5 Collections ~ Part One

I’m joining Becky in her October Square Photo Challenge over at The Life of B. The rules of the challenge are simple: most photos must be square and fit the theme word Past. Look for #PastSquares. This month we’re travelling back in time in the western Queensland town of Miles and surrounds. We’ll explore the local area and join in the festivities at the Miles Back to the Bush Festival.

The self-guided Collections Tour, where local residents open their homes to share their collections is a popular event at the festival. Some collections are huge and multi-faceted while others are small and specific. Some are vintage objects, some are a little eccentric and some are just for fun. Let’s start at Jan’s place.

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Even in early spring, the days warm up quickly in Miles. Jan’s shaded garden would always provide welcome respite from the heat but, with her array of beautiful gowns hanging under the trees, it’s even more enticing.

Jan’s collection of 18 wedding and debutante gowns have all worn by family members. Some are accompanied by photographs showing the occasion for which the gowns were designed. Probably the most precious is the dress Jan wore for her own wedding, almost 60 years ago.

An added bonus is the collection of baby dresses worn by Jan’s daughters and granddaughters. One of those daughters tells visitors about the lady around the corner who used to make the dresses to order for local families.

Jan’s fabulous dress collection is a beautiful tribute to the women in her family.