Collectibles & curios Bill McShane, Kellie Neilson and adored chihuahua Bella spend their days sifting through the treasures of yesteryear and preserving the stories behind everyday objects at McShane’s Collectables. Kellie began working at McShane’s scrapyard as a teenager 28 years ago for “a bit of pocket money”. With her sharp collector’s eye, she quickly moved over to manage McShane’s Collectables for Bill when he opened the antique store in 1995. A morning spent at the antique store offers an experiential history lesson; the colourful shelves filled with everything from delicate china teacups and antique erasers to telephones and prams that belong on a 1920’s movie set. A gigantic antique chair looms at the back of the store. “I’m actually a collector myself,” Kellie says. “I love old irons, water dollies and hair curlers. They’re just weird looking things there’s so many different ones.” Kellie also sheepishly admits to having a collection of over 3000 Smurf figurines and memorabilia.
“Anything with Smurfs on it - rulers, plates, eskies, houses,” she laughs. “You name it, I collect it! I probably should wake up to myself, but some of it is worth good money.” Kellie has become accustomed to a steady stream of visitors with peculiar collections. “It opens your eyes, what people want to collect,” she says. “I even know blokes who collect ladies makeup! Kellie and Bill keep McShane’s well stocked by regularly attending swap meets. Locals also drop by with salvaged historical items too special to be discarded. “Most of our popular small machinery is bought in by locals cleaning up their farms,” Kellie says. “Bill used to have 6000 old wheels, and now he’s only got four. These old things are getting popular - people love to display them in their gardens.”
Find McShane’s Collectables at 5 Ironbark St, Temora
Under The Arches
Temora - Down to Earth 16
