Brisbane Historical Villages

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Posted 2018-10-15 by Lynne Cargill ⇒ follow

If you are a parent of a primary school child, you may know that Year 1 and 2 students study the past - toys, games, technology and what life was like in general in their grandparents' day.

Some schools organise excursions to historical villages and some teachers bring items of relevance into the classroom. Why not enhance your child's learning by visiting one of the many historical villages to be found in Brisbane and the surrounding area.

History museums of the past were often dusty and dull but these days, they are well curated and often have activities and areas where children can touch and play with things such as typewriters.

Although the villages get some funding and sponsorship, they are kept going by bands of dedicated volunteers. If you have an interest in history, there are many ways you can help out.

Check for opening hours as they vary widely.

Here are some I've visited:

Caboolture Historical Village

Set out amidst beautifully cared for garden with a road that runs through a village of over 70 houses, shops and other buildings, including a train station, a school, a hospital, a prison and a morgue.

This village is large so allow plenty of time. There are several eateries, so you can stop and rest although they are not all open all the time. A lot of effort has gone into making the houses look like authentic homes with tables set and potties under the bed!

My favourite part was a display of old pumps that you were allowed to use.

There is also a fantastic model railway display. It is huge. It is most appropriately housed in the railway station. You can drive the train and pull the cord to blow the whistle

There are a number of real shops, including the lolly shop and a pottery. The Old World Pub and the very rustic Stanmore Hall are for hire for weddings or special events

Old Petrie Town

Home of annual events like the Steam Fair, Steampunk Exposition, and regular markets, this museum is a mix of historic buildings and workshops. It has a classroom complete with slates and inkwells and a very interesting video of members of the Petrie family.
The Steam Museum has a collection of working steam engines and there is a range of firefighting apparatus

Don't miss the Scouts Museum in the original Petrie Trail Station, which was also a Cobb & Co. Coach depot, Telegraph Station and Post Office.

The museum has an extensive program of talks and events.

[SECTION] Old Beenleigh Town [/SECTION]

Here you can see a range of houses from different decades plus a post office, a school, a jail and a huge variety of vehicles and machinery. The cafe is on the old railway station.

School excursions provide a range of activities - using a washboard and wringer, using a crosscut saw and see the blacksmith in action.

You can hire an MP3 Player to take a self-guided tour of the Village. Be sure to visit the Art Gallery too. A new building houses an indigenous show "Spirits of the Red Sand".

Abbey Museum

This is the home of amazing medieval stained glass windows which have been restored. Some date back to the 1500s. Regular kids activities such as 'Kids Dig' are well worth going to. Families will enjoy the Medieval Festival and for adults, there is Picnic at Pemberley in September and a Ball in May.

Redlands Museum **

Redlands Museum is beautifully curated and cared for. It is so clean and tidy and each exhibit has explanatory notes.

They have regular events such as concerts, dinners and plays.
They also have a program of changing exhibitions drawn from the museum's reserve collection or from the works of local artists.

Beaudesert Museum

This village has the most amazing pioneer slab cottage. The floor is wonky you can see daylight through the wall timbers. It has nice touches like the decorative newspaper 'frill' on the mantlepiece.

Group and school tours are available

Logan Village Museum

Logan Village Museum consists of a group of buildings some of which house displays and many are used by community groups. One is the Council Library and one building is a craft shop.