Recalling the era of steam trains at the Goulburn Waterworks

Called The Museum of Historic Engines, 1957 to 1975 – the permanent exhibition has been installed the Hick Hargreaves engine room.

Goulburn Mulwaree museums officer Julie Salway said the exhibition recalled the days when the steam trains ran and former Goulburn man Bruce Macdonald was the curator.

“He came here in 1957 to work on the 1883 Appleby Beam Engine and remained until 1975, opening the Marsden Museum of Historic Engines here on April 4, 1970,” Ms Salway said.

“It was mainly due to Bruce’s dedication and skill, and the support from a few enlightened council staff, that the Appleby Beam Engine was not lost to the city forever. They rejected a bid of 400 pounds for it at one stage.

“In 1956, Bruce obtained permission from the Goulburn City Council for the Appleby Steam Engine’s restoration at his own cost.”

In the early 1960s, he approached the council with a proposal to e extend the museum and act as the curator. 

They agreed, employing him in 1969. They also agreed to finance the expansion of the museum and lay a railway track. Over the next two decades the museum expanded, acquiring additional steam train engines, a steam roller and a traction engine.

In the early 1970s, the museum attracted over 120,000 visitors. 

In 1972, the construction of an historic park similar in style to Sovereign Hill in Ballarat was proposed. The plans for the ‘Goulburn Historic Park’ included extending the museum to include a roundhouse, coach building, a colonial-style shopping strip, steam-powered saw mill, paddle steamer on the river and restaurants.

There was also a plan to run a narrow-gauge railway line from Marsden Weir along the Wollondilly to Riversdale. The council sought $370,000 in funding from various sources at the time to complete the project, but it never eventuated. 

The Steam Museum fell on hard times and was closed by the council in January, 1975 amid a major outcry from citizens. 

The community rallied (bolstered by the Goulburn Evening Post) and following a public meeting in March, the council again pledged their support for it and on April 20 it reopened. Mr Macdonald retired in 1977. he is now aged 90 and living in Canberra.

There were four steam engines pulling the carriages at the time, named Jack, Archie, Dulce and Robin. 

In recent years the council and volunteers have put a lot of work into the museum, clearing the riverbanks beautifying it and holding the annual Steampunk event. 

Mr Macdonald is bringing out a new book abotu steam engines soon and will be at the next steaming event at the Goulburn Waterworks.

In 2015, he was awarded an OAM for his decades of work at the museum.