Volunteers at the Greens Gunyah Museum in Lockhart in south west NSW, have spent the last couple of weeks moving into their new museum building.

Over the last few years they have been alternating between preparing for and fighting floods. In 2010, and then again in early 2012, the museum was inundated by over a metre of water which entered both the exhibition and administration areas of the museum.

But in some ways the most recent flood came as a mixed blessing. After years of lobbying for funds to improve their facilities a lifeline came in the form of funds for the capital redevelopment of the museum.

That’s an achievement hard to come by and a cause for celebration. The museum committee was successful in obtaining funding from all tiers of government as well as private sources and, in partnership with Lockhart Shire Council worked to design and construct a new building above the flood line.

Essentially the museum extension is a simple structure, much like an agricultural shed, and in being positioned behind the existing Federation facade, maintains the streetscape while providing exhibition space and collection storage above flood level.

The new building is lined, insulated and air conditioned with hot and cold running water adhering to best practise for exhibition development and collection care.

Greens Gunyah Museum tells the story of the development of Lockhart and district and houses significant objects relating to Brookong Station; an important story that illustrates changes in land tenure, land use and the character of rural settlements from when they were first settled in the 1840s through to the 20th century.

The capital redevelopment received support from Arts NSW Capital Fund, the Australian Government Your Community Heritage Program, the Bendigo Bank, the Lockhart Shire Council and the Lockhart community.