Complex
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 an overview on each building.
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1. Good Templars Hall
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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;
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2. Jacoba Craft Cottage
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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
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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
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The adjoining St Josephs Convent School and two blocks were purchased in 1970. The building was opened as the Pioneers Gallery and housed a unique collection of pioneering family portraits and other artifacts from the surrounding district. A veranda was added to the building at a later stage.
The Pioneers Gallery currently houses a significant School Display, War Display, Church Display, early pioneering equipment and portraits. |
5. Exhibition Building
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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 2015 and was extended and closed in providing some more storage area for horse drawn vehicles and the Pea viner.
The Exhibition Building is also used on Open Days for displays and for shelter and catering if we have big groups or events. |
6. Spring Grove Pavilion
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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
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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
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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. |
