After the First World War the War Trophies Trustees of Apollo Bay on the south coast of Victoria presented every returned soldier and the next of kin of deceased soldiers with an appropriately inscribed gold medal. Each medal cost about 3 shillings to make. The medals are a significant aspect of Apollo Bay's war history. But where are these medals now? Important local or national war memorabilia, like the Apollo Bay medals are not only to be found in state and national museum collections. Across Australia, in private homes, historical societies, RSL sub-branches and clubrooms and in numerous other places there is a great deal of war-related material and memorabilia. For many families this material is of deep personal significance and much of it may be important for what it reveals about local communities at war. Sometimes it may be of significance to Australia's national history. Such material consists broadly of four main categories of items: