There are many historical parks across Australia that illustrate the life of ordinary and not so ordinary people in the past. This Pioneer Village, although modest in size, remains one of the best that I have come across. It is well worth a visit.

We spent a couple of hours wandering around this village. There was lots to see and in the end our eyes were beginning to glaze over.

The village consists of a series of buildings built from the middle 1800s to the middle 1900s. These buildings were located and then transported from the local area. The collection includes the largest and most complex slab huts that I have seen. These are grouped with lap and cap, weather board and also corrugated iron, the country fall back.

The church was typical of Methodist chapels of the time and brought back memories for both Narelle and I. The school gave a very good feel for education of the time, complete with anecdotes of the lives of teachers. The setup was very reminiscent of Little House on the Prairie.

A blacksmiths and boot maker’s shop demonstrated some of the trades of the time. There is a good selection of farm and mining machinery that tell something of the history of the area.

There was an air of items being placed with little thought or care and greater attention to providing information about the items on exhibit would improve the experience.

The location itself is very inviting with lush green grass around a lake in the centre. However, a lack of picnic tables and similar amenities sent us somewhere else to enjoy our lunch.

Over all there is a lot to see and this is a good place to understand the growth and change of life over a long period of time in the area. It is well worth a visit and worth the entrance fee of $12 per adult and $5 per child. Dual tickets with the transport museum offer a cheaper way to enter.