The Royal Blind Society undertook a review of it's White Cane Day media coverage in 1994, to see where it could improve awareness of events.3 pages review the promotion of White Cane dayroyal blind society of new south wales, white cane day, marketing

The Organising Committee for White Cane Day created a pamphlet (or booklet) of information on each of the organisations involved. These two versions represent the original and final versions of this document.2 x White Cane Day Organising Committee information leafletswhite cane day, advertising

To celebrate White Cane Day in 2008, a group of cane users met at the Travellers Aid office at Flinders Street station, before walking down the escalators, along the platform and along the Yarra River and St Kilda Road at Southbank.98 digital images of people participating in the 2008 White Cane Day eventvision australia, white cane day, cath caddis, tracy wright, kylie gerson, nicola misso, di seybold, flinders street station

In 1980, the original week long session of planned activities to celebrate White Cane Day was jettisoned for displays and presentations in the new City Square. These included films, Swish demonstrations, children’s tactile artwork and photographs. It was a lovely sunny day, with crowds enjoying a performance by the Victorian Police Brass Band and their well known equine Gendarme, as well as the Lightfooters square dancing. The Minister of Health, Bill Borthwick, officially opened the program of activities.10 B/W photographs of White Cane Day celebrationsbryan sitlington, white cane day, janene sadhu, bill borthwick, john cook, john wilson, lindsay mcmillan, phyllis gration

In 1964 the first White Cane Safety Day was proclaimed in the United States, to recognise the white cane as a method of independence for blind people and increase awareness by motorists to pay extra consideration to white cane users. Since then the recognition of White Cane Day has spread around the world including Asia, Africa and Europe. In Australia, Queensland was the first state to celebrate White Cane Day in 1978, followed by Victoria in 1979.Typewritten letter in brown frameOn the back: This proclamation of October 15, each year, as White Cane Day throughout the State of Victoria, was made by the Premier of Victoria, the Honourable R.J. Hamer as the result of a deputation by blind people from the Association for the Blind on Thursday October 12th, 1978.rupert hamer, association for the blind, white cane day

Minutes of the first White Cane Day organising committee, led by Bryan Sitlington, who organised events to celebrate the first proclaimed White Cane Day in Victoria.22 pages of typed meeting minutes on white paperbryan sitlington, john blanch, blind members council, howard m. lightfoot, norman banks, derek pickard, adrienne kemp, lindsay mcmillan, c. poulson, royal guide dogs association, l. triggot, val whitehead, villa maria society, r. johnston, royal victorian eye & ear hospital, royal victorian institute for the blind, association for the blind, braille and talking book library, white cane day

Minutes of the third White Cane Day organising committee, led by Bryan Sitlington.22 pages of typed meeting minutes on white paperwhite cane day, guide dogs for the blind association victoria, allen egerton, bryan sitlington, jennie lawrey, royal victorian eye & ear hospital, villa maria society, ross johnstone, val whitehead, mark jones, phyllis gration, adrienne kemp, jennifer gordon, national federation of blind citizens, royal victorian institute for the blind, braille and talking book library, association for the blind

Minutes of the fourth White Cane Day organising committee, chaired by Bryan Sitlington.20 pages of typed meeting minutes on white paperwhite cane day, bryan sitlington, royal victorian eye & ear hospital, guide dogs for the blind association victoria, jennifer gordon, jennie lawrey, val whitehead, villa maria society, greg cooper, hugh jeffrey, national federation of blind citizens, peter barilla, graeme rule, phyllis gration, royal victorian institute for the blind, braille and talking book library, association for the blind

Minutes of the fifth White Cane Day organising committee, chaired by Bryan Sitlington.26 pages of typed meeting minutes on white paperwhite cane day, bryan sitlington, kathleen buchannan, graeme rule, jan kerr, val whitehead, harold gration, national federation of blind citizens, royal guide dogs for the blind association, royal victorian eye & ear hospital, ross johnstone, villa maria society, mark jones, national guide dogs mobility training centre, camille wilkins, royal victorian institute for the blind, braille and talking book library, association for the blind

Minutes of the sixth White Cane Day organising committee, chaired by Bryan Sitlington.25 pages of typed meeting minutes on white papersue fraser, royal victorian institute for the blind, white cane day, bryan sitlington, val whitehead, harold gration, royal guide dogs for the blind association, royal victorian eye and ear hospital, ross johnstone, villa maria society, mark jones, camille wilkins, bob gregory, sue hardy, chris anderson, braille and talking book library, association for the blind

Minutes of the seventh White Cane Day organising committee, chaired by Bryan Sitlington.33 pages of typed meeting minutes on white paperassociation for the blind, braille and talking book library, royal victorian institute for the blind, royal guide dogs for the blind association, white cane day, bryan sitlington, val whitehead, harold gration, national federation of blind citizens, ross johnstone, villa maria society, camille wilkins, sue fraser, iris whittaker

Various letters of acknowledgement and support for White Cane Day in 1990, written by then Queensland Premier Wayne Goss, Australian Prime Minster Bob Hawke, Brisbane Lord Mayor Sallyanne Atkinson, Queensland White Cane Committee and a Media News release from RVIB,6 typed letters from various people and to the mediaroyal victorian institute for the blind, queensland white cane day committee, white cane day, wayne goss, bob hawke, sallyanne atkinson

A brief history of White Cane day outlining the use of the white cane in the United States and Australia.1 page typed sheet of informationwhite cane day, advertising

Minutes of the second White Cane Day organising committee, led by Bryan Sitlington, which decided to concentrate activities on to a single day. 20 pages of meeting minutes with covering letterwhite cane day, bryan sitlington, john blanch, villa maria society, blind members council, lindsay mcmillan, royal guide dogs association, national federation of blind citizens, m. jones, royal victorian eye & ear hospital, lady nell seeing eye dog school, allen egerton, val whitehead, royal victorian institute for the blind, braille and talking book library, association for the blind

Brief information sheet produced by the White Cane Day committee, comprising of representatives from various organisations. It gives a brief history of the day and the committee that was formed to celebrate this.1 typed page on white paperwhite cane day, advertising

Minutes of the eighth White Cane Day organising committee, chaired by Bryan Sitlington. This file also includes minutes from a meeting of the Australian National Council of and for the Blind, which Mr Sitlington attended in his role as chair.39 pages of typed meeting minutes on white paperwhite cane day, bryan sitlington, australian national council of and for the blind, harold gration, national federation of blind citizens, royal guide dogs for the blind association, royal victorian eye & ear hospital, ross johnstone, villa maria society, camille wilkins, iris whittaker, dr t davidson, john cook, royal victorian institute for the blind, braille and talking book library, association for the blind, e.e. (ted) petersen

A folder of newspaper cuttings about White Cane Day in 1994. These include personal stories about people who use white canes and the various schools and organisations who helped the Royal Blind Society of New South Wales sell confectionary white canes to help raise money for the Society.Various pages of newspaper cuttings royal blind society of nsw, white cane day

October 15, 1979 was the very first publicly proclaimed White Cane Day in Victoria. Announced by Premier Hamer, onlookers were invited to learn more about the various societies in Victoria that assisted the blind and vision impaired. Barry Humphries was the guest of honour, and spoke with a small group before venturing out with his own white cane to test out Melbourne’s wet streets. Caravans were set up along Swanston Street to distribute information. The RAAF Central band played and a square dance exhibition by The Lightfooters (a group ofvision impaired dancers) in Bourke Street. 12 B/W photographs of people in CBDwhite cane day, raaf central band

Newspaper interview with Neil Maxwell about his white cane and attitudes towards it, and information about White Cane day and what others can do.1 newspaper article cut from a newspapernon-fictionelizabeth maxwell, neil maxwell, white cane day

Sir Rupert Hamer, who proclaimed October 15 as White Cane Day for the State of Victoria, holding a white cane and standing between two blind ladies. The one on the right is possibly Mrs Alice McClelland.1 B/W photographwhite cane day, sir rupert hamer

October 15, 1979 was the very first publicly proclaimed White Cane Day in Victoria. Announced by Premier Hamer, onlookers were invited to learn more about the various societies in Victoria that assisted the blind and vision impaired. Barry Humphries was the guest of honour, and spoke with a small group before venturing out with his own white cane to test out Melbourne’s wet streets. Caravans were set up along Swanston Street to distribute information. The RAAF band played and a square dance exhibition was held by vision impaired dancers in Bourke Street. 13 B/W photographs w/ 20 negatives and 23 col. negativesOn the back of BRIP381.11 is a partially erased pencil description 'Kathy Zwald' and 'Doris Nothling".white cane day, barry humphries, doris nothling, kathy zwald

A leaflet produced to raise awareness of white canes. On the front a man's hand holds a white cane. Inside the leaflet reads "Bear in mind the white cane is a symbol of the visually handicapped" and was produced by the White Cane Committee, 247 Vulture Street, South Brisbane, Q, 4101.1 page with illustration of white caneIllustration of a hand holding a white cane on the front pagewhite cane day, advertising

To keep current with media articles on how vision impaired people, blindness organisations and their activities were reported in the press, books of newspaper cuttings were created. News stories were taken from local, regional and national papers covering a variety subjects.1 red covered notebook with newspaper cuttingswhite cane day

To keep current with media articles on how vision impaired people, blindness organisations and their activities were reported in the press, books of newspaper cuttings were created. News stories were taken from local, regional and national papers covering a variety subjects.1 red covered notebook with newspaper cuttingswhite cane day

Metal badge consisting of an oval shaped medallion coloured with a dark blue edge and light blue centre, white cane across length of medallion and inscriptions written around the edge. Clasp is silver coloured metal on both tie pins and badges. Marked: On front of badge : Association for the Blind.1 metal pin 1 metal badgeAssociation for the Blindwhite cane day, badges

A white cane on a lime green background with the words 'Association for the Blind' written around the edge. The final word is in larger print and on the back of the badges is the price of the badge: 20c. Badges were a way of raising both funds and awareness for many blindness organisations.1 metal pin with white cane on lime backgroundAssociation for the Blindwhite cane day, badges, association for the blind

Two people wait in a line to board to double-decker bus in Sydney, holding their white cane and feeling the side of the bus. A female in a white coat looks on from the side of the bus near the person about to board. A man (possibly Wally Urgacz) and a woman use their canes to alight from the bus, with the guidance of a woman in a white coat. 4 B/W photographs of two people boarding a bus1967 - Mobility - historical - Bus orientation Bus orientation, locating doorways, safe ways of mounting steps, RBS V NB: Inefficiency of short collapsible cane in descending bus steps. Women aged 67 with some peripheral vision. RBS IV Learning bus orientation with long cane. Man aged 65 (light perception only) RBS VI Mobility training for doorways and seating arrangement in bus. Annual report 1968 Royal Blind Society of New South Wales royal blind society of nsw, white cane day, orientation and mobility, wally urgacz

Joan Johnson outside the RBS offices in Enfield, using her white cane to walk along the path.2 B/W photographsJoan Johnson uses the white cane to warn of obstacles in her path. Royal Blind Society 1989white cane day, royal blind society of new south wales, joan johnson

RBS client and worker, Michael Simpson, uses his white cane to navigate the balcony at the RBS offices in Enfield.B/W photographMichael Simpsonwhite cane day, royal blind society of new south wales, michael simpson