Events
About Us
The Westbury & Districts Historical Society was established in 1993 with the aim of “preserving yesterday for tomorrow”.
Our extensive collection of photographs, documents and memorabilia highlights Westbury’s diverse past with its elements of convict, military and Irish heritage. We can produce displays for local events and provide walking or bus tours that can be personalised to meet specific interests.
If you are researching family history, a local building, a society or an event, our team of volunteers are available to help. We have access to the Pioneer Index, Assessment Rolls, Cemetery Records and other local documents. With a growing number of resources available on-line, our volunteers can also help in explaining the details of these sites. Or if you just want to talk to someone who has detailed, first-hand knowledge of the local area, we can help with that too.
Our society is always keen to welcome new members. You do not need to be an expert; all you need is to have an interest in the history of our local area.
Please contact us for further information.
Where to find us
Westbury & Districts Historical Society
Our rooms are open Wednesday and Thursday 10.00am to 2.00pm.
28 Lyall Street
Westbury
Tasmania
7303
Phone: 03 6393 1006
Our collections
Historical photographs
Westbury and District Historical Sociey have an extensive collection of photographs, scrapbooks, newspaper clippings and other information relating to Westbury and the surrounding districts. We are always keen to add to our collection and ask that you share any relevant information with our society.
Maps
We have copies of a number of maps for the Westbury district, including the original land grant maps from the early military settlement.
Family History
Our volunteers are happy to assist with any enquiries relating to family history in the Westbury district.
We have access to the Tasmanian Pioneer Index which lists Births, Deaths and Marriages from 1803 to 1899. We can also access online records such as Trove, Ancestry, Tasmanian Library and The List.
There is also a number of publications and local family history files.
Memorabilia
Despite our limited floor area, we have a range of memorabilia on display. We gratefully accept donations of memorabilia, with a particular focus on items from the Westbury district.
Cemetery records
There are a number of cemeteries within the Meander Valley. Four are managed by Meander Valley Council (Deloraine General, Mole Creek General, Bracknell General and Western Creek), while others are maintained by churches. We have layout plans and headstone inscription for some of these cemeteries with plans to have these details for all cemeteries in the future.
Historic assessments
The assessment rolls for Westbury started in 1858 and we have copies for selected years from 1858 until 1958. The documents show the location of a property, the name of the occupier, the name of the owner, the acreage and an annual value. They are a great resource for researching land ownership.
Items for sale
Westbury & District Historical Society has a wide selection of items for sale through our history rooms or by contacting us by email or phone.
Nellie Payne - Female wood carver
Much more information and pictures of Nellies work can be found on her own website –
In 2015 an exhibition was held in the village Westbury, Tasmania to celebrate and explore the life of Ellen Nora Payne, known to her family as Nellie.
Ellen Nora Payne (nee Field) was born at Westfield, Westbury, Tasmania in 1865.
She first learnt to wood carve in Melbourne and continued her studies at Goldsmiths College, University of London, England. She then lived and worked in Hobart, Tasmania.
She carved numerous pieces throughout her life notably the magnificent altar and screens in the Anglican Church, Westbury, and exhibited at the 1907 Australian Exhibition of Women’s Work for which she was awarded numerous prizes. In 1939 she carved the coat of arms for the Tasmanian Parliament. Her last major work was for the All Hallows church in London in 1953. She passed away in 1962.
