October 9, 2015
Just about everyone in Yarraman would have known something special was happening at Heritage House on Thursday morning.
When the air raid siren mounted near the roof of the building sounds, people tend to stop in their tracks.
But on Thursday, the wailing was the cue for Member for Nanango Deb Frecklington and World War II veteran Paul Tunn to cut the ribbon and officially open the Yarraman Historical Society’s expanded war museum.
Society president Helene Johnson said there had been a war museum on the ground floor of the building for some time, however it had recently expanded enormously after the Burnett War Museum’s collection was transferred from Kingaroy.
The Burnett War Museum, located at Kingaroy Airport, was closed to the public in August last year.
Former Federal Veteran Affairs Minister Bruce Scott had been scheduled to open the museum however Mrs Frecklington stepped in after Mr Scott became ill this week.
Mrs Frecklington said the collection of 30 rifles that had been transferred to Heritage House now made it one of the best war museums in regional Queensland.
Mrs Johnson said she wanted to thank the museum volunteers who had done a fantastic job with the collection.
“I would also like to thank Russell Cook from the Burnett War Museum (who arranged the transfer) and the RSL who gave us the money to help with some of the costs, for example the gun licensing … there was a fantastic amount to pay.”
Also thanked for their help were the Officer-in-Charge of Yarraman Police Station, Sergeant Sean Relf, and volunteer Neville Brand.
Yarraman resident Paul Tunn, who was presented recently with the French Legion of Honour Medal for his World War II service with the RAF in the skies over France, helped Mrs Frecklington with the ribbon cutting.
Mr Tunn’s original Air Force uniform is on display inside the museum.
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Very good. Yarraman and the people involved should be extremely pleased with this development. Congratulations.