Hugh Schuitemaker, Murray Pioneer
The chairman of Renmark’s Olivewood museum says she is “fed up” with a lack of support and consultation from National Trust SA.
National Trust SA is seeking its branches across the state to contribute a new 10 per cent fee from total revenue toward “consolidated auditing, insurance and financial compliance”.
Olivewood Historic Homestead and Museum committee chairman Ann Ryan said the fee for the Renmark branch – which she is also chair of – would be approximately $7000.
“In April they started sending out invoices to the different branches,” Ms Ryan said.
“They say it’s to cover all the different work they do with the finances at the Adelaide end, and that includes insurance and auditing.”
Ms Ryan said maintaining existing exhibits, and expanding the museum, would be better use of the money raised through Olivewood.
“We get donations… and why should I have to give away a portion of that?” she said.
“We pay all the expenses in terms of water, electricity, and repairs. They don’t ever financially contribute to a branch.
“We sold a piece of land back in 2017. They got the money from it in Adelaide, and they say they let us have the interest off it.
“It’s almost as if they are trying to bleed the branches dry.”
Ms Ryan said volunteers had been directly responsible for raising money to purchase, and maintaining, many of Olivewood’s major exhibits.
“This was the first branch in South Australia, and was formed in 1956,” she said.
“This branch wasn’t left Olivewood. That committee raised the money and bought it, then raised the money to do the big shed, and to build the cottage and pay it off.
“There’s never been any money from Adelaide. We’ve spent more than $1m, just on buildings and purchasing.”
Ms Ryan said long-standing legislation regarding the National Trust required a review.
“The National Trust Act of South Australia is 70 years old, and there’s nothing to cover the branches or volunteers,” she said.
“I want that to be looked at. I don’t just want to see head office throwing things at us without consultation.
This article appeared in Murray Pioneer, 13 August 2025.
