New Display in the Moonee Ponds Court House

Featured Image: Members of the Voluntary Aid Detachment (VAD) Essendon Unit in Queens Park during World War 2.

The new display at the Court House Museum centres around our extensive badge collection. 

The badges relate to local schools and sports clubs, both World Wars as well as local communities. Our oldest badge is approximately 130 years old.

A new cabinet has badges, medallions and buttons from the Ascot Vale Bowling Club.  These items were obtained when the Ascot Vale Bowling Club closed its doors in 2000.   

In the former Cell, the smaller entry foyer, we have a display relating to three Royal visits to Australia as well as memorabilia relating to the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.  Badges issued to school children to mark these events are on show.  A special feature are two large framed photographs of Essendon’s welcome to the Queen.

A special area is devoted to our collection of Red Cross badges and medals with some interesting photographs of VAD nurses taken in Queen’s Park during World War II.

To complete this theme we have included regalia and memorabilia relating to the Independent Order of Rechabites which can be seen in our large display case inside the courtroom.

The display will be open most Sundays from 2pm to 5pm until June 2023. The Museum will be closed on Sunday 9 April (Easter Sunday).

We hope you will be able to visit us and see our amazing collection.