Vintage petrol pumps displayed in new Bathurst Museum exhibition
A GROUP of about 50 avid supporters of the Bathurst Agricultural Museum were transported back in time this week with the opening of the old garage and petrol station room at the showgrounds.
The garage doors leading to the display were kept firmly closed as the visitors arrived, eager to see what the new display would look like. However, there was no respite for the inquisitiveness while museum and showground chair Alan Pike delivered his opening speech, explaining how the project came about.
It all started way back in 1968 when Pike went to work in Swaziland (now called Eswatini) and met Olga Kaplan. They made contact on Facebook again after 50 years.
Since then, she has become a life member of the museum and donated a considerable amount of money for improvements and collections, Pike said. She was also instrumental in finding parts of the pumps that now form the centrepiece of the display. After the unveiling of the sign which aptly advertises the display as Olga’s Garage and Petrol Station, at last, the moment arrived. The garage doors were rolled up and there, in pure Walt Disney magic, the two petrol pumps were revealed in the sparkling, rich yellow and red colours of vintage Shell petrol pumps, circa the 1940s and ‘50s.
The pumps are the stars of the display but backed by a cast of tools, instruments or other paraphernalia you would typically find at petrol stations of the era.
In his opening, Pike also welcomed some special members. “I do need to make a few special welcomes today. It is great to see Cecil Jones-Phillipson, a life member, previous chair, and Mike Legg, life member and good driver. Mike and I did many trips in his truck to collect donated items.”
The museum does not receive any grants. The rate of growth and success depends on the generosity of supporters.
“We need to complete the new pineapple shed,” Pike said. “We also want to build a dairy and a settler cottage, where we hope to offer accommodation in true settler style.”