Singleton Museum
Information from the Singleton Historical & Museum Guide. The museum is undergoing renovations.
Located in Burdekin Park, the Singleton Museum houses an amazing collection of local artefacts, making it a great place to stop and look around. Staffed by volunteers from the local Historical Society, the museum’s displays are well curated and professionally laid out. The information displayed at each exhibit is interesting, but if you need a more in depth explanation, the staff are willing to help.
Museum Building’s History
The building was originally Singleton’s first “lock up” built on the site in 1840. By 1841 a detached Court House was built 50 ft to the west and donated by Benjamin Singleton to the government in return for Minimbah buildings. In April 1862 two stone cells were built on the western side of the slab cells being 8ft x 11ft with wooden floors, to hold five prisoners each having a centre corridor between.
Two stone cells built in 1874 replaced the slab cells had concrete floors and a hallway built along the west side of the cell block. All were of stone with walls extending 4 ft below the floor level. Built onto the west side of the hallway, is a brick gaoler’s residence & guard room consisting of a room at each end with a guard room in the centre.
With the construction of a new town lockup and residence in 1899, the Municipal Council obtained the buildings . The removal of the old gaoler’s residence and the southern partition made a Council Chamber 36ft x 14ft with a 16ft x 14ft room retained at the northern end for the Town Clerk’s Office.
In 1963 the Singleton Historical Society gained use of the building, enabling displays featuring Aboriginal, convict, pioneer and rural articles of local heritage to be available to the public. These exhibits have been mostly collected locally and donated by the residents of Singleton Shire.
Singleton Museum’s Displays
Rural Section
Filled with carts, buggies, farm tools and more, this room contains an image of farm life when Singleton was first settled. The bell from St Clair Station makes an interesting exhibit, as it has been engulfed by a growing tree.
Located in this room is a suitcase that belonged to Henry Dangar, who was a government surveyor and important pastoralist in the early 1800s.
Displays
Throughout the building’s other rooms containing well maintained displays covering Singleton’s past. From typewriters and surveying equipment, to aboriginal artefacts and fine china, there is a huge quantity of items to inspect..
Old Kitchen
Furnished as an old kitchen, one of the old gaol cells, contains everything a pre electric kitchen needs. Beautifully laid out, this room is fun to look around and admire the old furniture and artefacts.
Gaol Cells
Originally holding-cells for the court house, the barred doors, manacles, leg irons and bedding on display show how spartan conditions were for prisoners.
Records Room
The library is the custodian of an immense amount of records from numerous local companies, clubs and residents. Many records are on microfilm, however some are still only in paper form and are becoming fragile. Available for use at a modest fee, this is a treasure trove of local history.
What Did We Think of the Singleton Museum?
We had a great time looking through the rooms and displays. Although small, the museum makes the best use of the available space with well curated displays which are all well maintained.
A great place to visit if you are passing through town, and a place all locals should visit to understand the town’s history.
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To see what else there is to do in New South Wales, please see some of our other stories.