Victorian North East Victorian Museums
This page contains details of Museums, Open Houses and similar collections in north east Victoria. These include those in both public and private hands.
It does not include Family History Groups, which are on a separate 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 the North East and elsewhere, can be found through Collections Australia Network.
Advice of any further corrections and any further additions would be appreciated. Please e-mail Peter.
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Beechworth
Benalla
Bright
Chiltern
Corryong
El Dorado
Euroa
Jamieson
Katamatite
Merrigum
Mooroopna
Shepparton
Tatura
Wangaratta
Yackandandah
Beechworth
Name: The Burke Museum
Webapge URL: http://www.beechworth-index.com.au/burkemus/
Location: Chinese Protector's Office, Beechworth, VIC
Email Address: Click Here
Postal Address: PO Box 28 Beechworth VIC 3747
Phone: (03) 5728 1420
Fax: (03) 5728 1420
Opening hours: Monday 10.30-12.30; Friday 3.00-6.00.
Other times by appointment. Bookings are essential for access to records and
microfilm reader.
Admission: $5 Adult, $3 concession, $2.50 student groups, $4.00
seniors, $14.00 family admission.
Research: Family History Research Service. The Museum is the
custodian of a vast holding of archive material relating to Beechworth and the North East
of Victoria. Records include: ate books for the Municipality of Beechworth from 1856;
Local court records; Mining registers - including: water rights, mining claims, Mining
Warden's reports; Electoral Rolls and Directories - including: 1857 Ovens Directory, 1866
Beechworth Directory; Indexes to Beechworth pioneers; Photographs of Beechworth's
pioneers; Street directories; Cemetery records; Local newspapers from 1855 - present -
(The Ovens and Murray Advertiser; The Constitution and Ovens Mining Intelligencer and The
Ovens Register). $20/hour, contact Scott Jessup on above email address.
Description: In 1863 the Burke Museum was added to the
Beechworth Public Library and Athenaeum (est. 1856) in honour of Robert O'Hara Burke, the
explorer of Burke and Wills fame. Today the Burke Museum presents cultural and natural
heritage material, which contributes to the understanding and appreciation of the customs,
activities, historic episodes, the natural environment and local identities associated
with the Beechworth area. Main collections include: Goldmining and life on the goldfields,
R.E. Johns Aboriginal Collection, Beechworth Chinese Community Collection, Local Families,
Identities Collection, Natural History and Development, Archives, Ned Kelly.
Name: Powder Magazine
Location: Gorge Road, Beechworth
Postal Address: PO Box 288, Beechworth Vic. 3747
Phone: (03) 5728 1370
Opening hours: 10am-12noon, 1-4pm daily, also by appointment
Admission: Adults $1.30, children 70c, pensioners 70c
Description: This was one of several government magazines built
for the safe storage of gunpowder towards the end of the 1850s when surface gold mining
became exhausted and blasting was required. Miners lodged gunpowder in the magazine,
paying a small rent for the service.
Name: Beechworth Historic Court House
Location: 94 Ford Street, Beechworth, Vic. Wheelchair access.
Postal Address: 94 Ford Street, Beechworth, Vic. 3747
Phone: (03) 5728 2721
Fax: (03) 5728 2767
Opening hours: 10am-4pm daily
Admission: Adults $2, family $4, concession $1, groups 10 or
more $1 each
Description: Built in 1858 of local honey coloured granite, the
Beechworth Courthouse was converted to a museum in 1991. The original furniture and
fittings are complemented by information on the history of the courthouse and displays on
the police, judiciary and bushrangers.
Benalla
Name: Benalla Costume and Pioneer Museum
(also see Benalla Family History Group on the Family History Groups page)
Webapge URL:
http://home.vicnet.net.au/~benmus/
Location: 14 Mair Street, Benalla. Access and toilets for the
disabled.
Email Address: Benalla Museum
Postal Address: PO Box 201, Benalla, Vic 3672
Phone: (03) 5762 1749
Opening hours: 9am-5pm daily
Admission: Adults $3, School Students 50c, Concessions available
Description: This museum was founded in 1967 by the Benalla and
District Historical Society and is now an Accredited Museum under the Museum Accreditation
Program. It began in the former Mechanics Institute (1869) which, since 1988, has been
extended a number of times.
Bright
Name: Bright & District Historical Society Museum
Location: Bright Railway Station
Email Address: None
Postal Address: PO Box 265, Bright Vic 3741
Phone: (03) 5755 1356 or 5755 1087
Opening hours: 2-4pm, Sundays, School Holidays and Festival time
during September to May. Closed May to September, except during winter school holidays.
Admission: ?
Description: Exhibits include: folk, pioneer, gold and family
history resource centre.
Chiltern
Name: Chiltern Athenaeum
Location: 57 Conness Street, Chiltern, Vic. Wheelchair access.
Webapge URL:
http://www.chilternathenaeum.com.au/
Postal Address: c/- RMB 1360, Chiltern Vic 3683
Admission: Adults $2, children free
Research: Available, but cost and range unknown.
Description: Chiltern and District Museum is an historic
building built in 1866 which includes district records; shire, cemetery, town and district
and library of books dating to 17th Century. Reference library, guided tours of museum and
town, brochure, student tours, family history research, library of books including
Chiltern authors. Also Chiltern Federal Standard newspaper.
Corryong
Name: The Man from Snowy River Folk Museum
Location: 103 Hanson Street, Corryong, Vic. Access for the
disabled
Email Address:
Postal Address: PO Box 127, Corryong, Vic. 3707
Phone: (02) 6076 1114
Opening hours: 10am-12noon and 2-4pm daily, all year except
Winter time, open during school holidays
Admission: Adults $3, family $6, special prices for buses
Research: Available, but cost and range unknown.
Description: The Museum holds the most recognised snow-ski
collection in Australia. Local artefacts include costumes, a carriage shed, a slab pioneer
cottage, a dairy and the Old Corryong Gaol.
El Dorado
Name: El Dorado Museum
Location: 136 Main Street, El Dorado, Vic
Email Address:
hello@eldoradomuseum.com
Webapge URL: www.eldoradomuseum.com
Postal Address: Main Street, El Dorado, Vic. 3746
Phone: (03) 5725 1542
Opening hours: 2pm-5pm Sun, 10am-5pm public holiday except Good
Friday and Christmas Day. The museum can be opened by appointment for groups or
individuals.
Admission: Adults $3, school age children $2
Description: Housed in the old school building (c1870), the El Dorado
Museum includes a collection of domestic items, mining relics, memorabilia,
farming machinery and tools of trade. Photographs show the development of mining
in the area.
Euroa
Name: Farmer's Arms Hotel Museum
(also see Euroa & District Historical Society on the Historical Societies page)
Location: 25 Kirkland Avenue, Euroa, Vic. Access for disabled.
Postal Address: PO Box 299, Euroa, Vic. 3666
Webpage URL: http://mc2.vicnet.net.au/home/retmcp/web/euroamuseum.html
Description: Nine rooms in hotel, 4 rooms in Eliza Forlonge
Cottage, 2 machinery sheds, Old Longwood bank. Rooms set out for example -
dining, bedroom, clothing, hospital, war. Large collection of items from the
local area, including Ned Kelly Corner. Also a large collection of local history
and family history.
Jamieson
Name: Jamieson & District Historical Society Museum
(also see Jamieson & District Historical Society on the Historical Societies page)
Location: Old Jamieson Courthouse, Nash St, Jamieson
Email Address: Jamieson & District Hist. Soc.
Webpage URL: http://www.vicnet.net.au/~jdhs
Postal address: PO Box 26, Jamieson Vic 3723
Phone: (03) 5777 0690
Fax: (03) 5777 0892
Opening hours: 10 am to 4 pm Weekends & Public Holidays.
November to April. Other times by appointment. Bus trips catered for.
Admission: Adults $2.50 children $1. Children to be accompanied
by an adult.
Description: Displays depict various aspects of the social &
mining history of area dating from the 1850's. New display every year.
Katamatite
Name: Katamatite Museum
Location: Goorang Street, Katamatite, Vic. Access for disabled.
Postal Address: Post Office, Katamatite, Vic. 3649
Phone: (03) 5865 1310
Opening hours: 2-4pm Sundays Only
Admission: Free
Description: This local history collection includes a growing
photographic collection of local World War I and World War II veterans. A shed added in
1995 houses farming machinery and tools of local interest.
Merrigum
Name: Merrigum District Historical and Educational
Society
Location: 111-115 Waverley Avenue, Merrrigum, Vic. Access for
the disabled.
Postal Address: PO Box 151, Merrigum, Vic. 3618
Opening hours: 2-4pm 1st and 3rd Sundays in the month (At other
times by arrangement)
Admission: Donation
Description: Built in 1905 as a general merchant's store and
attached residence, the Museum now houses the L.L. Pitts photographs and items from local
organisations, general interest and farming objects.. Unique photographs taken by Lilian
Louisa Pitts between 1900 and 1928 record the lives and times of Merrigum. The house has
each room displayed in setting for that room e.g. bedroom, kitchen. Each year in May,
Heritage Day is held with many operating displays.
Mooroopna
Name: Historical Society of Mooroopna Inc
(also see Historical Society of Moorpoona on the Historical Societies page)
Webapge URL:
http://www.hsm.org.au/
Location: McLennan St, Mooroopna
Postal Address: PO Box 206, Mooroopna, Vic. 3629
Phone: (03) 5825 2403
Fax: (03) 5825 4235
Opening hours: 1-4pm, first Sunday of every month (except
January) and other times by appointment.
Admission: Donation
Description: The Society is based in the 1875 Athenaeum Hall and
also houses the Goulburn Valley Base Hospital (GVBH) Medical Museum.
Shepparton
Name: Shepparton Heritage Centre Inc. (formerly
Shepparton Historical Society)
(also see Shepparton Heritage Centre on the Historical Societies page)
Location: 154 Welsford Street, Shepparton (opposite Police Station).
Webapge URL:
www.heritageshepparton.com.au
Description: Built around the Public Hall of 1874, the Centre has a Museum of four
Galleries and Archive, plus a replica colonial cottage that provides meeting facilities, and a home for the
Shepparton Gamily History Group. Displays include themes of local development, domestic, clothing, military,
and transport items, etc. Specialised items include our restored Post Office Tower Clock, a 1929 Fire Engine,
a Baronial Chair, etc. along with clocks, bottles and much more.
Tatura
Name: Tatura Irrigation & Wartime Camps
Museum
(also see Tatura & District Historical Society on the Historical Societies page)
Location: cnr Ross & Hogan Streets, Tatura
Opening hours: 1.00pm to 3.00pm weekdays and 2.00pm to
4.00pm weekends and public holidays.
Museum admission: Adults $5, Concession $4, Children $2.
Web Page URL:
www.taturamuseum.org.au
Email Address:
info@taturamuseum.org.au
Postal address: PO Box 156, Tatura 3616
Phone: (03) 5824 2111 during Museum open hours.
Description: The Museum contains extensive lists, records,
recollections and memorabilia from the thousands of internees and prisoners of war held in
the seven camps in the Tatura area during World War 2. This collection of archival records
and memorabilia is housed in two large extensions to the original building which was the
first office of the Rodney Irrigation Trust, established in 1888. This building contains
the history of irrigation in the Western Goulburn Valley as well as local history.
Wangaratta
Name: Wangaratta Museum
Location: Ford Street, Wangaratta, VIC
Web Page URL: http://www.wanghistsoc.org.au/
Postal Address: Box 812, Wangaratta, VIC. 3677
Opening hours: 2-5pm Sundays or by appointment
Admission: single $1, family $2
Research: Available, but cost and range unknown.
Description: Former Fire Station. The lower floor is divided
into two display rooms and a research room, upstairs a computer and storage area.
Approximately 160 square metres of floor space.
Yackandandah
Name: Bank of Victoria Museum
Location: 21 High Street, Yackandandah, Vic
Email Address: Bank of Victoria Museum
Postal Address: 21 High Street, Yackandandah, Vic. 3749
Opening hours: 12-4pm Sun, daily during Victorian school
holidays, or by appointment
Admission: Adults $2, children 50c
Research: Research service available for $30 per surname.
Primarily local resources used. No public access to records, except limited access by
prior appointment. Local resources include records from local schools, community groups,
church, newspapers, courts , photographs, copies of cemetery records, and our own growing
family history and local subject files. Note that
although the museum building was damaged by fire in 2006 (re-opens in 2009), the
research service is still available.
Description: Banking and local memorabilia, documents,
photographs and information on Yackandandah, its history and people are housed in this
furnished former Bank of Victoria and Manager's residence (1850s). The display depicts the
life and times of Yackandandah from the discovery of gold 1852 to 1920.
You are our 8210 visitor since 15th March 2000.
Last updated on 25 September 2011