In 1975 the State Electricity Commission donated this Yallourn house to display the Dr J.M. Andrew collection and paid for its removal to Old Gippstown. The majority of the artefacts in this house, including furniture, came from the Andrew’s family home, ‘Burculey’ in Yallourn. These include photographs, photographic equipment, furniture, books, medical equipment, diaries, recreational items, many documents including art works, certificates, clothing, scouting memorabilia and coleoptera (beetles).
Old Gippstown is very fortunate to have received in 1972-1973 this donation from his family of a comprehensive collection of Dr Andrew’s artefacts and furniture that reflect the life of the ‘father’ of Yallourn. He was the first resident medical officer at Yallourn and served the community from 1926 until his death in 1972. . This is not the house occupied by Dr Andrew and his family: that was of brick construction (therefore not able to be moved) and was a larger residence.
These two-storey Yallourn houses (‘Attic’ style) were constructed only on corner blocks in Yallourn. This building, a Type 62A, was originally built in early 1930 and was located at 14 Fernhill Street, Yallourn.
Immerse yourself in the stories of Victoria’s first brown coal generated power station and the company owned township of Yallourn. Read (Memories of Yallourn PDF) and Listen to memories of power industry workers and their families from the Yallourn coal mine and power station, as well as residents of the now-extinct town of Yallourn. This recording also includes anecdotes from the life of Dr James Moore Andrew, the township’s first medical officer. (This audio project was made possible by funding from a Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal – Small Grants for Rural Communities grant).