Rocky Vale Villa - Veterans Precinct project

25/03/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/18dn5Cj9o8/?mibextid=wwXIfr 2016

"Rocky Vale Villa 1891. Built in Golden Square near Kronk St. by stonemason William Beebe Senior using sandstone and granite quarried at
the property." Photo and caption by Denis Fitzgerald.

09/01/2026

On the to do list - festoon solar lighting

09/01/2026

https://youtu.be/8IZA_F46E50
A great tour of stone Mason mansions - Rocky Vale Villa is among the ones featured

Houses and public buildings built of 'free stone' can still be seen in and around Bendigo and Eaglehawk. Here is a small tribute to the craftsmanship and sto...

06/01/2026

4:34AM another couple of walking intruders (with torches) and a pooch 🐾

03/12/2025

The transformation beginning … William Beebee was a passionate strong advocate for the 8 hour day. Often described as out of step with his peers, he wrote to the Local newspape to raise and share his concerns.

🌟🌺 By next year on the anniversary of this Master Masons last breath, a region of veterans will begin their transformation of this villa and we’ll humbly guard its legacy built of strength and voice. 🌺🌟

⸻

✨ Service is Service — and Every Veteran Counts ✨

We must never let a rack of medals define the worth of the veterans who served.

Peter Tinley AO once described those of us who “served in the dry period,” and that’s me — 20 years of service, a humble row of medals, and a lifetime commitment to ensuring the old prejudices between eras of service never return to any RSL.

If anyone forgets, I’ll remind them:
Prejudice has no place in a sacred space built by veterans.

I founded and funded:
🏰 Rocky Vale Villa – Veterans Precinct Project Rocky Vale Villa - Veterans Precinct project
☕ Long Gully Veterans Lounge & Wellness Centre Veterans Lounge & Wellness Centre
🖤 The Black Anzac Project – A Vision for Veterans’ Support & Inclusion the Black Anzac Project - A Vision for Veterans’ Support and Inclusion

And I’m proud to be part of the 9% of female veterans who are RSL members. Region 1 Sub-Branches - RSL Victoria Hawthorn RSL Sub Branch

Service looks different for every veteran — but respect must always look the same.

09/10/2025

A bit of history - FLORA WOODMAN BEEBE
FIRST LADY DRIVER IN BENDIGO
1887 - 1962
Nowa Nowa, 129 Queen Street, Bendigo

​
Flora was the second youngest in the Beebe family, and in 1911 at the age of 24 was one of the first women in Bendigo to hold a driver’s licence, along with Edith Lansell. Flora's father was a successful architect and owned a 15 horse-power S**T (fitted with self-starter )[i], also known as an open tourer; Flora was “frequently to be seen driving with apparent enjoyment where the traffic is densest” [ii]. Flora married and moved to Western Australia midway through the first world war, and returned to Victoria to live in Melbourne later in life.

[i] Only lady motorist, Punch, 17 Aug 1911, p29
[ii] (also image)Motors & Motoring, The Age, 23 Aug 1911, p12

Locating the Women of Bendigo - An International Women's Day Exhibition by BRAC

04/10/2025

Kangaroos too

04/10/2025

The Letter Box at Number 7 Wicks Road Maiden Gully VIC 3551

04/10/2025

The Letter Box at Number 7 Wicks Road Maiden Gully VIC 3551

03/10/2025

🌺 Lights Sirens CCTV Police ~ more vandalism / now repaired 🌺

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18/09/2025

Looking at connections again