Golden Memories Millthorpe Museum
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Complex

Collection
What we offer
The Golden Memories Millthorpe Museum is a large complex with eight main buildings and also a Craft Cottage (2) and Engine Room (8). See below for a short or long tour an below that some photos and overview on each building. ​
Find out more about our collection here
Picture

1. Good Templars Hall

The Good Templars Hall (GTH) was built in 1881 and used as a meeting place for many of the fraternal societies in and around Millthorpe. Also used locally for court hearings, balls and other events.  

The society purchased the land and building in February 1965 with the assistance of many local families. The building is heritage listed on the Blayney Shire LEP.

Some of the displays located in the GTH include;
  • Wiradjuri Dreaming display
  • War display
  • Church display
  • Fraternal display
  • Millthorpe Memorabilia and other social history items

2. Jacoba Craft Cottage

The Jacoba Craft Cottage was constructed by members in 1982 from locally gathered recycled blue stone and materials. Some of which was recycled from the Millthorpe village kerb and guttering.

The cottage was named in remembrance of Jacoba Van der Stok whose husband, Klass (known as Joe), was one of the members who was instrumental in the build. 

The Craft Cottage is free to visit and is open during Museum hours. Items or sale include local arts and crafts and historical booklets.

You need to be a financial member to contribute to the craft cottage. Details can be found by clicking here; Contributing craft to Jacoba Craft Cottage.

3. Blacksmith Shop

The Blacksmiths shop was constructed onsite in 1977 out of gum slabs by Joe Van der Stok and members. As a working 'smithy', the shop contains a large collection of tools and equipment and a significant private collection donated by Mr Viv Kable. 

The bellows and some tools came from a local farm, Steady Forward, owned and donated by Fred Warbeton. 

The Blacksmiths Shop operates on special days and selected week-ends. Check out our Events page for any upcoming operating days.  

4. Pioneers Gallery

The building was opened as the St Josephs Convent School in 1922, closing in 1969. The building and two blocks were purchased in 1970 to house museum collection. It was refurbished in 2019 for use as a hall and entertainment space. 

The Pioneers Gallery is available for group bookings for morning tea, lunch or afternoon tea. Also available for hall hire. 

5. Exhibition Building

In 1978, the Society constructed a timber Exhibition Building to exhibit some of the rural collection before the Spring Grove and Rural Technology buildings were constructed. It had a make over in 2019 and converted into a museum display space.
 
The Exhibition Building some of our permanent displays including; 
  • Communications display
  • Grandma's Bedroom
  • Parlour
  • Music room
  • Kitchen
  • Pea history in the district display.


6. Spring Grove Pavilion

In March 1990, the Society opened a new corrugated iron and steel building, known as the Spring Grove Pavilion, to increase the exhibition space for the growing Machinery collection. This building was opened by Mr.Gary West, Member for Orange, Minister for Tourism, Land and Forest.

The shed was partially concreted in 2006 and the Museum undertook a large project to obtain the Clayton and Shuttleworth traction engine. 

The Spring Grove Pavilion currently holds a large collection of tractors and the Clayton and Shuttleworth traction engine. 

7. Trevor Pascoe Pavilion 

The Trevor Pascoe Pavilion was opened in November 2015 as part of our 50th anniversary celebrations. Named after our longest serving President and Millthorpe historian Trevor Pascoe.

​The building was opened jointly by Max Hazelton (on the grounds) and Dick Smith (over the phone). Due to bad weather Dick was unable to get to the opening as planned. 

The new building houses a collection of Australian Inventions along with a large panel wall outlining other Australian inventions throughout our history.  From Victar Lawnmowers to Sunshine Headers and all things in between.

Come and learn some of our Australian history. 

8. Ronaldson Tippet Engine Room

The Ronaldson Tippett Engine Shed was the first building build on the grounds of the Museum in 1969 after the 16HP engine was donated by the Grain Elevators Board. The engine was used in the Noonbinna wheat  silo. It supplied power to the old type 90 plant, driving a bucket elevator, moving approximately 80 tons per hour to a height of 90 feet (27.5m).

9. Museum of Rural Technology

In 1994, two adjoining blocks and a large shed became available for purchase. The Museum was fortunate in securing this site and to establish a new wing to the Museum, known as the Museum of Rural Technology. 

The site originally had on it the old Methodist Hall. It was a timber and ripple iron building moved to Millthorpe from Cobar in 1923. The site was then purchased by the Davis brothers who extended it and used it as a potato shed. The old hall finally fell down and when the Museum purchased the site all that remained was the two skillions. Renovations and extensions now make the shed what it is today.

The shed provided space for a very significant collection collected by Miss Francis Wheelhouse and Mr. Frank Webb which was donated to the Museum.

It currently houses an enormous collection of  Pea, Grain, Potatoes, Orcharding, Hay, Wool, Stationery Engines and Mining equipment.  
Opening Hours
11am - 3pm Wed- Sun, School & Public Holidays
other days/times by appointment
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Address: 37 Park St, Millthorpe, NSW 2798