The building, owned by East
Gippsland Shire Council, is maintained by members of the East
Gippsland Historical Society Incorporated. The building was
restored to its present condition for use as a Museum and Resource
Centre, and has been open for inspection since 1972.
The building was originally designed by A
J Kramer and built by the McKnockiter Bros. in 1891-92 for
the Presbyterian Church for use as a college and cost
1,150 pounds. The Bairnsdale College was opened with George
Bearham as Principal, for day students and boarders but was
not terribly successful and by 1895 had become St Andrew's
College, operating as a
school for girls until it closed in
1909.
With many changes of ownership over the years,
the building was eventually purchased by the Shire Council
on the 29th October 1970.
In
the surrounding grounds of the museum you will find farm
machinery,
tools, and various buildings, including Calegero
log hut, a
pioneer building, which was build in circa 1880
by John Caughey on his selection near Iguana Creek on the
Dargo Road at Glenaladale.
The hut has
been moved from it's former location to the museum
site and was reconstructed and
restored in 1989 by his descendants and their friends as
a Bi-centennial project.
John Caughey
Calegero Log Hut
The
Historical Museum has seven main rooms which showcase furniture,
furnishings and artifacts from the days of our parents and
grandparents.
