Houdini flies in Diggers Rest
Cities & towns, Such was life:
On 18 March 1910, Harry Houdini, the world famous escapologist, made what is claimed to be the first controlled powered flight in Australia.
Such was life
World War I colour patches
Colour patches were worn on Australian soldiers’ uniforms to show which unit they belonged to. For men in the infantry battalions, the colour on the upper part of their patch… Read More ›
Performance pay for teachers: an old and new debate
People & professions, Such was life:
Working conditions and rates of pay for Victorian teachers are often in the news, with a recent proposal to introduce performance based salaries being one of the most hotly debated… Read More ›
Mock Valentines
Arts & literature, Such was life:
The State Library held a Valentine’s exhibition in 1951 which, according to the Report of the Trustees of the Public Library of Victoria, consisted of a small display on a… Read More ›
The streets of Melbourne – by numbers
Buildings & streets, Such was life:
In 1887, Melbourne City Council ordered the renumbering of properties across the city to make houses and businesses easier to find.
Political and union badges
The Library’s Riley and Ephemera Collection houses ephemera from a wide range of Victorian political and community organisations, including their badges (otherwise known as buttons or pins).
Fire fighting in Victoria
People & professions, Such was life:
The first fire in Melbourne, after European settlement, is believed to have occurred in Melbourne’s first gaol in 1838. The incident was later depicted in watercolour by WFE Liardet in 1875.
Victoria’s first state funeral
People & professions, Such was life:
One hundred and fifty years ago Melbourne came to a standstill for the funeral procession of Robert O’Hara Burke (1821-1861) and William John Wills (1834-1861).
Fire claims Carngham Station again
Buildings & streets, Such was life:
On Tuesday 8 January, the historic Carngham Station Homestead was destroyed by bushfire. Sadly, Carngham Station is no stranger to fire. The original homestead burnt down in 1918, the cause… Read More ›
Ned Kelly at the cinema
People & professions, Such was life:
The world’s first feature film, The Story of the Kelly Gang, premiered at Melbourne’s Athenaeum Theatre on 26 December 1906, twenty-six years after Ned was hanged.
