The plan for this area is to move the Cooroora Woodworker’s hut currently located on Marara Street and place it adjacent to the boiler house and kilns.  The Camphor Laurel Initiative is also located adjacent to this area providing a woodworking hub centred around the restored historic buildings.

Restoration Work Commences on Historic Cooroy Boiler

Activity levels at the Cooroy Lower Mill Site have increased significantly over recent weeks with some exciting restoration work commencing on the historic Cooroy boiler house.  Local company, Ri-con Contractors Pty Ltd are completing the restoration which will enable the refurbishment of the sawmill boiler to a useable space as a heritage interpretation centre including static display, interpretive panels, photographs and artefacts.

John Jenkins, Principal of Ri-con Contractors Pty Ltd has experience with barn conversion and historic restoration in the UK and said that Ri-con saw the project as a valuable opportunity to put something back into the community by restoring the building to its previous glory and preserving the town’s history for future generations.  “The aim is to restore the pride and culture of the building and preserve its history and feel.  Deteriorated and missing timbers are being replaced and the existing timbers are being sandblasted to be rejuvenated.  New timbers will be aged to fit in with the remainder of the building.  The roof and trusses also require replacement and the whole building will be oiled to preserve and protect the timber from termites.” 

Five local apprentices have been included in the team working on the project.  John explained, “We are using authentic carpentry on this building which is a fantastic experience for the apprentices to see how things where done in the past.  It is a completely different set of skills so gives them something valuable and different to add to their resumes.”

The boiler house restoration work is a component of the AusIndustry and Sunshine Coast Regional Council funded Australian Tourism Development Program project which also includes historical plantings of species which were significant to the local indigenous people and the timber industry and interpretive panels throughout the site at strategic points to explain the historical relevance of the timber and dairy industries.  The renovation of the adjacent kilns for use by the Cooroora Woodworkers is also planned to commence shortly providing on-site demonstrations of woodworking to complement the static displays.

The project is also part of the much larger plans for the Cooroy Lower Mill Site including Mill Place which will be home to the new hinterland library set to open in August 2009.  Earthworks for Mill Place are expected to commence in June this year.

$100,000 Funding for Historic Cooroy Lower Mill

Noosa Council (now part of the Sunshine Coast Regional Council) received $100,000 in funding for the restoration of the historic Cooroy Lower Mill boiler through AusIndustry’s Australian Tourism Development Grant round five.  The Hon Warren Truss MP publicly announced the grant and presented a promotional cheque to Noosa Council Mayor Bob Abbot and Cooroy Lower Mill Board chairperson, Seb Vecchio on Thursday October 11th at the Cooroy Lower Mill Site.

In addition to the AusIndustry funding, Sunshine Coast Regional Council will inject a further $202,000 into the project.  With an anticipated project completion date of May 2009, the funding enables:

• the refurbishment of the sawmill boiler as an heritage interpretation centre including restoring the building to a useable space for static display including interpretive panels, photographs and artefacts.
• historical plantings of species which were significant to the local indigenous people and the timber industry accompanied by interpretive panels.
• additional interpretive panels throughout the site at strategic points such as the Butter Factory to create a continuous experience for visitors which leads them through the site and also explains the historical relevance of the timber and dairy industries.

The project involves the development of a tourism destination highlighting the heritage aspects of the hinterland town of Corooy, including the local indigenous people and the timber and dairy industries.   As the first stop on the Cooroy Heritage Walk this tourism experience will engage visitors in the history and flora of Cooroy.

Seb Vecchio, Chairperson of the Cooroy Lower Mill Site Board said, “This is a great achievement for the Noosa Council and the Cooroy Lower Mill Site Board.  We are so pleased to be able to preserve this important iconic landmark while also providing an attraction that enhances the town and highlights our rich pioneering heritage.”

Photograph (Left to Right): Mayor Bob Abbot, Ian Haycroft, Bill Reid (first person to turn on boiler when it was commissioned), Cr Ray Kelly, Seb Vecchio, Cr Brian Lindfield, the Hon Warren Truss MP, Cr Lew Brennan, Tex Pipke with promotional cheque for $100,000 and boiler building in background.