About this Site

Contents of this site

The content of this website is based on items held in the collection of the State Library of Victoria. Additional items from the Parliamentary Library of Victoria, Royal Botanic Gardens Library and University of Melbourne Library have also been included.

A short bibliography of published sources is also provided.

Acknowledgments

The State Library of Victoria would like to thank the following people who assisted in the preparation of this website:

• Bruce Davidson, Parliamentary Librarian, Parliamentary Library of Victoria who made available images from William Strutt's album Victoria the Golden and the Royal Park sketchbook.
• Jill Thurlow at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne Library who gave permission to use the photograph of Hermann Beckler.
• Special Collections, University Library, University of Melbourne for providing a copy of the Melbourne Argus for 1 July 1861.

Text and research

Gerard Hayes has worked in the Australian Manuscripts Collection of the State Library for over 15 years. His original degree is in Art History from the University of Melbourne, and he worked in curatorial positions at the National Gallery of Victoria and the Melbourne University Gallery before turning to librarianship. 

During his time at the Library he has been involved with a number of projects related to the Library's holdings of Burke and Wills Expedition archives. He sees himself as strictly an armchair expert, but hopes to one day ride a camel, and possibly even visit Cooper's Creek.