There was a notice today 8th Dec, in the Ararat Addy re the AGM for the Rocky Point Pioneer Reserve Committee to be held on Tues 11th at the Rocky Point Hall. Business is to elect a committee of management and determine future status of the facilities. A note underneath urged people to attend if they wished to retain this site for public use. The site was declared a Pioneer's Reserve less than 10 years ago and appears it may be under threat. Rocky Point was once a thriving gold and farm area. Most of the families have moved away but the hall and reserve hold quite a lot of signifigance. The hall was a school until the mid 1920s. When it closed children had to go 10 mile into Moyston. If anyone on this list has an interest or sugestions as to what uses we could put the site too please let me know. I would hate it to go the way of Cathcart, Dennicul Creek and Chapman. Karen Bell(Matheson)

February 8, 1918 Letters From The Front Private Ernie Francis formally of the "Mail" staff, writes from Belgium under date December 3, 1917, to a friend in Natimuk, as follows----- The cold is just intense. We had snow yesterday morning and a wind that would bite through you blew all day and night. The wind has frozen the ground and where one had mud yesterday, only earth like stone exists today. I am writing this by candle light in an iron humpy, though the day is bright. The moisture from my breath is settled in drops from the ceiling about a foot above my head. My feet I am trying to thaw out in blankets and my fingers are often at the candle flame. Two others are trying to scribble home and are uttering imprecations on the cold. One has given up the game but if he waits till warmer times that letter will never be finished, and just to think that over there in our sunny Southland you have heat to spare. Things will be much nicer ( I don't think) when we go out at 2 30 PM, handling iron and barbed wire right into the hours of sleety darkness. And they talk of war. We can return to a warm drink of tea at any rate. But there are men who are sitting this weather out up in the front line and supports, with the watchful eye of German airmen ready to spot any incautious movement which will give their position away. I do not think that people really understand just what their friends are undergoing for them. When they are not in the hell that one calls a battle it is a question of wait patiently in much rain and bitter wind. I got a great surprise when I learnt of the death of Ted Schunke. I saw him a few days before he went in for the final time. He looked well and was quite happy. He had suffered more than his share for the sake of Australia. We never had any faith in the relief of the original men. But if they had done their part in Australia he would now have been safe and well. But what else can you expect from men who do not even back us up by carrying out their work in Australia, They can never have any idea of what men are undergoing to save their worthless skins. So far it has been left to men to say whether they value their lives more than the liberty of Australia, but I doubt if they are worthy of consideration.-------Ernie Francis NEWS FLASH NEWS FLASH NEWS FLASH WEST WIMMERA MAIL NOW HAS A WEB SITE Thanks to Daryl Povey and Ballarat Genealogy Click on link below and book mark in favourites for later visits www.ballaratgenealogy.org.au/goroke/index.html Daryl Crabtree Gladstone C.Qld Australia

Friday November 29,1918 Mr. J.C. Hamilton was on Wednesday burning up rubbish around his home at Ozenkadnook preparatory to leaving for Barwon Heads when, his clothes catching fire, he was severely burnt on the leg and hands. He was taken to the Goroke cottage hospital where he was in a serious state yesterday. Mr Hamilton was one of the first settlers at Ozenkadnook and was the author of a book describing the early history of Western Victoria. Daryl Crabtree Gladstone C.Qld PS Can SKS look up the death date for J.C. Hamilton I'll see if he has an obit in the paper.

----- Original Message ----- From: "Daryl Crabtree" <crabtree@tpgi.com.au> Subject: WEST WIMMERA MAIL > Friday December 27, 1918 > > DISTRICT SCHOOLS. > > EXAMINATION RESULTS > > > MERIT CERTIFICATES > > Clear Lake State School > Harrie Waltie Wade, 13 years 11 months. > Hi Daryl, Fantastic. This is one of mine. He went on to be a Senator. Thanks for posting these. Cheers, Carolyn Harris - nee Johnson (Victorian in exile) PO Box 4157, Myaree Business Centre, Myaree 6960, Western Australia Tall_Trees@Bigpond.com Tall Trees Family History http://www.users.bigpond.com/Tall_Trees/ Perth Dead Person's Society http://www.perthdps.com/research/har02.html (Please note that large attachments (over 500kb) will automatically be deleted) ============================================================== Kinship: it`s all relative!

COULD NOT REMEMBER IF I SENT THIS, SO WILL SEND AGAIN; SORRY IF IT'S A REPEAT, UNINTENTIONAL Friday December 27, 1918 DISTRICT SCHOOLS. EXAMINATION RESULTS Through the courtesy of inspector W.C. Johns we are enabled to publish the subjoined list of candidates who were successful in obtaining merit and qualifying certificates at the examination held throughout the Natimuk and Goroke districts on November 19. A supplementary return is to made of other papers not yet completed. The following are the schools and names and ages of the successful pupils. MERIT CERTIFICATES Clear Lake State School Harrie Waltie Wade, 13 years 11 months. Goroke State School. Susan Christina Stanton, 14 years 1 month; Locksley Brook; 13. 11; Colin James Allan, 14. 10; Stewart A. Wade, 13. 8. Karnak State School Helen Margaret Mathews, 14 years. Mount Arapiles State School Lilian Hilda Levitzke, 12 years 10 months. Minimay State School Margaret Robbie, 14 years 4 months; Jean Robbie 14. 4. Natimuk State School Victor Petrie, 13 years 6 months; Harold Beard, 11 years 11 months; Reginald Bilston, 14; Clarence Boehm, 13 years 7 months; Bertie Chenoweth, 13. 9; Kathleen Maria Jean Wileman, 13 years 5 months. Natimuk Lake State School. Minnie Speher, 14 years 9 months. Noradjuha State School. Horace Walter, 15 years 5 months. Polkemmet East State School. Catherine Courtney 13 years 6 months, Hilda Baker 13. 2. Quantong State School John Struthers 12 years 5 months. Patyah State School. Matthew Edgar Finnigan, 15 years 5 months; Thelma Augusta Stehn, 13. 1. Toolondo State School. Austin Augutus Murray, 14 years 3 months; Eileen Ellen Murray, 13 years 8 months. Tooan State School. Mary Aberdeen Scott, 13 years 9 months. ----------- TO BE CONTINUED Daryl Crabtree Gladstone C.Qld Australia

----CONTINUED Friday December 27, 1918 DISTRICT SCHOOLS. QUALIFYING CERTIFICATES Nurrabiel and Carchap State Schools. Myrtie Russell, 13 years 7 months; Lillian May Collins, 12. 10; Nellie Irene Hutchinson 12. 3. Lemon Springs and Morea State Schools. Patricia May McPhee, 12 years 3 months; Juanita Annie Schinkel, 12. 4. Mt. Arapiles State School. Arthur Edward Levitzke, 11 years 2 months; Annie Dorothy Sudholz, 10. 11. Natimuk State School. Robert Clarence Victor Beckwith, 11 years 11 months; Jean Elsie Hannah, 11. 6; Hilda Newcombe Schmidt, 11. 6; Phillip Woolcock, 12. 2. Noradjuha State School. Donald Thomas Light, 13 years 2 months. Polkemmet East State School. John Frost, 13 years 2 months; Ernest Worral Hallam, 12. 2; George Theodore Kuhne,11. 8. Quantong State School. Katie McDonald 12 years 5 months; Dorothy J. Rickards, 12. 8. Daryl Crabtree Gladstone C.Qld Australia

URL's 4th December If you would like to know how to get the previous 3000 URL's Please email me privately Tall_Trees@Bigpond.com Thanks to Jenny Gray & Colin McQueen for contributing Archive CD Books Project http://www.archivecdbooks.com/ Australasian BDM Exchange http://www.rootsweb.com/~ausbdm/ Australian Bush & Country Maps http://www.users.bigpond.com/abcmaps/Geo%20main%20page.htm Australian Public Intellectual Network http://www.api-network.com/cgi-bin/place.cgi?page=index.api Bendigo Goldfields 1853 Petition http://www.slv.vic.gov.au/slv/exhibitions/goldfields/petition/p_intro.htm Braybrook (Sunshine) Junction http://danger-ahead.railfan.net/accidents/braybrook/home.html Caring for Your Albums http://www.kodak.com/US/en/corp/membersGallery/archiving/caringForAlbums.sht ml Caring for Your Family Archive http://www.naa.gov.au/recordkeeping/rkpubs/advices/advice10.html Cavaliers & Cossacks http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~chatsol/ Chicago Voter Registration Lists 1888,1890 & 1892 http://www.rootdig.com/voters/chicago.html Civil Registration http://www.users.on.net/proformat/bdm.html Crime and Punishment http://www.genealogy-quest.com/Crime_and_Punishment/ Double Bind of Women in 19th Century Australia http://www.scholars.nus.edu.sg/landow/post/australia/austwomen3.html Dutch Royal Genealogy http://www.xs4all.nl/~kvenjb/gennl.htm Gallipoli - A Trip to the Dardanelles 2001 http://members.tripod.co.uk/hinckley/gallipoli.html Historical & Preservation Soc. Of the Greater Shickshinny Area http://www.rootsweb.com/~pashs/index.htm Hutt River Province Principality http://www.wps.com.au/hutriver/hut1.htm Icelandic Memorial Society of Nova Scotia http://www.nova-scotia-icelanders.ednet.ns.ca Moncrieffs of Cumberland & Westmorland http://www.hmoncrieff.co.uk Neanderthals & Modern Humans http://www.neanderthal-modern.com/ New Zealand Funerals Notices etc http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~funeralnotices/Funeral.html Parish Register.com http://www.parishregister.com Prophet's Town http://www.serve.com/bmosher/Prophetstown/Index.html Royalty in History http://www.xs4all.nl/~kvenjb/kings.htm Russian Genealogy http://www.genealogia.ru/en/main/ Scottish Ancestral http://www.scottishancestral.com Time Booksellers http://www.timebooksellers.com.au/ Wiltshire Ancestors http://wiltshireancestors.co.uk/ Women in Australia http://www.scholars.nus.edu.sg/landow/post/australia/womenlov.html Cheers, Carolyn Harris - nee Johnson (Victorian in exile) PO Box 4157, Myaree Business Centre, Myaree 6960, Western Australia Tall_Trees@Bigpond.com Tall Trees Family History http://www.users.bigpond.com/Tall_Trees/ Perth Dead Person's Society http://www.perthdps.com/research/har02.html (Please note that large attachments (over 500kb) will automatically be deleted) ============================================================== Kinship: it`s all relative!

What a fantastic find Daryl Wish I could find a treasure like that to include in my Family History. Cheers Beryl Beryl O'Gorman Greensborough Victoria Australia List Admin From: "Daryl Crabtree" <crabtree@tpgi.com.au> To: <AUS-VIC-WESTERN-DISTRICT-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thursday, December 06, 2001 10:40 AM Subject: [AUS-VIC-West] WEST WIMMERA MAIL > WEST WIMMERA MAIL > Friday January 18,1918 > > LETTERS FROM THE FRONT > > The following is a copy of a letter received from Pte. C. H. L. Crabtree, > of Booroopki, by his Mother----- > > You will see by these lines that I am still getting along well. Things are > quiet at this place and I haven't had much to do yet. I was marked active a > few days ago and am shifting to another camp today so I suppose I will get > furlough from there. My arm is almost better now but it aches a little at > times. It was cut about a bit and some pieces of shrapnel are in it yet. > I was hit a bit early to miss the winter in France, but that can't be > helped-------a man is lucky to be alive. I don't think I told you anything > about the "stunt" so I may as well tell you in this letter. I had only been > back with my battalion 6 weeks when we went in. We left some of the old > trenches about 1.30 am. It had been lovely weather, but just before we > started to move up the rain commenced, which made the ground as slippery as

----- Original Message ----- From: Daryl Crabtree To: Michael Wayne Crabtree Sent: Tuesday, December 04, 2001 1:05 AM Subject: Letters from the front C. H. L. Crabtree WEST WIMMERA MAIL Friday January 18,1918 LETTERS FROM THE FRONT The following is a copy of a letter received from Pte. C. H. L. Crabtree, of Booroopki, by his Mother----- You will see by these lines that I am still getting along well. Things are quiet at this place and I haven't had much to do yet. I was marked active a few days ago and am shifting to another camp today so I suppose I will get furlough from there. My arm is almost better now but it aches a little at times. It was cut about a bit and some pieces of shrapnel are in it yet. I was hit a bit early to miss the winter in France, but that can't be helped-------a man is lucky to be alive. I don't think I told you anything about the "stunt" so I may as well tell you in this letter. I had only been back with my battalion 6 weeks when we went in. We left some of the old trenches about 1.30 am. It had been lovely weather, but just before we started to move up the rain commenced, which made the ground as slippery as glass. I had a box of bombs besides my ammunition, 72 hours rations and other gear. It was pretty crook travelling and when we got up you may guess we were all very tired as it took us 4 hours to get there. We lay out in shell holes for about half an hour, then the order came to get ready and over we went. The Corporal in my section said "come on No 5" but it was impossible to see him as it was dark, so I streaked off on my own and found myself mixed up with the other letter company. The Corporal and Scotty Heap (you may remember him) went on into our own barrage and were killed, so I was lucky that I did miss them. We met very little opposition in the first and second objectives. We had a few Fritz by then, poor old Huns were scared terribly, and no wonder, the barrage was good although a lot of our boys were killed with our own fire.------through going too far ahead. After about 4 hours---- we had to wait for the barrage to lift-----I took things as coolly as possible, smoking all the time and taking advantage of all the shell holes I could. All the boys seemed to enjoy it and were confident of success. I had a doze for a couple of minutes while we were waiting, then the barrage lifted and away we went again. There were a couple of "pill boxes" which held us up for a while, they are great concrete structures and take some blowing up. Fritz kept the M. Gs. popping till some of the boys got roused on the flank and routed them out. The gunners got very little mercy from our boys till after we had settled the pill boxes and captured all the Fritz that were alive ( we had a good few altogether. ) Things got pretty quiet so we started to dig in and had pretty near finished when someone brought word over that the Huns were advancing so they told a few of us who were good shots to go and have a crack at them. I went over, got on top of a pill box which had some stuff that hid me from view and blazed away for a good while. The old rifle was pretty dirty after the mud and stuff we had come through and lying in the shell holes. I got pretty sick of it so I went back to where my mates were and reported to my officer. I forgot to tell you what the Fritz's were doing. As far as I could see they were a reconnoitring party and were hopping from one shell hole to another, which gave us some pretty good targets to shoot at. I don't know how many I got but I suppose I bagged a few and I'm glad it wasn't me who was being shot at. Well I cleaned the old shooter up "tres bon" and had a little snack. Then the officer sent me on a few messages and that was when the shell got me. I was about sixty yards from my mates, and I did it in good time, bleeding like a pig. One of the pieces cut a vein in my arm. They bound me up, rather roughly I must say, but the best they could under the circumstances. I think it was what is called a "whiz bang" that got me. They burst up in very small pieces. Bert Phillips was wounded in the head. Herb McKay also got hit. I have just seen Ted Millar and he told me poor old Ray had been killed. I feel very sorry for his people, but this is war and those at home must always be prepared to bear good or bad news about us, and if some of us are killed they must not fret, but be comforted when they remember that their boys have been men, not cowards, and have fallen doing their duty towards their King and the country they love. I have been marked fit for active service again, so I suppose I will be going back after I get my furlough.----C.H.L Crabtree Friday January 25, 1918 In last weeks issue it should have been stated that the letter (published) from Pte. Charlie Crabtree of Booroopki, was received by his brother Mr D. J. Crabtree Jnr; and another error was that "Bert Phillips was wounded in the head". it should have read that he was wounded in the hand. Regards, Daryl Crabtree Gladstone C. Qld Australia PS The person by the name of Ray who was killed was Ray Gardner

If you are looking for arrivals in south-western Victoria from Tasmania and elsewhere in the 1840's then it may be worth checking the following web site which contains passenger lists for many voyages of the schooner "Minerva" from Launceston to Portland Bay in the 1840's. Further investigation of this passenger list website has revealed the following vessels with passengers listed as arriving at or departing from Portland in the 1840's. A number involve multiple voyages. "Amity", "Ariel", "Barbara", "Blosson", "Brazil Packet", "Champion", "Coquette", "Davidson", "Diana", "Domain", "Dusty Miller", "Ellen & Elizabeth", "Enterprise", "Essington", "Ettrick", "Fox", "Hamilton", "Harlequin", "Hawk", "Hero", "Jane & Emma", "Jemima", "Joanna", "Joseph Cripps", "Lively", "Lowestoft", "Minerva", "Naiad", "Nestor", "Patriot", "Providence", "Richard Mount", "Sally Ann", "Socrates", "Souvenir", "Teazer", "Thomas", "Wave", "Will Watch". There are many other voyages linking ports other than Portland. Web site is at: http://www.blaxland.com/ozships/page.htm Go to Passenger lists and look under "letter" in the vessels list to access the passenger lists. Regards, Daryl Povey Please update anti-virus software at least weekly. Daryl Povey, Ballarat, Aus - http://www.ballaratgenealogy.org.au

Sorry Folks I got my fingers smacked for not quoting the entire source of the virus information I sent this evening. It is as follows: http://antivirus.about.com/library/weekly/aa120401a.htm >From antivirus.guide@about.com, December 4, 2001, Vol. 2, No. 43 http://antivirus.about.com/ For back issues, visit The Newsletter Archive http://antivirus.about.com/cnl/index.htm (Written by Julia Case and published in MISSING LINKS: A Magazine for Genealogists, Vol. 6, No. 47, 4 December 2001. http://www.PetuniaPress.com/ Beryl O'Gorman Greensborough Victoria Australia List Admin

Anyone got any graphic descriptions or photos of men who worked for a living as rabbiters in the late 19th, early 20th century or even up to the fifties? I remember the rabbit trucks going through Mortlake when I was a child and my brothers stretching the skins over the special frames. I remember the smell of ferrets too! (Some of the HOLMES boys in my tree worked at this job and I want to put some info in the family history.) Cheers Beryl O'Gorman Greensborough Victoria Australia List Admin

Hi folks This one hit the news this morning and attacks the virus-protection software. Please read the following and once again I remind those who might be tempted DON'T OPEN ANY ATTACHMENT you have not verified with a known sender. It poses as a screensaver. VIRUS ALERT: W32/Goner Goner Worm Kills Antivirus, Firewall. The Goner worm is a mass- mailer with a mission. Targeting programs like Norton, McAfee, AVP, and ZoneAlarm, the worm shuts protection down and then tries to delete it. Affects Windows users. The message arrives with subject "Hi" and message body "How are you? When I saw this screen saver, I immediately thought about you. I am in a hurry. I promise you will love it!" The attached file is approximately 39 Kb and is named "gone.scr" (Thanks to Missing Links Vol 6 No 47) Beryl O'Gorman Greensborough Victoria Australia List Admin

I am seeking information on Bertha Johanna Elizabeth BONN who married John Litchfield in the Methodist Church, Birchip on June 20, 1893. Bertha was John's second wife but I believe the marriage did not last. I have not been able to find any evidence that Bertha remarried or where she died. I have found that her mother was in Sydney (d. 1932) and there were three other sisters at that time. I wondered if anyone in the Birchip area may have access to old newspapers which could contain some information. Leonie

January 4, ( forgot to get the year ) could sks look up the year for me ? A Tragic accident occurred at Wonwoudah East on referendum day, Miss Mary Ann Sanderson, 25 years of age, had been with her aunt Mrs John Keating, to the polling booth, and was on her way home driving in a gig, when the horse took fright and bolted, with the result that the gig striking a tree, was upset and the two ladies were thrown heavily to the ground. Two ladies who witnessed the occurrence quickly gave their help. It was evident that miss Sanderson was seriously injured, and she was conveyed as quickly as possible to the Horsham hospital, where she died next morning. Daryl Crabtree Gladstone C.Qld Australia

Friday July 14, 1911 Mrs Mott, wife of Mr T. Mott, Died on Sunday evening last at the residence of her daughter Mrs Isaac Friend, Natimuk. Deceased, who was 75 years of age, had gradually been failing in health for some time. The late Mrs Mott was born in Salford, England, and sailed to Australia 57 years ago. She married Mr Mott in 1855, and had 11 children, of whom ten are living. The funeral took place on Tuesday, the burial service being conducted by Captain Odell. Daryl Crabtree Gladstone C.Qld. Australia

West Wimmera Mail Friday May 20, 1916 We are informed that Mr E. Bowles an Englishman, who has for some time been in the employ of Mr Geo. Burns, of Lemon Springs, is leaving the district to join the colours, but he intends to enlist in England, where his relatives have joined the ranks, his father holding a commission in the British army. This lad is popular with all who know him, and all wish him well. Daryl Crabtree Gladstone C.Qld Australia

URL's 29th November If you would like to know how to get the previous 3000 URL's Please email me privately Tall_Trees@Bigpond.com Thanks to Raymond Henderson & Colin McQueen for contributing Abe Books.com http://www.aec.gov.au/history/women/women1.htm Australian Cemeteries http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~batman/vic.htm Australian Women's History http://www.alphalink.com.au/~lfrost/Homepage/Women.htm Bandwidth Monitor http://www.idyle.com/software/internet/bandwidth-monitor/ Brantford Public Library - BDM Index http://www.brantford.library.on.ca/bmds.shtml Dutch Royal Genealogy http://www.xs4all.nl/~kvenjb/gennl.htm Fantasy Royalty http://www.chivalricorders.org/royalty/fantasy/fantasy.htm HTML Special Characters http://www.htmlsource.f2s.com/text/specialcharacters.html Huguenot Street Forum http://www.hhs-newpaltz.net/cgi-bin/ikonboard/ikonboard.cgi Igrandparents.com http://www.htmlsource.f2s.com/text/specialcharacters.html Italian Genealogy http://www.suite101.com/welcome.cfm/italian_genealogy Keynsham Light Horse http://www.keynshamlighthorse.com/ Kwinana's Natural Environment http://www.kwinana.wa.gov.au/info/environm/natural.htm Mead Wills 1380 - 1720 http://personal.inet.fi/koti/katharina.mead/page24.html North Central Texas Genealogical Records http://www.genealogymagazine.com/norcentexgen.html Old News Copy http://www.oldnewscopy.com/search/searchform.asp Parish Map Preservation Project http://www.lpi.nsw.gov.au/maps/pmap/cgi-bin/pmap Passes to Leave England http://www.genealogy-quest.com/cgi-bin/genealogy-quest/passes.cgi Sale Victoria http://taliesin.customer.netspace.net.au/sale/ Scottish Ancestral http://www.scottishancestral.com/ Search Systems http://www.pac-info.com/ Shipping Passenger Lists http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~ourstuff/OurPassengerLists.htm Southeast Dallas County Texas History http://www.scottishancestral.com/ "Volturno" Ship Disaster - October 1913 http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~daamen1/volturno/ Warrents & Letters relating to Criminals 1773 http://www.genealogy-quest.com/cgi-bin/genealogy-quest/pardons1773.cgi Women and the Right to Vote in Australia http://www.aec.gov.au/history/women/women1.htm Cheers, Carolyn Harris - nee Johnson (Victorian in exile) PO Box 4157, Myaree Business Centre, Myaree 6960, Western Australia Tall_Trees@Bigpond.com Tall Trees Family History http://www.users.bigpond.com/Tall_Trees/ Perth Dead Person's Society http://www.perthdps.com/research/har02.html (Please note that large attachments (over 500kb) will automatically be deleted) ============================================================== Oh, what a tangled Website we weave when first we practice.

Hi All, My father attended the Morea School near Goroke and Booroopki between the yr. 1913-1919 Would SKS have anything on this school, or the Booroopki School. I have a photo of the Morea school house as it was in the 1930s or 40s. Can send it to anyone if you would like to have it. It will be sent as an attachment, in jpg format. Apologies to those who have requested look ups, I am still waiting to receive the ordered copies of West Wimmera Mail from N.L.A. for the yr. 1906 -1919.(snail mail) Kind regards, Daryl Gladstone C.Qld

Hoping that, Gisborne is a part of your site Seeking information please on Albert Joseph Wedd Tuxford who married Mary Ann Teresa Finnigan 1892 Gisborne, Vic Seeking the full date please Bob Tuxford Rtuxford@aol.com