Our History

The district around Culcairn was originally settled by Europeans in 1834 having been the traditional home and hunting ground for the Wiradjuri Indigenous people up until that point.

The township of Culcairn was established in 1880 and became the hub for the railway system with rail lines through to Wagga Wagga, Albury, Holbrook and also to Corowa. The original Station Master’s residence, built in 1882, is now a museum featuring the regions rich history. The construction of the Sydney to Melbourne railway saw the town grow significantly.

For its size, Culcairn has a large number of substantial heritage buildings including the Culcairn Hotel, Memorial Hall, Court House, Railway Station and Station Master’s Residence.

One of the major landmarks of the town is the Culcairn Hotel. Built in 1891, the original building was extended in 1910 with the addition of an accommodation wing of over 70 rooms, stables, a coach house and extensive gardens. Patrons of the hotel could drive their coach or horse to Culcairn, stable it and catch the train to Sydney or Melbourne. The hotel boasted the town’s first power supply in 1909.

Culcairn Station House

The Culcairn Museum Committee was formed at a public meeting in July, 1987.  The Committee planned to restore the derelict c1893 Station Master's Residence to its original condition and furnish the house to reflect the period in which it was built.

Restoration of the Station House

Whilst the Station House was structurally sound, it had been vandalised and was in a state of disrepair. Its surrounds were overgrown and of poor appearance. The Committee was granted a 99 year lease of the property and funds were raised to enable urgent maintenance to be carried out.

For more information on the Station House Museum, download the pamphlet here(PDF, 2MB). 

Open Saturdays 10.00am to 4.00pm and other days by appointment. Bus trips, groups, schools, organisations are most welcome. Admission into the Museum is a donation.

For information and bookings contact:

Bruce Barkley T: 02 6029 7568,

Glenise Miller T: 02 6029 8655.