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Preserving Tocumwal’s railway heritage

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Tocumwal Lions secretary and Tocumwal Railway Heritage Museum curator Carol Kennedy with volunteer John Peace Photo by Contributed

For many people, Tocumwal is a laid-back town on the Murray River.

It's a perfect holiday spot to not do much.

But for Tocumwal Lions Club secretary Carol Kennedy, Tocumwal is a place of vibrant history.

The town was a hub of activity during World War II when the Tocumwal airfield hosted Allied operations.

With so many coming through the town, Tocumwal railway station became a hive of activity as personnel moved through the area.

Though those days are long gone, Mrs Kennedy is one of the people keeping the history alive as one of the curators of the Tocumwal Railway Heritage Museum.

Asked how she was in charge of the museum, Mrs Kennedy said it was through her involvement with the Tocumwal Lions.

"Being on the committee is where it started," Mrs Kennedy said.

“The museum is a project of the Tocumwal Lions Club, and they needed a member of the group to run it."

Mrs Kennedy has a passion for the Tocumwal railway history and said taking care of the museum, which also has a history of the Tocumwal area in general as well, is a pleasant experience.

“It's the railway history; it’s Tocumwal’s railway history during the war,” she said.

Taking care of a small regional museum may not be for everyone, but for Mrs Kennedy, it's a pleasant experience.

“It’s interesting,” she said.

“It’s nice to be involved in it and meet the people coming through.”

Her duties include cleaning, operating the till and enticing visitors to the museum.

To this end, Mrs Kennedy organised a temporary Thomas and Friends train display for the kids to enjoy during the school holidays.

“I had the set at home, and I thought it would be great to spur interest in the children during the holidays,” she said.

“They (the kids) love it; they play and watch the trains go round and round.”

The museum is open Saturdays from 10am to 3pm. Adult entry is $5 and children get in free.