Galleries, Museums and Collections

Hillgrove, initially known as Eleanora Township, was established in 1884 and grew rapidly during the 1880s and 1890s due to expanded mining activities after rail transport from Sydney to Armidale enabled heavy machinery to be brought to the district. At its peak in about 1898, the population numbered around 3,000 and Hillgrove boasted six hotels, four churches, two schools, several banks, a School of Arts, a hospital, a stock exchange, a courthouse, a police station and a cordial factory.

By the 1920s, most of the village’s buildings were being dismantled and relocated to Armidale and other centres. The result is a fascinating “town” with lots of signs indicating where buildings once stood and lots of empty blocks of land with scattered, rusting relics that hint at a more prosperous time.

The Hillgrove Museum is situated in the old Hillgrove School (1897) on Scouler Street and it contains a collection of photographs and memorabilia designed to give the visitor a unique insight into everyday life in old Hillgrove.