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SWANSEA LOCAL
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SWANSEA LOCAL
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Built during the 1860's by James Hurst as a school. Materials for its construction were mainly from the buildings of the old military establishments at Waterloo Point.
The school has been a community centre and war memorial institute.
The large schoolroom houses the only oversized billiard table in Australia. This table
is one of a pair made for the first Melbourne Exhibition in 1880. It is 5 cm (2.5 in)
longer and 3 cm (1.5 in) wider than the average table. Made of Tasmanian Fiddleback
Blackwood, the timber was cut from one tree. The top - four slabs of Italian slate -
weighs over 0.5 ton and the complete table over one ton. The billard table is available
for public use. Bookings can be made for after-hours use.
(A small fee applies)
The smaller school room contains pioneer settler and aboriginal artefacts, books, paintings, guns, coins etc which have been given to the museum.
The War Memorial Room contains memorabilia of both World Wars.
Photos of early Swansea are on display in the Chappell Photographic Room. The photographer, Lloyd Chappell, took most of the pictures with a box brownie camera.
Your guides at the museum, Jan and Phil Roberts, will be pleased to answer your questions.
Admission: $3 adults; $2 pensioners; 50c children
