Burrum and District Museum

Tucked away in Howard, about an hour's drive north of Hervey Bay, the Burrum and District Museum is the Fraser Coast's dedicated custodian of a fascinating and often overlooked chapter in Queensland's industrial history. Housed in the former Burrum Swimming Club Hall on Burrum Street — now known as the Burrum and District Heritage Centre — the museum unites artefacts and records from two predecessor collections, the Torbanlea Mining Museum and the Howard Museum, under the care of the Burrum and District Heritage Society Inc. The museum's primary focus is on collecting, preserving, exhibiting and interpreting items of historical and cultural value to the Burrum District. Two themes anchor the collection: the historical development of the townships and settlements of the Burrum District, and the mining history specifically linked to the Burrum Coal Fields. **Why the Burrum Coal Fields matter** When coal was found along the southern bank of the Burrum River in 1863, it set off a chain of events that would reshape the entire Fraser Coast region. Among Queensland's earliest exploited coalfields, the Burrum Coal Fields were a direct catalyst for urban expansion at Maryborough and Hervey Bay, helped push the railway line northward from Brisbane, and drove the construction of the Urangan Pier. Mining here spanned an extraordinary 130 years — from the first extraction in 1866 through to the closure of Burgowan No. 12, the district's final operating mine, in 1997. At its peak, the industry employed over 400 people and saw 94 shafts and tunnels dug across the district. The collection draws on a wealth of heritage objects and photographs that document this mining legacy. Alongside coal, the museum's displays explore the district's other industries: timber getting, citrus growing, cattle farming, fishing, oyster farming, and even the rendering of dugong oil. Visitors may also be surprised to learn that Howard was home to locally produced washing powder and the well-known Burrell's cordial. **A district with national political significance** Perhaps the most remarkable thread running through the Burrum District's story is its outsized contribution to Australian politics. The area was home to two Australian Prime Ministers — Andrew Fisher (Australia's first Labor Prime Minister, who built his house in Howard's Watkins Street in 1887, a building that still stands today) and Billy Hughes — as well as Senator Dame Annabelle Rankin. The museum contextualises these connections within the broader story of the district's important role in the union movement and national political life. The museum is open on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 9 am to 12 pm, and on the first Saturday of each month from 9 am to 12 pm. Admission is very affordable, making it an accessible stop for families, history enthusiasts, and anyone curious about the industrial and political heritage that underpins the modern Fraser Coast. The venue also provides public historical research opportunities, with documentary and photographic collections available to researchers. Whether you're passing through Howard on a road trip along the Burrum Coast or making a dedicated heritage detour, the Burrum and District Museum offers a genuinely enriching glimpse into the communities and industries that built this corner of Queensland.

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Gallery, Museum & Collection

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