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.