Museum staff from Orange Regional Museum and Museums & Galleries NSW have been part of a huge team of volunteers and museum professionals assisting the Eugowra Historical Museum and Bushranger Centre to salvage their collection following the devastating flood earlier in November.
Kay Soderlund and Tegan Anthes, both conservators assisted with removal and conservation of significant objects in the early stages. Alli Campbell at ORM has been continuing to work on paper and photographic objects.
Support and volunteers have also come from Golden Memories Museum Millthorpe, Canowindra Historical Society and Museum, Orange & District Historical Society, museums advisor Margot Jolly and numerous individual volunteers for the hours, energy and funds put into this enormous recovery effort.
“In addition to boots on the ground, we have been able to support by using our facilities to clean, dry and stabilise a large number of flood-affected objects from Eugowra’s significant local history collection. In the last week we’ve been able to set up a safe storage area back at Eugowra to begin returning stabilised objects to the community,” Orange Regional Museum said.
CreateNSW and Musuems & Galleries NSW have been able to send in specialists to assess items and prepare them for storage. Orange City Council and the Central West Museums program have also supported.
More pictures on the Orange Regional Museum Facebook page.
Forbes Museum also in flood recovery mode
“Forbes museum was able to lift the most vulnerable objects to the upper level of the museum before the floods,” said Margaret Adams, honorary museum curator. “Some displays will need to be replaced due to absorbent timber products. The museum is closed for further cleaning and conservation at least 3 months. Volunteers have undertaken all cleaning and repair so far. The committee will be getting together in the New Year to strategically plan new layout and display to take into consideration future inundations.
📷 Hayley Lavers via Orange Regional Museum.