AUS-VIC-GIPPSLAND Mailing List
Gippsland Museums
This page contains details of Museums, Open Houses and similar collections in Gippsland. These include those in both public and private hands.
It does not include Family History Groups and Library Local Collections, which will be subject to a future page. Nor will it include historical societies which do not maintain a collection regularly open to the public.
Further details of other museums, both in both Gippsland and elsewhere, can be found through Australian Museums on Line (AMOL)
Advice of any further corrections and any further additions would be appreciated, by e-mail to kapana@netspace.net.au
Bairnsdale
Briagolong
Foster
Maffra
Omeo
Orbost
Port Albert
Sale
Strathfieldsaye
Stratford
Tarraville
Bairnsdale
Historical Society Museum
Name: East Gippsland Historical Society
Web Page: http://www.eastgippsland.com/museum/museum.htm
Location: Macarthur Street, Bairnsdale. Wheelchair access is available to the
Research Centre.
Postal address: P.O. Box 8, Bairnsdale Vic 3875
Opening hours: 12:30pm-4pm Wed, Thurs, Sat & Sun
Membership: $15 per annum, includes the quarterly newsletter.
Admission: Museum - $3 adults, $1 child over 5, $2 conc. Research facilities - $5
Research by mail: $10 for first two hours, then $10 per hour thereafter. There is
also a project fee of $25 for up to 20 hours.
Meetings: Quarterly meetings, dates and venues vary, please ring for details.
Committee meets monthly at the museum.
Contact: Museum (03) 5152 6363 (Answering machine out of hours)
Booklist: To obtain a copy of their list of publications for sale, forward a
business-sized SSAE.
Description: The Society is housed in a historic, doublestorey building that is
over a hundred years old. The collection includes machinery and household items, and there
are also a number of historic buildings that have been relocated to the site and restored.
The Research Centre includes a large collection of photographs and has major holdings of
newspaper on microfilm.
Keeping Place
A Koorie Keeping Place operates in 37-53 Dalmahoy Street, Bairnsdale, ((03) 5152 1891) and
is the first point of call for information about Aboriginal forebears.
Briagolong
Historic Building
Name: Briagolong Mechanics' Institute
The historic Briagolong Mechanics' Institute, commenced in 1874,
was extending in 1999 to include a Community House. This complex is one of the most
significant halls in Gippsland, and includes a historic library which can be viewed by
prior arrangement only.
Foster
Historical Society Museum
Name: Foster Historical Museum
(please check back - the entry will be here soon. This collection includes Lasseter's work
boat - surely a gem on a national basis.)
Maffra
Museum
Name: Maffra
Sugarbeet Museum
Location: McMahon Drive, but signposted as River Street, Maffra
Postal address: P.O. Box 321, Maffra 3860
Opening hours: 2pm-4pm Sun.
Admission: $1.50
Contact: (03) 5145 1045
Description: The Museum is housed in the former weighbridge and office of the
Maffra Sugarbeet Factory, which was moved to its present location and opened in 1985. The
collection concentrates on sugarbeet growing, agricultural history and the early history
of the surrounding area. A storage shed at the rear contains agricultural tools and
equipment. Details of holdings are being incorporated in the Wellington Shire History
Database.
Omeo
Historical Society Museum
Name: Omeo Historical Society
Location: Historical area, Omeo
Postal address: P.O. Box 155, Omeo 3895
Opening hours: 10am-1pm Sat and Sun (from 1 Oct to 30 April), or by arrangement
with the Octagon Bookshop (ph: (03) 5159 1411)
Membership: $5 per annum, $1 joining fee
Admission: Adults $2, children 10-15 50 cents
Research by mail: Initial fee of $10 and $5 per hour thereafter for lengthy
enquiries
Meetings: Usually 1:30pm on the 3rd Sun of the month in the 'new' courthouse
Contact: Bethwyn Pearce (03) 5159 4382
Description: The Society's museum currently operates in the first courthouse
built in Omeo and houses a collection of artifacts and photographs. It has recently been
granted use of the old police house, and there are a number of other significant
structures in the same compound, including the early log police cells.
Orbost
Historical Society Museum
Name: Orbost and District Historical Society
Location: Shire Service Centre, Orbost
Postal address: C/- Post Office, Orbost 3888
Opening hours: Not known.
Membership: $10 per annum.
Admission: Free
Research by mail: $10-$20, depending on the information requested.
Meetings: Quarterly, at the convenience of members.
Contact: Not known
Description: Orbost is a small society, but it maintains a photographic,
memorabilia and artifact collection. A biographical index of Orbost residents is currently
being compiled.
Port Albert
Museum
Name: Port Albert Maritime Museum
Location: Tarraville Road, Port Albert
Postal address: C/- Mrs D.Nicol, Yarram St, Yarram 3971
Opening hours: 2pm-5pm Sun, Pub. hols. and Jan school hols., or by appointment
(03) 5184 1312 or 5183 2314
Admission: $2 adults/50c children for museum, $5 per hour/$25 per day for
research.
Research by mail: At rates above, for interstate enquiries only.
Meetings: 1:30pm, first Wed of the month, at the museum.
Description: Museum artifacts and research facilities including files and
photographs relating to Port Albert and former Alberton Shire. It has a large collection
of local histories and family histories. Also letters of inquiry for help with family
history research are kept and indexed. Account books, minute books and business records
are held and contain names. It also holds the Victorian Government Gazette
1851-1915.
The museum has an extensive range of books for sale, and will forward a list on receipt of
a business-sized SSAE.
HINT: The holdings of the Maritime Museum are far too extensive to list here. They have
published a detailed list of documentary holdings, price $10, so if you are anticipating a
visit from afar, the investment well in advance would be very worthwhile.
Sale
Historical Society Museum
Name: Sale Historical Society
Location: Foster St. Sale
Postal address: P.O. Box 724, Sale 3850
Opening hours: 1:30pm to 4:30pm Sun, or by appointment
Membership: $5 per year
Admission: Museum $2, additional $5 per half day research
Research by mail: $5/hour first hour, $3/hour after that.
Meetings: 7:45pm, 2nd Thurs of the month at the museum.
Contact: Peter Synan (03) 5144 2751 (phone/fax) or Fred Schulz (03) 5143 1783
Description: Collection includes municipal records for Sale, extensive photograph
collection, biographical information on a number of Sale families. Details of holdings are
being incorporated in the Wellington Shire History Database.
Strathfieldsaye
Historic House / Garden
Strathfieldsaye, on the shores of Lake Wellington, is a historic homestead complex dating
from W.O. Raymond's 1840s homestead, with associated historic garden from the Disher
family era (1869-1876). The homestead and gardens are now owned by the University of
Melbourne, and remains fully furnished. It is open the last Sunday in March, July and
November from 10am to 4pm. Various bed and breakfast and self-catered accommodation
options are also available.
Stratford
Historical Society Museum
Name: Stratford and District Historical Society
Location: Hobson St, Stratford
Postal address: P.O. Box 145, Stratford 3862
Opening hours: 2pm-4pm last Sun of the month, groups at other times by
arrangement
Membership: $8 per annum, includes copy of Maffra Historical Society Bulletin.
(The Society did publish its own newsletter for a number of years. Copies, with index, are
held at the Museum and in the Maffra Library Local Collection.)
Admission: $2
Research by mail: Carried out for an appropriate fee
Meetings: 7:30pm (8pm in daylight saving) on the fourth Monday of the month at
the SES rooms, Tyers St, Stratford.
Contact: Brenden Lee (Secretary) (03) 5145 8233
Booklist: To obtain a copy of their list of publications for sale, forward a
business-sized SSAE.
Description: The Society has an extensive artifact display in the former
Methodist church and its research material includes photographs, manuscripts, a map
collection and local shop ledgers dating from 1874. Details of holdings are being
incorporated in the Wellington Shire History Database.
Tarraville
Historic Buildings / Area
Name: Tarraville Living History Museum
The Tarraville Living history Museum has its headquaters in the historic Tarraville
school, where there is a collection of photographs on display. This especially relates to
Australia's first famous international singer, contralto Ada Crossley, born Tarraville.
Nearby is historic Tarraville Anglican Church, built 1856, Victoria's oldest timber
church.
The collection in the school can be viewed by arrangement.
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Last updated on 15 February 2005