Anybody who knows me is aware of my passion for well presented local museums. The culture of our communities needs to be preserved for generations to come even if they may be unaware of that at this moment. Too often we lose our history and are aware, too late, that we can’t retrieve it. My own city of Geelong is very slow in learning that lesson.
However in the small town of Deloraine in Tasmania there is a delightful indoor/outdoor museum that is worthy of attention. It is actually made up of two elements:
A detail from one of the panels: Wood cutting and sheep dog trials at the local show are presented.
The first – Yarns Artwork in Silk tells the story of Deloraine and district in 4 giant silk embroidered and patch-worked panels. The panels cover the four seasons of a year in a purpose built auditorium. A professional overview is presented of the panels and their creation. The artistry, craftwork and community involved in bringing these panels to life is impressive.
The second: The Deloraine and Districts Folk Museum reflects the people, life and industries of Deloraine’s past. There are tableaus set up in the museum building, which is actually one the town’s historical buildings. In the grounds there are other buildings, sheds and bush huts, as well as farm machinery and transport that speak to us from the past. The aspect that impressed me most was that the work is immaculately curated. It is not simply thrown together in some unholy muddle as you find in some museums.
Inside a settler’s cottage
While we were there keen volunteers came in to maintain the gardens and grounds and were enthusiastic about their museum. Their attitude was one of pride in a local treasure.
I believe both aspects of the museum need to be promoted more vigorously. We only came across it by accident. If you are in this area on your travels a visit is a must.
Travels from Ur 