Stories of people and historic events. GERALDTON HISTORICAL SOCIETY
The Geraldton Historical Society’s involvement with local history dates back to 1950 with the formation of what was then called the Victoria District Historical Society. Molly Lukis from the Battye Library advised the society in 1955 to make efforts to obtain an old building for use as a museum. Members viewed Wonga Park and other
old buildings at Greenough, but nothing eventuated and interest in the society’s activities faded. The society was revived in 1963 by the enthusiasm of people such as Dorothy Cramer, Poppy Anderson, Eric Sewell and Shirley and Colin Lutze. The society had another look at Wonga Park in 1966, and a committee consisting of Stan Gratte, Fred Buck, Dorothy Cramer and Mrs Ferries met with Peter and Pat Rudduck to discuss an arrangement for opening part of the house as a museum to the public. A working bee was held at the end of July to clean the rooms and arrange furniture. The two storey section and the west wing of the house, displayed with furniture loaned by the Rudducks were opened to the public on Sunday, 4 September 1966. Initially the museum, staffed by volunteers, was only opened twice a week. The Rudducks received a percentage of the door takings, and helped maintain the museum. People wanting to view the museum outside society opening times made arrangements with Pat Rudduck. This arrangement lasted until 30 June 1969. At this stage, only minor maintenance had been carried out on the building by members of the Historical Society. The Rudducks built a new farmhouse to the east of the Brand highway in 1968 and offered to sell the old house and 2.5 acres of land to the society for $12,000. This offer was not taken up. Instead the society chose to lease the building from the Rudducks with the option to purchase the place at a future date. Caretakers moved into the vacated cottage. Much work was undertaken by Gary Phillips and Paul Medhurst whilst living in the caretaker’s quarters. By 1969 the Geraldton Historical Society could boast in having over one hundred members. Difficulties caused by being a branch of the Royal Western Australian Historical Society resulted in the society becoming incorporated that year. With its new status as an incorporated body, the society was able to approach the Greenough Shire with a proposal that the Shire purchase the building. The proposition was that: The Shire would retain ownership of the building, with the Historical Society paying a rental fee - to be stipulated by the Shire - and accepting full responsibility for any repairs and renovations to the building. Shire President Eric Sewell Provides Loan for Shire to Purchase Building
The purchase price was said to be well below the official valuation, making the purchase an attractive business proposition. The proposal was knocked back by the Shire, one councillor stating that, “History is better buried in the past!” In 1970, the Greenough Shire president Eric Sewell (who was also vice-president of the Geraldton Historical Society) offered to assist the Shire to purchase the building by providing a $5,000 interest free loan. The offer was accepted and the Greenough Shire purchased Wonga Park in April 1971 and leased the building to the Geraldton Historical Society. Two pressing concerns at the museum were the provision of electricity and a reliable water supply. SEC Power was connected to the museum on 22 February 1973. It was to be much longer before the museum could boast of a satisfactory water supply. Initially all minor maintenance work at the museum was undertaken voluntarily by members of the society. Finance for repair work came from admission revenue and the Society’s fund-raising activities. It was not until 1975 that the Greenough Pioneer Museum received a massive injection of funds from outside sources. The Greenough Shire, on behalf of the Geraldton Historical Society, successfully applied for funding under the Regional Employment and Development Scheme for major restoration work on the building. Spending of the $64,000 grant was supervised by the National Trust of Australia (WA), and their Perth based architects and consultants. Further funding was received from the Western Australian Heritage Commission in 1983. The Shire of Greenough also contributed to the restoration by improving the drainage of the west yard to discharge water away from the walls and cellar. The cellar was finally opened for public display in September 1985. The Greenough Pioneer Museum was bequeathed a significant sum of money by a William Herbert Maley, grandson of John Stephen Maley in 1999 after an earlier visit to the museum and he saw how Geraldton Historical Society were caring for and restoring the building. This money was to be used for maintaining the built fabric of the building. Grant funding was also received to provide for a conservation plan for the building. Under the guidance of the 1999 Conservation Plan for the Greenough Pioneer Museuim, in 2000m , part of the Maley bequest was used to reroof the house and upgrade the electrics and plumbing. Development of displays at the Greenough Pioneer Museum
The museum was originally housed only in the two-storey section and the west wing of the house. Of these six rooms, four were displayed with furniture loaned by Peter and Pat Rudduck, one room displayed odds and ends, and one displayed photographs. When Peter and Pat Rudduck moved to their new house in 1968, five rooms of the homestead were allocated to the caretakers and four rooms and the cellar were used for storage. In those first years after the museum was opened, society efforts were concentrated on collecting objects, making emergency repairs to the building, connection to the State Electricity Commission, providing a regular water supply and making improvements to the caretaker’s quarters. During the mid-1980s, efforts were directed towards completing the restoration of the building and opening up more rooms to the public. Granny Maley’s Bedroom was opened to the public in May 1984. After much work in providing a suitable outside entrance, the Cellar was opened to the public on 15 September 1985. Some items that had been stored in the Goods Shed at Walkaway were brought back to the museum for display in the Cellar. In November 1989 an application was made to the Shire of Greenough to build a shed at the rear of the museum to house the Boolardy Wool Wagon. Construction of the shed commenced in June 1991. The new Machinery Shed was officially opened by Gordon Garrett, President of the Shire of Greenough on 5 April 1992 and named after Graeme Cramer who was the volunteer builder. With completion of construction of a new garage and storeroom in March 1998, the Meat Room, which had been used as a storeroom was cleaned out. By late 1999, displays in the Meat Room were ready for the public to view. Curators of the Greenough Pioneer Museum
The curator at the Pioneer Museum has always been an honorary elected /appointed position. The following people have held the curator position:
Gary Phillips February 1973 – Feb 1976. Dan Dunn February 1976 August 1980. Stan Gratte February 1981 - March 1982
Mrs Short March 1982 – June 1982. Peter Mack June 1982 – February 1985. Marie Sears 1985 – October 2003. Gary Martin October 2003 – July 2011
Death of Pioneer Museum
Led by the editor of the Gtn Guardian & dismissed caretakers, a Greenough Group was established in 2011, claiming they had concerns about the Pioneer Museum whose operation and collection is vested in the Geraldton Historical Society. With another Incorporated body wanting to take over the Geraldton Historical Society’s museum, much ill feeling was created. Even after having been advised on numerous occasions, in Council meetings and by different people, this group wrongfully believed that the collection was included with the lease of the building. There was a bitter dispute as to who should have the lease of the building the museum was housed in and the City agreed to employ mediator, Cathy Day, for mediation between the two groups. This resulted in the two groups agreeing to work together with equal representation on a Museum Management Board with a curatorial committee. It was hoped, when this Board was up and running, that the operation of the museum would be able to move forward in harmony towards some of the objectives recommended in the Management Agreement. Geraldton Historical Society, on Legal advice, chose not to sign the Agreement until the Council, on the recommendation of the mediator, had voted that the lease of the building would remain with the Society. The Community Group of Greenough withdrew from the mediation process and applied to Council to once again advertise the lease of the building. This was not done and in August 2012 City Councilors voted to grant the lease of the building to the Community Group of Greenough. This decision has caused great stress and financial disadvantage to the Geraldton Historical Society including:
Loss of income stream
Loss of premises to display the collection
Removals expenses
Storage expenses
When the Geraldton Historical Society proceeded to remove our collection a disgusting public and media campaign of slander, intimidation and abuse was launched by this group against the Geraldton Historical Society. The behavior of dismissed caretakers, who were still residing in the Caretakers Quarters, became so bad that for the duration the Society was packing the City Council chose to pay a Security Firm to travel to the museum building morning and afternoon to unlock and lock the building to allow Society members to complete the task of vacating it. The time allowed was 26 days and this must have been an astronomical expense to Ratepayers. The task of carefully packing up 40 years hard and dedicated work was completed on the due date.
