(Only a partial inspection of the site was conducted and no inspection was made of the interiors of the cottages.)
\nAt the corner of Aherns Road and Harper Creek Road in the Mary Valley some 15 kilometres northwest of Maleny and five kilometres south of Conondale, the Conondale Timbers mill site comprises a level elevated area which falls steeply to an area of river flats along Elaman Creek. Structures associated with the sawmilling operations are on the elevated portion of the site and include the sawmill shed, crane, burning area, ablutions shed, six workers' cottages, timber racks, petrol bowser, storage tanks and an assortment of sheds. There are a number of items of equipment, machinery and vehicles scattered and stored about the site.
\nA pair of timber entrance gates open onto the site from Aherns Road. The property is fenced by timber, barbed wire and electric fences. There are grassed areas across the site and a scattering of trees and other plantings. Cattle graze on the lower river flats.
\nSawmill shed
\nThe site is dominated by a large open gable roofed shed framed with timber trusses supported on square timber posts. The roof is in two parts, the east portion is larger and higher and both roofs shelter a raised timber platform supported on timber stumps. A lower skillion roof lean-to to the north of the shed shelters the former engine and boiler sheds. Roofs are clad with corrugated galvanised iron, the sheeting to the north side of the larger gable roof is more recent.
\nThe raised timber platform accommodates gantries, benches, saws, trolleys, tracks and stacking areas of the mill operations. Two earth mounds to the south of the shed facilitate loading of logs onto the platform by fork lift. A conveyor belt travels west from the centre of the platform to a burning area adjacent. The burning area is unroofed and enclosed with sheets of corrugated iron. A small room to the northeast corner of the platform is timber framed and clad with weatherboards and accommodates the saw sharpening facilities. Part of the platform extends unroofed to the east with a set of trolley tracks running out along the southern side - this extension gives the mill the capacity to saw very long logs. A set of timber stairs descends from the northeast to the engine room. A set of timber stairs also descends from the west side of the platform. The area below the platform accommodated the transmission shafts, pulleys and other elements of the steam driven operation. This area was not accessed but it appears that some equipment may remain while other components are stored elsewhere on the site.
\nOperating as a working mill, machinery and equipment accommodated on the platform includes a framing saw, breakdown saw, number one saw, docking saw, associated benches, trolleys and tracks. Saw sharpening equipment, benches and associated accessories are housed in the saw sharpening room.
\nThe former engine and boiler sheds are immediately north of the main shed. Each of these spaces has a concrete slab floor and they are separated by an area of dirt floor. Concrete blocks stand to the middle of the concrete slab floor of the engine shed. Openings in the wall between the engine shed and the main shed and in the floor of the platform of the main shed indicate access for former shafts, belts, pulleys, ducts and other components of the early steam powered system. A range of equipment, machinery and other items are stored in the engine and boiler sheds.
\nCrane
\nThe crane stands to the northwest of the mill shed, the timber arm able to swing across this area of the site lifting logs to the platform. The motor is housed in a small shed near the crane.
\nWorkers' cottages
\nA row of five timber cottages runs along the south boundary of the property and one timber cottage stands to the northeast of the entrance gate. All are timber framed and clad with weatherboards oiled with a red oxide. Each of the group of five cottages stands on low timber stumps and is sheltered by a corrugated galvanised iron clad gable roof. Spaces between the cottages are partly or fully enclosed and roofed. The most easterly cottage of the group has a small timber deck to the north and the next two cottages west are connected by an enclosed space. The fourth cottage along has a timber clad extension running along the south side. There is a mixture of timber and aluminium framed windows throughout. A number of galvanised iron water tanks stand to the north of the cottages and downpipes are a mixture of PVC and metal.
\nLarger than the other dwellings, the cottage at the entrance gate has a corrugated galvanised iron clad gable roof and an enclosed verandah to the south.
\nThe sawmill is privately owned and not accessible to the public.
\n","history":"
The Conondale Timbers Sawmill near the town of the same name in the Sunshine Coast region is a large operating hardwood mill constructed in the early 1930s. It comprises the mill shed and equipment, plus ancillary structures including workers' housing. The mill was originally powered by steam, but has now been converted to electricity.
\nSawmilling was a major industry on the North Coast hinterland in the 1930s: the coastal area between Brisbane and Gympie contained the highest concentration of sawmills in the State. More hardwood was cut on the North Coast than anywhere else in Queensland. Improvements in the road network and mechanised transport in the 1920s made sawmilling in remote areas such as Conondale more viable from the later interwar period.
\nThe Conondale sawmill was built by M.R. Hornibrook Pty Ltd to supply timber for the Hornibrook Highway project that linked the Redcliffe Peninsular with the Brisbane suburbs of Brighton and Sandgate across the mouth of the North Pine River and Hays Inlet. At the time, M.R. Hornibrook Pty Ltd was among the most prominent civil engineering firms in Queensland. From 1918, Manuel Hornibrook and his company (formed in 1926) constructed a number of drainage and water supply systems for Brisbane and regional councils. By the early 1930s, their civil engineering projects had included a number of prominent bridges including an eight-span reinforced concrete bridge at Howard, the Grey Street (William Jolly) Bridge in Brisbane and an eight-span reinforced concrete bridge over the Coomera River. After completion of the Hornibrook Highway project, the company joint ventured with Evans Deakin and Company to build Brisbane's Story Bridge and they built a 47-span railway bridge over the Pioneer River in Mackay. After World War II, the company was involved in the construction of Bulimba B, Tennyson and Townsville power stations and was a major contractor for construction of the Sydney Opera House.
\nThe Hornibrook Highway was built during a period when many roads in Southeast Queensland were being upgraded to accommodate increased motor vehicle usage. Prior to 1920, roads were funded by Shire Councils. The demand for better quality roads to accommodate motor vehicles promised to place an intolerable financial burden on the councils. This burden was alleviated to a large extent after the establishment by the State Government in 1920 of the Main Roads Board. This board entered into joint funding arrangements with Shire Councils and a number of road upgrades were undertaken from 1921. The Hornibrook Highway was one of the most important of these. It made an important contribution to the development of Redcliffe.
\nThe Hornibrook Highway included a long timber bridge (Queensland Heritage Register 601246) across Hay's Inlet and the mouth of the North Pine River between Brighton and Clontarf. At the time, it was Australia's longest bridge and was claimed to incorporate more hardwood than any other bridge of its kind. To provide more than 2.5 million super feet of timber needed for the bridge, Hornibrook secured large stands of hardwood, purchased a mill at Mapleton and built the Conondale mill in the midst of large tracts of standing timber. The Conondale mill was designed to produce decking.
\nThe original layout of the mill has been largely preserved and follows the basic design principles for steam powered sawmills of the era. The break-down saws, comprising a frame saw and large circular saw were designed to make the initial cuts along the logs to create long slices of timber ('flitches'). These saws are located close to where the logs entered the mill near a loading platform at the side of the shed. The number one and the pendulum docking saws which converted the flitches into boards of the required cross-section and length are located further inside the shed. A small room for sharpening saws is built into a corner of the main shed.
\nThough the steam engine and transmission are now removed, the plan and construction of the mill reveal their former location. The boiler and engine sheds are extant, the latter containing the foundations of the steam engine. Power was transmitted to the saws and saw sharpening grinder from the steam engine via transmission shafts, belts and pulley wheels. The original transmission shafts and pulleys, though removed from the shed, remain on the site.
\nMost of the extant saws are original including the frame, circular break-down, number one and docking saws. The saw sharpening equipment is also original. All of this equipment was designed to be steam driven via flat belts and pulleys. The original transmission system continued to be used when the shed was first electrified: a large electric motor was simply connected to the main transmission shaft. Later, the transmission system was rendered redundant when the single large electric motor was replaced by smaller electric motors mounted directly onto each saw. As part of this upgrade, the original flat belts and pulley wheels on the saws were replaced by 'V' belts and pulleys which transmitted drive directly from the saw mounted motors.
\nIn addition to the main shed a number of structures originally built by M.R. Hornibrook Pty Ltd remain extant. These include a former ship's crane used in the construction of the mill and the mill workers' cottages. The five cottages along the southern boundary are in their original location while the cottage near the entrance gate has been shifted from elsewhere on the site. The group of five dwellings originally stood as detached two-room cottages, each with a veranda to the east and a fireplace projecting to the north. They have been altered since construction. Later work has been carried out on the far east cottage including the addition of enclosed space to form a larger residence and the addition of a small entrance deck allowing it to be used as an office.
\nThe mill has been in continuous use since the 1930s. Following completion of the Hornibrook project, the mill continued to be operated by the Hornibrook subsidiary, Hamilton Sawmills. In the 1960s, the sawmill was purchased by Thurecht and Sons and then the Green family trading as Conondale Timbers. During the 1970s, the mill cut native hardwoods for use in house framing. About a third of production was brush-box used for flooring. It is one of the oldest known operating mills in the Sunshine Coast region.
\nThe sawmill is privately owned and not accessible to the public.
\n","criteria":"
The impressive scale of the sawmill shed with its prominent gable roof, substantial timber elements and towering crane and the tough industrial aesthetic projected by the weathered timber and corrugated galvanised iron elements give the mill site a powerful physical presence in the landscape and stands as a dramatic surprise in the quiet rural setting otherwise notable for its rolling timbered hills, grassed paddocks and smaller domestic and rural structures typical of this part of the Mary Valley.
|The Conondale Timbers Sawmill (early 1930s) is important in demonstrating the development of the State's timber industry insofar as it exemplifies sawmills established on the North Coast (now the Sunshine Coast) when it was one of the most important timber producing regions in the State. In the 1930s, when the mill was established, the North Coast produced the most hardwood in the State and contained more sawmills than anywhere else in Queensland. The mill drew on the area's abundant hardwood resources to supply the construction of the Hornibrook Bridge.
As a sawmill established to supply wood for the Hornibrook Bridge (1932 - 1935), the mill is also important in demonstrating the development of Queensland's road systems in the 1930s. The Hornibrook Bridge was built during a period following the establishment of the Main Roads Board (1920) when roads in South East Queensland were being upgraded to accommodate increased motor vehicle usage. The Hornibrook Bridge improved motor vehicle access to Redcliffe and so made an important contribution to its development.
|The sawmill was built by M.R. Hornibrook Pty Ltd to supply hardwood for the Hornibrook Bridge. As such, it has special association with one of the State's most important civil engineers and with the bridge, one of the most important engineering projects of the interwar period. Hornibrook constructed the William Jolly Bridge and played key roles in the construction of the Story Bridge and the Sydney Opera House. The Hornibrook Bridge was a major engineering accomplishment; at the time it was Australia's longest bridge. It had an important influence on the development of Redcliffe.
|The mill is important in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a steam driven hardwood sawmill of the 1930s with associated staff accommodation. The site includes the main sawmill shed housing the saws, benches and trolleys, the boiler and engine sheds, staff housing, log yard, crane and a creek from which water was drawn for the steam engine. Within the sawmill shed, the original layout of the mill has been largely preserved and follows the basic design principles for steam powered sawmills of the era. A saw sharpening room remains extant within this shed.
Though the steam engine and transmission system have now been removed, the plan and construction of the mill reveal their former location. Most of the original saws and ancillary equipment are also intact though modified to accommodate electric power. Extant saws include Canadian, frame, number one and pendulum docking saws arranged to allow efficient movement of the logs through the mill.
|The mill is one of the earliest known sawmills still operating in the North Coast region. It is uncommon in the region for its earliness, the intactness of its original fabric and layout, and its continuity of operation as a sawmill since the early 1930s. Economic and environmental factors, including the deregulation of the timber industry from the 1990s, have meant that intact sawmills from the interwar era are endangered and have become increasingly rare.
","criteria_letters":"Criterion E | Criterion A | Criterion H | Criterion D | Criterion B","criteria_definitions":"The place is important because of its aesthetic significance | The place is important in demonstrating the evolution or pattern of Queensland's history | The place has a special association with the life or work of a particular person, group or organisation of importance in Queensland's history | The place is important in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a particular class of cultural places | The place demonstrates rare, uncommon or endangered aspects of Queensland's cultural heritage"}, {"heritage_type":"State Heritage","site_id":514,"place_ref":602709,"name":"Public Air Raid Shelter, Landsborough Railway Station","alternate_name":null,"street_address":"Cribb Street","suburb":"LANDSBOROUGH","lga":"SUNSHINE COAST REGIONAL COUNCIL","register_entry_date":"2009-04-03","description":"The Landsborough Railway Station's public air raid shelter is situated on the southern end of the north-bound platform at Landsborough Railway Station on the Sunshine Coast line between Mooloolah and Beerwah.
The air raid shelter is a simple, box-shaped building constructed entirely from reinforced concrete. It is rectangular and symmetrical in plan and measures approximately 12.8 x 3.7 metres and is oriented north-south along the platform.
The shelter is accessed from the east by recessed entrance corridors at each end of the building. These are formed from internal blast walls which turn 90 degrees into the main internal space of the shelter. The floor of the internal space is bare ground and some graffiti has been applied to the internal walls over time. It has an internal height of approximately 2.5 metres.
The reinforced concrete walls and roof are approximately 300mm thick and 150-175mm thick respectively and have an off-form finish to both interior and exterior faces. The roof is flush with the walls and tapers to the outer edges. Eleven dog-legged ventilation slots are located along both the eastern and western elevations. The southern-most access corridor has been sealed with a recent solid-core door and the northern-most corridor, accessed via two concrete steps down to the shelter, has been closed off with a recent galvanised steel security gate.
The shelter is surrounded by a maintained garden to the south and west at ground level and by the raised concrete and bitumen station platform on the northern and eastern sides.
","history":"The reinforced concrete air raid shelter at the Landsborough railway station, built in 1942 by Queensland Rail, was designed to provide shelter, in the event of a Japanese air raid, for train passengers waiting at the railway station during World War II.
The Landsborough district was first settled in the 1870s and the North Coast railway reached Landsborough from Caboolture in February 1890. A railway station building was erected and by 1893 Landsborough was a refreshment stop for passengers, as it was approximately half-way between Brisbane and Gympie. Between 1890 and the 1930s Landsborough was an important transport centre for holiday makers at Caloundra to the east, and for farmers in the Blackall Range to the west.
During World War II the Landsborough station saw increased activity due to the military camps located in the area. An Australian Imperial Force bulk store was erected in Landsborough in May 1941, but after December 1941 military units were also stationed on the North Coast as part of the defence of Moreton Bay and Brisbane against the Japanese, and for training prior to deployment in the South West Pacific Theatre. For example, the Royal Australian Navy maintained a Signal Station on Caloundra Head, the Americans maintained a Radar Training School at Caloundra from early 1942 until 1943, and Australian artillery units trained at Battery Hill. Fortress troops were stationed on Bribie Island, Volunteer Defence Force units trained in the hinterland, and the 7th Division Australian Imperial Force also trained in the district in 1942, before being replaced by the 3rd Division (Militia).
There were about 2000 American troops, and up to 10,000 Australian troops, in Landsborough Shire at any one time, before training camps were relocated to the Atherton Tablelands in 1943. Many troops in the area would have arrived and departed from Landsborough railway station, and numerous troop trains also passed through Landsborough on their way to North Queensland, with some stopping for refreshments. After the Battle of the Coral Sea in May 1942 many Australian and American troops and supplies were railed north on the single railway line to Cairns. In Mid 1942 a troop train full of American soldiers broke down at the Landsborough station.
The North Coast railway line was extremely busy during the war, and trains heading north and south on the single line had to be co-ordinated. The Caboolture to Gympie section had reached saturation point even before the war, and there was no scope for building crossing loops for trains to pass each other. However, 30 crossing loops were built between Maryborough and Cairns between 1940 and 1945. Ammunition trains had priority, followed by troop trains, and then civilian trains. Due to the resulting delays, the Allied Works Council erected special eating houses and kitchens, and temporary showers and toilets, alongside appropriate stations to cater for bored troops.
The construction of an air raid shelter at Landsborough railway station was probably linked to this increased wartime traffic, as well as to government regulations regarding the safety of the population. Regulation 35a, an amendment to the National Security (General) Regulations of the National Security Act 1939-1940, was notified in the Commonwealth Government Gazette on 11 December 1941 (as Statutory Rules 1941 No.287), and authorised each State Premier to direct 'blackouts' and to 'make such provision as he deems necessary to protect the persons and property of the civil population'.
In the Protection of Persons and Property Order No.1, gazetted 23 December 1941, Queensland's Premier William Forgan Smith, with powers conferred by Regulation 35a, ordered the Brisbane City Council to construct 200 public surface shelters in the city area (235 were built). Another 24 local governments in Queensland's coastal areas were ordered to produce surface or trench shelters for the public, to be constructed according to the Air Raid Shelter Code laid down in the Second Schedule of Order No.1 (135 public shelters were built). Where local authorities were unwilling or unable to build the required number of code-compliant shelters, in some cases because they had already begun erecting other shelters, the Department of Public Works became responsible for the shelters' construction.
A large number of businesses also built air raid shelters. The Protection of Persons and Property Order No.1 required the owners of any building in the coastal areas where over 30 people would normally be present at any one time to build shelters either within the building, or adjacent to it. At mines where over 30 people would normally be present on the surface, trench shelters were required near the pithead; and any powerhouse, gas works or pumping station related to the public supply of electricity, gas, or water was also required to build shelters.
Early in January 1942 the engineer P.H. Ainscow reported to the Lands Administration Board, Department of Lands, regarding the building of air raid shelters. He noted that concrete public shelters had been built close to railway stations at Cairns, Townsville, Rockhampton, Gladstone, and Bundaberg, and recommended that shelters should be built near any important stations where large numbers of people waited for trains, for example at Innisfail and Mackay. In Australia the process of building public air-raid shelters at railway stations during World War II seems to have been unique to Queensland, probably because in early 1942 the state's railway network was the most vulnerable to Japanese air attack.
However, there was disagreement over who was responsible for building shelters at railway stations. In early February 1942 Queensland Railways claimed that local authorities should build public shelters near railway stations, rather than Queensland Railways having to build them on railway premises. At a conference in late February, the Secretary for Health and Home Affairs, E.M. Hanlon, stressed that if Queensland Railways did not act on building public air raid shelters it would make it harder for the State to insist that other businesses and local authorities do so. It was recommended that the department of Public Works proceed to construct shelters on or adjoining railway premises, with the numbers to be decided on by Public Works in consultation with the Commissioner for Railways.
On 2 March 1942 a memorandum from the Undersecretary of the Department of Public Works reported that Queensland Railways had already built shelters for its employees at some of the larger train stations, and it recommended that a further 28 full size public surface shelters, three half size shelters, and three sets of trenches, be built outside Brisbane. Most of the recommended surface shelters and trenches were on the North Coast railway line, at 19 stations from Nambour to Cairns. Shelters were also recommended for Mt Morgan, Kingaroy (trenches), Southport (two), Ipswich, and Toowoomba (two). Landsborough was not mentioned in this list. It was also noted that shelters had already been built (presumably those for railway employees) at Cairns, Townsville, Rockhampton, and Toowoomba (two).
By 23 March 1942 work on the public air raid shelters was in hand, after the Department of Public Works and Queensland Railways agreed to proceed in accordance with plans acceptable to both departments. Financial responsibility was accepted by Queensland Railways on the understanding that Commonwealth subsidies would be available.
A basic plan for Queensland Railways air raid shelters, dated 24 March 1942, shows a 42' long reinforced concrete shelter that was 12' 0.5" wide. The walls were 12" thick, with the front and back walls both having 11 dog-legged ventilation holes set high in the wall; and the roof, set flush with the side of the walls, was 6" to 7" thick. No concrete floor is indicated on the plan. The two entrances were 2'6" wide, and were located at each end of the front face of the shelter; recessed 3'6.5" back from the front wall. Internal blast walls form entrance corridors at each end that make a 90 degree turn into the main internal space of the shelter, which was 32'11" long by 10'0.5" wide, being 8'5" from floor to ceiling. This design is similar to the "pillbox" shelters used in the main streets of Brisbane.
The drawing was signed by Charles Da Costa, the Principal Railway Architect. Da Costa had been a specialist in reinforced concrete design for some time. He trained as a pupil of T. S. Martin of Sydney from 1905, joining Queensland Railways in 1907 as a Junior Draftsman. After retrenchment in 1921, he began private practise as an architect and structural designer in Brisbane. Later he worked for Burns Philp and Company, and in 1935 he rejoined Queensland Railways as an architect. He became Principal Architect in 1938 and retired in 1955.
From existing records, it appears that public air raid shelters at a number of railway stations, both within and outside Brisbane, shared a similar pillbox design. Known shelters of this type include the surviving shelters at Maryborough, Landsborough, Shorncliffe and Toowoomba, and demolished shelters at Gaythorne, Sandgate, Yeerongpilly, Caboolture, and South Brisbane. A possible pillbox shelter appears on a 1961 map of Townsville station, but it is labelled as a "Records Office". A 1948 Queensland Railways plan for converting an air raid shelter into a platform waiting shelter also shows the pillbox design. Other known post-war air raid shelter conversions include Shorncliffe (toilets), Sandgate (refreshment stall), and Caboolture (toilets).
The dimensions of the shelter at Landsborough match exactly the March 1942 plan signed by Da Costa, whereas the shelter at Shorncliffe has an overhanging roof slab. The surviving Maryborough shelter (two were built) appears to be a variant of the standard pillbox, where the doorways are close to the front wall and open directly into the main interior space of the shelter (facing towards the centre), rather than facing towards the rear of the shelter and leading into the narrower end sections. The Toowoomba railway station's two public shelters (one of which still exists) also used this entrance design.
Shelters appear to have been built at large stations, busy suburban commuter stations, and stations which had refreshment rooms. The latter would have been a vulnerable target for aircraft while passengers were disembarked for a meal. Queensland Railways station plans indicate that at least 23 stations on the North Coast line between Brisbane and Cairns had refreshment rooms at some time before World War II. At least five of these stations, plus possibly Townsville, had one or more air raid shelters marked on post-war site maps. These stations were Caboolture, Landsborough, Maryborough, Gladstone, and Rockhampton.
Of the public shelters built along the North Coast line, only the shelters at Landsborough and Maryborough still exist. In the Brisbane metropolitan area, most railway public shelters were demolished in the 1950s and 1960s, and only the Shorncliffe shelter has survived. The only other known surviving railway public shelter in Queensland is at Toowoomba railway station.
","criteria":"The place is a rare surviving example of a public air raid shelter built by Queensland Railways during World War II. It is one of only two railway station shelters surviving on the North Coast railway line, the other being located at Maryborough. Only four such shelters survive in Queensland, the only Australian state to build air raid shelters at railway stations.
|The shelter is a good example of a public air raid shelter designed by Queensland Railways during World War II to provide protection for the travelling public during air raids. Characteristic of air raid shelters constructed in Queensland, it is sited to accommodate a floating population concentration, is rectangular in plan, has reinforced concrete blast walls and roof, two entrances to the same side and dog-legged air vents to the long sides.
|The Landsborough Railway Station Public Air Raid Shelter is important as a surviving component of the Air Raid Precautions that were implemented as part of the defence of Queensland during World War II. Designed to afford protection for civilian and military travellers at Landsborough railway station in the event of a Japanese air raid, the shelter is important in demonstrating the impact of World War II on Queensland.
","criteria_letters":"Criterion B | Criterion D | Criterion A","criteria_definitions":"The place demonstrates rare, uncommon or endangered aspects of Queensland's cultural heritage | The place is important in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a particular class of cultural places | The place is important in demonstrating the evolution or pattern of Queensland's history"}, {"heritage_type":"State Heritage","site_id":654,"place_ref":602682,"name":"Crohamhurst Observatory (former)","alternate_name":"SEQ-1F 4","street_address":"131 Crohamhurst Road","suburb":"CROHAMHURST","lga":"SUNSHINE COAST REGIONAL COUNCIL","register_entry_date":"2008-11-13","description":"A site visit was not granted to this property. This description is based on information observed from the property boundary and obtained from the photographic collection at the Cultural Heritage Branch, Queensland Environmental Protection Agency.
Crohamhurst Observatory is sited on the southern side of Crohamhurst Road north of Peachester and adjoins Crohamhurst State Forest. The Observatory is set on the summit of a dome-shaped hill on maintained, open lawn and is surrounded by mature hoop pine trees.
Crohamhurst Observatory comprises a 1935 observatory building and numerous in-ground meteorological devices. A gravel driveway leads from the front gate on Crohamhurst Road to the observatory building.
The observatory building is a single-storey timber-framed structure set on low timber stumps. It is rectangular in plan with verandahs to the north and east which have been enclosed with weatherboard cladding and casement windows. It has a hipped roof with louvred gablets to the north, east and west and a small gable over the entry. The roof is clad in corrugated fibre-cement sheeting and has no eaves gutters. Cladding to all elevations is weatherboard. A shed-like structure has been added to south-west corner of the building.
The internal walls and ceilings of the observatory building are lined with fibre-cement sheeting with timber cover strips. Internal doors are timber joinery and the floor has been lined with linoleum. Some half-height walls and counters open on to the enclosed verandahs.
Several meteorological devices are visible around the site including a Stevenson Screen to the north-east of the observatory building which consists of a small louvred timber enclosure set on a steel frame approximately 1.2 metre high. To the north of the Stevenson Screen are the remains of other meteorological devices which consist of a concrete strip with various pipes cut off at ground level sunk into it.
To the east of the observatory building are other meteorological devices including deep earth temperature pits formed from clay pipes covered with sheet metal caps which protrude approximately 300mm out of the ground. A 1952 memorial plaque to the east of the observatory building marks the site of a telescope which has been removed. Other elements include a concrete sundial stand to the west of the Stevenson Screen.
A grassed pathway leads along the treed fence line to Crohamhurst Creek. A row of mature hoop pines has been planted along the northern fence line. Entry to the site is marked by a miniature Stevenson screen serving as a letterbox.
","history":"Crohamhurst Observatory was constructed in 1935 on Inigo Jones' property Crohamhurst, near Peachester. It was built for use by Jones as the site of solar and planetary observations and weather measurements used in long-range weather forecasting, and as the headquarters of his forecasting service. As such it is important in demonstrating the role of weather observing and recording in the history of Queensland and is a rare example of land use for long-range weather forecasting purposes. Inigo Jones was a well-known long-range weather forecaster throughout Australia from the 1920s until his death in 1954 and Crohamhurst Observatory has a special association with his life and work.
Meteorological observation and recording by Europeans in Australia commenced with the arrival of the First Fleet and spread across the continent with the tide of settlement. By the end of the 19th century the importance of meteorology was recognised and most colonies had established their own meteorological services, including Queensland from 1887. They prepared daily weather charts, issued forecasts and had begun the development of a climatological data bank. Following Federation, the Commonwealth Government assumed national responsibility for meteorological services when legislation creating the Commonwealth Bureau of Meteorology was passed in 1906. From its inception until the late 1980s the Commonwealth Bureau of Meteorology concentrated upon providing accurate short-term weather forecasts and creating a record of Australian weather observations. Finally in the 1990s, Australian scientists emerged as experts in the preparation of seasonal outlooks for the practical application to agriculture and other sectors.
Interest in predicting long-range weather trends dated from the middle of the 19th century, at the same time that meteorological observation was establishing itself as a scientific pursuit to enable daily weather forecasting. The appearance of spots on the surface of the sun had been the source of conjecture for a long time. Around the middle of the 19th century it was recognised that the number of sunspots increased and decreased on a regular cycle of around 11 years. The hypothesis was that as the sun dominates our experience of weather, then the sunspot cycle might set in motion regular changes in the Earth's climate. Consequently, during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, many scientists and enthusiastic amateurs embarked on the hunt for climatic cycles, believing that if such patterns could be found, then it might be possible to forecast the weather months, perhaps years ahead.
In Queensland, German-born MLA, Theodore Unmack, who took control of the Postmaster-General's department, including the weather office, in 1890, became 'convinced of the vast importance of seasonal forecasts' to Queensland. He asked the Queensland Government Meteorologist, Clement Wragge, to investigate and in particular to examine the work of Austrian scientist, Eduard Bruckner, who claimed to have discovered a 35-year cycle in the climatic records of Europe. Although initially sceptical, Wragge began to investigate the use of this 'Bruckner cycle', combined with the well-known 11 year sunspot cycle, as the basis for long-range weather forecasting.
Other climatic cycle research in the second half of the 19th century related fluctuations in atmospheric pressure with rainfall. These 'teleconnections' between weather conditions in different parts of the world such as simultaneous drought in India and Australia, named the Southern Oscillations, were documented and their potential use in seasonal prediction demonstrated. This was later recognised as a climate predicting tool in conjunction with the El Nino (ENSO).
Meanwhile, there was a growing clamour for long-range forecasts in Australia from those dependent upon the land, especially from farmers, which the Commonwealth Bureau of Meteorology did little to fulfil. This appetite was met in part by Inigo Jones who from 1923 until his death in 1954 provided long-range seasonal weather forecasts from Crohamhurst and Brisbane, depending on his residence.
Inigo Owen Jones was born in England at Croydon, Surrey in 1872, the son of civil engineer, Owen Jones and his wife, Emilie Susanne, née Bernoulli. Arriving in Brisbane on 4 November 1874 on the ship Darling Downs, Jones resided in Brisbane while his father was employed by the Queensland government as an engineer designing roads and railways. Later the family resided in Owanyilla near Maryborough, and Gympie. He was educated from age 11 until 1888 at the Brisbane Grammar School and completed the University of Sydney Junior Examination.
In 1888 he left school to take up employment at the Queensland Meteorological Bureau working for Clement Lindley Wragge, who had been appointed Colonial Meteorologist in 1887. At the Queensland Meteorological Bureau, Jones was trained in taking weather readings. He worked there until his family left Brisbane in late 1892 to take up residence on a property near Peachester, that they named Crohamhurst after Lord Goschen's Surrey estate.
Although engaged in agricultural work on his parents' property for the next 35 years, Inigo Jones continued his daily weather recordings. He achieved lasting recognition of his meteorological observations when on 2 February 1893 he recorded the highest daily rainfall in Australia (35.71 inches or 907 mm) at Crohamhurst.
Motivated by his understanding that farmers and pastoralists needed reliable long-range weather predictions, Inigo Jones pursued the previous work on long-range weather forecasting undertaken by his mentor, Clement Wragge. From 1923 onwards Jones issued the long-range weather forecasts, based on astronomical observations and the repetition of weather cycles, for which he became famous. Through his correspondence with Cyrus Macfarlane the science writer for Brisbane's Daily Mail newspaper, Jones gained his first weather forecast publication. In 1927 Inigo Jones moved to Brisbane where he was paid for articles and forecasts printed in three Brisbane newspapers. He also published articles in the Producer which was issued by the Council of Agriculture, in Country Life from 1931 and in The Land from circa 1936. He resided in Brisbane with his family until Easter 1935.
Recognition and support of Inigo Jones' work came in the late 1920s. In October 1928 the Queensland Government appointed Jones as director of the Bureau of Seasonal Forecasting of the Council of Agriculture. In the same month the Inigo Jones Seasonal Weather Forecasting Trust was formed with contributions from governments and industry, with the Lord Mayor of Brisbane as Chairman. The Trust raised funds to further Jones' research and successfully lobbied the Queensland State Government to provide an annual subsidy. In 1931 a branch was established in Sydney also with its Lord Mayor as chairman. In 1942 the Long-Range Weather Forecasting Trust, a non-profit body, was established by organisations within primary industry and with further financial assistance from the Queensland Government to enable Jones to pursue his research at Crohamhurst until his death in 1954.
Although two Ministerially-commissioned investigations concluded that his forecasting methods had no scientific basis, the demand for his forecasts remained and after his death the service continued.
Jones' long-range forecasts were based on a complicated series of cycles linking planetary movements and sun spots. He saw the whole solar system as simply a vast electromagnetic machine automatically controlled by the magnetic fields of the planets, which applies among other things, to the seasons. Therefore, if it were known what the conditions were when the same planets stood in the same relation in the past, we could know what conditions would arise now and in the future.
Jones' forecasts were widely distributed and acclaimed during the 1920s and 1930s. Tim Sherratt, one of Inigo Jones' biographers regarded Jones as the most celebrated amongst the ranks of Australia's 'weather prophets'. Another biographer, John Hogan, wrote in 1969 that of all the non-official weather forecasters who had practised in Australia, particularly in the field of long-range forecasting, there was no-one so widely known throughout the whole continent, and with so great a following of supporters, as Inigo Jones, whose forecasts were in great demand. In 1938 the Land newspaper organised a survey of its readers' opinions of Jones' predictive powers and over the following months published extracts from many. Of the 102 letters received from all over rural New South Wales, only three opposed government funding for Inigo Jones and most attested his accuracy. According to the Canberra Times, Inigo Jones was 'one of the outstanding figures' of the 1939 Australian and New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Science (ANZAAS) meeting in Canberra. Jones was a determined battler whose 'fight for recognition as a long range forecaster' had begun in the early 1920s. Although he had received some support from the Queensland government, the newspaper noted that Commonwealth authorities had been 'stubbornly turning deaf ears to his claims'.
Newspaper cartoons' such as the Weg's Day cartoon which appeared in the Melbourne Herald Sun on 14 January 1954 lampooning the Commonwealth Meteorological Bureau's forecasting in favour of Inigo Jones' predictions attest to Jones' high profile as a weather forecaster.
Jones won recognition from rural and financial organisations such as the Graziers' Association of NSW, the Queensland Council of Agriculture, CSR Co, and Dalgety and Co, and received much encouragement in his work, as well as aid to finance his observatory so that his work might continue. He held memberships to a number of esteemed overseas organisations. Jones was elected a Fellow of the Astronomical Society in November 1935. He was a Fellow of the Royal Meteorological Society and a member of the Astronomical Society of France the American Meteorological Society, the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, Australia New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Science and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Jones also was a member of a variety of Queensland societies that reflected his wide-ranging interests the Queensland Astronomical Society, Royal Society of Queensland, Historical Society of Queensland and the Town Planning Association of Queensland.
Jones' persistent attempts to have his predictive methods recognised as soundly based, by any substantial body of accredited scientific opinion, failed. A committee of the Commonwealth Bureau of Meteorology reviewed his system in the late 1930s but rejected his ideas. In the early 1950s persistent agitation for official recognition of Jones' forecasting methods led to the Federal Minister for the Interior establishing a committee to conduct a Departmental investigation into Jones' activities and claims. This committee showed that Jones¿ forecasts had only a 50 per cent chance of being correct. Biographer, Tim Sherratt, believes that even if Jones' predictions were not valid, he was providing farmers with data on average seasonal conditions in a form that they could use and understand. It may have been that not only the content of his forecasts was important, but the way landholders integrated them with their own knowledge of the local environment.
The observatory building at Crohamhurst, which was financed by the Seasonal Weather Forecasting Trust and the Colonial Sugar Refining Co., was opened on
13 August 1935 by the Queensland Governor Sir Leslie Wilson, Inigo Jones' friend and supporter. The Queensland government helped with operating expenses and declared the site a reserve for scientific purposes. Other funding was obtained through money earned from the press and by direct gifts from persons and institutions.
The observatory building was sited on a dome-shaped hill adjoining the road. Jones explained in 1937 that the building was designed to enable maximum comfort under the climatic conditions. The observatory was built of fibro-cement for roof and walls, open to the north and east for light and air passage, and closed to the south and west, where double walls kept out the cold and hot winds. There were verandahs along the east and north elevations. The building consisted of a large computing room and a laboratory and provision was made for additions when required at the south-east corner. Sited near the observatory were Jones' deep earth temperature pits, consisting of drilled holes lined with clay pipes, from which he took temperature readings at varying depths up to 10.67 metres (35 feet) below the earth's surface. These observations were designed to ascertain the 'solar constant of radiation'. Temperature readings were also taken from the nearby Crohamhurst Creek. A Stevenson screen (a vented box) housed instruments such as a thermometer for measuring temperature, barometer for measuring barometric pressure and hygrometer for measuring humidity. Three telescopes were used for solar observation.
The purpose of Crohamhurst Observatory was to take daily observations of the sun and of all weather conditions. These were used to test the possibility of the immediate solar control of the weather; to test the application of these possibilities to the weather of Australia; to issue forecasts to those newspapers and publications that supported the observatory; and to test the hypothesis of seasonal repetitions through cycles.
By the mid-1940s Jones, in his seventies, was considering the fate of his property and his life work after his demise. Jones wrote to the Department of Forestry offering land for forestry purposes in December 1946. He had already made experimental tree plantings on his property including a row of hoop pines on the northern boundary, and believed the land best used for that purpose. The offer was later increased to include 100 acres in total. This land was transferred to the government on 14 October 1947. In January 1950 Jones approached the Forestry Department again to offer more land to be held as a reserve for forestry until after the demise of himself and his wife. This land included that upon which Jones' house and garden stood. This offer was accepted and the land was leased by Inigo and his wife Marion.
Following Inigo Jones' death on 14 November 1954 the area was gazetted as Timber Reserve 743 (124 acres) which included the area previously described as part Portion 158. After his wife Marion passed away on 2 June 1960 the land of Crohamhurst farm, but not the separate Observatory reserve, was returned to the Forestry Department for forestry usage. The whole reserve was named 'Crohamhurst Forest'.
In his latter years Jones had been concerned about the continuation of his work and keen to train an assistant for this purpose. A house designed by Jones' son-in-law was built in 1951 approximately 40 metres from the Observatory. This was occupied by Jones' assistant, and in 1953 he employed (Robert) Lennox Walker who, following Army service in World War II, had trained and worked as a forester and surveyor in Victoria and Queensland.
Crohamhurst Observatory continued operations after Inigo's death when his work was assumed by Lennox Walker. In August 1993 Walker applied to freehold Special lease 41606 and the area which included the historic Crohamhurst Observatory. This was freeholded when Walker purchased the land and the commercial timber from the Crown. The building subsequently left the ownership of the Walker family and has ceased to be used as a centre for long-range weather forecasting.
Inigo Jones' role in the field of long-range weather forecasting in Queensland continued to be recognised well after his death. On 25 February 1982 the Royal Geographical Society of Australasia unveiled a plaque at Crohamhurst Observatory to commemorate Inigo Jones. This is located on the site of the platform he used for astronomy observations.
Recent changes to Crohamhurst Observatory include an extension to the south-west and enclosing the northern verandah. Equipment and charts used by Jones have been removed in recent years. However, the deep earth temperature pits and the Stevenson screen which sheltered instruments from direct sunlight, wind and rain, remain in situ.
","criteria":"Crohamhurst Observatory with its observatory building and surviving meteorological equipment dating from the 1930s is important in demonstrating the evolution of weather forecasting and recording in Queensland. It is the site of nationally-recognised long-range weather forecasting undertaken for dissemination throughout Australia and provides important early evidence of the techniques used.
The establishment and funding of the Crohamhurst Observatory with support from businesses, government departments and individuals demonstrates the growing community belief, starting in the nineteenth century, that through scientific research and understanding, humans could solve all problems, including withstanding future weather events through long-range weather prediction.
It also demonstrates the importance of long-range weather forecasting to the rural communities of Australia which encouraged and largely financed the observatory. This enthusiasm and demand is evidenced by the wide distribution of these forecasts throughout Australia in journals, newspapers, published material and correspondence.
|Crohamhurst Observatory is rare as the only known long-range weather forecasting observatory in Queensland. Its purpose-built observatory building and surviving open-air meteorological apparatus including deep earth temperature pits, Stevenson Screen and other meteorological devices provide rare surviving evidence of the early practice of long-range weather forecasting, an uncommon aspect of Queensland's cultural heritage.
|Crohamhurst Observatory has a strong association with the life and work of Inigo Jones, well-known long-range weather forecaster throughout Queensland and Australia, from the 1920s until his death in 1954.
","criteria_letters":"Criterion A | Criterion B | Criterion H","criteria_definitions":"The place is important in demonstrating the evolution or pattern of Queensland's history | The place demonstrates rare, uncommon or endangered aspects of Queensland's cultural heritage | The place has a special association with the life or work of a particular person, group or organisation of importance in Queensland's history"}, {"heritage_type":"State Heritage","site_id":15463,"place_ref":600688,"name":"Pioneer Cottage Buderim","alternate_name":"JK Burnett (and family) residence","street_address":"5 Pioneer Crescent","suburb":"BUDERIM","lga":"SUNSHINE COAST REGIONAL COUNCIL","register_entry_date":"1992-10-21","description":"Pioneer Cottage is located on a small parcel of land in a suburban street in central Buderim, on the high ridge which forms the spine of the plateau, facing northeast.
It is a modest, single-storeyed, exposed-frame timber building, constructed of pit-sawn and hand-dressed local beech [floors and wall and ceiling linings], red cedar [joinery], tallowwood [bearers and wall plates] and hardwoods [wall framing and roof structure], and set on low timber stumps. It has a steeply pitched roof, with corrugated iron covering the original shingle battens, and two dormer windows on the southwest side, opening from an attic space. The four-roomed core is surrounded by verandahs with simple chamfered posts supporting the verandah roofs, which extend from the main roof at a different pitch. These are unlined, and the early shingle battens are visible. French doors open from each room onto the verandahs.
The core has a modestly-sized central hallway, from which doors open off to the front parlour on the right, and the front bedroom and rear dining room on the left. The dining room has a fireplace, the brick chimney of which, formerly rendered, is now exposed. A narrow staircase leads from the hallway to two attic bedrooms, preventing any access from the hallway to the rear bedroom on the right - this is accessed from the rear and north side verandahs. Evidence in the fabric indicates that this rear bedroom was at some period divided into two rooms, both accessed from the verandahs. The rear [southwest] verandah has been enclosed with c1920s/30s weatherboards and timber casement windows, possibly in more than one stage. In the process, a small room has been created at each end of this verandah.
The internal walls are all lined, mostly with wide tongue and groove beech boards with a single bead. The hallway ceiling is of wide beech boards, but the remaining ceilings are of later, narrow tongue and groove boards, possibly indicating that the original ceilings were of calico. The attic rooms are lined throughout with narrow tongue and groove boards. The interior has a number of finishes: the walls of the main rooms and hallway painted or wall-papered [this appears to be quire recent]; the attic rooms unpainted; the joinery varnished; and the floors bare.
The house is surrounded by a small garden, most of which is recent planting. The palm stands at the front entrance may be associated with early planting evident in late19th/early 20th century photographs. The original service wing has been demolished. There is a slab hut at the rear of the house, moved to this site after 1965. The street frontage to Ballinger Crescent has a late 20th century post and rail fence, associated with the renovation of the place as a house museum. In the north garden is a large iron pan associated with the Fielding-Dixon Sugar Mill.
","history":"The residence now known as Pioneer Cottage Buderim was erected probably in the early 1880s for Buderim Mountain settlers John Kerle Burnett, his wife Ann North and family. It remains one of the oldest surviving sawn-timber houses on the plateau, and currently functions as a house museum and headquarters of the Buderim Historical Society.
JK Burnett was the eldest son of schoolteacher John Burnett and his wife Jane Kerle, who with their 9 children emigrated to Queensland from Somerset, England, in 1866. They were accompanied on the voyage by Ann North, whom JK Burnett married in 1867. The Burnett family took up land at Burpengary. Several of the sons gained experience in the sugar mills around Caboolture and in the Tingalpa-Ormiston district, and became closely connected with the development of both the sugar and timber industries in post-Separation Queensland - on the north coast at Buderim Mountain, and at Wellington Point southeast of Brisbane.
From the early 1860s, Buderim Mountain had been extensively logged, principally for the fine stands of red cedar and white beech, which was shipped to Brisbane via William Pettigrew's wharf on the Mooloolah River. In 1870 the plateau was opened for selection. Many of the first selections were taken up purely for their timber resources [eg Pettigrew's and Grigor's selections], and early agriculturalists made an income from timber while clearing the land. By the mid-1870s, sugar cane was grown extensively in the area, with planters utilising South Sea Islander labour. Buderim Mountain sugar planters John Fielding and his son-in-law Joseph Chapman Dixon, established the mountain's first sugar mill in October 1876. At that time John Kerle Burnett and his brother Harry moved from Burpengary to Buderim to take up work at Fielding and Dixon's mill. JK Burnett's wife and young family arrived a few weeks later. Initially they resided in Thomas Ridley's house - most likely the small slab house which Ridley had erected on his selection [portion 45, parish of Mooloolah] by July 1874.
In November 1878, John Kerle Burnett purchased portion 49, parish of Mooloolah, for £15, obtaining the deed of grant in March 1879. The block was part of an earlier forfeited 40 acre selection, half of which [20 acres] had been reserved for school purposes in 1877, and the remaining 20 acres sold to Burnett. It was centrally located, adjacent to the school reserve, and at the intersection of two principal roads [now Main Street and Ballinger Road]. On part of this land Burnett built his family home [the present Pioneer Cottage], probably c1882/83. In the Caboolture Divisional Board Valuation Registers of 1881 and 1882, portion 49 is recorded as unimproved. There does not appear to be a record for 1883, but by 1884 the property was improved with a sawn house and stables - likely to refer to Pioneer Cottage. Early in 1882 JK Burnett raised a mortgage of £100 on the property, which may have been associated with the construction of the house.
The house was built of local timbers - tallow wood (eucalyptus microcorys) for floor bearers, white beech (Gmelina leichhardtii) for floors, walls, and ceilings and red cedar (Toona australis) for joinery - thought to have been felled on the property or acquired from nearby, and pit-sawn and handcrafted to make boards. Bricks for steps and a fireplace were hand-made, probably from local clay. The core initially comprised a central hallway and 4 rooms - front parlour, front bedroom, rear dining room and rear bedroom. The latter was partitioned into two bedrooms at a some stage - some Burnett descendants believe it was always partitioned. A short time later two attic bedrooms were added. Early photographs of the house show external walls of deep boards and exposed timber stud framing, encircled by verandahs and resting on low stumps. The high-pitched shingled roof had a short ridge, and the verandah roofs, also shingled, were supported on plain chamfered timber posts. Glass and timber-panelled french doors opened onto the verandahs from all rooms. The first front steps were of timber, but had been replaced by 1907 with masonry steps. Between early 1907 and mid-1909, the verandah roofs were replaced with corrugated galvanised iron; later the whole roof was clad with iron. An external oven and chimney is shown in the earliest photograph, dated c1880, but later a detached kitchen wing was built.
In 1880 a second sugar mill - The Buderim Mountain Sugar Company Mill - was established by local growers, with financial backing from James Campbell and Sons. By 1884, JK Burnett had left his employment with Dixon and Fielding to take up the management of the Company mill, with his brother Ernest employed as sugar boiler. The mill was located below the present post office, a short distance from JK Burnett's home. At this period there were still only 7 farming families on Buderim Mountain: Fielding, Dixon, Guy, Caton, Lindsay, Coghill and Ballinger, but they were able to support two sugar mills. Buderim farmers appear initially to have made a good return from the Company mill. Between 1881 and 1884, many of the early slab homes were replaced with sawn-timber houses, and by the late 1880s a small village had developed around the intersection of the two principal roads on the mountain, with a state school, School of Arts, general store, blacksmith's shop, 3 or 4 residences, and the Buderim Mountain Sugar Company Mill. However, from 1885, legislation designed to curtail the employment of South Sea Islanders on sugar plantations forced most Buderim Mountain sugar planters to turn to alternative crops - principally bananas, oranges and other fruits. By August 1889 the Buderim Mountain Sugar Company Mill had closed, and JC Dixon was the only Buderim Mountain farmer still growing sugar cane on a commercial scale, sustaining his mill until 1896.
JK Burnett left the Company mill in the second half of the 1880s, possibly by 1887, and established the mountain's first general store, at the corner of Ballinger Road and Main Street. From 1 March 1892, operation of the Buderim Mountain Post Office passed from mill owner Joseph Dixon to storekeeper JK Burnett. Burnett also farmed nearby land.
The JK Burnetts were well known in the district and played an active role in their community. Ann Burnett was widely respected for her skills as a nurse and midwife, and as one of the principal influences behind the establishment of the Methodist Church on Buderim Mountain. JK Burnett was a member of the local School of Arts committee. Ann died in 1905, and her husband remained in the family home until his death in 1921. In his later years he was cared for by his son Edward Lionel Burnett, a saddler by trade. After his marriage in 1912, Lionel, with his wife Etta Low and family, continued to live in the Burnett home. Lionel Burnett was also well known in the district, for many years delivering milk and vegetables daily to the local community.
Title to subdivision 2 of portion 49, par Mooloolah, co Canning [19 acres 2 roods containing the house site] was transferred from John Kerle Burnett to Edward Lionel Burnett in mid-1921, just prior to JK Burnett's death. The Lionel Burnetts made some alterations to the property: in the early 1920s the two small bedrooms at the back were converted into one larger bedroom; in the 1930s the detached kitchen was demolished, the two corners of the back verandah were enclosed, and one of these was furnished as the new kitchen. Etta Burnett died in 1944, and her husband is understood to have left the place in 1946, renting it to the local postman. Following Lionel's death in 1950, his former home passed to his daughter Dorothea, who subdivided the property [Ballinger Crescent was created at this time] and offered it for auction in January 1953. The house was purchased by Miss Sybil Addison Vise, whose family had lived on Buderim Mountain since the early 1900s, and who kept the place as a rental property. In 1965 Miss Vise subdivided the house block yet again, and offered the former Burnett residence, on 22.2 perches, to the local community. The offer was readily accepted. Title was registered with the trustees of the Buderim War Memorial Centre [formerly the Buderim School of Arts], and in 1966 the Buderim Historical Society was formed to care for the place. Local service clubs such as Apex and Rotary assisted in the community restoration of the old Burnett home, which was opened as an historical museum by Premier Frank Nicklin on 23 September 1967.
The stumps, verandah posts and verandah flooring were replaced in the 1960s with similar materials; the earlier corrugated iron also has been replaced.
","criteria":"Pioneer Cottage, the former JK Burnett home erected c1882-83, is important in demonstrating the early development of Buderim Mountain as an agricultural settlement, in particular the early success of sugar growing and sugar milling in the district.
|It is one of the oldest surviving residences on the plateau, remains substantially intact, and demonstrates the principal characteristics of an early 1880s farmhouse built of local timbers no longer generally available.
|It is one of the oldest surviving residences on the plateau, remains substantially intact, and demonstrates the principal characteristics of an early 1880s farmhouse built of local timbers no longer generally available.
|The rustic materials and simple form and plan have an aesthetic quality valued by the community.
|The place has a special association for the Buderim community, as evidenced by their acquisition of the property for museum purposes in the mid-1960s.
|Pioneer Cottage is significant for its close association with one of the early families of Buderim Mountain, the JK Burnetts, and for its close association with the work of the Buderim Historical Society.
","criteria_letters":"Criterion A | Criterion B | Criterion D | Criterion E | Criterion G | Criterion H","criteria_definitions":"The place is important in demonstrating the evolution or pattern of Queensland's history | The place demonstrates rare, uncommon or endangered aspects of Queensland's cultural heritage | The place is important in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a particular class of cultural places | The place is important because of its aesthetic significance | The place has a strong or special association with a particular community or cultural group for social, cultural or spiritual reasons | The place has a special association with the life or work of a particular person, group or organisation of importance in Queensland's history"}, {"heritage_type":"State Heritage","site_id":15895,"place_ref":601122,"name":"Eumundi War Memorial","alternate_name":"Trees in Memorial Drive","street_address":"Memorial Drive","suburb":"EUMUNDI","lga":"SUNSHINE COAST REGIONAL COUNCIL","register_entry_date":"1997-12-05","description":"The Memorial Trees are situated over two streets in Eumundi. The most substantial planting is in Memorial Drive and comprises three figs (Ficus obliqua), three camphor laurels (Cinnamonum camphora), three lilly pillies (Syzygium paniculatun) and one jacaranda (Jacaranda mimosifolia) planted in the roadway on the northern side, and two camphor laurels on the southern side outside the School of Arts. Three camphor laurels, two figs, two flame trees (Brachychiton acerifolius) and one lilly pilly line the western side of Gridley Street, within the boundary of Clem Park. Most of the trees are mature, and form a large and dominant canopy over the areas in which they are planted.
Memorial Drive is the main thoroughfare through the town, with Gridley Street running at right angles to it.
","history":"The Eumundi War Memorial Trees were planted during and after the First World War. Between 1914 and 1918, eighty seven men from Eumundi and the surrounding district served in the First World War. The trees were planted to honour the twenty men who did not return.
The impetus for the planting of the Memorial Trees was provided by the Eumundi Women's Patriotic Committee. Funds were raised by public subscription, the total cost being approximately £100.
Up until the early twentieth century, there were few statues or monuments in Queensland. However, as a result of the First World War (1914 - 1918), memorials were erected in almost every Queensland town. Such public expression of both grief for the dead and pride in the nation has not been generated by previous or subsequent wars.
The First World War had an immense impact on the Australian population. Of those who went to war, almost one in five did not return. It was common for families to lose more than one son and for small communities to lose a whole generation of men.
In 1916 the British Government prohibited the exhumation and return of bodies. This, coupled with the impracticality of visiting distant graves ensured war memorials became an expression of public mourning, revered as cenotaphs (literally meaning 'empty tomb') by those who erected them. Placed at prominent locations, they became symbols of remembrance and were considered to be as sacred as grave sites. As such, materials, design principles and symbols suggesting permanence, reverence and commemoration were important elements.
Queenslanders were at the forefront of sustaining public expression. In 1916 they were the first state to establish ANZAC Day as a day of remembrance, encouraging other states to join them in making April 25th a day of national commemoration.
It was expected that this tradition would be continued by future generations and that the memorials themselves would be honoured and respected. However it is apparent from the evidence of vandalism and alterations to memorials throughout the state that this has not always been the case.
The memorials are important, not only in terms of what they represent, but also for what they record. In addition to listing the local men who served and fell in the First World War, many memorials also display details regarding unveiling ceremonies and fund-raising committees, making them invaluable as social and historical documents. They are even more valuable when it is considered that all other documentary records of those who served in the First World War are listed either alphabetically or by military units, making it virtually impossible to determine the original locality of a specific serviceman. The memorials are therefore the only readily accessible records of the origins of the men who served and fell.
There are many different types of memorials throughout Queensland. However Memorial Drives of trees are relatively uncommon, particularly those in which each tree is representative of a specific fallen serviceman.
The original Eumundi Memorial Tree species were fig trees, of which twenty were planted. Of these, five are extant and the fifteen which didn't survive have been replaced with other species including camphor laurels, lilly pillies and jacarandas. The first trees were planted between the railway gates and the CWA Hall and the first two were replanted when the road was widened.
When first planted, each tree was enclosed by a neat 6' x 6' paling fence painted white. Each fence bore a '10" x 8" bronze tablet bearing in brass letters the name, unit, date and place of death of each deceased soldier,' By the 1970s, many of the trees had been replaced and the plaques had either been lost or had deteriorated. The twelve remaining plaques were replaced in 1976 by the Maroochy Shire Council and the original plaques placed in the Eumundi Historical Museum.
Soldiers from the Eumundi district commemorated by the Memorial Trees include:
Walter (Ted) Gridley (died; July 28 1918, France) was the great grandson of Joseph Gridley, the first settler to take up land in the Eumundi district.
Herbert William Cooke (killed in action; Gallipoli, June 30 1915). Jabez Abraham (died; August 21 1916) and Cyril Abraham (died; October 20 1918). These men were the son and stepsons of G H Cooke who came to Eumundi in 1911 to take up the position of local schoolmaster.
Aubrey Stuart-Russell (died of wounds; July 4 1918, France) who came to the district in 1910 with his family and was the grandson of explorer Henry Stuart-Russell.
Frank Morgan (died; October 9 1917) and was a timber cutter in the district prior to the war. His brother Bert also served, but survived and returned to the Eumundi district.
The road on which the trees are located was originally the principal thoroughfare North. Shops, hotels and sawmills were located along it, and it ran parallel to the North Coast Railway Line.
Eumundi is one of the few towns in Queensland which does not display a monumental type memorial to the First World War. However, the placement of the trees on the main thoroughfare through town adheres to the formula of placing memorials in dominant and central positions. Although traffic north has been diverted, the Memorial Trees still provide a focal point, both for local residents and visitors.
The trees continue to be significant to the local community. This is indicated by the community based suggestion to change the name of the street from Main Street to Memorial Drive in 1977. They are a local landmark and provide the focal point for the well-known Eumundi Markets which were formed in 1979 and have become the primary industry of the town. The Markets are community based, with all proceeds going towards community organisations and local charities. The trees also continue to be the focal point for remembrance ceremonies, particularly on ANZAC Day, when they provide an educational opportunity for the local school children who make floral tributes to place at the foot of each tree.
The trees and plaques are cared for by the Maroochy Council arborist and the Eumundi Historical Association.
","criteria":"War Memorials are important in demonstrating the pattern of Queensland's history as they are representative of a recurrent theme that involved most communities throughout the state. They provide evidence of an era of widespread Australian patriotism and nationalism, particularly during and following the First World War
|Avenues of trees as memorials, and particularly those where each tree is attributed to a particular fallen serviceman are uncommon in Queensland. Most memorials erected during or after the First World War were of the monumental type.
|They manifest a unique documentary record and are demonstrative of popular taste in the inter-war period.
The memorial at Eumundi demonstrates the principal characteristics of a commemorative form erected as an enduring record of a major historical event. This is achieved through the appropriate use of symbolic elements such as avenues of trees and plaques.
|The Memorial Trees and their setting are a landmark within Eumundi and contribute to the aesthetic qualities of the townscape.
|They are a continue to be a focal point for the community, providing the venue for markets which have become an important asset to the town.
The Memorial Trees have a strong and continuing association with the community as evidence of the impact of a major historic event and as the focal point for the remembrance of that event. It also has special association with the families of the fallen, some of whom still reside in the district.
","criteria_letters":"Criterion A | Criterion B | Criterion D | Criterion E | Criterion G","criteria_definitions":"The place is important in demonstrating the evolution or pattern of Queensland's history | The place demonstrates rare, uncommon or endangered aspects of Queensland's cultural heritage | The place is important in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a particular class of cultural places | The place is important because of its aesthetic significance | The place has a strong or special association with a particular community or cultural group for social, cultural or spiritual reasons"}, {"heritage_type":"State Heritage","site_id":15940,"place_ref":601176,"name":"Buderim House","alternate_name":null,"street_address":"10 Orme Road","suburb":"BUDERIM","lga":"SUNSHINE COAST REGIONAL COUNCIL","register_entry_date":"1993-03-02","description":"Buderim House, located on a northern slope of Buderim Mountain, sits amongst established gardens which include a section of the original scrub, to the west of the building, which covered the mountain.
The building is a high set timber residence with corrugated iron roof and verandahs to three sides. The corrugated iron roof has a central square belvedere and projecting gables with timber batten panels. The verandah roofs are at a lesser pitch and the belvedere has a ribbed metal, hipped concave roof with finial, curved timber eave brackets and casement windows.
The building has timber stumps with a timber batten skirt below the verandahs. Underneath the building has been enclosed.
Entry is from the northern side via a twin stair to a landing and a single stair to the verandah, which is framed by an arched timber battened valance and brackets. The verandah has battened timber balustrade and timber brackets, and single skin tongue and groove walls with french doors and fanlights. The recessed entry door has art nouveau leadlight fanlight, side lights and central panel with the name BUDERIM HOUSE depicted. The eastern dining room also has leadlight panels. The northeastern verandah has been screened for insects.
Internally, walls are single skin, with some rooms being wallpapered. Most rooms have boarded ceilings, with the living room and hall having plastered ceilings with decorative cornices. Internal doors have fretwork panels above, with the living room doors from the front and rear halls having leadlight panels. A steep internal stair leads from the front hall to the belvedere.
The southwest verandah has been enclosed with chamferboards and casement windows, and a skillion roofed store and covered stair have been added to the southeast.
The gardens contain an informal arrangement of lush, sub-tropical planting with a gravel driveway winding through clumps of established palms and sections of lawn.
","history":"Buderim House was built c1915 for Herbert Victor Fielding, son of pioneer Buderim sugar planter, mill owner and fruit grower John Fielding, who in 1876 selected nearly 49 hectares on the northern slopes of Buderim Mountain.
In the 1880s competition from imported sugar forced Buderim sugar planters into crop diversification, and by the late 1880s, Herbert Fielding was growing bananas on a large scale on the family property. Following John Fielding's death in 1890, the farm, by then reduced to about 40 hectares, passed to his wife Jane. When Herbert Fielding acquired the property in 1906, it extended from Orme Road to Mill Road and across the present Gloucester Road to the creek. He was a successful farmer, and in the early 1900s attended state-wide agricultural conferences as the representative of the Maroochy Pastoral Agricultural Horticultural and Industrial Association.
He is believed to have erected his first house on the property after his marriage in late 1904. This house and part of the farm was sold c.1915, at which time he erected Buderim House on a 16 hectare section of the property, on the highest point of the northern slope of Mt Buderim, overlooking the Maroochy coast and river valley. The architect was George Trotter of Corinda, and the contractor was Kangaroo Point builder Christian Schriver.
Prior to its completion, the house on about 11 hectares was sold in 1915 to Walter Frank Oakes, who insisted on the addition of a tower, flagpole and the inclusion of the name Buderim House in the leadlight panel in the front door, before the sale could be finalised. Oakes grew bananas on the property. Fielding meanwhile erected a third house on his remaining Gloucester Road farming land, from the same plan as Buderim House.
In 1925 Fielding bought Buderim House and the farm back from Oakes. He worked the farm with bananas, pineapples, winter small crops, coffee, and cattle, and rented out the house until selling it on about 1.6 hectares to HJ Murphy in 1927. Murphy, later an alderman in the Maroochy Shire Council, developed the present gardens around the house in the 1930s. He sold the house in 1954, and the land was subdivided further in 1967. The house now stands on about 0.6 hectares.
Close to the house a small section of vine scrub, known as Fielding's Scrub, was left as a break against the westerly winds. It remains one of the few vestiges of the dense scrub which covered Buderim Mountain and hindered agricultural development of the area in the 1870s. The cocos palms [Cocos nucifera L.] in this scrub reputedly were seeded by Fielding.
","criteria":"Buderim House demonstrates the principal characters of a substantial early 20th century Queensland timber residence. It exhibits particular aesthetic characteristics valued by the Buderim community, these being its landmark quality and the contribution of the house, established gardens and rare scrub remnant, to the Buderim landscape.
|It exhibits particular aesthetic characteristics valued by the Buderim community, these being its landmark quality and the contribution of the house, established gardens and rare scrub remnant, to the Buderim landscape.
|Buderim House demonstrates the principal characters of a substantial early 20th century Queensland timber residence.
|It exhibits particular aesthetic characteristics valued by the Buderim community, these being its landmark quality and the contribution of the house, established gardens and rare scrub remnant, to the Buderim landscape.
","criteria_letters":"Criterion A | Criterion B | Criterion D | Criterion E","criteria_definitions":"The place is important in demonstrating the evolution or pattern of Queensland's history | The place demonstrates rare, uncommon or endangered aspects of Queensland's cultural heritage | The place is important in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a particular class of cultural places | The place is important because of its aesthetic significance"}, {"heritage_type":"State Heritage","site_id":16003,"place_ref":601239,"name":"St George's Anglican Church","alternate_name":"St George's Church of England | St Georges Anglican Church | St Georges Church of England","street_address":"15 Cook Street","suburb":"EUMUNDI","lga":"SUNSHINE COAST REGIONAL COUNCIL","register_entry_date":"1999-09-24","description":"St George's Anglican Church is a particularly small scale timber building situated on a residential street of Eumundi. The site comprises the church at the eastern end, a timber bell tower with cast bronze bell near the Cook Street entrance, a timber toilet block to the rear of the church and large established trees. The site extends from Cook Street to Ward Street. The western end of the site contains a large Coral tree.
Because the land is steeply graded toward the rear of the building, the front of the building appears to be at road level and the structure is elevated on timber stumps, which at the western end of the building are about 2-3 metres high. The eastern boundary of the site is bordered by an early timber and wire fence, which replaced an earlier picket fence.
The church is constructed with a timber frame and clad externally with local hardwood chamfered boards and internally with hoop pine boarding. The gabled roof of the building is clad with corrugated zincalume sheeting. The gable ends are decorated with carved timber barge boards.
The internal altar area is expressed externally on the eastern façade, facing Cook Street with a smaller gabled projecting section. This gabled section is dominated by a large pointed arched timber framed opening filled with amber coloured glass. The window provides lighting to the altar which is at this end of the building. The northern side of the building is lined with a recent wide timber framed verandah.
The principal entrance to the body of the church is via the western end, with the eastern end providing access to a small vestry. The western entrance door is a double pointed arched timber boarded door. Lining the nave of the church are lancet windows in timber frames, divided into three glazed panels, the two lower of which are hopper windows. The window glazing has been painted.
The internal walls of the church are lined with horizontal tongue and groove boarding. The floor is of ironbark. The flat ceiling is lined with timber boards. The altar recess on the eastern end of the building has a lower ceiling which has truncated corners, reflecting the pitch of the external gabled projection.
The altar of the church at the eastern end of the building is raised on a timber platform, surrounded by altar rails. The internal furnishing comprises a silky oak altar, twelve hoop pine pews, a red cedar and Queensland maple altar rail.
Beneath the elevated church areas have been enclosed for storage.
","history":"St George's Anglican Church, originally St George's Church of England, was constructed in 1912 by local builder Mr J Carbury who is thought to have designed the building.
The land on which St George's Church was built was selected by Joseph Gridley who arrived in Brisbane on the James Fernie in 1856 with his wife Ellen and five children and moved to the north coast hinterland in the late 1860s. In 1877 Joseph Gridley selected Portion 70 where the church now stands for timber getting.
In 1886, the Colonial Government proposed a township at Eumundi as a station on the railway line between Brisbane and Maryborough . The rail stop serviced the Eumundi timber getting area where selectors, including the Gridleys, had selected land during the 1870s. Residential land was auctioned in 1890 and the rail line was opened in 1891. By 1893 a local provisional school was operating.
In 1894 Joseph Gridley died and the title for the land passed to his widow. Upon her death in 1902 the title passed to the seven Gridley children. The land was subdivided and changed hands a number of times and on 22 July 1912 Lot 8 was bought by Richard Eugene Morris, William Davison and Ferdinand William Clifton acting as trustees for the Church of England. The title was transferred to the Corporation of the Synod of the Diocese of Brisbane on 6 January 1918. Fund raising for the new Church of England began in 1910-11 when a Building Committee and Ladies' Guild were established.
During 1909 a request was made to the local Council to subdivide for a new residential street which became known as Cook Street. It was in Cook Street that the Trustees for the Church of England bought land and erected St George's Church. Other denominations had erected buildings in Eumundi including a Methodist church which was constructed in 1911 replacing an earlier 1893 building.
The first sod was turned on the construction site of St George's Church of England on 23 April 1912, St George's Day. The Venerable the Archdeacon of Brisbane dedicated the new building on July 21 1912, only three months later. At the service, the Archdeacon congratulated the community upon their 'dignified and pretty little church' which was opened completely free of debt.
The church was constructed by Mr J Carbury of Crescent Road, Eumundi, who apparently also designed the building. The design may have been borrowed from elsewhere, and was certainly reused in the later design of the Church of England, Cooroy . The building was designed with a strong influence of the nineteenth century Gothic Revival and adapted to local traditions with timber construction and lined with verandahs. Many such churches were constructed in Queensland. This example is distinguished by its quality of design and integration with the surrounding streetscape.
The Church remains substantially intact, with only a verandah addition to the northern side of the building constructed in 1997-8 and replacing an original narrower verandah.
","criteria":"St George's Anglican Church, Cook Street was constructed in the early twentieth century. The Church is important in demonstrating the development of the Anglican Church in Queensland and Eumundi during this time.
|St George's Anglican Church, Cook Street was constructed in the early twentieth century and is of aesthetic significance as a picturesque and well executed example of a Gothic influenced timber ecclesiastical building. Many simple timber churches were constructed throughout Queensland, this example is distinguished by the quality of its design and by its visual cohesion with the buildings in Cook Street.
|As a place of public worship for nearly 90 years, St George's Church of England has social value for the local Anglican community.
","criteria_letters":"Criterion A | Criterion E | Criterion G","criteria_definitions":"The place is important in demonstrating the evolution or pattern of Queensland's history | The place is important because of its aesthetic significance | The place has a strong or special association with a particular community or cultural group for social, cultural or spiritual reasons"}, {"heritage_type":"State Heritage","site_id":16230,"place_ref":601467,"name":"St Isidore's","alternate_name":"St Isidore's Farm College | Seaview House | Mapleton Homestead | St Isidores | St Isidores Farm College","street_address":"40 Post Office Road","suburb":"MAPLETON","lga":"SUNSHINE COAST REGIONAL COUNCIL","register_entry_date":"2000-07-28","description":"St Isidore's is a large, high-set timber residence, situated on the eastern edge of the Blackall Range, at Mapleton. From the eastern rooms and verandahs, there are extensive views over the Maroochy Plains to the Pacific Ocean. The house once formed the vista at the northern end of the main road through Mapleton, but trees in the front garden now obscure the house from the street.
The house is timber-framed, clad externally mostly with weatherboards, and with vertically-jointed boards on those external walls protected by front or side verandahs. The western extension, which is of a later date to the core of the house, is clad in chamferboards. The original diagonally arranged battens between the stumps have been replaced with later weatherboards, but most of this is obscured by surrounding garden plantings.
St Isidore's presents an aesthetically pleasing exterior, engendered largely by its complex hipped roof clad with corrugated iron sheeting [not the original], and decorative timberwork to verandahs and gables. The house has front and side projecting gables, separate roofs over front and side verandas, and a projecting, gabled portico over the centrally positioned front steps. There is decorative timber lattice, or a combination of lattice and fretwork, on each of the gables, including the front portico, but that on the western gable, which is a later addition, is much simpler in design. All the gables have timber finials. The eastern verandah has been enclosed, but the front and western verandahs retain their original timber detailing, including double chamfered posts with brackets and a simple dowel balustrade. A late 20th century deck extension off the enclosed eastern verandah, with its side entrance, has a replica gabled portico and steps, echoing that on the front elevation.
There have been a number of alterations to the rear [north] elevation, including the addition of a skillion-roofed, weatherboard-enclosed bathroom at the western end, and a recent breakfast room off the kitchen. Attached to the rear of the house is a conservatory. The remaining back yard is taken up by a swimming pool and garage.
Externally, the house suggests a symmetrical plan, but internally, the rooms are arranged in an idiosyncratic fashion, reflective of its construction in at least two stages. The c1915/16 layout is still highly readable, despite the removal of several internal walls and the creation of an ensuite bathroom for each of the four bedrooms.
The interior is remarkable for its extensive use of decorative pressed metal ceilings, cornices, ceiling roses, architraves, and dados, in almost every room of the house. Many of the designs are Art Nouveau in inspiration, including that of the dado panels in the vestibule, which has been identified in an early 20th century Wunderlich catalogue. There is also a pressed metal architrave used externally on the bay window to the bedroom in the front southwest corner of the house. This window is protected by a verandah.
In addition, much use of early 20th century coloured glass has been made throughout the house - in windows, doors, side and fanlights to doors and to windows, and as a screen between the entrance vestibule and the hallway which leads to the bedrooms. Etched glass has also been used, although not as extensively.
The most distinctive change has been the removal of two walls in the eastern wing, to form one large, L-shaped living room from two smaller rooms and a passageway. However, the pressed metal ceilings of the original rooms have been retained, indicating the original room arrangement. Large, clear-glass casement windows in the eastern and northern walls of this large room offer extensive views to the ocean.
The interior has been painted throughout, and some of the floors have had new timber laid over the original flooring.
The grounds contain several mature trees, possibly part of the early 20th century garden, including a large fig tree on the northern boundary of the house block. Some of the early garden layout may survive.
","history":"This substantial, high-set timber residence was erected in the early 1900s in at least two stages, for pioneer Mapleton orchardist William James Smith and his family, at their Seaview Orchard at the top of the Blackall Range. In the 1920s the well-known Seaview Orchard was acquired by the Catholic Archbishop of Brisbane, the Rev. James Duhig, who hoped to develop it as St Isidore's Farm College. Although this and adjoining farms remained the property of the Church until the early 1950s, the college was never established.
WJ Smith and his brother Thomas David were the first to take up land in the Mapleton district, and had an important association with fruit-growing in Southeast Queensland in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. They had arrived in Queensland from England in 1880 with their parents, who established banana and strawberry farm at Redland Bay. In 1889 WJ and TD Smith, both in their early twenties, explored the Mapleton district [then unnamed] on the Blackall Range, in search of land suitable for banana growing. Since 1860 the Range had been logged for its extensive cedar, beech and pine resources, but difficulty of access had deterred farming settlement. In 1889 the North Coast railway was completed as far as Caboolture, and a coach ran to Noosa, but the only way into the Blackall Range was by foot.
The Smith brothers each selected land at the eastern edge of the range, near later Mapleton Falls, but WJ Smith relinquished his claim when he realised the block selected was not the land he anticipated. In 1890 they began clearing Thomas' selection, selling the red cedar to a logging company, and erecting a slab house. Their sister Amy came from Redland Bay to housekeep for them. By 1891 they had established a pasture paddock and had planted bananas [the butts obtained from Redland Bay] and subsistence crops. They also took contracts to open a road into the district - a track suitable for pack horses, opened in 1891.
In the early 1890s other settlers took up land in the area. Bananas were grown initially, but even with the opening of the railway to Nambour in 1890, low prices and the expense and difficulty encountered in transporting produce down the range produced small returns. By 1892, the Smith brothers were pioneering the cultivation of citrus at Mapleton. Strawberries were planted between the citrus seedlings, and these proved profitable as an interim crop.
In September 1891 WJ Smith married Sarah Anne Imogene (Annie) Collins, whose family were Redland Bay settlers, and the couple returned to the Blackall Range. In mid-1892 Smith selected the property which he developed as Seaview Orchard - portion 185v, parish of Maroochy, comprising just under 160 acres of dense vine scrub. About the same time David J Williams, who married Amy Smith in 1892, selected a block adjacent to WJ Smith.
For a brief period the district was known as Luton Vale, after a postal receiving office opened at EH Biggs' Lutonvale Orchard in January 1893. Later, at a public meeting held in March 1894, Mapleton was chosen as the formal name for the settlement, at WJ Smith's suggestion.
During the 1890s, most of the Mapleton settlers resided in slab huts while they established their farms and orchards. DJ Williams reputedly was the first to erect a pit-sawn timber house, in 1895. By August 1897, when WJ Smith was applying for a title to his selection, the family was still residing in a 22 x 18 feet, 4-roomed split timber dwelling with a shingled roof, valued at £20. They had about 8 acres of their 160 acres cleared and planted with fruit trees, 2 acres partly cleared and under grass, and 6 acres felled. Having fulfilled the conditions of selection, title was issued to WJ Smith in January 1898.
By 1900, Mapleton was emerging as an important fruit-growing district. A provisional school opened in mid-1899, and the original Nambour-Mapleton road, used by wheeled vehicles since c1894, had been cleared. The Smiths [David Smith snr (who had joined his sons at Mapleton c1894), TD Smith and WJ Smith] were the principal citrus growers in the district, Seaview Orchard alone containing over 1,000 fruit trees by 1903. Large quantities of strawberries were still grown, fetching good prices at Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne.
The first section of Seaview House may have been constructed by October 1906, when the WJ Smiths hosted a luncheon in their barn for the Governor, Lord Chelmsford, during his brief tour of the Blackall Range. At this time the place was described as a beautiful home, suggesting that it was much more than the slab hut extant in 1897. A photograph published in The Queenslander of 29 July 1911 [right] shows the core of the present house, with its two front gables and front and side verandahs, set in a partly established garden. The house contained 6 rooms originally, but was extended to 10 rooms c1913. The pressed metal internal finishes may have been installed during the extensions, since the Sydney-based pressed metal manufacturer, Wunderlich Ltd, had opened its Brisbane art metal factory and tile yards in January 1913. A photograph published in 1921 [left], but likely taken c1915/16, shows the house in its present form, with the western extension.
Timber used in the construction is likely to have been milled locally, WH Rosser having opened the Mapleton Sawmill, about 1 mile northwest of the township in January 1909. Although destroyed by fire c1911, it was quickly rebuilt by Rosser and Willbrandt on the eastern side of Mapleton Hall grounds.
The builder of Seaview House was James Blair Cramb, who married the Smiths' daughter Ethel Florence (Florrie) in 1912. He also built DJ Williams' new home, Caringa, c1911. The Williams were neighbours of the WJ Smiths, related by marriage, and their homes, situated within close proximity, were very similar in appearance. Caringa has been moved to Yandina.
In 1910, WJ Smith subdivided portion 185v, parish of Maroochy, Seaview house and orchard remaining on approximately 35 acres.
By the early 1910s Mapleton was a prosperous agricultural district, specialising in citrus and banana growing and dairying. In 1914-15 Maroochy Shire Council extended the former Moreton Central Mill tramline from Kureelpa to Mapleton to serve the Blackall Range fruitgrowers. The Range had become one of the leading fruit-producing districts in Queensland, and Seaview Orchard was famous.
The WJ Smiths were pioneers and leaders in their local community, assisting many new farmers in the district. They were heavily involved with the Mapleton Methodist Church and William was a member of the local masonic order and of the School Committee, Tramway Committee, and Progress Association, being elected President of the latter in June 1911. In 1914 he was made chairman of the influential Queensland Fruitgrowers' Industrial Trading Society. Annie Smith was noted for her community activities, and for her First World War patriotic work. In 1919 they retired from citrus growing and moved to Northgate in Brisbane, but prior to their leaving the Mapleton district, they were accorded a public farewell and address. In 1928 they moved to Maroochydore, where they conducted a store at Picnic Point for some years. Both William and Annie died in the 1950s, when in their eighties.
In 1919 WJ Smith sold Seaview Orchard and residence to James Miller, who in 1923 sold the orchard to the Archbishop of Brisbane, Rev. James Duhig. The sale included Seaview House: a large roomy structure, with a delightful garden in front, artistically laid out, with graceful palms at the entrance. Duhig acquired in total about 130 acres at Mapleton, which he intended to develop as a Catholic agricultural college. A dormitory wing extension to Seaview House was planned; a farm manager was employed; and the property was renamed St Isidore's Farm College. However, Duhig's vision was not shared by the Brisbane diocese in general, who refused to finance the establishment of a Catholic agricultural college at Mapleton. In addition, Duhig failed to attract a monastic order to take charge of the proposed college. He more or less abandoned the farm manager, who could not run the place effectively by himself and without funds. The once fine orchard was allowed to deteriorate, and the place was in debt. In June 1932, when Messrs D Zalatel & Co. took possession of the furniture at St Isidore's Farm College, the former Seaview residence had been little altered, comprising hall, sitting room, dining room, kitchen, pantry, breakfast room, laundry, four bedrooms, one verandah bedroom, and a bathroom.
It is unlikely that the former Seaview Orchard would have been sustained, even had the college become a reality. From the 1930s to the 1950s, citrus growing in the Mapleton district gradually gave way to dairying, timber, small cropping and, in the 1950s, pineapples. The once spectacularly successful commercial citrus industry on the Blackall Range disappeared, due to a collapse in the citrus market in the early 1930s, insect damage, and competition from citrus farming in irrigated areas [such as the Lockyer Valley].
By February 1947, when the National Catholic Rural Movement [NCRM] took over management of St Isidore's Farm College, aiming to bring it back into production and to establish an Agricultural Training College, there was no cultivation and no livestock on the farm, the property was overgrown with weeds, and its three houses, including the former Seaview residence, were in disrepair. Within 8 months, under a capable farm manager, fields of potatoes, onions and citrus trees had been planted, there were plans to commenced softwood silviculture, and an additional 150 acres had been purchased. Yet again, the college did not eventuate. In 1951 Duhig sold the property, which was worked as a private farm until subdivision in the late 1960s, following a real estate boom as weekend hobby farmers and retirees supplanted dairy farmers and fruit growers.
Mapleton is now principally a residential and tourist area, with some small-scale fruit and vegetable farming. By 1980, the former Seaview House was situated on a considerably reduced block of approximately 1 hectare. Known as Mapleton Homestead through the 1980s, it functioned as a private residence until opened in 1990 as Sea View Guest House, run by the MacDonagh family, and later by the O'Briens. The house was sold on yet a smaller subdivision in 1995, the new owners returning it to a family home and renaming it St Isidore's. The front yard remains, although the original garden layout has been altered. The front section of the garden, closest to the road, has been subdivided as two blocks, with different owners.
","criteria":"St Isidore's, erected in the early 1900s [in at least two stages] as the residence on Seaview Orchard, has historical significance for its association with the successful development of the Blackall Range as one of the principal citrus-producing districts in Queensland in the early 20th century.
|It is also significant as one of the few remaining substantial homes of this era left on the Range.
|The house is important in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a substantial and well-detailed early 20th century rural residence.
|It has a number of aesthetic qualities, including the gabled form; decorative façade with wide verandahs intended to take advantage of the breezes and views over the Maroochy plains to the Pacific Ocean; extensive use of decorative pressed metal panelling and coloured glass; and the garden setting.
|The place is significant for its association with WJ Smith and his family and their important contribution to the establishment and growth of Mapleton and to the development of fruitgrowing in Queensland in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
","criteria_letters":"Criterion A | Criterion B | Criterion D | Criterion E | Criterion H","criteria_definitions":"The place is important in demonstrating the evolution or pattern of Queensland's history | The place demonstrates rare, uncommon or endangered aspects of Queensland's cultural heritage | The place is important in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a particular class of cultural places | The place is important because of its aesthetic significance | The place has a special association with the life or work of a particular person, group or organisation of importance in Queensland's history"}, {"heritage_type":"State Heritage","site_id":16276,"place_ref":601513,"name":"Kings Beach Bathing Pavilion","alternate_name":null,"street_address":"Ormonde Terrace","suburb":"KINGS BEACH","lga":"SUNSHINE COAST REGIONAL COUNCIL","register_entry_date":"1999-04-23","description":"The pavilion is a one storey brick and concrete building, roofed with large gauge corrugated fibrous cement tiles and surrounded on two sides by retaining walls. A simple timber fence encircles sections of the pavilion and grounds. The foreshore area features natural rock pools
The pavilion has a principal core containing a large room with adjoining smaller rooms. A projecting decorative parapeted gable on the east facade forms the entrance to these areas. Another entrance opens onto a vestibule through which the toilet wing is accessed.. The toilet wings have open air central walkways with skillion awnings over the toilets and change rooms on either side of the walkway. The external walls are generally cavity brick rendered with roughcast stucco and internal walls are of painted single and double brickwork.
The asymmetrically arranged east facade features a decorative parapeted gable with loggia of round head arches with edge detailing supported on glazed brick columns which sit on a concrete slab. The gable has edge detailing which integrates a central cartouche-like element. An arched opening adjacent to the loggia on this face opens onto the entrance vestibule. The openings house double timber doors which are framed and braced. The side wing is a simple structure with external parapet walls which step up the ends of the east and west faces. These walls are decorated with a high level band of smooth render, upon which are inscribed hexagonal shapes at regular intervals. The southern facade features a projecting decorative parapeted gable, similarly detailed to that found on the eastern face. The gable houses two round head arched window openings. The windows throughout the pavilion have glazed brick sills and heads, some of which have been painted over.
The interior of the pavilion has a concrete slab floor throughout, which is gently sloped in the toilet areas. The ceiling is timber braced fibrous cement sheeting in the principal areas and exposed to the roof sheeting in the toilet space. The entrance vestibule has evidence of the layout of early ticket boxes in the concrete floor and early signs near the two openings to the toilets. The toilet, shower and changing cubicles sit on a concrete plinth on either side of a central walkway which is open air. A rendered masonry wall which project above the level of the external walls divide the original toilet areas from the general change rooms and locker areas. The cubicles are roofed with thin gauge fibrous cement and corrugated iron sheeting. The toilet cubicles have been extended into the corridor increasing their overall length.
","history":"This one storey masonry building was constructed in 1937 by the Landsborough Shire Council to provide public bathing and kiosk facilities for those using Kings Beach. The architect of the pavilion was Clifford E. Plant and the contractor was RA Lind. It was built at a cost of £3,030.
The Landsborough Shire Council built the pavilion in 1937 as part of a large development scheme designed to make Kings Beach, the principal beach in Caloundra, a premier holiday attraction. During the 1930s several local councils in south east Queensland, including the councils at the South Coast and Redcliffe, were developing their foreshore areas to encourage holiday makers, thereby increasing trade and land value. Resources were made available by the state government for these schemes through the unemployment relief initiatives. Unlike the councils at the South Coast who were developing already popular and long established beaches, the development at Kings Beach was the first major effort by the local council to establish Caloundra as a sea-side resort.
Queensland has a long tradition of establishing sea-side resorts. Sandgate, and, to a lesser extent Cleveland, were popular destinations in the 1860s for beach-goers. The south coast regions, particularly Southport, developed during the 1880s when transport and roads improved. During the 1920s when public bathing in sea water became widely accepted, various councils became competitive in their quest for holiday makers. The north coast regions, including Caloundra and Redcliffe, developed as holiday destinations during this period.
Caloundra was opened for selection in 1860, by 1875 a large parcel of land within Caloundra was purchased by Robert Bulcock a prominent Brisbane politician and temperance advocate. Bulcock and his family retained this land for many years prohibiting further development of part of Caloundra, including what was to become Kings Beach. The first subdivision in 1917 saw the development of land to the south the Kings Beach area. It was not until 1926, with the second subdivision that the land adjacent to Kings Beach was opened for settlement and commercial interests.
Interest in Caloundra as a seaside resort was well established by the 1930s. From 1888 guest houses were operating with guests including the governor, Thomas McIlwraith. The rail line was extended to Landsborough, eight miles west of Caloundra, in 1889. However lack of roads between the towns hindered further development of Caloundra for many years. Mr Allan King, a local resident, constructed a guest house near Bulcock's land in 1899, which was to lend its name to the popular beach where the house guests bathed, Kings Beach. The guesthouse was extended in 1930 after the second subdivision of Bulcock's land allowed further settlement and the opening of shops and kiosks further increased holiday trade.
With the improvement of roads Caloundra became more popular and the Landsborough Shire Council implemented a scheme for the development of the Kings Beach area, which was the premier beach in the district by this stage. In 1928 the Council enhanced the natural rock pools on the foreshore increasing their popularity with families. The Metropolitan Surf Life Saving Club started patrolling the beach in 1933, after moving from Bribie Island. By 1937 a large development scheme was undertaken which involved the expenditure of £12,290, for dressing sheds and kiosk, extensive car-parking facilities and landscaping of the Kings Beach area. The scheme also involved the beautification of other less popular beaches in the area, including Golden Beach, Dickeys Beach, Bulcock's Beach and Shelley Beach, but the combined sum of this expenditure was £610. The money for the scheme was subsidised by the State Government, £9,251 being loan and £3,039 being subsidy.
The council commissioned Clifford E. Plant as the architect for the pavilion, and the tender was accepted for RA Lind in February 1937. The Redcliffe City Council employed a similar scheme to attract visitors in 1937 which involved the construction of five pavilions designed by Clifford E. Plant. The design of these pavilions is influenced by a Mediterranean style of architecture, dissimilar in layout and form to the pavilion at Kings Beach, although some detailing such as the glazed brick columns and windows sills and heads are similar . At least four of these pavilions exist in 1994.
According to the local press of the day, the dressing sheds were designed as to be an adornment to the beach. They were built of brick and plaster with a red roof, adding a touch of vivid colour to the already picturesque scene. It was designed to be an L-shaped building but this initial scheme was not realised due to financial constraints and the pavilion was built with the toilet wings lying adjacent to one another extending north from the principal core. The building contained a small kiosk, a small spare room to the rear of the kiosk, an entrance vestibule with ticket box and the open air toilet wings.
When opened, the pavilion was leased by a Mr T. Fiege, who ran the kiosk and maintained the toilet areas. Various alterations were made to the building during the time of Mr Fiege's lease including the replacement of the grille doors into the hall with timber doors and the addition of a small timber room to the rear of the pavilion. During the 1940s the tenants struggled to meet the lease payments required by the council, due to constraints on quantity and type of merchandise able to be sold in the kiosk. This by-law was imposed by the council at the behest of surrounding businesses. For several years during the 1950s the Surf Life Saving Club were stationed in the pavilion while a new club house was built adjacent to the pavilion. The Surf Life Saving Nippers were housed in the building from 1971 until 1980 when the kiosk was re-opened. In 1977 a public pool was opened on the east side of the building on the beach front. During the 1980s the kiosk tenants again struggled to meet lease requirements and it was closed by 1992 when the space was leased by the surf life saving club for use as a gymnasium. The public toilets and change rooms have remained in use since 1937. Alterations were carried out in 1966, replacing existing sanitary and shower fittings, seating and cubicle doors.
","criteria":"The bathing pavilion is evidence of the development of Caloundra as a holiday resort, and provides one of the first examples of the local council's provision of public facilities to enhance the growth of the region as a holiday destination.
It has a strong association with the Caloundra Surf Life Saving Club.
|The building is a rare example of the built environment at Caloundra of the 1930s.
|The pavilion has evidence of the layout of a 1930s changing and open air toilet facility. The building is an example of the work of Brisbane architect Clifford E. Plant, and of Spanish Mission architectural influence.
|(Criterion under review)
","criteria_letters":"Criterion A | Criterion B | Criterion D | Criterion E","criteria_definitions":"The place is important in demonstrating the evolution or pattern of Queensland's history | The place demonstrates rare, uncommon or endangered aspects of Queensland's cultural heritage | The place is important in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a particular class of cultural places | The place is important because of its aesthetic significance"}, {"heritage_type":"State Heritage","site_id":16285,"place_ref":601522,"name":"Dularcha Railway Tunnel","alternate_name":"North Coast Line No 1 : Mooloolah tunnel","street_address":"1.5 km south of Mooloolah township","suburb":"MOOLOOLAH","lga":"SUNSHINE COAST REGIONAL COUNCIL","register_entry_date":"1999-09-24","description":"Built through a sandstone ridge, Dularcha railway tunnel is located within Dularcha National Park, c5 kms north of Landsborough. Dominant vegetation in the area is brush box, flooded gums and ironbarks and stringybarks along the ridge. Part of the southern approach of the tunnel runs parallel to the current North Coast Line rail track.
The tunnel runs on a north south axis. Two semi-elliptical concrete portals are located at the north and south openings of the tunnel. The tunnel is concrete-lined throughout with cuttings at either end. A vehicular dirt track in the National Park in part following the original rail line now removed, passes through the Dularcha Railway Tunnel joining the two towns.
The tunnel is approximately 100 metres long and curves slightly towards the northern portal. The northern and southern portals are both similar in structure and design. They are curved and are approximately 4 metres high and 4.2 metres wide. A horizontal concrete ridge is located at the top of each façade, delineating the completion of the tunnel and the commencement of the natural sandstone and vegetation. Protruding from the cement façade of each portal, under the horizontal ridges and near to the natural rock wall, is a terracotta drainage pipe with a diameter of 20 centimetres.
Internally, the tunnel is surfaced with undecorated cement. Two safety bays are recessed into the tunnel and wall are also concrete faced. They are located approximately one third of the way in from each portal on its left and are wide enough for two people. Weep holes are located throughout the tunnel and are colonised by small bats. The interior is cool and moist.
The interior walls near the portal openings have been subject to graffiti. Recent spray painting is evident, however, etched into the cement are letters, numbers and other unidentifiable marks, some appearing to be names and dates dating back to as early as 1910. Remains of a wall that once closed off the tunnel about half a metre inside the southern portal are still visible. A little further inside the tunnel, fixed to each wall, are several metal brackets, thought to be the remains of a gate hinge. Directly outside the southern portal, on the eastern side, lies the remains of a corroded rail line. Above the northern portal, on the western side, are the remains of telegraph poles.
Across the top of the tunnel giving access to the State forest, is Rose's Road. Remains of two wood post and wire fences are located above the north and south portal and run parallel with Rose's Road. The fences may have been designed to restrict access to the tunnel portals from the ridge. They do not appear to restrict the use of or deny access to Rose's Road.
","history":"Dularcha Railway Tunnel, constructed in 1890-91, forms part of the section of railway from Landsborough to Yandina, which in turn was part of the North Coast Railway Line from Brisbane to Gympie.
The building of Queensland railways began in 1864, however, unlike other states, routes were constructed independently of each other. Consequently, while a rail line had extended north from Gympie to Maryborough since 1881, it was not until 1888 that a line was opened from Brisbane to create a link with Gympie. Surveys for the section of line between Caboolture and Gympie had begun as early as 1884, however, the terrain had created difficulties which was eventually resolved by the construction of four major bridges and two tunnels. The North Coast Line was opened at Gympie in 1891. At the time, the North Coast Line was a direct link between Brisbane and Maryborough and brought Gympie within easy reach of Brisbane. So convenient was the line that a return journey from Brisbane to Gympie could be made in one day. Troops sent to quell the 1891 Shearer's Strike in Central Queensland were transported on this line.
The North Coast Line soon became a dominant method of freight transportation with passenger traffic increasing dramatically as each new link further north created an integrated rail system. It was popularity of train travel that promoted the gazetting of Dularcha National Park on 21 May 1924 under the State Forests and National Parks Act 1906. The area covered 336 acres. This area included that part of the Landsborough to Yandina line which incorporated the Dularcha Railway Tunnel. Between 1900-1920, the North Coast Line was gradually increasing in importance. It was constructed over a period of forty years and coastal rail freight grew slowly as coastal shipping offered cheaper rates for heavy freight.
The first section of the railway specifically built as part of the North Coast Line was the line from Caboolture to Gympie. Surveying began in 1882 and took six years. There were so many new lines being planned that surveying resources were thinly spread. It was October 1886 before Section 5 from Gympie South to Martin's Halfway House (Cooran) on the road to Noosa was completed. The contract was awarded to Willocks & Company.
The North Coast Line from Brisbane Roma Street to Sandgate opened on 11 May 1882. Later from Nundah to Petrie on 1 March 1888 and Caboolture on 11 June 1888. Plans of section 2 and 3 from Caboolture to Yandina were approved in November 1887 and was awarded to T Jesser and Company on 14 December 1888. The Jesser and Company had also been given the contract for the Bowen Railway in April 1890. Besides the major bridges over the Mooloolah River, Eudlo and Petrie's Creeks and the South Maroochy River, the line included the only two tunnels on the entire North Coast Line, one of which was the Dularcha Railway Tunnel. Sections were opened as they were completed, from Caboolture to Landsborough on 1 February 1890, and to Yandina from 1 January 1891. For the first time the trip from Gympie to Brisbane could be accomplished in a day, a twelve hour trip. Some of the first passengers to make the one day journey were the troops sent to Central Queensland to quell the Shearers' strike.
The Brisbane-Gympie link put the Queensland Railways into competition with coastal shipping for the first time. Work began on regrading the North Coast line between Caboolture and Gympie in 1928 and continued until 1932. The northern section of the railway line including the tunnel was abandoned in 1932. At this time, the line was deviated east (about 600 metres south of the south portal) to its current location. As a result of the line deviation, the area of Dularcha National Park increased to 342 acres.
Following the closure of the tunnel for railway purposes area was closed off inside the opening of the south portal when it was leased for mushroom growing c1942. An unsealed vehicular track, in part following the original rail route, passes through the National Park and the tunnel. The road connects the two communities of Landsborough and Mooloola.
The Dularcha Railway Tunnel was identified in the Queensland Railway Heritage Places Study: Stage 2. Volume 4.
","criteria":"The Dularcha Railway Tunnel is significant as part of the original formation of the track between Brisbane and Maryborough. The Tunnel provides evidence of the importance of the railway as a means of transportation, and its expansion north, in the late 1880s.
Dularcha Railway Tunnel is significant for its association with the gazettal of the Dularcha National Park in 1922. The boundaries of the Park were created around the railway line enabling steam train travelling passengers to view a part of Queensland's forests.
|The Dularcha Railway Tunnel is significant as one of only two tunnels constructed along the entire North Coast Line and is good example of a concrete lined tunnel constructed for Queensland's narrow-gauge railway lines.
|The Dularcha Railway Tunnel is significant as one of only two tunnels constructed along the entire North Coast Line and is good example of a concrete lined tunnel constructed for Queensland's narrow-gauge railway lines.
|(Criterion under review)
|(Criterion under review)
","criteria_letters":"Criterion A | Criterion B | Criterion D | Criterion E | Criterion G","criteria_definitions":"The place is important in demonstrating the evolution or pattern of Queensland's history | The place demonstrates rare, uncommon or endangered aspects of Queensland's cultural heritage | The place is important in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a particular class of cultural places | The place is important because of its aesthetic significance | The place has a strong or special association with a particular community or cultural group for social, cultural or spiritual reasons"}, {"heritage_type":"State Heritage","site_id":16374,"place_ref":601613,"name":"Koongalba","alternate_name":"John Low's House","street_address":"12 Wharf Street","suburb":"YANDINA","lga":"SUNSHINE COAST REGIONAL COUNCIL","register_entry_date":"1995-07-04","description":"Koongalba, a single-storeyed timber and iron residence, is located on a level site at the crest of a hill fronting Wharf Street to the north. The residence, consisting of the original building at the front with a later wing added to the rear, has views to the northeast towards the Maroochy River and is surrounded by landscaped grounds with substantial plantings of mature trees.
The original building, of four rooms with a central corridor, has a corrugated iron gable roof with skillion roof verandahs to all sides, and timber perimeter stumps with concrete stumps internally. Verandahs have unlined ceilings, chamfered timber posts, timber brackets and capitals, a timber handrail with central support, and retains some of the original beech timber floor boards. Walls have single-skin vertical boarding with external cross-bracing, and gable ends have weatherboard cladding and timber finials. The building is entered via central front steps and a panelled cedar front door with glass sidelights and fanlight. The rear verandah has been enclosed and provides access to the rear wing, but retains verandah fittings and features a similar central door, sidelight and fanlight assembly to the front. Each room has a two cedar sash windows to the verandahs.
Internally, the building has beech timber framing with beaded pine vertically jointed boarding, pine internal doors and boarded ceilings. The building has timber skirtings, architraves, cornices and ceiling roses, and the corridor wall to the northwest room has been removed.
The rear wing has a corrugated iron hipped roof, weatherboard cladding, concrete stumps and timber sash and casement windows. This structure is long and narrow in plan, and was originally freestanding with a covered walkway linking it to the original building. The space between the two structures was enclosed to create the living room for the rear wing, which also contains the kitchen, bathroom, laundry and garage.
The landscaped grounds contain a number of mature trees, including an avenue of seven large Camphor Laurels along the western side of the property forming the driveway, and two Camphor Laurels to the southwest of the house near a recent metal shed. Bunya Pines are located along the southern boundary, and two Mango trees, a Silky Oak, and two Illawarra Flame trees are located around the northeast side of the property.
","history":"This single-storeyed timber house was erected in 1894 for John Anthony Low, a prominent member of the Maroochy community during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Low was the eldest son of James Low who was actively involved in the development of the timber industry in the Mooloolah - Maroochy area and the development of Yandina from the 1860s.
Following investigation of the timber resources of the Mooloolah - Maroochy region by Tom Petrie c1862, timber-getters commenced work in the area. James Low and William Grigor are recorded as having moved to the Mooloolah area in 1863 where, in partnership with William Pettigrew, they sent timber from the Mooloolah area to Pettigrew's sawmill in Brisbane. In 1867 James and his family moved north to a site on the Maroochy River opposite Dunethin Rock, where he established a depot located on the then route to the Gympie gold diggings; gold having been discovered at Gympie in 1867. James is recorded as one of the first selectors of land in the district under the Crown Lands Act of 1868. A post office, with James as Post Master, opened in July 1868 and took its name from the Yandina run on which it was situated.
A new road was constructed between Brisbane and Gympie in 1868. The new road was approximately 4 miles west of the previous route, and James moved his family to the point where the new road crossed the Maroochy River, and where he re-established his store and the Post Office, and opened a butcher shop and Maroochie House which was licensed in 1869. The store and hotel were located on the south bank of the Maroochy River, east of the Brisbane-Gympie road. The Low family lived in the rear of the Hotel, which was used by travellers on Cobb and Co's passenger service.
The Maroochy River provided an important means of transportation of goods and timber. The position of James' store and hotel along the Gympie Road, and adjacent to the Maroochy River provided a focus for trade in the Maroochy area, with customers being drawn from a wide area. The town of Yandina was surveyed in 1871, and a telegraph office was built approximately half a mile south of James' store in 1873. James was active in the development of community facilities in the Yandina district, convening a meeting in 1879 which resolved to approach the government to establish a school in the area.
James acquired a large area of land around the Maroochy River, on which he grazed cattle and cut timber, in addition to his business enterprises.
Following James' death in 1883, his widow Christina continued to run the store and post office. Christina also ran a boarding house in the hotel; the liquor license having lapsed on James' death. The railway from Brisbane to Gympie opened in 1891, at which time the post office was removed to the railway station. The area around the south bank of the Maroochy River declined in importance as a commercial centre, and the hotel was eventually demolished.
John took over James' timber and grazing businesses upon his father's death, continuing to cut, haul and raft timber. In 1893 John became engaged to Louisa Ann Bury, and prepared to erect a new house. John acquired two half acre allotments on opposite sides of Wharf Street from James' estate, and planned to use the allotment on the southern side for the house, and the land on the northern side for the garden.
John kept very detailed books, and his arrangements for the house are recorded in these books, including copies of orders for timber, joinery and hardware to complete the house which was built by Willie Grigor. Willie was the son of William Grigor, a longstanding family friend of the Lows, and James' former partner in the Mooloolah area. Family records note that John planned his house to be similar to Christina's home Coondalbour, built in 1889 a short distance from the site of John's house. John and Louisa were married in January 1894, and the house was completed the following May.
Like James, John was actively involved in the development of the Yandina and Maroochy areas, and held various positions including a member of the Maroochy Divisional Board, electoral presiding officer for Yandina, an auditor for the Moreton Sugar Mill in Nambour, Justice of the Peace, Secretary of the Maroochy Cemetery Committee in Yandina, and a member of the committees of the Maroochy Provisional School and the Yandina State School. John also worked as a valuer in the district.
John died in 1914 following an accident whilst timber-getting. Louisa continued to live at the house, where she established a large garden. Louisa died in 1957, and the house remained vacant until 1970, at which time it was purchased by Jim and Audienne Blyth, grand-daughter of John and Louisa Low.
The shingles on the roof of the house were replaced with corrugated iron c1914. The rear verandah was enclosed at around this time, and eventually became the new kitchen area when the original detached kitchen was dismantled. Further work undertaken to the house during the 1920s included restumping the house with concrete stumps, building a tennis court and front path, and further tree planting. By 1970 the house was in a deteriorated condition. Renovations undertaken included removal of the outside wall of the rear verandah, replacement of most of the verandah flooring, and the erection of a new detached kitchen/bathroom/laundry wing connected to the main house by an open walkway. The rear verandah has since been enclosed and a family room added in place of the open walkway.
The house was named Koongalba in 1994, to mark the 100th anniversary of the erection of the house. Koongalba, meaning "place of clean water" is the Aboriginal name for the area around the Maroochy River at Yandina.
","criteria":"(Criterion under review)
|The residence, with its landscaped grounds and plantings of mature trees, makes a considerable contribution to the amenity of the Wharf Street streetscape and the Yandina townscape.
|As a building erected on land which has been continuously owned by members of the Low family from the late 1860s, Koongalba is important for its association with the family which was influential in the development of the timber industry in the Mooloolah-Maroochy area, and in the development of Yandina as a commercial centre from the late 1860s.
","criteria_letters":"Criterion A | Criterion E | Criterion H","criteria_definitions":"The place is important in demonstrating the evolution or pattern of Queensland's history | The place is important because of its aesthetic significance | The place has a special association with the life or work of a particular person, group or organisation of importance in Queensland's history"}, {"heritage_type":"State Heritage","site_id":16419,"place_ref":601658,"name":"Eumundi School of Arts","alternate_name":null,"street_address":"Memorial Drive","suburb":"EUMUNDI","lga":"SUNSHINE COAST REGIONAL COUNCIL","register_entry_date":"2000-03-24","description":"Eumundi School of Arts is situated on a treed ridge on the lower side of Memorial Drive. The single-storey, timber building with gabled, corrugated iron roof, sits on concrete stumps. Externally, the building is clad with chamferboard, with the exception of weatherboards at the rear of the building. Also at the rear of the hall is a pair of double doors and smaller door at the back of the stage, covered by tin The front, or eastern façade, has an assymmetrical veranda with timber posts and brackets. The decorative bargeboard and finial have been removed and covered with chamferboards, however, the circular, ventilated opening remains. The porch ceiling is of tongue and groove boards, the remainder is unlined. Leading onto the veranda are two doors either side, which lead to storage areas, and a central, panelled timber door.
Internally, in the storage room located at the southern end of the building is a set of stairs which lead to the projection room. From this room, a door leads to the 1968 addition. This area now houses a kitchen. Both two storage rooms located at the front of the hall still have extant viewing slots. In the 1960s, these slots were used by the ticket collectors to watch the movies.
The main hall is rectangular with crows ash flooring. It is divided by the support beams of the addition to its southern side. The main hall has two raked timber ceilings with latticed air vents (one partially obscured) and six large, sashed windows which open top and bottom, on its northern wall. Four louvered airvents (windows) have been recently installed at floor level below the original windows. A trapdoor to the right hand side of the stage was used to access the lower floor pre-1968. A single door, located near the stage, allows southern external access.
On the eastern side, the main hall area has a half-timbered VJ wall and a fibro upper to the ceiling. The remainder of the hall is VJ lined. Two inside doors were sealed c1968, one near the old RSL door located at the front of the building and another on the other side of the main entrance door. The stage is accessed by two wooden steps. Vertical timberwork now fronts the top of the stage, partly concealing one of the latticed air vents in the roof. A small, heavily latticed bar (formed by enclosing the rear of the addition) with a pulldown hatch and lockable door is accessed on the left prior to ascending the steps to toilet facilities at the southern end of the building. The southern wall of the hall's addition has six window openings.
Emergency exit doors, and sidesteps leading down from the kitchen door's southern landing, access the carpark in Pacey Street. Part of the slope at the hall's rear was excavated to provide building access and space. Several macadamised parking spaces abut its southern side, extending to a secondary side road.
","history":"The Eumundi School of Arts, the second to be built on the site, was constructed in 1912 by W Bytheway, a builder from Gympie. At the time, Eumundi was one of a number of small but prosperous Sunshine Coast hinterland towns servicing a timber, dairy and pastoral industry.
The first selector in the North Maroochy River district, Joseph Gridley, arrived at Moreton Bay in 1856 on the James Fernie with his wife Ellen and five children. In 1877, Gridley selected Portion 70, where the Hall now stands, for timber getting.
In 1886 the Colonial Government proposed a township at Eumundi as a station on the railway line between Brisbane and Maryborough. Residential land was auctioned in 1890 and the rail line was opened in 1891. The rail stop serviced the Eumundi timber getting area where selectors, including the Gridleys, had selected land during the 1870s. By 1893 a local provisional school was operating. Dairy farmers started arriving in the area during the 1900s, either by overlanding their stock or accompanying them north on the railway.
In May 1905, the County of Canning, Parish of Maroochy, Town of Eumundi allocated Reserve Land Allotment 5, Section 2 for the hall by Proclamation. The allotment to be set apart was 'situated opposite the most southerly gate of the Eumundi railway station yards upon a ridge...The site is a fine one for building purposes, and in every way suitable for a public building. The Association propose to build a Hall by subscription to be used for public meetings and associations'. A single-storey timber hall was constructed by Peter Denholm on the site in 1908.
After only four years however, the burgeoning community needed more space and Gympie builder, W Bytheway, built a second hall in beech timber and iron roof on the same site, replacing the first Hall. It can 'best be described as a big Hall with stage at back, and a couple of anterooms at the front, having a library, wide passage, and reading room under the front, and supper room under the centre'. The Hall was officially opened on 15 November 1912. 'The programme included a two days bazaar... the whole to be started by the official opening of the splendid new building... A first glance was permitted... to the party accompanying the Honourable JW Blair, Minister of Education. The building was planned by Mr W Fenwick of Cooroy'. The hall was constructed at a cost of £1000.
According to social commentator, AH Corrie, writing in the Nambour Chronicle in January 1919, Eumundi was quite prosperous with two hotels, two stores, three churches, a large public hall, library and billiard table. He believed Eumundi's School of Arts was one of the 'largest and best appointed buildings of its kind on the North Coast Line between Brisbane suburbs and Gympie'.
Reconstruction was considered essential when the School of Arts was damaged by termites, worsening by 1931. By 1950, the Hall was condemned and a ball was cancelled. In 1953, the building was restumped with cement blocks, however, more termite damage occurred during 1964 at the rear of the building. Tenders were called in 1964 for the lowering of the Hall which was 'in bad repair and is so high is costly to renovate'. The damage was so advanced that in 1968 the lower level was removed to save the rest of the building and the twin-spitter front steps were replaced by single steps. At this time, the Eerwah Vale Hall and stumps were incorporated into Eumundi's hall.
The Government increased the School of Arts Reserve to include Allotments 6 and 7 in 1967 to allow for parking spaces. The Eumundi & District Historical Association (E&DHA) was appointed as School of Arts Trustees in 1989. The School of Arts is still the focus for many of Eumundi's social and cultural activities.
","criteria":"The Eumundi School of Arts is important in demonstrating the pattern and evolution of Queensland's history, being an important component of the cultural life of the Eumundi community as a school of arts and public library. Constructed in 1912, the second hall to be built on the site, the Eumundi School of Arts demonstrates the growth of the town following the opening up of the area through timber getting and dairying and through the construction of the railway in 1891.
|Significant for Criterion D.
|The Eumundi School of Arts is of aesthetic significance as a single-storey, timber, vernacular public building forming an integral part of the historical main street of Eumundi and is distinguished by its visual cohesion with other historical buildings along Memorial Drive, which incorporates the Eumundi War Memorial [601122].
|As the centre of Eumundi's social and cultural activities for almost ninety years, the School of Arts has strong social significance for the people of Eumundi and surrounding areas. Internally, the Hall houses the District's memorial plaque listing the names of 87 Eumundi men who fought in World War I.
","criteria_letters":"Criterion A | Criterion D | Criterion E | Criterion G","criteria_definitions":"The place is important in demonstrating the evolution or pattern of Queensland's history | The place is important in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a particular class of cultural places | The place is important because of its aesthetic significance | The place has a strong or special association with a particular community or cultural group for social, cultural or spiritual reasons"}, {"heritage_type":"State Heritage","site_id":16651,"place_ref":601915,"name":"Landsborough Shire Council Chambers (former)","alternate_name":"Landsborough Shire Historical Museum","street_address":"6 Maleny Street","suburb":"LANDSBOROUGH","lga":"SUNSHINE COAST REGIONAL COUNCIL","register_entry_date":"1999-06-24","description":"Constructed in 1924 the former Landsborough Shire Council Chambers, a modest, timber building, has a discreet, civic presence on Maleny Street, Landsborough. The building is a low-set, hip-roofed, rectangular, timber structure with open front verandah. A narrow, skillion roofed extension has been erected to the west and a large Museum courtyard and building has been constructed to the east. The Museum building and courtyard will not be included in this description.
The building and west extension are clad with chamferboards. The picket paling skirt to the front verandah understorey have been replaced with chamferboards. The core of the former Landsborough Shire Council Chambers is symmetrical about a projecting pedimented gabled entry porch reached by a set of open timber stairs. The verandah to the east has been reconstructed but much original fabric remains to the balance of the verandah. A plain curved timber arch with prominent keystone and corbelled ends marks the entry. Four timber clad panels divide the verandah into bays and a plain timber moulded cornice runs around the verandah. The cornice is supported by small timber console brackets to the two mid panels. The front verandah is lined with vertical T & G boarding and post and rail framing is exposed to the verandah. The verandah has plain, vertical, timber slat balustrading and blank frieze panels with bottom rails supported by decorative end corbels. The main entry french doors have a clear glass 2-pane fanlight above the doorway and each door has five panels of coloured, textured glass with the top panel arched.
The interior has been altered but the chamber space remains along with much original fabric including the vertical T & G lining, post and rail framing, sheeted and battened ceiling, picture rails to the chamber, doors, casement windows and cupboard between the former office and the chamber.
","history":"The first European settlement was established in the Landsborough, originally known as Mellum Creek, by Isaac Burgess in 1871. His slab hut on the north of Gympie Road near Mellum Creek became a Cobb & Co. staging post on the run to the Gympie gold fields. Settlement of the area expanded particularly with the arrival of the rail line from Caboolture in 1890. Named Landsborough after the explorer William Landsborough, the Railway Station became the focus for a town centre and the town of Mellum Creek was renamed Landsborough.
Local government for the region was administered by the Caboolture Divisional Board from 1880. The Caboolture Shire, proclaimed in 1903, assumed responsibility for the administration of the regions of Pine Rivers, Landsborough, Kilcoy, Maroochy, Caboolture and Redcliffe. In February 1912, 423 acres were annexed from Caboolture Shire and proclaimed Landsborough Shire. The first Council meeting for the newly formed Shire was held on 20 April 1912. A Council residence and one room office was constructed in 1913 and was used for meetings of the Council until the first purpose-built Chambers was opened in 1924.
The former Landsborough Shire Council Chambers, designed by architect Walter Carey Voller and constructed by AE Round, accommodated a council chamber, 2 offices, a counter with office space and a walk-in strong room.
WC Voller served his articles under FDG Stanley from 1882 to 1886 and from 1893 operated a productive architectural practice in Brisbane. His most notable work includes St Paul's Presbyterian Church Mackay (1898), St Paul's Church of England Roma (1913), New Farm Methodist Church (1926) and Silkstone Baptist Church (1928). He owned a beach house at Caloundra and he and his family were frequent visitors and well known in the area.
In 1967 Landsborough, Maroochy and Noosa Shires became known as the Sunshine Coast and local government administration was located to Caloundra in 1968. The former Landsborough Shire Council Chambers closed in 1974. In 1975 the Landsborough Historical Society secured a lease over the building and in 1975 the building was opened as the Landsborough Shire Historical Museum.
During the 1950s the verandah was extended and enclosed to the east and an extension constructed to the west of the building to accommodate 5 offices. In 1977 the original timber fence was removed and a bullock wagon and two large palms located in the front garden. In 1988, alterations to the former Landsborough Shire Chambers were undertaken during the construction of the large Museum extension to the east. The front verandah was reinstated, office partitioning removed, the building painted and a new roof installed. A covered courtyard link between the early building and the new Museum extension and a roofed storage area to the north butt directly onto the building.
","criteria":"Opened in 1924, the former Landsborough Shire Council Chambers, a modest, low-set, single-storey timber building on Maleny Street, Landsborough, was the first purpose-built council chambers for the Landsborough Shire Council. Although the building has been altered and has received a major extension, the original form is evident.
|The place is important for its association with the work of architect Walter Carey Voller.
|Residential in scale, the building contributes a dignified civic presence to the streetscape.
|Sustaining a local government presence from 1924 to 1974, the former Landsborough Shire Council Chambers is important for its association with the Landsborough Shire Council and the local community and illustrates the development of local government in the region.
|(Criterion under review)
","criteria_letters":"Criterion A | Criterion D | Criterion E | Criterion G | Criterion H","criteria_definitions":"The place is important in demonstrating the evolution or pattern of Queensland's history | The place is important in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a particular class of cultural places | The place is important because of its aesthetic significance | The place has a strong or special association with a particular community or cultural group for social, cultural or spiritual reasons | The place has a special association with the life or work of a particular person, group or organisation of importance in Queensland's history"}, {"heritage_type":"State Heritage","site_id":16779,"place_ref":602043,"name":"Kenilworth Homestead","alternate_name":"Kenilworth Station","street_address":"Eumundi Kenilworth Road","suburb":"KENILWORTH","lga":"SUNSHINE COAST REGIONAL COUNCIL","register_entry_date":"1998-11-30","description":"Kenilworth Homestead is a large complex on about 38 hectares of land to which access is provided via the Eumundi-Kenilworth Road, about 3km west from Kenilworth. The land on which Kenilworth Homestead is situated undulates from a hill on the eastern side of the property toward the Mary River on the eastern side, on a bluff overlooking which is the homestead complex, incorporating the early house. Access roads run north through the property providing access to the homestead as well as an complex of outbuildings, incorporating the barn.
The homestead complex, incorporates a number of buildings, structures, gardens and established tree planting. The c1865 homestead is centrally located with a 20th century extension to the east. To the west of the homestead is a reconstructed slab hut, a nineteenth century timber cottage moved to the site from Gympie and a 20th century timber kitchen/residence. The outbuildings, to the east of the homestead complex, include a 1901 silky oak barn with extensions and a number of other timber buildings all constructed during the occupation of the Rowe family.
The complex houses two important early buildings relating to the pastoral workings of the place; the principal residence dating from about 1865 and a 1901 barn. Also related to the early history of the site are a number of large established trees and a small cemetery overlooking the property from a hill on the eastern end of the site.
The principal residence is a single storeyed timber building facing north with a rectangular plan and verandahs lining the two long sides. Part of the verandah has been closed in creating additional rooms. The main gabled roof is clad with corrugated iron and reduces in pitch at the verandah line. The timber construction technique is unusual, without visible horizontal support and using very high quality and well finished cedar slabs. The foundations of the building are a system of load bearing bed logs that support floor joists and tongue and groove timber floors. The single skinned wall construction comprises regular 2 inch thick cedar boards measuring about 10 inches wide, joined with beaded tongue and groove joints and fixed into the foundations below the floor boards and into the ceiling joists above the ceiling, resulting in the absence of visible horizontal timber members. Doorways and windows are formed within frames of thinner beaded cedar boards with beading.
The building is arranged with a row of five central principal rooms running parallel to the long sides of the house. These rooms are lined on the north side by an open verandah and on the south side with a line of smaller rooms to the south of which is another partially enclosed verandah. Without halls the rooms provide direct access to each other through hand crafted panelled and moulded single doors and a series of 'secret' doors made from the cedar wall slabs. The interior joinery, including all of the walls, ceilings and floors, is stained but not painted. The doors which lead from the principal rooms to the northern verandah are also quite unusual, not being of standard size or proportion. One of the door openings is fitted with wide French lights where the door sleeves are divided with fine timber mullions into a number of square panes. These square panes are repeated on the windows in the house and on several half glazed doors.
Internally the building has significant furniture and fittings, including several carved timber sideboards, an early light fitting, Aboriginal artefacts given to the owners of the homestead by the Gubbi Gubbi people in commemoration of a long association, and other documents including photographs. Two of the main rooms, the drawing and the dining rooms share masonry fireplaces which a substantial square planned chimney services.
A timber one and two storeyed extension wing, dating from the 1950s, abuts the south -eastern corner of the house from the kitchen. Despite the substantial size of the wing, it is partially concealed by the large fig tree to the south of the house. The wing reflects the massing, form, proportion and fenestration patterns of the principal house, with a gabled corrugated iron clad roof and door and window openings similar to those of the house. To the west of the house is an car shade, to the north of which is a reconstructed slab hut, constructed, like many of the other reconstructed buildings on the site from building materials from earlier dismantled outbuildings. To the west of the slab hut and diagonally placed facing north west is a timber worker's cottage with pyramidal roof and verandahs which was relocated from Gympie.
Large established trees and established gardens surround the homestead complex, significantly a c1901 fig tree to the south of the house, a garden area to the north of the house and several other trees in the vicinity.
The 1901 barn is part of a large complex of outbuildings. It is one storeyed timber structure constructed from single skinned horizontal timber weatherboards on a timber frame with internal bracing. The building comprises a large central room, flanked to the east and west by a row of six smaller stalls. Dividing the stalls from the central room is horizontal boarding which is separated at a high level to produce horizontal cavities between the boards. The stalls have been internally lined with fibrous cement sheeting and fitted with bunk beds. The roof of the building is clad with corrugated iron and is gabled with a shallower pitch over the two rows of stalls. The barn is now on a concrete slab and this forms a walkway around the building. Abutting the southern end of the barn is an open are constructed from recycled materials and abutting this is a modern concrete block covered stage area and dormitories which are in the final stages of completion.
The other outbuildings in this area include a stockyard and house; toilet blocks, and a small building now used as a chapel. These buildings are constructed from concrete block and timber and all have corrugated iron clad roofs.
To the west of the buildings on the site is a large hill only the eastern side of which is on the property. Near the crest of the hill is a small enclosed cemetery, housing a grave with three headstones; Henrietta Lillian Josephine (1873-1875); Alma Blanche Claudine Beattie (1895) and unmarked rock said to mark the grave of a small aboriginal girl. Alongside this formal grave is a large cairn with a memorial with a plaque in memory of the Gubbi Gubbi people who also used this area as a burial ground. Between the buildings and the hill are substantial trees, a pair of bunya pine trees and a pair of hoop pine trees.
","history":"The Kenilworth Station was taken up in 1850 by Joseph Smith. A substantial timber residence was constructed on the station in about 1865 by a later and long time owner, Isaac Moore. The Rowe family purchased the property in 1925 and have retained Kenilworth since then. During their ownership the focus of the former pastoral property has become tourist oriented.
The area of the original Kenilworth Station, along with a vast area in the Wide Bay district was initially inspected by Dr Stephen Simpson, the Commissioner of Crown Lands and Reverend Stephen Eiper in 1843. Eiper was determining the suitability of the area for establishing a German settlement, and Simpson was investigating a crime. Joining the pair on this early exploration was Richard Joseph Smith, a soldier who later became the original leasee of what was to become Kenilworth Station. The area was opened up for leasing in 1850, prior to which depasturing licenses were issued each year. Smith applied for a five year lease of 22, 000 acres on the east bank of the Mary River on 18 August 1850 on which to run about 640 cattle. On the following day Smith tendered for another 18,000 acre run, known as North Kenilworth and adjoining the northern boundary of the Kenilworth Run. Smith's tender for both runs was officially accepted on 30 April 1855 following a Commissioner's report of the area, although presumably Smith was occupying the land prior to this.
Smith retained Kenilworth Station for several years before transferring the lease to Charles Frederick Parkinson and Colin Fraser, who are believed to have been managing the station already. Parkinson and Fraser were, like Smith, ex-military and it was Parkinson or his wife who is thought to have named the run in memory of the Walter Scott novel. Parkinson and Fraser transferred the run to Ipswich merchant, Walter Gray in July 1860. Gray died shortly after acquiring Kenilworth and the property was transferred to Isaac Moore in 1863 who owned it for many years and is believed to be responsible for the construction of the early homestead.
Isaac Moore (1811-1903) arrived in Fryerstown on the Victorian gold fields in 1853 and ran a successful store. He then relocated to Queensland to embark on pastoral pursuits. Moore went into partnership with WH Baynes on the Barambah Station and following Baynes' death Baynes' interest in the station was purchased by Moore's sons. Moore was well known in the Wide Bay/Burnett district as a local politician. Moore increased the size of the Kenilworth Run to about 100 square miles by adding to it other adjacent runs including Cambroon and Cordalba which he purchased at the same time as Kenilworth.
It is believed that during the occupancy of Isaac Moore at Kenilworth from 1863 until 1875, the early homestead was constructed. The present owners of the house believe the date to be closer to 1865. The construction of the building has been attributed by descendants of the Moore family to two cabinet-makers from Orkney Island. The high quality of the finish of the internal timber work and the unusual construction technique support this proposition. The construction technique of the principal residence will be further explained in the description section of this report but varies from other Queensland homesteads of this age in its high quality finish and absence of visible horizontal framing or bracing.
A census taken in 1871 suggests that two inhabited buildings were extant at the Kenilworth Station. It is suggested that these buildings were an original slab hut (now rebuilt) constructed by Smith and the principal residence constructed in about 1865. A survey plan, dated 14 December 1878, shows two building in approximately the position of the current residence.
In 1873 an application was made by Isaac Moore under section 14 of the Land Act 1868 to lease 400 acres of pastoral land on the Kenilworth Run under the pre-emption. Moore was to pay a £10 annual rental and a £7 survey fee. The 400 acres selected by Moore ran across the Kenilworth Station and also an adjoining station, Obi Obi. The improvements on the selection included a dwelling house worth £800, another dwelling house worth £100, stockyard and paddock fences worth £300. Although Moore paid rent for his selection from January 1873, the lease was not formalised until 20 October 1879 after an official survey.
Isaac Moore remained on his selection until 1875 when his 14 month old daughter, Henrietta, died and was buried on a hill overlooking the homestead. The management of Kenilworth was taken over by Patrick Lillis. Although some reports suggest Lillis purchased the property at some time during his management this conjecture is not supported by primary documentary evidence. Some confusion exists over the management of Kenilworth Station during the 1870s and 1880s. In 1890, still under the ownership of Isaac Moore, Duncan Beattie assumed the management of Kenilworth replacing Lillis who was experiencing serious financial problems.
In about 1901 it is believed that a large silky oak barn lined with quandong was constructed under the direction of Beattie who was renowned for the Hereford herd and thoroughbreds he raised on the Kenilworth Run. The barn is believed to have been constructed by an early timber getter and gold miner, Ned Allen using timber from the Walli Valley. The building was designed to house six stalls on each side of a large central enclosed area. A ball was held to open the building and to raise money for the Gympie Hospital.
Following the death of Isaac Moore in 1903, Kenilworth Station was passed in equal one- quarter shares to his four children Hugh Moore, Isaac John Moore, Frances Annie Moore and Emma Isabella Mary Clarke. The sons assumed the property and on Hugh Moore's death the property, still measuring 400 acres was transferred to Isaac John Moore.
In 1921 Kenilworth Station was subdivided and in the following year large areas of the property were sold. In 1924 the town of Kenilworth was established on a resumed part of former run and the postal services which were formerly managed at the homestead were transferred to the new town.
In 1924 a Frank Rodgers of Kenilworth became the owner of 100 acres of the subdivided Kenilworth Station being that part which housed the residence and barn. This was transferred to long time owner of the property Henry Faris Rowe on 13 July 1925. Henry Rowe was married to Frances Hassall of the nearby Mount Ubi Station. In 1964 on the death of Henry Rowe the title was transferred to James William Faris Rowe who transferred the property to his son, Justyn Rowe in 1997.
During the ownership of the Rowe family Kenilworth Station has gradually changed from a working pastoral station to a museum, farm stay and school camp site. Many buildings have been constructed on the site to further this endeavour. A large timber extension was added to the eastern end of the principal residence in two stages from the 1950s. Near the principal residence has been built a slab hut based on the original slab hut of Richard Smith; a self contained timber cottage dating from about the 1960s and an 1880s worker's cottage moved to the site from Gympie. Two small buildings; a blacksmith's store and an office administration area have been constructed adjacent to a central circular driveway. The 1901 barn has been extended and renovated. Abutting the barn is a modern concrete block stage and dormitory wing which is not yet completed (May 1998). Adjacent to this is a number of reconstructed timber buildings and a stockyard. The timber buildings on the site have been constructed in sympathy with the early structures.
For many years the Rowe family have been interested in understanding the history of the Gubbi Gubbi people, particularly where they were involved with Kenilworth Station. Recently reconciliation celebrations have been held by the family and the Gubbi Gubbi people.
","criteria":"Kenilworth Homestead, on one of the earliest stations established in the Gympie district, demonstrates the pattern of development in the area from nineteenth century pastoralism. The resumption of a large part of Kenilworth during the 1920s, and the subsequent division into smaller farming properties and the nearby town of Kenilworth, is important in demonstrating the pattern of land use and occupancy in rural Queensland during the early twentieth century.
|The principal residence, thought to date from about 1865, is an uncommon and rare example of an early timber house demonstrating unusually high craftsmanship and quality of finish.
|The place has the potential to provide archaeological evidence of building construction techniques from the mid nineteenth century and of the formerly extensive pastoral station complex. As evidenced by recent reconciliation ceremonies Kenilworth Homestead has a long association with and strong importance for the local Aboriginal community, in particular the Gubbi Gubbi people, and has the potential to reveal further evidence of this association.
|The residence and the stables, with associated grounds including the gardens, paddocks, cemetery and driveway, provide a good example of a mid-nineteenth century pastoral run.
|The buildings and grounds have aesthetic value, enhanced by their picturesque natural setting incorporating the Mary River and surrounding ranges. The gardens, trees and grounds surrounding the buildings contribute to their setting.
|The construction technique of single skinned wide vertical slabs with tongue and groove beaded joints with concealed framing is unusual and demonstrates the skills of the two cabinet makers thought to be involved with the construction of the building.
|The homestead is of social value for its long association with the local community and as the earliest surviving homestead in the area.
","criteria_letters":"Criterion A | Criterion B | Criterion C | Criterion D | Criterion E | Criterion F | Criterion G","criteria_definitions":"The place is important in demonstrating the evolution or pattern of Queensland's history | The place demonstrates rare, uncommon or endangered aspects of Queensland's cultural heritage | The place has potential to yield information that will contribute to an understanding of Queensland's history | The place is important in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a particular class of cultural places | The place is important because of its aesthetic significance | The place is important in demonstrating a high degree of creative or technical achievement at a particular period | The place has a strong or special association with a particular community or cultural group for social, cultural or spiritual reasons"}, {"heritage_type":"State Heritage","site_id":16841,"place_ref":602105,"name":"Fairview","alternate_name":"Pattemore House | Armstrong's House","street_address":"15 Porter's Lane","suburb":"MALENY","lga":"SUNSHINE COAST REGIONAL COUNCIL","register_entry_date":"2003-09-04","description":"Fairview is situated halfway down the steep slope which forms the backdrop to the township of Maleny, on the Blackall Range west of Nambour. It is a low-set timber house capped with a steeply pitched, corrugated iron clad, short ridge roof with gablets to the east and west, and stepped down surrounding verandah roofs. The verandahs have been enclosed on the western and southern sides and southeastern corner.
\nExternal walls are single-skin, vertically-jointed timber boards, diamond braced with belt rail, protected from the elements by skillion roofed verandahs. The front verandah has three bays, with a pair of verandah posts either side of the entrance. Square posts with simple stop chamfers support the roof and are enhanced with later decorative brackets. There is a later two-rail slatted balustrade across the open verandahs. There are three doors off the front verandah, French doors to both front rooms either side of a four-panel low waisted timber front door.
\nThe front door opens onto a hallway which has doors to rooms on either side, before opening through a timber archway into a large dining room.
\nInternally all rooms under the core have walls of tongue and groove 6 inch wide boards that are beaded. The hall has a belt rail and hat rail on both walls. The two front bedrooms have a T&G ceiling and twin-paned sash windows to side verandahs, while the rear bedroom has French doors to the side verandah. There are clear glass fan lights above the front and back doors and rear bedroom French doors. All the bedrooms have a square of linoleum with the surrounding timber boards painted red. An exposed beam from the dining room juts into the front north eastern bedroom and hall, and these beams are visible in the dining room. The dining room and rear bedroom both have sheeted ceilings.
\nThe western and southern verandahs have been enclosed with weatherboards and windows. About half of the eastern side also has been enclosed to form a large room. At the rear of the house and under the verandah roof are the kitchen and a large breakfast room. The northern wall of both the kitchen and breakfast room has diagonal braced vertically-jointed timber boards and the other walls are lined, including the stove recess with its old wood fire stove. The kitchen has a double row of three hopper windows facing south while the stove recess has louvres. The large breakfast room has a twin-pane sash window into the dining room, and a pair of casement windows, a set of four casement windows and door along the southern wall, and a door to the side verandah and kitchen. The southern facing external wall is protected by a skillion roofed over the paving and raised path to the back garden.
\nFairview is surrounded by mature trees including Frangipani [Plumeria sp.], Avocados [Persea americana] and a Moreton Bay Fig [Ficus macrophylla]. The garden, which is enclosed by a barbed wire fence, has many mature trees including a large Moreton Bay Fig.
","history":"Fairview is a lowset, four-roomed timber dwelling under the core with four rooms under the stepped-down surrounding verandahs. It was constructed of Beech [Nothofagus sp.] cut, pit sawn and dressed on the property, for John Robert and Emily Pattemore in 1907.
\nAboriginals had long known the Maleny district, on the Blackall Range behind Nambour, as an area where the important Bunya Pine [Araucaria bidwilli] grew. The first Europeans to live in the district were transient timber getters who heard from local Aborigines of the huge Red Cedar [Toona australis] trees on the Blackall Range. While timber was cut, it was not always shifted due to the lack of roads and steepness of the terrain. The first non-indigenous person to settle in the area was Isaac Burgess, who took up residence on his selection on 1 January 1872. Others followed in the late the 1870s. They built their homes using timber pit sawn on their own land. Pits were dug near where the trees stood and there they were sawn down to scantlings and boardings, and afterwards planed, tongued and grooved by hand as required. As the Red Cedar was cut out attention turned to the Beech trees and Maleny pioneers of the timber industry include Isaac Burgess, Francis and William Dunlop, Joseph McCarthy, and JD Campbell.
\nBy 1886 there were sufficient people living in the district to necessitate the establishment of the Blackall Range School. About 1890 the area became known as Maleny, the same year that a small postal receiving office opened. In the late 1890s farmers in the Maleny area turned to dairying and by 1900 were sending cream by pack horse to Landsborough for railing to the Queensland Meat Export Company's Brisbane butter factory. The length of time it took to transport Maleny cream to Brisbane was problematic, encouraging Maleny farmers to establish their own co-operative dairy factory in 1903-04. The first cream was treated at the new Maleny Butter Factory on 19 December 1904. The factory proved very successful, and was replaced twice before closing in 1992.
\nDuring the first decade of the 20th century the little township of Maleny grew with the dairy boom. An ES&A Bank was established in 1906, a hotel was built the next year, and there was a butcher and general store. Maleny was listed as a township in Pughs Almanac of 1912 for the first time: the district had a population of about 510 with town businesses including auctioneer, baker, butcher, blacksmith, 2 contractors, dairy factory, hotel, plumber, saddler, sawmiller and 2 store keepers.
\nThe Pattemore family of New South Wales moved to the Maleny district in 1906-08. John Robert (Robert) Pattemore was born on 7 August 1850 in England. His parents emigrated to New South Wales in 1855, and raised their family at Ulladulla, New South Wales, where Mr Pattemore worked as a market gardener. Robert trained as a butcher. He married in 1871 and in 1879 he, his wife Emily and young family moved to Tilba Tilba, where he worked as a butcher. They later moved to Central Tilba where they operated both a butchery and a property called Myrtle Vale. They raised four sons and three daughters.
\nAccording to family folklore the 1902 drought was so severe that the Pattemore family decided to move to a farming area with more reliable rainfall. Sons William John (Bill) and Herbert Stanley (Stan) heard of the lush Blackall Range in Queensland, then being promoted for its dairying opportunities, and by 1906 were cutting timber there. In 1906 Bill began sawmilling at Maleny in partnership with Maleny fruitgrower ET Thynne as Thynne and Pattemore. Bill and Stan were joined by their brothers Ernest Edward and Albert Aaron Pattemore in 1907.
\nThe Pattemores sold their New South Wales interests in 1906 and in 1906-07 Bill and Stan purchased 5 Maleny farm blocks for the Pattemore family - one for their father and one for each of the four sons. Title to portion 1257, the site on which Fariview was soon constructed, was registered in the name of John Robert Pattemore in September 1907. The block comprised 154 acres, much of it bordered by Obi Obi Creek.
\nFairview was erected by the Pattemore sons in 1907 for their parents, Robert and Emily Pattemore, who followed them to Maleny in 1908. The house was constructed entirely of Beech, used even for the original stumps. The brothers pit-sawed the timber on the property, hand planed it, and made 6 inch tongue and groove boards with a single beading. The sawdust from the work was left in a mound at the rear of the house, which was a feature of the rear garden for many years. The house comprised four rooms under the core roof, with an enclosed room at the rear end of each side verandah. Verandahs encircled the house, with the back verandah enclosed and used for a service room.
\nRobert and Emily arrived by ship in 1907. Unfortunately, Emily Pattemore contracted Rheumatic Fever around this time and was incapacitated for the rest of her life. Two widowed daughters came up from New South Wales to look after their mother.
\nBy 1907 all of Robert Pattemore's sons were farming at Maleny. Bill Pattemore also retained his interest in the Thynne and Pattemore sawmill on Thynne's homestead block at Maleny. For some years there was also a mill on Fairview.
\nJR Pattermore operated his Maleny property as a dairy farm on the share farming principle. Albert built the share farmer's house, which has since been moved to Caloundra.
\nFor some years Ernest worked as the share farmer on Fairview, but in 1923 moved to Nambour. Albert returned to butchering, first at Cooroy and later at Brisbane. Bill had moved to Cooroy about 1920 and by 1924, Stan was the only son remaining in Maleny, where he was farming his own property, Forest Lodge on Gardner's Road, north of his father's property. Fairview continued as a dairy farm, with a share farmer. Robert Pattemore continued milking a few cows and growing corn until the end of his life in 1947.
\nErnest Pattemore's children, Arthur and Emily, visited Fairview frequently from the 1920s to the late 1940s. They remembered the place as quite a large house, with a front garden large enough for the cousins to play cricket. Either side of the front gate was a Bunya Pine, not a favourite of the children as underneath was too spiky and hurt their bare feet when playing. There were two mature Moreton Bay Fig Trees in the back garden.
\nA raised cobble path led from the front verandah to the front gate. The front and side verandahs had a balustrade and the verandah posts had decorative brackets. Under the back verandah roof was the kitchen, large breakfast room with windows, and a pantry. Leading from the breakfast room back door there was a raised path to the back gate about 6 to 10 metres away. To the left of the back door was the laundry under a skillion roof; it was paved with slats and cobble stones and had tubs, bench and copper. Later a laundry was moved inside adjacent to the bathroom under the verandah roof.
\nThe house block was fenced - to keep the cattle out - and just beyond this fence was a shed that had space for the buggy, cow bails and dairy. There was a loft above, and that is where the corn was stored. In Robert's latter years his son Stan took on responsibility for the home farm, cultivating the corn and any farm work. His sisters continued to look after the house and parents.
\nFollowing Mrs Emily Pattemore's death at nearly 87 years in 1937, her husband remained on his farm, and in August 1941 celebrated his 91st birthday as Maleny's oldest resident. Following his death on 10 January 1947 title to his farm was transferred out of the Pattemore family in August 1948. Subsequent owners included the CSR in 1964 and by May 1969, the George Armstrong family. In 1995 Fairview was acquired from the Armstrong family by the Caloundra City Council. The house is rented and the land let to a farmer.
\nIn recent years Fairview has been re-roofed, a skillion roofed verandah has been added at the rear, and a slatted balustrade has been constructed across the remaining open verandahs. The raised path still leads to the back of the property but the front path is overgrown and no longer leads to the front gate. The old farm shed out the back has been removed.
\nWhile most Maleny district houses of the late 19th and early 20th centuries were built of pit sawn local timber, few surviving houses of this type were identified in the 1995 Caloundra City Cultural Heritage Study. Included amongst these was Fairview, listed as Armstrong's House [MY 56], identified for its historic, aesthetic, representative value and integrity. A 2001 review of the 350 plus places identified in the 1995 survey resulted in a much shorter list of locally significant places. While some farm houses were noted the new list did not include any houses constructed of pit sawn local timber. The only building constructed of local pit-sawn timber included in the listing was the first stage of the Maleny Hotel [MY 26], erected in 1907. Fairview [Armstrong's House] (1907) was not included in the preliminary register as a place sufficiently well known or documented for its cultural heritage significance, but was included as a place worthy of further investigation.
","criteria":"Fairview, constructed in 1907 of local Beech [Gmelina leichardtii] cut, pit-sawn and dressed on the property, is important in demonstrating the early development of Maleny as an agricultural settlement and the expansion of dairying in Queensland in the early 1900s.
|It is one of the oldest surviving pit sawn timber residences in the area.
|It remains substantially intact, and is important in demonstrating the principal characteristics of early farmhouses of its era, with hand detailing, good workmanship, and idiosyncratic construction techniques, and is constructed of local timbers no longer widely available.
|The materials, timber detailing and workmanship, and simple plan and form, demonstrate a strong aesthetic quality. Plantings around the house are remnants from when the property was an established dairy farm and add to the aesthetic appeal of the place.
","criteria_letters":"Criterion A | Criterion B | Criterion D | Criterion E","criteria_definitions":"The place is important in demonstrating the evolution or pattern of Queensland's history | The place demonstrates rare, uncommon or endangered aspects of Queensland's cultural heritage | The place is important in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a particular class of cultural places | The place is important because of its aesthetic significance"}, {"heritage_type":"State Heritage","site_id":16905,"place_ref":601711,"name":"Palmwoods to Buderim Tramway Track Foundation and Formwork Remnants","alternate_name":null,"street_address":"Telco Road","suburb":"BUDERIM","lga":"SUNSHINE COAST REGIONAL COUNCIL","register_entry_date":"2000-07-28","description":"The heritage listed section of the Palmwoods to Buderim Tramway is a narrow, level track approximately 1.57km long, winding through undulating, heavily-forested terrain on the outskirts of Buderim. The route begins at Telco Road and travels generally west. The track includes considerable engineering in the form of sharp corners, substantial embankments and cuttings, as well as more subtle elements including remnants of explosives bores, timber sleepers and a cattle grid. Three tree stumps with evidence of historical felling techniques stand adjacent to the track. The tramway sits high in the terrain, which generally slopes from north down to southern gullies and the geology varies between solid sandstone to a softer stone towards the western extent of the tramway boundary. At certain points along the track, views can be seen to Tanawha and the ranges behind.
Cuttings
The cuttings are double or single-sided and range in depth up to 9m, through earth, soft stone and solid sandstone. Approximately 770m from Telco Road is the most distinctive cutting; 48m long, 8-9m deep, double-sided and cut through solid sandstone.
Embankments
The track has four substantial earth embankments. Approximately 190m from Telco Road, the longest is 63m long, 20 to 30m in height, with sides steeper than 45 degrees.
Culverts
Small concrete culverts channel water transversely under the track.
Sleepers
The track retains three sections of exposed timber sleepers. The first is located approximately 870m from Telco Road is the largest and most intact section of exposed sleepers at 14.2m long. The average distance between sleepers is 40cm. The most intact sleeper of this group is 43cm long x 20cm wide. The second section, located 910m from Telco Road contains only one exposed sleeper, 145cm long x 20cm wide. The final section of exposed sleepers is located approximately 960m from Telco Road and comprises four degraded sleepers across a distance of 230cm.
Tree stumps
Along the track are three stumps of felled trees with evidence of the springboard felling technique. The first is located approximately 380m from Telco Road and is visible from the track. Standing 6m north of and 6m above the track, the stump is 305cm tall and 270cm in circumference. It has two springboard notches: notch 1 - 154cm above ground, 13cm wide x 6.5-9cm high; notch 2 - 180cm above ground, 14cm wide x 6-8cm high. The stump is partially hollow. The second tree stump with springboard notches is located approximately 450m from Telco Road, standing 4m north of and 5m above the track. It is not an obvious fell and the springboard notches are not deep. The third tree stump is located approximately 770m from Telco Road, standing 5m north of and 5m above the track. There are springboard notches visible from the track but it is not an obvious fell.
Explosives Bores
Approximately 1050m from Telco Road, and opposite the site of the former Mon's Station, are remnants of explosive bores drilled into the stone face of a cutting - evidence of the blasting technique to create the cutting. Two semi-circular bores are evident, 110cm-115cm long x 5.5cm wide.
Timber and earth feature
Approximately 1320m from Telco Road is a timber and earth feature, possibly a retaining wall or the remains of a timber bridge. Located on the north side of the track, it comprises a 245cm long timber member inset into the northern wall of an earth hollow.
'VE' carving
Approximately 1450m from Telco Road is the monogram 'VE' carved into the stone face of a cutting. The carving is 20cm high x 30cm wide.
Cattle grid
Approximately 1540m from Telco Road and near the western end of the track is remnants of a cattle grid, comprising timber members fixed into a grid by metal pins. The grid is 315cm x 270cm and individual timber members are 270cm x 27cm.
","history":"The Palmwoods to Buderim tramway track began operations in December 1914 and provided the impetus for substantial settlement expansion and economic growth in the Buderim area. It was constructed as a 'private' tramway, and continued to operate until August 1935. The length of the line was seven miles, fifteen chains (11.5km), which ran from the Queensland Government Railway Station at Palmwoods, across undulating country to Forest Glen on the Bruce Highway, and then climbed to the top of Buderim 'Mountain'.
The first inhabitants of the Maroochy District were the Aboriginal peoples of the Nalbo, Kabi Kabi, Dallambara and Undanbi groups.[1] Europeans first penetrated the Maroochy District in the 1820s.[2] One of the significant figures in the early exploration of timber in South East Queensland was Andrew Petrie. Petrie explored the Maroochy area from 1838 and collected specimens of the bunya pine (araucaria bidwillii).[3] The importance of the bunyas to the local Aboriginal peoples was recorded by early Europeans and Governor Gipps was persuaded to proclaim a reserve on 14 April 1842 which prohibited settlement or the granting of timber or grazing licences on land on which the bunya tree grew.[4] While it was purportedly enacted to protect sources of food for the local Aboriginal peoples, it is equally likely that the proclamation was a way of protecting valuable sources of timber from exploitation.[5] In 1859, the Colony of Queensland was created, and the Unoccupied Crown Lands Occupation Act 1860 was one of the first Acts passed by Queensland Parliament. It repealed the Bunya Proclamation, and provided for squatters' and timbergetters' licences.[6]
The native forests remained a steady source of income during the 1870s and 1880s, but Maroochy settlers needed to be versatile to ensure their selections remained economically viable. Most grazed beef cattle and the Buderim settlers experimented with sugar.[7] Sugar ‘was a major contributor to the economic development of Maroochy Shire'.[8] It was first grown in the Maroochy area in 1865 and sugarcane was first crushed in the area at a small mill in Buderim in 1876.[9] Sugar crops took years to mature, so a variety of crops were needed to provide the farmer with another, more immediate source of income.[10] Other significant crops grown in the area were bananas, citrus orchards, pineapples and ginger.[11] The 1880s saw closer attention given to the dairying potential of the Maroochy region. Initially dairy cattle were kept for domestic needs, but dairying would soon develop into an industry, particularly with the slump in the fruit industries between 1908 and World War I when a number of fruit growers turned their fields into pastures.[12] ‘Between 1880 and 1915, Maroochy developed into Queensland's largest fruit growing area and an important centre of dairy farming'.[13]
Queensland's coastal areas north of Brisbane, and the hinterland, developed rapidly in the 1880s. Buderim, a settlement which developed to service the local farmers, was established by the late 1880s. Shipping of timber and farm and fruit produce from Buderim and surrounds was complicated by problems with the silting and bars of the Mooloolah and Maroochy rivers. There was great competition in the region, and between regions, for development investment, with the port of Maryborough to the north being a rival for vital road funds.
In 1879, local government was established in the Maroochy area with the creation of 74 Divisional Boards, including Caboolture, which incorporated much of today's Maroochy Shire. In 1890, the Maroochy Divisional Board was established, formed from the southern section of the Widgee Divisional Board and the northern section of the Caboolture Divisional Board. Buderim was part of the Caboolture Divisional Board until 1898, when it joined the Maroochy Divisional Board. In 1903, the Maroochy Divisional Board became the Maroochy Shire Council.[14]
Government railway building began in Queensland in the 1860s and a Gympie to Maryborough link was opened in 1881. An extension from Brisbane through Palmwoods north to Yandina was completed in 1891. The line was neither coastal nor western, lying between Buderim, the Lower Maroochy River, and the Blackall Ranges. While this positioned desired transport from Buderim to the capital and its markets tantalisingly close, poor roads hindered access. The roads up the steep slopes to Buderim were difficult to negotiate, especially in wet weather.
A tramline to ensure Buderim growers could get their goods to market had been proposed for years.[15] Maroochy Shire Council established a committee in 1903 to consider the possibility of a tramway to Buderim. Differences arose between supporters of the Buderim/Palmwoods link, the Buderim/Woombye link, and those lobbying to join with the Moreton sugar mill tramway system near Diddillibah, causing negotiations to continue for some time. During this time, the Maroochy Council purchased tramway lines from the Moreton mill in 1910, and using a government tramways loan of £27 000, extended the line (2 feet gauge) from Nambour to Mapleton west. Finally, an Order in Council for the establishment of the Palmwoods/Buderim tramway was reported on 29 July 1911 in the "Queenslander".
The Palmwoods to Buderim tramway was constructed across some technically difficult terrain as a narrow gauge railway of two feet, six inches (76.2cm). This differed to the three feet, six inches of Queensland Government Rail and two feet (61cm) of sugar mill trams. The tramway was also a private tramway so while owned by Council, the Maroochy Shire Council had applied for a government tramway loan and then the 130 ratepayers in the area benefiting from the tramway were levied additional rates to service and repay the loan. The project cost £34 000, of which £21 000 was raised by the loan. The repayment of the loan continued until 1971 when the total had amounted to £84,000.
Throughout Queensland, various Shire Councils undertook the construction of tramways which often represented a significant capital investment for relatively small communities. The Palmwoods to Buderim Tramway is considered to be a ‘private' tramway as it was constructed by a local government, and not the Queensland Government. Examples of other tramways built by local governments include the Belmont Tramway, established in 1912 by the Belmont Shire Council,[16] and the Aramac to Barcaldine Tramway, established in 1913 by the Aramac Shire Council. Like the Palmwoods to Buderim Tramway, the Aramac to Barcaldine line connected to the Queensland government rail network.[17]
The tramway began operations on 1 December 1914 and was officially opened by the Minister for Railways on 18 June 1915. The official party and many others travelled to Buderim on the tram for the ceremony in the School of Arts. With this steady means of transport the Buderim area boomed. The Nambour Chronicle of 16 August 1935 reported that 'fruit production increased enormously, land values rose to great heights and further land was taken up by settlers at high prices. The tram, to cope with the traffic, had frequently to make two trips a day. Timber and fruit products were loaded onto the tram at the Buderim Terminus Station. Goods could be taken to Palmwoods and then transferred to the main line for export or distribution.[18]
The tram became a central feature in the area it serviced. It assumed importance for all social facets of the community, as well as the primary economic purposes. Expectant mothers were driven to the Buderim Station by horse gig to travel by tram to Palmwoods and thence by train to Nambour, to await the birth in one of the maternity nursing homes, there being no hospitals in the region. Passengers from the Vise Road area would be driven in a gig to Telko Station to go to Palmwoods, either to visit Brisbane or Nambour, and then on return by the tram they would get off at Mons Station, to climb the slope and steps up to Mons Road and higher to the present Mons School Road. There was no direct road access to the Mons Station from Mons Road. Loveday records that Mons Station was '"a mere shed with no visible means of approach'. Other social uses for the tram included transport to sporting and recreation events, while throughout the depression days those who were drawing the 'dole' would travel by tram and then train to Woombye to collect their sustenance allowance.
Patrons of the tramway included more than the local population. Passengers from Brisbane would travel to Palmwoods to meet the tram and then journey to Buderim. The tram consisted of approximately 13 wagons, one passenger coach and a guard/brake van, pulled behind a German Krauss or American Shay steam engine. The flat-top wagons had fruit cases placed down their centres along which planks of timber were arranged to form central seats. In this manner about 150 passengers could be carried each trip. and at times two trips per day were made. Visitors would stay in one of Buderim's guest or boarding houses, or travel down to the coast.
The tramway began to lose money in the 1920s from reduced freight revenue through lower farm output and introduced competition from the new network of main road transport. Another reason for the decline of the tramway was the onset of World War I, which curtailed any planned extensions to economically rationalise the line. A Queensland Survey Office map of the Buderim tramway shows hand drawn lines indicating, perhaps, two alternative track extensions to Maroochydore. Such plans failed during the economic depression of the 1930s. In 1933, the tramway actually ceased to operate for a short period because repairs were needed on the engine operating at that time and there was no balance in the tram working account. The Depression possibly added to all other factors to seal the fate of the tramway.
The final run of the Buderim tram occurred on 10 August 1935. The last duty of the Buderim tram was to assist in dismantling the railway by delivering the rails, which had been sold to the Moreton Sugar Mill Co., to Palmwoods. Only the rails and engines are recorded as being sold, but the bridges and most of the sleepers and buildings were also removed at the time or later.
In 2014, the heritage listed portion of the original tramway route is a publically accessible walking track.
References
[1] Gregory, H. 1991. Making Maroochy: A History of the Land the People and the Shire. Boolarong: Brisbane, Queensland, p.1; Sunshine Coast Libraries. 2009. A short history of Maroochy (online). Accessed 29/08/2014 from: http://library.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au/library/documents/heritage/a_short_history_of_maroochy.pdf.
[2] Gregory, H. 1991. Making Maroochy: A History of the Land the People and the Shire. Boolarong: Brisbane, Queensland, p.11; Sunshine Coast Libraries. 2009. A short history of Maroochy (online). Accessed 29/08/2014 from: http://library.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au/library/documents/heritage/a_short_history_of_maroochy.pdf.
[3] Sunshine Coast Libraries. 2009. A short history of Maroochy (online). Accessed 29/08/2014 from: http://library.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au/library/documents/heritage/a_short_history_of_maroochy.pdf; Powell, J. 1998. People and Trees: A thematic history of South East Queensland with particular reference to forested areas, 1823-1997. Queensland: Queensland CRA/RFA Steering Committee, pp.8-9.
[4] Gregory, H. 1991. Making Maroochy: A History of the Land the People and the Shire. Boolarong: Brisbane, Queensland, p.5; Heap, E. "In the Wake of the Raftsmen: A survey of early settlement in the Maroochy District up to the Passing of Macalister's Act (1868). Queensland Heritage. Volume 1, Issue 3, p.4; Sunshine Coast Libraries. 2009. A short history of Maroochy (online). Accessed 29/08/2014 from: http://library.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au/library/documents/heritage/a_short_history_of_maroochy.pdf
[5] Gregory, H. 1991. Making Maroochy: A History of the Land the People and the Shire. Boolarong: Brisbane, Queensland, p.5.
[6] Moreton Bay Courier, The. 1860. The Land Acts. The Moreton Bay Courier. 25 September 1860, p.3; Heap, E. "In the Wake of the Raftsmen: A survey of early settlement in the Maroochy District up to the Passing of Macalister's Act (1868). Queensland Heritage. Volume 1, Issue 3, p.5; Sunshine Coast Libraries. 2009. A short history of Maroochy (online). Accessed 29/08/2014 from: http://library.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au/library/documents/heritage/a_short_history_of_maroochy.pdf; Sunshine Coast Council 2011. Maroochy Region (online). Accessed 29/08/2014 from: http://library.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au/sitePage.cfm?code=maroochy-region.
[7] Gregory, H. 1991. Making Maroochy: A History of the Land the People and the Shire. Boolarong: Brisbane, Queensland, p.24.
[8] Sunshine Coast Libraries. 2009. A short history of Maroochy (online). Accessed 29/08/2014 from: http://library.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au/library/documents/heritage/a_short_history_of_maroochy.pdf
[9] Sunshine Coast Council. 2012. Walk Buderim (online). Accessed 29/08/2014 from: http://www.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au/addfiles/documents/heritage_culture/walk_buderim.pdf.
[10] Gregory, H. 1991. Making Maroochy: A History of the Land the People and the Shire. Boolarong: Brisbane, Queensland, pp.20, 24-25.
[11] Sunshine Coast Libraries. 2009. A short history of Maroochy (online). Accessed 29/08/2014 from: http://library.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au/library/documents/heritage/a_short_history_of_maroochy.pdf
[12] Gregory, H. 1991. Making Maroochy: A History of the Land the People and the Shire. Boolarong: Brisbane, Queensland, pp.60-61.
[13] Sunshine Coast Libraries. 2009. A short history of Maroochy (online). Accessed 29/08/2014 from: http://library.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au/library/documents/heritage/a_short_history_of_maroochy.pdf
[14] Sunshine Coast Libraries. 2009. A short history of Maroochy (online). Accessed 29/08/2014 from: http://library.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au/library/documents/heritage/a_short_history_of_maroochy.pdf; Fraser, G. and N. McGarvie 2010. The Buderim - Palmwoods Tramway. Buderim - Palmwoods Tramway Incorporated. Buderim: Queensland, p.19.
[15] Gregory, H. 1991. Making Maroochy: A History of the Land the People and the Shire. Boolarong: Brisbane, Queensland, p.73.
[16] Old Cleveland Road Tramway Tracks QHR 601839.
[17] Smith, A. 1996. "The Aramac Tramway". Lectures on North Queensland History. No.5. Townsville: Department of History and Politics, James Cook University of North Queensland.
[18] Information provided in application.
","criteria":"The Palmwoods to Buderim tramway (1914-35), through the transport and communication facilities it provided, played a central role in the development of the region, and as such is important in demonstrating the pattern of Queensland's history. The tramway was a specific response to the economic and social pressures encountered by Australian settlers at a particular phase of the twentieth century. The influence of World War I and the following economic depression on the establishment, operation and closure of the tramway is also of historical significance.
The tramway was funded by the Maroochy Shire Council, partly through additional levying of local ratepayers, and remained under the control of the council for the entire period of its operation.
|The tramway foundation and framework remnants demonstrates an uncommon aspect of Queensland's cultural heritage as evidence of a tramway with a gauge of two feet, six inches, and being of ‘private' (local government) construction.
|The environment through which the tramway route traverses is of considerable visual appeal, particularly in the steeper hilly section, lending the place aesthetic significance. The appeal of the environment is complemented by the technological grandeur of the construction modifications to the landscape, especially as they were achieved in a horse-powered era. There remains a pleasing unity in the track remnants.
|The place has a special association with the local communities serviced by the tramway for social and cultural reasons. The tramway, as the transportation hub for the region, facilitated community participation in sporting and cultural events, and provided a connection to Nambour and Brisbane.
","criteria_letters":"Criterion A | Criterion B | Criterion E | Criterion G","criteria_definitions":"The place is important in demonstrating the evolution or pattern of Queensland's history | The place demonstrates rare, uncommon or endangered aspects of Queensland's cultural heritage | The place is important because of its aesthetic significance | The place has a strong or special association with a particular community or cultural group for social, cultural or spiritual reasons"}, {"heritage_type":"State Heritage","site_id":16987,"place_ref":602166,"name":"Canambie Homestead","alternate_name":"Joseph Dixon's House","street_address":"12 Dixon Road","suburb":"BUDERIM","lga":"SUNSHINE COAST REGIONAL COUNCIL","register_entry_date":"2000-10-22","description":"Canambie Homestead is located on a substantial suburban block in central Buderim, on the high ridge which forms the spine of the plateau, facing southeast.
It is a substantial, single-storeyed, exposed-frame timber building, constructed of local beech [floors, wall linings and ceilings], red cedar [joinery], and hardwoods [framing and roof structure], and set on low stumps, some of which have been replaced with concrete blocks. It has a short-ridged roof clad with corrugated iron, covering early shingle battens. The core of the house is surrounded by verandahs with simple chamfered posts with timber capitals and decorative timber brackets supporting the verandah roofs, which are separate from the main roof. These are lined with the same wide, single-bead boards used on the walls. French doors open from each room onto the verandahs. The rear verandah has been enclosed at the northern end with wide, chamfered slabs, and currently functions as the kitchen. The floors of this enclosed verandah are of the same wide beech boards as the interior floors; the remainder of the verandah flooring is of more recent narrow hardwood boards.
The core has a long, wide central hallway, from which doors open off to the front parlour and rear dining room to the left, and to three equal-sized bedrooms to the right. Above each of the internal doors is a decorative timber fretwork ventilation panel. Three folding cedar doors between the parlour and dining room, can be opened to create one large entertaining space. The dining room has a fireplace backing onto the hallway wall, with a fine cedar fireplace surround and the chimney clad with the same wide, tongue and groove, single-bead timber as lines the walls and ceilings throughout the core. Between the fireplace and the rear wall is a built-in dresser or sideboard.
Ceilings throughout have been painted white, but the walls are oiled, and have developed a rich patina. Joinery and doors throughout are of varnished red cedar, excluding the rear door at the end of the hallway, which of more recent vintage. The internal floors have been sanded and coated recently with a polyurethane finish.
A detached c1970s building is located in the backyard, adjacent to the main house. It is a timber structure resting on a cement slab, and mimics in detailing the earlier house, with verandahs on three sides, the same timber posts and brackets as the main house, an exposed timber frame lined with wide single-bead silky oak boards, and french doors opening onto the north verandah. The interior space is one large room.
The house is set well back from the street, behind a high, late 20th century timber fence. Trees in the front grounds appear to date from the same period, and there is little evidence of an earlier garden layout. On the southern side of the house, attached to the verandah, is a timber trellis supporting a very old grape vine, which is likely to be associated with much earlier times.
","history":"Canambie Homestead was erected probably in the early 1880s for Buderim Mountain sugar planter and sugar mill owner Joseph Chapman Dixon, his wife Elizabeth Alice Fielding, and family. The name 'canambie' reputedly is an indigenous word meaning 'black plum'. The place is still utilised as a residence, and remains one of the earliest surviving sawn-timber houses on the plateau.
JC Dixon emigrated from Liverpool to Melbourne in mid-1864, when in his early twenties. He moved almost immediately to Sydney, where he worked in a variety of occupations for several years. In 1868, lured by reports of the success of the sugar industry in Queensland, Dixon and two fellow members of the Society of Friends visited the Moreton Bay district. The party was guided by timbergetter William Grigor to the Mooloolah Plains, as yet unselected, then returned to Sydney. In 1869 JC Dixon returned to Queensland with four other Friends, all of whom selected land on the Mooloolah River, and commenced sugar cane cultivation. Dixon in partnership with Herbert Everett selected land downstream, which proved a poor choice - their sugar crop was badly damaged by floods. They abandoned the selection and moved to a sugar plantation on Doughboy Creek, near Brisbane. When at Mooloolah, Dixon had heard from a timbergetter about Buderim Mountain. Selling his interest in the Doughboy Creek property to Everett, Dixon made the first application to select land on Buderim Mountain, in June 1870.
From the early 1860s, Buderim Mountain had been extensively logged, principally for the fine stands of red cedar and white beech, which was shipped to Brisbane via William Pettigrew's wharf on the Mooloolah River. In mid-1870 the plateau was opened for selection. Dixon took up adjoining portions 44 [80 acres] and 53 [30 acres], parish of Mooloolah, in June and August 1870 respectively, erecting as his first residence a slab hut on portion 44. Many of the first selections were taken up for their timber resources [eg Pettigrew's and Grigor's selections], and early agriculturalists made an income from timber while clearing the land. Dixon also ran cattle on the plateau, which he slaughtered and sold to his neighbours in return for their labour, and hired a teamster to drive a bullock team hauling timber to the coast. At the Queensland census of 1 September 1871, the farming district of Mount Buderan contained only 3 inhabited houses. Within a few years more land had been selected, and from 1 April 1874 Thomas Ridley, who had selected portion 45 within a day of Dixon's first selection in June 1870, operated the Buderim Mountain postal receiving office.
In 1873, Joseph Chapman Dixon married Elizabeth Alice Fielding of Eagle Farm, near Brisbane, returning with his bride to the slab hut on Buderim Mountain. By August 1874, Dixon was cultivating principally maize and sugar cane, with some coffee. By the mid-1870s, sugar cane was grown extensively on Buderim Mountain, with planters utilising South Sea Islander labour. In 1875, JC Dixon and his father-in-law John Fielding went into partnership to established the mountain's first sugar mill, which was erected on part of portion 47 [Mill Road is indicative of the site]. Fielding and Dixon purchased an evaporating-pan sugar plant from Fountains of Burpengary, who had imported it from Scotland. The site was surveyed and burnt off in late 1875, the sheds and chimney were erected through early and mid-1876, Fountains dismantled the plant and sent it by steamboat to the Maroochy River in July, in August the plant was brought by bullock wagon up the mountain, and the first cane was crushed in October 1876. In the early 1880s, Dixon and Fielding converted to the vacuum pan system of sugar production, to increase efficiency.
By 1881, JC Dixon was one of the largest landholders on Buderim Mountain, having acquired the freehold of nearly 480 acres and the leasehold of another 80 acres, and was in partnership with John Fielding in the freehold of another 200 acres and the 3 acre mill site. By the mid-1880s he had acquired another 1000 acres of scrub land running down the southeast side of the mountain to Mountain Creek.
It is not clear when Dixon erected Canambie Homestead, which sits on part of what was formerly portion 53. Information recorded in the Caboolture Divisional Board Valuation Register of 1881 suggests that Dixon worked contiguous portions 24, 44 and 53 [a total of 130 acres] as one farm, and that in 1881 improvements comprised 4 slab houses, 40 acres under cultivation, and some fencing. With all the land that Dixon and Fielding held on Buderim in 1881, between them they owned only 1 sawn-timber house, and that was located on portion 45, formerly owned by Thomas Ridley and by then jointly owned by Dixon and Fielding. It may be that the Dixon-Fielding families were sharing a house at that period. A similar pattern was recorded in 1882. There does not appear to be a record for 1883, but by 1884, Dixon's combined portions 44 and 53 [110 acres] were improved with a sawn house and stables and a slab house with outbuildings. The data does not make it clear on which block the sawn-timber house was located, but it likely refers to Canambie Homestead.
Besides being one of the principal employers and largest landowners on Buderim Mountain, JC Dixon was an active member of the local community. He was instrumental in the establishment of a provisional school at Buderim Mountain in 1875-76, and served as secretary of the School Committee from 1876 until at least 1888. By July 1876 he had been appointed a Justice of the Peace, and in the same year took over the operation of the Buderim Mountain postal receiving office from Thomas Ridley. When the receiving office was elevated to a post office in June 1884, JC Dixon was appointed the first postmaster, a position he held until March 1892, when the job passed to Buderim storekeeper John Kerle Burnett. In August 1888, he was appointed a trustee of the new Buderim School of Arts. In mid-1895 he opened a school for his South Sea Islander employees.
In 1880 a second sugar mill on the mountain - The Buderim Mountain Sugar Company Mill - was established by local growers, with financial backing from James Campbell and Sons. At this period there were still only 7 main farming families on Buderim Mountain, but they were able to support two sugar mills. Buderim farmers initially made a good return from sugar. Between 1881 and 1884, many of the early slab homes were replaced with sawn-timber houses, and by the late 1880s a small village had developed around the intersection of the two principal roads on the mountain [now Main and Ballinger]. From 1885, however, legislation designed to curtail the employment of South Sea Islanders on sugar plantations forced most Buderim Mountain sugar planters to turn to alternative crops - principally bananas and oranges. By August 1889 the Buderim Mountain Sugar Company Mill had closed. JC Dixon was the only Buderim Mountain farmer still growing sugar cane on a commercial scale.
Dixon claimed in his reminiscences that by 1896 the returns from sugar no longer justified production costs, hence he closed the mill that had been operating for 20 years. He may also have been fearful of the competition likely to be generated by the new Moreton Guarantee Sugar Mill, erected at Nambour in 1896-97, which became the central mill for the Buderim-Maroochy-Mooloolah-Nambour district. In 1896 he sold the stock, stores, plant and some of the houses associated with his mill, but retained his Buderim land.
Although Dixon had taken up land at Flaxton on the Blackall Range by the early 1890s, and was developing it with coffee and orange trees from1892, when he sold the Buderim mill he moved to Gympie, where he spent the next 11 years in the boot trade [backed by his brother Thomas Coar Dixon, boot manufacturer of Brisbane]. Dixon then sold out and returned to Flaxton, where he established a successful dairy and worked his citrus orchard. It is understood that Joseph and Elizabeth Dixon remained at Flaxton until their deaths in the late 1920s. On Buderim Mountain, the family is commemorated in the naming of Dixon and Mill roads and Fielding Street.
John North Burnett, son of Buderim Mountain's first storekeeper, John Kerle Burnett, may have occupied Canambie after the Dixons moved to Gympie. Around 1900, John North Burnett was recorded as a fruit grower and boarding house keeper on Buderim Mountain - whether he had converted Canambie into a boarding house has not been verified - but by 1903 the family had moved to a farm at Brookfield, near Brisbane. In 1905, title to about 16.5 acres of portion 53, containing the Canambie Homestead site, was transferred from Dixon to John North Burnett, farmer, of Brookfield. In 1910, the title passed to his brother, Charles Arthur Burnett. Title changed hands several times in the 1930s, until acquired by the Hamilton family in 1938, who kept the property until the late 1960s or 1970s. It is understood that new owners in the 1970s undertook considerable restoration work on the house, which was by then on a considerably reduced block. A detached building was erected in the backyard c1970s, utilising similar materials and detailing to the homestead.
","criteria":"Canambie Homestead, erected probably in the early 1880s, is important in demonstrating the early development of Buderim Mountain as an agricultural settlement, in particular the early success of sugar growing and sugar milling in the district.
|It is one of the oldest surviving residences on the plateau, remains substantially intact, and is important in demonstrating the principal characteristics of an early 1880s farmhouse of substantial proportions and fine detailing and workmanship, constructed of local timbers no longer generally available.
|It is one of the oldest surviving residences on the plateau, remains substantially intact, and is important in demonstrating the principal characteristics of an early 1880s farmhouse of substantial proportions and fine detailing and workmanship, constructed of local timbers no longer generally available.
|The materials, timber detailing and workmanship, and simple plan and form, demonstrate a strong aesthetic quality.
|The place is one of the finest early residences on the mountain and has a special association for the Buderim community with its heritage.
|Canambie Homestead is significant for its close association with one of the earliest settler families on Buderim Mountain, the JC Dixon, who in partnership with John Fielding, established the first sugar mill on Buderim Mountain, 1876-1896.
","criteria_letters":"Criterion A | Criterion B | Criterion D | Criterion E | Criterion G | Criterion H","criteria_definitions":"The place is important in demonstrating the evolution or pattern of Queensland's history | The place demonstrates rare, uncommon or endangered aspects of Queensland's cultural heritage | The place is important in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a particular class of cultural places | The place is important because of its aesthetic significance | The place has a strong or special association with a particular community or cultural group for social, cultural or spiritual reasons | The place has a special association with the life or work of a particular person, group or organisation of importance in Queensland's history"}, {"heritage_type":"State Heritage","site_id":19618,"place_ref":602494,"name":"Glass House Mountains National Park and Beerburrum Forest Reserve 1","alternate_name":"Glasshouse Mountains","street_address":null,"suburb":"GLASSHOUSE MOUNTAINS","lga":"SUNSHINE COAST REGIONAL COUNCIL","register_entry_date":"2007-05-03","description":"The Glass House Mountains are a group of dome shaped hills and conical peaks rising sharply above the surrounding sub-coastal lowlands. They are the remnants of rhyolite and trachyte volcanic plugs and are located in southeast Queensland 65-75 kilometres north of Brisbane and west of the townships of Glass House Mountains and Beerburrum.
Glass House Mountains National Park and Beerburrum Forest Reserve 1 covers eleven of the 16 Glass House Mountains and a small parcel of land known as Blue Gum Creek. The park is in eight sections ranging in size from 11 hectares to 291 hectares and in total cover an area of approximately 883 hectares. The eleven sections of the parks are: Mt Tibrogargan/Mt Cooee, Mt Beerwah, Mt Ngungun, Mt Coonowrin, Mt Elimbah, Blue Gum Creek, Mt Miketeebumulgrai, Coochin Hills., Mt Tibberoowouccum, Mt Beerburrum and The Twins.
Mt Tibrogargan (364m) Mt Cooee (106m) are composed of alkali rhyolite. Mt Cooee has caves and there are the remains of an old trigonometry station at the summit. It is a habitat for the peregrine falcon Falco peregrinus.
Mt Beerwah (556m) is composed of alkali trachyte. Near the top, there are large hexagonal cooling columns on its north side (the Organ Pipes). The mountain also has early timber trails and timber getters' campsites on the eastern side. It has caves and is also a peregrine falcon habitat.
Mt Ngungun (253m) is composed of alkali rhyolite. This mountain also has good examples of vertical columnar jointing and has caves. There is evidence of early 1950s quarrying activities.
Mt Coonowrin (Crookneck) (377m) is composed of alkali rhyolite. It has good examples of vertical columnar jointing and has caves. Timber and steel pitons left by climbers can be found, though the mountain is now closed to climbers. It is a habitat for the peregrine falcon.
Mt Elimbah (109m) is locally called Saddleback because of the saddle like dip between the peaks. It is composed of alkali rhyolite and right-angled trenches used for World War Two infantry training can be seen on the lower slopes
Blue Gum Creek is an area of about 11 hectares. It supports populations of the endangered swamp stringbark Eucalyptus conglomerata. It is an isolated species habitat for several vulnerable species of frogs including wallum froglet Crinia tinnula, wallum sedge frog Litoria olongburensis and Freycinet's frog Litoria freycineti and the rare green thighed frog Litoria brevipalmata.
Mt Miketeebumulgrai (202m) is composed of porphyritic trachyte and provides feeding and nesting places for the black cockatoo Calyptorhynchus lathami and the rare grey goshawk Accipiter novaehollandia.
Mt Coochin, (as known as Coochin Hills) - west hill 235m, east hill 230m, is composed of alkali rhyolite and supports an area of the endangered plant species Leucopogon recurvisepalus
Mt Beerburrum (278m) is composed of porphyritic trachyte. The mountain has complex rainforest, with some endangered plant species such as Tindal's stringybark Eucalyptus tindaliae, Pink bloodwood Corymbia intermedia and Smooth-barked apple Angophora leiocarpa. Scribbly gum Eucalyptus racemosa is locally predominant in places, with the largest tract retained on Mt Beerburrum. The mountain has a forestry fire tower with a viewing platform at the summit.
Mt Tunbubudla, also known as the Twins (west twin 294m, east twin 338m), is composed of alkali rhyolite. The majority of the mountain is covered in dry sclerophyll forest. There are also areas of exposed rock dominated by the rare Bronze-barked Tea Tree Leptospermum luehmannii, a plant restricted to the Glasshouse Mountains.
Mt Tibberoowuccum (220m) is composed of alkali rhyolite. The mountain is a dome-shaped rock surrounded by eucalypt open forest, as well as complex rainforest, although the area is not extensive. There is a small population of Narrow-leaf bitter-pea Daviesia Mimosoides present on the southern slope of the mountain. This shrub is widespread in Victoria and New South Wales, but rare in Queensland, and the Mt Tiberoocwuccum population is the most northerly known.
","history":"The Glass House Mountains are one of southeast Queensland's most impressive landmarks. They are situated 65 - 75 kilometres north of Brisbane and are a group of steep sided plugs of trachyte and rhyolite, once within volcanoes active in the early Tertiary Period, 20 to 25 million years ago. They have been exposed by wind and water erosion of the softer material of the cones and surrounding area and now rise dramatically from the flat coastal plain.
The mountains are central to the creation myths of the region and their spiritual and social importance and links to Indigenous people continues to this day.
The first European description of the mountains was by Lieutenant (later Captain) James Cook, when on his voyage of discovery in the barque Endeavour up the east coast of Australia. In his log for 17 May 1770 he wrote this place may always be found by three hills which lay to the northward of it in the latitude of 26 degrees 53 minutes south. These hills lay but a little way inland and not far from each other; they are very remarkable on account of their singular form of elevation which very much resembles glass houses which occasioned me giving them that name: the northern most of the three is the highest and largest. There are likewise several other peaked hills inland to the northward of these but they are not nearly so remarkable.
Nearly thirty years later, Lieutenant (later Captain) Matthew Flinders sailed up the coast in the sloop Norfolk. In his report to the Governor of New South Wales, Captain John Hunter, dated 14 July 1799 he wrote, At dusk Cape Moreton bore west two or three miles, and the highest glass house, whose peak was just topping over the distant land, had opened around it at 3 degrees west or 4 degrees north. Two Haycock like hummocks distinct from any other land opened soon after a few degrees to the southward. On the 26 July he took two sailors and the Aborigine Bongaree and landed on the shore with the intention of climbing Mt Tibrogargan. They climbed Beerburrum before setting off for Tibrogargan, which they reached the next day, but which they did not climb.
On 29 November 1823 John Oxley entered observations of the Glass Houses in his Field Book. Cunningham also mentioned them in his report of 15 July 1829.
In 1839-42 Petrie and Simpson explored the Glasshouse Mountains and in 1848 Andrew and John Petrie climbed Beerwah and left a note in a bottle at the summit. Petrie and naturalist Dr Ludwig Leichhardt visited the area in 1843 and 1844 and made geological and botanical observations.
The Glass House Mountains have been an inspiration for artists since they were first described by Cook, including the painting by Conrad Martens Glasshouse Mountains, Moreton Bay early morning November 6th 1851. Numerous poems have been written about them and they have been the subjects of writings such as the short story, The Mountains Played, by Judith Wright.
The mountains have also been a popular subject for both amateur and professional photographers from the early years of photography to the present day. Recent musical works such as Robert Davidson's Tibrogargan and John Gilfedder's work Legend of the Tibrogargan testify to the continuing appeal of the mountains.
The proximity of the peaks to several large coastal population centres makes them attractive destinations for tourists who enjoy bushwalking, climbing and the spectacular views from the mountains.
The Glass House Mountains provide islands of natural habitat for plants and animals. They conserve regionally significant areas of rhyolitic mountain vegetation that supports 26 plants that are rare, threatened or of conservation interest. The ridges, rocky pavements, scree slopes and gullies provide a variety of habitats for vegetation ranging from Eucalypt open forest to montane heaths and shrublands. The mountains also provide a habitat for many species of fauna, some of which are rare or endangered. The area now known as the Glass House Mountains National Park was first gazetted in 1954. Gazetted areas incorporated smaller parks such as Beerwah, Coonowrin, Ngungun and Tibrogargan. These smaller parks were amalgamated into the Glass House Mountains National Park in 1994.
","criteria":"The Glass House Mountains as ancient landforms illustrate the evolution of the landscape and the geological history of volcanic activity in the area. Because of their size and distinctive form they are readily identifiable from a number of distant observation points from both land and sea and so have played an important role in navigation in connection with the European exploration of the east coast of Australia. Captain Cook sighted and named them in 1770. In 1799 Matthew Flinders also reported on the Glass House peaks and camped in the area. Other early explorers connected with them are John Oxley, Alan Cunningham, Andrew Petrie and Ludwig Leichhardt.
|The Glass House peaks are central to the creation myths of the region and have a high degree of cultural significance to Indigenous people.
The wider community also values the mountains as recreational venues and their closeness to Brisbane and major centres on the Sunshine Coast have made them readily accessible to day-trippers. The peaks have for many years been popular destinations for people wanting to bushwalk, picnic and to enjoy the volcanic scenery.
|The Glass House peaks are visually impressive, rising dramatically from a flat coastal plain and are landmarks that can be seen from as far away as the Scenic Rim on the Queensland and New South border and out to sea. Views of the mountains, and obtained from the mountains, are of high aesthetic value and have inspired countless paintings and photographs. Their majestic and eerie beauty continues to attract large numbers of visitors to the national park areas that contain them.
","criteria_letters":"Criterion A | Criterion H | Criterion E","criteria_definitions":"The place is important in demonstrating the evolution or pattern of Queensland's history | The place has a special association with the life or work of a particular person, group or organisation of importance in Queensland's history | The place is important because of its aesthetic significance"}, {"heritage_type":"State Heritage","site_id":19642,"place_ref":602522,"name":"Nambour Section of the Moreton Central Sugar Mill Cane Tramway","alternate_name":null,"street_address":"Mill Street, Currie Street, Howard Street","suburb":"NAMBOUR","lga":"SUNSHINE COAST REGIONAL COUNCIL","register_entry_date":"2005-02-07","description":"The cane tramway is laid directly into the centre of the roadway and runs through the central business district of Nambour. It is of a 2 foot (610 mm) gauge and travels between the road reserve in front of the former mill site in Mill Street, across the Currie Street intersection and down Howard Street to the marshalling yards.
","history":"The Moreton Central Sugar Mill opened for crushing in 1897. The tramway network that connected the mill with cane farms developed over many years and was in use until late 2003. It was a key factor in the success of the mill and the development of Nambour.
\nSugar cane was first brought to Australia in 1788, but subsequent plantings at Sydney, Port Macquarie and Norfolk Island failed to be commercially viable. Captain Louis Hope grew a cane crop successfully in Queensland in 1862. By 1864 the first commercial sugar mill in Australia had been established by him at Ormiston and interest in growing sugar cane spread rapidly, encouraged by the Queensland government. By 1867 an estimated 2000 acres were under cane in the Brisbane area and by the end of the decade, cane had also been successfully established further north at Maryborough, Mackay and Bundaberg, where the warmer climate proved more suitable.
\nWilliam Clark had experimented with sugar cane growing at Bli Bli in the 1860s, but in 1869 a group of Quakers took up land near the junction of the Mooloolah River and Sippy Creek, planted sugar cane and erected a crushing mill. This project was abandoned after severe flooding in the 1870s, but cane was grown successfully in other parts of the district including Buderim, where in 1876 Joseph Dixon, one of the Mooloolah growers, established a mill in order to process his own cane and that of neighbouring farms.
\nIn 1881 the Buderim Mountain Sugar Mill was established and also served many small farms, but both mills had failed by the end of the decade. In 1893 the Sugar Works Guarantee Act was passed. This provided capital for the erection of central sugar mills in districts with many small farms by offering loans to incorporated companies, so that growers could develop their own mills. The Moreton Central Sugar Mill Company was formed in December 1894. Land bounded by the North Coast railway on the west and Gympie Road on the east was purchased for a mill site at the small settlement of Nambour. Erection of a mill by Caskie and Thompson began in late 1895.
\nIn order for the mill to be successful, it was essential to establish an efficient means for bringing the harvested cane in from surrounding farms to be crushed. Tramway networks carrying wagons drawn by steam locomotives had been used effectively in other Queensland sugar districts since the 1880s, so possible routes for a tramway network were surveyed as part of the planning for the Moreton Mill. A two-foot (610mm) gauge was chosen for the sake of economy, speed not being an important factor in the running of the tramway, though the wagons were at first pulled by horses. In 1897 the first tramlines were constructed east to Perrin's Barn and west to the foot of the Perwillowen Range and the first harvest was crushed at the mill.
\nEstablishing tramways proved expensive due the nature of the terrain and there were consequent difficulties with the supply of cane to the mill, though by 1905, there were 26 miles of permanent tramline in use. As mortgagee, the Queensland government took over the running of the mill between 1904 and 1907. The first locomotive, a Krauss 0-6-0 tank locomotive, was purchased in 1905 although horses were still used to deliver cane to the end of the western line and over a tramline which ran over the Rosemount range and connected with the Petrie Creek line to the east of the mill.
\nIn 1911 a branch line was constructed to the Maroochy River and although the eastern section of the tramway network continued to be extended, lines on the western side were sold to Maroochy Shire in 1914. Some branch lines were dismantled and the line extended to Mapleton. The council operated this line for 30 years, before it was reacquired in 1945 by the Mill and reduced back to the foot of the range before being closed in 1970.
\nTwo short sections of line to the north were built, but a shortage of steel and labour during and after WWI caused problems with expansion. Much of the line was temporary, being laid down for the crushing season. In 1917 a lift up bridge was constructed over Petrie's Creek and in 1921 a second such bridge over the Maroochy River linking the northern cane growing areas to the tramway system. It was extended to connect with an isolated line built in 1922 between Coolum Creek and Coolum Beach. This line officially opened in 1923, though it had been in use for some time before this and was also used for the transport of passengers.
\nAlthough there had been a wharf there since 1911, the road to Coolum was poor and often boggy, making the place hard to access. The tramway terminus at the mill in Nambour was very close to the train station and passengers from Brisbane could use the tramway to either link with the launch to Maroochydore or to travel to Coolum. The mill fitted up the cane wagons with back-to-back seats and timed the movement of trams to fit in with train timetables. This service was very popular and played an important role in the development of Coolum as a seaside resort. In 1927 the Main Roads Department built a more serviceable road and the tramway passenger service continued to run to Deepwater until 1927 and to Coolum until 1935 when a bus service was provided.
\nWork on the mill and the tramway network continued through the 1930s, though during World War II operations at the mill fell because shipping was disrupted and there were labour shortages. After the war, the tramlines west of Nambour, bought by Maroochy Shire in 1914, ceased running and the mill purchased the line and locos. In 1951-2 an extensive program of repairs and line relaying was carried out. In 1961 diesel locomotives were purchased which necessitated strengthening bridges and laying heavier rail along the tramways.
\nUntil 2003, when the mill closed, during the harvesting season, wire cane bins were towed through Nambour, entering the mill via a gate on Mill Street after passing in front of the cane inspector's and engineer's cottages. These bins entered the 'full yard' from where they were progressed by hydraulic pushers into a tippler machine to discharge their cargo before returning to the fields.
\nIn 1976 the mill was taken over by Howard Smith Limited and major upgrades were carried out. In 1987, Howard Smith Limited decided to return to its core business and the mill was sold to Bundaberg Sugar who was expanding by buying more mills. In 1989 the rail line to CSR in Brisbane closed at the Brisbane end and so road transport to the refinery was used. However, the trams continued to transport cane from farms to the mill.
\nThe name of the company was changed to the Moreton Sugar Company Limited in 1991 and the British company of Tate and Lyle acquired the mill as a wholly owned subsidiary when it took over Bundaberg Sugar in 1991. The plant and tramways were overhauled in 1997. Bundaberg Sugar, including seven mills, was sold to the Belgian company Finasucre in 2000.
\nBetween 1980 and 2003 more than 1000 hectares of cane land in Maroochy Shire were lost to urban development and other uses. This meant that some cane was being brought to the mill from 60 or 70 kilometres away. As it is very important that cane is crushed soon after harvesting to maintain its sugar content, this had an adverse effect on the functioning of the mill. The price of sugar also fell and a crisis was reached in 2002. It was decided that Moreton Mill would close and its last crush took place on 3 December 2003. The majority of tramline was removed by Bundaberg Sugar as part of an agreement with landowners from whom the tramline corridor was leased. The section of line covered by this entry represents its use as a transport system for both cane and passengers and as an unusual feature of the Nambour, for which the town is well known.
","criteria":"The Moreton Central Sugar Mill operated between 1897 and December 2003. During the 20th century, sugar growing was the most important primary industry in the Maroochy district. It was a key factor in the development of Nambour and the Maroochy Shire and important in the growth of the sugar industry in Queensland. The cane tramway, which brought cane from many farms to the mill for crushing, was an essential part of the operation of the mill. The line between Nambour and Coolum was also used for passengers in the 1920s and 30s and was instrumental in the development of the tourist industry in the area, by linking the QR station next to the Nambour mill with resort areas at Coolum and Maroochydore.
|Although it is very uncommon for a cane tramway to pass through the centre of a town, as the line at Nambour does, the line otherwise demonstrates the features of its type well, being a narrow gauge (2 foot or 610mm) track laid without formation and links the site of the mill to the marshalling yards from where it fanned out in many separate lines forming a large network across farms, roadways and over the Maroochy River.
|Although it is very uncommon for a cane tramway to pass through the centre of a town, as the line at Nambour does, the line otherwise demonstrates the features of its type well, being a narrow gauge (2 foot or 610mm) track laid without formation and links the site of the mill to the marshalling yards from where it fanned out in many separate lines forming a large network across farms, roadways and over the Maroochy River.
|The section of the tramway that passes through the town is an important characteristic of Nambour. Laden cane trains travelling between Nambour's shops and commercial buildings featured on many post card views of the town; the sight was popular with tourists and was part of annual cane harvest festivals until very recently.
","criteria_letters":"Criterion A | Criterion B | Criterion D | Criterion G","criteria_definitions":"The place is important in demonstrating the evolution or pattern of Queensland's history | The place demonstrates rare, uncommon or endangered aspects of Queensland's cultural heritage | The place is important in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a particular class of cultural places | The place has a strong or special association with a particular community or cultural group for social, cultural or spiritual reasons"}, {"heritage_type":"State Heritage","site_id":22365,"place_ref":602616,"name":"Montville Memorial Precinct","alternate_name":null,"street_address":"Razorback Road and Main Street (Montville-Mapleton Road)","suburb":"MONTVILLE","lga":"SUNSHINE COAST REGIONAL COUNCIL","register_entry_date":"2008-08-28","description":"The Montville Memorial Precinct is a leafy area centred on a small park known locally as the 'Village Green'. As well as this park, it comprises a short street called Memorial Close, memorial gates, a row of memorial fig trees (Ficus sp), a large community hall known as Montville Hall, and a smaller community hall known as the Montville Memorial Hall, St Mary's Church Hall and Community Centre. The precinct is located in the commercial centre of Montville, a village in the hinterland of the Sunshine Coast.
Montville Hall
Located at the northern edge of the precinct, Montville Hall is a weatherboard hall. The core of the building has a gabled corrugated iron roof with three ventilators; a wide extension along the eastern side has a skillion roof. A rear extension has a lower narrower gabled roof. The hall is sited on land that slopes gently to the rear so that the front is at ground level and the rear is elevated on stumps.
The wide gable of the roof is the most prominent feature of the front elevation. The apex of the gable is in-filled with slatted boards. Access through the front of the hall is gained via a small porch with a gabled, corrugated iron roof. Doors open into either side of this porch. Sash windows open into the hall, one on either side of the porch and a third in the front of the side extension.
A row of horizontally hinged timber framed windows opens from the long eastern elevation. A short ramp running parallel to the side of the building leads to a double timber door located approximately in the middle of the elevation. A metal hood shades this door.
The long western elevation is broken at the rear by a short projecting extension. A row of tall sash windows are spaced evenly along the elevation in front of this and a double wooden door shaded with a metal hood opens towards the front. The extension has high, small square windows. A short staircase to a landing provides access to a wooden door into the north elevation of the extension. The door is shaded by a metal hood.
Most of the interior of the building is taken up with a large hall. At the end of this hall is a stage recessed into the rear wall. The hall has a coved ceiling. The walls are lined with vertically jointed boards and the ceiling is lined with boards running the length of the hall. Photographs and honour boards are arranged around the walls.
A large World War I honour board made of dark stained timber with gold lettering is mounted on the eastern wall near the front of the hall. The top of the board is surmounted with ornate scrolled work. On this top section are the words: 'For King and Country. Roll of Honour.' The main part of the board is divided into three sections in each of which is listed the names of those who enlisted for World War I. Across the top of this section are the words, 'Montville District'.
The slightly larger World War II honour board is located next to the World War I board. It is also made of dark stained timber and has gold lettering. It is square in shape and less ornate than the World War I board. It is divided into a rectangular top section and a much larger lower section listing the names of the enlisted in three columns. The words 'Montville and District, Roll of Honour, World War 1939-1945' appear in the top section. The four dead are listed at the top of the centre column of names in the lower section. The names are surrounded by a wreath and surmounted with the words 'Lest We Forget'. The centre column also lists local women who served in World War II.
The eastern extension takes the form of a long narrow room running the length of the building. A sliding timber door opens into the main hall. One end of the room is partitioned to form a commercial kitchen. The room is ceiled with sheeting.
The small rear gable-roofed extension houses a room and corridors that provide access to the stage. The room and corridors are ceiled with sheeting.
Memorial Gates
The memorial gates are located at the front (southern end) of the hall. The gates and associated fences form a semi-circle around the front of the main part of the hall. They comprise four sandstone pillars supporting wrought iron fences and a wrought iron gate. The two pillars supporting the gates are larger than the others. A flag pole is located at each end of the structure.
Each pillar comprises a cube-shaped base with a narrower square sectioned shaft topped by a pyramid. A projecting ornamental moulding surrounds the shaft near the top and the pyramid has a single step at about mid height.
Rectangular marble slabs containing the names of the enlisted and also the names of those rejected for service are mounted on the front of the pillars supporting the gates. The lettering is dark grey in appearance. The left pillar contains the words 'Erected by the residents of Montville District in appreciation of those residents who enlisted in the Great War 1914-1919'. Beneath this are the names of the six men who died. A list of thirty three names is inscribed on the right pillar under the heading 'Enlisted'. Beneath this is a list of a further six names under the heading 'Rejected'.
A small garden is cultivated inside the semi-circle formed by the gates. To the right of the gates in front of the eastern extension of the hall is another small garden edged by rocks. Four short pillars are arranged in a row along the front of this garden.
The 'Village Green' and memorial trees
The 'Village Green' is a triangular park formed by Memorial Close (north), Razorback Road (south) and Main Street (west). Memorial Close is between the park and the memorial gates. The six memorial trees are evenly spaced in a row along the northern edge of the park opposite the gates.
The memorial trees are tall spreading figs (Ficus benjamina) that overhang Memorial Close and much of the park. Other smaller trees and shrubs grow in the park (including three Ficus obliqua on the south-west side) and together with the memorial trees create an extensive green shady area. The park is covered with lawn except under the trees and where there are small garden plots along the Main Street edge. A low stone wall runs at intervals along this edge. There is a flagpole at the north western corner of the park.
Each of the memorial trees bears a small brass plaque inscribed with '1914-1918', the name of one of the dead from World War I, and 'Lest We Forget'. A series of four picnic settings are spaced at regular intervals in a row underneath the trees.
The picnic settings and a modern brick amenities block in the north-east corner of the park are not considered to be of cultural heritage significance.
Montville Memorial Hall, St Mary's Church Hall and Community Centre
The Montville Memorial Hall is located at the rear of the 'Village Green'. It is a small gable-roofed, weatherboard hall with the long axis, containing the front verandah and entrance, facing Main Street. There is a skillion roofed extension at the northern end.
A verandah with a corrugated iron roof and a small gable in the middle runs the length of the front (western) elevation except the extension. Entrance is gained through a double set of wooden doors. Double sets of casement windows open either side of this door. The verandah has short balustrades at each end, but none across the front.
Four plaques are fastened to the front wall, two on either side of the door. Left of the door, one plaque commemorates the arrival of the Salvation Army at Montville in 1897. The other commemorates the addition of the verandah in August 1995. To the right of the door, a plaque commemorates the construction of the hall during World War II and the donation of the hall to St Mary's Church in 1978. Another plaque, dated 2002, commemorates those who served and died during World War II and the "'Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels' who supported them in the Milne Bay and Kokoda campaigns, 1942".
Two sets of casement windows open into the southern elevation, which otherwise is devoid of notable features. Two sets of casement windows open into the opposite elevation. The window nearest to the front is a double set. There is a wooden door between these windows. A double wooden door approached by a long ramp provides access in the middle of the rear (eastern) elevation. Double sets of casement windows are located either side of this door. A corrugated iron tank on a tank-stand is located at the northern end.
The interior of the hall comprises two rooms: a large hall and small kitchen. The kitchen is housed in the skillion roofed northern extension. It is lined with painted vertical boards and fitted with built-in cupboards and a sink. A door and a wide servery open into the kitchen from the main hall. The hall is undecorated except for a picture of the Queen and an Australian flag that are hung at the southern end. A built-in cabinet is fitted to the northern wall next to the door into the kitchen. The walls, ceiling and floor of the hall are lined with unpainted light-coloured timber boards.
","history":"The Montville Memorial Precinct is located in the village of Montville in the Blackall Ranges west of the Sunshine Coast. Each element of the precinct has a war memorial function and the place is the setting for annual Anzac Day ceremonies. The memorial gates (1921), commemorating World War I servicemen, form an entrance into Montville Hall (1903) from Memorial Close. The hall contains two memorial honour boards commemorating servicemen from both world wars. Opposite the memorial gates and abutting the Close, a park known locally as the 'Village Green' contains six memorial trees (1923) and a former Soldiers' Memorial Hall (1941) (now Montville Memorial Hall, St Mary's Church Hall and Community Centre). The precinct is located at the intersection of Main Street (Montville-Mapleton Road) and Razorback Road.
The men from Montville who served in World War I came from a community of about fifty-five farmers and dairymen and their families. The settlement had developed some twenty years earlier at the head of Razorback Road which, at the time, was the main means of access from Palmwoods into this part of the Blackall Range. From 1891, when the North Coast Railway came to Palmwoods, it provided a route to the railhead for the fruit growers, dairymen and timber getters of the district. A school was established at the head of the road in 1896 and nearby properties were subdivided into small blocks. By World War I, Montville village had a School of Arts Hall (now Montville Hall), a guesthouse and two stores.
About forty men enlisted from Montville's small community; of these six died. Like most communities throughout Australia during the 1920s, Montville erected memorials to its servicemen after the war. As well as honouring those who had volunteered for service, war memorials provided an important focus for collective grieving especially at annual memorial services such as Remembrance Day and Anzac Day. They served as a local expression of patriotism and national identity.
Montville's memorial gates were unveiled on Armistice Day, November 1921. They comprised four Helidon stone pillars supporting wrought iron gates and a fence. Lead filled inscriptions of the names of all the local men who enlisted were engraved on marble slabs mounted on the gate pillars.
The gates were made by AL Petrie and Son, Queensland's most prolific maker of memorials during that period. Andrew Lang Petrie, was a grandson of Andrew Petrie, Superintendent of Works during Moreton Bay's penal period, and a son of John Petrie, Brisbane's first mayor. He was a leading citizen of Brisbane who held a seat in the Legislative Assembly for thirty three years. Other monuments in southeast Queensland made by the company include war memorial gates at Kalinga Park (1920) (QHR 602584), Kallangur (1923) and Chermside (1924) and other types of memorials at the Ipswich Railway Workshops (1919, QHR 600605), Graceville Memorial Park (1920, QHR 602443), and Toowong Memorial Park (1922, QHR 602459).
Montville's memorial gates are rare in Queensland and in Australia in that they include the names of those who volunteered for service but were rejected. War memorials often recorded the names of both those who returned from service during war and those who died. By the absence of names on a monument, these memorials also identified those who did not volunteer for service. This was especially true in small towns like Montville where everyone in the community was known. To avoid unfair public disapprobation, associations of rejected volunteers often petitioned to have their names included on memorials, usually without success. While the names of volunteers who were rejected do appear on a number of honour boards, it is rare for them to appear on monuments as they do at Montville.
The memorial gates are the focal point of annual Anzac Day services at Montville. The adjacent Memorial Close, memorial trees and Montville Hall perform functions in these services as well as being important elements in the setting of the gates. The close, shaded by the memorial trees, provides a wide, open area where members of the community gather to participate in the dawn ceremony. Afterwards, Anzac biscuits and refreshments are served in the hall, where veterans may also play the traditional 'two-up' game. Rolls of honour for both world wars are mounted on the wall.
Montville Hall, completed on 23 February 1903, predated World War I by more than ten years but it was a logical choice for the site of the gates since, together with the 'Village Green', it was the centre of community activities; a role it continues to play. It was built by Robert Whitecross to plans and specifications prepared by William Skene, a local farmer.
A number of alterations have been made to the hall since its construction. Between 1915 and 1921 it was lengthened by about one third. A supper room and verandah incorporating a kitchen annex was added to the eastern side during the 1950s. In 1999, a large rear extension was built incorporating a dressing room, stage lighting, store-room, toilets and an upgraded kitchen.
Opposite the hall and memorial gates, a line of six memorial trees grow on the 'Village Green' along Memorial Close. They are in the tradition of memorial avenues. The first of these in Australia were planted in Victoria. During the war, the State Recruiting Committee in Victoria recommended that each intending recruit should be given the assurance that his name would be memorialised in an avenue of honour. By 1918, Ballarat was committed to nearly 4,000 plaqued trees. In southeast Queensland there are a number of memorial avenues including Anzac Memorial Avenue between Petrie and Redcliffe, Diggers Drive at Kalinga Park (QHR 602584), and memorial avenues in Graceville Memorial Park (QHR 602443) and at Eumundi (QHR 601122).
Montville's memorial trees were planted by children from the nearby Montville State School as an Arbour Day project in September 1923. The school had been planting Arbour Day trees since before World War I and by the 1920s available room within the school grounds was becoming restricted. This prompted the decision by Arthur Suthers, Head Teacher of the school in 1923, to arrange for six figs (Ficus benjamina) to be planted as a memorial opposite the memorial gates. Each of the trees bears a plaque naming one of the six local men who died during World War I.
The former Soldiers' Memorial Hall is located on the opposite side of the Village Green to the memorial trees. Memorial halls were a popular form of utilitarian memorial. They were often used as a clubroom for returned soldiers and sometimes also functioned as a community hall.
The Soldiers' Memorial Hall was built in 1941 under the auspices of the Montville sub-branch of the Returned Soldiers', Sailors' and Airmen's Imperial League of Australia (RSSAILA, now RSL) by veterans of World War I as a club room for returned soldiers. In seeking a grant of crown land on which to build the hall, the builders cited the need to provide support for World War II servicemen when they returned. As home to the local sub-branch of the RSL, it functioned as a clubroom for local veterans until 1978 when it was donated to St Mary's Church of England and renamed Montville Memorial Hall, St Mary's Church Hall and Community Centre. Since construction, a kitchen has been added. The verandah was built in August 1995.
It is not unusual for a number of war memorials to be sited in close proximity. The best-known example is Anzac Square in Brisbane (QHR 600062), where a number of monuments are located in proximity to the Shrine of Remembrance. Memorial gates are also often found in juxtaposition with memorial avenues in parks, where they often form the entrance to the avenue. Examples of this type include Kalinga Park (QHR 602584) and Toowong Memorial Park (QHR 602459). However, the Montville Precinct, containing memorial gates, trees, hall, close and honour rolls, is unusual for the variety of memorial types in close proximity.
","criteria":"The area is important in demonstrating the principal characteristics of war memorials. Designed for commemorative ceremonies, it contains a prominent monument: the memorial gates, which display the names of the local enlisted and dead and forms the centre-piece of memorial services. Memorial Close forms an open space in front of the monument that accommodates the people who participate in these services. The memorial trees display the names of the dead as well as providing a leafy canopy over the whole area. Behind the gates, the Montville Hall, containing honour rolls, provides for activities after the services.
|Visually dominated by the spreading memorial fig trees (Ficus benjamina), the Montville Memorial Precinct with its well composed stone memorial gates, rustic timber and iron buildings and green lawns displays strong picturesque qualities. In a busy commercial area frequented by tourists from all over Australia, it forms a leafy, peaceful enclave.
|The Montville Memorial Gates (1921) are rare in Queensland insofar as they include the names of men who volunteered for service in World War I but were rejected. Associations of rejected volunteers often petitioned for their names to be included on memorials. However, while they appear on a number of honour boards, it is rare for them to be included on monuments.
The Montville Precinct, containing memorial gates and trees, Memorial Close, a soldiers' memorial hall, and honour rolls, is uncommon for the variety of memorial types located in close proximity to each other.
|The Montville Memorial Precinct is important in demonstrating the pattern of Queensland's history, being associated with Australia's involvement in two world wars and with the national expressions of grief that followed. The World War I memorials at Montville (1921 gates and 1923 memorial trees) reflect a period of strong and widespread Australian patriotism and nationalism when most Queensland communities erected a public memorial to honour local participation in the war.
","criteria_letters":"Criterion D | Criterion E | Criterion B | Criterion A","criteria_definitions":"The place is important in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a particular class of cultural places | The place is important because of its aesthetic significance | The place demonstrates rare, uncommon or endangered aspects of Queensland's cultural heritage | The place is important in demonstrating the evolution or pattern of Queensland's history"}, {"heritage_type":"State Heritage","site_id":23750,"place_ref":602702,"name":"Bankfoot House","alternate_name":"SEQ-1E 38","street_address":"1998 Old Gympie Road","suburb":"GLASS HOUSE MOUNTAINS","lga":"SUNSHINE COAST REGIONAL COUNCIL","register_entry_date":"2008-12-11","description":"Bankfoot House occupies 3.4 acres of a flat-topped rise on Old Gympie Road approximately 200 metres south of the intersection with Coonowrin Road and about 4.5 kilometres west of the township of Glasshouse Mountains. It is within a short strip of residential properties on the east side of Old Gympie Road extending from Coonowrin Road to Marshs Road and opposite the Australian Teamsters Hall of Fame and camping grounds. The property has commanding views east to the Glasshouse Mountains and generally across surrounding paddocks and bushland.
The property accommodates a number of structures including a house, dairy/laundry, wagon shed, farm shed/garage, vehicle ramp, water tanks and trellis within a grassed yard with trees and scattered plantings. A commemorative cairn with plaque stands in the front yard. The west side of the property and road reserve have mounded areas and evidence of wheel tracks.
A range of equipment, tools, furniture, fittings, pictures and objects are found throughout the site.
The House
A timber-framed and -clad building supported by low timber and concrete stumps and sheltered by a hipped corrugated galvanised iron sheeted roof, the house faces west onto Old Gympie Road. A decorative iron and wire entrance gate opens from the boundary on Old Gympie Road onto a concrete path that leads to the house. The house has open verandahs to the west and part of the south and enclosed verandahs to the other sides.
The building extends around the 1878 house at its core and incorporates a range of timbers. Marks, joints and cuts in the timber indicate that some timber has been reused from elsewhere and may have come from previous structures on the site. The internal partitions and ceilings are beech and door and window joinery is cedar.
The exterior is clad with weatherboards which infill the balustrading to the west and south verandahs. Part of the south verandah is protected by louvred timber shutters and timber blinds. Verandah ceilings are unlined to the open verandahs and battened and sheeted in the enclosed areas.
The walls are single-skin with exposed studs to the east and west verandahs. The west wall is lined with 140mm horizontal beaded tongue and groove boards. The south wall is clad to the exterior with rough sawn beaded tongue and groove boards with joins at the junctions of the stud framing and the internal partitions. The north wall is clad with horizontal beaded tongue and groove boards.
The plan is organised around a central corridor with bedrooms opening off to the south and lounge, bedroom and dining to the north. A verandah runs around this core with a kitchen and stove alcove built into the northeast corner and bathroom and storeroom to the southeast. The north verandah is enclosed with hopper windows (casements fitted to open horizontally) and lined with plywood and fibrous sheeting.
The post to the southwest corner of the house has the mortice and tenon joints that were part of the earlier 1878 verandah structure.
The internal partitions are post and rail framed and lined with vertical beaded tongue and groove boards. The ceilings are lined with beaded tongue and groove boards.
French doors open onto the verandahs from the southwest and north bedrooms and from the lounge and dining rooms to the north.
The walls between the north bedroom/dining room and middle/east southern bedrooms have window openings now boarded over, although the sills remain. Two horizontal casement windows have been placed in a high window opening in the north bedroom.
Floor coverings include vinyl and carpet. The house is painted outside and in, but the verandah boards are unpainted. Distinctive vertical stripes are painted into a number of doors.
The house contains equipment, furniture, fittings, pictures, objects, clothing, textiles, crockery and utensils dating from 1800s to the late 20th century. It contains documents and photographs associated with the Grigor families and the occupation of the site as a staging post, guesthouse, residence and farm. Important items include the post office letterbox, lounge room furniture, a pianola, a range of everyday domestic objects (lamps, irons, etc.), a large table and a kitchen dresser. A horse shoe hangs over the front door. A full inventory of the items in the house is being compiled by the Caloundra City Council.
Dairy and laundry
A short covered walkway connects the dairy and laundry to the north verandah. The dairy is a small rectangular timber-framed weatherboard clad building sheltered by a hipped shingle roof. Supported on low timber stumps, the dairy has a fixed timber louvred window to the north, a timber door opening on the south and a timber floor. The dairy accommodates a range of equipment and objects including dairying equipment and saws.
The corrugated galvanised iron clad skillion-roofed lean-to laundry stands to the east of the dairy building on a concrete slab floor. It has doors opening to the north and south and the remains of a fireplace for the copper stand outside the northern door. The laundry accommodates two concrete tubs and an assortment of equipment and other objects.
Wagon shed
The open, rectangular wagon shed stands in the northeast corner of the yard. The low-pitched skillion roof, supported on round timber posts with round log roof framing, shelters a bullock wagon and other equipment and objects.
Garage/shed
A timber framed and clad (weatherboards to the west, south and east and palings to the north) garage/shed stands to the south of the house. It consists of a rectangular hip roofed portion with a skillion roofed lean-to abutting this to the south. The roofs are clad with corrugated galvanised iron. There is a concrete slab at the doors to the west and dirt floors throughout. The shed floor is a step above the garage, reached by a concrete step. An internal partition of vertical boards separates the two sections. Hinged hatches open from the garage side into the shed once accessing chicken nesting areas. A range of timbers has been used to construct the garage/shed. Marks on the timber indicate they have been reused from elsewhere.
Other
A timber machinery ramp stands to the south of the garage/shed. Two concrete water tanks stand to the south of the house and a septic tank stands to the east.
A variety of timber posts with threaded wire fence the property except for a stretch comprised of hollow metal pipe with threaded wire to each side of the entrance gate.
The yard accommodates a timber trellis, a Hills hoist clothes line, posts from an earlier clothes line and a memorial cairn and plaque.
There are three prominent bunya pines to the north and two to the south. The yard contains a scattering of other vegetation including a large fig adorned with elkhorns to the east of the house and eucalypts and fruit trees.
The west side of the yard contains a number of mounds and depressions that may indicate locations of previous buildings. The road reserve to the west and northwest edge of the property has a number of depressions that may indicate routes of earlier wagon tracks.
Associated sites (outside the heritage boundary)
The remains of a sawpit and rubbish dump that may have been associated with the Grigor families are located in the grounds of the Australian Teamsters Hall of Fame property across the road.
A number of graves lie within the property at 1970 Old Gympie Road where David, Margaret and Robert Grigor and an aboriginal playmate are buried. Locations have not been determined. A plaque on the footpath commemorates these burials.
","history":"The core of Bankfoot House, a timber homestead on the Old Gympie Road to the southwest of the township of Glass House Mountains, was built in 1878 by the first European settlers in the area, the Grigor family. The house, probably the oldest surviving building in the Glass House Mountains district, was part of a coach stop first established in 1868 on the first Brisbane to Gympie Road, and it was occupied by the Grigors and their descendents until 2002. It is the only surviving coach change station element on the Cobb and Co. Brisbane to Gympie route, and it is aptly located opposite the Australian Teamsters Hall of Fame and Spirit of Cobb and Co. complex.
The Glass House Mountains were named by Captain Cook in 1770, but it was to be another century before Europeans actually settled near the iconic volcanic plugs. The area between the Mooloolah and Maroochy Rivers was closed to settlement prior to 1860 as part of a Reserve proclaimed by Governor Gipps in 1842. The aim of the reserve was to protect the bunya trees that were highly valued as a food source by the Aboriginal people. After Queensland separated from New South Wales in 1859, Gipp's proclamation was rescinded by the Crown Lands Alienation Act 1860, which allowed for post-survey selection, and timber-getting licenses. It was this early activity in today's Maroochy Shire, along with the discovery of gold at Gympie in 1867, which led to the first white settlement at the Glasshouse Mountains further south.
William Grigor and Mary Fenwick both arrived at Moreton Bay on 19 January 1855, on the sailing ship William Miles. Mary had been born in Bankfoot, Perthshire, Scotland, in 1834, and had met William, also from Scotland, during her voyage to Australia. She worked as a governess to the children of Captain Wickham, the Government Resident for the Moreton Bay settlement, at Newstead House, and later as governess to the McConnel children on Durundur station (near Woodford), prior to marrying William in August 1863 at Eagle Farm.
William worked in various timber-related industries after his arrival in Moreton Bay, and became friends with another Scotsman, James Low, at Moggill. It has also been claimed that he worked at Eagle Farm, the Pine River, and Burpengary during these early years. In 1862 or 1863 Grigor and Low formed a partnership with William Pettigrew, who had opened a sawmill on William Street in Brisbane in 1853. Low and Grigor may have been timber getting in the Mooloolah River area as early as 1862. In the first half of 1863 the three partners converted the sailing ship Granite City into a stern paddle steamer named Gneering, which was to transport cut cedar from Pettigrew's depot near the Mooloolah River to his sawmill in Brisbane. Grigor would organise the timber getting, Low would supervise its transport, and Pettigrew would handle the sawmilling. The partnership had dissolved by 1868, and the Gneering was eventually wrecked in 1893.
Grigor and Low moved to the mouth of the Mooloolah River some time in 1863, to operate a store and timber depot. Various histories refer to either 'Low and Grigor's depot' or 'Pettigrew's depot' near the mouth of the Mooloolah River, but they may have been the same place. In 1865 Low and Grigor were timber getting on the Mooloolah River and lower Maroochy River, and Low also operated on the upper Maroochy. Mrs Low was the first white woman in the Maroochy district, arriving at the Mooloolah River several months after her son John was born in Spring Hill in December 1863. The Grigor's first four children were born at Mooloolah between October 1864 and January 1869. Grigor and Low also obtained adjoining allotments in Gloucester Street in Spring Hill in 1867, and built a pair of semi detached stone houses. The Grigor house (QHR 600308) stayed in the family until recently, and was rented out for most of their period of ownership.
Grigor and Low had established another timber depot, along with a store and post office (the first post office between Brisbane and Gympie), on the north bank of the Maroochy River opposite Dunethin Rock by 1867. In October of 1867 James Nash discovered gold at Gympie, and Low and Grigor promptly cut a track north to Gympie from their Maroochy River depot, providing an alternative route to travelling by steamer from Brisbane to Maryborough, and then travelling overland south to Gympie. Instead, travellers could ship up the Maroochy River to Dunethin Rock before travelling north overland to Gympie. The other main land route to Gympie from Brisbane at this time was a track via Durundur Station, over the mountains to Conondale, then along the Mary River to Gympie.
Although the two men operated the Dunethin Rock depot, the men's families probably continued to reside near the Mooloolah River, as there are references to Grigor and Low moving from Mooloolah in 1868, to take up their selections at Glass House Mountains and Yandina respectively. However, another source claims that Grigor resided at Mount Buderim for a time before he moved to the Glass House Mountains. The men's decision to relocate during 1868 was prompted by the government's attempts to form a proper road from Brisbane and Gympie, and the two timber getters' realisation that there was a living to be made out of accommodating travellers on this road.
Tom Petrie was contracted by the government to blaze a more direct route from Brisbane after the gold discovery. As Cobb and Co. had announced its intent to run a service when a proper road was completed, Petrie was accompanied by the Cobb and Co. driver Hiram Barnes. The resulting track was sufficient for people walking or riding to Gympie, but in May 1868 the government allocated £2,700 for the construction of a road trafficable by carts and wagons. Work on the road, which followed Petrie's track, progressed slowly due to inclement weather and the defection of employees to the goldfields. A letter from Pettigrew in the Queenslander, 1 August 1868, noted that the section of the road from Gympie from Yandina was complete, and stated that from there to the head of navigation (on the Maroochy River) was three miles. If the road was as first rate as reported, the letter continued, Low and Grigor would shift to the head of navigation without delay. Early in October 1868, Cobb & Co.'s representative, Mr Hoyt, accompanied by a government road engineer, Frederick Byerly, took 28 hours travelling time to traverse the new road from Gympie to Brisbane in a two-horse buggy.
The Alienation of Crown Lands Act 1868 allowed for selection of Agricultural, First Class Pastoral, and Second Class Pastoral land (at decreasing prices and increasing acreages respectively), and cheap Homestead leases of 160 acres. Low secured a selection near today's Yandina, on the south bank of the Maroochy River at the point where it was forded by the new Gympie road, and moved his depot and post office upstream from Dunethin Rock to this new location. He soon built a hotel, called 'Maroochie House'. Low later died at Bankfoot House in 1883, after falling sick while travelling.
Grigor in turned selected the 160 acre Homestead Lease where Bankfoot House was built. He selected Portion 1, Parish of Beerwah, on 16 October 1868, for £9.16s including the survey fee, and a Deed of Grant was later passed in January 1875. The western boundary of this portion was described in the application to lease as being the east side of 'the main road leading from Brisbane to Gympie'. Grigor also took out leases on nearby Portions 2, 3, 4, 5 and 7 between 1874 and 1878, with the leases on Portions 2 and 3 being transferred from Edmund Lander in May 1878. Portion 6 was purchased by James H. Pleace in 1884, and was briefly owned by John Grigor from September 1912 to November 1913 before subdivision began in 1914.
The original Bankfoot House, named after the home village of Mary Grigor, was most likely built between 16 October and 12 November 1868, by a ship's carpenter named Mewitt. There has been some speculation that it was built prior to October 1868, possibly even in late 1867, although it would have been bold of Grigor to start building before he had selected the land, or before he was sure that the new Government road would be passing by his doorstep.
The original building sat on the eastern side of the road, and was designed to provide accommodation for travellers. A dressed log foundation was laid on the ground, and local hardwood was pit-sawn for its framing and weatherboards (the site of the sawpit is across the road from the existing Bankfoot House). It was a narrow building about 60' long, with bedrooms and a hall on the northern end, and a dining room at the southern end. The 9' by 4' red cedar table, seating 16 guests, that was used in this dining room is still stored in the current Bankfoot House. Beech was used for the internal walls and cedar for the doors and windows was obtained from present day Peachester. The shingled roof was gabled with incorporated verandahs, the rear verandah being enclosed. Bankfoot House also acted as a post office and as a lunch stop and horse change station for Cobb and Co. coaches. The timber post office box is still extant and is stored at Bankfoot House. Other buildings at the change station eventually included a butcher's shop; the 1878 family homestead, a dairy/laundry; stables; feed shed; and Cobb and Co.'s Stables.
The site selected by Grigor, on a flat topped rise just north of Coonowrin Creek, was roughly halfway between the Caboolture River and Edmund Lander's homestead on the Mooloolah River (today's town of Mooloolah), both of which also became Cobb and Co. coaching stages. The landmark quality of the nearby Glass House Mountains, the fresh water available from Coonowrin Creek, and the elevated site of the accommodation house were all probably considerations in the siting of Bankfoot, especially the availability of water for horses. The top of the rise was level enough for horse-drawn vehicles to pull up in front of the building, and it had a long enough road frontage to accommodate stables and a feed shed next to the house. There was also a layer of stone about 600mm under the soil surface, which might have been useful in preventing wheels bogging below a certain point when the ground was sodden after rain.
When Cobb and Co. commenced its first coach run on 12 November 1868, Bankfoot provided the lunch stop. The coach, driven by Hiram Barnes, had left Brisbane early that morning, and a second coach, driven by Robert Martin, had left Gympie for Brisbane at the same time. The two coaches met at the Maroochy River (Low's depot) on Thursday night, and both successfully completed their journeys on Friday evening, 13 November. Hiram Barnes received a hero's welcome at Gympie. The fare for the journey was £3 10s, and it had taken two days to complete the distance of about 117.5 miles (189 kilometres).
In late November 1868 the change stations between Brisbane and Gympie were: Petrie's (North Pine River); the punt over the Caboolture River; Glass House (Bankfoot); Lander's (Mooloolah); Cobbs Camp (Woombye); Maroochy (Yandina); Wards (en route to Tuchekoi); and Traveston. Approaching Bankfoot, coach drivers would blow a bugle when half a mile away, so meals would be laid when the coach rolled in. The distance between change stations varied from about eight miles to 16 miles. Later, a wet weather route travelled from the Maroochy River to Gympie via Yandina Cattle Run, Cooroy, and Six Mile Creek. During 1868 and 1869 the coaches departed Brisbane and Gympie twice weekly. Although the first trip's overnight stop was at Low's depot, Cobbs Camp was soon completed and was also used for overnight accommodation. The coaches would switch passengers and return to their original starting points the following day. Cobb and Co. also held the contract for Mail Service No.7 from 1868 to 1879. The contract then went to McCallum Coaches, who lost it to the railways after the line from Brisbane to Landsborough opened in February 1890.
The road from Brisbane to Gympie became the best known Cobb & Co. route in Queensland, and the most rugged section was from the Maroochy River to Traveston, which is reflected in the greater distance covered from Brisbane to the Maroochy River (76.5 miles) in the same time that it took to get from Gympie to the Maroochy River (41 miles). The road degenerated quickly however, and in 1871 the English Novelist Anthony Trollope was warned against travelling by coach because of the terrible state of the Gympie road. He went regardless, and wrote that 'There is often no road, and the coach is taken at random through the forest. Not infrequently a fallen tree blocks the track...But the great miracle is the sudden pinches, looking as though they were almost perpendicular, down which the coach is taken - and then the equally sharp ascents...' In 1876 Cobb and Co. ended its passenger service, and it eventually sold its mail run as well, since the mail coach could take up to six days to reach Gympie.
By 1874, improvements on Grigor's Portion 1, as noted on a 'Certificate of Fulfilment of Conditions by Selector' included: fences, a dwelling house, stables, stockyards and other outbuildings, with seven acres under cultivation, to a total of ¿600 value. In March 1878, two months before Portion 2 (on the opposite side of the road to Bankfoot) was transferred from Edmund Lander to William Grigor, it was noted that Lander's improvements included a slab humpy with a bark roof, a five stall stable and a shed. It has been stated that Cobb & Co. had their own stables on Portion 2, and that the groom used to board at Bankfoot House. His tasks included unhooking the horses, hitching up a new team, and leading the old team away to be washed down while the passengers were having lunch. The horse feed was purchased from Grigor, who grew oats on his property.
Apart from being a coach change station, and providing overnight accommodation and stabling for miners and other travellers, the Grigor family also had their own dairy herd, and ran a butcher's shop and store to supply miners on their way to Gympie. Their closest neighbour between 1871 and 1878 was Isaac Burgess at Mellum Creek (later Landsborough). Prices for meals, a bed, and horse feed were each one shilling, so that for five shillings a traveller could get dinner, bed and breakfast, two feeds for one horse, and overnight stabling.
In 1878, business was so good that a new building (the core of the current house) was added behind the original accommodation house. This seems to contradict reports that the road was no longer fit for coach travel by the late 1870s, but there may still have been plenty of travellers on foot or horseback. For example, in 1884 James Whalley and his son walked from Tingalpa to Petrie's Creek, a journey that took three and a half days, with overnight stops at South Pine, Bankfoot, and Cobbs Camp.
The 1878 building provided bedrooms for the expanding Grigor family, and a kitchen for the accommodation house, and was connected to the 1868 building by a covered walkway. It was built on timber stumps, out of pit-sawn timber. The eastern, southern and western external walls used beech, with exposed studs on the east and west sides under the two verandahs. Hardwood weatherboards were used on the north side, which also had an attic window. Beech was also used for the internal walls and ceilings, and cedar was used for the doors and windows. The high-pitched gabled roof was clad in corrugated iron.
As there was no school in the area until 1906, Grigor's sons had to ride down to Morayfield on Monday morning with their sister Clementina. Clementina boarded with the school master while the two boys lived by themselves in a little hut Grigor built on the side of the Caboolture River bank. They used to look after themselves from Monday to Friday. On Friday the boys, with their sister, would ride back to Bankfoot House. A fig tree and pine tree were planted by the boys soon after Bankfoot House was constructed.
The Grigors ran the post office from 1868 until 1907. After the train line arrived, William Grigor (senior) used to take the outgoing mail to the station, and returned to Bankfoot House with mail from the train. William Grigor is listed as the Postmaster at Glass House Mountains in the Queensland Post Office Directory from 1892 to 1907. After he died in 1907 Clementina carried on service to about 1910, when the Post Office agency was transferred to the railway station. Although the railway reduced trade at Bankfoot, its role as a post office kept Bankfoot busy. Accommodation was still available, including for parties who had come to climb the Glass House Mountains. Around 1911 a group climbed Coonowrin after staying at Bankfoot House, and then cycled back to Brisbane that afternoon, reaching home at 10.15am.
Portion 1 was transferred to Clementina in December 1905, although William Grigor continued to live at Bankfoot until he died. Clementina was William's youngest daughter, and she married William Burgess in 1902. The couple continued living in the house after the death of William Grigor. Mary Grigor had died at Albion in 1900. William and Mary Grigor had nine children between 1864 and 1878, but three died young: David died in April 1874 aged 11 months; Margaret (Clementina's twin sister) died in September 1878 age 2 months; and Robert Henry died in October 1879 aged 4 years and two months. The unmarked graves of these three children and of an Aboriginal playmate are located just inside the fence line of a property to the south of Bankfoot House. A plaque was erected in 1988 just outside the fence line.
William and Mary's oldest son, John Grigor, became a Councillor on the Caboolture Shire Council (established 1903) in 1906, and served on the Landsborough Shire Council after 1912. John's brother William and his brother-in law William Burgess were also Landsborough Shire councillors. William Grigor (Junior) developed a sawmill at Maleny, and later moved to Peachester, and the Grigor family has continued its links with the timber industry in Peachester.
The 1868 building's log foundations eventually suffered from termites and rot, although a 1926 article in the Brisbane Courier referred to the 'remains' of the old accommodation house, whose walls and ceilings were 'in a splendid state of preservation'. As the Great Depression reduced the funds available for repairs, in 1930 it was decided to pull down the 1868 dwelling and to use the timber to construct two extra rooms, a bedroom and dining room, at the rear of the 1878 dwelling. Most of the work was work done by William Burgess and a helper. The roof-line was lowered to form a hipped corrugated iron roof, and a new kitchen was added, along with an incorporated verandah on all four sides, complete with a weatherboard clad balustrade. Later, Jack Ferris would construct a bathroom for Clementina on the southeast corner, and in the 1960s he enclosed the northern and eastern verandahs, and added a storeroom to part of the southern verandah. Electricity was connected in 1952, and the roof was replaced in 1982.
Clementina died in 1963, having lived at Bankfoot her entire 85 years. Title of Portion 1 had been transferred to her son William Isaac Burgess in 1952. Clementina's daughter, Mary, and her husband, John (Jack) Ferris, bought the house and two acres from William in December 1964, and became the third generation of the family to live there. Mary, who was born in the house, lived there until her death in 1987. Jack died in 2002 aged 102 years old, and the house and all its contents, representing generations of family history, was purchased by the Caloundra City Council in 2004.
","criteria":"The place is a landmark on Old Gympie Road and stands in a picturesque setting occupying an area of level ground on a rise along the road with views out to the Glasshouse Mountains to the east (particularly Mt Tibrogargan) and surrounding paddocks/bushland generally. Prominent bunya pines in the garden stand as a distinctive element in the landscape.
|Bankfoot House with its range of elements and structures (including farm house, dairy, sheds and equipment) is a good example of a rural property that has adapted and changed over time in response to opportunities and demands - the structures were built using new and recycled materials and extended using timber from previous structures as the family took on new businesses and extended existing enterprises.
The siting of Bankfoot House on a flat ridge easily visible to travellers on the road, and near fresh water, is a good example of a favourable siting for a changing station on a coach route.
|Bankfoot House is rare as the only known surviving coach change station on the Brisbane-Gympie coach route. The place is also a rare example of a place owned and occupied by several generations of the one family from 1860s to 2002.
Indications of recycling and reuse of materials on the property provide evidence of the living conditions and demonstrate a way of life based on resourcefulness that was once common and is now rare.
|The oldest known surviving building in the Glasshouse Mountains district, Bankfoot House is important in demonstrating the pattern and nature of pioneering settlement in the region, and in demonstrating the pattern of land use and occupancy in rural Queensland during the late 19th century and 20th century. As well as providing a staging post for Cobb and Co between 1868 and 1879, operating a guesthouse for travellers until the 1910s or later, and running the local post office from 1868 to 1907, the Grigor family were also engaged in timber-getting, had their own dairy herd, and ran a butcher's shop and store to supply miners on their way to Gympie. The range of activities conducted on the property as responses by the family to changing markets, industries and opportunities, provides evidence of the economic development of the region.
As a coach change station on the original Brisbane to Gympie road, which was a vital transport link between 1868 and 1891, Bankfoot House was part of the most famous Cobb and Co. run in Queensland. It is important in illustrating the impact of the establishment of transport and communications links between Brisbane and Gympie on the pattern of settlement of the region.
|Documentation (including correspondence, commercial documents, photographs and paintings) associated with the place and physical evidence (including built structures, materials, furniture, fittings and objects) on and beneath the ground have potential to contribute to a greater understanding of the place and the settlement of Queensland.
","criteria_letters":"Criterion E | Criterion D | Criterion B | Criterion A | Criterion C","criteria_definitions":"The place is important because of its aesthetic significance | The place is important in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a particular class of cultural places | The place demonstrates rare, uncommon or endangered aspects of Queensland's cultural heritage | The place is important in demonstrating the evolution or pattern of Queensland's history | The place has potential to yield information that will contribute to an understanding of Queensland's history"}, {"heritage_type":"State Heritage","site_id":29020,"place_ref":602648,"name":"Moreton Central Sugar Mill Worker's Housing (former)","alternate_name":"Mill Workers Housing","street_address":"17 & 19 Mill Street, and 14 & 16 Bury Street","suburb":"NAMBOUR","lga":"SUNSHINE COAST REGIONAL COUNCIL","register_entry_date":"2008-05-16","description":"The former Moreton Central Mill staff houses stand immediately east of the former mill site on elevated ground at the western ends of Mill and Bury Streets, Nambour. The mill manager's residence stands on sloping ground on Bury Street and the two staff cottages stand on level ground on Mill Street directly north of the manager's residence.
Former mill manager's residence
The planning and exterior and interior fabric show the extent of the early house and reflect changes made, particularly those of the 1930s and more recently.
The form of the early rectangular-plan house and projecting rectangular kitchen wing is evident in the external walls and the verandahs to the west, south and east and sunroom to the north. The house is timber-framed, clad with tongue and groove boards to the south and fibrous cement sheeting to the enclosed east and west verandahs. The kitchen wing, projecting to the north, is clad with weatherboards and has a later small skillion extension and back stairs to the east. The early house is sheltered by hipped roofs clad with corrugated metal sheeting and stands on a combination of concrete and steel post stumps infilled with timber palings. A chamferboard-clad rectangular extension to the north incorporates the earlier north verandah, is sheltered by a gabled roof and has banks of obscure clear and coloured glass casement windows to the east and north sides. Concrete block walls enclose a subfloor area at the northeast corner.
At the front of the house a projecting gable entrance to the west end opens onto the front verandah. The south wall onto the front verandah is of post and rail construction with a single-skin of vertical tongue and groove timber boards. A door from the enclosed west verandah, a central entrance door and two sets of french doors from the bedrooms open onto the front verandah. An opening for earlier french doors east of the central entrance doorway is infilled with vertical timber boards.
The central entrance door opens into a large living room off which the main bedroom opens to the west, a smaller bedroom to the east and sunroom extension to the north. The kitchen is at the northwest corner of the house opening off the sunroom. Enclosed with fibrous cement sheeting, the verandahs to the west and east accommodate a study and laundry to the west and an ensuite bathroom and part of a bedroom to the east.
There is a range of wall and ceiling treatments, floor coverings and joinery through the house. Reflecting a typical 1930s interior treatment, the walls and ceilings of the living room, main bedroom and parts of the smaller bedrooms to the east are lined with battened fibrous cement sheeting. A simple arch springing from tapered narrow posts divides the living room. These rooms have doors and architraves typical of the 1930s. Dividing partitions and linings in the sunroom and the fitout to the kitchen and bathrooms are recent. Other walls and ceilings are lined with fibrous cement sheeting. Floors are carpeted throughout except for tiles to bathrooms, kitchen and laundry.
The house stands in a large garden with a number of mature trees and shrubs and plantings within concrete-edged garden beds. The earlier tennis court is evident as a raised area to the west side. A hillshoist stands to the north east. Three concrete steps cut into the grassed footpath to Bury Street lead to a decorative metal entrance gate that is framed by two tall shaped timber posts. A timber side gate within the west side fence opens to the former mill site and a decorative metal gate opens to the easement and cottages to the north. Timber fences and hedges run around the boundaries.
Cottage No. 1 : 19 Mill Street
The planning and exterior and interior fabric show the extent of the early cottage and reflect changes made over time, some more recently.
Standing on low steel posts, the cottage at 19 Mill Street is timber framed, clad with weatherboards and sheltered by a pyramid roof clad with corrugated metal sheeting. The cottage has a partly open front verandah to Mill Street and a hipped roof kitchen wing extension to the rear southeast corner. The north wall onto the verandah has exposed timber studs with a single skin of horizontal chamferboards. Elsewhere the cottage is clad with weatherboards except the north end of the enclosed western verandah, which is clad with a battened fibrous cement sheeting.
The plan works off a central corridor from the front entrance to the living room which incorporates the enclosed rear verandah. Bedrooms open off the corridor and living room. A front room to the west of the corridor opens onto the living room. An early window frame and sill opens from the front room to the west verandah. The verandah side of this wall is lined with battened fibrous cement sheeting. The kitchen wing has a contemporary fitout. Other interiors are lined with fibrous cement sheeting. Joinery and aluminium sliding windows are recent as are the front and rear timber steps, the skillion roof to the south and the balustrading to the front verandah.
The cottage stands in a small garden with grassed areas, garden beds, trees and shrubs. A set of concrete steps cut into a high retaining wall to Mill Street climb to a concrete path leading to the front entrance. The property is bounded front and back with a hollow metal pipe and chain wire fence.
Cottage No. 2 : 17 Mill Street
The planning and exterior and interior fabric show the extent of the early cottage and reflect changes made over time.
Lowset on concrete and brick stumps, the 17 Mill Street cottage is timber-framed and clad with weatherboards. The main part of the cottage is sheltered by a pyramid roof truncated on the west side and clad with corrugated metal sheeting. There are two hipped roof extensions to the south.
A steep flight of concrete steps cut into the retaining wall to Mill Street alight onto a concrete path that finishes at a set of low timber steps to the open front verandah. The verandah balustrade is infilled with weatherboards and the floorboards are painted. Notches for mortise and tenon joints to the verandah posts may indicate the location of earlier balustrading. The front entrance door opens from the verandah into a central living area which is divided by a partition lined with vertical timber boards.
The plan works off the central living area which flows through to the southern extensions which accommodate dining, kitchen, laundry and bathroom. The north part of the living space opens through two sets of french doors onto an enclosed east verandah and through four-panelled timber doors to each of two bedrooms to the west. The walls and partitions to the north part of the living area and partitions to the bedrooms are of single skin post and rail construction with vertical tongue and groove timber boards. The west wall of bedroom two and part of bedroom one are lined with horizontal boards. A notch in the rail on the east side of bedroom one and the horizontal lining to the west may indicate the location of a previous partition. The ceilings of the bedrooms and living room are lined with narrow timber boards and have timber-framed sash windows with obscure patterned glazing. The partitions to the dining room and the kitchen and the east side of the south end of the living room are lined with vertical timber boards. The other partitions are lined with fibrous cement sheeting. The ceilings to these areas are lined with timber boards.
The east verandah is lined with fibrous cement sheeting and has a sloping painted timber floor. The bathroom and kitchen have contemporary fitouts. There is a single skin exposed stud framed partition between the laundry and kitchen. The rear door from the laundry opens onto a painted concrete ramp which descends to a concrete slab and shed to the southwest.
There is a range of joinery through the cottage, some typical of a 1930s idiom and others more recent. Floors are covered with carpet or vinyl.
The garden has grassed areas, garden beds, trees and shrubs. A hillshoist stands in the southeast corner.
Walkway between cottages
A narrow walkway runs between the cottages. A timber and chainwire fence runs to each side of a concrete path and there are metal gates to the north and south entrances.
Assorted sheds
There are a number of timber and corrugated iron sheds scattered across the cottage sites.
Easement
A vehicle easement runs to the west of the manager's house and turns east terminating at the rear of the cottage at 17 Mill Street.
Retaining wall
A high, battered rock and concrete retaining wall runs along the front of the two cottages to Mill Street. Three sets of steep concrete steps run within the wall accessing each cottage and the walkway between them.
Signal
A metal pole with signals and two signs CANE TRAIN MOVING is bolted to the footpath at the northeast end of 17 Mill Street.
Moreton Central Sugar Mill Cane Tramway [602522]
Part of the Nambour Section of the Moreton Central Sugar Mill Cane Tramway [602522] runs along Mill Street in front of the cottages at 17 and 19 Mill Street.
","history":"The two timber cottages at 17 and 19 Mill Street, built sometime between 1897 and 1917, and the timber house with its extensive garden and mature trees on Bury Street, built between 1907 and 1911, provide rare surviving evidence of the sugar industry that powered the economy of Nambour and the Maroochy Shire from 1897 to 2003. The cottages on Mill Street are the former residences of senior staff of the Moreton Central Sugar Mill Company, and the house on Bury Street was formerly the residence of the mill's manager.
Although timber was a vital part of the early economy of the Sunshine Coast region, sugar eventually became the primary agricultural activity of the Maroochy Shire. However, efforts to grow sugar cane in the area were isolated and sporadic between 1865 and 1880. In 1880 sugar prices rose and this, along with speculation about a future North Coast Railway between Brisbane and Gympie, encouraged further selection and small scale sugar growing in Maroochy.
The best hope for cane growers in the Maroochy Shire was the establishment of a central sugar mill. Although the first half of the 1880s was a golden era for those Queensland sugar producers who operated by the plantation system, under which large areas of sugar cane were worked by South Sea Islander labourers, Premier Samuel Griffith sought to promote closer settlement via small-scale cane farming by white settlers. Small sugar mills on individual plantations would be superseded by a series of large central mills, each processing the sugar cane of a group of small farmers.
Queensland's first central mill opened at North Eton near Mackay in 1888, and in 1893 the Sugar Works Guarantee Act provided for government loans to local companies to build central mills, secured by mortgages over the lands of their shareholders (the cane farmers). Fifteen year loans would be made to incorporated companies where there was enough suitable land, already farmed by small canegrowers, to supply a mill. The company's freehold land (the mill site) would also be mortgaged to the government, and all building contracts would have to be approved by the Department of Public Works.
The Maroochy region was well suited for a central mill site as it was a region of small farms. By the mid 1880s there were 116 people employed in mixed farming, 70 in sugar, 52 in timber, and only 15 in grazing. The Maroochy Shire developed into Queensland's largest fruit growing area between the 1880s and 1915, with bananas being grown from the 1880s, and pineapples from the 1890s. Dairy farming would also play an important part in the local economy from the 1890s. However, after the early 1890s Depression, and the 1893 floods, many farmers were considering quitting the area, and sugar offered an alternative source of income to mixed food crops.
In early 1894 some farmers met at Rosemount School on Petrie's Creek, to discuss a central sugar mill. A committee was formed and applied to have land in the area assessed by the government for its viability, and similar applications were made by farmers at Dulong and Yandina. In mid-1894 R.W. McCulloch, from the Department of Agriculture, assessed the potential sugar-growing land in the district, and concluded that there was sufficient acreage to support a mill. McCulloch also believed that Nambour would be the best site for a central mill, with its site on the railway, and cane-growing land to its east and west.
The town of Nambour had begun with the building of a hotel by Mathew Carroll in the 1880s, and had developed in anticipation of the arrival of the North Coast Railway. After the Brisbane to Yandina section of the railway opened in January 1891, the town of Petrie's Creek (formed by the subdivision of freehold land, rather than by Lands Department survey) was renamed Nambour. Sugar became the sole crop of most farms in the Nambour district, and the mill ensured that Nambour became the commercial centre of the Shire.
The Moreton Central Sugar Mill Company was registered on 21 December 1894, the first meeting of the mill's Board of Directors took place in January 1895, and tenders for the mill were called in February. In December 1895 eight acres 1 rood and 24.9 perches of Lawrence Cusack's estate, being liquidated by the South Australian Land Mortgage and Agency Company, was transferred to the company at the site of the future mill and its housing. By this time the population of Nambour was about 150 people. During 1896 the mill was constructed, and a low dam wall was built at a waterhole on Petrie's Creek, with a pump mounted on the bank to supply water to the mill. The first season's crush took place in 1897, when 752 tons of sugar was produced from 7553 tons of sugar cane. Pipes from the dam to the mill had been laid under the railway tracks that year, with the water being pumped into elevated tanks at the mill. To increase the volume of water, a series of sandbag weirs were also built across the creek.
The mill's finances were not in good shape in its early years, due to problems with maintaining a steady supply of sugar cane to the mill. Firstly, these problems were linked to the tramway system, and a tendency to prioritise the building of tramline routes on the basis of the self-interest of the mill directors, rather than the most cost-effective ratio of tramline mileage to acreage of sugar cane accessed. Speed of delivery was another issue. Until the purchase of a Krauss engine in 1904, the cane trucks were towed by horses, due to the government's reluctance to authorise the purchase of locomotives. The Federation drought which culminated in 1902 also reduced the supply of cane available for crushing.
In 1899 the government took over the mill's management and its financial liabilities, at the suggestion of the mill's directors, but by 1904 the mill was still a 'non-earning enterprise', unable to repay its government loan. Rather than foreclose on the mill, the State Treasurer took over the company's affairs and worked on increasing the supply of cane to the mill. In 1906, to forestall foreclosure, money was borrowed from the London Bank of Australia to pay off the government, with the growers' land once more used as security. In January 1907, the Moreton Central Sugar Mill Company was handed back as a private enterprise.
The London Bank was paid off by 1914, due to the sale of the mill's western tramline to the Maroochy Shire Council after cold weather had convinced cane farmers to the west of Nambour to convert to dairy farming. Experiments in 1909 by the Moreton mill had shown that cane tramlines could be used for public transport, and the Shire Council extended the two foot gauge tramline to Mapleton in 1914.
From this time forward the mill's fortunes improved. In 1915 the Sugar Cane Prices Act, and the Commonwealth War Precautions Act effectively nationalised the sugar industry, and the 1923 Commonwealth-State sugar agreement guaranteed a market for sugar. There were bumper sugar crops in Maroochy in 1924 and 1925, and the mill was expanded and electrified in the mid 1920s. Around 1934 to 1935 a weir was built on Petrie Creek, and in 1935 a new 20,000 gallon tank was built in the mill yard. The sewer that was constructed for the Nambour CBD in 1912 was flushed out daily with 500 gallons of water from the mill's tanks, through a filter bed of sand and ashes, and water was supplied to both hotels in Nambour by 1937. From 1962 the water supply of the town was supplemented from Wappa Dam. In 1969 the level of weir was raised 300mm (12 inches), and in the 1980s the weir wall was again raised.
Soil erosion had pushed sugar off the Blackall ranges by the early 1950s, but sugar boomed in this period. By the 1970s sugar was Maroochy's biggest industry, and the mill was purchased by the Howard Smith Company in 1976. Depression hit the sugar industry in 1984, thanks to competition from European beet sugar, and by 1985 tourism had overtaken sugar as Maroochy's largest industry. In addition, between 1980 and 2003 more than 1000 hectares of sugar land in the Maroochy Shire was lost to urban development and other uses. The mill was sold to Bundaberg Sugar in 1987, which was taken over by the British company Tate and Lyle in 1991. The Belgian company Finasucre acquired the mill in 2000, and it was closed in December 2003, after over 100 years of operation. Although the mill was demolished in 2004, tram tracks along Mill Street and Howard Street, the staff houses next to the mill site, and the weir on Petrie's Creek still exist as reminders of the industry that was once the economic lifeblood of Nambour and the Maroochy Shire.
From the outset of the Central Mill system, it was usual for the company to provide accommodation for senior staff and for some mill workers, since many mills were in isolated areas or in new towns that were short of accommodation. At a meeting of the mill directors on 14 May 1897 it was proposed that tenders be called for two buildings to accommodate senior mill staff - the manager (1896 to 1900), John A Malcolm, and the secretary (1896 to 1904), John R Isgar. The houses were to comprise four rooms, with a hipped roof, the two front rooms of each to be ceiled, with studds (sic) outside. Their size would be 7.8m x 6.6m (26 feet x 22 feet), with 1.8m (6 feet) front verandahs. They were to have an iron chimney, and an iron roof, and would be built with hoop pine boards. A tender was also called for bachelors' quarters, sized 12m x 4.8m (40 feet x 16 feet). At the meeting of directors on 11 June 1897 the tender of Thomas Cusack for the cottages was accepted, at £125.18 shillings each, with six weeks to complete the contract.
It has been claimed that the two dwellings at 17 and 19 Mill Street are the cottages constructed for the manager and secretary in 1897, but there is insufficient evidence to substantiate this claim. Cusack was contracted to build two identical structures, and although the two Mill Street cottages were originally similar in size and plan, with four room cores and L-shaped verandahs, they may have been built as late as 1917. By 1926 a line of staff residences faced Mill Street.
Documentary evidence indicates that the chief engineer from 1911 to 1913, Sam Baildon, was refused a company house in 1912, which means that there was no dedicated chief engineer's cottage before that time. However, in 1914 Samuel Glass, cane inspector, was living in a cottage of four rooms and a kitchen in Mill Street, and in 1917 Albert Shearer, a locomotive driver, requested a company house, and a cottage was erected for him "to the same plans as the chief engineer's cottage". In addition two residences were moved to Mill Street, from close to the mill, during the 1925 and 1926 mill expansion. In 1926 the cottages in Mill Street used by the chief engineer, secretary, and second engineer were extended and painted. In 2003 one of the authors of a the book Moreton Sugar Mill: Sweet Heart of Nambour stated that 17 Mill Street was the chief engineer's cottage (pre-1915), that 19 Mill Street was the cane inspector's cottage (1914), and that a house at 21 Mill Street (demolished some time after 1966) had been the chemist's cottage (1917).
Regardless of the actual build dates of the surviving two cottages, and which staff member lived in them at any particular time, it is clear that they are surviving examples of the houses erected for senior staff by the Moreton Central Sugar Mill Company between 1897 and the late 1930s. The Mill Street cottages stand on part of the Moreton Central Sugar Mill's original 1895 land purchase, and although they have been extended and modified since their construction they have been an integral part of the mill site and the mill's operations.
The cottage at 19 Mill Street was constructed as a modest timber cottage of a lesser scale than the manager's residence in Bury Street. Changes have been made, but the original form and planning are evident. It was originally of single skin construction, with 200mm horizontal cladding and hardwood external studs. It had three bedrooms, a dining room, hallway, and verandahs to the front, west and part of the rear. Additions and changes have included weatherboard cladding to most of the exterior, enclosure of the western and rear verandah, and removal of internal walls to the dining room and the wall between the dining room and the back verandah. Internal walls and ceilings have been lined, and some doors have been removed. A kitchen wing was added, possibly in the 1920s. There has been a bathroom addition to the southern end of the western verandah, and aluminium framed windows have been added throughout.
The cottage at 17 Mill Street was constructed as a modest timber cottage, with a timber frame and using 100mm vertical tongue and groove boarding and hardwood weatherboards. Changes have been made but the original form and planning are evident. Changes include enclosure of the eastern verandah, and extensions to the rear for a kitchen and bathroom post-1925.
The residence on Bury Street was the second manager's residence built by the company. Evidence suggests that it was built between 1907 and 1911. After John Malcolm, mill managers had included Drummond McPherson (1900 to 1902), John Lunn (1902 to 1904) and RW McCulloch (several months in 1904). Wilfred Desplace was manager from May 1904 to 1907, when he was replaced by William Lyle, for whom a cottage with "two rooms and a verandah" was erected. This may refer to the house on Bury Street, although it originally comprised a core of four to five rooms. James Edwards was appointed mill secretary in 1907, and he moved into the cottage that had been built for the manager before the government takeover.
In 1908 Walter Lanham constructed £44 worth of alterations and additions to the manager's cottage, and this may refer to the kitchen wing to the rear of the Bury Street house. In 1912 George Greathead moved into the manager's residence, which had been occupied by Edwards during 1911. Greathead was employed by the company as a chemist from 1909, and after acting as combined chemist and manager in 1911 he became the general manager of the mill in 1912, holding this position until 1932. When Greathead moved into the Bury Street house Edwards moved back into the 1897 manager's cottage, which had become known as the secretary's cottage. Edwards soon resigned and was replaced by George F. Scott, who was the mill's secretary between 1912 and 1940.
A photograph taken from the street in 1914 shows the original house and its southern and eastern verandahs, and view from the mill's chimney in 1925 shows the kitchen extension on the northwest corner of the house. A tennis court also existed in the garden between the house and the mill, as George Greathead was fond of tennis. During World War II the tennis court was excavated to build an air raid shelter. After Arthur Thorp became the manager in 1937, he commissioned repairs and alterations that transformed the manager's house in a "very nice home". This work included relining and remodelling the main rooms; realigning some internal walls, including infilling of one set of French doors to the verandah; replacement of the French doors; and removing part of the rear verandah and replacing it with a sunroom on the northeast corner. The front steps were relocated to the southwest corner, and given a gable entrance. During the 1950s and 1960s the eastern verandah and part of western verandah were enclosed, and in the 1990s the bathroom and kitchen were refurbished, an en-suite was built on the eastern verandah, part of sunroom was relined, and the balustrade on the southern and western side was repaired. During Thorp's tenure, the house became known as "Moreton House". Mill managers continued to use the house until the mill closed in 2003.
","criteria":"As rare surviving evidence of the Moreton Central Sugar Mill, the mill staff housing is important in illustrating the development of the sugar industry in Queensland, and the impact of the sugar industry on the settlement of the North Coast region. The sugar industry influenced the pattern of growth of Nambour as a prominent mill town and regional centre, and influenced the pattern of settlement of the associated farms and townships of the region during the twentieth century.
|As a group the houses are good examples of purpose-built staff accommodation. The houses demonstrate the practice common to a number of industries of providing housing to encourage workers to an area especially in isolated areas or new towns where accommodation is not readily available. Provision of accommodation for senior staff and some of the mill workers was the usual practice for the company or co-operative within the central mill system in Queensland.
In form and setting, the houses illustrate the practice of providing a hierarchy of size and amenity in housing corresponding with seniority within the company, e.g. the manager's residence is more substantial and set in a larger garden reflecting its function as accommodation for the manager in comparison to the cottages which were for less senior staff. In their close proximity to the mill site, the houses illustrate the practice of constructing staff accommodation close to the mill or place of work or within an associated precinct.
|The sugar industry was an important and vital part of the economy of the region and very little physical evidence survives of the industry particularly the mill and its associated infrastructure. The mill staff housing is rare surviving evidence of the sugar industry in the region illustrating a way of life that was once common but has now vanished.
It is known that Moreton Central Sugar Mill constructed a number of staff houses and a bachelors' quarters. These three surviving dwellings remain as the only evidence of staff housing purpose-built by the Moreton Central Sugar Mill within the mill precinct.
","criteria_letters":"Criterion A | Criterion D | Criterion B","criteria_definitions":"The place is important in demonstrating the evolution or pattern of Queensland's history | The place is important in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a particular class of cultural places | The place demonstrates rare, uncommon or endangered aspects of Queensland's cultural heritage"}, {"heritage_type":"State Heritage","site_id":30101,"place_ref":602678,"name":"Anzac Avenue Memorial Trees","alternate_name":null,"street_address":"Anzac Avenue","suburb":"BEERBURRUM","lga":"SUNSHINE COAST REGIONAL COUNCIL","register_entry_date":"2008-10-16","description":"Anzac Avenue Memorial Trees at Beerburrum comprise 13 trees - one pine, seven camphor laurel and five fig trees planted in alignment along the centre of Anzac Avenue. The spaces between these trees range from 5 metres to 18.4 metres indicating that original trees have died or been removed, including all the palm trees shown in photographs circa 1920-1921. Two turning points across the median strip exist near the centre of the plantings linking the northern and southern surfaces of Anzac Avenue, although only one existed originally.
Most of the trees are mature and probably date from the original planting while three camphor laurels in the centre of the row are smaller and may have replaced trees that died. Located between trees 3 and 4 from the western end of the avenue is a cluster of 11 trees of younger appearance that were planted on 13 December 1968 to commemorate the Beerburrum State School Golden Jubilee.
Signage to commemorate the Beerburrum Soldier Settlement was installed in 2008. This consists of three signs - one located on the eastern end of the median strip and two located centrally.
","history":"Memorial Trees were planted in the main street of the Beerburrum Soldier Settlement in 1920 and the street renamed Anzac Avenue in honour of the fallen comrades of the soldier settlers. This occurred in conjunction with the widening and metalling of the roadway due to building development on the southern side of the street.
As early as 1915 the Queensland government was looking for vacant land suitable for settlement by returned soldiers. The Department of Lands stated that Queensland's vast areas of crown land and varying climates provided more opportunities than any other State for the settling of returned soldiers, both Australian and British. It was envisaged that the land would be suitable for lighter farming activities such as fruit and vegetable growing, poultry-raising and bee-keeping.
The first land chosen for soldier settlement in Queensland was 53,000 acres (21,448.34 hectares) near the Beerburrum railway siding on the North Coast line. This mostly dry sclerophyll forest and wallum heathland had been leased to the Federal government in 1910 as a military reserve for 30 years at a peppercorn rent. From 1913 the Federal government paid an annual rent of £1 subject to the right of resumption by the State if required for State purposes. In 1916 the area was returned to the State government for soldier settlement. The area eventually opened for this purpose stretched from Beerburrum to Glass House Mountains in the north, southwards to Elimbah and eastwards to Pumicestone Passage. Beerburrum Soldier Settlement was first and largest of the approximately two dozen Soldier Settlements established in Queensland. Over the course of the scheme (1916-1929) approximately 2,500 returned soldiers were settled on the land in Queensland, including at least 400 at Beerburrum.
Work began immediately on analysis and surveying of the land. Beerburrum was chosen as the centre of the soldier settlement because of satisfactory soil tests, water availability and the existing railway siding. Surveyor Muntz was given the task of dividing this large area into portions of suitable land varying in size from approximately 20 to 40 acres. To ensure that each settler received a fertile selection, the surveyor was to mark his boundaries so that each portion would be equally productive. By November 1916, 11,600 acres had been surveyed into 310 portions. Joseph Rose, an experienced pineapple farmer, was placed in charge of the settlement. An experimental State training farm (portions 859, 860, 861, 862) was cleared and planted with pineapples for training returned soldiers in the growing of tropical crops.
Under the provisions of Queensland's 1917 Discharged Soldiers' Settlement Act after having received a qualification certificate from the Land Settlement Committee of the War Council, or from a Land Commissioner, applicants balloted for available selections and, if successful, were expected to pay one year's rent. This could either be paid in full at the time of occupation, or by ten equal instalments after taking up residence, in which case interest was added at the rate of four percent per annum. They were also expected to remain on the selection for a minimum period of five years, exceptions only being made in extreme cases of "illness, accident, or misfortune". From five to ten years the lease could only be transferred to another returned serviceman. After ten years the soldier settler was finally free to transfer the lease to any other applicant. The Queensland legislation was extended so that all honourably discharged Australian, British, Dominion and Allied ex-servicemen could apply for land.
The first land ballots were drawn on 6 November 1916 by the Governor's wife, Lady Goold-Adams. At this time the experimental farm had been in operation for six weeks training nine invalid soldiers. By July 1917, 28 returned soldiers had been allotted an area of 760 acres and 54 acres had been cleared, ploughed and planted with pineapples. One acre was similarly planted with oranges. Altogether 145 acres had been cleared, 11 houses had been erected and 17 farms had been fenced. Ringbarking had been completed on a further 100 acres. Two huts and eating facilities for 24 men had been erected, as well as a storeroom and quarters for the supervisor at the State Farm. In addition, several wells had been sunk, yielding good water. The area for township purposes had been reserved and a general store erected.
By January 1919, 96 soldier settlers were residing on the Beerburrum Soldier Settlement, increasing to 175 in July. With dependants, the total population was estimated at 400. The number of farms had increased to 379 comprising 14,896 acres and 181 houses had been erected, although 323 portions remained unallotted. The State Government had built administration buildings, blacksmith shop, school, school of arts, two stores, two butcher's shops, a barber, bakehouse, six residences for employees, an accommodation (boarding) house, depot store, kitchen, barracks and hospital. A branch store had been set up in Glasshouse Mountains township as well.
In April 1919 the Beerburrum branch of the Returned Sailors' and Soldiers' Imperial League related the intention of the settlers to plant "an avenue of trees" on the main road from the station, with the object of forming a permanent memorial for Anzac Day.
The outpouring of grief in Australia that accompanied the deaths of 60,000 service people in World War I, and the fact that the dead were buried overseas, led to a period of memorial building across the nation. Memorials took many forms both functional and commemorative. Functional types included Anzac memorial parks, honour drives, heroes avenues and trees dedicated to soldiers. The siting of memorials considered their focal importance to the community with the concern being to find a prominent, spacious site to enable crowds and processions to converge at the memorials on Anzac Day. War memorials in Queensland were usually surrounded by a fence. This denoted a special commemorative area and provided some protection for the memorial. If a fence was not erected by the time of the unveiling or planting, it was added soon afterwards. Flagstaffs, which were needed for ceremonial occasions, were usually positioned behind or in proximity to war memorials.
Some time after 24 May 1920 and before the end of July 1920 the main street of Beerburrum was metalled on its southern side to the width of 24 feet to match the metal roadway on the north side of the street, forming a divided. In the middle, a 27 foot wide strip was ploughed and planted with trees in memory of the fallen soldiers of World War I. The Week newspaper reported on 21 May 1920 that the first tree (a camphor laurel) had been planted by General Birdwood, who also named the street Anzac Avenue. The Brisbane Courier stated on 5 August that the Beerburrum State School pupils had completed the planting of Anzac Avenue with 17 weeping figs, 16 Washingtonia palms and 4 pine trees. However, early photographs show the avenue plantings to be weeping figs, palms and presumably camphor laurels. This project was completed in time for the visit of the Prince of Wales to Beerburrum on 3 August 1920.
The cost of this improvement for the Lands Department was approximately £170. The Beerburrum Sub-Branch of the Returned Sailors' and Soldiers' Imperial League of Australia (RSSILA) raised £80 to fence around the trees. The memorial was dedicated to their fallen comrades. In the centre was a flagstaff.
The Beerburrum Soldier Settlement reached it zenith in 1921 with a population of 1,200 people. Thereafter settlers rapidly departed as the poor soil and low pineapple prices made it impossible for them to make a living as pineapple growers. Many wished to transfer to other settlements but the government would not approve this. In the 12 months to June 1923, 200 men, women and children left Beerburrum. The town began to suffer and businesses closed, and in January 1924 the government began reducing its administrative staff at Beerburrum. In August that year there were still 214 returned servicemen on the settlement. Of this number 127 had applied for and been granted adjoining land forfeited by their neighbours. In November a further 82 settlers requested transfer to other settlements.
The Revaluation Board of Soldiers' Settlements set up by the Queensland Government released a confidential report in October 1924 that advised there was very little prospect of the Beerburrum Settlement ever proving even a moderate success. By June 1928 only 75 soldier settlers remained in occupation at Beerburrum. Diversification into egg production, vegetable and watermelon growing had been the most profitable adjuncts that the farmers tried in order to survive financially. When the scheme was officially terminated in 1929, there were only 69 soldier settlers remaining at Beerburrum.
Of the original 38 trees reportedly planted in Anzac Avenue at Beerburrum only 13 trees remain. Eleven of the total of 24 trees on the road reserve are Australian native trees, some of which were planted on Friday 13 December 1968, to commemorate the Beerburrum State School Golden Jubilee and others to commemorate the bi-centenary of Matthew Flinders' ascent of Beerburrum Mountain on 26 July 1799. The original timber fence that surrounded the memorial plantings, which had short stout posts supporting a diamond cut rail and demarcated a turnaround in front of the State store, is no longer extant.
","criteria":"The planting of memorial trees and the re-naming of the main street at Beerburrum as Anzac Avenue in 1920, in honour of the Beerburrum Soldier Settlers' fallen comrades, demonstrates the widespread social movement expressing Australian patriotism and grief that commenced in the year following the Anzac Day landing at Gallipoli. Communities across Queensland and Australia responded to the losses of World War I soldiers by creating memorials to the fallen.
The Anzac Avenue Memorial Trees are remnant evidence of the Beerburrum Soldiers' Settlement, which was the first and largest of approximately two dozen soldier settlements established throughout Queensland. Operating from 1916 the Soldier Settlement Scheme in Queensland settled approximately 2,500 returned soldiers on the land, with at least 400 of them at Beerburrum. Although part of the Australia-wide initiative to assist returned World War I servicemen, in Queensland the Soldier Settlement Scheme was also part of the government's attempt to further closer settlement of Queensland's vast, unalienated areas of land.
While many memorial avenues were planted by Queensland communities, the Anzac Avenue Memorial Trees are the only identified memorial created by returned servicemen of a soldier settlement scheme in honour of their fallen comrades. Its main street location highlights its importance to the soldier settler community.
|The Anzac Avenue Memorial Trees have a special association with the Beerburrum Soldier Settlers who proposed and created the memorial in honour of their fallen comrades. Commencing in 1916 at least 400 returned servicemen took up land around Beerburrum in the Beerburrum Soldier Settlement, the first and largest settlement in Queensland, and attempted to establish themselves as pineapple farmers with government support through training, land clearing, house building and loans.
|The Anzac Avenue Memorial Trees are part of the class of functional memorials created to remember the impact of World War I through plantings dedicated to the memory of the fallen. Like other memorials throughout Queensland, the Anzac Avenue Memorial Trees were sited in a prominent position - the main street of Beerburrum Soldier Settlement - indicating their focal importance within the life of the local community.
","criteria_letters":"Criterion A | Criterion H | Criterion D","criteria_definitions":"The place is important in demonstrating the evolution or pattern of Queensland's history | The place has a special association with the life or work of a particular person, group or organisation of importance in Queensland's history | The place is important in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a particular class of cultural places"}, {"heritage_type":"State Heritage","site_id":30333,"place_ref":602694,"name":"The Big Pineapple (former Sunshine Plantation)","alternate_name":null,"street_address":"Nambour Connection Road","suburb":"WOOMBYE","lga":"SUNSHINE COAST REGIONAL COUNCIL","register_entry_date":"2009-03-06","description":"The Big Pineapple complex is located on the rise of a hill on the northern side of the Nambour Connection Road at Woombye. The original Sunshine Plantation area (the Big Macadamia and the Nut Factory are not included within the heritage boundary) comprises approximately 22.86 hectares of pineapple plantations, sub-tropical rainforests and orchards. Major structures on the site include a replica pineapple (the Big Pineapple), an entrance pavilion and two large, two-storey restaurant and retail buildings, with a cottage to the west. Associated structures to the east include tram tracks, two tour stations, and a ticket office for the plantation train; a machinery shed, an animal nursery, a lagoon, and a koala enclosure. There is also a Nutmobile/Rainforest Tour station to the north of the restaurant building.
The Big Pineapple structure and retail and restaurant buildings are strikingly visible from the approach road from the east. The entrance to the plantation, the Big Pineapple and the main buildings are located at the top of the hill and overlook the pineapple plantation, animal nursery and wild fowl lagoon. The entrance pavilion is an open gabled pavilion over framed with round timber poles and houses the entrance ticket booth and information centre. It has a corrugated iron roof.
Big Pineapple Structure
The Big Pineapple, adjacent to the entrance pavilion, is a hollow structure, 16 metres in height and cylindrical in shape. The shell of the main body is formed in fibreglass supported internally on a steel frame. The fibreglass has been moulded to replicate the skin texture and colour of a pineapple and has been formed in several pieces which are rivet-fixed together. The stalk of the pineapple and the surrounding viewing platform are formed in steel which has been painted.
Internally the shell of the Big Pineapple is unlined and the texture of the moulding is visible on the inside. It is divided into two levels for the purpose of exhibiting displays and for accessing the viewing platform above. Each floor is supported on exposed round steel posts which are painted. A central steel post extends up through the structure to provide additional support to the two floor levels and to support the viewing platform and the stalk of the pineapple above.
The first level is accessed via external steps. The ceiling and central core are lined with fibre-cement which has been painted to resemble the flesh of a pineapple. The floor is lined with linoleum tiles. The second floor is accessed via an open-riser, curved staircase with steel stringers, unpainted timber treads and a curved steel balustrade.
The second floor is similar to the first with exposed steel posts supporting the viewing platform above and a linoleum-tiled floor. The central steel post is encased behind a display and the ceiling is lined with fibre-cement and flat timber cover strips fan out from the central post. The viewing platform is accessed from this level via an angled two-flight staircase. It has steel stringers, timber treads and a steel balustrade. The viewing platform sits within the uppermost part of the pineapple shell and wraps around the stalk of the pineapple which is visible overhead. It is lined with painted sheet metal and has a spray-aggregate finish to the platform deck.
Perspex-encased displays of tropical fruit and the pineapple manufacturing process dating from 1971 are arranged within the Big Pineapple. On each of the two floors there is a hand-painted landscape diorama of pineapple plantations with model factories, trucks and cane trains. Display cases of model pineapples are also located on the perimeter walls on the stairs between level one and two. On level two there is an arrangement of Golden Circle Cannery products including cans of pineapple pieces and bottles of cordial and fruit juice. Early photographs of aspects of the tropical fruit manufacturing process and formal photographs of past employees are also on display. A painted steel ring beam which supports the pineapple shell is visible behind the displays.
Retail and restaurant buildings
Turnstiles lead from the ticket booth to the restaurant and retail buildings, which display Polynesian architectural influences. The retail building to the south is sited at a right angle to the larger restaurant building beyond. Both have concrete-tiled, hipped roofs with gablets infilled with glazing at each end. Both are two-storeyed and have deep overhangs and verandahs on the eastern side with the restaurant building's verandah returning on the northern side. The upper floors are suspended concrete slabs and steel portal frames support the roof.
Walls to the east on the retail building are glazed with fibre-cement infills to the lower half. The verandah has a tiled suspended concrete floor, brick balustrades and timber rafters supported on blockwork piers. On the lower level the piers are round concrete and walls are infilled full-height glazing and painted blockwork.
Walls to both the upper and lower levels to the restaurant building are infilled with full-height glazing and blockwork. The verandah to the restaurant building has a timber-framed floor supported by round timber posts and timber lattice balustrades.
The two buildings are linked with a low-pitched gabled roof with translucent sheeting. Amenities and some service areas are located in this area. External concrete stairs lead from the upper floor towards the train station.
Internally, the first floor of the retail building is on open space with the steel portal frame exposed to the inside. Ceilings and columns are lined with bamboo and the floor is tiled with linoleum. Various retail counters and souvenir displays are set out within the space. Two painted aluminium air conditioning ducts run along the length of ceiling aside a suspended motorised fan system (a punkah). Pendant lights and fluorescent tubes hang from the ceiling. A central staircase leads to the lower level which was inaccessible at the time of assessment.
The interior of the restaurant building is an open space similar to the retail building but larger in scale. The steel portal frame is exposed on the inside and ceilings are lined with bamboo. The northern side of the space has been fitted with servery counters and kitchen rooms. The floor is lined with carpet. The steel columns are lined with plasterboard and painted. Air conditioning vents, ceiling fans and pendant lights are suspended from the ceiling.
Plantation train
To the east of the main buildings is the plantation train ticket office and paved, concrete access platform to the plantation train. A ramp leads from the concrete station platform through painted metal exit gates punched through with the big pineapple logo. The train, painted with the name Sugar Cane Train No.4, has variously been described as a former sugar cane train, or as a former quarry engine. The tracks are two foot gauge tram tracks which run through a train station/machinery shed and form a circuit around the pineapple plantation, the orchard, wild fowl lagoon, and animal nursery. The koala sanctuary and rainforest walk lie to the east of the circuit. Along the eastern side of the train circuit the land becomes steeper and a low, random rubble wall retains the slope beside the track.
Pineapple Plantation
The pineapple plantation lies on a north-east facing slope within the train circuit. The pineapple crop is cultivated in rows of raised beds following the lie of the land.
Machinery shed/train station
The train tracks lead from the platform down a slope to the simulated old-style train station (not one of the official stops) and machinery shed. This is a brick building with a low pitched gable roof sheeted with corrugated iron. It has two curved openings, one for the train to access the train station and the other for road vehicles and machinery.
The Orchard
Beyond the train station/machinery shed is the orchard which lies inside the train circuit on a north-facing slope. Fruit trees grown in the orchard include star apple, custard apple, miracle fruit and varieties of citrus trees.
Nutmobile/Rainforest station
The Nutmobile/rainforest station is located to the north of the restaurant building. It is an open, timber-framed pavilion with round posts and a gabled, corrugated iron-clad roof.
The Big Pineapple complex is partly fenced to the south boundary with a timber-framed flat-top paling fence and a low three-rail fence to the east which is painted white. A bitumen car park fronts the entrance pavilion area which is paved in terracotta-coloured pavers. The animal nursery and koala sanctuary were not inspected.
","history":"The former Sunshine Plantation tourist attraction, now known as The Big Pineapple, is located on the north side of the Nambour Connection Road (former Bruce Highway), just to the west of the current Bruce Highway. It holds a fond place in the memories of many domestic and overseas tourists who drove or were driven north of Brisbane on holiday road trips after 1971. Apart from the iconic value of the Big Pineapple structure itself, as a roadside attraction of the Big Thing variety, the entire 40 hectare complex, with its retail and restaurant spaces, train ride and Nutmobile, crops, rainforest, Macadamia Nut Factory, Big Macadamia, Tomorrow's Harvest greenhouse, Farm Show, Wildlife Gardens, and Animal Nursery, represents an early attempt at agri-tourism in Queensland.
Big Things are large advertising objects, usually in the form of the item they are advertising, and are loosely defined as being at least twice the size of the object they represent and at least twice human size. Big Things have been called outdoor cultural objects which serve to construct and assert the identity of a town or area, and they have also been described as one of Australia's most distinctive home-grown forms of folk art. (The term 'outdoor cultural object' was coined in the 2004 publication 'Monumental Queensland: Signposts on a Cultural Landscape' by Lisanne Gibson and Joanna Besley.) The Big Pineapple appears to be the most widely recognised Big Thing in Queensland.
The first pineapple plants in Queensland were landed at the new Redcliffe settlement by the brig Amity in 1824, and in 1829 the Colonial Botanist Charles Fraser listed 34 pineapple plants amongst the crops flourishing in the 15 acre government garden at Brisbane that he had laid out in 1828. In the 1870s and 1880s experiments in pineapple growing occurred in what would become the Maroochy Shire, but the first commercial pineapple crop in the area was at Thomas Davey's Woombye farm in 1895.
The area between the Mooloolah and Maroochy Rivers was closed to settlement prior to 1860 as part of a Reserve proclaimed by Governor Gipps in 1842. Gipp's proclamation was rescinded by the Crown Lands Alienation Act 1860, which allowed for post-survey selection, and timber-getting licenses. In the early 1860s Edmund Lander leased the Mooloolah Back Plains run around the future site of Nambour, and timber getters started to exploit the area, working inland along waterways. The Alienation of Crown Lands Act 1868 also stimulated settlement, and by 1871 the census recorded 104 people living and working in the Maroochy region, although only 31 were permanent settlers. At this time there were about 180 acres under pineapples in Queensland, mostly near Brisbane.
Maroochy developed as a region of small farms, and by the mid 1880s the region had 116 people employed in mixed farming, 70 in sugar, 52 in timber, and only 15 in grazing. The Maroochy Divisional Board was created in 1890 (becoming the Maroochy Shire in 1902), and the Maroochy Shire would develop into Queensland's largest fruit growing area between the 1880s and 1915, thanks to its climate and rainfall, with bananas being grown from the 1880s, and pineapples from the 1890s. It was possible for small farmers to make a living out of pineapples as thousands of plants could be cultivated in each acre. Other crops grown in the Maroochy Shire included coffee, ginger, strawberries and citrus. Dairy farming also played an important part in the local economy from the 1890s.
The fruit industry in the Maroochy Shire was stimulated when the North Coast Railway was constructed northwards from Brisbane after 1886. The railway reached Woombye in 1890, and met the line from Gympie at Cooroy in July 1891. By 1900 the Blackall Range was a successful fruit growing area, and in 1901 Woombye was promoted as the fruit growing area in Queensland with the greatest potential. Around this time pineapples were overtaking citrus as the crop of choice in the area, especially at Woombye, with its well-drained soil and rolling hills. In 1914 the Brisbane district still produced most of Queensland's pineapples, while rising pineapple districts included the North Coast Line (North-Pine to Gympie), the Tiaro and Mt Bauple district, Maryborough, and the Pialba district.
In 1916 unused Crown Land near Beerburrum's railway siding was surveyed into portions for returned soldiers to grow pineapples. Some land at Woombye and Palmwoods was also resumed under the Soldier Settlement scheme. Beerburrum was the largest soldier settlement area in Australia by 1921, but it had failed by 1932, and helped to produce a glut of pineapples in the process. Queensland production of pineapples doubled between 1932 and 1942, and doubled again between 1952 and 1956, to a total of 12,316 acres by the latter date.
In 1947 the Northgate Committee of Direction of Fruit Marketing Cannery (later Golden Circle), owned and controlled by growers, began operations. Although pineapples boomed in the post war period, marketing issues led to the first Golden Pineapple Week in 1955, along with Miss Golden Pineapple, to promote Maroochy pineapples. In the mid 1950s the vast majority of Queensland's pineapple growers were in South East Queensland, and two thirds of South East Queensland's production came from three main zones: the Palmwoods-Woombye-Nambour area; the Mary Valley; and the Glasshouse-Beerwah area.
In South East Queensland in the financial year from 1955 to 1956 the larger pineapple growers (those producing over 2,500 cases per year) grew a smaller percentage of the region's total crop than in Central Queensland. Large producers also grew less of the crop around Palmwoods than in the Mary Valley and Glasshouse areas, which reflected the trend towards small farms in the Maroochy Shire. The average South East Queensland pineapple grower had 10.6 acres under pineapples, on a 109 acre farm, and of the top six South East Queensland production areas, Woombye and Palmwoods had the smallest average farm sizes, with the greatest percentage of the farm used for pineapples. In the mid 1950s Woombye ranked third of the top six South East Queensland areas by number of growers, and second of the top six South East Queensland areas by production. In the 1970s pineapples were Maroochy's third largest agricultural industry after sugar and dairy farming.
Meanwhile changes were taking place in Australian culture that would impact on tourism. After World War II the use of cars increased, and during the 1950s Australia was second only to the United States in car ownership per head of population. More car travel also led to more garages and fuel stops, and motels and caravan parks were built to accommodate those families taking to the roads for their ever-lengthening holidays. Annual leave increased from one week in 1941 to two weeks in 1945, three weeks in 1963 and four weeks in 1974. Roads were improved, and access was opened up to previously isolated natural attractions. The Bruce Highway was finally surfaced with bitumen all the way from Brisbane to Cairns by 1962, and the Pacific Highway was fully surfaced with bitumen by the late 1960s, which helped bring more New South Wales tourists north into Queensland.
In the Maroochy Shire, the immediate post war period saw a shift in emphasis from traditional agricultural pursuits to coastal tourism. This shift was marked by David Low's election as Maroochy shire chairman in 1952 on a tourism platform. The late 1950s witnessed the first use of terms "Sunshine Coast" and "Gold Coast" to market Queensland's beach culture, and by 1960 the Queensland Government Tourist Bureau was promoting "The Sunshine State".
Development on the Sunshine Coast was less intense than on the Gold Coast, and until the 1960s development remained low-key and family oriented, dominated by foreshore and riverside camping grounds, and flats and motels. In many parts of the Sunshine Coast there was a conscious reaction against the style of development that had taken place on the Gold Coast. Like the Gold Coast, on the Sunshine Coast the seaside entertainments of an earlier era have evolved into large scale tourist attractions. However these have developed in a style that is characteristic of the Sunshine Coast hinterland. Here, the focus has been on education and the agricultural heritage and ecology of the region. Attractions besides the Big Pineapple have included: the Big Cow; the Ginger factory at Yandina; Australia Zoo; Forest Glen Deer Park; and the Superbee.
Related to tourism developments is the advertising phenomenon of the Big Thing. Big Things were used in California from the 1920s to lure customers off the highways to stop at food stalls, and they first appeared in Australia in the 1960s. The earliest Australian Big Things included: the Big Scotsman, advertising a motel in Adelaide (1963); the Big Banana, promoting a roadside banana stall at Coff's Harbour (1964); and the Big Stubby, a bottle museum at Tewantin (1966). Big Things were usually built by entrepreneurs or by the local community, and almost all featured something that the town or district was famous for, usually flora or produce. Steel framing and fibreglass appear to be the most common building materials.
Lists of Big Things around Australia vary regarding the number of objects in each state, and what is included, but a 2004 book on the subject listed 118 Big Things, or groups of Big Things, in Australia, with Queensland having the most at 41, followed by New South Wales with 32. Of Queensland's Big Things, 23 were purely private commercial efforts - advertising shops, service stations, motels and caravan parks, restaurants, museums and the like - and six others were aimed at drawing people to a private tourist attraction. Eight places were structures that could be entered, including the Big Pineapple and the Big Macadamia at the Big Pineapple complex.
It was within this context of pineapples, tourism and Big Things that Taylor Family Investments Pty Ltd purchased a 23 hectare pineapple farm southeast of Woombye in January 1971, from Gordon Ollett. Bill Taylor had worked at the United Nations for 20 years and had been head of the Development Finance Section, and Lyn Taylor was an interior designer in New York. They returned to Australia in 1970. In 1971 Bill and Lyn Taylor embarked on what was then a new concept in agri-tourism, using Maroochy's agricultural heritage to attract tourists. The pineapple farm became an agri-tourism project showcasing over 40 varieties of fruits, nuts, spices and sugar cane: the Sunshine Plantation. The Maroochy Shire Council and the State government supported the venture, and on 15 August 1971 the plantation was opened by the State Minister for Labour and Tourism, John Herbert. Mr Herbert claimed that the attraction was unique for the Queensland tourist industry, combining the specific promotion of tourism with the promotion of the area and its tropical production as a whole. A 1980 promotional booklet for the Sunshine Plantation claimed that in 1971 the concept and design was original and unique in the world.
At the opening the Maroochy Shire Council chairman, Eddie de Vere, drove a gold spike into the Plantation Train Ride, a one kilometre two-foot gauge track which still has the steepest incline and sharpest bend of any Queensland passenger rail track. A crane placed the leaves on top of the 16 metre steel-framed fibreglass pineapple that became the symbol of the plantation. Lyn Taylor was responsible for much of the design and layout of the project. The Big Pineapple could be entered, and its interior included a curved staircase, along with an audiovisual story about the pineapple industry and other tropical fruits. Local agricultural producers and co-operatives participated in the development of the displays, most notably the Golden Circle Cannery. A shop and restaurant building was located just north of the Big Pineapple structure, and a cottage was located nearby.
The capacity of the facilities was tested from the opening, and modest expansions of the restaurant, market and sugar cane train occurred in the early years of operation. One product which proved popular was the range of tropical fruit jams which were made on site. In 1972 demand for these jams outgrew the production kitchen and the Taylors entered into a joint venture with local passionfruit farmers Bill and Noelene Hughes to form Sunshine Tropical Fruit Products.
The Sunshine Plantation provided visitors with an opportunity to learn about the growing, production and consumption of various tropical agricultural products, and a 1978 information booklet stated that the crops grown at the plantation were representative of over half the agricultural production in Queensland. A central feature of the attraction continues to be the sugar cane train which takes visitors on a guided educational tour of the plantation. In the Big Pineapple structure visitors see displays and gain an understanding of the production and processing of various tropical fruits, nuts and cane; in the restaurant visitors can sample various fresh tropical fruits, and in the market they can purchase fresh fruit and fruit jams.
Authenticity was demonstrated by the plantation being a working farm, and by its links to and partnerships with local grower co-operatives, industry associations and significant institutions such as the Moreton Central Sugar Mill, the Golden Circle Cannery, the Committee of Direction of Fruit Marketing (COD), the Sugar Board, CSR limited, Buderim Ginger Factory, and the Australian Macadamia Nut Society.
The Big Pineapple was soon followed by other Big Things in the area. In October 1971 another 16 metre-high pineapple was opened, this time at a Gympie service station, by the Queensland Director General of Tourist Services, John Wilson (Gympie's pineapple was demolished in 2008). In 1976 a Big Cow was built north of Nambour for a farm park.
As acknowledgement of the Taylors' achievements, on 12 March 1972 the Australian National Travel Association presented the Sunshine Plantation with the first annual award for tourist development in Queensland. In 1982 the Taylors were invited to build a similar project in Hawaii, and in 1984 they developed and operated the "Hawaii Tropical Plantation" in partnership with two Hawaiian companies.
The Sunshine Plantation expanded in 1976 when Taylor Family Investments Pty Ltd purchased eight hectares of land from Keith and Ailsa Heinrich, to the west of the original attraction. On 11 September 1978 an early morning fire completely destroyed the building which housed the tropical market and restaurant next to the Big Pineapple. However, two months later on 19 December the Governor General, Sir Zelman Cowan, opened a new Tropical Village complex, which now had a separate restaurant building to the north of the rebuilt retail building. In February 1979 the 10.2 hectare future site of the Nut Factory and the Big Macadamia was purchased from the Heinrichs by Sunshine Land Nominees Pty Limited. Part of this land was leased to CSR Limited in 1979, and the lease was later transferred to Macadamia Nuts Pty Ltd. By 1980 the Sunshine Plantation included the newly opened Macadamia Nut Factory, operated by CSR Limited, and the Nutmobile tour.
By 1980 visitors could shop in the Tropical market, and eat in the two storey Tropical Restaurant. The top floor was known as the Polynesian Restaurant, with bamboo ceiling lining and thatched counter decorations, and the bottom floor was the Hibiscus Room. The Nutmobile tour started just north of the restaurant building and ran westwards to the Macadamia Nut Factory, the largest in Australia, where tourists could view displays, observe the sorting room, or buy macadamia products. At this time there was a large carpark on the site of the present Tomorrow's Harvest greenhouse. Starting to the east of the market building, the train tour travelled past a variety of tropical crops, including: pineapples; avocados; exotic fruits, nuts, tea, coffee, and ginger; sugar cane (by the rainforest on the eastern side of plantation); and then papaws, bananas, and passionfruit. Within the train track was the Children's Farm (with the current mansard-roofed barn) and Animal Nursery. A tunnel under the train track led to a rainforest walk.
In its first 10 years the Sunshine Plantation grew in popularity with attendance of 250,000 visitors in 1972 to over 1,000,000 in 1980. During the 1980s a number of changes occurred. In 1981 the Taylor's sold the Sunshine Plantation to Lanray Holdings, although the titles for their 1971 and 1976 land purchases remained under the name of Taylor Family Investment Pty Ltd until August 1993, when Sunshine Securities Pty Ltd became the registered proprietors. A lower retail area for the market building was opened in 1982, and in 1984 the Nutcountry Tour was extended to include a section of rainforest. That same year verandahs were added to compliment the upstairs restaurant (now called Sunshines Restaurant); Troppo's Restaurant (later the Plantation Restaurant) was opened downstairs, and Queensland's Hidden Treasures was opened to display Queensland gems and minerals. In 1985, by which time tourism had overtaken sugar as Maroochy's biggest industry, Queensland Press Limited became the new owner.
In 1986 more properties were purchased, including land south of the current Nambour Connection Road, and in 1987 new car parking facilities were built, along with a pedestrian bridge above the road. Also in 1987 the Sunshines Restaurant was doubled in size (the restaurant building seems to have been expanded to the west), and a new reception area and Tourist Information Centre was added. The Big Pineapple structure was refurbished and moved about 15 metres east at this time. There are indications that the Big Pineapple's skin was also replaced. 1988 witnessed the construction of the Tomorrow's Harvest hydroponics farm, a large greenhouse which displayed innovative technology, and RAPS Night Time family restaurant opened in June that year. In 1989 the 16m high Big Macadamia, known as the Magic Macadamia was opened. From 2000, the Big Macadamia housed the Rainforest Creatures of the Night display, but by mid 2007 this attraction was closed, as was the Tomorrow's Harvest greenhouse. The original Macadamia Nut Factory is no longer open to visitors, although the current Nutmobile Tour passes by a more recent factory building further to the north.
In 1990 the Bruce Highway was realigned, bypassing the Big Pineapple along with Woombye and Nambour, but the tourist attraction continued to attract the public, and it was upgraded further during the 1990s. In 1991 a mini tornado damaged the Tomorrow's Harvest attraction, and that December the Rainforest train stop was opened. In 1992 an Arts and Crafts Gallery opened in the lower retail area beside the train station. In 1993 the roof of Tomorrow's Harvest was replaced, Plantations Restaurant received a colonial-themed makeover, and Punkahs (mechanical fans) were added to the upstairs retail area. During 1994 Sunshines Restaurant was refurbished, and the servery counters were rebuilt. However, RAPS restaurant closed in September that year. The Farm Show was added to the Train Tour in September 1995, and guided tours of the Macadamia Nut Factory, when it was not processing, started in December. Roughend Pineapple Party Ltd became the new owner of the complex in July 1996, and a Wildlife Garden featuring koalas and other native animals had opened in April that year.
In 2006 the Big Pineapple was one of 12 Queensland icons, including the Cane Toad, Macadamia Nuts, and the Great Barrier Reef, selected from nominations received by the National Trust of Queensland. Another 24 icons had been selected between 2004 and 2005. According to the National Trust of Queensland, the items selected "inherently represent an important part of our history or will have contributed to our cultural identity and will have won a lasting place in our minds and memories." In June 2007 Australia Post issued five stamps celebrating Australia's Big Things, and the Big Pineapple was one of the five Big Things selected - along with the Big Golden Guitar at Tamworth, the Big Banana at Coffs Harbour, and the Big Merino at Goulburn (all in New South Wales), and the Big Lobster at Kingston SE (South Australia).
The Big Pineapple attraction went into receivership in 2009 and was closed in October 2010. The Nutmobile was sold in July 2011 to the Bromet family, to promote macadamia nuts and tourism at the town of Bauple. In late August 2011 The Big Pineapple complex and its surrounding farmland was sold to a consortium that has maintained it as a tourism attraction and market hub for Queensland produce.
","criteria":"Positioned on the crest of a hill overlooking the motorway, the Big Pineapple structure is important as a landmark, strikingly visible to passing traffic and provides sweeping views of the surrounding landscape. Within the Big Pineapple complex the plantation's sloping terrain, rainforest and selection of crops provide pleasing vistas for visitors as they tour the place.
|The Big Pineapple complex, including the iconic Big Pineapple structure and associated tramway, train, nut mobile, attractions, activities, plantations and buildings, is important in demonstrating the development of agri-tourism and roadside attractions in Queensland.
The establishment of the Sunshine Plantation and its continued operation as the Big Pineapple combines the operation of a tourist attraction and the promotion of tourism in the Sunshine Coast with the promotion of the area's tropical fruit production. The uniqueness of the project was well documented in the contemporary local press and other promotional and tourist material as well as in the newsletters and annual reports of various agricultural industry associations.
The working plantation sections of the complex provide visitors with an opportunity to learn about the growing of various tropical agricultural products in Queensland, especially pineapples and sugar cane, which used to be the predominant agricultural crops in the area.
In addition, the complex reflects a response to the increased use of motor cars for family holidays in Australia since World War II and the associated development of tourist attractions to cater for this. Important in accommodating one of the earliest "Big Things", the complex also reflects the growth of the phenomenon of the Big Thing as a tourist attraction and destination in Australian tourism.
|As a popular and landmark tourist attraction and through representation in tourist guides and brochures, the Big Pineapple complex is a highly identifiable and recognised place, both nationally and internationally. The Big Pineapple tourist attraction has a special association with thousands of tourists who have experienced road trips on the old Bruce Highway and have enjoyed a stop at the iconic tourist attraction.
The Sunshine Plantation also attracted support from the local community, and had close associations with key regional and state agricultural industry associations.
The Big Pineapple structure has iconic and landmark status as one of Australia's most well-known Big Things. Its most recent recognition is inclusion in a special stamp issue of Big Things by Australia Post.
|The Big Pineapple complex is important in demonstrating the characteristics of an agri-tourism attraction combining the entertainment of tourists with the promotion of the features, facilities and industries of the region.
Accommodating a nationally recognised iconic "Big Thing" the complex combines leisure and retail activities and attractions with educational displays and experiences. The plantings of many varieties of fruits, nuts, spice and cane provide a place for visitors to see and learn about tropical agricultural production. The panoramic layout of the plantation is designed to show visitors from vantage points around the main building complex the diversity of crops grown in the region.
The Big Pineapple structure is important in demonstrating the principal characteristics of an outdoor cultural object or "Big Thing" in its fabric and setting. Big Things represent flora or fauna, are larger-than-life size, are constructed from materials like fibreglass and steel, are associated with a tourist attraction and occupy a roadside location to entice tourists to visit the attraction. Big Things often advertise the produce of the area in which they are located, and the Big Pineapple is located on a working pineapple farm, in a region were the pineapple industry once predominated. This authenticity contributes to its enduring appeal.
As one of Queensland's first Big Things, the Big Pineapple structure is generally intact and retains its interior displays, internal staircase and distinctive fibre-glass shell. The associated retail and restaurant buildings and the plantation setting remain.
","criteria_letters":"Criterion E | Criterion A | Criterion G | Criterion D","criteria_definitions":"The place is important because of its aesthetic significance | The place is important in demonstrating the evolution or pattern of Queensland's history | The place has a strong or special association with a particular community or cultural group for social, cultural or spiritual reasons | The place is important in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a particular class of cultural places"}, {"heritage_type":"State Heritage","site_id":30334,"place_ref":602695,"name":"Dunethin Rock","alternate_name":null,"street_address":"Dunethin Rock Road","suburb":"MAROOCHY RIVER","lga":"SUNSHINE COAST REGIONAL COUNCIL","register_entry_date":"2009-02-05","description":"Approximately five kilometres southeast of the township of Yandina, the beauty spot of Dunethin Rock stands on the south bank of the Maroochy River to the east edge of Lake Dunethin. North of the Yandina-Bli Bli Road at the termination of Dunethin Rock Road, the rocky outcrop provides opportunities for taking in sweeping panoramas from the Blackall Range to the coast. Features within these panoramas include the mountains of Ninderry, Coolum and Cooroy, areas of lush vegetation, sugar cane fields and farmland and the winding course of the meandering Maroochy River.
The flat area below the rocky outcrop runs along the river bank and beside the lake and accommodates a concrete boat ramp, small timber jetty and adjoining timber framed picnic shelter with concrete slab floor, concrete picnic tables, and a toilet block - these structures are not significant. A steep gravelled road climbs to the east from the flat and travels around to the south of the outcrop. A timber picnic shed is perched to the edge of the road and offers teasing glimpses of the expansive views available from the summit.
This timber framed picnic shed is sheltered by a hipped roof clad with corrugated iron. The east and west sides are infilled to the lower half with weatherboards and the other sides are open. The shed has a concrete slab floor and accommodates two timber tables with bench seats to their long sides. A rainwater tank stands to the east. (This picnic shed is significant).
A rough path from the road edge is shaded by a range of mature trees and leads to a plateau at the summit, a natural viewing platform. This area of the outcrop is bare except for the occasional rogue vegetation struggling for a foothold and coverings of moss, lichen, dry leaves and twigs.
Note: the only significant structure is the picnic shed near the summit of the rock.
","history":"Dunethin Rock, a scenic reserve on the southern bank of the upper Maroochy River, is an important site associated with the development of tourism from the early 1900s on the Sunshine Coast, a major tourist region in Queensland.
The two earliest pastoral leases on the northern bank of the Maroochy River were the Canando and Yandina runs leased by Daniel and Zachariah Skyring in 1853. Dunethin Rock, a prominent monolith on the southern bank of the river marked the shared southern boundaries of these runs. Land on the southern side of the Maroochy River was opened for grazing after 1860. In 1861 Edmund Lander leased the Mooloolah Back Plains, a run of 26,500 acres with an outstation near Lake Dunethin, an inlet of the Maroochy River just north of Dunethin Rock. This outstation was abandoned by 1868. In 1862 John Westaway took up land east of Lander, known as Moolooloo Back Plains. Similar to the Skyring stations, the boundaries of the southern runs terminated on the Maroochy River in the vicinity of Dunethin Rock.
During the 1860s the economy of the Maroochy region became increasingly geared towards extraction of the bountiful timber in the area. Brisbane timber merchant William Pettigrew, highly influential in the timber trade throughout south-east Queensland established a presence in the region, with depots on both the Maroochy and Mooloolah rivers later establishing a sawmilling complex near the Maroochy's mouth. In the mid 1860s Pettigrew transferred his Maroochy timber lease to James Low. Low established a timber depot opposite and slightly upstream from Dunethin Rock on the site of the wharf of the original Yandina run, opening a post office in 1868. The word Dunethin is of Aboriginal origin meaning the place of swimming trees, (dhu trees, yungathin, swim), a reference to the logs transported on the river in the area during this period. Until 1970, when Dunethin became the official name, the locality was often referred to as Dunethim.
An early overland track from the depot to the Gympie diggings was built by Low and other timbergetters, accessed by a journey up the Maroochy River. The depot was closed after a new Brisbane-Gympie road opened in late 1868. Low moved his operations close to where the new road crossed the Maroochy River, near present day Yandina.
Following the 1868 Crown Lands Alienation Act, the earlier pastoral runs on the Maroochy River were divided for closer settlement for agriculture. In November 1873, James Campbell applied for selection of approximately 180 acres of second class pastoral land surrounding Dunethin Rock. Campbell's application was cancelled because the government had decided not to open up the land, surveyed as Portion 28 Parish of Maroochy, for selection. However, some sections of this land parcel were excised for selection from the mid 1870s until 1900.
In January 1901 a group of local residents petitioned the Lands Department to have the remainder of Portion 28 and vacant Crown land in Portion 55, which included both Dunethin Rock and the Lake, set aside as a reserve for public purposes. The petitioners contended the land was the only unselected parcel on the Maroochy River above flood level and should be set aside for retreat for residents and stock and for township and other purposes. Consequently a Reserve for Public Purposes of 520 acres (R.236) was proclaimed.
After 1906, the reserve was incrementally reduced for a mixture of private selections and public purposes. An esplanade facing the river was retained to allow for access to the water. The Maroochy River State School was opened in June 1911, with a School Reserve gazetted in 1913. This school operated until 1972, servicing families settled along the river, with students arriving by a boat service to the Dunethin wharf sited between the rock and the lake. A School of Arts reserve was also gazetted in 1913. The Maroochy River School of Arts opened in 1914 and was a centre for social functions until its closure in 1963. The Maroochy River School and School of Arts were sited northwest of the rock, opposite the southern bank of the lake.
A Scenic Reserve of approximately 5 acres which encircled the rock itself was gazetted in 1923 and was placed under the control of the Maroochy Shire Council. The remainder of the original 1901 reserve was renamed a reserve for camping and scenic purposes in 1924, further reduced in 1935 with a recreation and sports ground reserve, extending along the river to the junction with Lake Dunethin. The scenic reserve and the recreation and sports reserve connected Dunethin Rock and the Lake via the river bank, the central locations for tourist, leisure and social activities.
The lower reaches of the Maroochy River began to develop as a place of resort in the 1880s. On the southern bank, a 215 acre wharf and water reserve was gazetted in 1873 near the river's mouth. Holiday makers camped on the reserve among the native cotton trees. From the 1890s the Salvation Army established an encampment over the Christmas period on the reserve, a popular annual event held until 1929. The use of this calm, shallow stretch of the river as a watering place for swimming, boating and fishing reflected the seaside preferences of the Victorian era. Similar locations for resort on the North Coast were developed in the same period at Caloundra and Tewantin.
Local visitors predominated until after World War I. Brisbane surveyor Thomas O'Connor acquired what had been Pettigrew's sawmill complex near the reserve in 1903, with the intent of developing a riverside resort. Part of this land was subdivided and sold at an auction in Nambour in 1908, signalling the beginning of more intensive development in the area. Further development and expansion of Maroochy's tourist industry was fostered with the subdivision and auction of most of the reserve into the Township of Maroochydore in 1915.
As with Maroochydore, the use of the Dunethin Rock locality as a place of leisure began with the local population. From the early 1900s it became a popular destination for picnics, fishing and enjoying the view from the rock summit. The Yandina-Maroochy Progress Association celebrated its first anniversary on the lake in 1905 and a held a 'Grand Aquatic Sports' event on Easter Monday 1907. The Maroochy River School functioned as the community hall from 1911 until the School of Arts was built in 1914, providing a permanent structure for community occasions and fundraising events. During 1915 the Maroochy District Patriotic Sports meeting was held with land and water events that included wood chopping, sawing, running and motor boat races. A 'Grand Excursion' to Dunethin Lake in aid of the Wounded Soldiers Fund was held in 1916. In the same year, a team of Brisbane swimmers visited Dunethin rock to launch the Maroochy River and District Swimming Club.
From the early 1900s the attractions of the seaside and mountain resorts of the North Coast, as the Sunshine Coast area was then known, began to receive wider exposure. Publications by Queensland Railways and the Queensland Intelligence and Tourist Bureau drew attention to the scenic features of the natural environment, such as rainforests, rivers and waterfalls. At the instigation of Thomas O'Connor and the Maroochy River Progress Association, a tour of the Maroochy region's beauty spots was conducted with representatives of the Intelligence and Tourist Bureau, the Lands Department, leading banks and metropolitan journalists in early 1910. The objective of the tour was to protect Maroochy's beauty spots 'for all time'. The itinerary included a climb to the summit of Dunethin Rock to highlight the extensive panoramic views of cane fields, farms, the river and the mountains between the coast and ranges. From the 1910s Dunethin Rock became much frequented as a place to take important dignitaries and representatives visiting the Maroochy Shire.
From 1909, the Moreton Central Sugar Milling Company was making use of cane trams to convey passengers from Nambour Train Station to Cedar Tree on Petrie Creek, extending its service to Deepwater at Bli Bli in 1911. From these points, motor launches took passengers to the jetty at Cotton Tree. In 1923, a tram line to Dunethin Rock was completed to transport sugar cane from nearby farms. The Nambour Chronicle records the use of the line to transport tourists from Nambour in October of that year. It is undetermined how long this practice continued. The line was extended to Lake Dunethin in 1946, however all passenger transport on the tram network had ceased by 1936.
Until the late 1920s, when the Main Road between Nambour and Maroochydore was constructed, the Maroochy River was the key transport route for visitors to the growing tourist settlements of Maroochydore and Cotton Tree. The number of commuter boats increased after the Moreton Mill began its passenger carrying operations. Motor launches transporting passengers from the 1910s included Charles Thiedke's Vera I and Vera II, William Evans' M.V. Favourite and Thomas O'Connor's M.V. Alexandra and M.V. Hazeldean. William Coulson operated the mail service on the river between Yandina and Maroochydore during this period and was transporting passengers from Yandina Railway Station by 1916.
Outside of commuter services, many of the motor launches were also available for hire and charter along the Maroochy River. The wharf near Dunethin Rock was an obvious destination for these operators as it provided the most convenient access for excursionists to the locality and for social events at the School of Arts. In 1916 the boats Vera and Hazeldean ferried passengers to Dunethin Rock for the Wounded Soldiers Fund excursion. In 1923 a Nambour Chronicle correspondent drew attention to the potential of the upper reaches of the Maroochy River for touring purposes including the 'outstanding natural feature' of Dunethin Rock.
Percy Evans, son of William Evans had purchased O'Connor's motor launch business in 1919. During the 1920s Evans began offering weekly cruises from Cotton Tree jetty to Dunethin Rock. The 1927 edition of From Noosa to the Tweed recommended Dunethin Rock and Lake as 'picturesque spots well worth visiting'. Following the opening of the Nambour-Maroochydore road in 1927 demand for passenger transport declined and Moreton Mill suspended their Maroochydore service in 1929. Thereafter, boat owners increasingly concentrated their operations on recreational activities on the river.
During the 1930s and 1940s, Dunethin Rock continued to grow in popularity as a destination, with facilities for visitors gradually improving. After the opening of the first section of the Bruce Highway in December 1934, motor vehicle access to Dunethin Rock began to receive more attention. In 1937 the Royal Automobile Club of Queensland, who provided many of the earliest road signs in the state, responded to a request by the Maroochy River Progress Association to have a sign placed at the Dunethin Road turn off at Yandina. By this time the Association had begun lobbying the Main Roads Commission to connect the separate Yandina and-Bli Bli roads that provided access to the area. From 1938, the Association appealed to Maroochy Shire Council for a shelter shed to be constructed at the wharf, eventually completed in 1940 at a cost of £20. As part of Arbor Day celebrations in 1939, an avenue of trees was planted on the Dunethin reserve by the Maroochy River School Committee.
A 1940 meeting of the Association noted the increasing popularity of motor boat cruises to the reserve during the holiday season and advocated installing beacons to warn boats of submerged rocks near the jetty. In the same year the Maroochy Shire Council carried a motion to have a road cleared by voluntary labour to the top of the rock, as the improved road from Nambour-Bli-Bli had increased the potential to for the site to become 'one of the most attractive tourist centres in the district'. It is uncertain whether this work was proceeded with. The wharf originally built by local residents, was replaced by Council in June 1944. In December of that year over 300 people visited for the Moreton Mill Welfare Club picnic.
An estimated 700 people visited over January 1945. The Queensland Tourist Bureau and Railway Department's official photographer, Mr. S.G. Wardle visited Dunethin Rock and other scenic locations on the North Coast in February 1946 to take photos for inclusion in a new issue of tourist booklets published by the Bureau. After the 1945/1946 holiday season, councillors within Maroochy Shire Council pushed for construction of conveniences, in light of its continuing growth as a picnic resort and the large bus and boat contingents frequently visiting the reserve. Despite protests by Percy Evans, who was transporting the majority of tourists to Dunethin Rock, a landing fee of 10 shillings towards maintenance was imposed by Maroochy Shire Council. The conveniences were eventually built in 1948.
David Low, who was the local member of State parliament in the late 1940s, recognised the potential for the growth in coastal tourism, advocating improved facilities and better promotion of the area. During 1948 Low, on behalf of the Maroochy River Progress Association made an unsuccessful representation to the Main Roads Commission to have the road between Dunethin and Bli Bli declared a tourist road. In 1949 Low attended the Arbor Day tree planting ceremony at Maroochy River School. Low stressed the importance of planting trees in the locality as he was of the opinion that Dunethin Rock would one day become one of the 'chief tourist places on the North Coast' and was the 'most beautiful spot he had seen'.
In the early 1950s Dunethin Rock continued to be popular for tourists arriving by motor launch. However, as petrol rationing ceased and car ownership increased more visitors began arriving by road. In 1952 Low was elected Chairman of Maroochy Shire Council resulting in increased expenditure on tourist infrastructure and transport linkages serving the coastal area as well as inland rural districts in the shire. During the 1953-54 financial year Maroochy Shire Council allocated £500 for tourist development at Dunethin Rock and at Wappa Falls, further upstream. However this money was not spent and was reallocated in the 1954-55 budget. In August 1955, Council began work on constructing the long advocated link that connected the Yandina and Bli Bli roads to Dunethin Rock. This road was completed by December 1955 in time for the summer holidays. The road provided a scenic circuit drive between Nambour, Bli Bli, Dunethin Rock and Yandina. During this period a gravel road providing access to the summit of the rock was completed. A small simple wooden picnic shelter and water tank was also built near the summit for visitors.
During the 1950s, the Maroochy River began to silt up and for a number of years Percy Evans used a shallow draft boat, M.V. Miss Maroochy to transport passengers to Dunethin Rock. After more than forty years of service Evans sold his business in 1967. A number of operators have since continued to operate cruises up the Maroochy River to Dunethin Rock.
Dunethin Rock and its surrounds appear to have remained relatively unchanged since its mid-20th century visitation heyday. The site currently receives a smaller percentage of visitors compared to more prominent scenic locations on the Blackall Range. The buildings of the Maroochy River School of Arts and State School, closed in 1963 and 1972 respectively, are no longer in existence. While native vegetation surrounding the summit has obscured some southerly views, an extensive panorama can still be appreciated from Dunethin Rock. The area below the rock along the river remains a popular picnic site for locals and for those who make use of the boat ramp near the junction with Dunethin Lake built by Maroochy Shire Council in the 1990s.
","criteria":"Situated on a tranquil stretch of the upper Maroochy River, viewed from land and river Dunethin Rock is the dominant feature of this place, long valued for its natural beauty. From its summit, Dunethin Rock offers a fine panorama extending from the Blackall Ranges to the coast, offering expansive views of the mountains Ninderry, Coolum and Cooroy, sugarcane fields, native vegetation and the winding Maroochy River. The esplanade between Dunethin Rock and Dunethin Lake offers the opportunity for relaxation in a river setting.
|As a popular picnic spot and destination for excursionists, Dunethin Rock was associated with North Coast (now Sunshine Coast) tourism from as early as 1910. Gazetted as a scenic reserve in 1924, when the North Coast was emerging as a holiday destination for outside visitors, Dunethin Rock's increased popularity as a tourist destination from this period was enhanced through the provision of access by motor launches on the Maroochy River and Moreton Mill tram line, key components of Maroochy Shire's early tourist transport network. Road access to Dunethin Rock was improved during the 1950s in response to the rise of motor transport that occurred Australia-wide in this period.
|Dunethin Rock illustrates the principal characteristics of an early beauty spot primarily accessed by means of a river cruise from a seaside resort, including scenic amenity and opportunities for leisure and relaxation.
Accommodating picnic tables and seats within a robust timber framed and clad structure, the picnic shed near the summit of the rock is a fine example of this shelter type designed in the 1950s and commonly found in picnic areas in south-east Queensland.
","criteria_letters":"Criterion E | Criterion A | Criterion D","criteria_definitions":"The place is important because of its aesthetic significance | The place is important in demonstrating the evolution or pattern of Queensland's history | The place is important in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a particular class of cultural places"}, {"heritage_type":"State Heritage","site_id":30336,"place_ref":602698,"name":"North Coast Roadside Rest Areas","alternate_name":"Wyllie Park | Petrie Road Rest Area | Jowarra Road Rest Area | Paynter's Creek Rest Area","street_address":"Steve Irwin Way","suburb":"GLENVIEW","lga":"SUNSHINE COAST REGIONAL COUNCIL","register_entry_date":"2009-02-05","description":"Petrie
The Petrie Road Rest Area is a wooded park located in the outer Brisbane suburb of Petrie. It is a triangle of land bounded on the east by Gympie Road, the west by the North Coast Railway Line and the south by the North Pine River. Access is obtained from Gympie Road.
The entrance is marked by two tall green wooden posts. A bitumen road bordered by wooden bollards runs in a small circuit through the park from the entrance. Just inside the entrance, a granite monument set amongst low shrubs commemorates Frederick Stanwell Parkes, an engineer with the Main Roads Department.
The access road loops around a formal garden which forms the setting for a shelter shed, barbeque and playground. A table and seats are located next to the electric barbeque towards the west of this area. Slightly east of this is the playground. The shelter shed, hexagonal in plan, is located towards the other end of the area.
The northern end of the park and an area west of the barbeque is set aside for campers and caravans. This area is grassed and shaded by mature trees. A cream coloured, masonry lavatory block is located west of the barbeque area.
The southern section of the park comprises a lightly wooded, grassy expanse. Picnic settings and another shelter shed, similar in design to the one at the centre of the park, are located here. Concrete paths run through this area. At one point the path crosses a shallow gully via a small wooden bridge.
Jowarra
To the northwest edge of Steve Irwin Way just south of the Caloundra Road Off Ramp of the Bruce Highway, Jowarra Road Rest Area sits to the edge of the Beerwah Forest Reserve. An access road runs parallel to Steve Irwin Way with turns into a bitumened carpark (accommodating approximately 50 vehicles) to the north end of the park and into the gravelled van bay area (accommodating 9 bays) to south. There are also parking spaces along the access road. A small sign at the entrance to the van area indicates that 'this area is provided for the convenience of the travelling public, maximum stay 20 hours'.
Distinguished by tall mature trees, the park provides a shady retreat for travellers off the busy highway. The grassed area between the carpark and the van area accommodates a picnic shelter, toilet block, concrete water tank, a scatter of concrete picnic tables and seats and the entrance to the Jowarra Walking Tracks.
The picnic shelter consists of concreted coursed rubble stone walls with projecting piers to each corner and the doorways. Standing on a concrete slab floor, the shelter is protected by a timber framed gable roof clad with corrugated metal sheeting. The timber fascia to the northwest carries the words 'MRD Jowarra Park 1960'. Recent steel framed timber topped picnic tables and seats stand within the shelter which has doorways to the long sides. Open windows with concrete sills sit between the piers. An information board (about the Great North Road) sheltered by a small barrel roof stands to the northeast of shelter.
The entrance to the walking tracks is flanked by two piers of concreted random rubble stone. An information board sheltered by a gable roof stands nearby.
Paynter's Creek
Paynter's Creek Road Rest Area is a narrow park well shaded by mature trees set below the west side of Nambour Connection Road approximately three kilometres south of Nambour. Bounded by Cobbs Road to the north, a private property to the west, Paynter Creek to the south and Nambour Connection Road to the east, the park is accessed from Cobbs Road.
A bitumened road edged with timber posts supporting timber cross boards forms a U-shape track through the park. Grassed areas to centre and verges of internal road accommodate timber picnic tables and seats - one set sheltered by a gabled roof. There is a discreet camping area to the northwest and a carparking area off the internal road to the west.
","history":"The roadside rest areas, constructed by the Main Roads Commission (MRC) from the early 1950s on the old Bruce Highway and on roads feeding onto the highway (at Petrie; Jowarra, Landsborough; Paynter's Creek, Woombye) represent a pattern of development of the tourist industry in Queensland intrinsically linked to the rise of motor transport Australia-wide in the second half of the 20th century.
The early 1920s heralded the beginnings of increasing car ownership in Queensland. In 1921, the year registration was introduced in Queensland, there was estimated to be approximately 8,000 motor vehicles in the state. By mid-1923 nearly 17,000 cars were registered. While the demographic of ownership was broadening, it was still very much confined to the affluent. Nonetheless, as more people took to the car, the need for serviceable roads for motor vehicles became apparent.
The State government responded with the establishment of the Queensland Main Roads Board in 1920. Prior to this, the onus was on local shire councils to fund road construction and management. They were largely unable to provide the finances or technical skills to respond to challenges posed by increased car use. After the Board's establishment, co-operative funding arrangements occurred with local councils, who generally maintained roads after their construction. The initial policy of the Main Roads Board was to construct roads that operated as feeders to railway networks and aided the development of newly settled and existing districts. By the end of 1921, the Main Roads Board were surveying and designating main roads throughout the State.
Improvements to road networks during the interwar period strongly influenced the development of the tourist industry on the North Coast. During its first decade of operation, a number of key roads were built with Main Roads assistance on the North Coast. The road to Maleny from Landsborough, built in 1921, was the earliest, described in the 1925 edition of From Noosa to the Tweed, 'as good as any in the state'. Other projects included the road from Palmwoods to Montville and coastal roads to Tewantin, Maroochydore, Coolum and Caloundra.
After many years of agitation by the Great North Coast Road Committee, local authorities and the RACQ, the first declaration of the Bruce Highway, between what is now Rothwell and Eumundi was officially opened in December 1934. By this time, there were nearly 92,000 vehicles in Queensland, mainly concentrated in the south-east corner of the state. The potential for the tourism at North Coast seaside and mountain resorts had been a key factor in the decision by Henry Bruce, Minister for Public Works to allocate Main Roads funds for the road. When first opened, the highway was classified as a 'tourist' road. The Main Roads Annual Report of 1937 commented on the 'remarkable' progress of North Coast seaside resorts, particularly Maroochydore and Caloundra, since the development of the highway and recorded increased traffic on both the highway and connecting roads.
While pressure was exerted for the construction of the through route connecting northern and southern Queensland, it was resisted on the grounds that the railway serviced the needs of land tourists and business travellers and funds were better spent on development projects throughout the state. Gradually however, the Bruce Highway extended further north. By 1942, the route was bitumen sealed between Brisbane and Eumundi.
During World War II the resources of the Main Roads Commission were concentrated on defence projects through the operations of the Allied Works Council. While Queensland gained over 3,000km of defence related roads during this period, including sections that became the Bruce Highway, work on the whole route was delayed. For the first few years after the end of the war in 1945, Main Roads resources were scarce. It wasn't until the 1950s that a more concerted effort on the highway could be undertaken. The highway developed incrementally, by 1962 bitumen sealed between Brisbane and Cairns.
The lifting of petrol rationing by the Menzies federal government, the increased affordability of cars for the wider population and longer paid holidays were catalysts for the growth of motor tourism during the 1950s. By the end of the decade, Australia was second only to the United States in terms of car ownership per head of population. In Queensland, car ownership rose from near 100,000 to over 240,000 between 1950 and 1960. It was during this period that provision of 'off the road' areas, later known as roadside rest areas, became an important aspect of Main Roads Commission operations. The 1951 Penrods Guide to North Coast Shore and Mountain Resorts listed areas at Petrie on the Pine River, Burpengary Creek, and Paynter's Creek between Woombye and Nambour. For motorists travelling from Brisbane to the North Coast and beyond, the Bruce Highway was accessed at Rothwell, via the Hornibrook Bridge or from the Gympie Rd, via Petrie. The rest area located just south of Petrie township catered for those using the Gympie Road.
In 1952, Main Roads noted the areas were 'a factor much appreciated' by motorists. The provision of rest areas was connected to tree planting operations undertaken throughout the state along roads, in towns and at off the road areas. Up to 1952, expenditure on tree planting and 'off the road' facilities, was less than one percent of all Main Roads expenditure. The tree plantings and rest areas can be seen as examples of Main Roads moving beyond pure road building objectives, to enhancing journeys for travelling motorists.
Use of rest areas increased during 1953. Motorists wrote letters to Main Roads to thank them for providing areas. The areas were meant for daylight use, although some had begun to be used as overnight camping places by travellers. On-site concrete or stone fireplaces were provided for travellers to 'boil the billy', while containing the threat of bushfires that could be caused by makeshift roadside fires. Parks close to the fringes of Brisbane were especially popular. One hundred and ninety-two cars were counted at Petrie Park one Sunday, evidence of their high level of patronage. The following year, the Petrie and Burpengary parks were considered to have reached their carrying capacity on weekends.
Main Road's provision of rest areas expanded as their popularity grew. The 1955 Main Roads Annual Report noted the constant use of areas and their 'extreme' popularity, especially with interstate and long-distance travellers. By 1955 a 'fairly comfortable' journey could be made from Brisbane to Cairns in five days. The report also drew attention to the positive effects of the areas after a number of years of observation. Drivers were using the areas for breaks during hot weather 'thereby increasing their driving efficiency'. There was less roadside grassfires and littering. At a national conference of State Road Authorities, other states expressed their interest in Queensland's development of off the road areas, as they were considered to have had made the most progress in this field. The types of land used for these rest areas were divided into four categories; areas severed by resumptions for road works, considered too small to add to adjoining properties purchased by the state; land resumed for road widening, suitable areas on creek and river banks and suitable areas where fine views could be obtained.
Amenities available for travellers at areas were dependent on their size. Smaller areas offered a table and seat and a fireplace, sufficient to stop, eat, drink and continue. Larger areas provided tables and seats in the open and under 'rustic' shelters, fireplaces, water tanks (unless on creeks), 'swinging' rubbish bins and toilets. A number of areas were extensively planted with trees to make them more attractive.
Rest areas rapidly became a popular roadside accommodation option for a growing type of motorist, the caravan tourist. While caravans were appearing on North Coast resorts by the late 1930s, it wasn't until the 1950s that numbers increased substantially. In the early 1950s, relatively few sites in Queensland offered the infrastructure considered as necessary to accommodate caravanning needs. In 1952, the Nambour Chronicle commented on the lack of caravan parks, noting 'several rest areas throughout the North Coast have gone a long way as substitutes' and are well patronised'. These rest areas included Paynter's Creek, constructed by the MRC on approximately ½ acre (0.61 hectare) in 1951, between Woombye and Nambour; Pine River near Petrie (an MRC picnic, caravan and camping area with water and conveniences) available in 1951; Jowarra Rest Area, between Landsborough and Caloundra, and Nadroya, south of Cooroy. Photographic evidence from 1954 shows that the Paynter's Creek Rest Area was used by caravanners. It wasn't until late 1954 that the first caravan park opened on the North Coast section of the Bruce Highway, the Bamboo All Electric at Forest Glen. By 1953, there were increasing numbers of caravans seen on Queensland roads, mostly originating from Victoria and New South Wales. At this time there were 2,320 registered caravans in Queensland. The basic facilities at rest areas combined with the relative self-sufficiency of caravans meant the need to stay in a town could be avoided. The high usage of particular rest areas by caravans by 1955 led Main Roads to restrict stays to 48 hours to ensure facilities were available for casual users.
High use of rest areas led to continual maintenance, undertaken by Main Roads gangs and in some instances local authorities. At Paynter's Creek in 1954 toilet and rubbish facilities were on site and new tree plantings were also in evidence. Four years later minor improvements to Paynter's Creek Rest Area were noted in the 37th Annual Report of the Main Roads Commissioner. By the early 1960s, MRC had upgraded the rest areas, 'Jowarra' on the Bruce Highway-Caloundra intersection, erecting a substantial shelter of concrete and stone; 'Nadroya', just south of Cooroy; and Belli Park on the Mary River road, near Kenilworth. A report on the unveiling of a memorial plaque at Matthew Flinders Park by the Speaker of the Queensland Parliament, the Honourable D.E.Nicholson, M.L.A on 27 July 1963, noted that the Main Roads Department cleared and prepared the site for the memorial 'which will later be developed as a Rest Area, thus providing an amenity for road travellers at a place of great historical interest to Queensland'. This park near Glasshouse Mountains had been the site of a basket picnic for the Bruce Highway's official opening by the Hon H.A. Bruce, the Minister for Works on 15 December 1934 and was the site of a cairn and plaque erected in commemoration of this event in 1934.
Between 1957 and 1970 an ongoing reconstruction of the Bruce Highway between Brisbane and Nambour was undertaken. A 'spectacular' increase in traffic between Nambour and Brisbane occurred during this period, with 1970 volumes three to four times 1957 figures. A number of new concrete bridges and realignments were completed and a major bypass was completed between Burpengary and Beerburrum. A four lane section of roadway was built between Paynter's Creek Bridge and the Maroochydore turn-off and the townships of Beerwah, Glasshouse Mountains and Eumundi were bypassed between 1973 and 1975. From its beginnings in 1934 as a virtual service road to North Coast resorts, the Bruce Highway had by the 1970s become increasingly oriented to through traffic heading north.
By 1971 there were 130 Main Roads rest areas in Queensland. A progressive upgrading of roadside amenities was initiated. New structures were planned for several areas and additional sites were under consideration. Three acres was deemed an acceptable minimum size, while design features needed to be flexible to respond to variable topography and environmental conditions throughout the state. Main Roads considered the most important facilities to be septic toilet blocks, water supply and covered rubbish bins.
Upgrading of rest areas gradually continued throughout the 1970s and early 1980s. Main Roads further developed policies to deal with rest area establishment and the implications of increasing demand and usage of these places. Information was gathered to determine rest area characteristics to assist their development to a standard sufficient to attract motorists to pull of the road for rest and relaxation. The 48 hour restriction introduced in 1955 remained in place in 1980, except in some local shires that forbade overnight stays. In 1980 Main Roads distributed its first brochure detailing rest area locations and facilities available on principal roads throughout Queensland.
Between 1980 and the mid 1990s the old Bruce Highway route between the Beerburrum exit and Cooroy was progressively replaced. By 1985 the four lane roadway between the turn offs to Beerburrum and Caloundra was completed. Construction extended northward eventually by-passing Nambour, Yandina and Cooroy. The original sections of the highway between the Beerburrum and Caloundra exits and Tanawha-Forest Glen have since become tourist drives, a return to their original designation.
Service station food courts and 'Driver Reviver' outlets operating in holiday periods now provide the only opportunities for roadside breaks on the current alignment of the Bruce Highway between Brisbane and Gympie. While the old highway no longer carries the same volume of traffic, the rest areas along the route remain well patronised. While up-dating of facilities has occurred at rest areas, the Main Roads rationale for their provision has remained much the same since the early 1950s. Rest areas provide the motorist with an 'attractive park-like area' off the road to take a break from driving, especially long-distance travellers in cars and those with caravans and trailers, with the aim of reducing fatigue related accidents and improving the total travel experience.
In 2008, only the Petrie, Matthew Flinders, Jowarra and Paynter's Creek road rest areas survive. The Matthew Flinders road rest area has been resumed for the Beerburrum to Landsborough Rail Upgrade Project and is scheduled for demolition.
","criteria":"The old Bruce Highway (and feeder road) Rest Areas [Petrie, Jowarra and Paynter's Creek] (1951-1960) are among the earliest known places of this type associated with a highway that was, at the time, Queensland's most important tourist road. As such, they demonstrate an important phase in the evolution of the State's road network and tourist industry. The early 1950s saw a major increase in medium to long-distance car travel and tourism. The road rest areas were developed to accommodate this trend by providing places at convenient locations where motorists could rest or camp.
The rest areas are also evidence of the early development of caravanning. When caravanning became popular from the early 1950s relatively few sites in Queensland offered the appropriate infrastructure and rest areas throughout the North Coast became important as short term caravanning sites.
|Shady havens, these road rest areas are valued as restful spaces providing travellers with opportunities to relax and enjoy picnicking and other informal leisure activities in pleasant surroundings.
|Petrie, Jowarra and Paynter's Creek road rest areas are fine examples of this place type. Designed to provide a place for travellers to stop to rest, eat and drink before continuing on their journey, they are located in road reserves and/or scenic spots, being easily accessible from a roadway, providing convenient parking for vehicles and accommodating picnic tables and barbeque facilities. Petrie and Jowarra also provide camping and van parking spaces and toilets.
","criteria_letters":"Criterion A | Criterion E | Criterion D","criteria_definitions":"The place is important in demonstrating the evolution or pattern of Queensland's history | The place is important because of its aesthetic significance | The place is important in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a particular class of cultural places"}, {"heritage_type":"State Heritage","site_id":30453,"place_ref":602705,"name":"Peachester Public Dip","alternate_name":null,"street_address":"Peachester Road","suburb":"PEACHESTER","lga":"SUNSHINE COAST REGIONAL COUNCIL","register_entry_date":"2009-04-03","description":"The Peachester Public Cattle Dip with remnant yards is located amongst dense scrub to the north-west of Peachester on the northern side of Peachester Road.
Rectangular in plan, the narrow concrete formed cavity runs east/west with the stepped exit ramp at the west end. The long sides of the dip are lined with vertical, half-height timber boards fixed to sawn timber rails. The dip is sheltered by a gable roof supported by round timber posts, framed with sawn timber and clad with corrugated iron sheeting.
Timber posts standing adjacent to the dip remain from the holding yards.
The site is bounded by a low barbed wire and timber fence.
","history":"Peachester Public Dip is a concrete formed cattle dip framed with slab posts and a sawn timber roof clad in corrugated iron sheeting. It dates from 1915 when it replaced an earlier timber dip built by Landsborough Shire Council on the site, which had been reserved as a Stock Dip Reserve in November 1910. These dips were erected in response to the spread of cattle tick into Queensland which threatened the cattle industry throughout the State and dairying in south-east Queensland.
Cattle tick, Boophilus microplus was probably introduced into Darwin with cattle from Indonesia in the early 1870s. The tick spread south into other parts of the continent and became a major problem for the cattle industry. In 1891 cattle tick reached Queensland bringing with it tick fever caused by three types of blood-born bacteria. By the mid-1890s the tick had spread quickly to the south causing heavy losses among herds. This heightened the need for stock inspection and by the end of the century there were more than 30 inspectors stationed at 28 locations throughout Queensland.
The means of combating tick-fever caused by cattle-tick resulted from research by Charles Joseph Pound who began investigating 'redwater disease of cattle' in the gulf district in 1894. He established that redwater or tick fever was confined to bovines and that the disease was readily transmissible by ticks and identified the genus of tick vector Boophilus. In the mid-1890s, Pound, as Queensland Government Bacteriologist, undertook tick fever inoculation studies. These, the first such trials in Australia, established a methodology and dosage that is still used worldwide. A cattle dip was built at the former Indooroopilly Sheep Quarantine Grounds in 1898 and until 1905 was used by the Department of Agriculture to establish a suitable dipping preparation and procedure for the destruction of cattle ticks.
The Queensland government's response to cattle tick-born tick fever was dipping cattle in infected areas and creating designated tick-free zones with restricted movement of stock from tick-affected to tick-free areas. The Stock Act 1915 regulated the movement of cattle and empowered Stock Inspectors to enforce tick control measures. Government cattle dips were established at the entry points between tick-infested and tick-free zones. Tick gates were located at various points on the New South Wales-Queensland border.
Between the late 1880s and the 1900s the dairy industry in Queensland grew rapidly. Queensland's total number of dairy cattle in 1898 was 80,000; by 1910, this had grown to 350,000. Initially, dairying was concentrated in south-east Queensland and by the mid-1900s it was emerging as the principal rural industry of the North Coast area. Major areas of development were along the fertile valleys of the main rivers and tributaries.
At Peachester, dairying became the major occupation in the early 1900s. From 1907 all Peachester cream was transported to the Beerwah railway station and railed to the Caboolture Butter Factory. Before that the small amount of cream produced went to the Silverwood Butter Factory in Gympie.
Following World War I, dairying in Queensland entered a boom period. By the 1930s, when dairy production peaked, it had emerged as the second largest primary industry in Queensland accounting for 20% of primary production. Dairying was regarded as the principal primary industry in the southeast and continued to expand.
At the local level, in response to a request from Peachester dairy farmers, the Landsborough Shire Council built a wooden dip at the site of the Peachester Stock Dip Reserve. This was replaced by a concrete one built circa 1915 by a Landsborough man who built several other dips on private properties in the area.
A caretaker was appointed to oversee the dip. He was responsible for 'charging' the dip with the mixture of arsenic and soda that was used. Water was carted from the nearby Stanley River to keep it filled. One day per week, usually Saturday, was set aside for dipping and a fee of two pence per head was charged. As more farmers built their own dips the Peachester Public Dip fell into disuse.
Although the older, smaller public plunge dips such as Peachester have fallen into disuse, large public dips along the line between the tick-infested and tick-free areas in Queensland are still operational. From 1935 tick resistance to arsenic led to the use of other chemicals in dips; initially DDT, then organo-phospates, and carbamates. Research undertaken by C.J. Pound and later the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), led to the development of various tick vaccines and antibiotics to treat infected animals. With the development of a successful anti-tick vaccine, inoculation against ticks became available from the 1990s. Today farmers and graziers in tick-susceptible areas often use spray- rather than plunge dips, in conjunction with tick-resistant cattle breeds, pasture rotation and vaccination to control cattle ticks.
","criteria":"Peachester Public Dip is important as rare surviving evidence of the practice of plunge dipping cattle at locally-developed, small public dips that was common in the first few decades of the 20th century. This practice has been largely superseded by large public dips at the borders of tick-free areas and technological innovations in the treatment of cattle tick infestation.
|Peachester Public Dip (built 1915) is important in demonstrating the evolution of the Queensland government's response to the threat to its cattle-based industries that the spread of tick fever caused from the 1890s by providing public dips on reserved land.
Peachester Public Dip was an important component in the management of dairy cattle within the North Coast region, one of the major dairy production areas in Queensland.
|Peachester Public Dip demonstrates the principal characteristics of a plunge cattle dip used to combat cattle tick in the early part of the 20th century. These characteristics include the rectilinear dip formed in concrete with a stepped concrete ramp up from the dip; a timber-framed, gabled roof clad in corrugated iron sheeting and posts of the associated holding yards.
","criteria_letters":"Criterion B | Criterion A | Criterion D","criteria_definitions":"The place demonstrates rare, uncommon or endangered aspects of Queensland's cultural heritage | The place is important in demonstrating the evolution or pattern of Queensland's history | The place is important in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a particular class of cultural places"}, {"heritage_type":"State Heritage","site_id":30454,"place_ref":602707,"name":"Cotton Tree Caravan Park","alternate_name":null,"street_address":"Cotton Tree Parade","suburb":"COTTON TREE","lga":"SUNSHINE COAST REGIONAL COUNCIL","register_entry_date":"2009-04-03","description":"The Cotton Tree Caravan Park occupies a large, flat parcel of land (almost 9 hectares) on the southern bank of the Maroochy River mouth and is bounded to the east by the northern end of Maroochydore Beach; on the south by Cotton Tree Parade and The Esplanade; and to the west by Cotton Tree Park. Highly dynamic in response to prevailing coastal, tidal, cyclonic and flood conditions, the position of the river channel and its associated beach has historically shifted from north to south, most recently breaking through to the south of Pincushion Island in 2002. Efforts to mitigate the negative effects of this cyclical shift are evidenced in a number of sand-filled geo-textile groynes all along the Caravan Park's beach and the placement of two reinforced concrete piers extending from Cotton Tree Park into the estuary. From the northern edge of the Park above the coastal plain there are spectacular views that encompass the high-rise development of Maroochydore, the Conservation Parks of the coastal plain, as well as the volcanic features of the Ninderry Range, Mt Coolum, and Mudjimba Island off the coast.
The Park is organised around a simple arrangement of bitumen streets with curbing and landscaping, unfinished pathways, cabins, caravan lots and camping places; offering over 400 accommodation sites in differing styles. Accommodation types include: grassed caravan sites or those with a concrete slab (approximately 278), camping sites (approximately 136), cabins (6), and a two-storey beach house. There is a mixture of powered and unpowered caravan and camping sites. Where the grid of streets meets the Maroochy River beach it is more organic in form, while the remaining areas are orthogonal. The camping area occupies a well-treed area of land in the north-eastern corner of the Park, on a small headland where the Maroochy River meets the ocean and looking out over the beach to Pincushion Island. The cabins are located in two groups of three, one near the end of the entrance road by the river beach and another next to the exit. The beach house is also adjacent to the Park's exit.
Vehicular entrance to the Caravan Park comes off the intersection of King Street, Cotton Tree Parade and The Esplanade and is marked by two stands of mature Cotton trees (Hibiscus tiliaceus): one to the right on a small parcel of the Caravan Park's property and another, containing possibly the site's oldest specimens, occupying the easternmost tip of Cotton Tree Park. Proceeding from this intersection, to the left are an amenity block (No. 1 marked on site diagram below) and the Caravan Park's office and site manager's residence. The street continues toward the river beach before branching out to the right and left. On the left, in the western corner of the Park are located about 14% of the Park's caravan sites. The remainder of the Park's sites are located to the right. Vehicular exit is at the corner of Cotton Tree Parade and Alexandra Parade, approximately 65 metres to the east of the main entrance.
Five amenity blocks are positioned around the site providing ablution and laundry facilities. The earliest of the amenity blocks appears to be No. 2, which is single-storey and dates from the 1962/63 Council renovation of the Park. It has butterfly and skillion roof sections clad in corrugated fibrous cement sheeting and incorporates a palette of materials in its wall construction including brick, painted concrete block and breeze block infill. It is founded on a large concrete slab. There are three BBQ places with shelters provided in the Park, all in the north-eastern corner.
A number of permanent caravan dwellings occupy lots in the Park. These caravans are most often decorated or extended in various ways to facilitate year-round occupation. These embellishments include: small gardens, paving, air-conditioning, verandah and patio additions, a second roof layer built over the top of the caravan to prevent heat gain, and infill materials fixed around the edges to hide under-caravan spaces.
The cabin accommodation provided by the Cotton Tree Caravan Park comprises small, single-storey structures, raised off the ground on steel columns. The vaulted roofs clad in corrugated iron extend over a front verandah. Walls are clad in weatherboards. The beach house is a two-storey building with walls clad in chamfer boards and main hipped roof in corrugated iron.
Other vegetation types on the Caravan Park site include a variety of squat and tall Palm trees (possibly of the Archontophoenix or Dypsis genus, along the river beach and along the western Park boundary), young Norfolk Island pines (toward the Maroochydore Beach end), Cotton Trees (in the camping area and against the ocean beach) Horsetail she-oaks (Casuarina equisetifolia) in the camping area and shielding the Park from the ocean beach, and some mature Paper-barked Tea Trees (Melaleuca quinquenervia, particularly in the area to the north and west of Amenity Block No. 3).
","history":"The lower reaches of the Maroochy River began to develop as a place of resort in the 1880s. On the southern bank at its mouth, where Cotton Tree Caravan Park is sited, a 215 acre Wharf and Water reserve was gazetted in 1873. Holiday makers informally camped on the reserve among the native Cotton trees (Hibiscus tiliaceus). The use of the reserve, adjacent to a calm, shallow stretch of the river, reflected the preferences of the Victorian era for seaside swimming, boating and fishing. Similar locations for resort on the North Coast developed in the same period at Caloundra and Tewantin.
The Salvation Army established the area as a well known resort location. A yearly 'Maroochy Heads encampment' was organised over the short break between Christmas and the New Year. The encampment provided a range of religious and leisure activities for local settlers and South Sea Islanders working on sugar cane farms at nearby Buderim, with alcohol, gambling and dancing prohibited. The first reported encampment was in 1896, when over 200 people stayed on the reserve. Later advertising by the Salvation Army suggests the encampment may have begun as early as 1888.
The encampment became a popular annual event. Over Christmas 1905, 400 people camped on the reserve. The surf beach immediately south of the river mouth gradually became more popular for swimming and in 1908 a life saving reel was installed. While the resort charms of the Maroochy region gained wider exposure in the 1900s and outside tourists became more common, campers were predominantly from the Blackall Range and districts surrounding Nambour until the interwar period.
By the 1910s, the encampment, advertised as 'Nature's Pick Me Up', had extended to two weeks duration. Tents were available for hire, erected for a small fee. Meals were offered in the dining tent and a large marquee was used for gatherings, while a kiosk operated by the Salvation Army sold bread, soft drinks, lollies and fruit. Two other private kiosks were in operation on the site by 1913. Wells were sunk in the sand to source fresh water and Maroochy Shire Council erected a new jetty and bathing sheds in 1912.
In 1908, the Queensland government included much of the 1873 reserve within its survey of the Township of Maroochydore (which included Cotton Tree). The potential loss of public land attracted strong resistance from campers and the Maroochy Shire Council, and land sales did not proceed immediately. A second attempt in 1914 to sell Maroochydore town lots also met with strong public resistance. On Boxing Day 1914, over 500 people voiced their opposition at a public meeting held on the reserve in the Salvation Army marquee. In early 1915 the new TJ Ryan Labor government announced their intention to proceed with the sales. While objections were lodged with the Lands Department and protestors criticised the 'bartering of people's heritage for money', the government proceeded with auctioning the allotments under perpetual lease from December 1915.
Seventeen remaining acres of the original reserve was re-gazetted for Camping and Recreation in September 1916. This north-easterly portion of the reserve was not submitted for sale because it was considered tidal. Following the land sales, the number of seasonal campers on the reserve appears to have declined, until 1926, when more 'canvas houses' than in previous years were noted. The Salvation Army's involvement with the site decreased, replaced by a Methodist mission over summer 1919/20. The last reported Salvation Army encampment took place in 1929, with 100 tents on the reserve.
The Maroochy Shire Council's involvement in managing the Cotton Tree reserve gradually increased during the interwar period. A new jetty was constructed in 1923 and new bathing sheds were constructed in 1929. Sanitation was an important concern for the increasing number of visitors to the site, with Health Inspector's ensuring the wells and cabinets at Cotton Tree were cleaned before holidays. Under its Seaside Improvement Scheme, the council improved access to the reserve during 1940, with camping fees introduced by this time. New camping areas were also established on the beachfront extending south to Mooloolaba. In 1941, the reserve was re-gazetted, with Maroochy Shire Council as trustee.
During the interwar period, coastal resorts to the south and north of Brisbane (today's Gold and Sunshine Coasts) became more reliant on the provision of adequate roads and bridges to attract and deliver the growing amount of motor-driven tourists. Improvements to road networks during this period strongly influenced the development of the tourist industry in the Maroochy area. Until the late 1920s, the Maroochy River was the key transport route to Maroochydore, with most visitors arriving by motor launch at the Cotton Tree jetty, via Nambour Railway Station and the Moreton Mill tramway. In 1922 the Maroochy Shire Council began work on a road suitable for motor vehicles between Nambour and Maroochydore. By 1927 the route was upgraded to a Main Road, effectively ending the Maroochy River's role as the key transport artery for Maroochydore.
The first section of the Bruce Highway, between what is now Rothwell and Eumundi, was opened in December 1934. For the first time, motor tourists from Brisbane had reliable access to the North Coast, with a trip to Maroochydore taking approximately two hours. The potential for tourism growth at North Coast seaside and mountain resorts had been a key factor in the decision to allocate Main Roads funds to this project, and when first opened, the highway was classified as a 'tourist' road.
The Main Roads Annual Report of 1937 commented on the 'remarkable' progress of North Coast seaside resorts, particularly Maroochydore and Caloundra, following construction of the highway, and recorded increased traffic on both the highway and connecting roads. A bitumen road between Maroochydore Post Office and Cotton Tree was completed by January 1937.
The improvements to the road network fostered the beginnings of caravan tourism on the North Coast. Caravanning, essentially another version of camping, developed as a result of increased car usage during the interwar period. The earliest versions of caravans were more like motorhomes; cars with bodies modified by their owners to include a rear compartment for sleeping and storage. Australian manufacturers of towed caravans had appeared by the late 1920s, some moving into the industry from building car bodies. Self-built caravans were also popular, with manuals published on their construction and fittings. By 1937, Australian enthusiasts had their own journal and motoring supplements in newspapers were devoting column space to caravans. Caravans were reported alongside tents at Maroochy seaside camping grounds by the end of 1937, with the region's earliest private caravan accommodation, Tooway Park near Caloundra, under construction in the same period. By 1939, 169 caravans were registered in Queensland.
For the affluent motor tourist who holidayed at seaside camping grounds, caravans offered freedom and flexibility, without sacrificing comfort. As a 'home away from home', fitted with modern conveniences, caravans were markedly different from the simplicity of camping under a canvas tent. They were an alternative to local hotels and guesthouses, which were in high demand during peak seasons and offered varying levels of quality.
Camping numbers at Cotton Tree steadily increased during the late 1930s, and continued to do so following the end of World War II. Summer 1945/46 attracted record crowds to Maroochy and by summer 1950/51, an additional water well was necessary for campers. Police were stationed on the reserve during holidays and there was a daily attendance of officers from the Maroochy Shire Health Department. A new ranger's office was built in time for Christmas 1953, when an estimated 4000 people camped on the waterfront between Maroochydore and Mooloolaba.
The popularity of caravans became more noticeable by the end of the 1940s with an estimated 12,000 caravans on Australian roads by the end of 1948. In 1949, increasing numbers of caravans were noted on North Coast roads. The RACQ urged local authorities on tourist routes to provide 'well equipped camps' to prepare for the boom'. Over the 1951/52 season, the number of interstate caravans at Maroochy campgrounds was noted and calls continued for more sites for caravans.
The lifting of petrol rationing by the Menzies Federal government, the increased affordability of cars for the wider population and longer paid holidays were catalysts for the growth of mass motor tourism during the 1950s. In turn, this growth influenced the number of caravan users and the associated development of caravan parks. Queensland's caravan registration figures grew rapidly during the decade from 2320 in 1953, to 5406 in 1961.
In the 1950s relatively few sites in Queensland offered the infrastructure considered desirable for accommodating caravanning needs. Caravan advocates looked to the United States and the United Kingdom for examples of best practice in caravan parks (also known as trailer parks and auto camps). Caravanning guides and journals offered suggestions for layout and features. These involved a more formal arrangement of space than camping, characterised by a grid or circular design and landscaped grounds. Features to consider included a location near a main road, a prominent entrance, recreation room, brick amenities block, levelled concrete slabs, landscaping, hot showers and electricity.
The Maroochy Shire Council played a key role on the Sunshine Coast in developing caravanning facilities. One of its earliest responses was in 1939, when it established a short-lived "auto-camp' in Nambour. In August 1952, the Alexandra Headland Caravan Park was opened" by the local State member Mr G. Nicklin. Mr A.E. Docherty of the Caravan Club of Australia congratulated Maroochy Shire in their 'pioneering venture,' on what was thought to be the first council sponsored Caravan Park to be officially opened in Australia. This park was closed in 1972.
By 1951, the Maroochy council had allocated 30 sites for caravans at Cotton Tree, although this was a fairly small amount compared to the 450 tent sites on offer. A decade later, attention was being drawn to the poor state of the Cotton Tree campground for growing caravanning needs, as demonstrated by the small number of caravans on-site. The area was still informally laid-out and uneven, with little in the way of clearly marked camp sites or permanent tracks.
Over 1962/63, the Maroochy Shire Council undertook substantial improvements to the site, including the construction of a new amenities block and a more organised east-west grid arrangement of sites for caravans and tents. The scale of the upgrading was recognised in 1964, when Cotton Tree was rated as one of the top 'holiday parks' in Australia. More caravans were on-site, coupled with an increase in length of time stayed. In 1966, local division Councillor L. Pierce claimed the Cotton Tree reserve was Maroochy Shire's greatest asset, an acknowledgment of the importance of tourism to the region's economy.
In 1968, there were at least nine council and 20 privately operated caravan parks on the Sunshine Coast. This was a significant increase since 1960, when the Australian Caravan and Touring Manual listed nine in total, marking the decade as a high point for caravan park development on the Sunshine Coast. The Cotton Tree reserve was by this time operating under the name of Cotton Tree Caravan Park. Conveniences included town water, a septic system, washing machines, irons, bottled gas and ice.
By the 1970s, caravanning holidays were a common leisure practice in Australia. A self-contained holiday in a caravan was an annual ritual for many campers, often returning to the same park year after year, members of a holiday community linked by shared experiences of place. After private houses, caravans were the most popular form of holiday accommodation in Australia in 1976. Caravan parks were recognised as significant contributors to local economies in tourist regions, through accommodation fees and flow on effects to other local businesses. By 1978, there were 300 powered sites at Cotton Tree, the largest caravan park on the Sunshine Coast.
The process of periodically updating facilities of caravan parks, while retaining their low scale and relative affordability, is a common feature of their development. In 1975, a major redesign of Cotton Tree Caravan Park was prepared by Maroochy Shire Council's Design Department. The number of sites was reduced to lessen crowding and to provide more individual space, and concrete slabs for caravan annexes and sewerage were installed. Maroochy Shire Council announced further upgrades to the site in 1979, at an estimated cost of $105,000. Among the works were new water, sewerage and power connections to sites, sealing and kerbing of internal roads and additional concrete slabs for caravans. The council intent was to make the site one of an 'international standard', that would continue to generate income for the Shire. Photographic evidence reveals that between 1975 and 1985, the internal streets and adjacent sites were realigned on a predominantly north-south orientation.
The position of the Cotton Tree reserve on the mouth of the Maroochy has resulted in fluctuations in its size, and has exposed the site to extreme weather events such as king tides, cyclones and floods. At various times, sand has been deposited and reclaimed at the northern end of the site. When the reserve was re-gazetted in 1941 the area was almost 17 hectares, more than double its 1916 size. By 1976 it was approximately 7.44 hectares, changing again in 1994 to 8.72 hectares.
During the 1990s, the park was divided into two separate entities, Cotton Tree and Pincushion. Pincushion, at the eastern end of the reserve, was less formally organised than Cotton Tree and mainly catered to campers in tents. The two operations were amalgamated in 2004, with the manager's residence at Pincushion converted into the 'beach house' accommodation. The park has continued to update facilities, with a number of cabins, amenities blocks and barbeques built. Near the entrance to the park, 'the Cotton Tree', a remnant of the earlier cotton trees on the reserve, remains a landmark feature of the site.
Over the last 25 years, development on the Sunshine Coast has been especially rapid, with the residential population growing at around twice the rate of the State as a whole. The Sunshine Coast is now Queensland's third largest tourist destination in terms of holiday accommodation after the Gold Coast and Cairns. Along the waterfront, a landscape increasingly dominated by medium to high rise buildings, an intensive amount of development has occurred for a range of retail, residential and tourist uses. Against this trend, Cotton Tree Caravan Park has sustained its use as a low scale, relatively affordable option for waterfront tourist accommodation. The park remains a popular destination, especially over traditional holiday periods.
","criteria":"Cotton Tree Caravan Park is important in demonstrating the pattern of development of the Sunshine Coast, an historically important region for the development of seaside tourism in Queensland. Originally gazetted as a Wharf and Water reserve in 1873, re-gazetted for Camping and Recreation purposes in 1916, Cotton Tree Caravan Park has sustained its use as a seaside camping ground since the 1880s. It illustrates the policy and practice by early Queensland governments of reserving Crown land for public purposes in prime waterside areas, which was common, but is now rarely practiced.
Cotton Tree Caravan Park is important in demonstrating the evolution of tourist accommodation on the Sunshine Coast, an historically important region for the development of caravan parks in Queensland. The Park's reconfiguration in 1962/63 during the boom period for caravanning (late 1950s and 1960s) and subsequent periodic updates to its basic facilities, were a response intrinsically linked to the rise of mass motoring Australia-wide in the second half of the 20th century.
|Cotton Tree Caravan Park is important in illustrating the essential characteristics of an early seaside reserve used for recreational camping, a land use and custom that has made a strong contribution to the development of seaside tourism in Queensland. The Park's setting, adjacent to the mouth of the Maroochy River is a location typical for 19th century seaside camping grounds and demonstrates the preference at the time for still water bathing and recreation.
Cotton Tree Caravan Park demonstrates the principal characteristics of a seaside caravan park. On a prime waterfront location, with immediate access to both still water and surf, the place offers opportunities to interact with, and appreciate the natural beauty of its setting. Easily accessed by motor vehicles, and organised around a simple grid of streets and landscaping, the Park offers a range of accommodation types, which are served by a range of facilities that include ablution blocks, barbeques and picnic areas. The range of accommodation and amenities has evolved over time to meet the changing needs of its clientele, while remaining low-scale and relatively affordable for holidaymakers.
","criteria_letters":"Criterion A | Criterion D","criteria_definitions":"The place is important in demonstrating the evolution or pattern of Queensland's history | The place is important in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a particular class of cultural places"}, {"heritage_type":"State Heritage","site_id":30455,"place_ref":602708,"name":"Tripcony Hibiscus Caravan Park","alternate_name":"Caloundra Waterfront Holiday Park","street_address":"Bowman Road","suburb":"CALOUNDRA","lga":"SUNSHINE COAST REGIONAL COUNCIL","register_entry_date":"2009-04-03","description":"Screened from the road by rows and clumps of leafy trees and shrubs, the Tripcony Hibiscus Caravan Park stands on the busy four-laned Bowman Road opposite the large Stockland shopping complex at the south end of Caloundra. Nestled into the cove at the north end of the Pumicestone Channel, the caravan park has expansive views across to Bribie Island, views southeast to Bulcock Beach and southwest to Golden Beach. The caravan park terminates a strip of high-rise apartments to the east and is separated by a drain from Leach Park to the south.
Pumicestone Creek runs through the property dividing it into two sections -Tripcony to the east and Hibiscus to the west.
The main entrance is from Bowman Road where there is a skillion roof, two-storey, concrete block and fibro office and a number of temporary car parking bays. A boom gate south of the Bowman Road entrance marks the entry to the Hibiscus side of the caravan park and the Tripcony side is entered from the east off Tripcony Lane.
Both parts of the caravan park are organised around a grid of bituminised roadways. Both grids have the main roadways running north/south. Hibiscus has a circular section off grid to the southeast and the east/west roadways on the Tripcony side are slightly off the perpendicular.
The park offers a mix of temporary and permanent accommodation sites. The temporary sites include on-site vans and single-storey cabins, concrete slabs to take vans brought on site and grassed areas for tent camping. The permanent sites accommodate a variety of structures including vans, cabins and sheds with a range of extensions and personalising elements like gardens, low fences, outdoor areas and decorative features.
Both sides of the park have a large masonry ablutions block.
A grassed strip runs around the south and southeast end of the Hibiscus side and accommodates seats, a barbeque area and a concrete slipway boat ramp. Pine and pandanas trees are prominent along the waterfront and a range of vegetation including palms and cotton trees is scattered across the park.
","history":"Tripcony Hibiscus Caravan Park is located between Bowman Road and Pumicestone Passage on a site long recognised as the entrance to Caloundra. The caravan park has two sections separated by Pumicestone Creek. Tripcony is located on the coast guard (eastern) side of Pumicestone Creek while Hibiscus is situated on the Leach's Park (western) side of the Creek. The whole of this land (20 acres) was reserved for wharf purposes by 1877, demonstrating the importance of transportation to the early township. It was later re-designated as a camping reserve in 1912 as the settlement's popularity as a seaside resort increased. As motorised transport became dominant and leisure time increased, particularly post-World War II, this site was converted into a caravan park to meet the needs of the growing number of caravanning holiday-makers whose destination was the North Coast (later Sunshine Coast). Its still-water seaside location in close proximity to a major road with easy access for cars, and its range of accommodation and amenities, which have evolved over time, demonstrate all the features of a typical caravan park.
The North Coast region including Caloundra began to develop as a holiday destination at the end of the 19th century. Caloundra and other sites in south-east Queensland such as Tewantin, the Redcliffe Peninsula and Southport developed as resorts. This reflected the preferences of the Victorian era for a calm shallow stretch of river or still-water seaside location which allowed safe bathing, boating and fishing. Camping along rivers and on reserves occurred especially over the Christmas-New Year period. These resort settlements became more popular as accessibility was improved.
The history of the Tripcony Hibisicus Caravan Park site is linked to the development of transport to this region. Originally 20 acres of land, it was set aside as a wharf reserve by 1877. Shortly afterwards in 1879, the Pumicestone Passage was surveyed and beaconed by the crew of the Shadow for Thomas Tripcony, oystergetter, of Cowie Bank. Initially all stores were brought from Brisbane and passengers for Caloundra arrived via Bribie Island making this site (known as Black Flat or Tripcony Flat) an important entry-point for Caloundra. Passengers from Brisbane arrived at Bongaree Jetty on Bribie Island on the steamer Koopa. From there the Tripcony boat brought visitors to Caloundra. The first store in Caloundra, located at Black Flat near the wharf reserve, was started by family member, Andrew Tripcony in about 1912.
In 1912 the Wharf Reserve was gazetted as a Camping Reserve and functioned as this for the next four and a half decades. It was referred to by various names including Black Flat Camping Reserve, Tripcony Camping Reserve and South End Reserve. The Landsborough Shire Council erected a windmill and tank to provide a water supply for campers.
Initially North Coast tourists arrived by train at stations between Landsborough and Cooroy before using local forms of motorised transport to reach coastal destinations from railway stations between Landsborough to Cooroy but the interwar period saw substantial improvements to the region's road transport network. From the early 1920s, road works by local councils and the Main Roads Commission improved connections between inland and coastal settlements. Subdivision and sale of the Bulcock Estate to the north of the Camping Reserve circa 1917 brought settlers and holiday-makers to Caloundra. Guesthouses opened and by the 1920s, several boat hire businesses were operating, and the township had a general store, butcher and baker.
Continued improved road access from Brisbane and inland towns during the 1930s increased the popularity of the North Coast as a resort. Development accelerated after the new road to Caloundra was built in 1935 and most of the Bruce Highway to Nambour was bituminised during the 1930s. With improved access for visitors from Brisbane, it was not unusual to see 600 or 700 cars parked on Caloundra's foreshores. Building activity reflected this popularity and included: a new subdivision of housing allotments at Moffat Head; the Amusu picture theatre (1935) in Bulcock Street; the Kings Beach Pavilion with kiosk and changing sheds (1937); the Queensland Governor's Curramundi House at Dicky Beach (1936); and the Semloh, café, store and guesthouse (c1937). Land was resumed from the Bulcock Beach Esplanade in 1935 for recreational purposes and a camping ground was established in the water reserve.
In the immediate post-war period the Landsborough Shire Council intended to improve the Black Flat Camping Reserve. It proposed in its post-war plan to level, drain and grass the camping reserve and in 1947 the Shire Council applied for a £1000 loan for improvements to the camping areas at Black Flat and Kings Beach. During the summer of 1949-50 it was observed that Black Flat (South End) Reserve could be improved. It was capable of accommodating more campers if campsites were better organised. Traffic on a dirt road on the eastern side churned up dust that went throughout the camp area. Improvements were made to the camping area in subsequent years. Trees were planted in 1952 and an additional water supply to Black Flat reserve was requested in March 1953.
The popularity of the site was evident in the early 1950s. The Assembly of God ran a 'Camp and Campaign' in 1953 at Black Flat. In the following year the Nambour Chronicle noted that Black Flat was popular among caravan owners who were enthusiastic black fish anglers.
With the considerable growth of car ownership during the interwar period caravans began appearing on Queensland roads. Caravans offered freedom for the affluent motor tourist, without sacrificing comfort. As a 'home away from home', fitted with modern conveniences, caravans were markedly different from the simplicity of camping under a canvas tent. Caravans were an alternative to local hotels and guesthouses, the latter being in high demand during peak seasons, and providing varying levels of quality.
Post-World War II the popularity of caravans became more noticeable as the tourist industry resumed its pre-war expansion predicated on improved roads. The growth of motor tourism during the 1950s was stimulated by the lifting of petrol rationing by the Menzies government, the increased affordability of cars for the wider population and longer paid holidays. In 1946, the Road Ahead was noting the numbers of motor tourists from Victoria and New South Wales holidaying in Queensland. There was estimated to be 12,000 caravans on Australia roads by 1948-1949. The Caravan Club of Australia was formed in 1948 and a Brisbane branch had been established by 1951, offering advice to visitors.
The popularity of caravanning in Queensland was fostered by the RACQ which pushed for changes to restrictive road laws and improved caravanning facilities. The 1950 Queensland Traffic Act limited cars towing caravans to 25 miles per hour, compared to 50 for cars. By 1960 this speed had been lifted to 40. From 1949 when increasing numbers of caravans were appearing on North Coast roads the RACQ was urging local authorities on tourist routes to provide 'well equipped camps 'to prepare for the boom'. In 1954, RACQ Secretary Len King drew attention to the poor state of Queensland's caravan parks, noting that the average caravanner spent £5 in the local area in which they stayed.
The increasing number of caravan users in turn stimulated development of caravan parks. Private developers were the first to offer caravan parks from the late 1930s with modern facilities and structured layout. However, in the early 1950s, relatively few sites in Queensland offered the necessary infrastructure to accommodate caravanning needs. Calls for improvements to sites and facilities accompanied increased caravan usage. Advocates looked to the United States and the United Kingdom for examples of best practice in caravan parks. Caravanning guides and journals offered suggestions for layout and features. The publication Modern Caravan Parks offered advice to local authorities and others interested in establishing caravan parks. Suggestions included a more formal arrangement of space than camping required, characterised by grid or circular layouts and landscaped grounds. Features of caravan parks became a location near a main road, a prominent entrance, recreation room, brick amenities block, levelled concrete slabs, landscaping, hose connections, hot showers and electricity. They also had on-site caretakers/proprietors. Many parks offered on-site vans for rental. 'Tradespeople' called to deliver essentials like bread and milk. A common characteristic of public (and private) camping grounds and caravan parks has been the continual updating of their facilities.
Requests for development of the Black Flat site as a caravan park started as early as 1950. In October that year a formal application from E.G. Sinclair of Sydney to the Landsborough Shire Council to develop Black Flat Camping Reserve as a modern caravan park and holiday area was considered, but did not proceed. In 1955 the Caloundra Development Association suggested that Black Flat camping area be developed by private enterprise as a camping and caravan park thus saving expense to ratepayers. The Landsborough Shire Council advised that the area was reserved and could not be leased. In 1957, G.F.R. Nicklin, MLA and Leader of the Opposition, presented the Lands Department with a request to develop a caravan park at the entrance to Caloundra, on behalf of Caloundra public bodies. The request was granted and this reserve became Hibiscus Caravan Park.
By 1960, a mix of public and private parks had been established on the North (Sunshine) Coast. Development of these caravan parks expanded during the 1960s. An inspection by RACQ club officials in 1962 of the state's caravan and camping grounds noted the progress through local government efforts, especially advancements by privately owned parks. Many council camping grounds became known as 'caravan parks' as site facilities became more geared to their use. Names of parks could evoke the exotic history of caravanning, while others, like Hibiscus, highlighted natural features.
By the 1970s, caravanning was a well established and common leisure practice. A self-contained holiday in a caravan became an annual ritual for many campers, often returning to the same park year after year, members of a holiday community linked by shared experiences of place.
After private houses, caravans were the most popular form of holiday accommodation in Australia in 1976. They were significant contributors to local economies in tourist regions, through accommodation fees and flow on effects to other local businesses.
Over time, the affordability of caravan park accommodation has attracted more long term residents. This has included retirees, people experiencing economic hardship and seasonal or temporary workers. In accordance with this trend, the Tripcony Hibiscus Caravan Park moved into this sphere of accommodation and currently has about 80 permanent residents on the Hibiscus side of the caravan park.
During the last 25 years development on the North Coast has been especially rapid with the population of the Sunshine Coast growing at around twice the rate of the State as a whole. The Sunshine Coast is now Queensland's third largest tourist destination in terms of holiday accommodation after the Gold Coast and Cairns. This has meant that although there is still strong demand for caravan park accommodation, there is also increased pressure for these strategically and attractively located, undeveloped sites to be utilised for other accommodation types or returned to parkland. In 1979 the Reserve for Camping (106) was divided into two portions with the establishment of portion 566 (Hibiscus) and Leach Park, while portion 764 became the remainder (Tripcony).
The closure of caravan parks in coastal areas began in the 1970s as more intensive commercial and residential development occurred in the region. On the coastal strip between Noosa and Caloundra in 1968, there were 24 sites operating as caravan parks and five out of the six council camping reserves offered facilities for caravans, including power. In 2007, there are 16 caravan parks remaining on the coastal strip and no council camping reserves.
In the late 1980s the Hibiscus Caravan Park lease was obtained from the Caloundra City Council by a private developer. The Caloundra City Council requested that the Queensland Government cancel the Reserve for Camping for the land on which the Tripcony Caravan Park was located as it did not require, and would not in the future, require the land for public purposes. This was approved by Cabinet and a lease for the land issued to the land developer who already held the Hibiscus Caravan Park lease. Later the development company became insolvent and the company's creditor, the Bank of South Australia, sold the lease to SEQ Properties. This company requested a lease to continue operating the caravan park. Subsequently the Department of Natural Resources and Water issued a lease to SEQ Properties for 15 years from 1993. Since then the company has upgraded and operated it a tourist caravan park comprising 190 sites with a selection of waterfront ensuite units, cabins, backpackers units, powered sites and tent sites. Today the Tripcony Hibiscus Caravan Park is one of only four remaining caravan parks in Caloundra.
In 2009, future land use of caravan park sites, particularly on Crown land, remains a contentious topic. Local communities and visitors have come to attach special significance to caravan parks as places of leisure, which has been demonstrated by their efforts to protect council-operated caravan parks on Crown land along the Queensland coast. The current lessee of the Tripcony Hibiscus Caravan Park site, SEQ Properties, has been offered a new 30-year lease of the site for caravan park purposes. This followed an exhaustive investigation into options for the future use of the site culminating in the announcement by the Premier of Queensland, Anna Bligh, that the continuing use of the site as a caravan park demonstrated her Government's commitment to retaining caravan parks on State-owned land for low-cost tourism.
","criteria":"Tripcony Hibiscus Caravan Park represents a land use and custom that has made a strong contribution to the pattern and evolution of Queensland's tourism history. It is an excellent example of a camping and caravanning site that has been used by Queensland holiday-makers since 1912. Located adjacent to an area of quiet water allowing easy access for swimming, boating and fishing activities, Tripcony Hibiscus Caravan Park is important in illustrating the essential characteristics of early camping reserves.
Tripcony Hibiscus Caravan Park demonstrates the principal characteristics of a waterside caravan park. On a prime waterfront location with immediate access to still water, the place offers opportunities to interact with, and appreciate the natural beauty of its setting. Easily accessed by motor vehicles, and organised around a simple grid of streets and landscaping, the Park offers a range of accommodation types, which are served by a range of facilities that include ablutions blocks, barbeques and picnic areas. The range of accommodation and amenities has evolved over time to meet the changing needs of its clientele, while remaining low-scale and relatively affordable for holidaymakers.
|Tripcony Hibiscus Caravan Park is important in demonstrating the pattern of development of the Sunshine Coast, an important region for the development of seaside tourism in Queensland. Originally gazetted as a Wharf and Water reserve in 1877 and re-gazetted for Camping and Recreation purposes in 1912, Tripcony Hibiscus Caravan Park has sustained its use as a seaside camping ground. It illustrates the policy of colonial Queensland governments of reserving Crown land for public purposes, a practice which was common but is now rare.
Tripcony Hibiscus Caravan Park is important in demonstrating the evolution of tourist accommodation on the Sunshine Coast, an historically important region for the development of caravan parks in Queensland. It does this through it beginnings as a seaside camping ground dating from 1912 to its reconfiguration as a caravan park in 1957 at the vanguard of the boom period for caravanning (late 1950s and 1960s), and later through periodic updating of its facilities in response to contemporary demands. This development was intrinsically linked to the phenomenon of caravanning that resulted from the rise of mass motoring Australia-wide in the second half of the 20th century.
","criteria_letters":"Criterion D | Criterion A","criteria_definitions":"The place is important in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a particular class of cultural places | The place is important in demonstrating the evolution or pattern of Queensland's history"}, {"heritage_type":"State Heritage","site_id":31351,"place_ref":602746,"name":"Caloundra Lighthouses","alternate_name":null,"street_address":"6 Arthur Street and 3 Canberra Terrace Kings Beach","suburb":"CALOUNDRA","lga":"SUNSHINE COAST REGIONAL COUNCIL","register_entry_date":"2010-02-05","description":"At the highest point of the coastal town of Caloundra, located approximately 80km north-east of Brisbane at the northern end of Pumicestone Passage, the two former Caloundra lighthouses stand side by side in a small park. Located close to the heart of town and behind Kings Beach, the site is now surrounded by suburban and medium-rise development, yet maintains extensive views over the city of Caloundra to the ocean, Moreton Island, Pumicestone Passage and the Glasshouse Mountains. The views obtained from the top of both lighthouses are even more extensive, with glimpses of Point Cartwright possible from the top level of the Signal Station. The two lighthouses are clearly visible from many vantage points around Caloundra, particularly in the vicinity of Kings Beach.
\nThe rectangular-shaped site, as encompassed by the heritage boundary and corresponding almost exactly with the 1896 extent of the lighthouse reserve, covers an area of 868 square metres and is orientated north-south. It is divided into two lots - the present day (2009) Lighthouse Reserve at the southern end (1/RP135230) and Lions Park at the northern end (2/RP135230). The western boundary is defined by Canberra Terrace, which leads down into the main commercial spine of Caloundra, Bulcock Street. The northern boundary is made by Arthur Street, a long straight road descending steeply from the intersection with Canberra Terrace at the north-western corner of the park. Single residences occupy the allotments to the east of the site, while a number of medium-rise residential unit blocks have been built from the adjacent property to the south down Canberra Terrace.
\nLighthouse reserve
\nThe Lighthouse Reserve (1/RP135230) is an open grassed area, sloping down to the east and south. It contains the 1896 lighthouse (currently known as the Old Caloundra Head Lighthouse), 1968 lighthouse and signal station (currently known as the Caloundra Signal Station) and a c1968 brick generator shed, all clustered together near the Canberra Terrace boundary. A concrete slab from a previous auxiliaries building and some concrete footings (possibly from the original signals mast) are also located within the allotment.
\na. 1896 Lighthouse
\nThe 1896 lighthouse is a timber-framed structure clad in corrugated iron, standing twelve metres high and capped with a domed lantern. The tower is conical in form with a base diameter of approximately 4.3 meters reducing to a top diameter of 2.26 metres. It has been reinstalled at its original location on a round concrete slab placed over the top of the original 1896 footing when it was returned from Golden Beach in 1999. Corrugations in the iron sheeting taper inwards for the full height of the tower. Most exterior sheeting is early, slip-sheeted in places with zinc sheeting to repair rusted sections. A small timber-framed entry projects from the northern side, clad in corrugated iron with an arched corrugated iron roof. The door is made from tongue and groove boards on a timber frame. Four small, rectangular windows provide daylight to the interior - two at ground level and two corresponding to the level of the central interior platform. They are vertical sliders, framed with cedar and weather-proofed on the exterior by lead flashing. The exterior of the tower is painted white, with the exception of a red border on the entry door.
\nInside there are two platforms above ground level, accessed by near-vertical timber steps and hatchways in the floors. The tower framework features original components, including: 140mm x 100mm timber stud work; circular girts made from beech; a combination of diagonal timber bracing and steel spiral strapping; timber floor joists on each level supported on a circular steel angle; and floors lined with wide tongue and groove boards. A small number of timber components were replaced after the 1999 move when the tower was damaged, and some steel bracket work was installed. The steel, angled bottom plate and tie-down brackets bolting the structure to the slab also date from c1999, with some original brackets remaining as examples. Some early timber shelving remains, as well as some of the 1940s electrical conduit, wiring and switches (no longer in use). Signage and a safety strap on the top ladder have been introduced since restoration of the structure in 1999.
\nThe lantern room with hemispherical dome roof sits on top of the tower and is accessed via a hatchway in the floor which is lined with lead. All optics have been removed from the lantern, but a pedestal similar to the original has been recently installed. The cylindrical lantern base is constructed from 4.5mm thick steel plates, with a hatch door on the northern side to allow access to the exterior gallery. Its middle section consists of eight trapezoidal frames, five of which are glazed. The remaining three frames (on the western side) are filled with galvanized sheeting with diagonal bracing. The dome is made from eight steel segments bolted together with additional bar stiffeners. It is painted red on the exterior and topped with a ventilator cowl. The narrow gallery that encircles the lantern has a hardwood timber floor supported by cast iron brackets, and a lightweight tubular balustrade, also painted red.
\nb. 1968 Lighthouse and signal station
\nThe 1968 signal station stands approximately four metres to the north-west of the 1896 lighthouse. It consists of a square concrete tower supporting a multi-faceted, D-shaped observation room with a lantern mounted on the roof. The overall height of the structure is approximately 14m and the rounded side of the observation room faces east. The tower base measures 2.7m² and features a rectangular window on each face (at various heights in line with the internal staircase). Angled, reinforced concrete beams cantilever out from the tower base and support the overhanging concrete floor slab of the observation room and its balcony. The observation room features a continuous band of windows around its eastern sides, while four individual windows pierce the straight concrete western wall.
\nFrom the ground level entrance door on the western side of the tower, a spiral concrete staircase with steel tubular handrail winds around a central service duct before arriving in the near-centre of the observation room. Apart from an enclosed toilet in the north-west corner, the observation room is an open space with a central pillar that contains cavities for services that link to the roof level. Fixed angled glazing wraps around the north, east and south sides. A set of recent laminated cabinetry sits below the observation windows along the north-east. Original metal window frames on the western wall are a mixture of mid-point pivoting and fixed panes, while more recent aluminium-framed windows are found in the toilet. Floors are lined with linoleum and a system of suspended ceiling panels conceals the underside of the concrete roof slab. A recent sink and cupboard sits up against the southern wall of the toilet. All original communications equipment has been removed. Access to the external balcony, which wraps around all sides except the straight, western edge, is through a single door in the south-west corner. This timber door retains the original separate screen door. The narrow balcony has a concrete floor and a balustrade made from two tubular steel rails and widely separated balusters covered in asbestos cement sheeting rendered with pebble-dash on the exterior face. The steel balusters pierce the concrete floor slab and are fixed on the underside.
\nAt the far north-west end of the balcony is a steel ladder with safety grille, which provides access to the flat concrete roof of the observation room. A waist-height, tubular metal balustrade, with fibre cement panels attached, runs around the edge of this area, with the lantern that once housed the 1968 sealed beam array light located in the centre. Constructed from concrete with a flat concrete roof, the lantern is a multi-faceted, circular room, narrower at the base than the roof and glazed around the eastern half of its circumference. The trapezoidal window panes are fixed within a steel frame and a door on the south-west side allows access inside. A metal ladder on the north-west side provides access to the roof of the lantern, where radar equipment and aerials are mounted.
\nc. circa 1968 generator shed
\nThe former generator shed (c1968) is a single-storeyed, orange brick building located close to both lighthouses (south of the concrete signal station and east of the old lighthouse). Entrance to the building is through a roller door on the northern façade. The flat concrete roof overhangs on the north and south sides to form a narrow awning, and a projecting brick sill runs around the building beneath high windows. The interior contains two rooms: a larger room housing a generator, remnant equipment and a workbench; and a smaller room in the north-west corner, accessed by an internal door.
\nLions Park
\nThe main feature of Lions Park is a series of long terraces, formed by boulder walls and garden beds that descend the steep slope falling from Canberra Terrace. A number of trees are planted throughout this area, including wind-stunted endemic Eucalypt species and Grevillea robusta. Along the Canberra Terrace boundary is a small car park with a garden bed at the southern end. A sandstone block in this garden displays a plaque containing historical information about the lighthouses. To the east of the garden bed is a boulder set in a round concrete footing with a memorial plaque dedicated to World War II servicemen attached (erected 1991). With the exception of the memorial, none of the remainder of these elements is considered to be of state-level cultural heritage significance. It is the extent of the largely undeveloped site (part of the original lighthouse reserve) that is significant, rather than the elements that comprise the park.
","history":"The Caloundra Head Lighthouses played an integral role in Queensland's system of coastal navigation aids from the 1890s to the 1970s and remain prominent landmarks from Moreton Bay and in the Caloundra district. From construction of the first lighthouse in 1896 through to the decommissioning of the second (1968) lighthouse in 1978 the lights on Caloundra Head guided mariners to the northern entrance to the North West Channel - the safest, most reliable and consequently the most used entry channel to the Port of Brisbane. Despite no longer operating as lighthouses, community support for the conservation of both structures has ensured their survival, while the image of the 1896 lighthouse, Caloundra's oldest surviving structure, has endured as one of the most significant symbols of the town.
When Queensland separated from New South Wales in 1859 the new colony had only one lightstation: Cape Moreton (QHR 600257) on Moreton Island, which had a stone lighthouse erected in 1856. (The Raine Island Beacon (QHR 600432) constructed in 1844 by the British navy was no longer in use.) This situation was untenable for a colony that relied heavily on coastal shipping. In the 1860s and 1870s the expansion of pastoral and mining activity in northern Queensland led to the establishment of new coastal ports to service the developing hinterlands and the provision of coastal navigation aids became essential.
In 1864 the Queensland government appointed a select committee to investigate the state of harbours and rivers in the colony. A direct outcome of this inquiry was the construction of the Bustard Head Lighthouse south-east of Gladstone in 1867-1868 and a lighthouse at Sandy Cape in 1870 - the first lighthouses built by the Queensland colonial government. These were prefabricated iron-framed structures with bolted or riveted cast-iron plate cladding and internal iron staircases, the whole imported from England.
By 1873, the year of the inaugural Intercolonial Coast Lighthouse Conference in Sydney, Queensland had 39 lights along its coastline. The conference was the first attempt to coordinate coastal lights and signals around Australia. Recommendations included the need for more coastal lights in Queensland. Although there was general agreement on the recommendations, there were no moves by any of the colonies to cede their control of lighthouses and other coastal signals to a centralised body or to adopt standardised designs for coastal lights. Lighthouse design continued to take into account local conditions and readily available building materials. Often the local materials were augmented with specialised fittings such as stairways, lantern rooms, lenses, and clock work mechanisms from overseas companies.
For the third lighthouse built by the Queensland colonial government (erected on Lady Elliott's Island in 1872-1873), Colonial Architect FDG Stanley designed a structure which utilised readily available local timber, specifying a hardwood frame clad with plated iron sheeting. This reduced the cost of construction, and despite problems of termite infestation and rusting, this type of construction, or its derivative, a wooden frame with corrugated galvanised iron sheeting, became the standard for subsequent nineteenth century Queensland lighthouses. Between 1873 and 1901, 14 lighthouses were constructed in Queensland using hardwood framing and plated iron sheeting, and another 7 were constructed with hardwood frames and corrugated iron cladding. The latter were associated mostly with harbour entrances and included: Little Sea Hill (1876 - relocated); Grassy Hill (1886 - active, QHR 601241); Goods Island (1886 - active); Bay Rock (1886 - inactive - relocated); Caloundra Head (1896 - inactive); North Point Hummock (1899 - demolished); Gatcombe Head (1900 - demolished). An eighth lighthouse of this type was constructed at Bulwer Island in the Brisbane River in 1912, but is now inactive has been relocated.
From 1846, when declared a port of entry, Brisbane/Moreton Bay had been the principal port of Queensland. By the late 1850s the main northern channel lay about half a nautical mile west of Moreton Island and was marked by Cape Moreton Lighthouse, the lightship Rose, and covered lights at Comboyura Point, North Point and Cowan Cowan. In 1879 George Poynter Heath, Portmaster of Queensland 1862-1890 and Chairman of the Queensland Marine Board 1869-1890, sounded a new channel from Caloundra Head along the eastern shore of Bribie Island to provide a deep water entry to the Port of Brisbane. This North West Channel quickly proved to be the safest and most reliable deep water entrance to the port, but remained unlit until 1896 when two leading lights on Bribie Island and a lighthouse at Caloundra Head (marking the entrance to the channel), were completed.
A 25 acre (10ha) Lighthouse Reserve had been proclaimed when the town of Caloundra was surveyed in 1883 but was never used. Instead, in the mid-1890s a site of little over half an acre (0.275ha) was chosen on land owned by Robert Bulcock, where he had built an observation platform on the highest portion of his property during the early 1880s, reputedly to keep watch for enemy ships during the 'Russian Scare'. Early photographs show that the first Caloundra Head Lighthouse was built close to Bulcock's observation platform, which stood to the south-west on what is now Canberra Terrace.
The lighthouse reserve was formally transferred to the Crown in 1896-1897 and early in 1896 the Department of Harbours and Rivers called tenders for the construction of two lighthouse towers and cottages on Bribie Island and a lighthouse tower and cottage at Caloundra Head. Materials were shipped by barge from Brisbane and department officers supervised the erection of the lightstations using day labour. The Caloundra Head Lighthouse was a hardwood-framed structure, clad with corrugated iron. A fourth order dioptric apparatus, which operated by concentrating light by refraction, was imported from Chance Bros & Co. near Birmingham. The towers for the two leading lights on Bribie Island were of a much simpler construction: open timber frames that could be moved as the channel changed.
The first light keeper at the Caloundra Head Lightstation was appointed when the light became operational in September 1896. One room of his cottage functioned as a postal receiving office, complete with telegraph facilities, with the light keeper appointed as the receiving office keeper. In 1910 the telegraph service was discontinued but was replaced by a telephone service in 1912. The post office remained at the lighthouse until 1934 and as a result, a rough track along the ridge was created by a steady stream of local residents, helping to foster closer settlement around the lighthouse in the immediate years after its erection. This rough track eventually became Canberra Terrace. As a married man with a large family, the arrival of the first lightkeeper also led to the establishment of the first Caloundra School, which for several months in the late 1890s was conducted at the light keeper's cottage.
An incandescent vapour light, the first of its kind in Queensland, was purchased from Chance Brothers and installed in 1910 and by 1912 its 1400 candle power was visible at least 22-25 miles out to sea. Many mariners considered it the best light on the Queensland coast and the key to successfully traversing Moreton Bay. As a result, by 1920 all vessels entering and leaving the Port of Brisbane at night had to use the North West Channel.
Following the passage of the 1912 Commonwealth Navigation Act, from 1 July 1915 Queensland handed over responsibility for its 30 manned lights and 37 unattended lights, beacons, and buoys to the Commonwealth Government. The Commonwealth constructed additional lightstatons and made substantial upgrades to existing lights, with many lighthouses converted to unattended acetylene lights. The bulk of the expenditure was concentrated north of Cooktown where seven new lighthouses were constructed to guide ships through the Torres Strait and the Great Barrier Reef. Manned lighthouses were phased out in favour of less expensive, utilitarian-designed, unmanned structures.
Caloundra Head Lighthouse continued to signal the entrance to the North West Channel to the Port of Brisbane and by 1929 investment in new navigation marks and dredging to increase the depth of the channel ensured that most of the larger ships entering Brisbane used this channel.
The lighthouse also played an important role in the development of tourism on the North Coast (now Sunshine Coast). From as early as the 1880s holiday makers were travelling to Caloundra by boat or by rail to Landsborough then overland to Caloundra and staying in one of the early guesthouses or camping grounds. 'Lighthouse Hill' became well known as a lookout and beauty spot, a place to which tourists and visiting dignitaries alike were taken to see the view, and take a photograph from Bulcock's observation platform (which still existed in the early 1900s). The image of the lighthouse became a symbol of Caloundra, used on promotional material, estate maps, tourist brochures and postcards. With the improvement of roads in the 1930s, Caloundra became more popular as a tourist destination and underwent a period of rapid expansion.
With the advent of hostilities in south-east Asia and the Pacific in 1940 the operation of all Australian coastal lights was controlled by the Royal Australian Navy. With Brisbane becoming a major disembarkation point for soldiers and supplies for the war effort, the North West Channel through Moreton Bay became the only entrance to the Port making it a well used and vital route. For security purposes ships entering and leaving the channel had to travel in convoys and it was a common sight to see a host of vessels waiting off Caloundra Head to form a convoy before continuing to the Port of Brisbane or their next destination. For security purposes the channel was moved further east, away from the Bribie Island coast.
For the greater part of World War II the Royal Australian Navy set up an observation post within the grounds of the Caloundra Head Lighthouse reserve. Twenty-four hour watches were kept, and display of the light to shipping was controlled. The light was converted to 240 volt mains power in 1942 and a petrol standby engine was added. The lighthouse no longer needed to be manned, so the Coastal Artillery occupied the lightkeeper's cottage and oversaw the operation of the light.
After the war the Caloundra Head Lighthouse remained unmanned. The lightkeeper's cottage, no longer needed, was sold to a private owner and moved down the hill to Upper Gay Terrace in 1946 (this building was extant in 2009, but greatly modified). Canberra Terrace was widened and underwent a number of improvements, and by 1950 the unused northern portion of the lighthouse reserve had been opened as a public park, with the area around the lighthouse fenced off. The lighthouse image continued to be used on tourist brochures, pamphlets and postcards. Caloundra Primary School (and later the High School) adopted the lighthouse as its school crest with the motto 'Giving Light'. Various clubs and societies, such as the Caloundra Bowls Club, also adopted stylised versions of the lighthouse in their logos.
In 1950 the North West Channel was still the most used entrance to the Port of Brisbane. During the 1960s change and development in Australian industry and trade had a marked influence on the shipping industry. With the advent of road and rail transportation many of the smaller coastal ships became obsolete but the increase in large container ships meant that passages such as Moreton Bay's deep North West Channel became even more important.
In May 1966 the Commonwealth, responding to the changing nature of international shipping, granted permission for the Queensland government to construct a composite structure comprising lighthouse, signal station and radar station, on the lighthouse reserve at Caloundra Head. The new structure was part of a pilot station scheme based at the Mooloolah River, and was to serve as a guide to the North West Channel and a signal light for Caloundra Harbour. Fully completed and operational by 1968, the new lighthouse was erected close to the 1896 lighthouse and for a time the two towers stood side by side. Constructed in reinforced concrete, the new lighthouse resembled an airport control tower. A new light that used a revolving table and comprised two stacks of sealed beam lamps was designed and installed. It was manned 24 hours a day and four houses were built outside the reserve to accommodate the staff and their families. A similar signal station tower was constructed at Lytton Hill, making the Caloundra tower one of only two of this type built in Australia. With the Lytton Hill tower being demolished in the 1990s, the Caloundra tower remains the only surviving example.
In Queensland, the Commonwealth constructed seven concrete lighthouses between 1964 and 1979: Cape Capricorn (1964); Caloundra Head (1968); Point Danger (1971); New Burnett Heads (1971); Fitzroy Island (1973); Point Cartwright (1978); and Archer Point (1979). In the 1980s, as lights became unmanned and automatic, the emphasis shifted to less expensive structures with shorter lifespans.
The new light at Caloundra Head had a relatively short working life, with nearby high-rise residential unit development obscuring views of the light from sea and rendering it ineffective. Downgraded, the 1968 light was transferred on a reduced area of land (868m²) to the Queensland Treasury in 1974 and it continued to operate as a harbour light and signal station. A new tower constructed at the mouth of the Mooloolaba River at Point Cartwright in 1978 took over the role of lighting the North West Channel. In 1992 the function of the Caloundra Signal Station was replaced by an automatic radar/microwave link unit on the roof of units at Wickham Point to the east, resulting in the station being de-manned. In the late 1990s the light was replaced by a beacon on Wickham Point. Some radio equipment was left in operation at the Caloundra Signal Station, which is still used by local emergency services.
Upon completion of the new lighthouse and signal station in 1968, the 1896 Caloundra Head Lighthouse had been threatened with demolition. To save the structure it was moved in 1970 by the Golden Beach Power Boat Club to Woorim Park, adjacent to their new clubhouse site, where it was hoped it could continue as a tourist attraction. Some attempts were made to conserve the exterior, but, over the decades, continued deterioration and lack of a viable use for the structure meant that its future was threatened again. Several options for relocating the lighthouse were put forward, however the closure of the Caloundra Signal Station in 1992 meant that the option of returning the 1896 lighthouse to its original position on Canberra Terrace became a possibility. After years of lobbying, especially by the Lions Club of Caloundra, and a $50,000 grant from the Caloundra City Council, an attempt to re-locate the lighthouse on 22 March 1999 saw the timber frame give way when the lighthouse was being positioned on a truck. After repairs, the lighthouse was successfully re-positioned on its original site in Canberra Terrace on 11 June 1999. The tower and lantern were restored, including strengthening of the timber structure, replacement and repairs to the cladding, repair of the lantern roof and repainting of the exterior. In late 2007 the Friends of the Caloundra Lighthouses was formed to assist in the conservation of both lights, which were leased to the Sunshine Coast Regional Council in 2010.
","criteria":"The 1896 Caloundra Head lighthouse has a strong association for generations of tourists who have visited Caloundra, as a symbol of the town and a vantage point from which to survey the coast and hinterland. Located on a prominent site in a town that developed largely due to tourism, the old lighthouse on the hill was one of the most visited and most photographed early tourist attractions in Caloundra.
The 1896 lighthouse also has strong social significance for Sunshine Coast residents. As the only town on the Sunshine Coast to possess a lighthouse, it was a source of pride for the community and helped to distinguish Caloundra from other coastal settlements. Both the symbolic and functional nature of the 1896 lighthouse contributed to Caloundra's sense of identity as a popular seaside resort with a role in navigating the North West Channel into Brisbane. The symbolic nature of the lighthouse is evidenced by its depiction on tourist brochures, logos and crests throughout the twentieth century.
|The Caloundra Lighthouses on their hilltop setting remain a physical and aesthetic marker of Caloundra.
|The 1896 lighthouse structure remains substantially intact, and is important in illustrating the principal characteristics of a type of lighthouse construction - a conical, timber-framed tower clad with corrugated iron - unique to Queensland. Less than a dozen of this specific type of lighthouse were constructed in Queensland in the last quarter of the nineteenth century and early twentieth century. Two of these have been demolished; three have been relocated and are no longer active; one remains in situ but is no longer active (Caloundra Head (1896) which, although removed from the site in 1970, was returned to its original location in 1999); and two are known to remain active and in situ: Grassy Hill (1886, QHR 601241) at Cooktown and Goods Island (1886) in the Torres Strait.
The 1968 lighthouse and signal station is one of only two constructed to this design in Australia, the only one to survive, and one of a small number of concrete lighthouses built in Queensland. In the combination of lighthouse, signals and radar functions in the one structure, the 1968 lighthouse and its ancillary generator shed are important in demonstrating the range of lightstation structures designed for particular locations.
Together, the two lighthouses on Caloundra Head, which are both substantially intact examples of their type, are important in demonstrating the evolution of lighthouse design in Queensland between the 1890s and 1970s, and offer a rare opportunity for close comparison.
The lighthouse surrounds (reserve and public park) correspond to the 1896-1974 lighthouse reserve, and are important in demonstrating the area needed for a manned lightstation.
|In their location, materials and design, the Caloundra Lighthouses (constructed in 1896 and 1968) are important in demonstrating aspects of the evolution of marine navigation along the Queensland coast. The first Caloundra Head Lighthouse (1896) marked the entrance to the North West Channel in Moreton Bay, which proved to be the safest, most reliable and consequently the most used entry channel to the Port of Brisbane, Queensland's premier port since the 1840s. It played an important role in Queensland marine navigation for over 70 years. The second lighthouse (1968) marked the entrance to the main channel for only a decade, but remains important in illustrating the evolution of lighthouse form and function in Queensland. The surrounds correspond to the 1896-1974 lighthouse reserve.
The 1896 lighthouse at Caloundra Head is important for its association with the development of Caloundra as a coastal settlement and early tourist destination.
","criteria_letters":"Criterion G | Criterion E | Criterion D | Criterion A","criteria_definitions":"The place has a strong or special association with a particular community or cultural group for social, cultural or spiritual reasons | The place is important because of its aesthetic significance | The place is important in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a particular class of cultural places | The place is important in demonstrating the evolution or pattern of Queensland's history"}, {"heritage_type":"State Heritage","site_id":null,"place_ref":650089,"name":"Buderim Mountain State School","alternate_name":"Buderim Mountain Provisional School","street_address":"8-42 Main Street","suburb":"BUDERIM","lga":"SUNSHINE COAST REGIONAL COUNCIL","register_entry_date":"2019-05-03","description":"Buderim Mountain State School stands on a 6.06ha site in the centre of Buderim, a town stretching along the ridge of Buderim Mountain, Sunshine Coast. The town landscape is hilly and treed and concentrated along Main Street, the principal thoroughfare. The school site fronts Main Street one block east of the main retail area. It comprises a complex of school buildings at the western end and a large sports oval at the eastern end with an extensive forest of mature trees between.
\nFeatures of state-level cultural heritage significance are:
\nBlock B (Temporary Classroom Building, 1951 extended 1954)
\nBlock B stands in the complex of school buildings and is an intact, small, lowset timber-framed and -clad, two-classroom building with a gable roof. It is oriented with its long sides facing northwest and southeast and has a northwest-facing verandah providing access to southeast-facing classrooms. Its two phases of construction are expressed in subtle but legible ways.
\nFeatures also of state-level cultural heritage significance include:
\nFeatures not of state-level cultural heritage significance are:
\nBlock C (High Set Timber School Building, 1959)
\nBlock C stands in the complex of school buildings and is an intact, small, highset, timber-framed and -clad, one-classroom building with a gable roof. It is oriented at an angle to the other school buildings in order for it to orient north. It has a verandah on the northern side accessing the south-facing classroom.
\nFeatures also of state-level cultural heritage significance include:
\nFeatures not of state-level cultural heritage significance are:
\nMemorial Gate (1953)
\nA war memorial gate stands on the school boundary at the western end of the grounds, providing access into the sports ground from Main Street.
\nFeatures of state-level cultural heritage significance are:
\nFeatures not of state-level cultural heritage significance are:
\nMemorial Sports Ground (1936-48) with embankment (1936-48)
\nA large, flat, manicured grass sports oval occupies the western half of the school grounds. Bordered by mature trees, the flat, manicured, and open lawn is a strikingly attractive and landmark feature in the hilly, treed landscape of the town.
\nFeatures of state-level cultural heritage significance are:
\nFeatures not of state-level cultural heritage significance are:
\nMemorial Arboretum (by 1948)
\nAn impressive stand of trees occupies a substantial area of the school grounds, wrapping around the sports ground on its north and east sides and forming a strikingly vivid feature. It comprises hundreds of mature pine trees planted closely together, some in plantation rows, without any understorey plantings. The majority of the trees are hoop pines (Araucaria cunninghamii) and the ground surface is natural earth.
\nFeatures of state-level cultural heritage significance are:
\nFeatures not of state-level cultural heritage significance are:
\nMature Trees
\nAs well as the trees of the Arboretum, the school grounds include other mature trees of state-level cultural heritage significance. These trees are:
\nAll other trees and garden features, vegetation, paths, garden beds, and retaining walls are not of state-level cultural heritage significance.
\nViews
\nThere are attractive views to the sports oval, boundary camphor laurels, and the Arboretum from Main Street, forming a prominent element of the streetscape. There are also distinctive and attractive views from the Memorial Gate and the western side of the sports oval across the open flat lawn to the Arboretum, a route used for Anzac Day processions.
\nFeatures of the Place Not of State Level Cultural Heritage Significance
\nFeatures of the place not of state level cultural heritage significance are:
\nBuderim Mountain State School was established in 1875 as Buderim Mountain Provisional School on a nearby site before moving to its present 6.06ha site in 1887 in the centre of town. The school retains two 1950s teaching buildings that were standard designs notable for their abundant provision of natural light and ventilation – Block B (1951 extended in 1954) and Block C (1959). An important feature of the school is its mature trees, including its extensive pine forestry plot and arboretum planted as a war memorial in the late 1940s. The arboretum, sports grounds, and memorial gates are components of a broader ‘War Memorial Community Centre’, established in 1945 by the Buderim community as a ‘living memorial’. The school has been in continuous operation since its establishment and has been a focus for the local community as a place for important social and cultural activities.
\nThe traditional owners of the Maroochy District, within which Buderim is located, were the Gubbi Gubbi language group, including the Nalbo, Kabi Kabi, Dallambara, and Undanbi. The mild sub-tropical climate and rich volcanic soil of the region supported abundant vegetation and food. Europeans first explored the Maroochy District in the 1820s. The native forests became a steady source of income for settlers during the 1870s and 1880s, but Maroochy settlers needed to be versatile to ensure their selections remained economically viable. By the mid-1870s, sugar cane was grown extensively in the area, with planters utilising South Sea Islander labour. Buderim Mountain sugar planters John Fielding and his son-in-law Joseph Chapman Dixon, established the mountain's first sugar mill in October 1876.[1] Other crops grown in the area were bananas, citrus, pineapples and ginger. Queensland's coastal areas north of Brisbane, and the hinterland, developed rapidly in the 1880s. Buderim, a settlement which developed to service the local farmers, was established by the late 1880s.[2]
\nBuderim Mountain Provisional School, the first school in Buderim, opened in 1875 on a site several kilometres east of the current school site, and was attended by students from all over the district.[3] Attendance at the school grew and by 1887 a new school was constructed on the current site closer to the town’s centre and renamed Buderim Mountain State School.[4] The building became inadequate and in October 1916 a new school building (Block A) was officially opened.[5]
\nIn 1911 Reginald George Bartlett was appointed head teacher at Buderim Mountain State School. With an interest in agriculture, Bartlett began a program of experimental planting at the school to teach the children farming techniques with a focus on finding suitable crops for the district. In 1913, this work was commended by the Under Secretary of Education, JD Story, who highlighted the school’s focus on fruit cultivation.[6]
\nDespite the importance of the rural sector in the Queensland economy, rural education and training was slow to develop. In 1850 the first president of the Brisbane School of Arts, WA Duncan, urged that an industrial school be established to instruct boys in the ‘theory and practice of agriculture and horticulture' but no action was taken until the 1890s.[7] In 1897 the Queensland Agricultural College was established at Lawes near Gatton. It provided training for young men in the arts of agriculture and related sciences.[8] The college was under the control of the Department of Agriculture and Stock and was part of a wider scheme of introducing ‘scientific agriculture' to the colony that also included experimental farms and travelling model dairies.[9]
\nWithin the school system, a limited form of rural instruction was introduced in syllabus changes made in 1905 and 1915. The principal avenue of instruction in primary schools was via project club activities such as livestock raising (pigs, calves, and poultry), bee keeping, milk testing, and forestry. In 1917 a rural school was established as an adjunct to the Nambour State School. The success of this venture prompted the expansion of rural schools and courses in Queensland.[10]
\nAs part of the Nambour scheme, four schools (termed ‘linked schools’) in the immediate district contributed to the rural school project – Buderim Mountain, Mapleton, Woombye, and Yandina. All these schools had head teachers with an interest in agriculture. In March 1917 all five head teachers met at Nambour State School prior to implementing the project, ‘the main idea underlying the establishment of the rural school system was to give a practical trend towards scientific agriculture, and so prepare a training ground, as it were, for the Agricultural College at Gatton’.[11] It was agreed that each school would cultivate certain crops thought to be suitable for that particular area. Buderim Mountain was initially allocated the cultivation and observation of bananas, thought to suit the mountain’s conditions. The other schools would concentrate on growing crops such as pineapples and citrus fruit.[12]
\nBartlett left Buderim Mountain State School in 1920 to work as an Assistant Instructor of Banana Culture in northern New South Wales.[13] Buderim Mountain State School ceased to be involved in the rural school scheme and by August 1920, the entire linked school scheme had been abolished by the Department. The overall rural school system continued, however, with 29 rural schools established throughout Queensland by 1939.[14]
\nAlthough the Buderim school was no longer an official ‘rural school’, it continued to place some emphasis on agricultural education. From the 1920s, a project club existed. Crops such as strawberries and cabbages were planted and the children received ‘instruction on cultural methods, control of pests and diseases, and soil physics’.[15] In 1932, at the request of RL Prest, Instructor in Fruit Culture, an experimental plot of six different varieties of Macadamia trees was planted in the grounds. The children were to care for the trees and monitor their progress to find the most suitable variety for the district.[16]
\nIn 1936, tenders were called for the construction of a teachers residence for Buderim Mountain State School.[17] This replaced an earlier 1886 timber residence.[18]
\nBy 1919 an Anzac Memorial Park Committee had been established in Buderim, which approached the Department of Public Instruction to obtain 2.5 acres (1ha) of the school grounds to establish a public Anzac memorial park and sports ground. This request was granted under the proviso that the land remained government-owned. The committee planned to plant memorial trees to its fallen soldiers of World War I (WWI) adjacent to the proposed sports grounds as a memorial.[19]
\nHowever, ground works did not begin until the 1930s. In 1936 working bees were held which ‘have effected a clearance of the rubbish and undergrowth in the lower part of the school ground where it is intended to make a sports oval’.[20] Although only part of the grounds were improved at this time, it was enough to enable sports such as football, cricket, and tennis to be played.[21]
\nAt the end of World War II (WWII), several prominent Buderim Mountain community members took further steps to establish a fitting war memorial for the town. In late 1945, the Buderim War Memorial Community Centre (BWMCC) was established. The philosophy behind the movement was to create a ‘living war memorial’ to honour the men and women from the district who had served in both WWI and WWII. It was to be a decided move away from the standard monumental war memorials which were erected throughout Australia following WWI, as the president of the committee, W Chadwick stated: ‘those of us who have lived through the aftermath of WWI know only too well the thousands of pounds that were spent on memorials of cold stone which never have or will be of any direct benefit to the ex-serviceman’.[22] The objectives were clear: ‘To assist in the rehabilitation of returned men and women by drawing them actively into the social life of the community; to educate both adults and children in the ideals of community living and common citizenship; to provide by goodwill and example a pattern of living they hope to see spreading not only through the State, but through the nation and onwards to other countries’. Their motto was ‘Service to Commemorate Sacrifice’.[23]
\nFollowing the devastation caused by WWII there was a strong ideological shift toward establishing living memorials to commemorate those who died in the war.[24] This was not exclusive to Australia; Britain, the United States of America, and Canada supported the creating of living memorials. The Buderim Mountain community embraced the idea of a living memorial. In practice, it was proposed that support services, amenities, sporting facilities, and entertainment venues be established on the mountain for the use of ex-service men and women, and the whole community.[25] By October 1946, the committee had achieved a series of improvements in Buderim: a Maternal and Child Welfare Clinic; a mountain bus service for pensioners and invalid servicemen; a community hall with billiard and reading room; picture shows; sporting clubs including tennis, croquet, cricket and football; and a theatrical group.[26] By mid-1948 the committee had added a concrete cricket pitch to the sports ground, and built two community tennis courts (replacing the 1930s court) and a shelter shed at the western side of the oval.[27] In 1952 a croquet lawn was built beside the original tennis courts.[28]
\nArbor Day had been an important event at Buderim Mountain State School. Many of the mature trees within the grounds were planted as Arbor Day trees, including numerous camphor laurels (Cinnamomum camphora).[29] On Arbor Day, 1945, 100 Pinus taeda trees, commonly known as loblolly pines, were planted in the school’s forestry plot.[30] Forestry plots were the product of after-school agricultural clubs, introduced in 1923 at primary schools, under the ‘home project’ scheme. Curriculum driven, these clubs had a secondary commercial value as well as disseminating information and helping to develop a range of skills. The Department of Primary Industries provided suitable plants and offered horticultural advice.[31] School forestry plots were seen by the government as a way of educating the next generation about the economic and environmental importance of trees, as well as providing testing grounds for new species.[32]
\nIn addition to the ongoing improvements being undertaken throughout the Buderim district by the BWMCC, in July 1946 a proposal for the establishment of an ‘arboretum’ was adopted. It was hoped that ‘the laying of an arboretum planted with suitable trees … will add beauty to an already fine natural setting’.[33] In December of that year this came to fruition, with the planting of a further 600 trees, comprising 10 species, in the reserve beside the sports ground and the recently planted pine forestry plot at the school. The Buderim War Memorial Arboretum was planted by a large number of community members, including 50 children from the school, and would ‘serve to perpetuate the memory of those who served in the last two wars’.[34] The pine forest was included as part of the war memorial.
\nEnrolments at Buderim Mountain State School grew in the postwar era and new classroom accommodation became necessary. In 1951 Block B was constructed. This was a lowset, timber-framed and -clad building with a gable roof and a north-facing verandah. It was a ‘temporary’ building, built to a standard type (E/T5), and accommodated only one classroom. The building had abundant natural light and ventilation through banks of timber-framed casement and double-hung windows and fanlights. In 1954 Block B was extended with a second classroom on its eastern end, matching the earlier section in form and detail. A set of French doors was inserted in the partition between rooms and a small hatroom enclosure was on the east end of the verandah.[35]
\nIn July 1953 memorial gates were added to the entry of the memorial sports ground on Main Street. The gates formalised the entrance and consisted of four low bluestone pillars with decorative timber gates, turnstile, and a plaque with the inscription ‘We Will Remember Them’. The official unveiling was held on 3 July 1953 with visiting dignitary, Hon. Josiah Francis, Minister for the Army, opening the gates. All materials for the memorial gates were donated by locals.[36]
\nIn 1959 another classroom building, Block C, was constructed. Highset on concrete posts, it was a timber-framed and weatherboard-clad building with an 8ft (2.4m) wide verandah on the north side used as circulation to a single, south-facing classroom 21ft wide x 24ft long (6.4mx7.3m). The earlier buildings on the site had been built parallel to the site boundaries but Block C disregarded this and was built at an angle to face directly north, which was characteristic of the standard type.[37] Designed by the Department of Public Works, the type (High Set Timber Building with Semi-enclosed Stair, F/T4) was introduced in c1950 and built into the 1960s.[38] This type was typically long buildings of multiple classrooms and it was planned for Block C to be extended on its eastern end with further classrooms but this did not occur.[39] Block C included typical variations of features introduced into later versions of the type – a bagracks balustrade on the verandah and louvres in the verandah wall.[40] The understorey had a concrete floor and was used as semi-enclosed covered space with a perimeter bench seat. The southern and verandah walls were extensively glazed, providing abundant natural light and ventilation to the classroom.
\nIn 1957 a tennis court was constructed near the school, on the eastern side of the sports ground.[41] In the 1960s another tennis court had been built adjacent to the original two. Between 1990 and 1993 the original two tennis courts were demolished, leaving only the later courts. A public swimming pool replaced the demolished courts, while the remaining court was refurbished and another added beside it. Between 1997 and 1999 the croquet lawn was demolished to make room for a large road roundabout.[42] In 2016 the teachers residence was removed.[43]
\nBlock A (1916) has had considerable changes made to it and is not considered to be of state level cultural heritage significance. From the 1970s, other buildings were constructed at the school which are not of state level cultural heritage significance and include Block D (1972), toilet block and covered play area (1973), Block G (1975), Pre-school centre (1977), Block E (1982), tuckshop (1987), administration block (1990), amenities block (1993), several modular buildings.[44]
\nIn 2019 the BWMCC continues its important community work in the spirit in which it was founded. Known today as the Buderim War Memorial Community Association, its headquarters are located in the former post office on Burnett Street. The memorial gates, sports ground, arboretum, and pine forest play important roles in Buderim’s annual Anzac Day commemorations, with the march travelling through the gates to the pine forest, where the service is held in the cool shade of the trees. This demonstrates the strong degree of community association that continues in 2019.
\nBuderim Mountain State School has played an important role in the Buderim Mountain and district community since 1875 and continues to do so. Generations of students have been taught there and many social events held in the school’s grounds and buildings since its establishment. The school continues to be a centre for social, sporting and community events.
","criteria":"Buderim Mountain State School (established elsewhere as Buderim Mountain Provisional School in 1875) is important in demonstrating the evolution of state education and its associated architecture in Queensland. The place retains excellent, representative examples of standard designs that were architectural responses to prevailing government educational philosophies, set in landscaped grounds with play areas, sporting facilities, and mature shade trees. Designed by the Department of Public Works to optimise natural light and ventilation, Block B (1951 extended 1954) and Block C (1959) were standard designs introduced to address post-war population increases.
\nThe Buderim War Memorial Arboretum (1945-46), sports ground and facilities (initially established in the 1930s by the Anzac Memorial Park Committee) (1930-1957), and stone memorial gates (1953) were a large component of a broader ‘living memorial’ which was established by the Buderim Mountain War Memorial Community Centre (BWMCC) following World War II (WWII) to commemorate those from the district who fought in World War I and WWII. War memorials are a tribute to those who served, and those who died, from a particular community. They are an important element of Queensland’s towns and cities and are also important in demonstrating a common pattern of commemoration across Queensland and Australia.
|Buderim Mountain State School is important in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a Queensland state school. These include: teaching buildings designed to standard government designs; and a generous landscaped site with mature trees, assembly and play areas, and sporting facilities.
\nBlock B (a Temporary Classroom Building) is an intact example of its standard type. It retains: its gable roof; lowset, timber-framed structure; north-facing, open verandah with bagracks; banks of timber-framed operable windows, French doors, and fanlights providing natural light and ventilation; and two 21ft (6.4m) x 24ft (7.3m) classrooms.
\nBlock C (a High Set Timber Building with Semi-enclosed Stair) is an intact example of its standard type. It retains its: highset, gable-roofed form with semi-enclosed, covered play space under; timber-framed and –clad construction; north-facing open verandah as circulation to south-facing classroom; bagracks verandah balustrade; large banks of north and south-facing windows in classroom walls providing abundant natural light and ventilation; and 21ft (6.4m) x 24ft (7.3m) classroom.
|Buderim Mountain State School is important for its aesthetic significance brought about by its large manicured grass sports ground fringed by mature trees, a beautiful and conspicuous landmark in the main streetscape of Buderim. With attractive views to and from the place, and within the grounds, this setting includes a picturesque processional route from the memorial gates, across the open sports ground, into the closely-planted, soaring trees of the arboretum – a strikingly evocative, contrasting sequence. This route forms the final length of public commemorative war marches through the town and location for memorial ceremonies.
|Buderim Mountain State School has a strong and ongoing association with the wider Buderim community, and with former pupils, parents, staff members of the school. Established in 1875, generations of Buderim children have been taught at the school and it is important for its contribution to the educational development of Buderim and as a focus for the community.
\nSince their establishment, the War Memorial Arboretum (1945-6), sports ground (1930s-46) and memorial gates (1953) continue to play a significant role in the Buderim community’s commemoration ceremonies, including Anzac Day and Remembrance Day. It represents the broader ‘Living Memorial’ established by the BWMCC that continues today as the Buderim War Memorial Community Association.
","criteria_letters":"Criterion A | Criterion D | Criterion E | Criterion G","criteria_definitions":"The place is important in demonstrating the evolution or pattern of Queensland's history | The place is important in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a particular class of cultural places | The place is important because of its aesthetic significance | The place has a strong or special association with a particular community or cultural group for social, cultural or spiritual reasons"} ]}