An 1890 heritage building in Pall Mall could be the ideal venue for a Bendigo museum.
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That is the view of the leaders of Bendigo’s history and heritage organisations.
Bendigo’s law courts building is set to stand vacant when the city’s law fraternity moves to a new home partially funded by $20 million from the state government.
Bendigo Heritage chairman Wayne Gregson said he regarded the potential for the law courts being transformed into a museum as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
“We will never get a chance like this in two or three lifetimes – to actually re-purpose one of Bendigo's most important buildings into a publicly accessible showcase of our history and heritage,” he said.
“Every time I look at this building I think it is one of the most glorious buildings in any regional city in Australia. It is a place that looks like a museum.
Mr Gregson said he has been campaigning for a Bendigo museum for almost 30 years.
“I became involved in the campaign when we were pushing for an archives and a museum. We got the archives but never got the museum,” he said.
“The conversation for a new museum in Bendigo has been going on since 1935 when it was the first item on the first meeting of what became the Bendigo Historical Society.”
Bendigo Historical Society president Jim Evans said a dedicated history museum would attract people to the region.
“This is a heritage building that will stay here and can showcase the history of this great city,” he said.
“It will attract thousands of people including school kids and tourists to the city.
“I'm sure we have the latent support of the local community and I hope some of them put their hands up, look over the parapet and say ‘I'm in favour of this’.”
The Bendigo Historical Society has more than 50,000 pieces in its collection but Mr Evans said it was about more than one group.
“It’s not just for (the Bendigo Historical Society),” he said.
“We support the idea and have things that could be part of exhibitions but this is about the City of Greater Bendigo (region) from Elmore to Heathcote, Lockwood, Marong and Eaglehawk.
“All those groups have lots of good things they could contribute and are in favour of a museum because they love to talk about their collections and their stories.”
Public support can make the campaign’s idea a reality
Community support will help campaign leaders identify the want and need for a museum, Mr Gregson said.
“We need to see over the next week or so whether Bendigo agrees with what we're saying,” he said.
“We'll have to form a public organisation and start getting more serious about lobbying with local and state government.”
Mr Gregson said he had a positive response from people regarding the idea of a Bendigo museum.
“At a local government level, I've been heartened by conversations I've had with councillors and council executives,” he said.
“It's a long conversation and it's an expensive one in the end but we need to have it.
“The usual response I've had over 30 years is that it is just too expensive. Maybe it is but it isn't going to get less expensive the longer we wait to do it.”
Mr Evans said after gathering community support the campaign would have to search for funding avenues.
“People will say what about cost but we'll see whats available under regional development (funds),” he said.
“We mostly want to impress the concept of a museum as a start. Unfortunately (in the past) we haven’t been able to get enough public or official support.”
Forgotten stories of Bendigo get the chance to be told
Mr Gregson said the addition of a new museum to Bendigo would not affect visitors to other historic tourist attractions such as the Golden Dragon Museum, Central Deborah Gold Mine or the Soldiers Memorial in Pall Mall.
“We would not be looking to cut their lunch at places like the tram museum, gold mine and Joss House,” he said.
Stories like the influence of the Dja Dja Wurrung people on the region and the city’s role in federation could be told at a Bendigo museum.
“There is nowhere (in the Bendigo region) that is a central heritage hub. Nowhere where people can say ‘what's the story of Bendigo, who are the Dja Dja Wurrung?’,” Mr Gregson said.
“Part of Australia's constitution was drafted in Bendigo, people have forgotten that. A museum could become a permanent repository of our city’s memories.
“If we tell the story of who we are and why we're here, it preserves our own memories.”
Bendigo Historical Society secretary Pip Johanson said Bendigo needed somewhere to tell its stories.
“The stock exchange in Bendigo was the second largest in the world for a short time,” she said.
“It was London and Bendigo, does anyone believe that? We have no where to show these fantastic pieces of information.”
New museum completes Bendigo CBD’s tourist hub
La Trobe University doctor of history Penny Davies said the opportunity of a history museum being installed in the law courts building would take a lot of planning.
“It's a long-term plan but it's an ideal opportunity to put our hand up and say we need to do this,” she said.
“This building forms a hub for the opportunity of a history museum in Bendigo.
“When people come to any city they look for the museum. To date we don't have a wonderful museum that tells our story.”
Dr Davies said a centralised museum would ensure smaller collections from all over the Bendigo region would survive for generations to come.
“What we need to do is think of this as a hub. There are lots of small collections in the region,” she said.
“We’re looking at industrial history, history of Bendigo education, history of health. Most of these aspects are covered to a degree in small collections but they’re in danger of being lost.
“They're operated and cared for by volunteers in areas and buildings that aren’t all together safe.”
Dr Davies said once a historic collection was lost, it can't be retrieved again.
“That's why this building has so much potential to really bring all those collections together in one central spot where they are cared for and people can access them,” she said.