Physical description
Sepia image (copy) picture shows family gathered at base of large tree trunk with door opening. Two small children in doorway, woman holding younger child inside tree, two men either side of image. Both men are wearing suit coats, vests and wearing hats. Straw broom and pots fixed to tree trunk. Man on RH side has an axe to his right.
PLEASE NOTE:
Letter with photo inquiring about the people in photo, states that the image is that of Peter Tyson, younger brother of James, his wife Margaret Sheil, and their twin daughters, Alice and Harriet. Diary is of accounts with limited text of a written diary on RH wide of sheets. Bookkeeper was Robert Primrose, whose name appears frequently in the book.
Further research by Murray Poustie discovered that the photograph may actually be of Nicholas Penny, his wife Eva and their children Charlie, May, George and Nicholas. Also in the photograph on the left is their neighbour, Mr. John Green. The Photograph was taken by Max Lowenhardt when the Penny family was living in the tree at Fumina in 1906-07 following devastating bushfires. Fumina is in timber country at the foot of the Baw Baw Mountains and the area was frequently affected by major bushfires. The photograph was featured on the cover of the Gippsland Heritage Journal No.19, 1996 and is also extensively noted as ''The Penny family's tree home at Fumina'' in other publications including Vision & Realisation.