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During World War II, the women of the Deans Marsh
community constructed the Deans Marsh Curtains. Sugar bags were
sewn and embroidered over a period of nine years and used as curtain
panels in the community hall. See Making
the Original Curtains for more detail. Local resident, Margaret Stewart, was keen for the new and original residents of Deans Marsh to be united and learn of the history of the area. Through her tenacity, a project to create new curtains for the hall was initiated in 2000 with the help of a grant from Arts Victoria and textile artist Jan Preston. The brief for the new curtain was: it should reflect the history of the area, focus on the present and look forward to the new millennium. It should immortalise the potato and pea growing along with agriforestry; the indigenous floral and fauna; the eagle and the snake to represent the first people, the Wathaurong; the panther that roams the local forest; the original town buildings; a reference to Marjorie Lawrence, an internationally famous opera singer who grew up in the area; Ron Millard, puppet maker and puppeteer; and the Ash Wednesday fires. On 25th November 2000, the new Deans Marsh Curtains were hung. In all, 7200 hours of voluntary community input had been recorded. Open Days for public viewing of the curtains are held. See The Cottage Program for more details. For close up photographs see the Curtain Photo Gallery.
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In
1991, due to the inevitable deterioration of the work, the community
approached The National Wool Museum for assistance in preserving
it. The Wool Museum stored the curtain and it was exhibited in 1994.
It has since been relinquished to the Museum of Victoria and is
displayed in the new facility. 
