Woods’ Heritage Museum
Woods’ Heritage Museum began as a vast collection of agricultural machinery and household pieces on the family farm at Rupanyup South. In time, the Woods’ brothers collection outgrew suitable storage and the decision to relocate was made. Planning for the current location on the Wimmera Highway, new storage facilities and displays began, with the official opening in 2007. The main feature of the first facility was a replica of a street including verandas. Shops include a grocery store, butcher, Post Office, saddlery, book shop, paint shop, hardware and medical centre. Other displays include household appliances, farm tools and static motors.
The second shed now houses over 90 tractors and agricultural machinery, the earliest being from 1910.
Woods’ museum provides a unique display of family, community and farming life in the Wimmera since early in the twentieth century. Visitors are invited to wander through the displays, identifying items from their childhood, recollect memories from their grandparents homes,chat about items they cannot identify and generally reminisce about their own personal heritage.
Most recently Grandmother Woods’ house and Mother Woods’ farmhouse have been recreated in the first shed to a one-quarter scale, featuring everything that was in those homes.
Following a clothing donation the Museum now has a very impressive collection of wedding dresses, ball gowns and period clothing all enclosed in air tight glass cases.
