The woman and the farm

If you’re in Melbourne on Wednesday 8^th June you might want to check out this talk - ‘Securing the History of Australian Farming Women’ at Museum Victoria.

Women in Australia play a vital role in agriculture and farming, contributing over 49% of the total value of the output of farming communities. The woman’s contribution to farming has largely been ignored, unrecognised and rendered invisible. Historically, farming women have been excluded from censuses and official documentation and stereotyped as ‘housewives’, ‘helpmates’ or ‘domestics’ despite their significant contributions to the farm economy.

Museum Victoria’s ‘Invisible Farmer Project’ is an ambitious project that seeks to redress the ongoing invisibility of Australian farm women in cultural, historical and contemporary narratives. The Project explores and documents of the contributions of women to agricultural production.

‘Securing the History of Australian Farming Women’ speakers - Catherine Forge and Liza Dale-Hallett will highlight the importance of Australian farm women’s history and provide an overview of the key issues that the ‘Invisible Farmer Project’ aims to address. Catherine Forge will share excerpts from the oral history interviews that she conducted with key women involved in the Rural Women’s Movement in Australia.

Catherine Forge was Curator of the 'Invisible Farmer Project' in 2015 and wrote her thesis on the 'Victorian Women on Farms Gathering Collection' in 2007. She has since worked as a Research Associate on the Collection as well as conducting oral history interviews with rural women across Victoria.

Liza Dale-Hallett is Senior Curator of Sustainable Futures at Museum Victoria. She has been involved in preserving the history of farming women since the 1980s and was instrumental in establishing the 'Victorian Women on Farms Gathering Collection' at Museum Victoria in the early 2000s.

‘Securing the History of Australian Farming Women’ is in the Theatre at Melbourne Museum from 1-2pm. Entry is free, but booking to reserve a seat at rsvphumanities@museum.vic.gov.au is necessary.

Vanishing Ashens

An addendum to the Railways - Melbourne to Adelaide line post, adding in the tiny siding of Hopefield (or Ashens).

The information comes from Vida Roberts, whose grandfather Henry W. Aumann selected 317 acres of Ashens Parish in 1872. He named the land ‘Hopefields’.

Ashens Parish showing the diagonal rail line passing through Allotment 220

When the railway pushed through the 10 mile section from Lubeck to Murtoa in 1878, it passed through Henry’s Allotment 220, and being the nearest landowner to the siding, the siding became Hopefield. By 1920 the siding took on the name of the Parish and had become Ashens.

Rail line from Ararat to Serviceton in 1890

The siding had a platform with a shelter shed of roofing iron with wooden benches, and a gatehouse occupied by a railway fettler and his family, who manned the railway gates at the Jackson Road intersection. The trains ran at least half-hourly in its heyday (except on Sundays), with 2 north-bound and 2 south-bound passenger trains daily. Potential passengers flagged down the train by waving a red flag stored in the Flag Box in the shelter shed. By 1900 the gates were replaced by ‘Railway Crossing’ signs, but the fettler remained.

The line in 1920 (the Riachella/Wal Wal Ballast branch line already closed)

The siding was changed to ‘Ashens’ after protests of mail and goods bound for Hopetoun were off-loaded at Hopefield.
Today the railway still passes by, but traces of the siding have vanished.

Satelite view of the Hopefield area

Photos on a National theme

Having a look at the National Archives of Australia's online PhotoSearch facility.
Naturally while there are many of Canberra and politicians portraits, there are a number or local or semi-local photographs.

Dimboola goes to Dimboola

 Including this now historic one of the now demolished Dimboola Hotel. Taken in 1974 it shows a  bus carrying Canberra Professional Groups' cast of the play "Dimboola" outside the Dimboola hotel. The geotag says in Lochiel Street, but it would be in Lloyd Street.

Telephonists at the Hopetoun Post Office (undated)

As a national organisation, (the Commonwealth Lighthouse Service regularly visited and serviced the Lighthouses) there is a range of lighthouses & beacons, some recent like this one of Maatsuyker Island lighthouse off Tasmania's south coast taken in 1978

Or this one of riding cable trolley tramway up from the jetty to Maatsuyker Island lighthouse in 1956.

And history in the making - the surveying of Canberra in 1912.

Then later, the site of the New Parliament House. This largely pastoral photo was taken in 1972.

Still on the political theme - Prime Minister of Australia - Robert Gordon Menzies in 1960.

The Horsham East Post Office Agency (the Dooen Road shops) undated but probably in the late 60s or early 70s by the advertising.

 A wonderful way to while-away some time reminiscing.

A place in the Wimmera

Explore the history of the Wimmera and Southern Mallee region at the launch of the online book 'Place-names of the Wimmera' - an alphabetical list of place names of localities & towns, parishes & counties, lakes & streams, hills and mountains in the area covered by the Wimmera Regional Library. It includes Aboriginal and historic etymology of place names.
The online book will be accessible on the Wimmera Regional Library's website. 

The launch includes a presentation showing how explorers and surveyors named specific places and landmarks across the region.

The 'Place-names of the Wimmera' launch will be held at the Horsham Library on Wednesday 25th May from 7:00 to 8:30pm. It is a free event and bookings are essential by either visiting the library or phoning 53825707.

The launch of the 'Place-names of the Wimmera' book, is a part of the National Trust Heritage Festival for 2016.

Check out other Heritage Festival events at the National Trust website

A walk on the dark side

Come along to our heritage walk - 'Secrets of Horsham's laneways'.

Uncover the stories behind Horsham city's network of laneways - the haunt of the night-cart man. Once important & busy thoroughfares, they are now largely forgotten. 

A guided loop walk will trek around Horsham's central business district commencing from the foyer of the Mibus Centre. 

Commentary along the way will reveal facts and stories about the people and the businesses that frequented the alleys and lanes over the years. 

Refreshments will be available after the walk.

The walk will be held  on Saturday 14th May from 2:00 to 3:30pm. It is a free event and bookings are essential by either visiting the library or phoning 53825707.

Those attending need to wear sensible walking shoes for uneven and rough surfaces.

If wet a virtual tour will be held at the Horsham Library in the Mibus Centre.

'Secrets of Horsham's laneways' is part of Discovery & re-discoveries - the National Trust Heritage Festival for 2016.

Stay tuned for more events during May.

Crafting books

As part of the National Trust Heritage Festival for 2016, the Library is conducting a number of events.

 
The first is 'Crafting your own books'
Need ideas on composing your story? Have the material and want to know how to present it?

 'Crafting Your Own Books' can assist you with examples of handcrafted stories, anecdotes and verse, showcasing how bits n' pieces, scrap, memory objects etc. can create a unique look for the cover and make-up of your book, journal or album.

This is an encore presentation by Christine Gerdtz. Last year Christine enthused an audience with ideas and examples of what can be created from scrap pieces to frame handmade books and albums.

'Crafting your own books' will be held at the Horsham Library on Tuesday 10th May from 1:30 to 2:30. It is a free event and bookings are essential by either visiting the library or phoning 53825707.

Update on local halls

Previously there have been a couple of posts concerning stage curtains - the section of the stage which sets the scene. These backdrops were works of art, huge canvases often depicting rural/garden scenes or town/cityscapes, see posts - Drawing the curtain and On stage in Watchem.

There are still a number of local halls which have not succumb to the mere film screen perched at the rear of the stage - Aubrey, Rupanyup, and Kooreh.

And here is Kooreh's stage curtains - very English

The stage curtains & the new flooring

450mm of flood water inundated the Kooreh Hall during the floods in January 2011, leaving behind 15cm of silt. While the floorboards and some fittings were ruined and had to be replaced, the historic stage curtains were saved.

The flood level peaked at the mark on the plaque now attached to the side door of the hall (photo on the left).

It was thanks to funds from the government & the Shire that the hall was restored.

The restored hall now

Kooreh represents what can be done with local community support and sufficient monetary funds. Unlike Gre Gre, where the hall building has to be approaching 'too-far-gone'

Gre Gre Village Soldiers Memorial Hall

The Gre Gre Village Hall was erected as a memorial to the soldiers of World War 1, in 1923. 

Fourteen Gre Gre district people served in the First World War, including Nurse A.C. Jackson.

The building has deteriorated even further since this photograph (on the right) was taken by Esma Barratt in 1988.

Dressed to make the film

Now that 'The Dressmaker' film has hit the theatres and the DVD has been released, people are looking to see who and what they recognise (refer to earlier post 'Done and dusted' of filming scenes in the Wimmera). Here is a location guide to film settings, with screen shots from the DVD matched to actual places.

Dungatar looking up the hill to Molly's

Dungatar town exteriors - Mt Rothwell near Little River (room interiors - Docklands Studio)

The approach to Jung

Silo - distant views - Jung, except for the CGI superimposed on Mt Rothwell landscape (close-ups - Docklands Studio) 

 << The real Jung silos beside the Melbourne-Adelaide rail-line.

Below - the silos as in the film with Gyton Grantley (playing Barney McSwiney) sitting on the lid of the steel bin.

Jung silos looking west

 Dance exterior - Sailors Home Hall (interior - Williamstown)

Sailors Home Hall with the Blue Ribbon Rd in front

The Sailors Home Hall & toilet block

Molly's burial - Jerro Cemetery

Mourners at the Jerro Cemetery

The Jerro Cemetery, north of Jung on the Greenhills Road

Wedding church - unknown

Longerenong Homestead

Wedding breakfast - Longerenong Homestead

The marquee on the front lawn at the homestead

Side view of the Longerenong Homestead

Winyerp Theatre exterior - Murtoa (interior - Yarraville)

Murtoa's Mechanics Institute Hall

Football match - Jung Recreation Reserve

The massive gums surrounding Jung Rec Reserve

The pavilions at the Jung Rec Reserve

Train - Victorian Goldfields Railway (Muckleford Station and steam locomotive D3 639)

Leaving Muckleford for Maldon

Institutions crumble

Two  Wimmera institutions crumbled and were reduced to rumble this week.

The Church of Christ before demolition begins

Firstly the Horsham Church of Christ building. The church has stood on the corner of Firebrace and Urquhart Streets since 1918, and over the past fortnight has slowly been demolished. Watched and mourned by many as another Horsham heritage building succumbed to the reactive soils and progress. 
The building with its square tiers, mock buttresses and tiled roof was extended in 1957, but was considered no longer suitable for the congregation and will move to River Road. The old site will become a child care centre and townhouses.

Going...the tiles removed

Going...the rear extension gone

Further north in Warracknabeal the old hospital building is being torn apart as some of the buildings make way for the new Rural Northwest Health redevelopment.

The Warracknabeal Hospital

More than $10 million will be spent to build a new acute care and community care area, and refurbishment of the Landt & Banksia sections.The hospital opened in March 1891, and has steadily grown since.