"National Wool Centre- Geelong" Visitor's Book, 1987-1995"National Wool Centre" Visitor's Bookwool industry textile industry, wool industry, textile industry

Catalogue of wool sales at the National Wool Centre Geelong on Tuesday 21st October 1997. 300 page double sided paper catalogue held with one staple in the top left corner. Pages are white with black printed text. Cover is blue and shows printed text in red and black with Elders logo banner.Elders / LIMITED / A.C.N. 004 045 121 / WOOLBROKERS / WILL OFFER BY AUCTIONwool auction, catalogue, wool bales, sale, wool growing, agriculture, industry, geelong, elders, woolbrokers

Nine page double sided paper catalogue held with one staple in the top left corner. Pages are blue, yellow and white with black printed text. Cover shows printed text in blue, red and black with Elders logo banner.SALE No. G05P/22 / Eldres PASTORAL / WOOLBROKERS / WILL OFFER BY AUCTION / (THROUGH THEIR AUCTIONEERS / at / NATIONAL WOOL CENTRE – GEELONG / Corner of Brougham and Moorabool Streets / Under the Conditions of Sale as displayed in / Sale Room and at Wool Store / on / WEDNESDAY, 30th NOVEMBER, 1988 / at 12.30 p.m. / 5051 Bales of woolwool auction, catalogue, wool bales, sale, wool growing, agriculture, industry, geelong, elders, woolbrokers

HM Queen Elizabeth 11 and Mr C K Atkins,/ Chairman Geelong Regional Commission,/ National Wool Centre, April 1988royal visits, geelong regional commission, hrh queen elizabeth 11 atkins, mr colin k. - geelong regional commission

In 1988 Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip travelled across Australia to take part in the bicentenary celebrations. In April Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip arrived in Geelong to open the Wool Week Display in the almost complete National Wool Centre. Crowds gathered to welcome the royal couple, wool shearing demonstrations took place outside the centre and “Spud” the sheepdog exhibited his heading talents. During their visit to the wool centre they were met by the chairman of the Geelong Regional Commission, Mr Colin Atkins and Mrs Monique Atkins. The Queen was presented with a rug woven by the museums 1910 gripper-type Axminster Jacquard carpet loom and the Duke was presented with a woollen jumper. In return the Queen presented three letters from the archives of the Windsor Castle to the museum. The couple left in the afternoon, charming the Geelong crowd. Two black and white photographs of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, accompanied by the City of Greater Geelong Mayor, Jim Fidge, watching a shearing demonstration by local Geelong shearers outside the then National Wool Centre. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II opened the Wool Week Display in the almost complete National Wool Centre during her visit in April 1988.royal visit, wool centre, geelong, queen elizabeth ii, prince philip, national wool centre., bicentenary celebrations

Single sided blue, red, black and white card with printed and hand written text, with decorative border. HIGHEST PRICE WOOL / Elders PASTORAL / J. F. & H Norris / SALE Geelong / DATE 10-9-91 / BRAND JFN/ROMANI / PRICE 1050c / DESCRIPTION SupAAAFM / BALES 6 / 17.4 MICRONS / 71.1% Yield / The above wool recorded the highest price / in the superfine section of the Elders Pastoral / catalogue offered in this series / [signature ? G Blood]wool auction, catalogue, wool bales, sale, wool growing, agriculture, industry, geelong, elders, woolbrokers, prizes

A copy of both the ‘Dennys Lascelles Limited 1857-1957: Annual Wool Report & Centenary Review’ & ‘Staff Reunion Souvenir Programme, 1988’ was donated to the museum in 2021. These were duplicate items so only their story was retained in addition to the image of Rita located in Multimedia. “Enclose two items which may be of interest to add to your collection. They belonged to my mother, Rita Sedgwick (nee Glenn), who died earlier this year in April. She worked for Dennys Lascelles in two separate periods. First as a young girl, who had finished her schooling, at Morongo Presbyterian ladies College, having been sent as boarder there by her parents from their farm at Mathoura (just north of Echuca). This period was from 1942 — 1947. It was her second job out of school having worked first at the then Geelong Telephone Exchange. She would commute daily to work on a bicycle from where she was then living in Drumcondra. She had the front office role of receptionist and telephonist driving an old manual switchboard. The old front desk was her domain. She departed in 1947, shortly after she was married in late 1946. She spoke fondly of her times at the company as a young girl in her late teens and early twenties. Her second stint was much later, but again as the front-desk telephonist and receptionist commencing in 1972, ending 11 years later in 1983. This was a period when Sir Henry Bolte was on the Board, Don Urqhuart was MD, Ray Hobson was General Manger, Cliff Bone the company Secretary, Peter Keys the CFO and Jim Hay was also on the Executive team. While there were some 25 years between her periods of service, she welcomed the chance to re-join the company. Again, it was a time of hard work, and good friends. The busy times were the wool auctions, when the Firm would be visited by representatives of the big Japanese trading houses such as Mitsui, and Kanematsu. The Chief Auctioneer, Mr. Reeves (I can't recall his first name), would hold court at the now demolished Geelong Wool Exchange — I saw him in action once — what a sight. The huge show floors in the Denny's building would be full of open bales and samples for the buyers to inspect, and for mum days would start at 0800, and finish at 1800 or later. In quieter times over summer, it was reported that the empty show floor would provide an excellent arena for the more enthusiastic cricketers to get in a bit of practise with a tennis ball at lunch and after closing time! Dennys was a full-service firm for wool growers, with branches all over the Western Districts as far afield as Mt Gambier, but through Timboon, Warrnambool, and the like, as I am sure you are aware. She also saw the merger of Dennys and Strachan to create DSM, and later the amalgamation with AML&F to create Dennys AML (I think). She saw the change from the old manual switch board to the then latest of PABX technologies and was part of the team the relocated from the original offices to the new address on the south side of Brougham Street. Along with the shift from the large show floor-based sales of the past. She retired from fulltime work in mid-1983, again with fond memories and friendships that lasted a lifetime. I found these two items among her things recently, and felt that given her connection to the industry, and the place in which the Museum now resides you may like to add them to the collection. I hope you can find a home for them, and that they might add a little to the story that the wool museum now houses and curates.” Program 12pp: soft pale grey cover, contians brief history of the company , the buildings and at the last page is a list of acceptances for the reunion, 2nd October, 1988Judith Lagingdennys, lascelles limited

Reproduction print of "Flora, a Spanish Sheep at Buckingham Palace,1849 ", a watercolour by Frederick Keyl (1823-1871), presented to the National Wool Museum by HRH Queen Elizabeth 11, April 28th, 1988.Red leather folder, presented by HRH Elizabeth II on her visit to the National Wool Centre in 1988. Red leather folder, presented by HRH Elizabeth II on her visit to the National Wool Centre in 1988. "Flora, a Spanish Sheep at Buckingham Palace,1849 ", print inside presentation folder from HRH Elzabeth II.ER/PRESENTED/ TO THE/ NATIONAL WOOL CENTRE/ GEELONG/ BY/ HER MAGESTY THE QUEEN/ 28TH APRIL 1988 "ER"

Nineteen page double sided paper catalogue held with one staple in the top left corner. Pages are blue, yellow and white with black printed text. Cover shows printed text in blue, red, black and white with Dalgety Farmers banner and logo. front: [printed] CATALOGUE / No. G05’g / SEASON / 1988/89 / Dalgety Farmers / WILL OFFER BY AUCTION / AT THE / WOOL EXCHANGE / NATIONAL WOOL CENTRE, MOORABOOL STREET, / GEELONG / ON / WEDNESDAY 30TH NOVEMBER 1988 / 7352 BALES. WOOL.agriculture, wool, sales, dalgety, geelong, wool exchange, national wool centre, auction, catalogue

In 1988 Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip travelled across Australia to take part in the bicentenary celebrations. In April Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip arrived in Geelong to open the Wool Week Display in the almost complete National Wool Centre. Crowds gathered to welcome the royal couple, wool shearing demonstrations took place outside the centre and “Spud” the sheepdog exhibited his herding talents. During their visit to the wool centre they were met by the chairman of the Geelong Regional Commission, Mr Colin Atkins and Mrs Monique Atkins. The Queen was presented with a rug woven by the museums 1910 gripper-type Axminster Jacquard carpet loom and the Duke was presented with a woollen jumper. In return the Queen presented three letters from the archives of the Windsor Castle to the museum. The couple left in the afternoon, charming the Geelong crowd. Souvenir newspaper, relating to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II visit to Geelong in April 1988 where she opened the Wool Week Display in the almost complete National Wool Centre.Front page title: Hello, Goodbye Your Highnessroyal visit

In 1988 Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip travelled across Australia to take part in the bicentenary celebrations. In April Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip arrived in Geelong to open the Wool Week Display in the almost complete National Wool Centre. Crowds gathered to welcome the royal couple, wool shearing demonstrations took place outside the centre and “Spud” the sheepdog exhibited his heading talents. During their visit to the wool centre they were met by the chairman of the Geelong Regional Commission, Mr Colin Atkins and Mrs Monique Atkins. The Queen was presented with a rug woven by the museums 1910 gripper-type Axminster Jacquard carpet loom and the Duke was presented with a woollen jumper. In return the Queen presented three letters from the archives of the Windsor Castle to the museum. The couple left in the afternoon, charming the Geelong crowd. Souvenir newspaper, consisting of one large rectangular pieces of newsprint folded in half to form two pages. It contains articles and photographs relating to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II visit to Geelong in April 1988 where she opened the Wool Week Display in the almost complete National Wool Centre.Front page heading: Queen of heartsroyal visit

This book was owned by the late Dr Elizabeth Kerr and was donated to the Museum by the executor of her estate, Margaret Cameron. It was produced by Patons and Baldwins and contains knitting patterns for womens garments.No. / 503 / Patons / KNITTING BOOK / No. / 503 / PATONS / AZALEA / BEEHIVE and / PATONYLE, 4-Ply / DOUBLE QUICK / CATKIN / P&B / WOOLS / 1'9 THE WOOL CENTRE / 1099 MT. ALEXANDER ROAD / NORTH ESSENDONknitting handicrafts - history, patons and baldwins (australia) ltd, knitting, handicrafts - history

Wooden 1-50 Scale model of the Dennys Lascelles WoolstoreOn plaque - 1-50 Scale Model of The Dennys Lascelles Woolstore / Cnr Moorable & Brougham sts, Geelong, Which will house the National Wool Centre - Geelong / The Centre is a project of the Geelong Regional Commission and is Geelongs major bicentinnial celebratons project

Object was on display in museum foyer with other objects from the Queen's visit in 1988, so it was possibly acquired then. Item made in 1987.Geelong Woolbrokers' Association Sale No. G03G/15 will offer for auction at the first wool sale within the NATIONAL WOOL CENTRE- GEELONG Corner of Brougham and Moorabool Streets at 12:40pm on Tuesday 13 October, 1987 the following bale of wool to mark theauction

Conference folder, Apparel Conference 1985. Part of a collection of Australian Wool Corporation promotional memorabilia believed to have used in the era of Sir William Gunn.APPAREL CONFERENCE 1985/ INTERNATIONAL WOOL SECRETARIAT DEVELOPMENT CENTRE...wool marketing textile industry, australian wool corporation, gunn, sir william, wool marketing, textile industry

Certificate commemorating The Geelong Wool Sales at the National Wool Centre 1995 durring which Aoki International paid 1,030,000 cents per kilogram for 13.8 micron wool. Wool was grown by the Appledore Family at Brim Victoria. Aoki International purchased the wool through their agets G.H. Michell & Sons (Australia) Pty. Ltd. Relates to Million Dollar Wool Bale on display in Gallery OneTimber framed certificate with gold inlay and glass covering. Certificate is cream coloured paper with gold printed text and decorative boarder. Hand Signed by K.L. Jackson on bottom left corner. Back of the frame has a horizontal hanging string

Made from wool sold atThe Geelong Wool Exchange which had just returned to the National Wool Centre (currently the home of the National Wool Museum, formely Dennys Lascells) on Tuesday 13th of October 1987. Lempriere (Aust.) Pty. Ltd. was the buyer of the first bale of wool who also previously brought the first bale of wool at the first wool auctions in Geelong in 1858. The wool was turned into fabric by CSRIO and Foster Valley.Black cardboard backing with Navy Blue cloth sample glued ontop. Wool sample is stapled to the Navy cloth and black cardboard. Contains Nationa Wool Museum logo on lefthand side 1.5 meter navy blue length of cloth same as the sampled glued to the cardboard is included.NATIONAL/ WOO/ MUSEUM Left hand side of display card

This photograph on an iPhone 4 during the Museums Australia (Vic) Conference at the National Wool Museum, Geelong. Since the arrival of sheep with the First Fleet in 1788, the wool industry has dominated our economy, our agriculture and our reputation as a quality wool-growing nation throughout the world. Geelong is a city synonymous with wool and the wool industry – sheep farming began here in 1835 and the first of many woollen mills opened here in 1868. For many years the city was known as the 'wool centre of the world'. Two hundred years later, in 1988, the National Wool Museum was established as Australia’s only comprehensive museum of wool. (Since the arrival of sheep with the First Fleet in 1788, the wool industry has dominated our economy, our agriculture and our reputation as a quality wool-growing nation throughout the world. Geelong is a city synonymous with wool and the wool industry – sheep farming began here in 1835 and the first of many woollen mills opened here in 1868. For many years the city was known as the 'wool centre of the world'. Two hundred years later, in 1988, the National Wool Museum was established as Australia’s only comprehensive museum of wool. (Since the arrival of sheep with the First Fleet in 1788, the wool industry has dominated our economy, our agriculture and our reputation as a quality wool-growing nation throughout the world. Geelong is a city synonymous with wool and the wool industry – sheep farming began here in 1835 and the first of many woollen mills opened here in 1868. For many years the city was known as the 'wool centre of the world'. Two hundred years later, in 1988, the National Wool Museum was established as Australia’s only comprehensive museum of wool. (http://www.geelongaustralia.com.au/nwm/about/article/item/8cbcc313afa77a5.aspx)Photograph of a timber lectern used to auction wool in Geelong. It is found in the auction room on the top floor of Geelong's national wool museum.wool, geelong, auction, auction room, national wool museum

This photograph on an iPhone 4 during the Museums Australia (Vic) Conference at the National Wool Museum, Geelong. Since the arrival of sheep with the First Fleet in 1788, the wool industry has dominated our economy, our agriculture and our reputation as a quality wool-growing nation throughout the world. Geelong is a city synonymous with wool and the wool industry – sheep farming began here in 1835 and the first of many woollen mills opened here in 1868. For many years the city was known as the 'wool centre of the world'. Two hundred years later, in 1988, the National Wool Museum was established as Australia’s only comprehensive museum of wool. (Since the arrival of sheep with the First Fleet in 1788, the wool industry has dominated our economy, our agriculture and our reputation as a quality wool-growing nation throughout the world. Geelong is a city synonymous with wool and the wool industry – sheep farming began here in 1835 and the first of many woollen mills opened here in 1868. For many years the city was known as the 'wool centre of the world'. Two hundred years later, in 1988, the National Wool Museum was established as Australia’s only comprehensive museum of wool. (Since the arrival of sheep with the First Fleet in 1788, the wool industry has dominated our economy, our agriculture and our reputation as a quality wool-growing nation throughout the world. Geelong is a city synonymous with wool and the wool industry – sheep farming began here in 1835 and the first of many woollen mills opened here in 1868. For many years the city was known as the 'wool centre of the world'. Two hundred years later, in 1988, the National Wool Museum was established as Australia’s only comprehensive museum of wool. (http://www.geelongaustralia.com.au/nwm/about/article/item/8cbcc313afa77a5.aspx)display of wool ales at the National Wool Museum. Steel girders holding up the roof were made by Dorman Long & Co. Middlesborough, England. In the foreground is a timber counter with brass kick rail and upper edge. Names on wool bales include Austop, Arcadian Wool, Buln Gherin, Mt Hesse, Melrose, Avondale Hills, Kerrsville, Kooringa, Merryville Yass, Sherra Park, Wurrock, Hazeldean, Buanogor Parkwool, geelong, wool bail, auction room, national wool museum

Hand knitted cream wool shawl. Garter stitch centre. Deep fan and feather stitch border.costume, infants'

This item was inherited from the donor's father, René Dupuche. John Dupuche, writes: This magnifying glass was used to remove the burrs and thorns that wool-buyers tended to get in their fingers when examining bales of wool. The open end was placed on the finger since the thorn was sometimes buried under the skin. The buyer looked through the magnifying glass and with tweezers or a pin removed the thorn which had rendered the finger inoperative. The wool-buyers needed the sensitivity of their fingers to appraise the suitability of the wool, as buyers had for centuries past, measuring the length of the staple, feeling and counting the crimps in the fibre, its finesse, softness, elasticity and strength, assessing the colour, watching for extraneous matter such as dust or seeds which would not be welcome by manufacturers half-way across the world. Their skills took years to acquire. Knowledgeable buyers were invaluable to their employers, since they were able to evaluate to the last percentage the yield of a bale. My father, René Dupuche, was the ‘principal buyer’ from 1927-1966 in Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania for the international wool company ‘Masurel Fils’ which was one of the largest wool businesses in Europe. It was based in the north of France, in Tourcoing, one of the major wool centres of the world. He was sent to Australia as a young man at the age of 23 and took part in the ‘golden era’ of wool in Australia, and the eventual replacement of hands-on appraisal by ‘core-testing’. Masurel Fils was one of the dozens of French and Belgian firms operating in Australia. These men from Flanders enjoyed a cosmopolitan society augmented by diplomats, European bankers and shipping-line executives for various countries and a handful of scientists and academics.Small black metal magnifying lens with three fold design and two hinges. One panel contains a circular glass lens, the centre panel has a circular hole, and the third panel has a square hole with three lines on each side.wool buyer, magnifying glass, magnifying lens, burrs, rené dupuche, john dupuche, migrants, masurel fils, french, belgian, flanders, working life, sheep industry, wool industry, agriculture

John Griffin’s wool classing exercise books from 1941-1943 when he was a student at the Gordon Institute in Geelong. John and his father John Henry Griffin owned a farm in Dunkeld and bred fine merino wool. One year they topped the wool sales figures for the area, in the late 1940s. There are four books in total. One book is on the topic of Veterinary Science and is from 1941. It contains information on topics such as birth and early lamb life, bone structure and other internal organisms of a sheep, such as the heart. Another book is on Wool Classing with topics such as wool scouring, dipping, shearing and micron counts. The third book is on general shearing shed knowledge. This includes a diagram for rolling a fleece, correct method for stamping a wool bale and branding abbreviations. The final book is on the History the Merino Sheep. It is a long form essay answer booklet. The Gordon institute and wool are synonymous with one another, the first class in wool sorting was offered at the Gordon in 1891. With much of the wool clip sent directly to England at this time, The Gordon's focus soon shifted to wool classing and marketing. By the 1930s, The Gordon's wool school was renowned as the state's wool industry training centre. Early specialist short courses were offered around Victoria to assist wool growers in preparing their clip for market, with modules on sheep breeding and pasture development included in the programs. Anne Griffin’s, John’s daughter, donated the exercise books to the National Wool Museum in 2021. Book 1 is predominately blue circular cover with cream background. Middle of book has pink highlighter mark. Reverse of book has an Arithmetical Table and a Multiplication Table in a blue ink on cream paper. It also has four black ink markings Book 2 is predominately blue circular cover with cream background. Book has red tape across the spine. Reverse of book has an Arithmetical Table and a Multiplication Table in a blue ink on cream paper. Book 3 is predominately blue plaid cover with cream background. Middle of book has pink highlighter handwriting which has been crossed with the same colour, leaving the text unreadable. Reverse of book has an Arithmetical Table and a Multiplication Table in a blue ink on cream paper. Book 4 is predominately blue diagonal striped book with cream background. Middle of book has small picture of Australia. Reverse of book has an Arithmetical Table and a Multiplication Table in a blue ink on cream paper. Book 1. Front cover: “All Schools” / EXERCISE BOOK / NAME Jack Griffin Grade Gordon Institute School of Technology(?) / Approved by the / Education Department Back cover. Reverse. ARTHMETICAL TABLES / (Numerous, see media) Book 2. Front cover: 2nd & 3rd / “All Schools” / EXERCISE BOOK / Name Jack Griffin / Grade 2 / School the Gordon / Approved by the / Education Department Back cover. Reverse. ARTHMETICAL TABLES / (Numerous, see media) Book 3. Front cover: Embassy / EXERCUSE BOOK / Name John Griffin / Grade 1 / School (?) / APPROVED BY THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT / Back cover. Reverse. ARTHMETICAL TABLES / (Numerous, see media) Book 4. Front cover: EXERCISE / APPROVED BY EDUCATION DEPT. / BOOK / NAME Jack Griffin / GRADE 3 / SCHOOL Gordon Back cover. Reverse. ARTHMETICAL TABLES / (Numerous, see media) gordon institute geelong, wool classing, 1940s sheep farming, note book, study, student

The Mural is a picture in wool of the origin of the Ballan district and is made of pure wool donated by local growers.The centre panel is a reproduction of a sketch by Emma von Stieglitz in 1852 of the Ballan General Store. The ram's heads symbolise the importance of wool to the area and the circular shapes the transport of the day. Mrs Grace Slocombe designed the Mural, fifty-three local craftswomen (and one man) began the work in November 1981, and the finished work was exhibited at the 1982 Ballan Arcadian Arts Festival. The Mural was also exhibited at the 1982 Royal Melbourne Show then went on a tour of of various country areas in Victoria. It now hangs in the Ballan Old Courthouse.The Mural is significant to the local area.A text document on the story of the Wool Mural made for the Ballan Arcadian Festival in 1982.ballan art and craft society, grace slocombe, kathy diamond, enid swan, jessie mclean, joyce strickland, margaret young, cynthia ranken, dorie young, wool, wool mural

This lead ingot was donated to Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village in January 2015 by local residents who discovered the ingot in their garden after they purchased the property about 12 months ago The LOCH ARD cargo manifest lists “Pig lead 50 tons” comprising “944 pig and 37 rolls”. Subsequent classification has rendered this section of cargo as “Lead Ballast”. This could be true. The international price per ton of lead ore plunged from a high point of £17 in 1853 to a low of £8 in 1882. The cheaper price of lead at the time of the vessel’s loading in early 1878 may have meant it was considered as an alternative to other ballast material (traditionally stone) for the journey to Melbourne. Loch Line ships generally returned to Britain laden with Australian wool. Even though wool bales were “screwed in” to the hold to less than half their “pressed weight”, they still made an awkwardly light cargo for the passage around the Horn. The concentrated weight of lead pigs along the keel line would help steady and centre the ship, and perhaps the artefacts in this case were to be retained for this purpose, rather than being sold on to the ready colonial market. However this is conjecture. Demand for building materials in the gold and wool rich Colony of Victoria was high in the 1870s, and much of the LOCH ARD cargo was intended for the Melbourne International Exhibition in 1880, which was another example of buoyant economic conditions. In the nineteenth century lead was valued for its density (high ratio of weight to volume), flexibility (relative softness for working into shape), and durability (corrosion resistant and waterproofing properties). It was used for pipes and water tanks, roof flashing and guttering, window sealing and internal plumbing. Many large private residences and new public buildings were at planning or construction stage in the colony during this period. The LOCH ARD lead ingots could equally have been destined for this ready market. HISTORY OF THE LOCH ARD The LOCH ARD belonged to the famous Loch Line which sailed many ships from England to Australia. Built in Glasgow by Barclay, Curdle and Co. in 1873, the LOCH ARD was a three-masted square rigged iron sailing ship. The ship measured 262ft 7" (79.87m) in length, 38ft (11.58m) in width, 23ft (7m) in depth and had a gross tonnage of 1693 tons. The LOCH ARD's main mast measured a massive 150ft (45.7m) in height. LOCH ARD made three trips to Australia and one trip to Calcutta before its final voyage. LOCH ARD left England on March 2, 1878, under the command of Captain Gibbs, a newly married, 29 year old. She was bound for Melbourne with a crew of 37, plus 17 passengers and a load of cargo. The general cargo reflected the affluence of Melbourne at the time. On board were straw hats, umbrella, perfumes, clay pipes, pianos, clocks, confectionary, linen and candles, as well as a heavier load of railway irons, cement, lead and copper. There were items included that intended for display in the Melbourne International Exhibition in 1880. The voyage to Port Phillip was long but uneventful. At 3am on June 1, 1878, Captain Gibbs was expecting to see land and the passengers were becoming excited as they prepared to view their new homeland in the early morning. But LOCH ARD was running into a fog which greatly reduced visibility. Captain Gibbs was becoming anxious as there was no sign of land or the Cape Otway lighthouse. At 4am the fog lifted. A man aloft announced that he could see breakers. The sheer cliffs of Victoria's west coast came into view, and Captain Gibbs realised that the ship was much closer to them than expected. He ordered as much sail to be set as time would permit and then attempted to steer the vessel out to sea. On coming head on into the wind, the ship lost momentum, the sails fell limp and LOCH ARD's bow swung back. Gibbs then ordered the anchors to be released in an attempt to hold its position. The anchors sank some 50 fathoms - but did not hold. By this time LOCH ARD was among the breakers and the tall cliffs of Mutton Bird Island rose behind the ship. Just half a mile from the coast, the ship's bow was suddenly pulled around by the anchor. The captain tried to tack out to sea, but the ship struck a reef at the base of Mutton Bird Island, near Port Campbell. Waves broke over the ship and the top deck was loosened from the hull. The masts and rigging came crashing down knocking passengers and crew overboard. When a lifeboat was finally launched, it crashed into the side of LOCH ARD and capsized. Tom Pearce, who had launched the boat, managed to cling to its overturned hull and shelter beneath it. He drifted out to sea and then on the flood tide came into what is now known as LOCH ARD Gorge. He swam to shore, bruised and dazed, and found a cave in which to shelter. Some of the crew stayed below deck to shelter from the falling rigging but drowned when the ship slipped off the reef into deeper water. Eva Carmichael had raced onto deck to find out what was happening only to be confronted by towering cliffs looming above the stricken ship. In all the chaos, Captain Gibbs grabbed Eva and said, "If you are saved Eva, let my dear wife know that I died like a sailor". That was the last Eva Carmichael saw of the captain. She was swept off the ship by a huge wave. Eva saw Tom Pearce on a small rocky beach and yelled to attract his attention. He dived in and swam to the exhausted woman and dragged her to shore. He took her to the cave and broke open case of brandy which had washed up on the beach. He opened a bottle to revive the unconscious woman. A few hours later Tom scaled a cliff in search of help. He followed hoof prints and came by chance upon two men from nearby Glenample Station three and a half miles away. In a state of exhaustion, he told the men of the tragedy. Tom returned to the gorge while the two men rode back to the station to get help. By the time they reached LOCH ARD Gorge, it was cold and dark. The two shipwreck survivors were taken to Glenample Station to recover. Eva stayed at the station for six weeks before returning to Ireland, this time by steamship. In Melbourne, Tom Pearce received a hero's welcome. He was presented with the first gold medal of the Royal Humane Society of Victoria and a £1000 cheque from the Victorian Government. Concerts were performed to honour the young man's bravery and to raise money for those who lost family in the LOCH ARD disaster. Of the 54 crew members and passengers on board, only two survived: the apprentice, Tom Pearce and the young woman passenger, Eva Carmichael, who lost all of her family in the tragedy. Ten days after the LOCH ARD tragedy, salvage rights to the wreck were sold at auction for £2,120. Cargo valued at £3,000 was salvaged and placed on the beach, but most washed back into the sea when another storm developed. The wreck of LOCH ARD still lies at the base of Mutton Bird Island. Much of the cargo has now been salvaged and some was washed up into what is now known as LOCH ARD Gorge. Cargo and artefacts have also been illegally salvaged over many years before protective legislation was introduced. One of the most unlikely pieces of cargo to have survived the shipwreck was a Minton porcelain peacock - one of only nine in the world. The peacock was destined for the Melbourne International Exhibition in 1880. It had been well packed, which gave it adequate protection during the violent storm. Today, the Minton peacock can be seen at the Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum in Warrnambool. From Australia's most dramatic shipwreck it has now become Australia's most valuable shipwreck artefact and is one of very few 'objects' on the Victorian State Heritage Register. The shipwreck of the LOCH ARD is of State significance ― Victorian Heritage Register S417 Flagstaff Hill’s collection of artefacts from LOCH ARD is significant for being one of the largest collections of artefacts from this shipwreck in Victoria. It is significant for its association with the shipwreck, which is on the Victorian Heritage Register (VHR S417). The collection is significant because of the relationship between the objects, as together they have a high potential to interpret the story of the LOCH ARD. The LOCH ARD collection is archaeologically significant as the remains of a large international passenger and cargo ship. The LOCH ARD collection is historically significant for representing aspects of Victoria’s shipping history and its potential to interpret sub-theme 1.5 of Victoria’s Framework of Historical Themes (living with natural processes). The collection is also historically significant for its association with the LOCH ARD, which was one of the worst and best known shipwrecks in Victoria’s history. Lead ingots (sometimes referred to as ‘lead ballast’ or ‘lead pigs), salvaged from the wreck of the LOCH ARD. Grey metal bars with flat base, rising in a curved moulded shape to form a smooth rounded upper face. The imprint of the maker runs along the upper surface in clearly legible capital lettering (height 3cm). Durable and heavy, with some marine staining, but in good condition. Stamped along curved surface, within oval border, "PONTIFEX & WOOD LONDON."flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, 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, lead pigs, lead ingots, lead ballast, pontifex and wood, london, lead smelters

Refers to Service of 3/745787 Lieut. K. J. Mackay.1. Black wool uniform jacket. Four pockets. Four gold buttons on front centre. Top pockets - brass button each. Motif on button is a shield with a crown. Collar badges of 38 Bn Northern Victorian Regiment. Two gold pips on epaulettes. 2. Trousers black. Red stripe on leg outers. Fly shuts with black buttons. Waistline has black buttons. Two side pockets, One rear pocket, One fob pocket. 3. Shirt - cream/white. One breast pocket. Opaque plastic buttons. 4. Cap - Officers. Black with red band. Silver 38 Bn badge. 5. Tie - black silk. 6. Belt - black, wool with brass bronze.1. Written in jacket 3/745787 - K.J. Mackay. 2. Written inside trousers - Sgt. Mackay K.J. SP COY. 3/745787 K.J. Mackay.38 bn, post ww2, passchendaele barracks trust