Miles Historical Village and Museum facts for kids
Main street of the Miles Historical Village
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| Established | 1971 |
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| Location | Miles, Queensland |
| Type | Open-air museum |
The Miles Historical Village and Museum is a special place where you can step back in time! It's an open-air museum located near the town of Miles in Queensland, Australia. This amazing village has 30 buildings that look just like ones from the 1920s.
Contents
Discovering Miles: A Look at Its Past
This area was first called Dogwood Crossing. It was named by an explorer named Ludwig Leichhardt. Later, in 1878, a railway was being built. The town was then named Miles. This was to honor William Miles. He was a member of parliament. He also owned a large property nearby called 'Dulacca'.
Farming Life in Early Miles
When more people moved to this area, many started dairy farms. However, the land wasn't really good for dairy cows. So, over time, farmers began growing other crops. They started planting wheat. A lot of cotton was also grown in the area.
In the early days, a plant called Prickly Pear caused big problems. People believe it was first brought to Australia as a pot plant. It spread very quickly and took over farmland. Many farmers had to leave their land in the early 1890s. Luckily, a special moth was found. This moth helped to get rid of the prickly pear pest.
Exploring the Historical Village
The historical village has 30 different buildings. One important building is the Artesian Basin Centre. Here, you can learn about Artesian Water. This is water found deep underground. You can also discover Aboriginal history. The center also teaches about caring for the land.
What You Can See at the Museum
The War Museum has displays from all the World Wars. These displays show items from those important times. The Shell House has a huge collection of shells. These shells come from all over the world.
The Historical Village started in 1971. It has grown a lot since then. The Miles Historical Society tries to add a new replica building every year. They also keep adding to the museum's collection. Many families in the area have donated old items.
The village has a street that looks just like it did in the 1900s. You can see a bakery, a post office, and a chemist. There's also a general store and the Red Rose Cafe. You can even find a branch of the Bank of New South Wales. All these places have real items from that time period.
Other buildings include a church and a school. There's also a butcher shop and a blacksmith's workshop. You can also see a typical slab hut. This was a simple house built from wooden slabs in the early 1900s. The village also has the old Dalwogan railway station. Outside, you can see a retired Queensland Government Railways C17 steam train. Its number is 944.
More to Explore
- History of Queensland
- List of museums
