THE collection at Memorabilia Cottage is safe for now as Mayor Paul Braybrooks confirms there are no immediate plans to sell off the items painstakingly collected by one local resident and sold to Cootamundra Shire Council in December 2007 for close to $30,000.
Memorabilia Cottage is part of the Bradman’s Birthplace complex and contains a vast array of historically relevant items pertaining to life during Australia’s past.
For those residents who have not taken a look, it is well worth a visit.
While it has been stated the collection will remain for now, Council’s Corporate Services Committee has recognised a number of issues at the cottage, including the appearance of mice and the fact the large number of items in the collection means it is an arduous task to keep displays looking neat.
“Because these items are behind locked screens they are relatively inaccessible and have become dust gatherers and the amount and array of items makes it virtually impossible to clean them,” the Corporate Services Committee said.
The committee has floated the idea of cutting back the collection, saying that may of the items have no relationship to Bradman, cricket or Cootamundra.
An authorised collectables dealer will be appointed to investigate the rationalisation of the collection, however Cr Braybrooks is quick to say that no decision has been made on the future of the items in Memorabilia Cottage.
Cr Braybrooks said Council will consult with relevant bodies including the Cootamundra Local History Society Inc and the previous owners of the collection, Jenny and Peter Cash.
Mrs Cash said under no circumstances does she want to see the collection cut back.
She said to dismantle it would be to “deprive a lot of people with a lot of pleasure” gained from visiting the Cottage.
She said rather than considering rationalising the collection, Council should be encouraging community members and visitors alike to check out the Cottage and all that it contains.
The collection originally formed a museum in Batlow, set up by Mr and Mrs Cash, who collected the thousands of pieces over about 50 years.
Mrs Cash said the collection was never meant to mirror Cootamundra’s history, that is what the Heritage Centre is for, however Memorabilia Cottage does provide a terrific insight into daily life in the past.
Over the years it has been used by many schools as an educational experience, with Mr and Mrs Cash always lending their time and support when called upon by the schools.
Local retired school teacher Diane Grocott often took students to view the collection when she was teaching.
Mrs Grocott said the collection was a valuable resource when it matched with the school’s curriculum.
She said students responded extremely well to seeing the physical objects people in early Australia may have used.
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