Primary contact
3 Museum Place Batemans Bay
Postal address: PO Box 448, Batemans Bay NSW 2536
Batemans Bay, New South Wales 2536
Clyde River and Batemans Bay Historical Society Inc, New South Wales
The Clyde River and Batemans Bay Historical Society is an incorporated volunteer organisation, formed in 1977. The Society, through the Museum, is the storehouse of the community's history. The society develops, maintains and promotes the Batemans Bay Heritage Museum and its collections.
The Batemans Bay Heritage Museum (previously known as the Old Courthouse Museum) was opened in 1985 when a new courthouse was built in Batemans Bay. The old courthouse building was moved to its present position at Museum Place. At that time, the Department of Education offered Nelligen's former one-room schoolhouse and the two buildings were joined together. For further information about the history of the museum buildings, see https://www.batemansbayheritagemuseum.com/collections
Collections: Curator
Local history of the Clyde River and Batemans Bay area, including Mogo and Nelligen.
A thousand photos of the district, personalities, occupations and industry, school groups, local events etc are theme catalogued in the museum collection. A number are on display. Photographs of museum objects are also held. A selection of digitised photographs are available online at: https://www.batemansbayheritagemuseum.com/apps/photos
Volunteers have been documenting the history, locations and graves of the numerous cemeteries in the Batemans Bay, Mogo and Nelligen areas. The museum maintains a detailed database of its deceased former residents. An index to the database is available to the public (see https://www.batemansbayheritagemuseum.com/cemeteries).
For publications, see https://www.batemansbayheritagemuseum.com/publications
For digitised copies of newsletters from issue no. 1, 2009, see https://www.batemansbayheritagemuseum.com/newsletters
Open Wednesday to Friday, 10am-3pm and Saturday, 10am-2pm
Groups any day by appointment and during school holidays.
The Photo Archivist can assist by phone, in person or by emailing your area of interest. Or call in and browse the catalogue in person, at the public kiosk located in the Courtroom.
Copies of our photographs are available, by email, on CD or hard copy. Costs vary according to format, and whether for family or commercial use.
Facilities include accessible toilets, a research library, a reading room and a kid's space.
Revised 15 January 2024