Swan Hill Rural City Council

26 20 1814

Thursday 05 February 2026 (AUS Eastern Standard Time)

Thursday 26 February 2026 02:00 PM (AUS Eastern Standard Time)

Friday 20 February 2026 02:00 PM (AUS Eastern Daylight Time)

Thursday 05 March 2026 (AUS Eastern Standard Time)

Swan Hill Rural City Council

45 Splatt St
Swan Hill, Victoria 3585
Australia

https://www.swanhill.vic.gov.au/

Swan Hill Rural City Council, "The Heart of the Murray" is a bustling provincial centre just three and a half hours from Melbourne and five and a half hours from Adelaide.The region is renowned for its world class produce, spectacular landscapes and close proximity to the Murray River. Our region runs adjacent to the Murray River for nearly 200 kilometres and encompasses 6,000 square kilometres and home to 20,000 people.

The buyer has elected to have their personal and contact details hidden. These details will be revealed at the buyers discretion.

Swan Hill Rural City Council (Council) invites suitably qualified contractors to submit tenders for the restoration and conservation of the historic locomotive and tender located at the Pioneer Settlement in Swan Hill, Victoria. Works will include structural repairs, surface preparation, application of protective coatings and historically accurate detailing, all undertaken with respect for the item’s heritage value. This project aims to preserve a significant piece of transport heritage while ensuring its long-term structural integrity and visual appeal.

All tenderers wishing to submit a tender are required to complete a site inspection of the asset. The location of the asset and instructions for registration are detailed in Part A of the tender documents. Any tender submitted by a supplier who has not been recorded as having completed the site inspection will not be considered.

Please also note, a non-mandatory briefing session has been scheduled for Thursday 12 February, at 11.00AM (AEST). If you wish to attend this online session, please register by emailing tenders@swanhill.vic.gov.au

Tenderers should note that the Pental Island Bridge project and PS Gem Restoration Works may be occurring concurrently and appropriate coordination will be required to avoid site conflicts

The Pioneer Settlement in Swan Hill, Victoria, is Australia’s first open-air museum, established in 1966 as the Swan Hill Folk Museum. It showcases life along the Murray River from 1830 to 1930 and was renamed after a visit by Queen Elizabeth II in 1970. Today, it is recognised for its state-level cultural heritage significance and is included in the Victorian Heritage Register.

Among its transport heritage collection is a historically significant locomotive built in 1914 by Thompsons Foundry, Castlemaine—the first locomotive ever constructed by the foundry (builder’s number 1). This locomotive has been a static exhibit for decades and has undergone several cosmetic restorations, including repainting in historically inspired liveries such as Canadian Red. While it does not form part of the official Pioneer Settlement heritage listing, it remains an integral feature of the site’s interpretation of early transport history.

With recent developments at the Settlement, including the new Tourism and Cultural Hub building and pedestrian bridge replacement, the locomotive is now due for a comprehensive refresh to ensure its preservation and continued role as a centrepiece attraction.

6

• Victoria
  1: Loddon
  2: Mallee
  3: Melbourne

All Regions of Service locations are within Australia.

Please note: The following attachments have been recently added.

1. Added: REVISED_Part A_Conditions-of-Tender_V2.1.pdf

2. Added: VP497058_Tender Addendum 1.pdf

These documents confirm that a site inspection of the Locomotive and Tender is mandatory and provides instructions on the location of the asset and how to register your attendance.

Please consider these attachments when responding.