Sports Museum a focal point

Perry Cronin with just a small portion of the Allora Sports Museum''s extensive collection.

The Allora Sports Museum will be one of the main focal points of the upcoming Allora 150th anniversary celebrations in July.

The weekend of Saturday 20 and Sunday 21 July will feature a packed program of events in the ‘Best Little Town on the Downs’ as it commemorates 150 years of local government.

The Allora Sports Museum was established just over two decades ago in the former shire chambers on Herbert Street and in its own words “exhibits, preserves, promotes & recognizes sporting achievers, achievements and memorabilia relating to the Allora region”.

A time capsule buried outside the Museum in 1969 was dug up in late April of this year – 50 years early and with the kind cooperation of the Southern Downs Regional Council – and the variety of items inside recovered.

These will be placed on display inside the Museum after being cleaned up by experts at the Queensland Museum in Brisbane, with some of the items affected by moisture.

The material includes audio tapes with unknown recordings and it is hoped the Queensland Museum can convert these to digital.

A new time capsule will be buried in the same spot at 9.45am on Saturday 21 July and curator Perry Cronin is encouraging all Allora organisations and community members to contribute material, in particular DVD’s, photos and videos featuring younger members of the community.

Another highlight of the ‘Come Home To Allora’ 150 year celebrations will be the naming of Allora’s first ‘Sporting Immortal’ at 1pm on Saturday 20 July at the Commercial Hotel.

Around 50 nominations for the honour have already been put forward and a panel of three independent judges from outside the Allora area will decide the winner.

The Allora Sports Museum will be open on both Saturday 20 and Sunday 21 July between 9am and 3pm, with a gold coin entry for adults and children free.

The Museum is also open every Sunday from12.30pm to 4pm or by appointment.

Enquiries to Perry Cronin on 0407 034 320.

FOR MORE ON THE ALLORA 150TH CELEBRATIONS SEE THIS WEEK’S PRINT EDITION OF THE SOUTHERN FREE TIMES…