VOLUNTEERS are the backbone of the Sir Reginald Ansett Transport Museum on Ballarat Road, Hamilton, that boasts a nationally important archive of Australia’s transport and tourism history – and they need more.

Opened by Lady Joan Ansett in February 1991, the museum is a dedicated record of Ansett Airlines and its pioneer, Reg Ansett, who commenced his transport empire in Hamilton, in 1931.

The Ansett Museum’s national memberships include Museums Australia and the National Trust and showcases a collection of over 1000 objects stored in one of the company's original aircraft hangars.

The hangar was originally relocated from its first site at the Hamilton Aerodrome - where Pedrina Park is now - before it was relocated to the back of the Ansett building in Gray Street and used to service buses.

Following the demise of Compass Airlines, its owner Brian Gray, who had bought the old Ansett building in Gray Street, where the old hangar was in situated, donated it back to the people of Hamilton and it was subsequently relocated to its current site on Ballarat Road.

The unique collection displays a vast number of items including original uniforms, a Studebaker, original communications equipment, two buses from 1965 and 1968 fully restored, as well as the centrepiece of the display, a Fokker Universal aircraft, similar to the one used on the first Ansett flight in 1936.

The museum is open seven days per week, daily from 10am – 4pm, except Christmas Day, ANZAC Day and Good Friday and is completely reliant upon a small group of volunteers to welcome visitors.

The Ansett Museum committee is seeking additional volunteers to help keep the museum open – currently there are only eight people sharing the roster.

One of the volunteers who fills almost half the spots on the roster is committee member, Heather Kruger, who said they have lost some of their volunteers for various reasons and since COVID-19, have not been able to fill their rosters as before.

“There are no paid employees at the museum,” Mrs Kruger said.

“Ideally, we would like to have two people rostered on at a time, one to manage reception and the other to guide visitors through the museum.

“We are also experiencing an increase in visitors.”

Previous experience is not essential, just a genuine interest in Ansett’s iconic story, from humble beginnings in Hamilton, to an international airline.

As Sir Reginald Ansett said, “I don’t think I’m anything out of the box.”

“I just think if you work hard enough and long enough, you’ll get somewhere.”

Anyone interested in volunteering their time to guide and host visitors is welcome to contact the museum on 5571 2767.