Members of the Wellington Historical Society who currently administrate the Oxley Museum have expressed frustration at the museum’s uncertain future.
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Council has expressed an interest in, and sought consultation from the community on, plans to move the museum from its current position on the corner of Warne and Percy street.
Residents who work at the current Wellington Museum are concerned that the plan would represent an effort to phase out the current museum and would force the museum’s exhibits and items in storage elsewhere.
They also say that the funds could be better used helping with the costs of upkeep for the museum’s facilities or even be used to staff the museum better to provide more open hours for visitors.
Staff at the museum had previously laid out a three-year plan to equip the museum with a viable future from 2015 onward and had hoped to secure investment from council on the plan.
One of the critics of the council’s current plan is museum staff member Sue Byrne, who wrote to Dubbo Regional Councillor and Mayor Ben Shields to address her concerns over council’s intentions earlier this month.
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In her letter, Mrs Byrne argued that the current council chambers in Wellington are more than adequate for council’s purposes and the proposed spending would be better served elsewhere.
Oxley Museum curator Dorothy Blake shares Mrs Byrne’s concerns and has also spoken out about the difficulties involved in moving the museum.
“The only problem we have with moving is we need safe storage. We have a lot of things in storage; not everything is on display,” Mrs Blake said.
“There aren’t a lot of museums that keep everything out all the time. If we don’t have the room for all of the items after a move, then what happens?
“We have Windora Schoolhouse a large slab Stinson cottage and a shed with unique horse-drawn vehicles and other farm equipment, so if we move where will the room be for those?”
Mrs Blake says that the Museum operators would be happy to move, provided they were properly consulted during the process.
“We’re very amenable to moving if that becomes necessary. We’d be quite happy to move provided we’re allowed our say. We’ve all got museum training and education and we’d like to have some input.”
The situation is further complicated by the division of ownership between the exhibits featured in the museum, and the building itself.
While all of the exhibits and historical items featured in the museum are owned by the Historical Society, the building itself remains under council ownership after a failed attempt to sell the building in 2014.
At the time, council proposed selling the building due to the high proposed cost of repairs, but a strong community response forced council to reconsider and the sale never went ahead.
Mrs Blake says that the council’s recent call for consultation about moving the museum has also drawn a strong response.
“I do appreciate the community’s support who have submitted their concerns to the mayor. It’s very gratifying to see that people want a museum.”
Dubbo Regional Councillor and Mayor Ben Shields has heard the contributions thus far, but council are still considering options for the museum’s future in Wellington.
“We’re still going through the process of working out exactly what to do with the museum. I think it’s important that we get that community consultation involved,” Mayor Shields said.
“Whatever we do, it won’t work unless everyone’s on-board, that means the people from the museum but also people from the wider Wellington community.”
“If we do something, we have to do it properly and not half-hearted.”
The Oxley Museum building is still in need of repairs and while the historical society would like to see the building restored, they have prepared for the possibility that council cannot come to an agreement.
“In the historical society’s constitution it states that we hold the collection in trust for the people of Wellington. We would hate to see their history forced elsewhere, to one of the museums in Sydney or Orange or somewhere like that,” Mrs Blake said.
“Our alternative could be to crowdfund and try and secure another location we’ve had our eye on.”
