Museum Displays and Features
Features of the Museum include outdoor displays of equipment, Dad's Shed, 1864 Armstrong Gun, model of the Myrtle Burgess and the fully restored square sterner fishing boat Johanna.
There is a small display on the fruit growing industry. An interesting table cloth is on display that has in embroidery the names of the women who were in the Hastings Country Women's Association. It has been signed by the members who attended the luncheon of the 40th Anniversary of the existence of the Hastings-Western Port Historical Society.
Some displays are permanent, and other displays change regularly featuring fascinating artefacts in our collection.
There is much to see at the museum precinct and visitors may wander around at their leisure to see the many features. There is a new viewing platform that has been donated and erected by Brunnings Hastings who is supporting our Museum.
Pioneer Cottage c1900
This small, weatherboard Pioneer cottage is typical of the homes in Hastings at the beginning of the 20th century.
The back rooms of the cottage were built first c.l900 and the front rooms added on c.l905.
The garden surrounding the Pioneer Cottage includes the Remembrance Garden of Peace that was opened in 1995 as part of the Australia Remembers Celebrations.
There are many old fashioned plants planted in the back garden. The small garden at the front of the cottage to the north is the Fairy Garden featuring hidden fairies amongst many different white flowers - a favourite with children.
The Cottage Garden
The Pioneers' Cottage Garden is part of the Museum complex at Hastings. The charming cottage built c1900 sits in a picturesque garden, and is lovingly maintained by our members. The garden is ever-changing so every visit is different.
The entry is through the Museum, Cnr Marine Parade & Skinner Street, Hastings, but the garden can be viewed from the footpath of Skinner Street.
Features of the garden are:
Fairy Garden - on the north side of the Cottage, there is always one white/cream flowering plants or bulbs blooming. As this garden is a favourite of the children, we have prevailed upon some "fairies" and their pets to make this their home. Come and see our new resident fairies standing guard over their garden. There are small fairies hidden amongst the flowers. Come and count how many fairies you can find. There are many white flowers blooming in this garden and the jonquil bulbs are coming up fast. Count the different white flowering plants in this garden.
Remembrance Garden of Peace - This lovely, perfumed garden is made up of Flower Carpet Roses of deep pink, apple blossom pink and white. It was formulated by the Society in 1995 to celebrate 50 years of peace since World War II. A garden seat under the archway of the breath-takingly beautiful Cottage Pink climbing rose completes the feature. Visitors can pause awhile and reflect for as long as they wish.
The Back Garden - This garden is ever-changing. Amongst the features in the present display are old-fashioned flowers, including hellebores, violets, jonquils, iris and other fascinating plants including a lucerne tree and camellias.There is a birdbath in this garden, which the birds love to use.
Rose Garden of Harry's House (Herring St Hastings) - A feature of this garden is the planting of 38 standard roses. These perfumed yellow "Friesia" roses are very free flowering and make a welcoming sight for visitors. There is one yellow rose for each year of the existence of the Society. In the garden of Harry's House there are also two apple trees and a peach tree representing the area's past importance of fruit growing.
Harry's House
"Harry's House" (named after racing car legend Harry Firth) houses our records, photos and maps.
The latest project has 40 standard roses of cheery yellow that have been planted in the garden to beautify the grounds.
Dad's Shed
Dad's Shed contains a fishing boat (wooden), cray baskets, machinery and other equipment that could be found in a typical 'Dad's Shed'.
