Berry and District Historical Society and Berry Museum, New South Wales

Berry and District Historical Society and Berry Museum, New South Wales

• Community

The Berry Museum and the Historical Society arose from research activities associated with the Captain Cook Bicentenary celebrations in the area in 1970 (see https://www.berryhistory.org.au/aboutmuseum.html).
The objects of the society are to:

• collect, conserve, store and display articles relating to the Berry district
• research historical aspects of the Berry district
• disperse and promote information on the history of the Berry district
• advocate for the preservation of objects and sites of historic interest in
  the Berry district.

Officer in charge: President

Material relating to the Berry District.

The building housing the museum was designed by architect William Wilkinson Wardell (1823-1899) for the English, Scottish and Australian Bank (ES&A). It became council property in the 1940s and was later leased to the museum and historical society.

The collection in the Berry Museum comprises items and memorabilia donated by the local community families, associations and businesses, collated and indexed by volunteers. All relate to the area's agricultural and dairying past and to Berry's origins as an estate town of the Coolangatta Estate.

There is an extensive collection of early twentieth century photographs (some original) taken locally; and records relating to local families are maintained; together with Microfilms of the "Berry Estate Papers" from the Mitchell Library Collection (1817-1939), the South Coast Register and Broughton Creek Register.

The Museum has a computer database of over 80,000 names linked to families in the Berry area and surrounding districts.

Museum: Saturday, Sunday and public holidays, 11am - 3pm.
For research, an appointment is needed.

Advance notice of a visit for research is required.

Local and family research by appointment. For details about research and copying fees and link to a research request form, see https://www.berryhistory.org.au/research.html

• Built Environment (Thematic area)
• Family / Domestic Life (Thematic area)
• Genealogical (Thematic area)
• Industry, Manufacturing and Commerce (Thematic area)
• Local Studies (Thematic area)
• Medicine and Health (Thematic area)
• Social Organisations and Activities (Thematic area)
• Transportation (Thematic area)