Landsborough and District Historical Society to close following 50 Years of community service
By Sonia Isaacs
NEARLY 40 guests, including past and present historical society members, gathered last Tuesday (September 24) for a bittersweet farewell celebration as the Landsborough and District Historical Society hosted its final morning tea.
The event, held at the Landsborough Museum, officially marked the end of over 50 years of community driven volunteering by the historical society. For 46 years, local residents and history enthusiasts had solely provided the people power to operate and manage the museum, curating and preserving the district’s rich history.
Long-term society member Rosey Field expressed mixed emotions about the closure. She acknowledged that, given the increasing challenges faced by the historical society, particularly over the last four years, it had seemed inevitable that the organisation would eventually close. “I feel a bit sad that the society couldn’t continue, but I think it’s a problem faced by all small community groups these days,” Ms Field said.
“There’s a certain amount of paperwork that needs to be done, and you just can’t continue without a committee – and that’s where we found ourselves,” she explained. “The committee that had been there for years just needed a rest, and no one was willing to put their hand up.”
Ms Field explained that decreasing volunteer numbers, coupled with increasing compliance challenges and the aftermath of COVID-19, led to the society’s decision to hand over operational care of the museum to the Sunshine Coast Council in 2022.
“We just had too few volunteers to keep it all going,” she said. “Now there is the money and expertise to ensure the collection won’t fall into disrepair.” Ms Field highlighted the society’s numerous successes over the last five decades, including opening a resource library, publishing newsletters, helping to run community events such as William Landsborough Day, and ensuring the old Shire Council building’s place on the Queensland Heritage Register.
“A positive is that the museum continues, and the collections are now being preserved and catalogued appropriately through Council’s involvement,” she said. “And really, at the end of the day, that’s great for our community.”
The Landsborough and District Historical Society was formed in October 1973, and in April 1976, opened the Landsborough Museum in the old Shire Chambers building. Their work has preserved a substantial collection of objects, ensuring that the area’s history remains accessible to the public for years to come.
“It is because of the dedication and research of the countless volunteers over the years that this significant collection of over 14,000 objects is catalogued,” Ms Field added. Museum Officer at Landsborough Museum, Hayley Rowan, said that while it was sad to say goodbye to the historical society, it was also a time to acknowledge some of the great achievements of the volunteer-run community group.
“It’s worth appreciating all the work they have done in caring for the history of not just the town of Landsborough, but the local areas that surround the museum,” Ms Rowan said.
“The legacy they are leaving through the objects and stories they have collected is one that will continue to inspire and educate generations to come.
