Burke Museum and Beechworth Historic Precinct in Beechworth, Victoria | History Museum

Burke Museum and Beechworth Historic Precinct

Locality: Beechworth, Victoria

Phone: +61 3 5728 8067

Address: Loch Street 3747 Beechworth, VIC, Australia

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

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25.01.2022 #askacurator How are we developing experiences during this time? Experience Curator Vicky and Projects and Strategy Manager Cameron talk about bringing history alive.

24.01.2022 #askacurator Do museum staff have a favourite photo? Museum Researcher Julie shares one of her favourite images: ‘One of my favourite images is so recognisable as the Burke Museum today, the Maltby globe purchased by the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge , the cabinets of king parrots, eagles, lyrebirds, bitterns and owls. Here ladies and this ghostly bowler hatted gentleman pause and study the news of the day. The very newspapers I now scan for family and local... history research online. The originals sleep in the Burkes air tight archive and never have the pages been read more avidly as they are online. The timelessness of this interior is a treasure for Beechworth.’ Today is Ask A Curator Day! Thanks for all the questions. We have had a lot of fun answering. Be sure to keep watch to find out more! Have some questions for us? Let us know in the comments.

22.01.2022 #askacurator Do museum staff have a favourite photo from the collection? Experience Curator Vicky selects this photo as one of her favourites. "I love images that really capture a moment in time with plenty of action, people and fashion. This one has all three! You can almost hear the crowd cheering.'' Do you have questions for the museum staff? Send them through before Wednesday for us to answer! Not just about curators - you can ask about our collections, research, events,... tours and more. Send your questions directly to [email protected] or message us here! And, be sure to keep watch of our Facebook page on Wednesday 16 September as we celebrate Ask a Curator Day by answering all of your interesting questions. Image: Race Meeting, Beechworth, 1906. Burke Museum Collection, 7584

19.01.2022 On this day 140 years ago Ned Kelly was led to the gallows and hanged at the Old Melbourne Gaol. Charged for the murders of Police Constables Lonigan and Scanlan, Kelly was convicted of Lonigan's murder and his sentence carried out at the gaol's gallows.

19.01.2022 We are delighted to announce that Beechworth's Burke Museum and Historic Courthouse will be re-opened to the public from tomorrow, Thursday 12th November. The museum and courthouse will be open every day from 10.00 am to 5.00pm, and walking tours are continuing two times a day - at 10.15 am and 1.15 pm. Get your tickets here: https://bit.ly/3pbpTxL All of our friendly team members are looking forward to welcoming you back into our buildings! Drop in and see the newly repain...ted interior of the museum, and remember that Indigo Shire residents get free entry to our sites. The health and safety of our visitors and staff remain a priority and we are following DHHS COVID-19 guidelines. For more information please see the Indigo Shire Council website https://bit.ly/2XEbTj8

14.01.2022 Historic Precinct Update We are pleased to announce that our Precinct Walking tours will be re-starting from Saturday 19 September! We will run our two tours a day: 10.15 am - Gold Rush Walking Tour... 1.15 pm - Ned Kelly Walking Tour Tickets are $5 general admission, $3 concession and $10 family. The safety of our staff and visitors remains our priority. We ask that everyone follows guidelines and be kind to one another during this time. Looking forward to welcoming visitors back to our Precinct!

14.01.2022 Our collection of historic entertainment photographs are now available to access via the Burke Museum’s Victorian Collection page. We hope you are entertained! https://bit.ly/34A7AKj

10.01.2022 #askacurator What was life like during the gold rush in Beechworth? Museum Assistant and Researcher Marg offers this illustration of life during the 1800s: The winters were bitterly cold and the summers were scorching. Most people lived in primitive tents, there was little or no sanitation and clean drinking water was not readily available. The first miners who arrived worked in the creeks. Standing up to their necks in the filthy water, they struggled to reach the gold be...aring layers hidden beneath the sand and gravel. Accidents were common and there was little medical care for anyone who was injured or ill. There was a lack of fresh food with vegetables being in short supply. Crime was rife and policing was inadequate and unreliable. Some miners made fantastic fortunes while others had no success at all. The wealth in the district quickly attracted entrepreneurs eager to set up businesses to cater to the needs of the miners. Numerous hotels and restaurants advertised in the early newspapers. Cases of champagne and tins of lobster were imported from France and America for those lucky enough to strike it rich. Others lived in abject povertywomen in particular were frequently brought before the courts and charged with being destitute. The establishment of the Benevolent Asylum offered some hope for those too poor to feed themselves at a time when others were building elaborate homes which were lavishly decorated with luxury homewares. Do you have any questions? Send them through to [email protected] or message us here. We will be answering questions via Facebook on Wednesday 16 Wednesday to celebrate Ask a Curator Day. Image: Beechworth from Spring Creek, 1865. Burke Museum Collection, BMM6925.

09.01.2022 We are now in Caretaker Mode, otherwise known as the Election Period. During this period, from midday 22 September until 6pm on 24 October, there are certain restrictions on what we can and cannot publish. This is to ensure a fair election. As a result, we will be disabling comments on all of our posts. However, if you do still wish to get in touch with us, you can do so by heading to our website and choosing the best option for you: https://www.indigoshire.vic.gov.au/Contact-us

08.01.2022 #askacurator Thank you everyone for your questions! We have had a lot of fun answering. Have some questions for us? Let us know in the comments

07.01.2022 Indigo Shire Council and the Beechworth Historic Precinct are excited to announce that Michael Beattie is the winner of this year's AMaGA Victoria Award for Excellence (Paid Staff) at the 2020 Victorian Museum Awards. Michael's passion for the stories of the Beechworth Courthouse made him a great ambassador for Beechworth over 13 years. We wish him all the best in his new adventures in QLD.

06.01.2022 Today is Ask a Curator Day! Here, Collections Manager Ash answers the question 'What is the weirdest object in your collection?’ Any guesses on what it might be? #askacurator

04.01.2022 For all the military history buffs out there; check out the next collection of historical photographs uploaded to Burke Museum’s Victorian Collection page! This collection explores the military history of the service women and men during the armed conflicts of the 19th and 20th centuries. Beechworth RSL Sub-Branch Burke Museum Collection, 6536 https://victoriancollections.net.au//burke-memorial-museum

03.01.2022 On this day in 1915, an overnight fire destroyed Zwar Bros. tannery at Beechworth. The factory was one of the largest of its kind in Australia and working to capacity meeting domestic demand and fulfilling military contracts overseas. The factory was rebuilt, bigger and better than ever. In the 1920’s, it installed electrical generating capacity, and was able to supply Beechworth with power until the SEC took over the service in the 1940’s. Burke Museum Collection, 2590

02.01.2022 On this day in 1935, the Give-Way to the Right rule was established for roads of the North East Victoria. Previously, each suburb between here and Melbourne had their own set of by-laws so motorists would find themselves constantly adjusting to giving way to the left and to the right. Urged by the Royal Automobile club of Victoria, a uniform decision was made to give way to the right. It was argued that a driver would have better visibility in bad weather to see oncoming traffic from the right rather than the left. Burke Museum Collection, 4592

02.01.2022 #askacurator Q & A with Museum Assistant Rikki... What items in your collection sparks joy? The side saddles in the Street of Shops... What is your favourite photograph? I love the early race day photos of the beautifully dressed crowds in front of the Beechworth Grandstand What do you love about your job? The continuous learning about the history and characters of Beechworth there’s always something new to find! What is a surprising fact about your museum? That it was originally built as an Athenaeum and excluded women. What is your favourite museum to visit other than your own? I don’t really have a favourite but I find small community based country museums on my travels very interesting. Can you tell me what life was like during the Gold Rush in Beechworth? A harsh, dangerous and difficult life with extreme highs and lows. The conditions the early settlers lived in drove surprising and creative innovation and resourcefulness in their desire to survive and make their fortunes in the goldfields. Thanks for all the questions. We have had a lot of fun answering. Be sure to keep watch to find out more!

01.01.2022 On this day in 1870, the celebrated American circus performer, Tom Thumb, during his second tour of North East Victoria, survived a narrow escape from sudden flash flooding. Tom and his party had almost been swept away when a swollen creek at Baddaginnie flooded their path en route to the Commercial Hotel in Benalla where they were perform later that night. Later that year, the circus group would move onto Beechworth and where Tom would present his shoes to the town that now currently reside in the Burke Museum. Burke Museum Collection, A02539