Australiana Pioneer Village facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Australiana Pioneer Village
Cafe at the Australiana Pioneer Village
Location	Rose Street, Wilberforce, City of Hawkesbury, New South Wales, Australia
Built	1969–1970
Owner	Hawkesbury City Council
New South Wales Heritage Register
Official name: Australiana Pioneer Village; Heritage Farm; Australian Pioneer Village Recreation and Animal Park; APV
Type	state heritage (complex / group)
Designated	20 February 2004
Reference no.	1683
Type	Tourist Attractions
Category	Recreation and Entertainment
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The Australiana Pioneer Village is a special open-air museum located on Rose Street in Wilberforce, New South Wales, Australia. It's a place where you can step back in time and see what life was like in early Australia. The village was built between 1969 and 1970. It is owned by the Hawkesbury City Council and was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 20 February 2004 because of its historical importance.

Discovering the Australiana Pioneer Village

The Australiana Pioneer Village is a unique museum that shows how people lived and worked in rural Australia long ago. It has many old buildings, some still in their original spots, and others that were carefully moved here from other places.

How the Village Began

The land where the village stands was once important farmland. It was one of the first pieces of land given out in Australia in 1797. For over 150 years, the Rose family lived and farmed this land.

In 1961, after the last Rose family member passed away, a man named Dugald Andrew (Bill) McLachlan bought the property. Bill McLachlan was an industrial chemist who loved challenges. He had a big idea: to save old buildings from the Hawkesbury area and show how early settlers achieved so much.

Back then, there were no laws to protect old buildings in New South Wales. So, moving endangered buildings was one of the only ways to save them. This was a common practice in the Hawkesbury area. From late 1969 to 1970, Bill McLachlan hired Silvio Biancotti to move twelve buildings and a glasshouse to his "Pioneer Village." Many local families helped move these buildings, keeping them in one piece. On 29 November 1970, the village officially opened.

Sadly, Bill McLachlan passed away in 1971 at just 54 years old. But his vision lived on. More buildings were moved to the village later, like the Riverstone Police Station (1972–73), Mangold Cottage (1985), and Aiken Hut (1984–85).

Village Ownership and Community Support

The village changed hands a few times after Bill McLachlan's death. In 1984, the Hawkesbury City Council decided to buy the Australiana Pioneer Village. They paid $450,000 and worked to preserve the buildings.

The community has always been very supportive of the village. In 1989, a "Friends" Society was formed. This group grew to almost 100 members who helped care for the village. During the 1980s and 1990s, many schools, visitors, and film crews used the village. For example, in 1985, a large retail company called Grace Bros. held its 100-year celebration there, with nearly 10,000 employees and their families attending.

The village also hosted Australia Day celebrations and Bush Fire Brigade Field Days. It was featured in magazines and on a telephone book cover. By 1987, over 27,000 people visited the village, including many school groups.

In 1993, the village's name changed to the Australian Pioneer Village Recreation and Animal Park. Community groups also helped plant over 10,000 trees on the land.

The village was closed from 2002 until January 2011. In 2010, a new organization called The Australiana Pioneer Village Ltd took over. They received $100,000 for repairs, and the village officially reopened on 26 January 2011.

Buildings at the Village

The Australiana Pioneer Village has many historic buildings. Some are still in their original spots, while others were moved here to be saved.

Buildings Still in Their Original Location

• Rose Cottage: This cottage is believed to be Australia's oldest surviving timber building. It was part of the original land Bill McLachlan bought.
• "Salter" Barn: This old barn was built in the 1800s. It's a great example of the large slab barns from this area.
• Quilty Stables: These stables were built for a 100-mile endurance horse race that used to start and end at the village.

Buildings Moved to the Village

Many buildings were carefully moved to the village to protect them. Here are a few examples:

• Stable from the Black Horse Inn, Richmond: This stable is very old, possibly from the early 1800s. It was part of a popular inn and might have been used to keep jockeys before races.
• Perry House, Richmond: This two-storey house was originally a bootmaker's shop and home. It was moved in one piece to the village in 1969.
• Atkin's Blacksmith's Shop, Wilberforce: This shop was owned by George Atkins, a skilled blacksmith. In 1874, he invented a special steel plough that changed farming in the Hawkesbury.
• Cartwright Cottage, East Kurrajong: Built in the 1870s, this cottage was moved in one piece. A mail service was once run from its verandah.
• The Bee House, McGrath's Hill: This small shop from around 1879 sold honey. It was moved to the village in one piece.
• Mangold Cottage, Riverstone: This cottage was built around 1886 by the Mangold family, who were German vine dressers. It was moved to the village in 1986.
• Riverstone Police Station: This small wooden building from before 1888 was used as a police office. It had no cells.
• Case Cottage, East Kurrajong: Built in 1896, this cottage had a special feature: its inner wall could be removed to create a large space for local dances!
• Riverstone General Store: This old general store from the 1890s sold fruits and vegetables for over 30 years.
• St. Matthews Church, Upper Macdonald: This church was built around 1900. It was moved to the village in 1970.
• Schoolhouse, Marsden Park: This school building from 1889 was designed for 40 students. It was moved to the village in 1969.
• Mitchell Cottage, North Richmond: Built in the 1890s, this cottage belonged to Ern Mitchell, a skilled bullock team driver.
• "Kenso" Cottage, Kogarah: This cottage was built in the early 1900s. It was moved twice before ending up at the village!
• George Hastwell's House and Sackville North Post Office: This building served as a home and a post office in the 1930s. It still has its original pigeon holes for mail.
• Kurrajong Railway Goods Shed: This shed was part of the Kurrajong Railway Station, used to transport goods by train.
• Bank of Australasia, Wilberforce: This building was originally a garage before it was moved and set up as a bank display.
• Aikin Hut, West Pennant Hills: This was the last slab hut left in West Pennant Hills when it was moved to the village.

Replica Buildings

Some buildings at the village are replicas, meaning they were built to look like old structures for the museum. These include:

• Buttsworth Road Gate House
• Oxboro Inn
• Shearing Shed
• Smoke House
• Wagon Shed

What the Village Looks Like

The Australiana Pioneer Village is set on a large site next to the Hawkesbury River. It feels like a real old-fashioned village.

When you enter, you'll see Rose Cottage, which is very old. A "street" runs through the village, lined with many of the moved cottages. At the end of the street, you'll find St Matthew's Church and the Kurrajong Railway Station buildings. The "Salter" Barn, a large slab barn from the 1800s, is also still on its original spot.

Inside the Buildings

Many of the buildings show how people lived and worked.

• Rose Cottage: This cottage has a steep roof and a verandah. It's made of timber and has brick chimneys.
• "Salter" Barn: This barn is made of large timber posts and slabs. It was used for horses and storage.
• Black Horse Inn Stables: These stables are made of vertical timber slabs. They have doors and windows that open to the rooms inside.
• Perry House: This two-storey timber house has a shop window and two front doors. Inside, it's lined with old timber boards.
• Atkin's Blacksmith Shop: This shop has a large roof and timber slab walls. It even has a sandstone trough for cooling hot metal.
• Cartwright Cottage: This cottage has a hipped roof and wide timber slabs. It has a simple design with a front door and windows.
• Bowd's Sulky Shed: This large shed is made of timber slabs. It was once two storeys high.
• The Bee House: This small shop has a unique scalloped roof edge. It's clad with timber boards.
• Mangold Cottage: This cottage has a gabled roof and verandahs. Its walls are made of vertical timber slabs.
• Riverstone Police Station: This small, square building has a verandah and wooden walls. It was used as an office.
• Case Cottage: This cottage has a special removable inner wall. This allowed it to become a larger space for dances!
• Riverstone General Store: This old shop has a steep roof and a wide verandah. It has a recessed entry with large shop windows.
• St Matthew's Anglican Church: This church has a simple design with a gabled roof and pointed arched windows.
• Marsden Park Public School: This school building has two classrooms and a verandah. It's clad with wooden weatherboards.
• Mitchell Cottage: This cottage has a gabled roof and verandahs. Its walls are made of vertical timber boards.
• "Kenso" Cottage: This cottage has wide wooden weatherboards. Inside, it has original timber floors.
• Hastwell's Residence and North Sackville Post Office: This building was a home and a post office. The post office section has a counter and mail slots.
• Kurrajong Railway Goods Shed: This shed is made of timber posts and has a corrugated steel roof.
• Bank of Australasia: This building has an arched door and windows. It's made of mixed timber cladding.
• Aiken Hut: This small cottage has a gabled roof and timber slab walls.

Why the Village is Important

The Australiana Pioneer Village is very important for a few reasons:

• Saving History: It's a great example of how people in the 1960s and 1970s worked to save historic buildings by moving them to one place. Many of these buildings would have been destroyed if they hadn't been rescued.
• Community Spirit: The village was created by one person's vision, Bill McLachlan. It has brought together many families and people who care deeply about its history and educational value. Groups like the "Friends of Australiana Pioneer Village Society" work hard to keep it going.
• Learning About the Past: The village helps us understand what life was like in rural Australia long ago. It shows different kinds of homes and businesses. It also represents the diverse backgrounds of early settlers, including people from Aboriginal, Jamaican, German, and Anglo-Celtic heritage.
• Unique Place: The Australiana Pioneer Village is special because most of its buildings are original, not copies. This makes it different from many other historical villages. It helps us see and learn about humble, everyday buildings that are becoming rare.

The Australiana Pioneer Village was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 20 February 2004 because it helps us understand the history of New South Wales. It shows how people lived, worked, and built communities in the past.