Recent Fanmail

Dear Gary
I am 10 years old I came on an excursion to the pioneer museum two weeks ago.The part I like most was the coffen in your shed.

Yours Sincerely
Kiarna


p.s I am from Geraldton Primary School

Historic Trees

Visitors to the museum would not be aware that there are some very historic trees growing in the museum gardens. To rectify this, funding has been sought to have information plaques near 4 of the trees.

Historic Trees – River Gum – Eucalyptus camaldulensis
The River Gum is found throughout southern Australia growing along watercourses and on flood plains. It is only on the windswept Greenough Flats that the tree develops its distinctive leaning shape.
About the year 1220AD a seedling sprouted here and slowly grew over the centuries into this magnificent tree. Over that time many generations of the Yamatji would have sought shelter beneath its leafy boughs from the hot summer sun.

Historic Trees – Cotton Palm – Washingtonia filifera
The Cotton Palm is a native to south-western North America. About the time the two-storey section of this homestead was built, a Cotton Palm was planted in the front garden. For close to 100 years, the palm stood tall, until killed by the effects of aerial spraying. Fortunately in the early 1950’s, Nellie Rudduck planted one of its seedlings here.

Historic Trees –Seville Orange Tree– Citrus aurantium
Whilst the Orange Tree originated in Southeast Asia, it was in Spain that this type was developed for the bitter taste of its fruit, much used in the making of marmalade.
John Steven Maley was responsible for introducing many different types of fruit trees to Greenough in the 1880s. Of all those fruit trees he planted around this homestead, only this orange tree remains.

Historic Trees – Pepper Tree – Schinus molle
The Pepper Tree is native to the arid zone of Northern South America, Mexico and Peru's Andean deserts. Although not related to commercial pepper, the berries are sold as "pink peppercorns" and often blended with commercial pepper. Pepper Trees first arrived in Victoria in the 1870s and were brought to this garden by the eminent Victorian botanist, Baron von Mueller in 1876.
These are possibly the first Pepper Trees introduced to this part of Western Australia.

Easter Opening Times

Are you thinking of visiting Greenough over Easter? Why not come and look through our museum. We will be maintaining normal opening hours (10am to 4pm) over the Easter break.

Latest Donation - A Sharpening Wheel

The most recent donation to the museum has come from Kath Browning of Geraldton and is this sharpening wheel c1918. This wheel was used for sharpening sheep shears, axes and other cutting implements used in the clearing of vegetation, bush and trees on 'virgin' blocks of land in readiness for farming.
The wheel originally belonged to Henry Browning, Kath's father-in-law. Henry Browning was born at South Greenough on 6 August 1894, the seventh child of Alfred and Mary Ann Browning. Whilst a youth, the family moved to Yuna where Mary Ann ran a boarding house. Henry found work on the railways at Mullewa, but left to enlist when war broke out. He fought in France, and the injuries he received effected him for the rest of his life.
Returning to Western Australia in 1918, Henry and his brother Walter, took up a soldier settlement farm at Yandanooka, where this tool would have come in very helpful.
On 25 April 1924, Henry married Olive Stokes. The couple had 3 sons, Keith, Athol and Kevin. Henry and Olive evenually retired to Geraldton, where he died on 2 January 1966.
The sharpening wheel was inherited by his oldest son Keith, who in later years built a new stand for it.
The sharpening wheel is to be an important exhibit in a new display we are preparing for the Old Garage.
Thanks Kath.

How Can You Help?

A community based, volunteer run like ours is always dependent upon assistance to maintain operations. There are many ways you can help.
The most obvious way is by visiting the museum, bringing your friends and telling everyone what a wonderful place it is.
Then you could volunteer your time, we are always looking for people to staff the museum on the caretakers' days off. Also we are always looking for assistance in mainting the collection. One new volunteer has taken upon himself the task of rust-proofing some of our old metal tools and agricultural machinery. There is plenty more work to be undertaken.
Are you interested in accessioning? With approximately 3000 objects to catalogue, the curator is desperate for assistance.
Do you like working with school children? We would love to have a person create educational programmes/activities for children, and to visit schools to promote the museum. Those children are our future. We must create an interest in history now.
Recently a long time member of the Geraldton Historical Society donated her late husband's trailer to the museum. Now this is not a museum piece, but rather a functioning trailer and has been very useful in carting larger objects to the museum.
Another woman allowed us access to her late husband's tool shed. As well as obtaining close to 100 objects to be used in our new ToolShed display, she also allowed us to take modern tools, nails, screws, nuts and bolts etc we can use to maintain the museum.
You could also assist by being on the lookout for objects to add to our collection (just check our Collection Policy first).
Can you help us?

Illyarrie

In this 40⁰C heat, most of the garden is wilting, drooping and looking very sad, but one tree adores the summer. It is the Illyarrie, a small (some would call scruffy) eucalyptus that is endemic to this region. At this time of the year, the tree is covered in bright yellow blossom, truly an uplifting sight.

Benefactor's Board

Through funding from the City of Geraldton-Greenough a Benefactor's Board has been placed in the Museum office to recognise significant contributions to our museum.
The following criteria have been put in place for names to be included on the Board.

For consideration of the insertion of a name on the Benefactor’s Board displayed at the Greenough Pioneer Museum, the applicant must fulfil one of the following criteria:
1. An individual/family that donates $1,000.00 or more within a twelve month period.
2. An individual/family that donates objects pertinent to the Greenough Pioneer Museum Collection Policy to the value of $1,000.00 or more within a twelve month period.
3. A business/local government/organisation/etc that donates $10,000.00 or more within a twelve month period.