Lithgow Small Arms Factory Museum

07/06/2026

This week Donna and Kerry of the Museum were invited to the delightful Lithgow Beehive Recreative centre for a talk about the Factory’s foreign orders. “Foreign order” is an industrial slang term for use of employer resources for private purposes of the worker. At the Lithgow Small Arms Factory these included just about anything from jewellery and toys to household items or tools. Just so long as they could be smuggled out past the guards at the gate! You could call it the unofficial production line and, as you can imagine, there are no official records.

The Beehive members showed a keen interest in our stories and exhibits with many sharing their own relevant experiences and fascinating family memories. We were treated to a lovely lunch and received a kind message of thanks: “...great presentation. The manufactured objects you passed around were an added ‘hidden treasure’”

If any of our followers have any examples of foreign orders from the Commonwealth factory we would love to hear about them!

21/05/2026

Our fi****ms remain unavailable for public viewing, however we are permitted to provide controlled access for significant projects. This week, we were privileged to support SciComms Films in the making of the important upcoming documentary KOKODA.

Filming of the segment took place in the Museum with acclaimed author and presenter Peter FitzSimons and the museum’s Kerry Guerin, who discussed and compared the technical and operational aspects of Australian and Japanese weapons used on the Kokoda Trail in WWII.

We received the attached photo and a kind acknowledgement from the film’s director, Simon J Heath of SciComms Films:
“We were truly humbled by your support yesterday - what an amazing and historic day!”

29/03/2026

Our latest acquisition - a sterling silver medallion - joins another historic SAFEA medallion already in our collection, connecting to a fascinating and often tense chapter in the Factory’s early history.
In the early years, tensions at the Factory arose from a clash between the American-style efficiency pushed by management and British trade union traditions brought by skilled workers. This led to rivalry between unions, friction with non-union workers, and ongoing conflict with Factory Manager Arthur Wright.
In 1912, Factory leadership covertly encouraged the creation of the SAFEA (Small Arms Factory Employees Association) - a “factory union” largely aligned with management. Despite objections from other unions, it was officially registered and quickly grew to dominate the workforce.
By 1914, most employees were SAFEA members. What began as a management-backed organisation eventually grew into a union that asserted its own authority. It later became part of the Arms, Explosives and Munitions Workers’ Federation of Australia.
Both of these medallions are exceptionally rare, as the SAFEA existed for just five years, from 1912 to 1917. They represent a big story of industrial tension, workplace politics, and the evolving identity of the Lithgow Factory.

11/03/2026

It’s the last day (Thursday 12 March) to make a submission to the Independent Planning Commission review. Submissions close at midnight (Link with details is in the first comment.) Every submission counts, however short, as long as it states clearly that it supports listing for the Lithgow Small Arms Factory.

The museum’s value depends on the historic factory site remaining intact. If the site is destroyed, the museum would not continue in its current form. Our future plans—plans that would greatly benefit Lithgow and its visitors—would not proceed. Only a smaller symbolic portion of the collection may remain in Lithgow, separated from the historic factory site that gives the museum its essential context and meaning.
The significance is recognised internationally. Supporters from England, Canada and the US who have lost their own similar heritage factories, value Lithgow’s all the more because so few remain anywhere in the world.
The loss of these iconic buildings would leave a very visible hole in Lithgow. Streets named for the factory, local family histories, Engineering Heritage recognition and UNESCO listed archives would remain as reminders of the historic Commonwealth Small Arms Factory — and of a unique and proud Australian heritage that our generation failed to protect.

08/03/2026

On International Women’s Day, we pay tribute to the many women who worked at the Commonwealth SAF—some of whom still live in our town, while others travelled and endured great hardship in order to contribute. Thank you for your contributions to Australia’s war efforts, manufacturing ingenuity and advancement in women’s employment rights.

06/03/2026

A reminder that the closing date for submissions to the Independent Planning Commission review of the heritage listing of the factory is midnight, 12 March.

IPC submissions are separate from the Heritage Council submissions, so those who submitted to the Heritage Council last year may wish to also submit to the IPC, making it clear that your submission supports heritage listing.

There has been some concern in the community about possible restrictions on the viable commercial use of the Small Arms Factory site if it is heritage listed. However, we share the NSW Heritage Council’s view that a NSW Heritage listing need not impede commercial operations on the site, including Thales’ business. It is generally understood by heritage authorities that active, ongoing use is the best way to preserve heritage.

The proposed listing area has been purposefully reduced to just the “heritage core”, ensuring a large amount of land is available for redevelopment without destroying heritage.

Thales has expressed concern that a heritage listing would require ongoing maintenance of the buildings. However, this would be a reasonable expectation of corporate citizenship for any company privileged to operate on an internationally significant site. Thales currently operates successfully in a 1923 heritage building, and there have also been a number of proposals over the years to utilise unused buildings for both cultural and commercial pursuits.

We hope that a heritage listing will see these iconic buildings returned to their former glory. It could also open opportunities for State Government advice and funding to support preservation and adaptive reuse. Given the international significance of the site, this could become an ongoing source of revenue with positive flow-on effects for Lithgow.

Again, the closing date for submissions is midnight, 12 March. Please consider making a submission, however short, making it clear in the first line that your submission SUPPORTS heritage listing, as we have noticed that the IPC has sometimes categorised submissions incorrectly.
(IPC submission link in the first comment)

05/03/2026

Very special recent visitors — the impeccably trained assistance dog Vader and his veteran owner, Ben.
Not only did Ben train Vader himself, he volunteers his time helping to train other service dogs for veterans.
If you’re wondering about Vader’s tail adornment — it prevents friction where his tail hangs out of the sidecar! That’s how this dynamic duo travels.
We didn’t manage to get a photo of the impressive travel setup but you can find Ben and Vader and their adventures on Instagram at .

19/02/2026

After Australia-wide and international support, and a careful assessment by the Heritage Council, the application for state heritage listing submitted by a NSW heritage consultant last year, was recommended for approval. The Minister for Heritage has referred the case to the Independent Planning Commission (IPC) for further advice.

For those who are unaware of what is at stake, the Assessment Report available on the link includes compelling detail about the history and value of this iconic Lithgow site. Heritage and industry can easily coexist and a heritage listing would support this with advice and funding. Let’s have both.

IPC also invites submissions regarding the heritage listing with the submission period closing 12 March. Anyone in the world can make a submission to the IPC, including all who submitted to the Heritage Council assessment.

Lithgow Small Arms Factory - Request for review of proposed listing on the State Heritage Register The Minister for Heritage has requested the Commission to undertake a review of a recommendation from the Heritage Council of NSW to list the Lithgow Small Arms Factory on the State Heritage Register p...