In 1878, the water-powered Barwon Paper Mill opened on the north bank of the Barwon River at Buckley's Falls in Fyansford; and an adjacent site saw the beginning of what became known as Button Hill.
The Paper Mill's raw materials were straw (oat, wheat and barley) and rags. Before the rags were treated to break down their composition, hard objects such as fasteners, buttons and the ribs from ladies' stays were removed and thrown onto a pile nearby. This led to the land rising to the Mill's east becoming known as Button Hill.
Up to 100 women and girls sorted the rags in a designated rag house. The work was hard and the conditions unpleasant:
"The work is performed by girls and women, and the occupation certainly does not give one a lofty idea of the rag picker, the work being anything but clean, and in no way agreeable."
"The Fyansford paper Mill." The Geelong Advertiser. 25 August 1880. No page number.
According to the Victorian Heritage Database, Button Hill consists of
hundreds of thousands of glass, ceramic, bone and metal buttons, beads
and other clips and fasteners. The site is owned privately and awaits
proper archeological investivation
Source:
“The Barwon Paper Mill.” Geelong Advertiser. 19 March
1878. No page numbers. http://barwonblogger.blogspot.com.au/2011/07/
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