Australian Workers Heritage Centre in Barcaldine, Queensland | Arts and entertainment

Australian Workers Heritage Centre

Locality: Barcaldine, Queensland

Phone: +61 7 4651 1949

Address: 127 Oak Street 4725 Barcaldine, QLD, Australia

Website: http://www.australianworkersheritagecentre.com.au/

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• Non-profit organisation
• Arts and entertainment
• History Museum
• Museum
• Monument
• Community museum

25.01.2022 Australian Workers Heritage Centre - OPEN 7 Days - current trading hours: 8.30am to 2pm Shop the Didgeridoonas range of oilskin & wool insulated products available now at the AWHC Retail Outlet.

25.01.2022 If you aren't in Barcy, you might be wondering how the new Entrance Building is coming along. Well, take a look - fabulous curves and exciting angles have come together to make something really interesting inside and out. Builders, plasterers, plumbers and electricians are still working so hard.

24.01.2022 THANK YOU on behalf of the late Bob Gleeson.... We know Bob would want to thank everyone for their loyalty and support shown to the AWHC team and the Centre during these extremely difficult times. Bob would be honoured by the leadership shown by the AWHC Management Committee and those members who at the recent AWHC meeting have taken over the reins and accepted honorary elected positions - Pat Purcell - Chair, Jeff Christoffel - Deputy Chair and Philip Cowley - Secretary/Trea...surer in helping to ensure his legacy - The Australian Workers Heritage Centre continues and expands. Appreciation is also extended to Bruce Cousar our former Chair and Board member Brett Gleeson for their past services to the AWHC. Bob would be overwhelmed, as are we, by the assistance and generosity of spirit extended to our staff and Centre by Ongy from the ETU, Kevin Bates from the Qld Teachers' Union, Steve Baker from the AWU and Donna Pickford from the Electro Group Apprentices & Training, who have been true comrades. Bob would be truly humbled and we believe even he would be at a loss for words and those who know him - would realise this didn't happen very often! After Bob's commitment and tenacity in finally bringing the New Entrance Building works to fruition, he would be so pleased to see the New Entrance Building works are progressing well. Though bittersweet, as we are all saddened that he didn't make it to Barcy to see these long awaited building works finally commence. See more

24.01.2022 Summer's on its way, and we are adjusting our opening hours to help visitors take advantage of the cooler morning temperatures. From Saturday, 7th November until 24th December, our retail outlet and displays will be open from 9am until 3pm, 7 days a week.

24.01.2022 Paddington duck (note the yellow wellies), was MOST appreciative of the 34mls of lovely rain we had last night in Barcaldine. We do have a scenic, cooling billabong on site at the Australian Workers Heritage Centre - but ducks and locals just love the rain! Sun's out again now, as you can see.

24.01.2022 After a lot of prior planning and preparation, our much anticipated new entrance building on Oak Street has started taking shape. Our hard-working building contractor, Brett Jenkins and his team of local tradespeople, subcontractors and suppliers have finished the footings and ground work, and the concrete slab was poured on Saturday 4 July. We’re impressed at the scale of the building, and so pleased that we will be in sight of the Tree of Knowledge (TOK) along the road. At last there will be a clear trail to the TOK’s offspring, The Young ‘Un, growing in the grounds of the Australian Workers’ Heritage Centre.

23.01.2022 The new main street entrance to the Australian Workers Heritage Centre is now open for business at 127 Oak, Barcaldine. Stay posted for updates on the links to our "Good Paddock" cafe` page where you'll be able to check out our menu and all things food and drinks related. And we're more than excited to introduce our great new team in the cafe`... ably guided by Barcy's leading chef, Halina Williams! Donna, Paula, Celeste, Sujin, Carla, Alice, Swati, Thomas, Danni-Elle, Sarah ...& Riley. The retail store has also relocated and full of all your favourite brands... Soul Sparrow clothing, Greenwood scarves & Dusky Robins Leather goods! Or shop our homewares range of Salt & Pepper & Annabel Trends - & we still have a delicious range of Maine Beach creams and candles too! Our retail team will have a familiar face returning, Sandy! We are so pleased to have her back. We greatly appreciate seeing tourists and locals alike coming in to support our Centre, and look forward to seeing all your smiling faces again soon. Thank you!

23.01.2022 Our new entrance building continues to grow! We can see the roof taking shape now, and we are so pleased to get a real impression of how it will end up looking. The bottom photo is from the site, the rear of the building, with the photo on the left showing the view from near the front.

22.01.2022 The newly elected Chairman for the Australian Workers Heritage Centre, Pat Purcell, made the long drive out to Barcaldine recently to meet the staff on site and inspect the progress on the new Entrance building under construction. Pat welcomed Channel 9 weather presenter Tim Davies and the Today Show crew to the centre, prior to appearing on a live cross from the Tree of Knowledge early the next morning.

21.01.2022 Australian Workers Heritage Centre Retail Outlet - Closed Labour Day (Mon May 4th) OPEN Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday - 10am to 2pm The Australian Workers Heritage Centre is proud to stock Akubra Fur Felt Hats, an iconic national brand synonymous with style and quality alike. AKUBRA - A quintessential symbol of Australian working life, is a fourth generation family owned business committed to Australian Made and supporting Australian workers - a natural fit for our Retail Outlet at the Australian Workers Heritage Centre.

19.01.2022 Our retail outlet stocks a range of accessories from Greenwood Designs and they have recently collaborated with renowned and local to us - Australian bush-based artist Jayde Chandler on a limited-edition collection. We couldn’t resist! Made from 100% cotton these stunning scarves have transformed some of Jayde’s most memorable pieces into wearable works of art. Perfect to wear as a scarf, shawl around your shoulders or as a sarong at the beach. They come beautifully package...d in a clear box, ready for gifting. https://www.facebook.com//Jayde-Chandler-ART-178536428151/

18.01.2022 When the 1915 Kunwarara railway station building was in its original location on the line from Rockhampton to Mackay, it didn’t have a platform at all passengers had to get on and off the train directly onto the ground. The photo on the left shows the building in place in 1992. It was moved to our site in 1994. As you can see, the restored building and workers’ train campervan carriage now have a good solid platform for our visitors to enter and exit the exhibition spaces which tell the stories of Australian railway workers, their families and passengers.

17.01.2022 Progress report! Building blocks in place for our new Entrance Building. Blockwork walls and structural steel coming soon, to be followed by the roof.

17.01.2022 Wishing every one a Happy New year! The Australian Workers Heritage Centre's Displays, Exhibitions, Facilities & Retail Outlet will RE-OPEN on Wednesday Jan 27th of January from 8.30am - 2pm Monday to Sunday.

15.01.2022 Really inspired by this clip of ‘The Man from Snowy River’, currently showing on Akubra’s page! An iconic film and an iconic Australian brand. The Snowy River is one of the styles we stock in our Retail Outlet, and one of our hand-plaited stockman’s whips in kangaroo or red hide would complete the made-in-Australia outfit perfectly.

15.01.2022 Our new building has a roof! On a lovely spring morning last week, builder Brett Jenkins and the Barcaldine Regional Council Mayor, Sean Dillon took a moment to appreciate the new roofline which has filled the gap in our main street with something most interesting. Even the Bi-Centennial Theatre tent on our site seems to be taking a peek over the fences at developments too.

15.01.2022 We are inviting for Expressions of Interest for the lease of our new cafe tenancy to be located in our new entrance building on 127 Oak Street (currently under construction)

13.01.2022 Before the AWU Shearers’ Hall opened on site in 2013, the Centre commissioned 15 paintings by the artist Ross Bell, and the whole series can be viewed in the Hall. The series traces the story of the confrontation between unionist shearers and pastoralists in north west Queensland a story which formed the background to Banjo Patterson penning the words to Waltzing Matilda.

13.01.2022 At this time when we are so aware of the importance of the work of doctors, nurses and healthcare workers to our community, those highlighted in our "Working for Health" exhibition serve to demonstrate just some of the wide range of expertise of those working to help our health. There is an excellent film showing in the Education Room Medicine from the Bush which explores the historical significance of indigenous medicines. Did you know that witchetty grubs are not just tucker, but medicine too? The Australian healthcare system is first class, and many years ago, helping it get there was the Golden Casket. Learn all about it here and find your other favourites in the health team. Come and visit Working for Health at the Australian Workers Heritage Centre soon.

13.01.2022 As much of the country has opened up again, we are at last beginning to see more travellers visit the town and the Australian Workers Heritage Centre. It has been particularly welcome to meet many school-holidaymakers during the past two weeks, as lively and adventurous families choose to ‘go west’ to learn about their country and its history. Sorry to anyone who is still ‘locked in’ anywhere at all, but we hope you all stay well and get busy making your plans to come to Barcaldine later in the year.

12.01.2022 Baree Banjo is a very special bear featuring in our exhibition called A Lot on Her Hands’ which celebrates the working lives of Australian women. Mary Sutherland, one of the 1993 founders of Tambo Teddies, made him especially for this display, and Baree has been a great favourite with our visitors over the years. The Australian Workers Heritage Centre sends our tributes to Mary and also to the current entrepreneurs at Tambo Teddies, Tammy and Alison and their hardworking ...team of teddy-makers. We’ve been delighted to be able to show off Queensland wool in the form of Tambo Teddies for sale in our Retail Outlet, as well as telling the early story of this iconic brand in our display. https://www.facebook.com/tamboteddies/

12.01.2022 What do monkeys have to do with a shearing shed? It’s their eyebrows "monkey’s eyebrows" is shearers’ slang for the short wool shorn from lambs. Flea Taxi is a rather unflattering term for a sheep dog, and a Guesser is a wool classer, whilst Bait Layer seems a very unwise name for the shearers’ cook at least in her/his hearing! The AWU Shearers’ Hall has an entertaining shearing shed conversation running inside the exhibition and we’ve got full translations on d...isplay to make it a little less baffling. So who is the ‘bare-bellied joe’ they sing about in that classic ‘Click Go the Shears’?

11.01.2022 Congratulations on a wonderful achievement, and also for the way the Qantas story is remembered and displayed in the fascinating Founders Museum. All the best to the whole organisation for the next 100 years!

10.01.2022 What can we say, other than thank you! This past week has been full on at the Good Paddock. Thank you for your support and patience towards our new operations. With that being said, we have been so popular that we have sold out of most meals. As a result of this we will be CLOSED tomorrow Monday October 4th.... We are sorry for any inconvenience. We need to restock and refresh. Thank you all so much. We cannot wait to see you again soon. From all of us at the Good Paddock enjoy your long weekend. See more

10.01.2022 "We Will Never Forget You" by Hype Duo - song written to commemorate ANZACs this year as 2020 Anzac Day will look different. Massive congratulations to Hype Duo for writing such a moving and respectful Anzac Day song paying tribute to those in the services who have sacrificed so much for our country. We can't share the same space and mark Anzac Day 2020 like we normally would, but we can privately commemorate Anzac Day in our own homes and be united in spirit to remember all those who have served and sacrificed for the lifestyle we enjoy today.

09.01.2022 The Australian Workers Heritage Centre's Retail Outlet, Museum and Cafe will be closed today for the Queen's Birthday Public Holiday.

09.01.2022 One of the stories told in the Australian Workers Heritage Centre is a real Australian classic, and this one is told in paint by an artist. In 2007, Brisbane artist Ross Bell was inspired by Sidney Nolan’s Ned Kelly series, and an account of the origins of the Waltzing Matilda story by Richard Magoffin, to paint a series about the confrontation between unionist shearers and pastoralists in North West Queensland in 1894 the background to Waltzing Matilda. The complete series is displayed in reproduction in our AWU Shearers’ Hall, and the original paintings are displayed on rotation in the Centre’s reception area. Single and series greetings cards are available for sale in our Retail Outlet.

07.01.2022 The Australian Workers Heritage Centre will be closed from Christmas Day for essential maintenance and new entrance building works, re-opening at 8.30am on Wednesday 27th January 2021. For any urgent matters please contact Debbie Gleeson on 0407 925705 or by email [email protected].

07.01.2022 This year Labour Day will be different for all of us, but that doesn't make it any less important. Although we can't come together and march with the Labour and Union movement, there are still ways we can come together in spirit, take time, reflect, acknowledge and honour this important day. We all owe a sincere debt of gratitude to all Australian Workers of the past, and the present, as we should for those of the future. The video produced in 2016, explains some of the event...s surrounding the Great Shearers' Strike and why the actions of bush workers in 1891 still bears relevance to working men and women today. Featured in the video is footage from our "AWU Shearers' Hall" exhibition. Our centre has the honour of being the home of the "AWU Shearers' Hall". This exhibition space presents and interprets a highly valued and unique chapter of our working history. "The AWU Shearers' Hall" is dedicated to the honoured memory of the family of Australian workers of the past and to the great cause they have handed down to us - the cause which we have the privilege of advancing. See more

06.01.2022 A group of smart and cheerful students from St Michael’s College came for a Quiz Tour last week, and spent an industrious couple of hours in the exhibitions and grounds, learning about workers and working in a much earlier time. If workers of the future are all like this, then Australia’s future is surely bright.

06.01.2022 In stock now (maybe in stocking now, hmm?) all your favourite brands including Gabee, Greenwood Designs, Louenhide, Ruby Olive and La La Land giving you a fabulous and fun choice of accessories to make that perfect Christmas gift. Bags of bags, large and small, beads, bangles and lots more! Drop in and shop, our Retail Outlet is open seven days a week 9am to 3pm.

05.01.2022 It is with great sadness that we inform you of the passing of our fearless leader and CEO, Robert (Bob) Gleeson AM. Bob gave everything to develop the Australian Workers Heritage Centre, and achieved so much in the many years that he devoted to the organisation. Bob’s team in Barcaldine Squid, Mary, Jan, Sandy and Marg will greatly miss the huge loyalty and commitment he gave to us, and send our sincere condolences to his daughters, Debbie and Annette, as well as all his other family members and friends. Farewell Boss.

05.01.2022 Barcaldine State School teacher Penny Rogers was a fashion hit with her Year 4/5 students as well as all the other visitors coming in to see the Australian Workers Heritage Centre yesterday. This year the class have been studying different aspects of life in Australia in earlier days, so yesterday's teaching session was held in the grounds, finding information in the many displays in our restored buildings, and enjoyed a good, old fashioned lesson in our "One Teacher School" Display. Penny and some of the students were all dressed up for the occasion in period clothing, whilst other students showed off their current school wear, which helped them appreciate the many differences. Thanks for coming - you really made our day!

04.01.2022 SITE NOW OPEN We are pleased to advise the Australian Workers Heritage Centre re-opened its exhibitions/displays and site to the public on Monday June 8th. Our current Trading Hours are Monday to Sunday from 10am until 4pm. We are currently limited to 20 visitors onsite at any one time, which is in accordance with the State Government’s Stage 2 Plan to ease COVID -19 business restrictions, and ensures we operate in a way that increases business activity but does not compromis...e the health of our visitors, customers, staff and the community. We are keeping records of all people attending our premises to help with contact tracing, if required. We are also adhering to Public Health measures, including social distancing, good hygiene and cleaning practices and Government guidelines in place to comply with COVID-19 safety processes in order to manage visitor and staff health and safety under current restrictions. We are all excited to be open again, and look forward to welcoming all to our Centre in the near future. Safe travelling.

04.01.2022 The Australian Workers Heritage Centre's Retail Outlet is now OPEN TUESDAY to SUNDAY 10am until 4pm. Displays/ Exhibitions and Grounds remain CLOSED until further notice.

02.01.2022 Vale James 'Jim' Doyle 1918-2020 Jim Doyle, centenarian and legend of the union movement passed away recently at an extraordinary 102 years of age and we extend our deepest sympathies to his family and friends. Jim was a member of the Australian Workers Union for 87 years. As a shearer in Longreach, Jim joined the union at the age of 14, whilst working alongside some of the founders of the AWU, and became committed to improving the lives of the working class from the day he j...oined. We are proud to feature his story in our AWU Shearers' Hall Exhibition at the Australian Workers Heritage Centre. In 2018, to complement the display, Jim and family kindly donated his framed certificate and trophy awarded to him by the AWU, in recognition of the longest continuous membership of the Australian Workers' Union. For further information: https://www.awu.net.au/news/2020/08/12627/vale-jim-doyle/

02.01.2022 Travel Unravelled! Red & White Coach Tours brushed off the hottest day so far, and dropped in for lunch and a self-guided tour around our displays on Monday. Hosts Christine and Chris had been having fun with their tour guests and everyone was in fine form. Great to see you all in Barcaldine - thanks for including us in your itinerary this year. Come again!

01.01.2022 We’ve just had a fresh delivery in of some really imaginative gift ideas from Didgeridoonas Australia, with bags of tough appeal to satisfy your hard-to-buy-for loved one. From drinks coolers of every size to laptop carriers and phone cases, and portable dog bowls and boot guards in between, Didgeridoonas use the toughest Australian materials to make products that will outlast expectation. Quality has never looked so good! Our retail outlet in Barcaldine is open seven days a week 9am-3pm, so pop in and find your inspiration.