Old Shire Office Dromana

Collection and Current Displays

Our collection has approximately 5,000 catalogued items. The Museum has many artifacts and photographs of historical interest. These cover the central area of the Mornington Peninsula and include Dromana, Red Hill, Red Hill South, Main Ridge, Safety Beach, Arthurs Seat, McCrae, Rosebud and Boneo. Maps, photographs, paintings and memorabilia are permanently displayed.

Photographs

Come and see the collection of some 3000 Historical Photographs covering early development of the Mornington Peninsula.

Transport - (Sea, Road, Rail) - Rural Development - Farming

Leisure - Early Settler Families - Schools - Sport - Beaches

Copies of photographs and pictorial calendars are available for sale.


Artifacts

Tools and farm implements: seed spreader, portable forge. Domestic items used by original settlers, utensils, loom. Shire of Flinders: council table, chairs, desk, councillor photographs

Reference Material

Shire of Flinders: heritage study, alienations, various maps, books, newspaper clippings

Microfiche Records

Available only 10.00 a.m. - 4.00 p.m. on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday each month

Matthew Flinders Bi-Centenary

A museum display '1802 and All That' produced to support the launch of the Valda Cole book The Summer Survey: Log of the Lady Nelson 1801 - 1802 under command of John Murray, can still be viewed in the Museum. All copies of the book held by the Museum have now been sold.

Centenary of Federation

Henry Bournes Higgins who lived at 'Heronswood', Dromana, was one of the founders of the Australian Constitution. He was member for North Melbourne in the first Parliament of the Commonwealth, and Attorney General in the first Labor Ministry formed by John Watson in 1904. He died at Heronswood on 13 January 1929 and is buried in the Dromana Cemetery. As a contribution to the celebration of the Centenary of Federation, the Society prepared a small photographic display on the life and times of Henry Bournes Higgins.