The Murtoa Museum Precinct
May 27, 2016
The Murtoa Museum Precinct includes The Heritage Listed Railway Water Tower (1886), Concordia Cottage (1892) and the recently restored Murtoa Railway Station (1886).
Explore the impressive 4-storey, 13-metre high Water Tower Museum, which hosts the unique James Hill Taxidermy Collection with over 500 birds and other fauna, as well as historic artefacts, memorabilia and household and farming tools from 1890’s, the era of the town’s most significant growth. Climb up the spiral staircase to the top floor, which reveals the underbelly of the 40,000 gallon wrought iron tank that used to store water for steam locomotives.
Concordia Cottage is an original classroom from Murtoa’s first Concordia Lutheran Seminary. The cottage houses displays of period clothing, an antique organ, the Murtoa Telecom manual switchboard, stories of local heroes and more.
The recently refurbished Railway Station presents history of railway transport in Murtoa, its significance for the town’s boom and the demise of passenger travel. Relics of historical bakery and saddlery are on show in The Goods Shed.
If you are lucky, you may be able to watch and count carriages of a typical grain train as it passes through the Murtoa Railway Station on its way to a port at 110kms per hour! The interstate rail line The Overland, which runs between Adelaide and Melbourne, also passes through Murtoa. The town is hoping to make Murtoa an additional service stop on this iconic train journey.
The Murtoa Historic Precinct entry tickets, Murtoa Heritage Trails self guided walking tour brochures and a range of delicious, homemade Water Tower Preserves are available at the Water Tower Museum shop.
Admission: $9 Adult (Eftpos available). Children under 16 free
OPENING HOURS: Daily 12pm – 2pm & any other times by appointment