Once a Sunday School, the 1927 building behind Township Road's Wesleyan Chapel is now the
Marion Historic Village Museum. It has been operated by volunteers since 2010 and you're welcome to come and see various exhibits about the history of Marion Village. We had wanted to check it out for a while but only managed to do so last week. I was rather impressed with the collection of objects on display.
The first thing that caught my attention was a large aerial map on the wall. This diagrammatic representation of the village shows where the gardens, orchards and vineyards were originally located in 1949. The village didn't have many houses or roads at that time, however, it soon became a suburb and everything changed - even the river! Yes, today
Sturt River looks more like a drain.
On another wall is the story of Oaklands Homestead which formerly stood on the village's outskirts and held a proud history. Sad to say, the magnificent mansion had been demolished in 1969. I'll let you discover why when you visit.
The village had its own
police station during the 1930/40s. In the museum, you'll find some information on the sort of incidents the officers were involved in.
Brickworks thrived in the past too. The bricks produced were rich red in colour due to Marion's clay. Again, you can learn more about this
brickmaking industry here.
Have you noticed that sculptures of a young girl dot the village? Created by artist Gerry McMahon, these
Little Marions were based on the recollections and stories of a local resident. If you're as intrigued as I was about them, feel free to ask the friendly volunteers all the questions you have.
It's not just adults who will benefit from the museum's exhibits. Children can also experience what life was like in the village through hands-on interaction with a number of 'action stations'. For example, they could chart their fingerprints, hear the old-fashioned wireless play tunes, or peek inside a cool safe.
The museum is open every Sunday afternoon from 2pm to 4pm and Tuesday morning from 10am to 12pm. It can be found on Township Road in Marion. Entry is free. For more information, please head to
www.marionvillagemuseum.com.au.
