Moonbi Museum volunteer Claudette Humphrys said all the village’s volunteers were “really happy” with how the new extension looked and praised the work of many local tradesmen who donated time on weekends to see the project come to fruition.

The grand re-opening with a barbecue is set for 11am  Sunday.

“There is a lot of new stuff (on display),” Mrs Humphrys said.

The project’s cost was $45,000 – and it has taken more than 12 months from the time the committee applied to council for the money to finishing the new build.

There is still a skillion to be added – but most of the hard work had now been done, Mrs Humphrys said.

The new section has increased the floor space within the museum four-fold.

The committee also intends making the public well next to the museum a feature.

“That’s where Cobb & Co coaches and things got their water from; that’s where people would water their stock in the afternoon,” Mrs Humphrys said.

The committee is also hoping to display a non-working pistol from the shop which had once been owned by Henry and Grace Wilson. 

Mrs Humphrys said many more photos had also been donated – but she particularly wants more sports photos.

The museum also has some of the leftover “spears” from a section of fence which had been attached to the Man o’  War gates now  in Bicentennial Park.

“Servicemen and women went through these gates to get onto ships to sail from Sydney Harbour,” Mrs Humphrys said.

The museum first opened on July 24, 2010 and is a popular place for former district residents to drop into and reminisce about the district’s history.

The museum’s opening hours have now been extended from 10am to 4pm.