Gunnedah residents can reminisce about the days of the iconic Greek Busy Bee Cafe at the rural museum's open day on March 1.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
Booth seats, a table and crockery from the bygone Greek cafe are on display at the museum, which is a treasure trove of Australia's agricultural and local history.
Read also:
Although early history is sketchy, it is believed the cafe was built in 1914 as part of the Doolan buildings, with the tea-rooms accessible via an archway through the shop next door, leading to the Grand Central Hotel.
Lambros Zantiotis bought the Busy Bee in the early 1930s and was joined by his son Peter on March 15, 1936, from the Greek island of Kythera in the Ionian Sea. He had come out to Australia on his own as a 12-year-old, with his mother Anastasia and sisters joining the family after the war.
As Gunnedah emerged from the Great Depression, Lambros Zantiotis hired cafe interior designer, Stephen Varvaressos, to install the cafe's glamorous art-deco fittings, which remained virtually unchanged.
There was a sense of loss and nostalgia when owner Loula Zantiotis folded up her apron for the last time and handed the cafe over to tenants in October 2007. It is now the home of Kez's Cafe.
Tractors, vintage cars, steam engines, farm machinery, war memorabilia, firearms collection, and a miniature railway and village are just some of the other delights awaiting locals in the huge metal sheds on the Oxley Highway.
There are plenty of artefacts from locals, including an extensive naval memorabilia and a Coca Cola collection owned by Kerry Bee, Arnotts collection donated by the Barnes family, and the furnishings of Ron Grosser's farm house on Fassifern at Milroy.
A favourite for families is the remnants of Don McDonagh's renowned railway, which he donated to the museum in 2015 and was officially opened as a new exhibit in late 2017.
Mr McDonagh originally constructed the railway at the suggestion of his wife during Australia's bicentennial celebrations in 1988. Later, the model grew to include two linked scale model towns with a range of houses and stores.
The miniature railway was a popular visiting point for locals and tourists from all over Australia, the USA and the UK before it was damaged by fire in 2014.
It was brought back to life by museum members and the exhibit features two trains, a bridge, a river, a station and a village.
Not to be forgotten is the well-stocked arts and craft shop at the museum, which boasts local and handmade products including preserves, woodwork, manchester, cards, jewellery and knitted and crocheted items.
The open day on March 1 will start at 9am and wrap up at 3pm. Sandwiches, sweets and beverages will be available for purchase from the museum kitchen on the day.
Entry for the museum at 53 Oxley Highway is a gold coin donation.
