Tag:museum
Located in the heart of Victoria’s far west region of the Wimmera is Murtoa, a quaint country town roughly halfway between Melbourne and Adelaide. Murtoa is primarily known for its history as well as its booming grain farming industry. The farming industry produces wheat, barley, chickpeas & lentils for domestic and export markets. Murtoa is also an essential part of the Silo Art Trail, which celebrates regional Australia in a modern and accessible artistic context.
Historical Roots
Like many other towns in the Wimmera region, Murtoa has a rich history deeply rooted in agriculture. The town is named after an aboriginal word meaning ‘home of the lizard’ and was established in 1873 during the gold rush era. The development of the railway network for grain transportation significantly influenced its progress. Over the years, Murtoa evolved into an essential hub for grain production.
Agriculture remains the cornerstone of Murtoa’s economy, with wheat and barley being the major crops cultivated in the surrounding farmlands. The town has kept up with modern agricultural practices by incorporating technology to enhance efficiency while preserving its rural character. The Murtoa Stick Shed Heritage Weekend is held annually in the first week of October. It celebrates the town’s significant agricultural heritage and pays homage to grain storage and processing history. It attracts locals and tourists interested in learning more about these aspects of the town’s past.
Natural Beauty
Murtoa is also a beautiful destination for nature enthusiasts as vast plains and picturesque lakes encompass it. In 2010 the Wimmera Mallee pipeline was finished; consequently, the lake was no longer used as a reservoir. A Committee of Management was established, and significant improvements have been made since then. The park and lake have become a sanctuary for bird life, and with its 1921 Memorial Arch, it has become the focal point for many of the town’s recreational activities.
Lake Marma is a beautiful spot where you can relax and unwind. It has a lovely 2km walking track lined with trees. The track passes a jetty, manicured lawns, and seating areas where you can enjoy the spectacular views. Murtoa Cabins are conveniently situated on the foreshore of Lake Marma and offer comfortable accommodation. The self-contained cabins also have verandahs where you can enjoy sunset views. They are also just a short walk from the town centre and other attractions.
museum Precinct
Significantly, Murtoa is home to three of Victoria’s heritage-listed sights. The first is the Stick Shed, an impressive grain store built in 1941 and often called the Cathedral of the Wimmera. The second is the Railway Water Tower, built in 1886.
The tower is an impressive 4-storey, 13-metre high tower and home to the Water Tower Museum. The museum hosts the unique James Hill Taxidermy Collection, which includes over 500 birds and other fauna, historical artefacts, memorabilia, and households. It also houses farming tools from the 1890s, the town’s most significant growth era. Visitors can climb up the spiral staircase to the top floor, which reveals the underbelly of the 40,000-gallon wrought iron tank that used to store water for steam locomotives. The third heritage-listed sight in Murtoa is the Kurrajong Tree Ave. It was established in 1901 and is the oldest native street planting in Victoria.
The Murtoa silo art
The wheat silo has recently been painted by the renowned street artist SMUG and digitally lit by Dave Jones’ Transience. The stunning mural of brightly coloured birds was inspired by James Hill’s taxidermy collection at the Murtoa Museum (in the water tower). This bird mural is a sight to behold, day and night. The mural also pays homage to Dr John Cade, a Murtoa native who discovered Lithium treatment for Bipolar disorder.
Concordia Cottage
Concordia Cottage is the last remaining building of the original Lutheran college, which was established in Murtoa from 1890 to 1904 as a male Lutheran seminary and teacher training college on the corner of Lake and Munro Streets. In 1905, Concordia College relocated to Adelaide, where it still exists.
The Concordia Cottage building was later moved to Cromie Street in 1934. The Salvation Army used it as a hall and house until 1940. It was then remodelled as a private home until it fell into disrepair by the 1990s. However, in 1997, the cottage was moved to its current home, near the old Water Tower. It was officially opened in October 1997 as part of the Museum precinct. Displays include War memorabilia, Coromby Band photos, the old Murtoa telephone switchboard, historical clothing and a research room.
The Murtoa Heritage Trails Brochure, available for download, provides visitors with a self-guided tour through the town. As you follow the Blue and Red Trails, you will discover the heritage buildings located in the town’s centre. The Murtoa Historic Precinct entry tickets and Murtoa Heritage Trails self-guided walking tour brochures are all available at the Water Tower Museum shop.
Admission is $9 Adult (Eftpos available). Children under 16 free
Mooroopna, situated in the Goulburn Valley region of Victoria, Australia, boasts a fascinating history. Before European settlement, the Yorta Yorta and Bangerang peoples had occupied the land for several millennia. James Cowper was the first European squatter to establish a residence in the area in 1841. In the 1870s, Mooroopna had already flourished into a thriving agricultural hub. Eventually, in 1865, it was officially surveyed and recognized as a town.
Early History
By 1888 Mooroopna had eight hotels, a flour mill, two banks, four insurance agencies, a State school, a hospital, four churches, and a mechanics institute.
War Years
During World War II, Mooroopna played a vital role in the war effort. The town was home to a training facility for the Australian Army, known as the Mooroopna Recruit Reception and Training Depot. The depot was established in 1940 and provided basic training for new recruits before they were sent to other army camps for further training.
Mooroopna War Memorial
The Mooroopna War Memorial stands at the intersection of McLennan Street and Vaughan Street, situated in the heart of Mooroopna. This monument is a tribute to the brave men and women from the Mooroopna district who selflessly served in the armed forces during World War I, World War II, and other conflicts. Additionally, it bears the names of the 145 enlisted men and 21 serving nurses who received their training at Mooroopna Hospital.
Amidst a landscaped park, pathways lead to a war memorial featuring a stone obelisk within a rotunda. The names of the brave soldiers who lost their lives are inscribed on the sides of the obelisk. Surrounding the rotunda is a circular garden bed with a tall flagpole at the centre. Notably, the memorial was unveiled on ANZAC Day, April 25th, 1928, by Lieutenant General Sir John Monash, and a large crowd of locals, many of whom had lost family members in the war, were in attendance to pay their respects. Trees and benches can also be found in the area, offering a peaceful retreat for those who wish to reflect and remember.
In 2020 the Greater Shepparton City Council allocated $320,000 to upgrade the war memorial. Funding also came from the Mooroopna Rotary Club, the Victorian and Federal governments, and private donors. Significantly the upgrade included new flagpoles and memorial panels. New concrete paths, lighting, a rose garden and irrigation were also added.
Mooroopna Hospital
The Mooroopna Hospital was built in 1876. At first, it began as a small timber hut on the Goulburn River. The hospital treated injuries and accidents as the nearest doctor was forty-two kms away in Rushworth. From 1910 to the 1930s, the hospital underwent a significant rebuild and was the main hospital in the region until the Shepparton Base Hospital opened. This eventually saw the closure of the Mooroopna Hospital in 1974.
Unfortunately, on January 9th 2011, the abandoned hospital was gutted by fire. It had been slated to be converted into a nursing home then. After the fire, the developer applied to demolish the laundry and main entrance. He submitted an engineering assessment that repairing the damage was “probably not feasible”.
The Heritage advisor opposed demolishing the hospital due to its “historical, social, aesthetic and architectural significance”. Independent engineers also determined that 70% of the building was undamaged and heritage elements could be included in any development. Since then, it has sat empty and at the mercy of vandals and graffiti taggers.
Mooroopna Museum
The museum and gallery are located at the back of the old Mooroopna Hospital in a former nursing home. It boasts the biggest historical medical collection in regional Victoria, comprising fifteen rooms and hallways filled with remarkable artefacts. The archaic operating theatre and patient rooms are the museum’s prime attractions. Visitors will also find nurses’ uniforms, medical apparatus, and a dentist’s chair serving as a reminder of how much medicine has progressed since its early days.
Cows and Statues
The main street has a spacious median strip dotted with part of the unique ‘Moooving Art’ herd. Additionally, there is a statue of Jack Findlay, a well-respected local figure. Born in Mooroopna in 1935, Jack Findlay was a skilled Australian Grand Prix motorcycle racer. Findlay is one of only four riders who have achieved a twenty-year Grand Prix racing career. He is recognized for his exceptionally long racing career in Grand Prix history, and his achievements are celebrated through the monument dedicated to him.
Shepparton’s Museum of Vehicle Evolution claims to be one of the largest regional museums in Australia. And large it is. The vast expanse of vehicles under the one roof is impressive.
As well as the display of vintage vehicles, the museum also houses trucks that played a significant part in Shepparton’s transport history. Also on display is The Furphy Collection, the Farren Vintage Bicycle Collection, the Clayton Collection (gramophones, telephones and radio) and Loel Thomson Costume Collection.
History
Move began life in 2012 as the Shepparton Motor Museum and Collectables. A $5.3m upgrade started in September 2020. The Victorian Government provided a large grant. Funds also came from the Greater Shepparton City Council and donations from local residents. The upgrade finished in 2021 and expanded the museum’s floor space to 10,000 square metres. It was then renamed the Museum of Vehicle Evolution (Move)
Vehicle Collection
Taking up a large part of the ground floor is the vintage cars. Starting with early model Fords and progressing through Austins, massive Cadillacs, and Chevrolets to gleaming Mustangs and Thunderbirds. Visitors can stroll past a Ferrari the same model as Tom Selleck drove in Magnum or gaze in amazement at Johnny O’Keefes Thunderbird. The sheer size of the older cars is jaw-dropping. Compared to today’s modern vehicles, they are beyond huge with massive boots, bonnets and Of course, it goes without saying that parking them would be a nightmare in today’s crowded parking lots.
The Truck Collection
An extensive collection of trucks are also on display at Move. The curators approached Shepparton’s many trucking businesses for money and truck donations. As a result, trucks that once gathered dust in sheds are spruced up and sparkling under lights. There’s even a ’50s pioneer coach, a vintage fire truck and a truck driving simulator that kids of all ages will love.
The Furphy Collection
Born in Moonee Ponds to Irish immigrant parents in 1842, John Furphy began his blacksmith and wheelwright business at 22 years old. In time, he grew the company, adding a foundry and producing farm and agricultural implements. His patented grain stripper, which preceded the combine harvester, was awarded the first prize at the 1884 Grand National Show.
John is credited with inventing the “furphy”, a water cart used by the Australian Army in WWI. The term “Furphy” also became slang for gossip and tall stories, as many Furphy water cart drivers were supposedly spreaders of rumours and gossip.
The Farren Bicycle Collection
Over 30 years, Paul and Charlie Farren collected over 200 bicycles. Their collection includes bamboo bikes, adult tricycles, women’s side saddle bikes, tandems, and three-seater bikes that predate 1910. Look for the Penny Farthings; it’s hard to imagine riding these.
The Loel Thomson Costume Collection
Loel Thomson, a former school teacher, spent forty years collecting the history of everyday Australian fashion. She said it was a “hobby that grew”. While some items are high-quality designer fashion, most of the collection is clothing that ‘ordinary’ people wear. Her collection is primarily women’s wear. However, it also includes some men’s and childrenswear. Subsequently, the collection grew to include approximately 10,000 items. It is regarded as the world’s most extensive and best organised private collection of Australian fashion. Items in the collections date from the 1770s to 2000.
Move Museum is at 7723 Goulburn Valley Highway, Kialla, Vic 3631 and is open daily from 10 am to 4 pm.
Ticket prices depend on if you visit all or part of the museum. Entry to all the exhibitions is $24 for adults, $20 for Concessions, and for children 5 to 16, it’s $12. Children under 5 are free. (Family ticket $60)