Preliminary planning to replace neglected museums with new regional experience

Preliminary planning is underway to create a “hero” historical experience for the Mackay region as current local museums fall short.

Museum team members Katrina Dunbar (left) and Trish Roderick working on the museum rationalisation project. Photo: Contributed

Preliminary planning has started for the opening of a regional museum to showcase a “hero” experience as current local historical offerings “just aren’t hitting the mark”.

It comes after community consultations were held in 2020 around the Mackay Region Museums Development Plan and the Mackay Arts and Culture Strategy in 2023 where respondents had their say on what they would want to see in the region while travelling.

An overwhelming 87 per cent of respondents said they liked to visit museums while travelling, but only a very small percentage said they would visit more than two sites in the one trip.

The move would mean the Mackay, Sarina, Greenmount and Pioneer Valley museums would form one museum in Mackay bringing along all their historical collections.

Both the Mackay and Sarina museums closed over the summer break and were scheduled to reopen in April amid volunteer shortages.

Though Director Community Services Janine McKay said rationalising the museums’ artifacts instead could make for a better museum experience.

Photo from Mackay Museum Facebook page Photo: Facebook

“As the team focuses efforts on the rationalisation process and planning for the regional museum, and considering recent damage from weather events and vandalism, it is just not feasible to reopen the Mackay and Sarina museums,” she said.

Mayor Greg Williamson said it had inspired the Mackay Regional Council to refine their museum collections creating an exciting opportunity for the museum to become a major tourism drawcard.

“We know that local interest and investment in our heritage offerings has waned over the years, and people are generally not attending the museums in their current state,” he said.

“That’s not a reflection on the tremendous volunteers or staff who put in an amazing effort to run these facilities; it’s a reflection that our current historical offerings just aren’t hitting the mark.

“The potential to have a facility that can host travelling exhibitions and interactive displays is very exciting.”

Respondents to the consultations also listed amenities such as cafes and gift shops as a high priority, as well as interactive, hands on displays for young people.

Although the location of the regional museum is yet to be decided on, Cr Williamson proposed heritage-listed City Centre buildings to be used as a stopgap while a location was decided.

Discussions are underway regarding the future use of the Mackay Museum building as Council also explore options for the Sarina Museum building.