OUR DISPLAYS
The museum holds an extensive display of photographic memoriabilia depicting the early days of the old town and open cut, both known as Brown Coal Mine prior to 1947.
The first school at Brown Coal Mine was a marquee. This display shows the school buildings that existed throughout the years.
These three shop fronts carry the name of W A Purvis Stores, Meadows Bakery and Meers Boarding House, names that were well known in the old town. Behind the shop windows are general memorabilia items that have been donated to the museum and are now on display.
No 8 DREDGE DRIVERS CABIN
A visit to any of the Brown Coal open cuts in the Latrobe Valley would reveal the huge machines that are used to remove the overburden and win the coal below.
No 8 dredge in the Yallourn Open Cut was one of these machines. Built in the early sixties, this bucket-chain coal dredger was capable of removing 1,750 tons of coal per hour. Standing 90ft (27.4m) high and weighing about 2,200 tons this machine could “reach out” to dig nearly 80 ft (24.3m) above, and 87ft (26.5m) below its track level.
In 2004, dredger number eight had reached the end of its life, leading to the machine being scraped. Thanks to Yallourn Energy & RTL, the drivers cabin from number eight dredge, the plant manuals and drawings have been donated to the museum. The cabin has been repaired, reglazed,painted and is now open to the public via the museum.
Photo of the cabin prior to restoration.
Cabin after restoration.
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