Campaspe Run volunteer Jeannie Ramsay has been greeting visitors for about a year, with the centre looking for extra support. Photos: Jordan Townrow.
Entirely operated by a volunteer team, Campaspe Run Rural Discovery Centre is a treasure trove of the local area’s history.
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Open seven days a week from 9.30am to 4pm, the centre has a museum and shop, covering the early days of Elmore right up to now.
Formally named the H.V. McKay Rural Discovery Centre, many of the displays pay homage to Hugh Victor McKay, the inventor of the combine harvester, named the Sunshine harvester.
An original Sunshine harvester is among the museum’s collection, along with insights into Elmore-born H.V. McKay’s life and how the region would have looked at the time.
There is a focus on the life and contributions of Elmore-born industrialist H.V. McKay.
Photo by
JORDAN TOWNROW
Visitors to the centre are often tourists, stopping in for a break and discovering Elmore’s history in the process.
Volunteers, like Jeannie Ramsay, invite people to explore the precinct and can provide them with travel advice.
“We enjoy welcoming people, especially the kids, they spend a lot of time through there,” Mrs Ramsay said.
“The tourist information side of things is also something we cover — recommending places to visit, places to camp, both nearby and some people are travelling through to Echuca so we have a bit of input there.”
A display from past Elmore Field Days ‘Ag Art Wear’ competitions.
Photo by
JORDAN TOWNROW
Visitors come from all over, using Elmore as a good spot to get out of the car, have a stretch and grab a bite to eat.
“We get a fair proportion of (Melburnians), but we also get a lot of people travelling across the state,” Mrs Ramsay said.
“Elmore is a lovely place to break a journey.
“They can stop here, they can do what they need to do, they can use the park, spend some time in the centre, go to the bakery.
“It’s a great little stopping place.”
The exhibits are immersive, giving visitors a visual insight into the past.
Photo by
JORDAN TOWNROW
The new bathrooms at Elmore have proven beneficial to the Campaspe Run’s visitor numbers, helping to encourage more stops.
Mrs Ramsay said during the building process, the centre was a lot quieter.
“It really did affect us negatively while they were closed,” she said.
“So it’s a lovely thing to have them open again.”
The volunteer role at Campaspe Run involves greeting visitors, keeping the centre tidy and getting displays set up for the day.
Interactive displays cater for younger audiences, like students on school excursions.
Photo by
JORDAN TOWNROW
While the centre is open from 9.30am to 4pm, prospective volunteers are encouraged to jump in where they can.
“We are flexible,” Mrs Ramsay said.
“It may be a case of a day is shared between a couple of volunteers if need be.
“We don’t need somebody to commit to a full day if they feel they can’t.”
Mrs Ramsay began volunteering at Campaspe Run about a year ago as a way of contributing to her new town.
“We just moved to Elmore 18 months ago,” she said.
“It’s a fabulous little community and it’s nice to be able to give something back.”
To learn more about volunteering or to express interest, phone 5432 6142 or email campasperun@gmail.com
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