Mallee Tourist & Heritage Centre
The Mallee Tourist and Heritage Centre is a must see attraction in Pinnaroo, South Australia.
A unique and well-preserved collection of farming equipment, printing presses and artifacts that provide an educational and historical picture of life in a rural community.
Railway Terrace South, Pinnaroo
Open Monday to Friday
10am to 1pm
or by appointment 0439 523 280
Gum Family Collection
Many towns have taken to perpetuate the farming tradition of last century with the preservation of tools and machinery, each a worthwhile effort in the reminders to new generations of what was involved in farming in those days.
The Gum Family Collection outstrips most, demonstrating the various makes and models of stationary engines, tractors, implements, and other farm tools and gadgets, skillfully restored and painted, mostly to the working stage.
Ethel Gum's collection of household helps - washing, sewing and knitting machines, laundry irons, scrubbing boards, bottles and novelties - to some it would be even more interesting and familiar.
Together they form a major attraction in anyone's language; certainly at the Mallee Tourist & Heritage Centre.
Rob Wilson
Letterpress Printing Museum
The idea of a printing museum was the brainchild of Rob Wilson while he was co-proprietor and editor of Pinnaroo Border Times. He and his brothers, Alan and Reg, took care to preserve type and machines as they became obsolete.
Letterpress printing, which had been in vogue for 500 years since Johann Gutenberg discovered its magic. For those with letterpress background, it's a walk down memory lane.
For other visitors it's a pleasant education
- a reminder of a Craft of yesteryear that
provided a basis on which to build the print
technologies of the future.
D A Wurfel
Grain Collection
As a young boy Don Wurfel was interested in the wheat varieties his father grew on the farm at Brim (Victoria).
He attended Longerenong Agricultural College and that stimulated the interest further. When he commenced farming in Pinnaroo in 1926, Don started collecting the different varieties.
Throughout his life he dedicated much of his time and energy, adding to that collection and later taking it to shows and field days.
From 1933 Don conducted trials to test the varieties for yield and suitability to the area.
Mallee Women
'They stood beside them'
Originally set up as a home-style display, then a revamp was suggested to recognise the contribution women had made in establishing organisations and facilities in the district.
In a conversation convenor Enid Wurfel had with local historian Allan Schiller regarding the setting up of grain displays at the show and that the men were fortunate to have their women folk behind them, Allan said, "The women did not stand behind them, they stood beside them." It was the quote "they stood beside them" that became the main thrust of the project.
There is even more to see at the Mallee Tourist and Heritage Centre including Touch screen audio visuals, SA Dry Dioramas, Spirit of the Mallee and fabulous Mural.
A fun and informative museum that will entertain the whole family! Do not miss Pinnaroo's star attraction The Mallee Tourist and Heritage Centre.