Politics & Council
2 March, 2024
Museum eyes history site change
HISTORY could be on the move in Wedderburn. Loddon Shire is looking to sell the original Korong Shire offices in High Street and relocate Wedderburn Historical Records Museum to the town’s former court house and police station. The old shire...
HISTORY could be on the move in Wedderburn.
Loddon Shire is looking to sell the original Korong Shire offices in High Street and relocate Wedderburn Historical Records Museum to the town’s former court house and police station.
The old shire offices were used by council from 1874 until 1962 with the society making the historic building its home in 1978, a decade after its formation.
Society secretary Alan Mulraney said the original shire offices lacked toilets and other facilities.
“At the moment, when we have people in the building and anyone needs to use the toilet, they have to go up the street,” he said.
“It a small building and the proposal to move into the old court house will give us more space.”
“A lot of our records have been digitised but there still needs to be workspace for research and helping people with their enquiries,
“Since its foundation, the society has acquired tens of thousands of documents and in 2017 a computer software package was developed to digitise these documents.”
President Daryl Arnott said several other groups were likely to share the court house complex.
“We can make it a real community hub and encourage people to join the organisations.
“This will be a real positive for the community and groups in Wedderburn.”
Mr Arnott said the society had identified the court house as a future home when the new police station was built four years ago.
Among digital scans in the society’s collection are copies of the Wedderburn Express and town-related articles published in the Loddon Herald since its first edition in 2021.
Loddon Shire councillors last November voted to buy the old court house at valuation using money from its land and buildings reserve fund.
They also decided to instruct Chief Executive Officer Lincoln Fitzgerald to dispose of the council-owned for Korong Shire offices after purchasing the old court house.