Dromana & District Historical Society Museum (Dromana)

The Dromana and District Historical Society is a group whose purpose is to preserve the historical interests of Dromana and surrounding areas of Red Hill, Rosebud, McCrae, Main Ridge, Boneo and Red Hill South in the central Mornington Peninsula.

The museum is managed entirely by volunteers who are dedicated to the collection, preservation, conservation and display of items of historical interest.

We welcome donations and accept old photographs, cards, letters, ephemera and other memorabilia relating to the aforementioned areas.

Collection and Current Displays

Our collection has approximately 5,000 catalogued items. The Museum has many artifacts and photographs of historical interest. These cover the central area of the Mornington Peninsula and include Dromana, Red Hill, Red Hill South, Main Ridge, Safety Beach, Arthurs Seat, McCrae, Rosebud and Boneo. Maps, photographs, paintings and memorabilia are permanently displayed.

Photographs
Come and see the collection of some 3000 Historical Photographs covering early development of the Mornington Peninsula.
Transport - (Sea, Road, Rail) - Rural Development - Farming
Leisure - Early Settler Families - Schools - Sport - Beaches
Copies of photographs and pictorial calendars are available for sale.

Artifacts
Tools and farm implements: seed spreader, portable forge. Domestic items used by original settlers, utensils, loom. Shire of Flinders: council table, chairs, desk, councillor photographs

Reference Material
Shire of Flinders: heritage study, alienations, various maps, books, newspaper clippings

Microfiche Records
Available only 10.00 a.m. - 4.00 p.m. on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday each month. Includes Victoria Births, Marriages and Deaths, Dromana Cemetery inscriptions, Flinders Cemetery records and Shire of Flinders rate book records to 1920.

Matthew Flinders Bi-Centenary
A museum display '1802 and All That' produced to support the launch of the Valda Cole book The Summer Survey: Log of the Lady Nelson 1801 - 1802 under command of John Murray, can still be viewed in the Museum. All copies of the book held by the Museum have now been sold.

Centenary of Federation
Henry Bournes Higgins who lived at 'Heronswood', Dromana, was one of the founders of the Australian Constitution. He was member for North Melbourne in the first Parliament of the Commonwealth, and Attorney General in the first Labor Ministry formed by John Watson in 1904. He died at Heronswood on 13 January 1929 and is buried in the Dromana Cemetery. As a contribution to the celebration of the Centenary of Federation, the Society prepared a small photographic display on the life and times of Henry Bournes Higgins.

Opening Hours:

Museum Opening Times

Cost:

Free Admission
Other times by appointment
Groups and schools by arrangement