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From the collection of Bendigo Military Museum

7391 Items featured online

Photograph - Royal Australian Survey Corps Survey Observation Towers, c1950s

RA Svy field survey observation towers. c1950s. .1) - ‘Bilby’ survey observation tower.

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RA Svy field survey observation towers. c1950s. .2) - CAPT Ricketts climbing ‘Bilby’ survey observation tower.

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This media item is licensed under "All rights reserved". You cannot share (i.e. copy, distribute, transmit) or rework (i.e. alter, transform, build upon) this item, or use it for commercial purposes without the permission of the copyright owner. However, an exception can be made if your intended use meets the "fair dealing" criteria. Uses that meet this criteria include research or study; criticism or review; parody or satire; reporting news; enabling a person with a disability to access material; or professional advice by a lawyer, patent attorney, or trademark attorney.

Attribution

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RA Svy field survey observation towers. c1950s. .3) - geodetic survey equipment on ‘Bilby’ survey observation tower.

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All rights reserved

This media item is licensed under "All rights reserved". You cannot share (i.e. copy, distribute, transmit) or rework (i.e. alter, transform, build upon) this item, or use it for commercial purposes without the permission of the copyright owner. However, an exception can be made if your intended use meets the "fair dealing" criteria. Uses that meet this criteria include research or study; criticism or review; parody or satire; reporting news; enabling a person with a disability to access material; or professional advice by a lawyer, patent attorney, or trademark attorney.

Attribution

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RA Svy field survey observation towers. c1950s. .4) - Two unidentified field surveyors on ‘Bilby’ survey observation tower.

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Conditions of use

All rights reserved

This media item is licensed under "All rights reserved". You cannot share (i.e. copy, distribute, transmit) or rework (i.e. alter, transform, build upon) this item, or use it for commercial purposes without the permission of the copyright owner. However, an exception can be made if your intended use meets the "fair dealing" criteria. Uses that meet this criteria include research or study; criticism or review; parody or satire; reporting news; enabling a person with a disability to access material; or professional advice by a lawyer, patent attorney, or trademark attorney.

Attribution

Please acknowledge the item’s source, creator and title (where known)

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RA Svy field survey observation towers. c1950s. .5) - Two unidentified field surveyors, with CAPT Ricketts climbing ‘Bilby’ survey observation tower.

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All rights reserved

This media item is licensed under "All rights reserved". You cannot share (i.e. copy, distribute, transmit) or rework (i.e. alter, transform, build upon) this item, or use it for commercial purposes without the permission of the copyright owner. However, an exception can be made if your intended use meets the "fair dealing" criteria. Uses that meet this criteria include research or study; criticism or review; parody or satire; reporting news; enabling a person with a disability to access material; or professional advice by a lawyer, patent attorney, or trademark attorney.

Attribution

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RA Svy field survey observation towers. c1950s. .6) - Two unidentified field surveyors undertaking observations.

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Conditions of use

All rights reserved

This media item is licensed under "All rights reserved". You cannot share (i.e. copy, distribute, transmit) or rework (i.e. alter, transform, build upon) this item, or use it for commercial purposes without the permission of the copyright owner. However, an exception can be made if your intended use meets the "fair dealing" criteria. Uses that meet this criteria include research or study; criticism or review; parody or satire; reporting news; enabling a person with a disability to access material; or professional advice by a lawyer, patent attorney, or trademark attorney.

Attribution

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RA Svy field survey observation towers. c1950s. .7) - unidentified field surveyors erecting or dismantling a survey observation tower.

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Conditions of use

All rights reserved

This media item is licensed under "All rights reserved". You cannot share (i.e. copy, distribute, transmit) or rework (i.e. alter, transform, build upon) this item, or use it for commercial purposes without the permission of the copyright owner. However, an exception can be made if your intended use meets the "fair dealing" criteria. Uses that meet this criteria include research or study; criticism or review; parody or satire; reporting news; enabling a person with a disability to access material; or professional advice by a lawyer, patent attorney, or trademark attorney.

Attribution

Please acknowledge the item’s source, creator and title (where known)

Have a question? Contact Bendigo Military Museum

Historical information

This is a set of seven photographs of Royal Australian Survey Corps surveyors setting up observation towers in the field and undertaking survey observations during mapping and geodetic control operations. c1950s. Survey observation towers were used mainly to take angular measurements in flat or heavily forested terrain, where height was necessary to achieve observer’s line-of-sight between field survey station. The Bilby Tower seen in photo .5P was erected to a height of 75 feet (23m) above ground level. The use of the Bilby Tower in Topographic Squadron’s field survey operations from 1955 to 1966 is described in page 54 of Valerie Lovejoy’s book 'Mapmakers of Fortuna – A history of the Army Survey Regiment’ ISBN: 0-646-42120-4. CAPT George Ricketts’ period of service was from 1942 to 1976 reaching the rank of LTCOL. It is noted in page 35 of Valerie Lovejoy’s book that then SGT Ricketts hand lettering skills came to the fore from his contribution to the draughting of one of the Japan’s Instruments of Surrender in 1945.

Physical description

This is a set of seven photographs of Royal Australian Survey Corps surveyors setting up observation towers in the field and undertaking survey observations during mapping and geodetic control operations. c1950s.
The photographs were printed on photographic paper and are part of the Army Survey Regiment’s Collection. The photographs were scanned at 300 dpi.
.1) - Photo, black & white, c1950s, ‘Bilby’ survey observation tower.
.2) - Photo, black & white, c1950s, CAPT George Ricketts climbing ‘Bilby’ survey observation tower.
.3) - Photo, black & white, c1950s, geodetic survey equipment on ‘Bilby’ survey observation tower.
.4) - Photo, black & white, c1950s, two unidentified field surveyors on ‘Bilby’ survey observation tower.
.5) - Photo, black & white, c1950s, two unidentified field surveyors, with CAPT Ricketts climbing ‘Bilby’ survey observation tower.
.6) - Photo, black & white, c1950s, two unidentified field surveyors undertaking observations on survey observation tower.
.7) - Photo, black & white, c1950, two unidentified field surveyors erecting or dismantling a survey observation tower.

Inscriptions & markings

.1P with paper tag annotated ‘Bilby Tower’
.4P on back – ‘Bilby Tower’.
.5P on back – ‘Survey Observing Tower. Observing tower used for angular measurement in flat country. 75’ high – CAPT Ricketts climbing.
.6P, .7P on back. ‘1960s?’