General News
26 August, 2026
Marsh family legacy on display
A NEW exhibition at Cairns Museum is celebrating almost a century of one of the city's longest-running family businesses, Marsh's Butcheries, and the role it has played in the lives of generations of locals.
Marsh's Butcheries: A Fourth Generation Butchery opened on Saturday and was developed in partnership with fourth-generation family member Louise Marsh. The exhibition traces the business's history through historic photographs, original butcher's tools, business records, memorabilia and personal stories spanning almost 100 years.
“For almost 100 years, Marsh's Butcheries has been part of everyday life in Cairns,” a spokeswoman for the Cairns Historical Society said.
“Whether it was a family barbecue, the Christmas ham or a sausage at the local sporting club, generations of locals have shopped at one of the city's longest-running family businesses.”
Louise Marsh said the exhibition reflected the family's long-standing relationship with the community.
“Four generations means four generations of trust,” Ms Marsh said.
“Every generation has had to earn that trust all over again, and that's what I'm most proud of.”
Visitors can view original butcher's tools and equipment, historic photographs, memorabilia and recreated displays designed to evoke a traditional butcher's shop. One of the exhibition's centrepieces is a recreated butcher's counter featuring handcrafted papier-mâché meat products displayed alongside original equipment. The replicas were created by Cairns Historical Society volunteer Barb Kelly.
The exhibition also explores the journey from paddock to plate through items from the Cairns Historical Society collection, highlighting cattle stations, stockmen, livestock transport, traditional butchery and historic recipes to place the Marsh family story within the broader history of Far North Queensland.
Museum Exhibitions Curator Sarah Morgan said the exhibition recognised the contribution family businesses have made to the city.
“I hope people leave looking at the familiar shopfronts around Cairns a little differently, recognising that many of them carry generations of family history and community connection.”
The exhibition is the fourth presented as part of the Cairns Historical Society’s C150 program marking 150 years of Cairns’ shared history and will remain on display in the Ground Floor Gallery at Cairns Museum until 5 September 2026.
