Historic Photo Hidden For Decades

A piece of Wyndham’s history has been uncovered by accident after a century-old portrait fell from a wall at the Wyndham Museum earlier this month.

The team at the Wyndham Museum & Werribee District Historical Society made the surprise discovery after a framed 1910 portrait of the Carter family suddenly crashed to the floor.

Despite the fall, the frame escaped without broken glass or any obvious damage.

But while picking it up, a member of the museum team noticed the brown paper backing had come slightly loose — and something appeared to be hidden inside.

The mystery had to wait while a private group visited the museum, before the backing was carefully removed several days later.

Behind the known Carter family portrait was a second photograph that had been hidden inside the frame for decades.

The frame has been part of the historical society’s collection since the early 1960s, but the team had no idea another photograph was concealed behind it.

The newly discovered image appears to show the Carter family at an earlier point in time, with one fewer child pictured.

Exactly where and when the photograph was taken remains a mystery.

The unlikely discovery raises another question for the museum’s collection — what other pieces of Wyndham’s history could still be hiding in plain sight?

The Wyndham Museum is located at the Old Bluestone Manse, 21 Duncans Road, Werribee.

It is open every Saturday from 10am to 1pm and every Tuesday from 10am to 3pm.