Noosa Shire Museum history

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The Noosa News reports the official opening of the Cooroora Historical Society's Noosa Shire Museum, 27th April 1985.

Written by Irene Christie, inaugural Secretary, Cooroora Historical Society.

It was in November 1981 – I was a teacher’s aide (Irene Christie). Barry Dwyer was a teacher librarian at Pomona State School. He was gathering information on the history of the area for use in the library, and complained to me that there was not much information and few photographs. I replied that he hadn’t asked the right people and showed him some of my grandmother’s photos, and information which I had gathered. We agreed that there was a need for an historical society in the area.

With Barry arranging the venue and Irene the publicity, a public showing of slides and photos was held at the School Library. On Friday the 4th December 1981, with 50 enthusiastic people in attendance, Cooroora Historical Society was formed, with Barry Dwyer as President, Irene Christie Secretary, Sally Brown Treasurer.

The Gympie Times on 12/12/1981 reported the formation of Cooroora Historical Society.

It was decided to seek the use of the old Noosa Shire Council Chambers at Pomona for a Museum. The Noosa Citizen on 9/12/1981 reported that the society hoped to gain use of the old Noosa Shire Council building in Pomona for a museum. Shire chairman Bert Wansley was extremely enthusiastic about the proposal and would like to see the shire hall put to use as a museum.

Noosa Citizen on 6/1/1982 under the heading “History Finds a Home, temporary use of the hall has been granted by the Noosa Shire Council until a term lease is drawn up. “This museum will be the only on in Noosa Shire, and it’s not just for Pomona, it is for the whole shire,” emphasized Society Secretary Irene Christie.

At first the museum was only one storage room, but the fast growth of the collection soon required the whole building. It was known as Cooroora Historical Museum, but at some (I can’t recall when) stage it was resolved to change the name to Noosa Shire Museum, to better show that the Museum covered the whole shire.

In the first couple of years, public interest was maintained by a series of site visits which I had organised.

A boost to the infant collection was the purchase in August 1982 of aboriginal and other artifacts from the Makepeace collection, funded by at $500 Grant from council.

The museum was officially opened on 27th April 1985.

Another highlight was our arrangement of a Commonwealth Employment Project which provided the Society’s first computer and photocopier, and labour to process and display artifacts.