'Guide Alice': Mt Buffalo's original rebel, guide and photographer
Alice Manfield, known as 'Guide Alice', led tourist treks in the early 1900s on the Mogullumbidj land of Mount Buffalo.
She was known for her bright and plucky personality and easily recognisable in her trademark 'trouser suit', which she designed herself, pioneering outdoor wear for women.
Though her suit and adventurous manner drew some criticism, she was an accomplished naturalist, writer and photographer. Alice published the first ever photo book on lyrebirds, and had a habit of persuading people to pose in very precarious locations for her photos.
The State Library has almost 500 of Alice Manfield’s photos in glass lantern slides. Watch the video above for a look into Alice's adventures as Mt Buffalo's original rebel.
Discover more
- Explore the Library's extensive collection of photographs by Alice Manfield
- Read more in this blog post by Librarian Sarah Matthews
- Continue your reading with Mogullumbidj: First People of Mount Buffalo by Jacqui Durrant
About From the Vault
From the Vault is a video series that delves into the surprising, poignant and sometimes funny stories behind the unique archival images held in the State Library Victoria collection.