Bright & District Historical Society gets ready for spring

Members of the Bright and District Historical Society Inc. (BDHS) are busy preparing to reopen their exhibits for the first weekend of September. Founded in 1982 by a group of passionate citizens determined to preserve and pass on the rich history of Bright and its surrounding districts, BDHS exhibits at both the museum at the old Bright Railway Station and the State Gold-Crushing Battery, featuring ‘Olde Worlde’ items which were in daily use in days gone by. "Depending on your age, they may not seem that old," BDHS president Tony Strachan said. "As with any volunteer organisation, staffing is becoming an issue, so new members will be warmly welcomed and full training will be provided if the idea of joining up does tickle your fancy. "A warm invitation is extended to any interested visitors...if you have wondered what the Bright Museum looks like and who is involved with it, now is your chance to come on down and find out. "Please note that joining up will not automatically put you on the committee (unless you express an interest in doing so)." BDHS treasurer, Renata Strachan, said the museum typically does well with bus tours from as far away as Sydney, Melbourne and even Queensland. "Particularly in the autumn period, that's our best time," she said. "We open the museum and we feature the old State Battery: the Gold Ore Crushing Machine (GOCM) on the corner of Churchill and Coronation Avenue, near Mystic Park. "We had to change the name because when it was the 'State Battery', a lot of people assumed that's where Bright got their power. "We will definitely cut opening hours at the GOCM back down to once a month this year, because [our volunteers] are getting old: the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak." The Strachans said restoration of train carriages were part of their ongoing repairs on-site and aimed to make the museum more inclusive and wheelchair accessible to the public in the future. "We've got all sorts of visions for the museum, such as repairing the old train carriages, upgrading the toilets and installing audio-visual displays," Ms Strachan said. "You sit in the cabins and a video 'goes past' the window, as if you're travelling on the train from here to Wangaratta. "We thought it'd be great to do something like that. "We have visions, but whether we'll be able to do them or not, we don't know." The BDHS' AGM will be held on the station platform next Tuesday, 1 September at 2pm. On Sunday 11 October, as part of Seniors’ Week in the Alpine Shire, BDHS will host a free morning tea at the museum from 9:30am to 11:30am. All senior citizens are cordially invited to come along, enjoy the hospitality and explore the museum. The museum will be re-opened as normal at 2pm to 4pm to the general public on the weekend of 5 and 6 September. The Bright GOCM will reopen on Saturday 26 September from 2pm to 4pm. "You do learn a lot, it's not just giving," Mr Strachan said. BDHS readily acknowledges the assistance provided by the Alpine Shire in organising the ongoing works, which will preserve and enhance the Museum exhibits for many years to come. For more information visit: https://www.bdhs.org.au/

Bright & District Historical Society gets ready for spring

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