Transport and Main Roads Heritage Centre
One of a handful of museums in Australia that
comprehensively exhibits and interprets the rich history and culture of a government department
and its contribution to the rural, economic and social development of Queensland.
Collections
The collection covers all facets of Main Roads including items from general administration and
design drafting through to material that tells the story of the Department’s involvement with
the Allied Works Council during World War Two. The collection also covers themes such as soil
testing, road camps, uniform, road signs, explosives and surveying. Objects range in diversity
from photographs and ephemera to pen nibs and ink bottles, providing stark contrast – in both
size and stature – to our large working machinery collection of graders and rollers.
The Centre’s significant library of Oral Histories comprises 85 recordings of the memories and
experiences of past and present employees and volunteers. These recordings are a unique
and valuable part of Queensland’s history that relate specifically to the development of the
Main Roads Department since 1922.
Working displays such as the blacksmith shop and bridge pile driving scale model bring the
collections to life. The exhibitions, designed around the Department’s message, “Transport
and Main Roads – Connecting Queensland”, are presented in layers reminiscent of the
processes involved in building roads and target audiences of all ages - a children’s trail,
careers information and displays that tackle complex themes for all those interested.