Only a ten-minute drive south of Singleton in the Hunter Valley, the Australian Army Infantry Museum showcases the history of Australia’s infantry men and women from colonial times to the present.
Entry is free for Australian Defence Force members, with a modest $8.00 fee for adults (2020) and discounts for children and pensioners.
Located adjacent to the Lone Pine Barracks, the museum has a new car park with plenty of parking spaces.
The Museum
Housed in a new, state of the art, purpose-built building, the museum is a huge improvement on the previous building. The display hall is large, spacious and has sombre lighting. Professionally curated, the displays tell the story of Australian Infantry, their equipment, training and deployments.
The museum also houses a cafe, where you can purchase drinks snacks and light meals.
Outside Displays
In the outside courtyard a Matilda Tank and a Bushmaster Protected Mobility Vehicle an Australian-built four-wheel drive armoured vehicle.
Matilda Tank Outside the Australian Army Infantry Museum
Bushmaster
Entrance
The entrance has a beautiful wall of remembrance, covered in poppies and listing the names of those fallen in battle.
The first exhibit that greets visitors is a huge bronze sculpture of an infantryman, which makes a great first impression.
Wall of Remembrance
Infantryman Statue
Ground Floor Displays
The ground floor contains exhibits that cover heavy equipment the infantry used, from field-guns and personnel carriers to a helicopter. The walls contain display cases showing operational deployments, from Sudan in 1885 through to current commitments.
Universal Carrier
Pak 38 German Anti-Tank Gun
Equipment Display
M113A1 Light Reconnaissance Vehicle
Bell UH-1 Iroquois
Upper Floor
Exhibits on the upper floor range from personal weapons such as rifles and grenades to uniforms and mortars. All of the exhibits are accompanied by explanations, which give excellent context to the displays. The displays show how they have developed and influenced the tactics, techniques and procedures of the Royal Australian Infantry Corps.
Weapons Display at the Australian Army Infantry Museum
Weapons Display at the Australian Army Infantry Museum
Uniform Display
What did We Think?
If you are travelling through the area, this is an excellent museum to visit. It provides a history of Australian Infantry, without glorifying war. It shows how the army has evolved from colonial times to the present, illustrating it with very professional displays.
To see what else there is to do in New South Wales, please see some of our other stories.
Located in Sydney’s southern suburb of Loftus, the Sydney Tramway Museum, is the largest of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere. Hosting a collection of trams from Sydney, other Australian and some international cities makes this museum a must-see for tram and train lovers.
Control Box Sydney Tramway Museum
Getting to the Sydney Tramway Museum
In addition to its on car park, the museum is conveniently located adjacent to the Loftus Railway Station, making it easy to get to.
Tram Rides
With many of the museum’s trams in operating condition, it is great that they offer tram rides. The cost of the ride is included in the entry fee. Travelling in two directions, initially towards Sutherland and then into Royal National Park, where it stops at an old station. At the station, you disembark the tram for 5 to 10 minutes before the return trip. This was great fun and will appeal to families with children, as well as tram enthusiasts.
Sydney O Class 1111 Waiting to Pick Up Passengers
Gift Shop
Setup in an old tram, the gift shop offers a huge range of souvenirs, mostly tram related. From the usual postcards and fridge magnets to publications dedicated to trams, there should be something to suit everyone.
Gift Shop at the Sydney Tramway Museum
Sydney Tramway Museum’s Collection
Undercover in an old workshop, and well maintained, the collection is accessible for a real hands on look. Most trams have boards near them, explaining the history of the tram, adding to the experience. Importantly, it is possible to board some trams, except when signs prevent it to avoid damage.
Sydney Trams
C Class Trams
Built in 1896 by Bignall & Morrison and acquired in 1955, C 290 has been restored to original passenger condition from 1996-97. Operational for special events, it is the oldest operational electric tramcar in Australia.
Sydney C Class 290
Sydney C Class 290
Tram 290 a Sydney C Class
Sydney C Class 290 Interior
Sydney C Class 290 Interior
Built in 1898 by Hudson Bros and acquired in 1961 Tram C 29 is operational for occasional service.
Sydney C Class 29
Sydney C Class 29
F Class Tram
Built in 1902 by Clyde Engineering acquired in 1953 tram F 393 operates for special events. Owing to its use as a driver training tram, it is the only F class car remaining.
Sydney F Class 393
Sydney F Class 393
N Class Trams
Built in 1906 by Meadowbank Manufacturing Company and acquired in 1953 tram N 728 is operated for special events.
Sydney N Class 728
O Class Trams
Built in 1909 by Meadowbank Manufacturing Company and on loan from the Powerhouse Museum tram O 805 is operational for special events.
Sydney O Class 805
Built in 1912 by Meadowbank Manufacturing Company and acquired in 1958, tram O 1111 is operational in regular service.
Sydney O Class 1111
Sydney O Class 1111
L/P Class Trams
Built in 1900 by Clyde Engineering as an F class car and converted in 1910 to an ‘L’ type tram, and again in 1926 as an ‘L/P’ type, tram L/P 154 was acquired in 1950. It currently representing trams from the Newcastle system. Operational in occasional service, it is known as the oldest preserved tram in the Southern Hemisphere.
Sydney LP Class 154
Brisbane Trams
Built in 1924 by T Gardiner and Son and acquired in 1958, tram 180 ‘Dreadnought’ is in regular service, mainly during the Summer months.
Brisbane Dreadnought 180
Brisbane Dreadnought 180
Tram Stop and Brisbane Dreadnought 180
Brisbane Dreadnought 180
Brisbane Dreadnought 180 Interior
Interior of Brisbane Dreadnought 180
Brisbane Dreadnought 180 Interior
Ballarat Trams
Built in 1908 by Meadowbank Manufacturing Company acquired in 1974, ‘Single-Truck’ tram 12 is operational for special events, but remains in “as is” condition.
Ballarat Single-Truck
Overseas Trams at the Sydney Tramway Museum
San Francisco PCC “Torpedo”
Built in 1948 by St. Louis Car Company San Francisco PCC “Torpedo” tram 1014 was a Bicentenary gift from Sydney’s sister city San Francisco in 1987. It is the last remaining “Torpedo” PCC in original condition. During our visit it was out of service, waiting parts.
Nagasaki 1054
Built in 1952 by Nigata Iron Works Nagasaki 1054 operated on the Sendai and Nagasaki tramway systems. Operational in occasional service it was acquired in 1992..
Nagasaki 1054
Berlin 5133
Built in 1969 by the East German Railways and acquired in 1996 Berlin 5133 operates an occasional service.
Berlin Tram 5133
Inyerior of Berlin Tram 5133
Berlin Tram 5133 Controls
Works Cars
134s Sydney Scrubber Car
Built by Ritchie Bros. in 1899 as D class passenger car 112, it was converted to a scrubber car in 1930. Scrubber cars use carborundum blocks to ‘scrub’ the railhead clear of debris. Acquired by the museum in 1961, it operated in 1978/9 to clean the Eastern Suburbs railway tracks and again in 1983 for a similar purpose along the Cronulla line. With the implementation of the new Light Rail line, it was used in 1997 to ‘scrub’ the tracks around Haymarket. It is still operational when required.
Sydney Scrubber Car 134s
Sydney Scrubber Car 134s
141s Sydney Breakdown Car
Built by Meadowbank Manufacturing Company in 1911 as O 1030 and converted to a Breakdown car in 1955, Breakdown Car 141s is in occasional service.
Sydney Breakdown Car 141s
Buses & Trolley Buses
AEC 3-Axle Double-Deck Trolleybus
Trolleybus No.19 is an AEC 3-Axle Double-Deck trolleybus,built in 1937 by Ritchie Bros Pty Ltd. The museum acquired it in 1978, when it was rebuilt and partly fitted out, by apprentices of the then State Rail in Chullora from 1982-1988. It is Sydney’s last remaining double-deck trolley-bus.
AEC 3-Axle Double-Deck Trolleybus No.19
AEC 3-Axle Double-Deck Trolleybus No.19
What Did We Think?
This was a great place to visit, because of the amazing collection of trams, and the accessibility of the displays. The tram ride was a great bonus, making this museum a great place for families to have fun and enthusiasts to enjoy the trams.
Founded in 1988 and relocated to its current building in 2011, Newcastle Museum preserves the history of Newcastle. Situated in Honeysuckle and occupying old railway workshops, the museum opens Tuesday to Sunday. Closed on Mondays, except in school holidays, the museum is a great place to visit There is no cost to visit the museum.
How To Get There
Car parks on Wright lane and Honeysuckle Drive provide a convenient place to leave the car. These are pay-for-use parks, with ticket machines to buy tickets from. IF you are using light rail, the closest station is Civic.
Newcastle Museum Displays
Outside Displays
Several of the Museum’s displays are located outside the main building. They are easy to find, one being a camel sculpture and another a huge dragline bucket. The building itself has historical importance, previously used as a railway workshop.
Camel Sculpture Outside the Museum
Link Gallery
Located between the old Boiler Shop and Erecting Shed, the Link Gallery holds some of the larger exhibits in the museum’s collection. These include “The Buck” an 1870 J&A Brown Locomotive No4 and the 1890 pipe organ formerly installed in St Augustine’s Church, Merewether.
The Buck an 0-6-0 Saddle Tank
The Buck an 0-6-0 Saddle Tank
Fire and Earth
Illustrating Newcastle’s industrial past, this gallery has exhibits from the old BHP Steel Works and coal mines. The multi-level displays allow you to view them from different angles and appreciate these industries and the people who worked them.
Coal Loader (Jeffrey 44dd)
Supernova
Founded by Professor Tim Roberts in the late 1970s, Supernova is a hands-on science experience for kids and interested adults. This area explores different aspects of science, allowing you to experiment and understand them with easy activities. An excellent place to learn about science while having fun.
The Globe in Supernova
A Newcastle Story
This area of the museum explores how Newcastle changed over time, from the original Aboriginal inhabitants, to the World War 2 shelling by a Japanese submarine to the earthquake of 1989.
Dedicated to the George and Richard Owens Collection, one room is full of colourful boxes and containers. This beautiful collection shows how brands were sold and presented in the past.
Newcastle Tram 284
George and Richard Owens Collection
World War One Uniforms
Axe Heads and Hammer Stone
Fossilized Backbone
Model T Ford
Illustrating a problem many museums have is a rusty Model T Ford. Should it be left as found, or restored to its original condition? Would restoring it destroy its history and possibly lose important data?
Model T Ford
What Did We Think?
We were surprised by the quality of the exhibits and had a great walking through the galleries. Anyone visiting Newcastle should visit the museum to help appreciate the city’s past. Well worth the visit!
