Former Elgin Vale residents, sisters Bev Hay (Freebairn) and Billie McDonald (Freebairn), were enjoying checking out the former school building
October 20, 2014
More than 60 former residents of Elgin Vale gathered on Saturday to swap memories of the former township which has all but disappeared from the landscape.
Elgin Vale is a genuine “timber town” whose existence hinged on the surrounding forestry and associated sawmills.
All that is left now at the site is the historic steam-driven sawmill – which closed in 1987 – and the fully restored “new” school building which has been converted into a QCWA hall.
(The “new” school opened in 1948; it replaced the “old” school which operated from 1927-1947.)
Glancing around the surrounding paddocks, it’s hard to imagine the rest of the once-thriving township which included streets of houses on both sides of the Moonda Waamba Creek plus a corner shop.
Representatives from many of the old Elgin Vale and Manumbar families were at the reunion, including Franzs, Duncans, Freebairns, Ryans and Hockeys.
They enjoyed a barbecue lunch prepared by members of the Elgin Vale QCWA.
Lois Thurecht (Ryan) with Billie McDonald (Freebairn), from Kingaroy; Graeme Ryan, Nanango; and Elaine Schefe (Ryan), from Maroochydore
Betty Gagen (Pert) travelled from Mundubbera for the reunion … she lived in Elgin Vale during the 1950s
Joy Dale (Murray), from Kingaroy, lived in Elgin Vale 80 years ago … her father Aubrey Murray used to drive a timber truck
Joan (Downing) and Kev Zischke, Kingaroy, with Warren Hockey, Manumbar, and Yvonne Pert, Bundaberg … Joan and Warren started Grade 1 at Elgin Vale in 1955, while Yvonne started in 1956
Joan Springate (Hartwig), Imbil, with Margaret Jones (Pert), River Heads … Joan started school in 1961; Margaret’s three children also attended
Eileen Franz (Stegeman), 91, from Gympie, with her son Len Franz, also from Gympie … Eileen attended the “old” Elgin Vale school from 1935
All that remains of a street of homes along the creek bank are sets of stumps (the black dots)The old Elgin Vale sawmill finally closed its doors in 1987 and is now a tourist attraction
