100 Years at the Victorian School of Forestry

First class of students, 1912

Mounted photograph

Victorian School of Forestry

Creswick Campus Historical Collection, University of Melbourne

Cat no. 1224

In 1910, a group of four male students began classes at the Victorian School of Forestry.

Pictured from left to right: R.G. Lindsay, W.H. Horn, J. Sampson, A. Warren, H. Felstead (Nursery superintendent), N.L. Boston (Nursery staff), A. Ken (Nursery staff).

Appointment of examiners under the Forests Act 1907, 1908

State Forests Department, Forest Commission of Victoria

Paper certificate with black ink, signatures and rubber stamps

Creswick Campus Historical Collection, University of Melbourne

Cat no. 1306

After the Forests Act was passed in 1907, the State Forests Department and an examination system for foresters was established, giving the opportunity to implement formal forestry education.

Steam distillation box for extraction of essential oils from wood or sawdust and leaves, 1930

Copper box and stand, Bakelite fittings, cork and glass tubing

Victorian School of Forestry

Creswick Campus Historical Collection, University of Melbourne

Cat no. 1048

The School ran a eucalyptus still for student research, seasoning eucalypt timber and treating leaves from around the state. This item on display is a demonstration still - the main still was located on the grounds ten metres beyond the billiard room block and its steam was occasionally responsible for the burning and hospitalisation of students.

Microscope, c.1915

Equipment from Leitz Wetzlar Stativ IIB 

Brass, original lacquer, 3 signed lenses, two-lens turret, 2 oculars, rack-and-pinion focussing, tilting device, 3-pinhole diaphragm

Victorian School of Forestry

Creswick Campus Historical Collection, University of Melbourne

Cat no. 1160

According to a student sending a letter home in 1925, the School had purchased four microscopes for 20 pounds which were used to examine bacteria in botany class.

A Gateway to a Man’s Career, c1940

Paper brochure

Forest Commission of Victoria

Creswick Campus Historical Collection, University of Melbourne

Cat no. 1456

First women students, 1976

Mounted photograph

Victorian School of Forestry

Creswick Campus Historical Collection, University of Melbourne

Cat no. 1229

In 1976, the arrival at the School of the first four women students Sue Lowther, Megan Varty, Anne Coleman and Fiona Hamilton, was much publicised. While the female students were initially restricted to the library, herbarium and school grounds, their arrival shifted the idea that forestry was solely a male pursuit and according to former lecturer Dr Barry Tomkins, they “…handled a sometimes difficult situation very well.” By 1997, women made up half of the School’s enrolled students.

HRH Prince Charles visiting Victorian School of Forestry, 1976

Photograph

Forest Commission of Victoria

Creswick Campus Historical Collection, University of Melbourne

Cat no. 1451

In October 1974, HRH the Prince of Wales visited the Victorian School of Forestry on his Australian tour. He stayed on site at the Post-Graduate Building and planted a Eucalyptus leucoxylon (yellow gum) by the Science Block. Here he is seen with (L to R) Richard Steiner (student), Patrick Previtt (zoology lecturer from Ballarat College of Advanced Education, now Federation University, formerly School of Mines Ballarat and Mark Woolman (student) in the laboratory.

VSF Plaque, year unknown

Hand-painted masonite plaque showing the VSF logo and school motto: Circumspice (translates to “Look around you”)

Victorian School of Forestry

Creswick Campus Historical Collection, University of Melbourne

Cat no. 1316

The Victorian School of Forestry and the University of Melbourne have benefited from a long reciprocal relationship with attempts in 1951, 1958 and 1972 to combine their two forestry courses into the one program. The eventual 1980 integration allowed VSF courses to be recognised on a tertiary level and subsequently raised the reputation of the School.