We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the place now called Victoria, and all First Peoples living and working on this land.
We celebrate the history and contemporary creativity of the world’s oldest living culture and pay respect to Elders — past, present and future.
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Content also may include images and film of places that may cause sorrow.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are advised that this website may contain culturally sensitive material — images, voices and information provided by now deceased persons. Content also may include images and film of places that may cause sorrow.
Some material may contain terms that reflect authors’ views, or those of the period in which the item was written
or recorded but may not be considered appropriate today. These views are not necessarily the views of Victorian Collections.
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A bill hook or axe-handled slasher which is an axe-handled forged metal blade with a strong curved sharp axe like edge and a straight secondary edge on the back. It has a broken wooden handle with steel or a tang which passed through the handle if it were still attached. There is stamped on the blade near the handle join - '2'. The original finish of the blade would have been, 'Japanned' which is baked black enamel. It was used to cut back scrub, small trees and woody vegetation in the 19th century.
Inscriptions & markings
'2' stamped on the blade near where it joins the handle.
Victorian Collections acknowledges the Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
peoples as the first inhabitants of the nation and the traditional custodians of the lands
where we live, learn and work.