by Juanita Kwok
McCrossins Mill Museum is located in Uralla, the closest town to the historic Rocky River goldfield. The Museum is housed in a three storey flour mill, built in 1870 for John McCrossin, son of Sam McCrossin, one of the earliest settlers on Anaiwan land. The flour mill was purchased by members of the Uralla Historical Society in 1979, painstakingly restored as a museum, gallery and function centre and opened to the public in 1982.
McCrossin’s Mill Museum has a collection of Chinese artefacts recognised as being of national significance. Michael van Leeuwen first curated an exhibition titled “New Gold Mountain – Chinese at Rocky River” in 1982. Chinese artefacts from the Tingha joss house were purchased by the Society in 1983. The display was revamped in 2000 by Kent Mayo and Anne Hacker, and there has been ongoing commitment to collection, preservation, display and interpretation. In 2018, the Society published a booklet written by Dr Michael Williams which contextualises the New Gold Mountain exhibit.
The Museum is open 7 days a week 10am to 5pm. For more information visit https://uhs.org.au/
