A team of expert curators dropped into the Hunter Valley Museum of Rural Life, managed by the Lake Glenbawn State Park Trust, to share their skills with the volunteer museum staff.

The museum, which opened in 1966, has more than 1000 historic items including farm machinery, vehicles such as sulkies, penny farthing bikes and horse-drawn carts, war medals, coins, 18th century firearms and a range of Aboriginal memorabilia, including boomerangs, spears and armour.

University of Newcastle conservator Amir Mogadam and her team spent much of the day teaching the volunteers about non-toxic pest controls and better cleaning and preservation techniques.

Crown Lands general manager Graham Harding said the museum was an important link to the Hunter’s past.

‘‘The collection is comprehensive and tells the unique story of the Hunter Valley area from early settlement,’’ he said.