Story telling is a way of life in the bush. We are closely connected to our history and proud of our past. From tales of the Shearing industry at the iconic Shear Outback - Australian Shearers Hall of Fame to the moving stories of Prisoners of War at Dunera Museum, our museums are a must-do experience while in Hay.
Explore the local museums
Hay Gaol Museum
Church St Hay NSW 2711
From Open 7 days per week from 9am - 5pm
Built in 1878 and a community museum since 1976 the Hay Gaol has stood sentinel over the town as it transformed from Gaol to maternity hospital to institute for girls and now a museum. The museum houses an intriguing collection of artefacts from antique windmills to Australia’s oldest known bark canoe.
Shear Outback
Cnr Sturt and Cobb Hwy Hay NSW 2711
From Open 7 days per week
The Australian Shearers Hall of FameVisitors can experience the living and working conditions of the hardworking men and women who shaped the industry and learn about our shearing history and future technologies in the museum.You can explore the roundup maze and homestead garden before heading to the historic Murray Downs Shed; meet the Shearer and…
Bishop’s Lodge Historic House
Roset St Hay NSW 2711
From Monday to Friday 10.00am - 4.00pm. Saturday 9.00am to 12pm
Bishop’s Lodge is an extraordinary 1888 iron house, designed by architect John Sulman with the first Anglican Bishop of Riverina, Sydney Linton. Their aim was to create a comfortable home to withstand Hay’s summer heat and difficult soils. Even today the technology evident in this design is significant. The Bishop’s Lodge is surrounded by a…
Hay War Memorial High School Museum
Hay War Memorial High School Museum, 216 Pine Street, Hay NSW 2711, Australia
The people of Hay built a school as the war memorial for Hay to commemorate those who served in World War I. The museum tells both the stories of Hay and district war service from the Boer War to the present and the history of the school. The school was opened on ANZAC Day in1923…
Dunera Museum
Railway Station Murray St Hay NSW 2711
From Open 7 days per week from 10am - 4pm
Explores one of the most fascinating stories in Australian history – a story that stretches from WW2 to modern-day Australia. From the capitals of Europe to the vast flatness of the Hay Plains.Over 6,000 German, Italian and Japanese civilian Internees and Prisoners of War (POW) were kept in three Prison Camps at Hay between 1940…