Mingenew Museum all patched up after ‘distressing’ few months after cyclone damage

After a “distressing” five months protecting historical artefacts and heirlooms from water damage, a town in the Mid West is celebrating the restoration of its treasured museum damaged by cyclone Seroja. Mingenew was one of several farming towns severely affected by the cyclone, with residents’ homes, sheds and machinery damaged and strewn across paddocks and roads. Among the trail of destruction was the roof of the Mingenew Museum, which was ripped off, leaving a gaping hole in its place and exposing the items inside to the elements. As of late August, it finally has a new roof over its head. It has come as a relief to passionate caretaker and curator Jill Ward, who together with two other local ladies, had to race to the historic building every time it rained following the April cyclone while they waited for the roof to be fixed. “There were several attempts at tarping over many months, but they weren’t substantial enough to keep the rain out,” she said. “So one of the corners in this room was virtually leaking rain non-stop and we were managing that ourselves.” Finally, they can trust the historic 1894 building — which was formally the local school — to keep the rain out. “It was a long wait to get fix-ups — everybody had damage,” Mrs Ward said. “No particular items were damaged, it was more to do with the jarrah floor and the wall. “It was just hard because you never knew when the end was going to be in sight. “Because of the shortage of tradies and materials, no one could really say when we were going to feel secure again.” There has been a silver lining to the ordeal, with not only the roof getting fixed, but the walls being repainted, which Mrs Ward called a “bonus” which gave them the opportunity to rearrange the displays as the museum entered its next chapter. “It turned out to be a great result for us,” she said. Inundated with tourist during wildflower season, the museum is a popular stop on many travellers’ WA roadtrips, with the past two seasons booming as WA residents explore their own state during the pandemic. Last year, there were 500 people through the museum’s doors. “It was great that we could offer them a look at the museum,” Mrs Ward said. While the Mid West farming town is now winding down tourism-wise as local farmers and their families focus on harvest, Mrs Ward said she was more than happy to open the museum’s doors to people passing through. Anyone wishing to see the museum can contact the shire at (08) 9928 1102.