Summary

Blue felt Koala, from a collection of handcrafts, produced by English migrant Ada Perry, between the 1930s and 1960s. Ada Perry migrated to Australia as a widow with eight children in 1924. She struggled to work a piece of isolated government allocated land at Mirboo North, until 1928 when a buggy accident left her unable to continue physical labour, so she created craft items, while her children worked the land. The items in the Museum's collection are prototypes, as she kept the first of anything she created for her children and then gave away the rest. All Ada's handcrafts were made using available scraps or reusing old clothes, providing insight into a domestic environment where subsistence was a struggle and where 'making do' was a matter of course.

Physical Description

Soft toy Koala hand sewn from blue felt, with ears made from grey fur. Eyes and a nose have been sewn on using black cotton. It is wearing a dress with red and white leaves on a blue and white checked background.

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