Pioneer Settlement

{{Short description|Open-air museum in Australia}}

{{Use Australian English|date=June 2020}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2019}}

{{Infobox attraction

| name = Pioneer Settlement

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| image = File:Swan Hill Pioneer Settlement GSV 1.jpg

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| location = Swan Hill, Victoria

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| status = Operating

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| opened = 1966

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| year = 1966

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| coordinates = {{Coord|-35.347937794683915|143.56505026521856|format=dms}}

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The Pioneer Settlement, in Swan Hill, Victoria, is Australia's first open-air museum, portraying life on the Murray in the era 1830-1930.{{Cite web|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/people/1461073|title=Swan Hill Pioneer Settlement Museum. - People and organisations|website=Trove|language=en|access-date=2018-05-22}} It opened in 1966 as the Swan Hill Folk Museum,{{Cite journal|last=Darian-Smith|first=Kate|last2=Nichols|first2=David|date=2017-06-05|title="How our forebears lived": the modern nation, its folklore and "living" heritage in twentieth-century Australia|journal=Australian Geographer|volume=49|pages=199–217|doi=10.1080/00049182.2017.1327784}} before being renamed, following a visit by the Queen in 1970.{{Cite web|url=http://discovermore.com.au/pdf/swan-hill-tour-print.pdf|title=Explore Swan Hill River Precinct|website=Discover More}} It contains approximately 50 replica buildings, including Masonic hall, coach-house, post office, photographic studio, original 1895 kaiserpanorama,{{Cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/six-reasons-to-visit-swan-hill-20130301-2fb0g.html|title=Six reasons to visit Swan Hill|last=Cornish|first=Richard|date=2013-03-01|website=The Sydney Morning Herald|language=en|access-date=2018-05-22}} and newspaper office.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theage.com.au/news/Victoria/Swan-Hill/2005/02/17/1108500207436.html|title=Swan Hill|date=2008-09-30|work=The Age}} The collection also contains numerous tractors – including the first tractor ever brought to Australia{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com.au/story/198813/newtons-passion-for-vintage-collections/|title=Newton's passion for vintage collections|last=MORTON|first=CLAIR|last2=Media|first2=Australian Community Media-Fairfax|date=2012-08-07|website=The Guardian|language=en|access-date=2018-05-22}} – and historic vehicles, and two 19th-century riverboats, including the 1876 paddlesteamer PS Gem. This vessel was towed to the site in 1963,{{Cite news|url=https://www.swanhill.vic.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Newsletter-Spring-2013.pdf|title=PS Gem's 50th Anniversary Celebrations|date=2013-08-01|work=Swan Hill Rural City Council News}} and now functions as the main entrance and contains a restaurant.

The PS Gem was towed by the PS Oscar W to the Pioneer Settlement in 1962 following her sale for £4000 to the Swan Hill Folk Museum. She now exists as a static display within the compound.{{cite web |title=Gem |url=http://arhv.anmm.gov.au/objects/138968 |website=Australian National Maritime Museum |access-date=9 July 2021 |language=en}}) The PV Pyap operates daily cruises from the Horseshoe Bend Wharf within the Settlement. Original built in Mannum as a barge in 1896, the Pyap was converted to a paddle steamer by October 1897. Prior to relocation to the Pioneer Settlement in 1970, the Pyap was refitted with a 225 hp GM671 Gray Marine diesel engine.{{cite book |last1=Plowman |first1=Peter |title=Murray Darling Paddleboats |date=2005 |publisher=Rosenberg Publishing Pty, Limited |page=64}}

In 1994 an act of Parliament brought the Settlement under the control of the Swan Hill City Council.{{Cite web|url=https://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/archive/sarc/Alert_Digests_94/alert7ah.htm|title=ALERT DIGEST 7 of 1994 - 7|website=www.parliament.vic.gov.au|access-date=2018-05-22}}