Mr Ward said that he was pleased to announce $1,721 to go to the museum during his visit there today.

"Berry Museum will receive this funding to go towards digitising and cataloguing its women's and children's clothing collection," he said.

"Berry Museum and other local historical museums play a very important role in helping all people - particularly younger generations - understand their own history, learning stories of local and national significance.

"This Volunteer Museum Small Grants Program provides funding to volunteer museums and other community groups across our State to assist with the research, writing and publication or production of a wide range of local history projects," Mr Ward said.

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Treasurer of the Berry & District Historical Society committee Hilary Brickhill, who manages the Berry Museum, also welcomed the funding announcement today.

"We are delighted to have the funding to work on the digitising project. The last year has been tough financially for the Museum, since we have been closed to the public because of COVID, and this grant is targeted to very important work which would be hard to complete otherwise," she said.

"The beautiful garments in the Linen Room including children's and babies' clothing will be photographed and uploaded to our website and other museums' websites

"Gareth has always supported the work of the Berry Museum and this funding has been a most welcome and very practical form of support," Ms Brickhill said.

The Berry Museum holds local history through an extensive collection of artefacts, memorabilia, photographs and records donated by the local community.

The Museum documents the history of our region's agricultural, dairying and timber industries and is aiming to build up the aboriginal collection.

Guided and self-completing tours will be available when the Museum reopens in the near future. Bookings will be required for guided tours of small groups for which donations will be happily accepted.

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