Beloved museum artefacts receive crucial funding to help with relocations

The Eden Killer Whale Museum and Merimbula Old School Museum have both received a boost, with funding acquired to help preserve and relocate their treasured artefacts.

Each were among the successful recipients of recent grants from the Maritime Museums of Australia's Project Support Scheme, and have already begun plans to put the money to good use.

The Eden Killer Whale Museum, which houses the skeleton of the famed orca, obtained $15,000 to go towards the arduous task of dismantling, preserving and relocating Old Tom.

Meanwhile, the Merimbula Old School Museum will be able to transport the David Brown oyster punt -- currently deteriorating out in the elements - to the museum to be put on display.

Eden Killer Whale Museum's collection manager and curator, Angela George said Old Tom would also receive some preservation measures during the process.

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"We decided that is would be the most time and cost effective to have the restoration, conservation and relocation all in the one," Ms George said.

The last conservation work done on Old Tom was in 1978. In 2019 a conservation needs assessment was taken out on Old Tom's skeleton, identifying some issues that needed attention.

"Tom is at that point where he is now probably into his third or fourth generation, and he's only had one conservation treatment.

"It's time action was taken to ensure that the next generation gets to enjoy his amazing story."

Ms George has said the money obtained won't fully meet the costs of the project, but would help to cover a large portion of it.

"The museum will need to contribute a significant amount as well, not quite half but definitely a substantial amount."

One Conservation, a company based in Sydney, is set to take on the project, which is expected to take some time to complete.

Nevertheless, the task was one Ms George said was crucial to the museum, to preserve such a major part of Eden's whaling history.

"He's our centrepiece, he's our star of the show."

Work is scheduled for next year, with the aim to have Old Tom fully relocated by June.

The addition of the David Brown punt to the The Merimbula Old School Museum will help to bring a new persona for the beloved museum, according to president Don Bretherton.

"We are changing the personality of the museum to be very much an emphasis on oystering, which ties with the Merimbula Visitor Information Centre's oyster trail.

"As part of that we're putting in a second oyster punt, we already have the Gus Cole oyster punt which was built in the early 1900s," he said.

The David Brown punt is thought to have been built in the 1960s, and it's believed to have originally been built as a salmon punt.

Currently kept near the car wash in Pambula, the museum will be able to transport the punt thanks to almost $10,000 gained in funding.

"We'll build a cradle to support it and bring it on site and put it on display. And we'll have the two punts here displayed virtually side by side for comparison."

While degraded, the punt's condition won't be changed with the funds acquired by the museum - prioritising keeping the upcoming display realistic.

"We like to present things as they are as much as possible, rather than trying to restore them to new condition." Mr Bretherton said.

The punt will be on show with a launch planned in March next year, along with a range of newly collected oyster paraphernalia, including over 300 donated antique oyster plates.

Mr Bretherton has put out an appeal to the community, for anyone that might have any oyster related items, images or stories to get in touch with the museum.

He can be reached on 0403026121.

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