On Wednesday, April 17, it was day three of the massive Eden Killer Whale Museum Old Tom relocation, but the dedicated team of volunteers, construction workers and professionals powered towards the same vision.

Each team member respected the legend by which the community's identity had been built.

"When the museum was extended [in the 1980s], Old Tom had to be rolled from his earlier position on this site from the middle of the museum inside a cyclone-wire fence, and was rolled into the new building," Robert said.

"My family company made a timber and glass enclosure for him to go into, and he was put into that before being moved on pipe rollers. I had the privilege earlier this week of pulling [the cabinet] apart."

Robert said he wasn't so much excited by the move, but rather relieved because it was currently underway. He described the committee's feelings about the move as a "cloud over their heads" dealing with the responsibility of what they were about to do.

"Now that we've got three professional people from Melbourne, conservators, giving us a hand and holding our hand as we go, we're all starting to feel a bit better," he said.

Old Tom will be mounted in a unique way next to a full-sized, 30 foot long, whaling boat hand built by Robert and retired boat-builder Charlie Peel, and near the jaw bones of Guinness Book of Records' holder for the largest marine animal ever killed by hand harpoon at 97 feet long.

"We've just taken the boat away from Old Tom, and now we're giving Old Tom back to the boat. They were in the same room [originally] and now they'll be back in the same room," Robert said.

"There isn't another [Old Tom], it doesn't matter who's got an orca skeleton, they didn't bring whales into the bay and give them to whalemen."

Inside the museum, conservator Karina Acton stood in front of a variety of skeletal remains, a thin paintbrush in her hand and a round, white plastic palette on the table.

Mixing antique white, raw umber and yellow ochre, paints made of some of the finest quality pigments and ingredients available, she carefully blended previously painted sections of bone with heavily discoloured parts.

Fellow conservator Fran Paterson sat with a number of robust bone adhesives and spirits in small jars, and tools for preparing the killer whale for display once more.

She had a scalpel, pencil, a syringe which allowed her to access fine cracks, and Japanese tissue paper for filling holes made by the previous old wire armature. Her eyes remained focused on respecting the legend in the palm of her hands.

Preparator Dean Smith examined printed and scribbled photographs to work out vertebrae alignments, fellow volunteers carved archival foam, and others delicately cleaned bones, ready for the anatomical jigsaw puzzle to commence.