Welcome to the Bowen Museum

The Bowen Historical Museum was established on August 16, 1963 and a well-known museum with displays of indigenous, pioneer and local history. Bowen was the first township settled north of Rockhampton in 1861.

Moss Vale Cottage, which was built on Moss Vale Station in 1872, was relocated to the museum grounds in 1972. The cottage features displays of old furniture, some created from kerosene boxes and tins (showcasing the inventiveness of our pioneers), tools, laundry, saddlery, cooking and butter making equipment. The exterior and internal walls of the cottage are of slab construction and the building has been kept as authentic as possible.

Every newspaper printed in Bowen since 1864 is available in digital form and visitors are able to request information on their descendants, as well as valuable local history. We also feature a collection of early printing presses, typesetters and other machinery that were used to create these early publications.

Our local war heroes from both World Wars and the conflicts in Korea and Vietnam are honoured by a comprehensive display and visitors to the museum are free to browse the many albums of service records of local soldiers and airmen.

Displays of Bowen's industries such as farming, meatworks, saltworks and copper refinery are also featured as well as the history of our Port and railway.

Other displays include education, religion, essential services and local government. A vast collection of local history captured in photographs and documents (such as immigration records) is available for research purposes.