This sign proudly hung outside the Forests Commission Victoria (FCV) Beechworth office which is now site of the Forestry Heritage Museum. The granite building in the Beechworth's historic precinct was once the Gold Warden's Office and is one of the town's original buildings. The FCV was the main government authority responsible for management and protection of State forests in Victoria between 1918 and 1983. The Commission was responsible for ″forest policy, prevention and suppression of bushfires, issuing leases and licences, planting and thinning of forests, the development of plantations, reforestation, nurseries, forestry education, the development of commercial timber harvesting and marketing of produce, building and maintaining forest roads, provision of recreation facilities, protection of water, soils and wildlife, forest research and making recommendations on the acquisition or alienation of land for forest purposes″. The Forests Commission had a long and proud history of innovation and of managing Victoria's State forests but in September 1983 lost its discrete identity when it was merged into the newly formed Victorian Department of Conservation, Forests and Lands (CFL) along with the Crown Lands and Survey Department, National Park Service, Soil Conservation Authority and Fisheries and Wildlife Service. After the amalgamation the management of State forests and the forestry profession continued but the tempo of change accelerated, with many more departmental restructures occurring over the subsequent four decades. Responsibilities are currently split between the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA), Forests Fire Management Victoria (FFMV), Parks Victoria, Melbourne Water, Alpine Resorts Commission, the State Government-owned commercial entity VicForests and the privately owned Hancock Victorian Plantations (HVP).

Large office sign. Hand painted in traditional FCV mission brown and gold colour scheme.

After the 1939 bushfires, the Forests Commission invested heavily in a radically new communications network. After suffering some inevitable delays due to the War, radio VL3AA switched into full operation in October 1945 proudly beaming out 200 watts across the State. The communication systems were regarded at the time to be more technically advanced than the police and the military. Pye-Electronic Pty Ltd (which had taken over Radio Corporation after the war) decided to design a transceiver to replace the RC16B. Designated the TRP-1, it was considerably lighter and used less power than the earlier RC16B while offering similar or better performance. This radio was used in the Mt Wombat fire tower which overlooks the Strathbogie Ranges and surrounding farmland.

Portable Radio PYE TRP-1.

radios

After the 1939 bushfires, the Forests Commission invested heavily in a radically new communications network. After suffering some inevitable delays due to the War, radio VL3AA switched into full operation in October 1945 proudly beaming out 200 watts across the State. The communication systems were regarded at the time to be more technically advanced than the police and the military. These pioneering efforts were directed by Geoff Weste, and later technical experts like Rex Philpot, John Whitehead, Charlie Reisinger and many others who designed, built and repaired most of the radio equipment. There was a dedicated radio laboratory at Surrey Hills in Melbourne. The purpose and operation of this particular instrument is unknown.

FCV testing meter

Made in the radio laboratory of the Forests Commission Victoria

radio

After the 1939 bushfires, the Forests Commission invested heavily in a radically new communications network. After suffering some inevitable delays due to the War, radio VL3AA switched into full operation in October 1945 proudly beaming out 200 watts across the State. The communication systems were regarded at the time to be more technically advanced than the police and the military. These pioneering efforts were directed by Geoff Weste, and later technical experts like Rex Philpot, John Whitehead, Charlie Reisinger and many others who designed, built and repaired most of the radio equipment. There was a dedicated radio laboratory at Surrey Hills in Melbourne. Little is known about this particular radio handset

Field radio telephone with handset.

radios

This Lafayette radio receiver (model HE-30) is a basic single conversion tube semi-professional short wave communications receiver. It covers 0.55 to 30 MHz in four bands. The multi-frequency bands was used on an experimental basis in FCV Divisional Offices to monitor district radio transmissions

Used on an experimental basis to monitor fire radio traffic

Lafayette Radio Receiver HE-30 With operating manual

radios

In the mid 1960s, Amalgamated Wireless Australasia (AWA) was asked to design a solid-state replacement for the PYE TRP-1 in collaboration with the FCV. The new transceiver was to be more powerful than the TRP-1, with an output power of about 10-12W (compared to 1.5-2W). The set also had to be capable of being used as a walkie-talkie, as well as being suitable for use in a vehicle The FP-1 is a single channel radio that has a crystal for each channel, and an IF frequency of 45 5khz. The receive crystal is 455khz higher than the transmit crystal. It is completely transistorised, and uses AWA and RCA brand transistors. A later version was called the FP5 and had five channels.

Introduced to the FCV in the mid 1960s

Radio Receiver Forest Phone FP-1

radios

After the 1939 bushfires, the Forests Commission invested heavily in a radically new communications network. After suffering some inevitable delays due to the War, radio VL3AA switched into full operation in October 1945 proudly beaming out 200 watts across the State. The communication systems were regarded at the time to be more technically advanced than the police and the military. These pioneering efforts were directed by Geoff Weste, and later technical experts like Rex Philpot, John Whitehead, Charlie Reisinger and many others who designed, built and repaired most of the radio equipment. There was a dedicated radio laboratory at Surrey Hills in Melbourne.

Radio set

STC Star Radio Telephone Type FR5.1.25-ST

radios

After the 1939 bushfires, the Forests Commission invested heavily in a radically new communications network. After suffering some inevitable delays due to the War, radio VL3AA switched into full operation in October 1945 proudly beaming out 200 watts across the State. The communication systems were regarded at the time to be more technically advanced than the police and the military. These pioneering efforts were directed by Geoff Weste, and later technical experts like Rex Philpot, John Whitehead, Charlie Reisinger and many others who designed, built and repaired most of the radio equipment. There was a dedicated radio laboratory at Surrey Hills in Melbourne.

Radio set

Manufactured by McLeod Electric - Derrinallum

radios

Dedicated phone lines were often connected between FCV District Offices and firetowers or local depots. These lines were activated by winding the metal handle to ring the bell at the other end of the line.

Bakelite phone with handset and winder. Made of Bakelite.

radios

After the 1939 bushfires, the Forests Commission invested heavily in a radically new communications network. After suffering some inevitable delays due to the War, radio VL3AA switched into full operation in October 1945 proudly beaming out 200 watts across the State. But by today’s standards, the technology was primitive and the reception poor unless the user was on a high point somewhere. The radio signal was "line-of-sight" and bounced between fire towers and relay transmitters across the mountains back to the District offices. The more secure and versatile State Mobile Radio (SMR) digital trunk system came into operation in about 1995. Upgraded Tait Radios were purchased in 2014 after recommendations of the 2009 Bushfires Royal Commission. But it was the convergence of separate technologies such as 4G mobile phones, high-capacity and light-weight lithium batteries, Wi-Fi, the ever-expanding internet, cloud data storage, digital cameras, GPS, personal organisers and hundreds of supporting Apps into powerful smartphones and tablets which revolutionised bushfire communications from the mid-2000s.

Base station radio with handset

RC-4B Amalgamated Wireless Australia

bushfire, radios

After the 1939 bushfires, the Forests Commission invested heavily in a radically new communications network. After suffering some inevitable delays due to the War, radio VL3AA switched into full operation in October 1945 proudly beaming out 200 watts across the State. But by today’s standards, the technology was primitive and the reception poor unless the user was on a high point somewhere. The radio signal was "line-of-sight" and bounced between fire towers and relay transmitters across the mountains back to the District offices. Rapid improvements in technology led to various models of bulky handheld portables with heavy batteries that always seemed to go flat. In fact, batteries were a constant impediment at bushfires. The more secure and versatile State Mobile Radio (SMR) digital trunk system came into operation in about 1995. Upgraded Tait Radios were purchased in 2014 after recommendations of the 2009 Bushfires Royal Commission. But it was the convergence of separate technologies such as 4G mobile phones, high-capacity and light-weight lithium batteries, Wi-Fi, the ever-expanding internet, cloud data storage, digital cameras, GPS, personal organisers and hundreds of supporting Apps into powerful smartphones and tablets which revolutionised bushfire communications from the mid-2000s.

Portable UHF Radio with leather carrying case and strap. Charging station.

Kyodo Model KC-1109 MOYHU Whitfield

bushfire, radios

Honour boards and rolls were erected in many local schools, halls, churches and offices as a means of acknowledging the commitment made by the community to the military forces. The criteria used for inclusion of names on an honour board were determined by those creating the board and can vary. This board lists the names of 20 people from the State Forests Department who enlisted in WW1. The most significant name is Albert Jacka VC who was perhaps Australia’s finest fighting soldier, and has the honour of being the first Australian to be awarded the Victoria Cross during WW1, the highest decoration for gallantry in the face of the enemy. Most of the other names have been researched.

Roll of Honour

Members of the Forest Service of Victoria who enlisted & went to The Great War 1914 - 1919

In the post-war era from 1947 to the mid-1980s, the Forests Commission sponsored Australia's only military sawmilling unit, the 91 Forestry Squadron. It was a special reserve unit of the Royal Australian Engineers (RAE). Established and commanded by Commission forester and WW2 veteran, Major Ben Benallack, the "Woodpeckers" as they were known comprised a small pool of specialised soldiers capable of rapid mobilisation in the event of need. Several other Victorian departments such as the State Electricity Commission (SEC) did the same thing who supported a construction squadron based at Newborough in the Latrobe Valley. The scheme created a very active and capable part-time military group that completed many worthy projects across the State. In addition to their military training, the Woodpeckers operated bush sawmills, built timber bridges along the Murray River, the Snake Island Jetty, forest roads and performed various demolition tasks.

Presentation plaque from the "Woodpeckers" Mounted on polished wooden burl

Soon after the outbreak of World War Two, the British Government requested experienced forestry soldiers from Australia, New Zealand and Canada to be deployed in France as part of the British Expeditionary Force. The first Forestry Company (2/1) was based in Sydney with men from NSW, Queensland and South Australia, led by Captain Cyril Richard Cole, a professional forester from the Australian Capital Territory. The second Forestry Company (2/2) included many Forests Commission staff, local sawmillers and experienced bushmen from Victoria, WA and Tasmania including veterans of the First World War. They were led by Captain Andrew Leonard (Ben) Benallack, a graduate from the Victorian School of Forestry in 1922. Both Forestry Companies sailed from Fremantle on the Stratheden in late May 1940 and landed in England not long after the evacuation of Dunkirk. The foresters were recalled to Australia at the insistence of Prime Minister John Curtin in late 1943 because of the War in the Pacific. After reequipping and some refresher training in jungle warfare at Kapooka the 2/2 Forestry Company was deployed to Lae in Papua New Guinea in May 1944. This photograph was probably taken in Australia before deployment to PNG.

Photo in wooden frame of Royal Australian Engineers Forestry Company

Y valves were used to split water supplies so it could be directed to a number of locations on a fire. In this case four outlets with two controlling valves. Canvas 1.5 inch hose was normally attached Screw connections rather than twist-camm locks

Y Valve

Yarrawonga Forests Commission

bushfire

Hose nozzle size can affect the stream of water. A smaller hole puts out a longer stream but with less volume. A longer water stream is useful when trying to extinguish fire or sparks high in the tree tops. They were often used with high pressure pumps like the Pacific Marine.

Aluminum fire hose nozzle(s) with Y joint and interchangeable brass attachments For 1.5 inch hose with screw attachments rather than modern twist-camm locks. The main nozzle is aluminum alloy and the interchangeable nozzles are made of brass.

bushfire

Method of carrying rolled up canvas fire hose. Canvas hose needs to be washed, dried, rolled and stored properly after it has been used otherwise it will rot. Unrolled hose is notorious for becoming tangled.

Canvas fire hose and roll carrier. The wire handle separates in the middle to release the hose roll

bushfire

The origins of the humble handheld driptorch have been lost in time. They are widely used for ignition in controlled burning operations in forest and grasslands. This "home made" burner wand uses kerosene and dates from the 1950s. It has an unusual long handle with a bend and wick one one end.

Unusual "home made" design

Long handle burning wand with a wick at one end. Brass flow valve in the middle. Base attached to a container of kerosene and has a screw cap.

bushfire

The origins of the humble handheld driptorch have been lost in time. They are widely used for ignition in controlled burning operations in forest and grasslands. The date, origins and manufacturer of this particular model are unknown. The “Pacific Forester“ with its short central wand and somewhat leaky ball-valve was made by the American Wajax company in the 1940s. The Pacific Forester is slightly different in design from the more robust and common “Panama” driptorch first manufactured in 1933 and used extensively by Queensland cane farmers. The Panama is closely related to the current “Firebug” used in Victoria which is manufactured by Rodney Industries in Brisbane. The fuel is a mixture of petrol and diesel and every FCV District had their own closely-guarded secret formula ... 2:1, 3:1, 1:1, 4:1 or 3:2 ratio. There was also the choice of 91, 95 or 98 octane petrol mixed with summer or winter diesel. Occasionally some of the old Avgas or Jet-A1 lying around the depot was added with a splash of engine oil to make the mixture stick to the fuel to be ignited. The fuel mixed also varied between autumn or spring, heathland, mixed forest, or high-intensity slash burns

Early driptorch design

Drip torch with handle Wand has loop and valve. The loop is designed to assist with even flow of fuel which flows out onto the burning head of the wand. Soldered tin fuel container which holds burner mix. Gravitational feed of the driptorch allows the unit to drip fire, making it simple and quick to operate.

bushfire

Pulpwood was often split by hand or with black powder splitting guns into more manageable sizes and cut into 8 foot lengths (or billets). Billets were first stacked endwise to drain the sap and lighten the load before they were loaded by hand onto flat bed trucks for transport to the mills. This long length metal hook was used to pull and manoeuvre the pulpwood billets onto the truck. The advent of excavators in logging operations in the 1970s led to the loading and carting pulpwood in long tree lengths.

Long steel tool with handle on one end and hook on the other.

In 1949 the Commonwealth Forestry and Timber Bureau proposed a national planting program to make Australia more self-reliant in timber products after the shortages experienced during the war. The threat of introduced sirex woodwasp from Europe in the early 1950s and its eventual discovery on the Australian mainland in 1961 brought the softwood plantation program into question. However, quarantine and control measures using tree destruction and a nematode parasite was put in place.

Sirex noctilio was a serious threat to softwood plantations in Australia

Sirex wood wasps encased in resin

plantations

The Forests Commission had a large and active engineering branch which was often called upon for major demolition or quarry work. Most overseers, as well as some foresters, were trained in the use of explosives to “blow stuff up” such as removing stumps and rocks from roads. Districts usually had a small powder magazine tucked away in the bush for storage of gelignite and detonators.

Sample board showing examples of explosives and detonators

road construction and maintenance.

Seedlings were lifted from seedbeds in FCV nurseries, usually early in the morning, then packed to be transported by road or rail. The seedlings risked damage if they dried out. These baskets were used to transport and protect open-rooted pine seedlings. Thought be used at French Island in about 1920.

Large wicker basket used to transport seedlings With metal locking mechanism and wicker handle Donated by FCV forester, Bert Semmens

nurseries, plantations

The Forests Commission took safety very seriously, long before it became standard practice in the bush. The Chairman of the Commission, Alan Threader, personally chaired the safety committee Sandy Dobbin was appointed as the first "safety officer" in the early 1970s There were many innovations including safety boots and safety hardhats.

Safety hardhats. One new hat with "two trees" FCV logo. One with hat with older style FCV sticker belonging to District Forester Col Almond (decorated with logos from the amalgamated CFL agencies).

Polyester shirts plus a green tie and epaulets were the only form of dress unform issued to FCV staff. In later years a brown tie was available. Blue work overalls and safety boots were issued for bushfire work. These were replaced with the now familiar bright green overalls in about 1984. There were no dress pants, jumpers, jackets or shoes issued. This led to a long running dispute between the staff association and the Commission over departmental uniform policy at the time. David Parnaby was a District Forester and accomplished cartoonist who provided insightful and humorous commentary on uniforms through the Victorian State Forester’s Association Newsletter.

Example of early staff uniform.

Green polyester tie with yellow stripe and round FCV logo. Green FCV epaulet to be worn on polyester shirt as dress uniform.

uniforms

Canvas bag issued to FCV staff to take personal belonging to bushfires

Canvas Bag for personal gear

Rus Ritchie, Divisional Forester, Wangaratta

bushfire

Back pack used to carry portable two-way radios and spare batteries to remote bushfires

Canvas backpack

FCV Radio Lab

bushfire

bushfire

Victoria once had well over one hundred fire lookouts and firetowers. Fire lookouts, or observation posts, were often just a clearing on a hill or a vantage point, whereas firetowers were definite structures. There are at least three categories of firetowers… (1) tree perches, (2) four-legged towers made of either wood or steel, as well as (3) hilltop cabins and observatories. Many were established by the Forests Commission Victoria (FCV) in the 1920s, but the network was expanded rapidly in response to recommendations of the Stretton Royal Commission after the 1939 Black Friday bushfires. The wooden towers were often built by bush craftsmen like legendary FCV overseer Clem Heather from Orbost. But advances in aerial reconnaissance and radio technology led to the gradual reduction in the number of fixed towers. FFMV now operates 72 firetowers. The CFA, Melbourne Water, Hancock Victorian Plantations (HVP) also operate some, the Army has one at Puckapunyal overlooking the live-firing range.

Only two remaining fire towers of this design remain in Victoria (Mt Little Dick and Big Tower in the Mullungdung State Forest). Mt Nowa Nowa and Stringers Knob burnt down in the 2019/20 bushfires

Large model of an Reef Hills fire tower. Presumably used for instructional purposes. Traditional FCV four legged design with three landings and closed cabin.

bushfire

Considered in terms of both loss of property and loss of life, the Black Friday bushfires on 13 January 1939 were one of the worst disasters to have occurred in Australia and certainly the worst bushfire up to that time. The fires burnt 2 million hectares, 69 sawmills were destroyed, 71 people died, and several towns and sawmills were entirely obliterated. Among those killed were four men from the Commission The subsequent Royal Commission conducted by Judge Leonard Stretton has been described as one of the most significant inquiries in the history of Victorian public administration. Its recommendations led to sweeping changes. In addition to building dams and water points, the Stretton Royal Commission recommended expanding and controlling the use of bushfire dugouts at forest sawmills. Well-constructed dugouts had saved the lives of many sawmill workers and their families during the 1939 bushfires. But in some locations, they had proved fatal. Dugouts became mandatory for those few sawmills that remained in the forest after the 1939 fires. Many remote logging coupes and FCV roading camps also had dugouts. The local District Forester was required to make annual pre-season inspections of all dugouts on State forests and those within the Fire Protected Area (FPA). Some were built privately on private land. Most were primitive construction with a log or corrugated iron roof covered with earth. A hessian bag often hung at the entrance to keep the heat and smoke out. But they were dark and damp with snakes and other creepy crawlies often lurking inside. By 1940-41 there were 19 new dugouts constructed by the Commission and a further 128 by forest licensees. Ten years later there were 8 new Commission dugouts and 21 new ones built by other interests. By 1960-61 the rate of new builds was declining but the Commission still managed 103 dugouts while 127 were looked after by others. However, as the forest road network improved and gave all-weather access to modern two-wheel-drive vehicles the reliance on dugouts receded.

Large metal sign that was positioned near forest dugouts

bushfire