Boorowa District Historical Society Inc Museum Needs Your Help

IMAGE: Help keep the Boorowa Museum open and check out the live demonstrations of the old Boorowa News printing press on Sunday, October 2.

As you know, the Boorowa & District Historical Society Inc and Museum is fully operated and funded by volunteers.

Secretary for the group, Sharon Meere said they were grateful to Council for mowing their grass, but they could really use some help from the community at the moment.

“Our floor is rotting,” Ms Meere said. “We need to replace the floor in one, if not two, of the rooms. We’ve received a verbal quote of ten grand, and that is for one room. We’re just waiting for the written quote. If the floor goes, we’ll have to close our doors.”

Having been closed for around seven months due to COVID, the group is low on funds.

“Unfortunately, the bills don’t stop,” Ms Meere said. “Over COVID one of our ladies did 150 family researches.”

The Museum will be running printing demonstrations using the old Boorowa News printing press throughout the day on the half hour on Sunday, October 2.

“We have a lady who comes from Sydney who knows how to use the printing press,” Ms Meere said.

“The type has to be put in upside down and back to front to print. The people that did it did it all day every day. They have different fonts, but each tray is set out the same. Whichever font you want, the letters are in the same place.”

Children of all ages are invited to drop in and take part in one of the printing workshops on the day, for a small donation.

A member of the group has donated $900 worth of goods which will be raffled off to raise funds towards the cost of the floor and the operation of the museum. There are 1500 tickets to be sold at three tickets for $5.

First prize is a 10 kilo block of chocolate, and the raffle will be drawn after the running of the sheep at the Irish Woolfest. A photo of the massive block of chocolate will be available to see on the day, just to make sure the real deal doesn’t melt if the weather is hot. All proceeds from the day go to the museum.

Ms Meere said the group was delighted to welcome visitors, including locals to the museum.

“We’re starting to get locals to come in and have a look,” she said. “We’re not as busy, but we’re still doing family researches.” Ms Meere said that three of the volunteers had lived in Boorowa their whole lives and had a wealth of knowledge about the area and the people that lived here.

“They know the town well and they know the former residents,” she said. “It’s fascinating to listen to them at morning tea on Thursdays.”

Ms Meere invited anyone who was interested to join them for morning tea on Thursdays, especially if they have any questions about the town and its former inhabitants. Who knows, perhaps these three ladies might know the answers.

It costs just $2 per person to visit the museum, children are free. What a small price to pray for a glimpse into Boorowa’s history.