed in September 1941, deliveries of bulk wheat began in January 1942, and the store was full by June of the same year. In the following years the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (later CSIRO) conducted valuable research and experiment on the impacts and control of insect pests at the Murtoa No.1 shed. With these discoveries, and the development of more effective pesticides, use of the No.1 shed and the larger No.2 shed, erected in 1942/43, continued for many years. The No.2 shed was demolished in 1975. By the 1990s, pest resistance to pesticides and requirements for both pest free and insecticide free grain rendered open storage of this type unviable. The No. 1 store was also becoming increasingly expensive to maintain, and its use was phased out from 1989.Image of the Marmalake/Murtoa Grain Store which is of historical, architectural, scientific (technical) and social significance to the State of VictoriaDigital colour image of the interior of the Marmaduke . Murtoa grain storage facility better known as the Stick Shed. The shed was constructed in World War Two to store grain. The supporting columns are trees.marmalake, murtoa grain store, wheat store, stick shed, murtoa

Celebrating 125 years of Railway in WycheproofThe 28-09-1883 was a memorable date for Wycheproof for on that day the long-awaited official opening of the railway took place. It has been serving the district since then. In this booklet individual rail workers are acknowledged in a listing.Booklet of 14 pages - size A5. Sepia front cover photo depicts steam train hauling rail trucks up Broadway, Wycheproof, with early buildings and horse- drawn carriages showing. Back cover: Wycheproof Railway Station in its early beginnings - undated. Booklet celebrates the renovation of the historic Wycheproof Railway Station and 125 Years of Rail in Wycheproof. Chapters include: The Early Days, The Arrival of Rail, The New Century, Bulk Wheat and Million Bushell Silos, Railway Families and Workers, The Last Chapter , A new Era Begins. rail-wycheproof, bulk-wheat, railway-workers, station-renovation, steam-train

Tractor pulling a Massey Ferguson header, field bin, truck and station wagon in background, also a lady. Markings:White tape on bottom of slide reads; Wheat header working. Used as a teaching aid.Agfacoloragriculture, farm, wheat crop, tractor, header, harvester, wimmera, mouat crawford collelction

Filling bag with grain in the truck. Used as a teaching aid.PERUTZwimmera, wheat bag filling, mouat crawford collection

Cropping the grain being fed into truck carrying a grain bin. Header is a Massy Ferguson with registration JBV 437, truck registration is GDB 681. Used as a teaching aid.PERUTZcropping, wimmera, massey ferguson harvester, wheat

Black and white photo copied and enlarged from small photo which was part of a set produced in c.1948. Chris Clarke with his 1934 Dodge semi trailer and W Spicer in his 1930 International truck line up to unload wheat at Noske's mill. Noskes flour mill built in 1927 with extra silos added in 1940's.Photo enlarged by Vic Williams of Bendigo nephew of Chris Clarke transport driver. Noske's Flour Mill, with its commanding presence and towering silos, has long **dominated the Charlton skyline** and remains a significant landmark, even though it no longer mills flour. The mill's history is deeply intertwined with the development of Charlton and the grain industry of the surrounding district. The foundation for the mill's presence was laid in 1919 when Messrs Noske Bros. Pty. Ltd., already owning mills in Horsham, Nhill, and Murray Bridge, acquired G. H. Foreman’s Mill located by the Avoca River. The founder, **T. J. Noske**, was an early pioneer of flour exporting, expanding his milling business after unexpectedly acquiring the Horsham mill. ### A State-of-the-Art Operation The original mill by the river operated until August 1926 before being closed and dismantled. Plans were well underway for a **new, state-of-the-art mill** to be located at the former Cobb and Co site. In 1927, the new mill began operation. It was one of the largest in the state, boasting a capacity of three tons of flour per hour, a 250 h.p. diesel engine, and three initial silos. The mill quickly gained a reputation for **excellence** for both its design and its flour, which was sold successfully in local and overseas markets. ### Periods of Expansion and Trial The mill continued to grow, reflecting the importance of the local agricultural industry. Between 1940 and 1941, **nine new silos** were built, adding bulk receival points. In the record-breaking 1968 season, the mill received a colossal wheat intake of **695,000 bushels**. However, the mill also faced setbacks. On January 21, 1949, disaster struck when a **large fire** erupted in the storage shed, which contained 500 tons of bagged flour ready for export and new flour bags. The blaze was so intense that smoke was visible as far away as Wycheproof, and it threatened to destroy the entire mill. Thanks to the monumental efforts of the Charlton, St. Arnaud, Wycheproof, and Wedderburn Brigades, who ran the main pump almost continuously for 26 hours, the damage was contained, though the estimated loss was a substantial £60,000. ### Transformation of the Site At its peak, the mill was a major employer, providing work for approximately 65–70 men. But after over 45 years of operation, flour production at the mill ceased on October 25, 1973. Noske Industries Ltd. sought to adapt, converting the operation to a less successful stock feed production centre. In 1977, the **Grain Elevators Board** took over the site as a grain receival depot, building a large elevator tower that surpassed the height of the original buildings. The site eventually returned to private hands and, since 2000, has been owned and operated as a primary grain receival site for **GrainCorp**, cementing its continued, vital role in Charlton's agricultural life.Black and white photo copied and enlarged from small photo.charlton, flour mill, noske's, noske bros

Black and white photo copied and enlarged from small photo which was part of a set produced in c.1948. Chris Clarke with his 1934 Dodge semi trailer and W Spicer in his 1930 International truck line up to unload wheat at Noske's mill. Noskes flour mill built in 1927 with extra silos added in 1940's. Photo enlarged by Vic Williams of Bendigo nephew of Chris Clarke transport driver. Noske's Flour Mill, with its commanding presence and towering silos, has long **dominated the Charlton skyline** and remains a significant landmark, even though it no longer mills flour. The mill's history is deeply intertwined with the development of Charlton and the grain industry of the surrounding district. The foundation for the mill's presence was laid in 1919 when Messrs Noske Bros. Pty. Ltd., already owning mills in Horsham, Nhill, and Murray Bridge, acquired G. H. Foreman’s Mill located by the Avoca River. The founder, **T. J. Noske**, was an early pioneer of flour exporting, expanding his milling business after unexpectedly acquiring the Horsham mill. ### A State-of-the-Art Operation The original mill by the river operated until August 1926 before being closed and dismantled. Plans were well underway for a **new, state-of-the-art mill** to be located at the former Cobb and Co site. In 1927, the new mill began operation. It was one of the largest in the state, boasting a capacity of three tons of flour per hour, a 250 h.p. diesel engine, and three initial silos. The mill quickly gained a reputation for **excellence** for both its design and its flour, which was sold successfully in local and overseas markets. ### Periods of Expansion and Trial The mill continued to grow, reflecting the importance of the local agricultural industry. Between 1940 and 1941, **nine new silos** were built, adding bulk receival points. In the record-breaking 1968 season, the mill received a colossal wheat intake of **695,000 bushels**. However, the mill also faced setbacks. On January 21, 1949, disaster struck when a **large fire** erupted in the storage shed, which contained 500 tons of bagged flour ready for export and new flour bags. The blaze was so intense that smoke was visible as far away as Wycheproof, and it threatened to destroy the entire mill. Thanks to the monumental efforts of the Charlton, St. Arnaud, Wycheproof, and Wedderburn Brigades, who ran the main pump almost continuously for 26 hours, the damage was contained, though the estimated loss was a substantial £60,000. ### Transformation of the Site At its peak, the mill was a major employer, providing work for approximately 65–70 men. But after over 45 years of operation, flour production at the mill ceased on October 25, 1973. Noske Industries Ltd. sought to adapt, converting the operation to a less successful stock feed production centre. In 1977, the **Grain Elevators Board** took over the site as a grain receival depot, building a large elevator tower that surpassed the height of the original buildings. The site eventually returned to private hands and, since 2000, has been owned and operated as a primary grain receival site for **GrainCorp**, cementing its continued, vital role in Charlton's agricultural life.Black and white photocharton, business, noske bros, flour mill

Bendigo Advertiser "The way we were" from Monday, May 24, 2004. Long haul: Tom Steel's truck used for carting wheat on his Raywood farm.newspaper, bendigo advertiser, the way we were

Port of Portland Authority archivesFront: (no inscriptions) Back: Preliminary earthworks, wheat storage site/ June 4th (pencil, upper left)port of portland archives, wheat storage, portland harbour, construction

Port of Portland Authority archivesFront: (no inscriptions) Back: Wheat storage site, June 8th (pencil, upper left)port of portland archives, construction, wheat storage

BHS CollectionCutting the grass and loading into truck ready for ensilage.farming, wimmera, wheat, grass cutting, mouat crawford collection

Published: unknown, however, on 26 June 1935 a similar, but not the exact photo in the McKenzie Collection, was published in The Age: Published title: Shipping Victorian Flour to the East Published Caption: Flour and wheat figure prominently in all cargoes carried by ships trading to Chinese, Japanese and Eastern ports. Victorian millers are eager to extend lids outlet for their produce, and every opportunity is grasped. The pictures show Australian labourers unloading from railway trucks some of the 2300 tons of flour which will go into the hold of the Burns, Philp motor ship Neptuna for shipment to Hong Kong, while Chinese seamen are busy cleaning and painting the rudder post of the ship. Hard by the Neptuna, other ships are taking on flour for the East. Research by Project Volunteer, Louise McKenzie: The image was described by Hugh Bull on the rear of the glass plate as – “Lascars cleaning ships rudder 1933”. Basically, a “lascar” is a seaman. Image No. 032 in the McKenzie Collection shows two lascars perched on the rudder of a ship, with two others standing in a rowboat along side. They are dressed in baggy trousers and jackets and wearing caps. Across a very calm dock area is a single funnel ship with on-deck derricks. The rudder of the ship being cleaned is white, with large black roman numbering denoting the depth at which the ship is sitting, depending on whether it is loaded or empty. Whilst the exact photo in the McKenzie Collection has yet to be located in The Age in 1933, the date when it was taken, there is a photo published in The Age on 25 June 1935 which appears to be one of a series of photos taken on the same day, featuring lascars cleaning a ship’s rudder. It bears a striking resemblance to MCK 032, but it is taken from a slightly different angle. The 1935 published photo is a close up of a ship’s rudder being cleaned, with same style of roman numerals in black on the white of the rudder. One lascar is standing on the rudder, one is standing in a small clinker style rowboat, with its characteristic wooden overlapping hull planks, holding a broom; two more lascars are sitting in the bow and stern of the rowboat. The ship being cleaned is in a dock, as a wharf and warehouses can be seen in the background, the water is very calm, and there are two other ships moored nearby – one across the other side of the dock with a black and white hull and derricks on its deck, and one adjacent, with its mooring lines clearly visible. The lascars are wearing caps, baggy trousers and jackets. Compelling similarities therefore exist between the two images. Whilst it is difficult to positively identify the cultural background of these particular lascars in either photo, the newspaper article dated June 1935 advises they are “Chinese”. This is possibly because the ship they are associated with, the Neptuna, is reported to have sailed from Melbourne on this date, bound for Hong Kong. However, the men are probably from South East Asia. Wikipedia describes the term “Southeast Asia” as covering ” … the people of Southeast Asia from prehistory to the present in two distinct sub-regions: Mainland Southeast Asia (or Indochina) and Maritime Southeast Asia (or Insular Southeast Asia). Mainland Southeast Asia comprises Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar (or Burma), Peninsular Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam whereas Maritime Southeast Asia comprises Brunei, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Christmas Island, East Malaysia, East Timor, Indonesia, Philippines and Singapore. Additionally, Wikipedia “Lascars” states that “Lascars were sailors from the Indian subcontinent, South East Asia, the Arab world, British Somaliland and lands east of the Cape of Good Hope, who were employed to work on colonial merchant ships. The practice ran from the 16th century to the mid 20th century”. Indian seamen were used as early as the 16th century by Portuguese explorer Vasgo da Gama in his successful voyage to India, and subsequently by Portuguese ships in the 16th and 17th centuries. “Through the Portuguese and Spanish maritime world empires, some Indian lascars found their way onto English merchant ships, and were among the sailors on the first English East India Company (EIC) ships to sail to India.” In the 17th Century “When the English adopted the term "lascar", they initially used it for all Asian sailors on English-flagged ships, but after 1661 and the Portuguese ceded Bombay to England, the term was used mainly to describe Indian sailors specifically. The term "topaze" was used to describe Indo-Portuguese personnel, especially those from Bombay, Thana, Diu, Dammam and Cochin. The term "sepoy" was used to describe Indian soldiers in European service. The number of lascars employed on EIC East Indiamen was so great that the Parliament of England restricted their employment via the Navigation Acts (in force from 1660 onwards) which required that 75% of the crew onboard English-flagged ships importing goods from Asia be English subjects. The restriction arose due to the high rates of illnesses and death among European sailors on East Indiamen, and their frequent desertions in Asia, which left such ships short of crew for the return voyage. Another reason was the frequent impressment of European sailors from EIC East Indiamen by the Royal Navy in times of war“. The term “impressment” colloquially refers to “the “press gang” …”a type of conscription of people into a military force, especially a naval force, via intimidation and physical coercion, conducted by an organized group (hence “gang”). .. The large size of the British Royal Navy in the Age of Sail meant impressment was most commonly associated with Great Britain.”. (Wikipedia – Impressment). By the 20th century these sailors served on British ships under "lascar agreements", which allowed shipowners more control than was the case in ordinary articles of agreement. The sailors could be transferred from one ship to another and retained in service for up to three years at one time. “Lascars served all over the world in the period leading up to the First World War. Lascars were barred from landing at some ports, such as in British Columbia. At the beginning of World War I, there were 51,616 lascars working on British merchant ships in and around the British Empire. In World War II thousands of lascars served in the war and died on vessels throughout the world, especially those of the British India Steam Navigation Company, P&O and other British shipping companies. The lack of Canadian naval manpower led to the employment of a total of 121 Catholic Goans and 530 Muslim British Indians on the Empress vessels of the Canadian Pacific Railway, such as the Empress of Asia and Empress of Japan. These ships served in the Indian Ocean both as ANZAC convoy ships and in actions at Aden. The ships were placed under the British Admiralty as part of Canada's contribution to the war effort and all of the Indian men were awarded medals by the Admiralty, though none of them were delivered. In the 1950s the use of the term "lascar" declined with the ending of the British Empire. The Indian “Lascar Act” of 1832 was finally repealed in 1963. However, "traditional" Indian deck and Pakistani engine crews continued to be used in Australia until 1986 when the last crew was discharged from the P&O and replaced by a general-purpose crew of Pakistanis. The term lascar has been widely used to engender an element of exoticism in literature eg “Sir Arthur Conan Doyle created a Lascar foil to Sherlock Holmes in "The Man with the Twisted Lip" in 1891. Lascars aboard the ship Patna figure prominently in the early chapters of Joseph Conrad's novel Lord Jim. Frances Hodgson Burnett's novel A Little Princess features a lascar named Ram Dass. Also, Caleb Carr portrays two lascars as bodyguards for a Spanish diplomat near the end of The Angel of Darkness. In Wuthering Heights, it is speculated that Heathcliff, the main character, may be of lascar origin." (Wikipedia – Lascar) And what has become of these “forgotten heroes of the World Wars”? The South Asian Heritage Trust, which seeks to commemorate, mark and celebrate South Asian cultures, stories, and communities, published an article in July 2025 entitled – The Lascars: Seafaring Roots of Modern Britain. It particularly honours the role of the 80,000 lascars who served Britain in WWI, and the over 100,000 who served in the British Merchant Navy in WWII, and concludes: “The hardships faced by Lascars were profound. They were often assigned the most dangerous tasks, lived in substandard conditions aboard ships and, even after their immense contributions to the war efforts, many veterans found it difficult to secure the recognition, pensions and rights afforded to other veterans. Many were employed under ‘Asiatic Articles’, which offered less protection and lower pay than their European counterparts. Yet, their legacy endures. The multicultural fabric of areas like East London owes much to these early seafarers and settlers. The East London Mosque, established in 1910, became an important spiritual and community hub. Today, efforts to bring their stories out of the shadows are growing. The Museum of London Docklands features exhibits on their history. Memorials, such as the P&O headstone in Dover for the 22 Lascar crew members of the SS Maloja sunk in 1916 and the careful restoration of the Lascar War Memorial in Kolkata, serve as important reminders of the sacrifices. The journey of the Lascars – from their homelands, along dangerous wartime shipping routes, to the docklands of Britain – is a story of personal courage and of a rich contribution to Britain’s history and identity.” The ship MV Neptuna, mentioned in the 1935 article, had that year been purchased from a German company by Australian-owned Burns Philp, with Australian Government assistance, and it was instrumental in ensuring the shipment of rice from Vietnam to Papua New Guinea. Rice is still a household staple in PNG. Despite it being introduced into PNG more than 100 years ago, the crop has not been sufficiently integrated into the country’s traditional agricultural production system, and today PNG imports still account for nearly 98% of rice. (Spotlight Magazine Sept. 2016) The 1935 newspaper article states that the Neptuna is involved in moving flour for the East. Australian wheat exports began in 1845, but were not regular until the 1870s. New land clearing methods in Australia allowed large tracts of land to be cleared more efficiently – this included the invention of the iconic ‘stump jump’ plough. With the success of the wheat harvests, flour mills began to spring up around the country. By the 1870s, many large country towns had their own mills, with around 500 mills producing flour across the country. Flour exports were an important part of the wheat industry until around the 1930s. After the Second World War, many of Australia’s export partners (which were mainly in the developing nations of Asia) began setting up their own flour industries and the Australian product was no longer in demand. In 1942 MV Neptuna was being utilised for the war effort, and carrying depth charges and other armaments for Australia, when on 19 February it was sunk in a bombing raid on Darwin, and where part of her hull still lies. References: SHIPPING VICTORIAN FLOUR TO THE EAST. (1935, June 25). The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954), p. 11. Retrieved July 23, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article204357218 Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954), Tuesday 25 June 1935, page 11 Wikipedia, Clinker (boat building), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clinker_(boat_building) Wikipedia, Lascar, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lascar Wikipedia, History of Southeast Asia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Southeast_Asia Wikipedia, Impressment, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impressment NEPTUNA LEAVES FOR CHINA WITH TOURISTS (1935, June 25). The Herald (Melbourne, Vic. : 1861 - 1954), p. 5. Retrieved July 23, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article244841163 National Research Institute SPOTLIGHT paper Vol 9, Issue 7, https://pngnri.org/images/Publications/Spotlight_No_9_Vol_7_-_201609_-_Sofe__Odhuno_-_Rice_Import_Quota1.pdf South Asian Heritage Trust, The Lascars: Seafaring Roots of Modern Britain, July 11,2025 : Royal British Legion. https://southasianheritage.org.uk/royal-british-legion/the-lascars-seafaring-roots-of-modern-britain/ Photographer notations on slide: "Lascars cleaning ships rudder 1933".lascars, ships, 1930-1939, employment, ethnic communities

The photograph was taken when railway land on either side of the tracks was used for recreational purposes and agricultural related activities. The local sports ground is on the RHS of the photograph and was used to stage a number of the town's events.A black and white photograph of a section of the two railway platforms and three sets of rail tracks with a stone bridge in the distance. Four rail carriages and eight goods trucks are on a railway siding near a wheat silo. There is open land on either side of the rail tracks.sunbury railway station, wheat silos, railways, macedon street rail bridge., george evans collection

Photos of horse drawn wagons loaded with wheat in front of Wimmera Flour Mill. Railway trucks in front of mill. William Frayne built and owned the mill (181-01). This photograph was taken near the railway station. Rail trucks indicate late 1870's, railway opened 1876.Two black and white photos of horses with loaded wagons. In the first photo there are 4 men and many loaded wagons in front of the wooden three-story mill. In the second photo there are six horses pulling a loaded wagon with bagged grain and driver seated on the load. stawell business industry farming

The wheat silo was erected on railway land on the west side of the railway line at Sunbury from approx 1970s - 1980s. It served as a grain storage provision for the local cereal farmers. With the expansion of the shopping centre the silo was dismantled to provide commercial development on the west side of the railway line.The wheat silo is a reminder of past agricultural industries that were carried out in Sunbury.A non-digital photograph of two trucks and a crane dismantling a metal wheat silo, which has been standing in an open area. A CFA pavilion is visible in the distance.wheat storage, silos, sunbury railway station, evans street

SUMMARY - Ernest W (Bon) Barrie, 1909 – 1985 Profile Melton Mechanics Institute Member 1935 - 1982i Trustee 1952 - 1982 Life Member 1968 Years of service – 47 years He constructed and provided a public address system which was used at Melton and district halls and sports grounds for a wide variety of community events including school sports, gymkhanas, theatrical productions and processions. Fire Brigade Melton Fire Brigade (and predecessor Bush Fire Brigade) Apparatus Officer, 1945 - 1953 Captain, 1951 - 1965 Mt Cotterill Fire Brigades’ Group Elected Group Officer, on the formation of the Group, 1967. As Group Communications Officer he operated the VL3 LY base radio station from home on a 24 hour basis for fire brigades of Melton, Rockbank, Sydenham, Diggers Rest, Toolern Vale, Truganina and Werribee. With his brother Edgar, he built the first Melton Fire Truck. It was housed on the family property until a fire station was constructed in the Melton township. Recipient of the Queens Medal, 1979 Recognised for 44 years of service on the Melton Fire Brigade Memorial Wall Plaque, dedicated May 2013 Melton State School, no 430 Committee – School Correspondent (secretarial and financial role) 34 years of Service Provided his Amplifier Equipment for events and the annual district School Sports from 1939-1973. Donated the House Athletic Shield Melton and District Historical Society 1968 – 1985 President and foundation member Willows Historical Park – supported the establishment of the park and contributed many volunteers hours in the construction and landscaping of the precinct Member, Western Metropolitan Groups of Historical Societies, 1980s Shire of Melton Councillor South Riding, 1969-1971 Member of the Water Trust Melton Uniting Church Melton Uniting Church (and its predecessors the Methodist, Methodist-Presbyterian churches). A lifetime association which extended from childhood when he attended Sunday school until his death in 1985. Member of the Presbyterian Board of Management for more than 25 years in which he held positions of Honorary Secretary and Treasurer, Board member of the Parish Council and Member of the Committee of Management. He was a Sunday school teacher 1933. Community development With Mr RC Butler met with Shire Council in 1937 to canvass residents to ascertain prospective Electric consumers in the district. Electricity was subsequently turned on at dusk on 20th December 1939. Melton Progress Association, including Melton Musical, Elocutionary and Vocal Competitions, Vice President 1939 1940 Melton Development Association, 1960s Volunteer Air Observers Corps (VAOC)ii Carried out plane spotting at Shire Office and spotting tower in Melton and later from home until 1944/45. Agriculture and farming Progress and Better Farming Association, Melton. Honorary Secretary, 1935 Member, Agricultural Engineering Society Australia c1960-1985 A successful grower of wheat, oats and barley, he planted experiment plots and held Field Days on the “Darlingsford” property. He later diversified into other grains and sheep (wool and meat). He took a enthusiastic interest in agricultural engineering and was keen to introduce innovative ideas that improved the productivity of farms and farming practices. In the mid 1950 he conducted trials during harvest on the family property of the original mechanical hay fork built on a British Bedford truck by Bill Gillespie. This design was further refined in collaboration with the Gillespie brothers and resulted in the construction the hydraulically operated tractor mounted hay fork. The innovative design of the hay fork created interest from far and wide and was quickly taken up by farmers because it significantly reduced hand labouring of loading sheaves of hay with a pitch fork. His father established chaff mills in Melton, Rockbank, Parwan, Diggers Rest in the first decade of 1900 and in 1915 went into partnership with JR Schutt to establish the Schutt & Barrie Pty. Ltd. Chaff Cutting and Flour Mill in West Footscray. When it ceased trading in 1968 the directors were: Ernest W Barrie and Thomas L Barrie, R, A, and M Schutt. Awards Queens Medal, 1979 Rotary Award for Community Service, 1980 Victoria 150th Anniversary Celebrations contributions, 1985 Photographs of Bon Barrielocal identities, pioneer families

SUMMARY - Ernest W (Bon) Barrie, 1909 – 1985 Profile Melton Mechanics Institute Member 1935 - 1982i Trustee 1952 - 1982 Life Member 1968 Years of service – 47 years He constructed and provided a public address system which was used at Melton and district halls and sports grounds for a wide variety of community events including school sports, gymkhanas, theatrical productions and processions. Fire Brigade Melton Fire Brigade (and predecessor Bush Fire Brigade) Apparatus Officer, 1945 - 1953 Captain, 1951 - 1965 Mt Cotterill Fire Brigades’ Group Elected Group Officer, on the formation of the Group, 1967. As Group Communications Officer he operated the VL3 LY base radio station from home on a 24 hour basis for fire brigades of Melton, Rockbank, Sydenham, Diggers Rest, Toolern Vale, Truganina and Werribee. With his brother Edgar, he built the first Melton Fire Truck. It was housed on the family property until a fire station was constructed in the Melton township. Recipient of the Queens Medal, 1979 Recognised for 44 years of service on the Melton Fire Brigade Memorial Wall Plaque, dedicated May 2013 Melton State School, no 430 Committee – School Correspondent (secretarial and financial role) 34 years of Service Provided his Amplifier Equipment for events and the annual district School Sports from 1939-1973. Donated the House Athletic Shield Melton and District Historical Society 1968 – 1985 President and foundation member Willows Historical Park – supported the establishment of the park and contributed many volunteers hours in the construction and landscaping of the precinct Member, Western Metropolitan Groups of Historical Societies, 1980s Shire of Melton Councillor South Riding, 1969-1971 Member of the Water Trust Melton Uniting Church Melton Uniting Church (and its predecessors the Methodist, Methodist-Presbyterian churches). A lifetime association which extended from childhood when he attended Sunday school until his death in 1985. Member of the Presbyterian Board of Management for more than 25 years in which he held positions of Honorary Secretary and Treasurer, Board member of the Parish Council and Member of the Committee of Management. He was a Sunday school teacher 1933. Community development With Mr RC Butler met with Shire Council in 1937 to canvass residents to ascertain prospective Electric consumers in the district. Electricity was subsequently turned on at dusk on 20th December 1939. Melton Progress Association, including Melton Musical, Elocutionary and Vocal Competitions, Vice President 1939 1940 Melton Development Association, 1960s Volunteer Air Observers Corps (VAOC)ii Carried out plane spotting at Shire Office and spotting tower in Melton and later from home until 1944/45. Agriculture and farming Progress and Better Farming Association, Melton. Honorary Secretary, 1935 Member, Agricultural Engineering Society Australia c1960-1985 A successful grower of wheat, oats and barley, he planted experiment plots and held Field Days on the “Darlingsford” property. He later diversified into other grains and sheep (wool and meat). He took a enthusiastic interest in agricultural engineering and was keen to introduce innovative ideas that improved the productivity of farms and farming practices. In the mid 1950 he conducted trials during harvest on the family property of the original mechanical hay fork built on a British Bedford truck by Bill Gillespie. This design was further refined in collaboration with the Gillespie brothers and resulted in the construction the hydraulically operated tractor mounted hay fork. The innovative design of the hay fork created interest from far and wide and was quickly taken up by farmers because it significantly reduced hand labouring of loading sheaves of hay with a pitch fork. His father established chaff mills in Melton, Rockbank, Parwan, Diggers Rest in the first decade of 1900 and in 1915 went into partnership with JR Schutt to establish the Schutt & Barrie Pty. Ltd. Chaff Cutting and Flour Mill in West Footscray. When it ceased trading in 1968 the directors were: Ernest W Barrie and Thomas L Barrie, R, A, and M Schutt. Awards Queens Medal, 1979 Rotary Award for Community Service, 1980 Victoria 150th Anniversary Celebrations contributions, 1985 Service held at Melton Uniting Church local identities