
Dorrigo
1. Looking south along Hickory Street. 2. The Museum. 3. The rolling rich basalt country around Dorrigo. Originally thick forest, it's now moving from dairying into fat cattle.

Poster of Buddy Williams in the Museum collection

The Wharfdale Printing Press
Built around 1860, this press was used to print the Don Dorrigo Gazette for many years. A copy of all the Gazettes since first printed in 1910 are kept at the Museum.

Buddy Williams, 1954
Orphaned, young Buddy Williams was fostered to the McFaralane's on the Old Coramba Road, Dorrigo.

Dorrigo Butter Factory
The first Dorrigo Butter Factory was opened in 1906, and was built just above the Ash Street bridge.

Orrigo box & Reg Short
Reg Short is a one-time Manager of the Butter Factory

Early 1900s Businesses
These businesses were sited toward the northern end of Hickory Street where Coronation Park is now. Local Blacksmith Bob Tomlins is second from the left.

Cudgery Street early 1900s
This entire row of shops in Cudgery Street was burnt down

Empire Day 1911
Procession of Primary Children, Cudgery St, Empire Day 1911

Settling The Dome
The Dome is just east of Dorrigo, and Morgan Owen selected it, then cleared it for dairying. This photo was taken in 1919 by Charles Fishwick

Blacksmith advertisement 1923
The blacksmith and coach builder speaks of a very different, independent time. This page is from a Don Dorrigo Gazette & Guy Fawkes Advocate of the time.

Hickory Street from the south
The Heritage Hotel dominates this side of Hickory Street. Built to capitalise on the building of the Guyra-Dorrigo Railway, it thrived despite the failure of that line to proceed.
About
An extensive digitised photographic archive includes the A.C. Bennett Collection (circa 1911-16), Waterfall and A.E. Murray original glass negatives, community organisations, timber, dairying and farming industries, WWI & WWII soldiers, families, natural disasters, sporting events and the Dorrigo- Glenreagh Railway. Other important objects and collections include the Wharfdale Printing Press for many years used to print the Don Dorrigo Gazette, Buddy Williams’ connection with Dorrigo, and the Dorrigo Hydro Electricity Scheme. You may be interested to find out about our connection with developing the first Armour-piercing bullet in the 1930s.
The Dorrigo Museum’s primary focus is the collection and display of historical and contemporary material that encompasses objects, photographs, local histories and stories of people and place in both print and digital media as well as videos that capture the natural beauty of the Dorrigo landscape.
Visitors can explore the stories of early settlement and the development of logging, sawmilling and dairying on the Dorrigo Plateau through themed displays. Temporary photographic displays related to annual town events, festivals and commemorations are a regular feature of the museum. Volunteers involved with the ABC Open Projects have produced short films that the visitor can view in the museum.
Since 2013 we’ve been engaged in a very successful program of regular theme-based visits to the local hostel. This was established as a social event to tap into the memories of the residents. Other on-going projects include recording and documenting the histories of the Dorrigo Butter Factory, the Dorrigo Telephone Exchange, histories of the western Plateau and of the Dorrigo National Park, Dairying and the local Red Cross.
Contact
(02) 6657 1956
Email Us
Entry Fees
Adults $3.00
Child .50c
Links
Dorrigo and District
Dorrigo National Park
New England National Park
Guy Fawkes National Park
Junuy Juluum National Park
Bindari National Park
Cascade National Park
Cathedral Rock National Park
Mt Hyland Nature Reserve
Dorrigo Steam Rail and Museum
Dorrigo Folk & Bluegrass Festival
The Waterfall Way scenic drive
