In order to get to know a small town, you first need to learn its history, and there’s no better place to do this than the local museum. In fact, whenever I visit a new place, it’s one of the first things I’ll seek out. It’s a great way to learn about what life was like for the residents in the early days while understanding how its history, as well as major events, helped shape it into what it is today. This is definitely true when visiting our little gem, the Batemans Bay Heritage Museum, which is run by passionate locals who help bring all the stories of the past to life.

However, locals and tourists often overlook the museum for bigger attractions such as Mogo Wildlife Park, Birdland Animal Park, or one of the 83 unspoiled beaches that line the Eurobodalla Coastline. Even I admit that I’d lived in Batemans Bay around two years before I finally headed inside (hangs head in shame). But after reading this post, I hope that I’ll inspire you to make a stop here.

So, if you’re a regular visitor to the area or just looking for things to do while you’re holidaying in my hometown, either way, there’s no better place to start your tour than at the Batemans Bay Heritage Museum.

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The Old Courthouse

From the outside, it appears to be just another small federation-style home, where you’d come to look at some local artifacts on display and learn a little about the town. And yes, it is all of that, but it’s also so much more. As it turns out, it’s a cracking little museum where you could easily spend a few hours perusing the many rooms and displays on offer, and I honestly don’t know how they’ve managed to fit so many items in such a way that it doesn’t feel cluttered.

Before even entering, you realise that this building was once very significant in the town’s history. A sign above the door says, ‘Court House,’ and you quickly learn that this was where the locals came to fight their case and administer justice. There is even an actual cell just before you enter the Museum’s outdoor area, with an old mattress, a pot, and nothing else. Very grim! There is also a hilarious sign that says, ‘Take a Cell-fie.’ Get it? So, of course, I happily obliged.

The first room you enter is the old Courtroom, which has been set up to reflect the building’s origins using the old bench and docks. I could just imagine this little room being packed to the rafters with the town’s folk all clambering to watch the latest scandal unfold.

As you look further around the room, you’ll also come across some copies of maps of the shore, drawn by Captain Cook when he sailed along this section of coast.

How they used to live

Upon leaving the Courtroom, take a tour of Batemans Bay’s history by wandering through the displays of old-style kitchens and washing facilities that would’ve been used when the town was first built. Be sure not to miss out on the mannequins showing off the fun and vintage clothes people wore back in the day. I also absolutely loved the old living room display. It felt like it belonged in an old English house with its cosy furniture accessories, classic board games and old-fashioned clock on the wall.

Iconic Annett’s

You’ll then arrive at the old cinema. Yes, there’s an actual cinema in the museum! Walk in and take a seat to see what the town’s old picture house looked like back in the day. It was run by Ken Annetts, who also owned the famous Annett’s on Orient Street in the town center. This store is no longer there, but it was a very important part of the community of Batemans Bay.

To honour him, there’s a recreated Annett’s shop housed here too, and I think anyone who hasn’t visited the Museum will love it, especially if you remember the old store. Apparently, Annett’s sold everything! And I mean everything! They sold food, stationery, tobacco products, gasoline, pharmaceutical products, bed linen and even some weird-looking contraptions which looked like they might chop your hand off!

The old-style computing scale was really interesting, as were all the industrial-style implements on display. I was really intrigued by the massive slicer and how you used to be able to buy bread or butter by the slice. Imagine buying a slice of butter on a hot day? It would be liquid by the time you got home! You could even purchase broken biscuits! Would you, though? Apparently, people did around here!

Continue further down the hallway, and you’ll come to a replica Dentist’s Surgery, complete with a sinister-looking operating chair, as well as all the equipment used for tooth repair. There were vials of drugs on display too. I don’t think having your teeth pulled out one hundred years ago would have been a very pleasant experience. There was also a sad piece about Batemans Bay Hospital. During World War I, many infants would tragically die before reaching their first birthday, so there was a big push to reduce the family health service’s death rates in the coming years. It was very sad, but history isn’t always pretty.

Local Aboriginal History

The final section of the Museum houses a stunning collection of aboriginal artwork that I really enjoyed looking at, as well as an exhibition detailing the indigenous history of Yuin country, which is the land in and around Batemans Bay and the Eurobodalla Shire. Check out the historical artifacts on display, including a canoe and a didgeridoo, as well as the story of the Yuin people and where they used to gather food in the area.

There are some very sad stories from his section too. In the 1920s, the Batemans Bay Progress Association tried to move indigenous Australians off their land so that it could be redeveloped. More recently, the Eurobodalla Shire Council decided to blow up the area of Hanging Rock, claiming an insurance risk. This was done without the council recognising the sites important to the Yuin people. In 2018, a commemorative marker was installed in the area to recognise its significance to families who once lived here.

Before you head outside, you’ll find the lovely kid’s corner in this area. So, if you have young children with you, be sure to make a stop here, as it has small tables and chairs with books and colouring pages, displays on bugs and frogs, and you can also look at shells up-close under a magnifying glass.

The Great Outdoors

After catching up on your Yuin history, head outside to the cracking outdoor section, which I didn’t get to explore on my first visit as I ran out of time. So obviously, I just used this as an excuse to head back here a few months later with my daughter.

One of the first exhibits you’ll come by is The Dairy Shed, which contains old equipment for butter churning and slicing implements. This display is significant as there used to be many dairy farms in the area. Today, only the Dairy Shed at Bodalla and the ABC Cheese Factory in Tilba Tilba is still in operation.

Moving on from here, the Batemans Bay Heritage Museum also houses an exhibit of old uniforms and equipment from the New South Wales RFS (Rural Fire Service). When I first came across his exhibit, it had been less than a year since the catastrophic bushfires of New Year’s Eve in 2019, which ripped through the town, which was very confronting for me at the time. Over the years, the fire department has had to fight many bushfires in the area, so it seems only fitting that they have an entire section dedicated to the amazing work these brave members of our community do.    

There’s also a fun section displaying old cars, farming equipment used throughout the years, and a random red British Telephone Box, because why not, right?  

3 Museum Place, Batemans Bay, NSW, 2536 | www.batemansbayheritagemuseum.com

Know before you go

WHAT IS THE ADMISSION PRICE?

$5.00 per person, children under 12 go free. What a bargain!

HOW LONG WOULD YOU RECOMMEND FOR A VISIT TO THE MUSEUM

On my first visit, I only had one hour, and it wasn’t long enough, as I wasn’t able to get around the outdoor area. I would recommend 1.5-2 hours so that you have enough time to read through the exhibits without rushing and get the most of your time here.

OPENING TIMES, DIFFERENT IN SCHOOL HOLIDAYS

The museum is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 10-3 PM. Opening times during the school holidays may differ, meaning they could be open more days of the week and at weekends. That being said, you can book a group tour if you are looking to visit outside these hours. For inquiries, contact the museum here.

WHAT FACILITIES DOES THE MUSEUM HAVE?

There’s a toilet at the back of the museum, next to the kid’s corner. There’s also parking at the front of the building. However, there is no café or wifi here. If you are traveling with a group, refreshments can be arranged calculated on a cost per head basis. Contact the museum for further inquiries.

IS THERE ANY OTHER INFORMATION ABOUT THE MUSEUM I SHOULD KNOW ABOUT?

There’s a small second-hand book store in the outdoor section of the museum, so if you’re interested in picking yourself up a book at a bargain price for the journey home, now is the time. The money raised here goes straight back into the museum.

WHAT IS THERE TO DO NEARBY?

There are plenty of things to do nearby. Just a store walk into town, you have the Sculpture Walk starting near the beginning of Murra Murra Mia Walkway. Right next door to the museum, you have the small but pretty Water Gardens, and let’s not forget the abundance of bars, restaurants and cafes in the area selling great food.

Thanks for reading my post on the Batemans Bay Heritage Museum. Not only will you learn about our beautiful town’s fascinating history, but you can also get to see the fabulous exhibits and displays that will really help to bring the past to life. There’s so much to love about this great museum, from the old Annett’s Store to the Cinema and the fun outdoor displays, so spending a couple of hours here is an absolute must! It’s also a great rainy day activity and good fun for all the family. So the next time you’re in the Bay, why not add the museum to your south coast itinerary. You’ll be glad you did.

Have you visited the Batemans Bay Heritage Museum before? Are you planning on a trip here on your next visit? Let me know in the comments section below.

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