It’s a little-known treasure tucked modestly in a back street of Mooroopna, but this museum and its extensive collection of items is nurtured by a passionate and knowledgable group of history buffs.
But they’re tired and ageing and concerned the town’s history may one day be lost if they are unable to impart it to a younger generation of volunteers.
“We’re happy to share our knowledge, but it is a commitment,” Historical Society of Mooroopna committee member Gwenda Collins said.
“You do need someone who’s interested (in history) and hopefully they like it and become dedicated.
“On the flipside to that, if they don’t feel like they want to become that involved, they could just be sitting at the main desk to greet the visitors.”
There are around 30 members of the society, but only a handful of active volunteers, who say there is always something to be done, whether it’s cleaning, maintenance, lifting and shifting, and cataloguing and storing historical items.
While the society owns the property, it costs about $8000 a year to keep, so volunteers willing to fundraise or make grant applications would also be highly valuable additions to the committee.
The museum in Park St, backing on to the old Mooroopna Hospital, currently only opens regularly on Wednesdays between 11am and 3pm, or by appointment.
“If we had more volunteers, we’d be open more often,” Mrs Collins said.
“It would be nice to know we could be open on a special day or of a weekend or a holiday weekend, but at the moment we just can’t.”
The museum was a nursing home in the 1970s before TAFE bought the building and made alterations to the layout. Then it was going to be developed as backpacker accommodation before being purchased by the society when Jeanette Powell was in office.
“Up until then we hadn’t had a home,” Mrs Collins said.
“Jeanette Powell came through and had a look and was very impressed with our collection.
“She said to me if she got elected, Mooroopna would get its police station and she would give $200,000 towards buying this building (where the museum now exists).
“I’ll never forget that night watching the election because we were very pro-Labor at the time, so you couldn’t see Liberal getting in and I think I jumped all over our lounge room because they did get in and Jeannette honoured her promise and we got the $200,000 and we got our police station.”
The society then had to bridge the gap with a further $200,000, which came from donations from the public at the time of purchase and for loan repayments afterwards for the remaining amount that had to be borrowed.
“It was a tremendous thing because the museum really does belong to the people of Mooroopna,” Mrs Collins said.
“To finally get a home was just wonderful.”
The spacious museum houses many collections, all carefully gathered and curated from the local area by the dedicated volunteers, including an extensive medical assortment, local industry and business displays, militaria, artwork, sporting champion memorabilia, and textiles and costumes.
Mooroopna has been home to many significant identities over the years and was the birthplace of some interesting and helpful inventions, such as fruit-picking ladders and blood transfer machines.
And you can see it all when you visit the museum.
“We have walked the road, and it’s not been an easy road,” Mrs Collins said.
“Lots of highs and lots of lows and hardly any tomorrows, and yet here it is, and it’s wonderful.”
The Historical Society of Mooroopna meets at the museum on the second Wednesday of every month.
For more information on becoming a member or volunteer, or to make a donation, visit: www.hsm.org.au