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Archaeologists love this rubbish!

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These artefacts from a rubbish dump behind the  Samson House Stables are fragments of a larger story. An accident resulting in a smashed cherished teapot; the marks from a butcher’s cleaver on the bones of a Sunday roast; broken bottles that held vital medicine or the remnants of a favourite
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Coronation Celebrations

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Although steeped in tradition, every coronation is updated to suit the times. Queen Elizabeth’s coronation in 1953 was the first to be televised. King Charles’ is the first with an official coronation emoji and playlist. What remains unchanged is the excuse for a good celebration by loyal subjects. The coronation
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Beneath the Bitumen: Discoveries from the Chinese Cemetery, East Perth

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Beneath the Bitumen tells the story of archaeological discoveries made in 2020 during the excavation of the former Chinese and Presbyterian Cemeteries in East Perth. Over 60 large crates of material was excavated and it is now cared for by the National Trust. Among the treasures found in the Chinese
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Rippon Lea’s Stained Glass Windows

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Have you heard of the Victorian language of flowers or floriography?
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Tiny Treasures

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These small artefacts are a selection drawn from the National Trust’s collections, each a fragment of a larger story. They were once the treasured possessions of real people who had lives full of joy, happiness, bravery, love, sadness and loss – just like us. Gold locket containing a photograph and
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Saumarez Homestead Online Collections Database

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This online data base for the Saumarez Homestead collection allows all visitors to explore the collection thoroughly. The Keyword Search button allows you to perform a general search across multiple fields for any catalog records online. Alternatively, the Advanced Search button can help you be more specific with your search. You can search
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Ellis Rowan China Collection at Saumarez Homestead

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Ellis Rowan was a small, strong-willed yet fascinating woman, an enigmatic character who forged her way through life, captivating others while pursuing her ultimate goal – the finding and painting of wildflowers, birds, insects and butterflies of many countries, often for the first time. (Australian Dictionary of Biography) The Ellis
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Hepburn Graves, Smeaton House, Smeaton

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The Hepburn family graves are a private family cemetery, that were once part of a historical pastoral holding called Smeaton Hill Run.  The graves are situated close to the original homestead – Smeaton House – which was built by Scottish emigre Captain John Stuart Hepburn.  Hepburn died in 1860 and his
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Drawing Room Fireplace Surround, Hand-carved, 1890 ca.

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Labassa is a showcase of the prosperity of its past owners, Gold Rush entrepreneurs, who spent their wealth on superior craftsmanship.  In 1887, Canadian born Alexander Robertson, of Cobb and Co fame, purchased the original mansion.  He appointed the German born architect J.B.A. Koch to extend and refurbish his home
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Emu Egg from the Drawing Room at Gulf Station

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“I just remember old Mrs Bell, with a little bonnet always on her head, like a mop-cap thing with a frill around and her glasses with round rims. She was always in the big sitting room… and you’d go through and she’d talk to you…” Miss Daisy Tanes The mounted emu
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George Andrews’ Diary The Polly Woodside

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In 1904 George Andrews signed on as a seaman on the barque Polly Woodside. From Christchurch, New Zealand, Andrews first journey aboard the Polly Woodside was to Britain.   His diary begins whilst the ship is sailing on the Pacific Ocean.  It is Tuesday 24 January 1904, and the Polly
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National Trust of Australia (Victoria) Classification Files

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The National Trust Heritage Register is the most comprehensive single heritage register in Victoria, covering all types of cultural and natural heritage, including buildings, trees, landscapes, gardens, public art and pipe organs. Each classified place has an archival file that contains historical material, media articles, photos and sometimes plans. These
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Watercolours by Robert Hoddle (1794 – 1881)

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Robert Hoddle is remembered for his work as a surveyor.  Melbourne’s grid layout is attributed to him, although there is some question about whether his plan was built upon an earlier scheme by the man he replaced Robert Russell. Appointed head surveyor by the governor of Port Phillip Sir Richard Bourke in
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Hairwork Wreath made by Henrietta de Grandi, 12 years old

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Made from human hair, this wreath of artificial flowers was donated by Marie Isobel Buesst, who with her husband Tristan were well-known collectors of Australiana. The box containing the flowers holds a clue to who the original artisan was.  Handwritten in pencil on the back of the box are the
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Acquisition Diaries

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‘Black Opera Cloak, Muff and Collar, 2 Baby’s (sic) Dresses, Lace Nightcap, Caramel Silk Dress …’ With this generous donation, from Matron E.M. Sage in 1961, the National Trust began acquiring moveable cultural heritage. The collection now contains over 35 000 objects, many of which are displayed at the Trust’s
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Deed of Settlement

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This Deed for £900 is dated 23 July 1880 and was drawn up by the Crown Solicitor’s Office …for the benefit of the children of Sergeant Kennedy and Constable Lonigan murdered by the Kelly Gang for investment by the Kelly Gang for investment by trustees to be appointed by the Government
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Ladies’ Worktable Book owned by Georgiana McCrae

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Although published in 1850, it is unknown whether Georgiana McCrae was still living at Arthur’s Seat when she acquired this book. Despite the family’s contentment at Arthur’s Seat, the shadow of dispossession was ever present.  The land’s mountainous terrain made cattle grazing difficult.  It was better suited to sheep grazing,
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Pair of Shirts worn at Labassa in the 1970s

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Labassa is an exuberantly ornamented boom-style mansion in the Melbourne suburb of Caulfield. Built for the wealthy and privileged in the nineteenth century, its twentieth century history tells a different story. After Labassa was sold in the late 1900s, the mansion was converted into a tenement house and for the
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‘An Athenian Lady’ worn by Elizabeth Austin

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Elizabeth Austin, of Barwon Park, wore this costume to a fancy dress ball at the Exhibition Buildings given in honour of H.R.H. the Duke of Edinburgh, Monday 23rd December 1867.
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Ouija Board

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Henry Handel Richardson (H.H.R.) was the pen name of Ethel Florence Richardson (1870-1946), author of The Getting of Wisdom (1910), The Fortunes of Richard Mahony (trilogy 1930), and Maurice Guest (1908).  H.H.R. communicated with the spirit world on a daily basis. The Ouija board on display at Lake View, where
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