Former teacher and popular storyteller Elizabeth Burness is retiring and auctioning off her personal items from the historic Tuggeranong Schoolhouse museum in Chisholm.
The museum is also closing down on November 12. It is understood expressions of interest will be called for a future use of the 143-year-old former schoolhouse, owned by the ACT Government.
Mrs Burness, who turns 76 next week, has for the last 12 years run the Tuggeranong Schoolhouse as a museum, displaying her collection of historical items and furniture, and telling stories of Canberra's pastoral and pioneering past.
The historical items were collected over more than 20 years with her husband, Peter Burness, former senior historian at the Australian War Memorial.
Evans Hastings Valuers and Auctioneers is selling her collection. The auction is online at www.ehva.com.au until close of business on Tuesday, October 24.
Interesting artefacts in the sale include an Australian cedar chests of drawers, miners' couch, chiffoniere, school desks, beds, pictures, chairs, tables, lamps, books, rugs, dolls and kitchenalia.
The schoolhouse, which was restored by the government, is a slice of Canberra history in the middle of suburbia.
Teacher Francis McGee taught and lived at the schoolhouse from 1989 to 1927. He taught his seven children at the schoolhouse, including a son born in 1903 who went on to become Professor James McGee, known for his research in nuclear physics and as a pioneer of television. Three of the McGee children were born in the front bedroom.
It remained a schoolhouse until 1939. As late as the 1980s, the schoolhouse had private residents living in it. When she made it into a museum in 2011, Elizabeth lovingly furnished the schoolhouse with her own collections, and hosted all kinds of groups including school children to pass on tales of the past.
Elizabeth, who wants to be spend more time with her first grandchild, Jack, still intends to go talks to schools, nursing homes and community groups.
She loved doing the research that came with being the schoolhouse storyteller and says the McGees became almost "like a second family" she learnt so much about them.
"I've had a fabulous go here," she said.
