History: Gulgong Pioneers Museum

1970

7 January 1970
A record number of more than 8,000 people saw the Gulgong Museum in 1969.
Pioneers’ Museum once again this holiday period was a hive of activity during the Christmas-New Year period with well over 500 visitors.
Numerous compliments have been received from visitors by the committee and besides the fine display of exhibits, many visitors have remarked on the kindness, interest and attention given them by those staunch volunteers who have kept the doors of the Museum “open for business” from 10 a.m. each day.
A special word of commendation must go to Mr. Tom Hughes, Mr. Jack Hughes and Mr. Harold Gossage for their attendance during this time.
The Pioneers’ Museum looks forward to 1970 being its biggest year and is preparing special displays in new premises it has bought for this Gulgong Centenary Year1 .

1971

21 April 1971
PIONEERS MUSEUM HAD A BUSY WEEKEND
The busiest people in Gulgong over Easter were the men looking after the Gulgong Pioneers Museum.
They were Tom Hughes and Harold Gossage - Jack Hughes and Roly Campbell and over the four days they admitted 863 visitors - the highest attendance since the Museum opened at Easter 1962.
It was strange that the same number, 304, were admitted on Saturday and Sunday.
The bulk of the work was done by Tom Hughes and Harold Gossage, who, between them looked after the door and supervised the whole area on Friday and Saturday also Sunday morning.
Jack Hughes and Roly Campbell took over on Monday morning but were not quite as busy. The President and Committee are very grateful to these men, the Supervisors, for their very conscientious work which also earns them quite a few compliments from visitors.
The Visitor’s Book tells its own story and besides addresses given all over Australia there were five in England, four in Ireland, one each in Denmark and Holland, two in U.S.A. and two in New Zealand.
One item of interest now on display is a copy of the ydney Gazette” Volume 1, Number 1, which is now being featured by the “Sydney Morning Herald” in that paper’s 140th anniversary.
Our copy is in good condition and is displayed in the Printing Section together with the 1969 Albion press which could have been the type of machine to print it.
The annual meeting of the Museum will be held at 8 p.m. at the Museum on April 28. Membership costs one dollar and carries free admission to the Museum for one year2 .

1972

5 January 1972
MUSEUM’S NEW SHOW IS ON WITH THE OLD
A special display of authentic costumes of 100 years ago loaned by the Australian Broadcasting Commission was one of the new features of the Gulgong Pioneers Museums during the Christmas holidays.
The Museum proved a Mecca for hundreds of visitors to the town and district and the area around the museum saw a busy coming and going of cars and caravans during the holiday break.
500 more people than this time last year visited the Museum according to records kept there, and these people came from all parts of the Commonwealth, as well as some visitors from overseas.
Gulgong had three successful New Years Eve celebrations which attracted many visitors to the town. The dance at the Memorial Hall organised by the Anglican and Catholic Churches was the scene for a happy crowd of young people while hundreds of older folk attended the Gulgong R.S.L. and Gulgong Bowling Club Socials to celebrate the New Year3 .

2 February 1972
BREAK ATTEMPT MADE ON PIONEER MUSEUM
An attempt was made at breaking into the Gulgong Pioneers Museum on Sunday night.
A back window into the Museum courtyard was broken.
Apparently the intruder was either interrupted or unable to lift the window sash to enter the museum.
The President of the Gulgong Museum Committee, Mr. D. H. Dougan, said the attempt was reported to the Gulgong Police.
At first it was thought that some exhibits were tampered with.
It was found later that Committee women who had cleaned sections of the display did not replace the protective wire screen, he said.
After a check was made it was found that nothing was taken4 .

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