A Town is a Tapestry and every person’s story is a stitch. The Central Coast has 25 townships and a current population of around 22 000 people. For tens of thousands of years, the First Peoples have maintained long cultural connections with this Country. James Fenton is credited as the first European to settle in this area. He built a hut in 1844 in Forth and lived there until 1879. In that time, 1200 more settlers arrived, each with their own stories. Waves of migration brought people from all over the planet including from Britain and Ireland, China, Italy, and the Netherlands. Post-war eras were particularly rich times that brought new Tasmanians to the Central Coast.

This unique landscape of people’s stories is explored using objects and photographs from our collection in this exhibition with tales from Leith and Forth in the east, to Heybridge and West Pine in the west, to South Nietta and Loongana in the south, and to the Bass Strait to the north.

Stories will change in the exhibition throughout its run.

This season at Hive, we’re thrilled to bring two new stories to life in the Museum as part of A Town is a Tapestry… and every person’s story is a stitch. Dive into ‘Doing Our Best’, where the inspiring tales of the Central Coast Boy Scouts take centre stage, and ‘The Bakers of Ocean View’, a heartwarming look at the Ulverstone family who brought joy to the community through their recreational activities.

Don’t miss out on these fascinating stories and more! Visit our Museum on Level 1 to explore the rich history woven into the fabric of our region.