Pioneer Settlement

The Pioneer Settlement, in Swan Hill, Victoria, is Australia's first open-air museum, portraying life on the Murray in the era 1830-1930.[1] It opened in 1966 as the Swan Hill Folk Museum,[2] before being renamed, following a visit by the Queen in 1970.[3] It contains approximately 50 replica buildings, including Masonic hall, coach-house, post office, photographic studio, original 1895 kaiserpanorama,[4] and newspaper office.[5] The collection also contains numerous tractors – including the first tractor ever brought to Australia[6] – and historic vehicles, and two 19th century riverboats, including the 1876 paddlesteamer PS Gem.[5] This vessel was towed to the site in 1963,[7] and now functions as the main entrance and contains a restaurant.

Pioneer Settlement
Swan Hill, Victoria
Coordinates35°20′53″S 143°33′54″E
StatusOperating
Opening date1966

The PS Gem was towed by the PS Oscar W to the Pioneer Settlement in 1962 following her sale for £4000 to the Swan Hill Folk Museum. She now exists as a static display within the compound.[8]) The PV Pyap operates daily cruises from the Horseshoe Bend Wharf within the Settlement. Original built in Mannum as a barge in 1896, the Pyap was converted to a paddle steamer by October 1897. Prior to relocation to the Pioneer Settlement in 1970, the Pyap was refitted with a 225hp GM671 Gray Marine diesel engine.[9]

In 1994 an act of Parliament brought the Settlement under the control of the Swan Hill City Council.[10]

References
  1. "Swan Hill Pioneer Settlement Museum. - People and organisations". Trove. Retrieved 22 May 2018.
  2. Darian-Smith, Kate; Nichols, David (5 June 2017). ""How our forebears lived": the modern nation, its folklore and "living" heritage in twentieth-century Australia". Australian Geographer. 49: 199–217. doi:10.1080/00049182.2017.1327784.
  3. "Explore Swan Hill River Precinct" (PDF). Discover More.
  4. Cornish, Richard (1 March 2013). "Six reasons to visit Swan Hill". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 22 May 2018.
  5. "Swan Hill". The Age. 30 September 2008.
  6. MORTON, CLAIR; Media, Australian Community Media-Fairfax (7 August 2012). "Newton's passion for vintage collections". The Guardian. Retrieved 22 May 2018.
  7. "PS Gem's 50th Anniversary Celebrations" (PDF). Swan Hill Rural City Council News. 1 August 2013.
  8. "Gem". Australian National Maritime Museum. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
  9. Plowman, Peter (2005). Murray Darling Paddleboats. Rosenberg Publishing Pty, Limited. p. 64.
  10. "ALERT DIGEST 7 of 1994 - 7". www.parliament.vic.gov.au. Retrieved 22 May 2018.

35.3472°S 143.5646°E / -35.3472; 143.5646

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