To War and Back

George John Smith was born at home in Panton Hill on the 23rd May 1884, and his birth was registered at Queenstown, Victoria.  He was the 6th child of Edwin and Louisa Smith. George went to school at Panton Hill, as did his ten brothers and sisters.   When George left school, after completing the 8th […]

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Nurse Gallagher

“at home to her friends” The Mildura Cultivator published this notice on the 13th October, 1915. “Miss Bessie Gallagher will be at home to her friends tomorrow afternoon.” To us this seems a quaint remnant of an era when ladies would go visiting in the afternoons to exchange news and cement friendships. But in the […]

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A Local Diamond Creek Boy

Friday, 24 April, 2015 was a beautiful sunny day, the wind a little chilly, but the view from the paddock of Sutherland Homes in Diamond Creek was beautiful and peaceful, the soft rolling hills of Plenty, and the view looking towards the Kinglake Ranges was breath taking.  It was to be a memorable day; the […]

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Not Forgotten

The Bell Boys of Kangaroo Ground – WW1 By Gayle Thwaites As a parent how does one sign a piece of paper authorizing the government to allow their son to be part of the AIF, how does one hand over a life to be used as a tool to fight somebody else’s war. I don’t […]

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Story of a Chalice

First published as The Story of the Chalice Heidelberg Historian (Heidelberg Historical Society)   October 1994 On 25 August  1994, a special service in the Ivanhoe Grammar School Chapel was the occasion of the presentation of an historical chalice by members of the 2/14th Battalion Association. The story of the chalice was provided in the order […]

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Women were there too

Olive’s story: women were there too – Olive Haynes (Dooley) By Liz Pidgeon ‘I am so glad I brought my gramophone that was given to me. The men simply love it, and I have to promise it days ahead to the different huts and tents. They start it going the minute they awake, and never stop until they have to. […]

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