Historical information

Photographs taken of the first computer of Ballarat School of Mines / Ballarat Institute of Advanced Education Mount Helen Campus. This mainframe computer was purchased in 1969 for $116,000 and set up in the First Stage Engineering building (later F Building). It was the first operational teaching facility on the new campus. The initial computer centre staff were Arch McKinnon ad Manager and Judy Wilson as Key Punch Operator..

In 1972 Brian Dixon operated this computer for a night or two a week. He obtained an operators certificate as part of a Maths course at Ballarat College of Advanced Education, and lecturer Arch McKinnon offered Brian Dixon a night job.

Physical description

Four photographs relating to the ICL1911A computer. The computer was known as 'George' and called itself 'George'.
.1) Two women standing behind a large ICL1901A
.2) A woman in Ballarat School of Mines uniform stands behind an ICL computer item
.3) & .5) Three women in a mainframe computer room
.4) a woman operates a card punch machine

.3 and .4 are shown in the Ballarat School of Mines Handbook, 1970, page 57