The Author George Gemmill views the map of Victoria. The red dots on the map, indicate where Bills Horse Troughs are located.

Introduction

As a young boy and growing up in Newport Melbourne Australia I sold papers on the Williamstown short road ferry . I can remember a Bills trough which was in a park over the road from the Newport Hotel near the Bus stop as lads we used to meet around this spot and the trough was used by the few horses which were still being used to deliver bread, milk, ice and wood around Newport that would have been about 1948.

These horses would cover more than 25 mile daily delivering their goods.

I moved to country Victoria and settled there and raised a family it was back in 1984 when Keep Australia Beautiful started Tidy Towns . My family were involved in the clean up campaign and while tiding up around the Bills trough in my town.My interest started in just who were Annis and George Bills since then I have started collecting information about them and collecting photos and information about Bills Horse Troughs

Now a retired motor mechanic and with a computer and time on my hands i have compiled this Web page of the collection which I have collected.

Learning about George and Annis Bills I have found it to be a interesting story and would like to preserve in history what they did for Australia's Aminals, when they set up a trust fund to supply these concrete Horse troughs which can still be found scatted throught Victoria and NSW.

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Follow up

The Rushworth Community House in April 2005 conducted a 6-week course on designing your own web page.The volunteer instructor was Bernie Halpin {webDotWiz} and I attended this course and since then have been working to compile this web site about Annis and George Bills and tell their story. I also have a database of photos where the Bills Troughs can still be found. I invite anyone who has any inquires about this site or would like to pass on any information about the Bills Horse Troughs to billshorsetroughs AT hotmail.com.

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California Gully

This Bills trough was once located on Eaglehawk road California Gully  opposite the Rose of Australia Hotel.

The photos taken in about 1940 shows 2 small boys Tom P and Harry D enjoying a cooling off in the Trough. This trough had plenty of use as close by was the Hercules Gold Mine and the Quarts  from it was carted to the Battery by horse and carts owned by a Mr Norris.

It also provided a very welcome drink for the many horses, in delivery carts as it was half way between Bendigo and Eaglehawk.

Phylis M the long time licensee of The Rose of Australia Hotel gave me this photo.

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Auburn 1939

This  photo was  taken back in 1939 the Bills Horse Trough was located in Auburn Road Victoria, between Riversdale Rd and Leslie st.

 Was a hot summer day when young Felicity and her sister Wendy decided they wanted to go for a swim . The rubbish man sent them home telling them he wanted to water his horse and they could get sick.

Note the old pusher handle on the right-hand side of photo.

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