In 1951, some 3,500 glass plate negatives of varying sizes depicting life in Australia's cities, towns and villages during the second half of the nineteenth century were found in a garden shed in the Sydney suburb of Chatswood. Now known as the Holtermann Collection of Photographs, it is a unique cultural and social archive of world significance housed in the State Library of NSW. These negatives were the remains of thousands of glass plates taken by Beaufoy Merlin and Charles Bayliss and included some of the photographs taken for Holtermann's Intercolonial Exposition of the Australian Colonies, an ambitious undertaking to promote Australia to the world, and some magnificent panoramas of Sydney harbour. Of particular importance are the many photographs which detail life on the goldfields during the 1860's and 70's, especially Gulgong and Hill End, and the newfound wealth this brought to the burgeoning colony. Merlin and Bayliss visited Gulgong at the height of the gold rush in the winter of 1872 and, fortunately, 350 Gulgong glass plates depicting all facets of life on the goldfield have survived. From these images it is easy to see why, at the time, Gulgong was described at the "hub of the world".
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In 1952 these plates were donated to the State Library of NSW, however, it was not until the Library commenced its digitisation initiative in 2008 that the incredible detail in the photographs was revealed for the very first time. Scanned at very high resolution, the images finally revealed, with amazing depth and clarity, what Merlin and Bayliss had actually seen and photographed. Such is its international significance that the entire Collection was recognised in the UNESCO Australian Memory of the World register in 2013.
The Gulgong Holtermann Museum Committee was formed with the sole intention of creating a museum to house a permanent display of these photographs. Now, after almost five years of planning, fundraising and building, the Gulgong Holtermann Museum Committee is in its final month of preparation and installation. Displays, touch screens and photographs are now being installed in the new interactive museum established within the two heritage listed buildings, The Greatest Wonder of the World and the American Tobacco Warehouse & Fancy Goods Emporium. These two buildings, originally photographed in 1872 by Merlin and Bayliss, are part of the Holtermann Collection. Now beautifully restored, they are well worth a visit to appreciate the efforts of a community committed to its town's Gold Rush history.
With the huge community effort, backed by the NSW Government, The Federal Republic of Germany, the State Library of NSW, Peabody/Wilpinjong Mine, Moolarben Coal/Yancoal, Ulan Coal/Glencore, local businesses and many community members, the Gulgong Holtermann Museum is to be officially opened on Saturday 26th October 2019 with invited State and Local officials, the German Consul General, and other dignitaries in attendance.
Saturday, October 26 the official opening at 3pm. Sunday, October 27, the museum will be opening its doors to the public.
Visits our website http://holtermann.museum.
