The Canowindra Museum was established in a former school building which was transported from the outlying center of Murga in 1970. Several other small buildings and two machinery sheds have since been added. The adjacent Railway Cottage, formerly the Stationmasters residence, built in 1910, was purchased by the Historical Society in 1988 with a Bi-Centennial grant.

The Museum is situated in the main street next to the Memorial Park and the Age of Fishes Museum.

Highlights of the Museum are the shepherd’s hut circa 1828, Harold Boyd’s complete dental surgery, a wedding gown collection from 1881-1982, a reconstructed wool shed, wheat harvesters collection from 1843, photo collection and the Pioneers Wall.

The Canowindra Museum is operated by the Canowindra Historical Society. 

For more information visit the link: Canowindra Historical Museum - MGNSW or call 0433 130 859

The Eugowra Museum and Bushranger Centre was opened by Cabonne Council Mayor John Farr on the 25 – 26 October 2003. And a new extension has recently been completed but is not yet open.

This building was formerly a stock and station agent’s shop, but with government grants, gifts and lots of volunteer labour, it was refurbished into a great little building holding a huge variety of antiques and old wares from Eugowra’s past.

Robert Ellis first started the museum years before at his home in Norton Street, and this was subsequently run by Hilton and Jean Clements, grandchildren of Hanbury Clements, pioneer of the town of Eugowra and of Escort Rock fame.

Much of Robert’s collection was given to the Museum, when the Eugowra Promotion and Progress Association (EPPA) undertook to operate it.

Eugowra’s claim to fame in most Australian history books is as the place where bushrangers held up the gold escort coach on 15 June, 1862, on its way to Bathurst. This turned out to be very worthwhile for the gang, who got away with fourteen thousand pounds worth of gold and banknotes. It was the biggest gold robbery in Australia’s history and in today’s money would be worth about $8 million.

The Museum also has a significant collection of wartime memorabilia and war souvenirs, and a comprehensive catalogue of Eugowra Service Personnel.

TEMPORARILY CLOSED

All the portraits in this unique collection, were painted by artist Anne Marie Ingham. She gave her time to this project in gratitude for the sacrifices of these men and women, representing all from this area who served in our armed forces. She hoped it would enhance public awareness of their efforts.

The first portraits were unveiled in 2007, another six unveiled in 2008, twenty in January 2009 and five in 2012.

All ceremonies were held in conjunction with Molong & Cabonne Council’s Australia Day celebrations.

Anne Marie died in March 2014 and the last incomplete painted portrait, together with three photographs, were unveiled in October, 2014.

For information visit Molong & District Servicemen & Servicewomen's Portrait Gallery   or contact 02 6366 8105

The Molong museum is housed in a delightful stone building on the corner of Riddell & Gidley Streets and was built in 1860 as a hotel.  It was then called “The Golden Fleece”.  It is known that a rubble mason and also his son lived in Molong at that time and were responsible for several other stone buildings in the town.

The building has had a chequered life as after being a hotel it later became home and surgery for several doctors over many years.  Some of the old surgical instruments of one doctor, Doctor Andrew Ross, are in the Museum’s collection.  After the doctor’s exit from there it was turned into flats by the then owners and was this way for many years and in time was sold to the Molong historical Society for the rates owing.

The building is large and accommodating and in 2009 received a Federal Government Jobs Funding Grant of $89.000 which was used to repair and refurbish the building using local tradespeople.  During this time everything needed to be packed up and then replaced. It is still said that we have a “work in progress” as there are still repairs needed but from the structural work carried out it is hoped that it will be sound for many years to come.

Apart from the building itself and displays the one attracting the most interest is the Fairbridge Room.  Fairbridge was a farm and home for children from the United Kingdom from the early 1930’s until 1975 and was located approximately 5 kms on the Mitchell Highway towards Orange.   Research was done by interviewing old identities from Fairbridge and older Molong people who remember the farm and school as a thriving little community.

One of the interesting questions asked, by people in the know is, “have you ever seen the ghost”?-  No we haven’t but several members have had some strange experiences so on leaving the building at lockup time we usually talk it “her” and say goodnight.  There is a lovely atmosphere throughout the building so we think “she” is happy and content as “she” can see us all over the building and care for it.

For information visit Molong Museum  or call 0400 425 015.

Yeoval Historical Museum was once the home of Mr and Mrs O’Halloran, today its home to the local history of the Yeoval region.

The homestead of the O’Halloran’s, aside the now Buckinbah Park contained a store front where Mr O’Halloran worked as saddler, boot maker and gunsmith.

The Yeoval Historical & Family Museum is a living museum that preserves the region’s rich oral history and memorabilia through immersive displays, with a special focus on local family histories. Visitors are welcome when the museum is open or by appointment. Call to book in advance for a guided tour, offering a personalised journey through Yeoval’s past.

Visit the Museum
Open: Tuesday and Friday, 10am - 2pm
Also open by appointment - 0409 440 931
email: yhfmuseumbootys1@gmail.com
Address: 26 Forbes Street, Yeoval

Website

For information visit Yeoval Historical & Family Museum - O’Hallorans Cottage  or call 0409 440 931.

Monthly Article March 2026

Written by: Victoria Parkes (Yeoval Historical & Family Museum / O’Hallorans Cottage) 

BUCKINBAH TO YEOVAL

We hid among the long grasses that grew along the bend in the Creek. We watched in awe as strange white men on horses neared from the far side of the creek. My sister and I frightened, crept quietly back to where our mob were camped, excited we told of what we had just encountered. The grown ups and Elders, seemed fearful and worried, they sent some of our young warriors out in the direction of the creek.

The year was 1848, Benjamin Boyd had taken up a large squatter run of 60,000 acres covering the land from the Catombal Ranges, near Wellington out to the Washpen Creek and the Wanda Wondong Squatter Run, then south east to the Balderodgery Squatter Run and north back into Wellington. He named the Squatter run – “Gonoo”. The Overseer and several Convict Labourers had arrived to clear the land and establish the pastural run.

On Benjamin Boyds death in 1851 ‘Gonoo’ was divided into smaller Station Runs of ‘Buckinbah’ ‘Ganoo Ganoo” and ‘Obella’.

Fast forward to 1861, the Colonial Government of NSW passed two Acts of Parliament – The Robertson Land Acts.

• The Crown Alienation Act: The large tracts of land taken up by the Squatters were taken back by the Crown (The Squatters had not purchased the land, they held no Title Deeds, therefore they held the land illegally). The Colonial Government legislated that the ‘Crown Land’ would then be provided for Town and suburban development.  The remainder of the Crown Land would then be sold by Public Auction.
• The Occupation Act: A person could ‘Select’ by Public Auction up to 320 acres of Crown Land, if they won the land, they could then purchase the land from the Crown at one pound ($2.00) per acre.

These Acts of Parliament were legislated – ‘TO PUT THE SMALL MAN, THE POOR MAN ON THE LAND. THE ACTS PROMISED TO BREAK UP THE BIGGER SQUATTER HELD RUNS AND PARCEL THE LAND INTO SMALL FREEHOLD FARMS’.

‘Selectors’ flocked to the ‘Buckinbah Plains’ to purchase their own piece of farming land. Many of these ‘Selectors’ were Bounty Immigrants – whose Ships Passage to Australia was paid for by the Government or Colonial Employers. The Bounty Immigrants worked for two years to pay back their Passage, then they were able to Select Land and establish themselves in the Colony of Australia.

The descendants of these ‘Selectors’ and Settlers are the Old Family Names still recognized around Yeoval.

The Old Stores Depot on the Buckinbah Station Run, where supplies for the area were kept, soon became the centre of a burgeoning village community. Shanty Huts were being built within walking distance of the Stores Depot – the Settlement became known as BUCKINBAH.

1868, out from the Depot, across the Creek a Bush Hut stands. Outside the Bush Shanty, a young boy of four, plays with three aboriginal children - they kick the dust and drawing pictures with sticks in the dirt. His playmates camp with their Mob along the Banks of the Buckinbah Creek.

“Barty” the young boy hears his name being called ‘Barty’ calls the voice of his Aboriginal Nanny - Fanny Hopkins, is carrying two pales of water up from the Creek. The children run to help her. Fannys babies are Bartys’ playmates, their father being a run-away escaped Irish Convict (Andrew Hopkins (alias Flannery). “Barty” is the nick name given to A B (Banjo) Paterson.

This same year, gold and copper were found at “Goodrich” about 5 mile from the Buckinbah Settlement.   Gold Diggers crossed the Catombal Ranges from the Ophir and Hill End Goldfields. Miners flooded into the area in search of their fortune. Alluvial Panning and Shaft Mines sprang up all around Buckinbah District.

The population of the Buckinbah Settlement exploded. It was declared a Village in 1882. A Post Office was opened on 1st November 1884. The mail of the Village was getting confused with that of the mail for Buckinbah Station. It was decided to hold a ballot to find a new name for Buckinbah Village.  Two ‘Selectors’ won the ballot. They had nominated the name YEOVAL, named after their hometown of Yeovil in Somerset, England.

Ruins of ‘Banjo” Paterson’s Childhood Home

“Buckinbah” Yeoval

Young “Banjo”

‘Barty’ Paterson & Indigenous Nanny Fanny Hopkins