Newcastle has lost a direct connection to its rich seafaring past with the demise of the city’s maritime museum, former long-time president Peter Morris says.
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But current head Ian Jones said low visitor numbers and an ageing volunteer base meant the museum’s current administration had no option but to close its doors.
The museum’s remaining members voted this week to voluntarily wind up the operations and close the museum, which was established 1972.
Newcastle Regional Museum will take over the collection, which has been located at Honeysuckle for the past decade.
Mr Jones declined to say how much debt the organisation was in, but he acknowledged it owed money for rent, utilities and tax.
“It’s not that much; it’s not like we owe hundreds of thousands of dollars,” Mr Jones said.
“We are hoping Newcastle City Council and the Hunter Development Corporation will assist us to cover the debts.”
Mr Jones, who has been president since 2014, said the inability to rotate the museum’s significant collection meant the organisation had struggled to attract new and younger visitors.
“It’s hard to get people in there,” he said. It’s been the same collection on display for the last 10 years. It has never been rotated. It’s also not very kid friendly.”
“Hopefully under the direction of the Newcastle Museum it will be laid out properly.”
Mr Morris, who was president from 2000 until he was forced to take medical leave in late 2014,oversaw the relocation of the museum from Fort Scratchley to a newly restored building in Honeysuckle in 2007.
He said was extremely disappointed about the organisation’s demise since his departure.
“The current situation is a reflection of the management that has been in place for the past 3.5 years,” he said.
“When I finished there 2014 we had $60,000 in the bank and were managing.”
The museum’s membership now stands at about 20 compared to between 60-70 five years ago.
Mr Morris was also critical of the recent sale of the model replica of the troop and passenger ship S.S. Orontes to the National Maritime Museum for $90,000.
The model, which P&O Liners donated to the museum in 1976, was sold on the basis that it was not relevant to the Port of Newcastle.
“There are a lot of people who would dispute that [the model was not relevant to Newcastle]. It was also estimated to be worth about $250,000.”
Mr Jones said all aspects of the museum’s operation had been in accordance with its constitution since Mr Morris’s departure.
