Renaissance man of Yass, Alfred Shearsby, lived a very modest life, barely making ends meet.
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To get by, he turned his hand to "just about everything", Yass & District Historical Society president Cheryl Mongan said.
Shearsby photographed local people and projects; painted; made postcards; illustrated maps and stamps; collected fossils and rainfall data.
He even restored Banjo Paterson's nose on the bronze cast now in Banjo Paterson Park, Yass.
"He was interested in his hobbies, but it was also to make money," Mrs Mongan said.
Shearsby's collection of photos of Burrinjuck Dam as it was built from 1907 to 1950 are perhaps his most treasured work.
The Historical Society believes Shearsby was commissioned to take the photos.
"He would go and spend a night or two at Burrinjuck every couple of months; we can tell from the dates on the photos," Mrs Mongan said.
More than 100 of Shearsby's photos and camera are now on display at Yass and District Museum.
Volunteers have spent close to 270 hours in the past month creating their latest and second temporary exhibition, AJ Shearsby, Renaissance Man of Yass, Mrs Mongan said, including digitising all of Shearsby's photographs.
National Museum of Australia director and Yass resident, Dr Mathew Trinca, officially opened the new exhibition on Friday, October 11.
A miniature version of one of five railway engines, Archie, photographed by Shearsby at Burrinjuck is also on display. It has been loaned by Peter Kinsela of Young, whose father made the miniature engine.
Sydney-born in 1872, Shearsby arrived in Yass as a bank clerk in 1898 and except for two brief periods he made Yass his home until his death in 1962.
As for what kept him here, it was either the fossils or Ethyl, who Shearsby eventually married, Mrs Mongan said.
Today, a wall of Shearsby's fossils are on display near Wee Jasper, named Shearsby's Wallpaper.
Shearsby also contributed to many of Yass' organisations, including the Mechanics' Institute, and Shearsby Crescent was named in his honour.
Yass residents Peter Bindon and Tony MacQuillan compiled a book on The Life and Times of A J Shearsby, 1872-1962, in December 2016. The book is available to purchase at the museum.
Mr Bindon said he was very excited to see the exhibition come to life.
"He hid his talents and wasn't acknowledged in his lifetime as I believe he should have been," Mr Bindon said.
The Comur Street miniature exhibition is also on display at the museum, open weekends, 10am to 4pm at 247A Comur Street.
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