Glen Innes & District Historical Society — Local services in Glen Innes

The ‘Land of the Beardies’ is coined from a book of the same name about the history of the area written in 1922 by E.C. Sommerlad. The story goes that two stockmen, Chandler and Duval, were the first to see the expanse of unexplored grazing country to the north of Armidale. They wore long beards and gentlemen from elsewhere looking for suitable land for stock were recommended to apply to ‘the beardies’. Both men have since been immortalised, Chandler by a peak and river, Duval by a mountain. As well as lending their names to the Museum, Chandler and Duval are also remembered in Beardy Waters (source of the town’s water supply).

No museum can be successful without suitable premises and the Glen Innes & District Historical Society Inc. (a community based organisation) is fortunate to occupy a building that is itself a museum piece.

Formerly the Glen Innes District Hospital, the first section known as the Sharman wing was built in 1877. The beginnings were indeed humble, just one ward for six male patients and a kitchen/laundry/store building. At intervals over the next 50 years or so, further sections were added until its doors finally closed as a hospital in 1956.

The Museum’s collection showcases the history of families, businesses, properties, public utilities and churches of the Glen Innes district.

The collection includes a century-old slab cottage re-erected and furnished as in the 1870s; a gracious Victorian dining room, parlour, colonial kitchen and bedroom; farm machinery and implements from an age when the horse or the farmer himself supplied the power.

A foot-powered dentist drill, hand-drawn ambulance and fire engine and an early hand-powered Wolseley shearing machine all show how far science has progressed in less than 150 years.

There are miscellaneous displays of everything from typewriters to telephones, photographs to phonographs, costumes to clocks and hand-turned washing machines to massive mangles.

There is the Services Memorial Room, a hospital kitchen and medical wing, diorama displays and the Celtic room.

Land of the Beardies History House Museum - Old hospital KitchenThere is a hospital ward left as it was when the new hospital was occupied in 1956, displays of rocks and minerals found in the district and so on.

Pieces from the collection are displayed in 25 rooms. Additionally, there are numerous examples of early farm machinery in the spacious grounds. Several of these are very unusual and well worth a look.

Out of hours there are the extensive grounds, static displays and the old hospital buildings, suitably signed, so feel free to have a look around even if the...

A fantastic museum covering a wide range of history and historical records. The staff are amazing, freindly, helpful and knowledgeable. Within minutes of arriving we were looking at records of my grand father who passed through Glen Innes early last century. Eve was able to quickly provide original registers and ledgers that gave us an insight to his time there. This facility is a perfect example of what all communities should be doing to preserve our...

Huge selection of colonial and later artefacts from the local area, but very disappointed to discover no acknowledgement of the original inhabitants of the area or any information about the way they were 'displaced' by 'settlers'. It's past time that Australians acknowledge that we live on a stolen continent. I only found one image of an indigenous person in the whole museum, and that was on the cover of a primary...