History of The Gold Coast Hinterland Heritage Museum

The Museum was a vision of Sue Shepherd who talked to other community members about how our heritage is being lost with many families leaving the district. Sue organised several people to come along to a meeting in June 2001 where she outlined her vision of a heritage museum in Mudgeeraba.

It was agreed that there was a need for such a museum in the district and from there the museum committee was formed.

We had a lot of advice from people with knowledge of what is required – Dan Robinson from Qld Museum came along to an early meeting to let us know what we should do to go about establishing the museum.  Steve Gill from GCCC also spoke to us about the council’s views on our proposal.

By October 2001 we had established the Rules of the Association, which outlined our aims and objectives. We were incorporated in November 2001.

We spent a lot of time researching what we needed to do to establish the museum through visiting other Museums – Tamborine Mountain Heritage Centre and Stanthorpe Museum. We have also attended workshops and conferences at other Museums.

Most of the members of the Management Committee have connections with pioneering families in the district and have collected a lot of memorabilia over the years that their ancestors used in the early days of settlement of this area.

To help with establishing the Museum we have received grants from The Mudgeeraba Foundation [$1000 for computer software], Gambling Community Benefit Fund [$5000 for Computer hardware] and Volunteer Small Equipment Grant [$3600 for Quickshade].

The Museum will be a living and working place, where every activity of a pioneer family’s day possible to re-create, will be done. Some visions we have are for a dairy, including butter churning, a black smith’s shop, displays of farming equipment etc.

In 2003, ‘Friends of the Museum’ was established for anyone that shares our same interest in preserving the history of our region. The members of ‘Friends’ have been a great asset in assisting the committee in the work involved in setting up the museum.

We have come a long way since 2001 and much of the credit must go to Cr Ted Shepherd and the Gold Coast City Council. Without Ted’s advice, assistance and financial support we would not be at this stage yet. We are all grateful for his continued support.

Dedication and official opening of the museum was on the 9th October 2004.

All Management Committee Members and ‘Friends’ are volunteers who willing give up their time to work on the Museum. The Museum is a ‘work in progress’ with many years of hard work ahead of us.

20th Anniversary cake and cutting the cake by President Joan Rudd and past Secretary Sue Kurz.