Carriage collection move prompts local preservation effort

Beechworth History and Heritage Society (BHHS) is looking to work with the community to recognise and interpret the extraordinary horsepower that enabled Beechworth’s colonial goldrush society and development. The move follows the National Trust of Victoria’s decision, announced last week, to relocate from Beechworth some of the 21 vehicles from its historic carriage collection after being held there for more than 60 years. The society met with Indigo Shire Council chief executive Trevor Ierino and senior staff on Tuesday to discuss the society’s ambition and concept. BHHS convenor Jamie Kronborg said Victoria’s National Trust was the custodian of the collection, owning some of the vehicles and managing others under long-term loan arrangements, two of which are from Beechworth and three from the North East. "We are looking for a long-term home that will allow for public access and the collection’s preservation and presentation so it can contribute again to Beechworth and its tourism appeal," he said. "The society, with council support, wants to work with the community and the trust so that vehicles from the collection can be used to tell the story of the colonial gold rush and Beechworth’s development, in which the horse had a vital role." The carriages have been temporarily housed for cleaning and conservation in an undisclosed location on Beechworth’s outskirts since being moved from their former Last St Brewery home in 2022. At the same time, Indigo Shire Council and the Trust signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to move the collection to an undisclosed temporary home at a private property on the outskirts of Beechworth. Part of a four-stage plan by the National Trust to find long-term homes for the display of the historic carriages across multiple heritage sites in Victoria. Mr Ierino said council explored options to keep the carriages housed within the shire, but simply didn’t have the facilities, specialist conservation expertise or financial resources to keep them. The Trust is proposing to move some of the vehicles to other Trust properties in Victoria. "We know some in our community feel a deep connection to the carriages and had hoped they could remain in the shire,” Mr Ierino said. “Knowing the carriages will be properly displayed and cared for at heritage properties is a positive outcome for both the collection and the public." The Trust has developed a collections management approach for its entire carriage collection, including the carriages in Beechworth. Trust CEO, Collette Brennan, said the dispersal of some of the Beechworth vehicles marks a significant milestone and improvement in the long-term care and activation of the Trust’s carriage collection. “These carriages are powerful touchstones of daily life, lost trades, craftsmanship, and community spirit,” she said. “This new phase will ensure they are shared more widely throughout Victoria and preserved for many years to come.” However, with support from council, BHHS is calling on the community to partner with it and help preserve the carriages' legacy and keep the collection local. Horse-drawn transport was the system that moved gold to global markets, connected migrants to the diggings, and enabled Beechworth to function as North East Victoria’s administrative and commercial capital from the 1850s to 1876, when the railway opened. Mr Kronborg said the society’s concept importantly aligns with the Victorian Goldfields UNESCO World Heritage Listing bid, in which Indigo is an active partner among 15 local councils, including Mount Alexander, Ballarat and Bendigo. UNESCO recognition depends on authenticity, integrity and the retention of tangible evidence that supports Beechworth’s highly-significant place in the world’s nineteenth century gold rushes and migration that set the stage for the modern era. To get involved, contact Beechworth History and Heritage Society via email at beechworthhistoryandheritage@gmail.com or call/text 0409 912 967.

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