The TOP 10 BEST Museums in Great Sandy Strait QLD

Around 150 years ago, Maryborough was one of Australia's largest and busiest ports. Now Portside offers beautiful open spaces, spectacular river views and a chance to soak up history against a backdrop of glorious colonial architecture.

At the Maryborough Military and Colonial Museum expect the unexpected - the unusual, the quirky and eclectic amongst 4000 items of military and colonial memorabilia, which form displays of exceptional quality. The museum provides a testament to not only those heroes who fought in distant lands to ensure our way of life and prosperity, but also those courageous and determined people who pioneered and progressed the Maryborough area for almost two centuries. The exhibits include 3 Victoria Crosses, a Cross of Valour, many other significant medals, uniforms and period costumes as well as historic vehicles and scale models of ships and planes. For the art lover there is trench art, paintings, murals, wood sculpture and relief carving. Pianists entertain visitors with everything from old wartime favourites to jazz and recent popular music. All this as well as a 2000 book library, primarily of Australian and NZ military history, are housed in a magnificent heritage listed structure built in 1879. Research facilities, including photocopying, are available for family historians. The Museum is part of Maryborough's Portside district which runs from the Brolga Theatre along the Mary River to the Marina and extends out to parts of Kent, Bazaar and March Streets in the CBD. Maryborough's once thriving wharves are long gone, but in their place is an exceptional heritage precinct called Portside - with sensational parklands, museums, restaurants, art galleries, historic pubs, steam train rides and river cruises.

A display of antique dolls & toys. Buying & Selling service.

Multi Award winning tourist attraction. Open Fri, Sat, Sun. Demos Sundays 1-3pm 19 Historical buildings. 8000 exhibits.

Childers Arts Space (CHARTS) features exhibitions from both local and visiting artists nationally, locally and internationally. The art gallery is situated upstairs alongside the Palace Memorial.

The Biggenden Historical Museum offers a unique tourist experience in the Biggenden region of Hervey Bay.

A folk museum which comprises 8 buildings in Bligh street. The rise & Shine Cottage, previously shops then a residence, displays a parlour, bedroom, general store & photographs, also documents relating to mining, forestry, dairying, town, school and family history.

Information & Heritage Centre

The Gayndah Museum operated by the Gayndah and District Historical Society Inc. is housed in what was the very first brick house built in Gayndah and our displays let you see what family life was like in rural Queensland during the second half of the 19th Century. We also have an extensive collection of photographs taken during the early days of Gayndah and they provide a chance to look at the way the township functioned and the people interacted with one another. Many of the photos in our collection depict life on the land when much of the hard work was done by men and horses. These rare fresh water fish are survivors from prehistoric times and our Lung Fish display has been recommended as the best display in Queensland. Not only do we have an interpretive display but we also have two live lung fish for you to see. The Museum also boasts a fine collection of various vintage vehicles, tractors, steam engines and other equipment ranging from rare trucks and tractors through to stationery steam engines from mills and even warships. Many are in operating condition and the Gayndah Museum holds regular steam days throughout the year.