Such was life

Violet Town railway disaster

Violet Town railway disaster

July 11, 2014

Cities & towns, Such was life:

On a very hot Friday, 7 February, 1969, just after 7.00am, the Southern Aurora, Australia’s overnight express passenger train between Sydney and Melbourne, collided head-on with an Albury-bound goods train, 174km north of Melbourne. The Melbourne-bound Southern Aurora ran through the Violet Town crossing loop where it should have waited for the goods train to pass.

Unexpected sketches

Unexpected sketches

June 28, 2014

Arts & literature, Such was life:

A library patron recently led me to a beautiful book containing sketches by the prison artist William Stanford. The patron had an old newspaper article which mentioned the book, but… Read More ›

Is your Victorian history project award-worthy?

June 24, 2014

Local history funding sources, Such was life:

Nominations for the Royal Historical Society of Victoria’s 2014 Victorian Community History Awards are now open. The awards recognise ‘excellence in historical method’, and the types of works that can be… Read More ›

It will look better embossed!

It will look better embossed!

June 19, 2014

Such was life:

Frank Firestone was responsible for many examples of iconic design and advertising imagery for predominantly Australian brands and products.

Victoria’s lost places

Victoria’s lost places

June 10, 2014

Cities & towns, Such was life:

Here’s a test of your local history knowledge: where is Emerald Hill? What about Sandhurst, Sandridge, Hotham or Phillipstown? If you’re not sure, don’t worry! Gazetteers and atlases are rich… Read More ›

Temperance and Melbourne’s grand coffee palaces

Temperance and Melbourne’s grand coffee palaces

May 31, 2014

Social life & customs, Such was life:

The temperance movement originated in the 19th century and urged for the reduction or prohibition of alcohol. Temperance societies were initially founded during the 1820s in the United States and… Read More ›

Victoria’s budget 1852

Victoria’s budget 1852

May 22, 2014

Politics, Such was life:

In 1852 Victoria was barely one year old, after separation from New South Wales in 1851. It was ‘the period of the greatest social and political disorganisation that the colony… Read More ›

Victorian Historical Journal 1911-2012 now online

May 9, 2014

Arts & literature, Such was life:

For over a year, we’ve been providing free access to digitised copies of the Royal Historical Society of Victoria’s magazine for 1911-1954.  Thanks to the Society, we’re now able to make Victorian Historical… Read More ›

World War I poetry

World War I poetry

April 23, 2014

Such was life, War:

From enlistment to conscription, to laments for the lost to our duty to England, war poetry spans all the hardship and reasoning of battle.

Cycloramas in Melbourne

Cycloramas in Melbourne

April 14, 2014

Cities & towns, Such was life:

The cyclorama emerged in the 1700s and became a popular form of entertainment at the turn of the 20th century before cinema rendered the genre obsolete.