Gone were the days of sweating by the wood fire stove in summer while waiting for a flat iron to heat. In the 1930s, this Coleman Self Heating Iron Model No 4A, with ‘Cool Blue’ enamel was the state-of-the-art ironing aid that every home needed. Heated with a gasoline fuel burner, which lit instantly and […]
The introduction of electricity into the home created a boom in labour saving devices. From the start of the twentieth century, these devices were marketed strongly towards women, who did the majority of work in the home. Electric washing machines, like the machine shown here, along with vacuums, hair dryers and clothing irons all entered […]
Mention an Australian summer and ice-cold drinks, ice creams, icy poles and ice cubes all spring to mind. But, this hasn’t always been the case. Before 1857, ice was shipped to Australia from America. After then, it was manufactured in Melbourne and shipped all around the Australian colonies. An ice works was eventually constructed and […]
With most of our appliances requiring power, new houses have multiple power points. If you’ve ever lived in an older, unrenovated building the frustration of not enough power points is very real. Electricity was first introduced into Australia for lighting. Stoves burnt fuel such as wood, heating was an open fire or oil heaters, while […]
Bodyboards fished from the dam where they had spent hot summer days in Lovedale, on Wonnarua Country. Crutches collected and kept for safe-keeping after each broken leg or rolled ankle. A harness which had belonged to their donkey, Malcolm. Fireweed and wildflowers plucked from the bush surrounding their home. Thirty year-old carpet pulled from a […]
Museums & Galleries of NSW acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the lands that comprise the state now known as NSW.
We pay respect to them as First Nations people with a continuing connection to land, place, waters and community
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are advised that this site contains stories, images, voices, and video of people who have died.
Some material may contain terms that reflect common usage of the period in which it was written or recorded but may not be considered appropriate today. Such terms do not reflect the views of Museums and Galleries of NSW and are provided only to reflect historical context.