The exhibition was opened by David Ainsworth, a descendant of the pioneering Ainsworth family. Also attended was Mayor Rhonda Hoban and Nambucca Heads Lions Club supported the event, providing guests a sausage sizzle lunch.

The idea for the exhibition was born when museum curator Carrolline Rhodes became aware of the vast photos that are in the museum’s collection featuring the Nambucca Valley’s timber industry, dairy industry and the settler’s hardships and way of life photographic history.

Fifty-six photographs were restored and digitised for the exhibition and the final event took place with great interest and success.

The exhibition will continue throughout the school holidays, open Saturdays, Sundays and Wednesdays from 2pm to 4pm.

The three strands of historical photos exhibited include ‘The Sawyers’, which embodies the cedar getters and the developing timber industry; ‘The Settlers’, which includes the dairy industry such as butter, cream, farming and related factories; and ‘The Gumbaynggirr Jagun people’, with photos from Stuart Island. 

The cedar getters, Sawyer’s, and the timber industry along the Nambucca River, with the inland dairy and farming industry were the way of life for the pioneer families of the Nambucca Valley between 1840 – when the gedar getters started and the later development of the river and  surrounding towns – and the late 1900s modernising of local society.

The exhibition also acknowledges the land owners, the Gumbaynggirr Jagun (homeland) people, who were represented in the aboriginal Stuart Island photos, from the original Missionary Walter Sims aboriginal photographic collection of the 1930s.

The 17 Stuart Island photographic collection is part of the 1930’s collection made by using old three inch by three inch glass plates.

The photos were donated to the museum by Marcus Sims (of Valla), the son of a local Missionary ‘Walter Sims and his wife Christina Sims. Marcus Sims a Photo framer, eventually collected his father’s collection and created a 37 photo collection, which were displayed in Coffs Harbour Art Gallary called ‘Called by God’ during 2004.

The Nambucca Headland Museum’s committee and members thank all who attended the photographic exhibition.

Museum members are reminded an extraordinary general meeting will be held on Tuesday, December 18 at 1.30pm.

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