National Steam Centre
The Melbourne Steam Traction Engine Club started off 45 years ago as a club for traction engine owners but over the years it has morphed into a vintage engine museum and now has a large collection of vintage engines and machinery dating from the steam era to the jet age. The Museum is situated on a level site of some 7 hectares of Park land allowing for good demonstration of mobile exhibits. There is sufficient area to demonstrate the farming and road making equipment. The collections of stationary engines are housed in large sheds with the steam engines and larger IC exhibits permanently mounted for operational display. A blacksmith's shed includes a steam hammer and associated boiler. An annual rally is held in early March when enthusiasts from around the state bring exhibits to swell the displays.
Collections
Highlights of the collection in the National Steam Centre Museum include a large number and variety of stationary steam engines, mobile steam vehicles including a pair of huge steam ploughing engines, and even the entire engine room from a steam tug boat. Not all the highlights are steam driven and the big diesel section is impressive. Tractors and farm machinery are also well represented. The collection policy aims for an operating museum and most exhibits are maintained in operational order. The club gives special emphasis to its collection of Australian manufactured engines which range from 1890's steam engines through to tractors and internal combustion engines from the 1950's and 60's
Visitors attending on the last Sunday of the month or at special events will see an interesting variety of machinery in action.