The Great Lakes Museum is run by volunteer members of The Great Lakes Historical Society. The Historical Society started in 1976 and the museum has been opened to the public since 1987. It contains historical buildings such as the first National Bank building, the first Tuncurry School built in 1886, the Tuncurry police lock-up cell used from 1949-1959, 1960s fishing boat, a 1940s pioneer cottage which has been restored and contained many photos of the pioneer families as well as many artefacts relating to the Great Lakes district. There is a Machinery Shed housing a mock-up blacksmith's forge, with blacksmiths tools. There are tools used in the timber industry such as cross-cut saws, bow saws, circular bench saw blades. Machinery includes a Chaff Cutter, Cream Separator, Corn Sheller, Pipe Vice, Hand-operated Drill Press. There is a display on oyster growing, whale bones, and items collected by the local fishermen. There is a large photographic collection of 3000 black and white photos taken by a local photographer. He attended many wedding, parties, sporting events and activities in the district from the 1920s to the 1980s.There are 2 modern paintings by artists from the Tobwabba Aboriginal Artists Group.There are many ship models displayed in the main museum buildings. These include a model of the car ferry used on Wallis Lake, a model of a log punt "The Wallis Lake", a model of a drogher "The Victory", a model of "The Eldorado II' a fishing boat which was built in the 1940s, a model of the tow boats which were built by the Wright Shipyards in Tuncurry for the USA army during World War 2. There is a research library housing a large amount of information on the pioneer families, as well as information on the local history, including information on many of the buildings, churches, sporting groups and local community groups. *LOCAL HISTORY BOOKS AVAILABLE AT THE MUSEUM, CAPEL STREET, TUNCURRY, NSW* The museum has published 2 books - "The History of Forster" Cost $30 and "The History of Tuncurry" Cost $25 both are available at the museum. each plus $7.00 postage (NSW). Please send orders to The Secretary, Great Lakes Museum, PO Box 23, Tuncurry, NSW. 2428 or G.L.Museum@ceinternet.com.au "The History of Tuncurry" is also on-line at(http://greatlakeshistorical.museum.com/welcome.html) while The History of Forster is in the process of going on-line. The book "The History of Forster" tells the story of the original Aboriginal people, Captain Cook, the first European settlers, the rise and fall of shipbuilding, shipwrecks, personalities, families and the area's growth into one of Australia's pre-eminent holiday destinations. The book also tells the history of other local towns such as Tiona, Pacific Palms, Smith's Lake, Coomba and Bungwahl. The book "The History of Forster" is now reprinted and is available.(Aug 2005) Tuncurry/Forster Heritage Festival is celebrated over the October Long Weekend .