Grenfell's Colourful History

The Grenfell Museum has a fascinating collection of stories, images and objects relating to its citizens, buildings, and famous events.

above the shaft

Above the Shaft explores the birth of Grenfell and the first thirty years of its existence. It looks at the lives of the miners as well as the women that followed their men to the gold field. Grenfell was a very multicultural town in the early days and different cultures are also explored.

Henry Lawson

Henry Lawson is Australia’s best-known poet and
writer and was born on the Grenfell gold field on 17 June 1867. Although he did not grow up in Grenfell
the town claims him as their own and the Henry Lawson Festival of the Arts is celebrated every June Long Weekend.

Ben Hall and Bushranging

Before the discovery of gold in 1866 the Grenfell area was well known as a haunt for bushrangers, in
particular Ben Hall. Hall had a farm near the Weddin
Mountains and is reputed to have hidden gold in the caves. Most of the men involved in the famous Escort Rock robbery, until this day still the largest gold
robbery in Australia, were from the Weddin Mountain area.

A Proud History of
Service and Sacrifice

Witness the impressive display of soldier’s uniforms and kit from some of Weddin’s young men and
women who served Australia in many conflicts.
Souvenired artefacts from the enemy, trench-made personal items and other fascinating articles once
belonging to some of the many personnel whose
portraits are commemorated.

Sporting Greatness

Jan Lehane was born in Grenfell in 1941 and won her first tennis title at the age of 12. She went on to win 30 State Junior Titles, 2 Australian Junior Championships and 3 Australian Hardcourt Titles. Jan Lehane was ranked No. 1 in Australia in 1960.