Carriage dispersal
- Jamie Kronborg
- Feb 13
- 1 min read
Beechworth community: we need your help - and we need it now!
The National Trust of Australia (Victoria) and Indigo Shire Council today announced the dispersal of Beechworth's historic carriage collection, including vehicles built here. Believe this: Indigo council gave away any role in the collection's future when it signed a memorandum with the Trust in 2022.
Yet here's our council driving UNESCO World Heritage Listing for our powerful place in gold rush history but giving up an established claim on this 20-plus vehicle carriage collection that can help tell the migration story that made our community what it is today.
Please read the Trust statement with our Indigo CEO's comments that the council has 'explored every option'. Yet neither Trust nor council has asked our community about this dispersal. Gold rush miner, coach-line founder and Beechworth civic leader Hiram Crawford (in Beechworth 1853-1916) would be appalled.
If you want the carriages to stay in Beechworth, please tell the Trust and the council, and tell them now:
Collette Brennan, National Trust CEO
Call 03 9656 9800
Trevor Ierino, Indigo CEO
Call 03 5728 8000
Sophie Price, Indigo Mayor
Call 0400 651 848
Help our community take the reins! We need your practical ideas and can-do to keep these carriages here:
Call / text 0409 912 967
Thank you.
Comments