Leaps and Bounds for Heritage Village

By Kasey McClay

The history of the oldest town in the Riverina won’t go unnoticed for much longer with the leaps and bounds made in the progress of the Moulamein Heritage Village this year. 

President of the Moulamein Community Development Inc. Committee, Drew Harris, said “I’ve had a vision for 20-30 years to have a museum in Moulamein. We have a very old, rich history here, starting with the pastoral industry, then the rice industry and irrigation.” 

The project was able to begin after the success in receiving $50,000 from the Heritage Near Me incentive program. This funding was used to obtain a heritage report and feasibility study completed on the project and lead to negotiating a 60-year lease of a 2.8-hectare block of council land in Paterson Street. 

Since then, the committee has also been successful in receiving $473,000 from Round 1 of the Federal Government’s Drought Communities Programme Extension. Part of this was used to fund the development of the site. 

Drew said “The Drought Communities Fund has created a lot of employment and cash flow through the community. All the money has gone to local contractors, tradies, painters, designers, and engineers. 

“Over 20 individual businesses and contractors have benefited from the injection of funds and local businesses like IGA and the coffee shop get more turnover too with the tradies coming and going.” 

The rest of the funds from this round went towards the relocation of the Jeraly Woolshed. The team of seven dismantled the 150-year-old woolshed in March this year and moved it 80kms south to be reassembled at the Heritage Village site. 

“It’s a big building, 60 meters by 12 and in beautiful condition. It’s 99% completed now on the slab. We’re still finishing off a bit of plumbing and electrical stuff.” 

Drew stressed that “People are probably getting confused and think we’re replicating a woolshed, but that’s not the case. We’re using an old woolshed for its history to create a museum. 

“One end will showcase the pastoral industry: there’ll be lots of old wool presses and shearing gear, scales, and maybe a couple of buggies with bales of wool on them. The other end will be more agricultural with old tractors, and vehicles.”

The year has been hectic for the Moulamein Community Development Committee. At the same time as the Jeraly Woolshed project, the team was also moving the Dhuragoon School House, dismantling the Werai Horse Stables, securing the Moolpa Blacksmith’s shop and building an amenity block on site. 

The Dhuragoon School House is a 1940s build and came from out at the Dhuragoon district into the Central School around 40 years ago, to be used as an extra building. Three years back, the Moulamein Community Development Group heard that it was going to be demolished. So, they relocated it to a another place for temporary storage until it could be moved to the Heritage Village site. 

Now, the School House is looking fresh after its exterior paint job finishing last week, as well as having water and power installed. 

When the Heritage Village opens, it will be used as the visitor information centre. 

Drew noted, “The Werai Horse Stables are very significant to Moulamein and historical to the region. We’ve had our eye on them for quite a few years.” 

The six-room, drop-log pine building from the station, between Wakool and Deniliquin, is 170 years old. It is currently being safely stored in the Moolamoon Woolshed until the committee can get another round of funding to re-erect them. 

“Because every piece is a different length, we’ve had to label them while they’re in storage. It’ll be like a jigsaw putting it back together,” Drew said.

As for the amenity block, it was made possible by receiving $95,000 in the second round of the Drought Communities Programme. This will provide facilities including parking, toilets, and showers for visitors of the Heritage Village, and for public use.

Next year may also bring the opening of the Heritage Village.

“Even though it won’t be anywhere near completed, we’re thinking of opening at Easter next year. The local MP will come down to cut the ribbon and see where these first two rounds of funding have been spent,” said Drew.

“When it opens, we’ll be looking for volunteers to staff the information centre so we can open up a few hours on certain days of the week.” 

Drew also made sure to mention how thankful the committee is for the support from the community. 

“Our group, MCDI, would like to acknowledge the donors of the historic buildings. Ian and Camilla Shippen for the Jeraly Woolshed, the Bishop family for the Werai Horse Stables, and the Douglas family for the Moolpa Blacksmith Shop, as well as the Economic Development team at Murray River Council for their ongoing support.”