The Upper Yarra Historical Society will document the long-term plans for the museum. 54682
By Mara Pattison-Sowden
FEARS for the future of the Upper Yarra Historical Museum have been alleviated after a recent meeting was convened to steer its vision and long-term goals back on track.
The museum is located at the former Yarra Junction train station along the Lilydale to Warburton rail trail. The land is owned by the state government and managed by the Yarra Ranges Council.
Designed in the 1970s, the museum houses one of the largest collections of history in a country museum – but it has not had the financial support for major expansions.
Membership of the historical society has also dwindled in recent years and there is not enough manpower for the giant task of cataloguing artefacts.
Members of the Upper Yarra Valley Historical Society recently met with Gembrook MP Tammy Lobato and Yarra Ranges Council staff to discuss the future of the group at the Upper Yarra Museum. Ms Lobato said the museum was “a significant facility in the Upper Yarra but unfortunately, it had not been looked after as it should have been.”
She said there needed to be a master plan and long-term vision to allow necessary renovations and expansions to occur.
“We need to record and preserve our history. The museum can’t be provided with small grants to do small amounts,” Ms Lobato said.
“The master plan should show an expansion of the facility, respecting the history of the place, to allow decent exhibitions for the education of visitors and Upper Yarra school children.”
Council staff discussed entering into a lease with the historical society and offered advice to develop a strategic plan to outline how the museum will be managed and operated.
Despite federal McEwan candidate Cameron Caine making an election pledge of $350,000 to help the embattled museum, McEwan MP Rob Mitchell will be meeting with members of the historical society this month to hear about their plans.
Long-term member of the historical society, Lee Pannett, said he didn’t want to lose such a treasure, and he would work hard to ensure the museum was there for “at least another 30-odd years.”
“If people knew half of what was in there, it would be valued a lot more,” he said.
“The amount of items we have is double to what most museums have, it is a huge collection and we didn’t realise that until we had other people come visit and tell us.”
Mr Pannett said members look forward to having heritage consultants and architects help with the plans.
“The whole building is sinking, so we have a few projects ahead of us: trying to get the re-stumping and roof done, and then redesigning the inside of the building,” he said. “We need storage for items once they’re uncatalogued; they are supposed to be in climate-controlled rooms to preserve the artefacts.”
