Wooden cart...

[mart]

Would have been used for anything applicable !! Late 1800`s early 1900`s there were many small family farms in operation in Australia !! Would not have had a separate wagon for each use,,more than likely had one large and one smaller wagon !! At 4 ft wide and 7 ft long this would have been able to do it all !! Between the cane rows to harvest, used during shearing season, possibly as a hearse and for transporting to market !! Basically same as family farms here !!

[Rauville]

Have you contacted the http://museumvictoria.com.au/?
Just briefly glancing at the site, I see a wagon made in Victoria that was decorated with some fancy ironwork.

[izabelle]

Thankyou all for your responses, I will post a side view asap...funnily enough it looks the right size for a coffin...at 4 foot wide at the wheels its even narrower in side. Not wide enough for two people to sit next to each other. Unless they're very slim. And I sill contact museum vic!

[cogar]

"A wagon (sometimes spelled 'waggon' in British and Commonwealth English) is a heavy four-wheeled vehicle pulled by draught animals, used for transporting goods, commodities, agricultural materials, supplies, and sometimes people".

More @ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wagon  

Sorry but it would not let me post the jpg link for the picture. 

[KC]

Believe you are referring to a leiterwagen, cogar.  Just google that and look at pictures!

Izabelle, did you ever say if the sides fold down/move or are stationary?

[cogar]

Believe you are referring to a leiterwagen, cogar.  

Yup, that is what they called it at the Wikipedia link in my above post. 

And given she said she was in Australia and the Wiki statement of origin stated "in British and Commonwealth English" ..... I assumed her's was also a leiterwagen,...... but a "fancy" painted one with square vertical ribs, cast-iron or strap-steel "scrollwork", etc. 

[izabelle]

Hi all, here's some additional photos as requested.
none of the sides fold down only the front and rear parts.

[cogar]

Now that is an elaborate built wagon for its time.

[KC]

What a beautiful piece of handiwork!!!