General News
18 October, 2023
A quarter century of quirky goods
Wheatlands Warehouse proudly stands on the corner of Scott and Tarrant Streets, and has now been the must-see for lovers of all things vintage and unique for 25 years. Part of the Warracknabeal Historical Society Group - which includes the...
Wheatlands Warehouse proudly stands on the corner of Scott and Tarrant Streets, and has now been the must-see for lovers of all things vintage and unique for 25 years.
Part of the Warracknabeal Historical Society Group - which includes the Historical Centre in Scott Street and Wheatlands Agricultural Museum on the Henty Highway - Wheatlands Warehouse was brought to life by Robin McCullogh in 1998.
The sole purpose of the Warehouse was to sell secondhand goods owned by the Historical Society to help support the Museum.
Wheatlands Museum Committee chair Geoff Lovel said despite facing opposition at its inception, the Warehouse continues to support the Museum today and has grown to include a staff of 25 volunteers, including founding volunteers Elaine Liersch and Lyn Bolwell.
“We’re a happy crew,” Mr Lovel said.
“The income we make helps the museum, which in turn helps it to put money back into the community.”
Welcoming visitors from across the world, including Ireland, Canada, London, New York and Zimbabwe, the Warehouse sells goods on commission, retaining a percentage, and has seen a spike in visitor numbers due to the success of the Silo Art Trail.
With a current vendor list of 2000, sellers from as far as Maffra, Warrnambool and Gippsland, as well as all across the Wimmera Mallee, contribute to the range of goods available at the Warehouse.
“The Warehouse is a great icon for Warracknabeal and is helping people to recycle their goods rather than taking them to the tip,” Mr Lovel said.
Mr Lovel said the Warehouse has seen some changes over the years, including creating more orderly displays and now boasts a collection of over 25,000 books.
But he said the volunteer base is ageing and hopes to see more community members willing to offer their time to this local icon.
“Most of our volunteers are 80-plus,” he said.
“We’d love to see some new people come on board.”
If you would like to volunteer at Wheatlands Warehouse, pop in and speak to any of the volunteers.
Visitors to the Warehouse this week can indulge in celebratory fruit cake.