National Trust Wallaroo branch president, Colin Boase, and Nick Woods on the verandah of the Wallaroo Heritage and Nautical Museum.

The first 1969 meeting was chaired by Wallaroo mayor Francis Jones and attended by 40 Wallaroo residents who recognised the town’s significant role in the history of South Australia and dedicated themselves to preserving the heritage of Wallaroo before it was lost forever.

The newly-formed Wallaroo National Trust, under the chairmanship of Rex Goodier, asked locals and former residents to donate items, photographs and memorabilia for the planned museum display and, in 1970, the long and detailed task of preparing, restoring, recording and cataloguing all of the donated items began.

The first museum was opened at the old police sergeant’s house (John Terrace) on December 17, 1972, and continued successfully at that location until 1975 when it moved to its current home, the 1865 post office on Jetty Road.

Visitors increased as a result of the better location and exhibits were continually being donated which necessitated larger premises.  So in 1977 a decision was made to build a larger building, on the western side of the original building, to house the evergrowing maritime collection.

“Many fundraising events were held such as raffles, Thomas Edmonds concerts, film afternoons at the Wallaroo cinema and a loan from the National Trust of SA,” Chairman of the Wallaroo branch of the National Trust, Colin Boase, said.  

“And in 1979, the new maritime building was opened and further extensions were added in 1997.”

The relocation of the 1877 Tipara Reef lighthouse was a combined project between National Trust and the District Council of the Copper Coast and was completed in 2001.

“In 1999 the Wallaroo Lions Club erected a large storage shed, with materials donated by Ollie Lehmann, and another shed will be built in 2010, thanks to a generous $20,000 donation from the Lions Club of YP Rail, which will display the history of rail in Wallaroo in addition to other larger exhibits which are not currently on display,” Mr Boase said.

Mr Boase made special mention of the extraordinary contributions made by Rex Wiltshire, Dorothy Fyfe and Rex Goodier when acknowledging the efforts of all involved in creating what is an award-winning museum.

“Thanks to the efforts made my many members, volunteers, organisations and individuals who have donated more than 5,000 exhibits we have a museum of which we can be justly proud.”

Since first opening in 1972, more than 121,500 people have visited the Wallaroo Heritage and Nautical Museum and discovered the unique history of Wallaroo.  

“History is never ending, there are many stories waiting to be told and there are still many historical displays and exhibits to be restored and more research to be done,” Mr Boase said.