Ringsfield's Future Known In June

South Burnett Regional Council will discuss the future of Nanango’s historic Ringsfield House complex at its next Community standing committee meeting in June

May 17, 2021

A management plan for the future of Nanango’s Ringsfield House will be debated at the South Burnett Regional Council’s June Community standing committee meeting.

At May’s meeting last week, Properties portfolio leader Cr Kathy Duff said Council’s internal Ringsfield House working group was currently reviewing different management models for the historic property.

The review comes after the SBRC called for tenders from local community groups last November to submit formal proposals for the building’s future management.

The tender – which would have required the successful applicant to maintain the complex’s extensive lawns and gardens – drew no responses.

Cr Duff said the working group’s review has looked at several management models to operate and manage tourism and heritage facilities.

This included looking at models used to manage the Jondaryan Woolshed, the Mary Valley Rattler, the Woodworks Museum at Gympie and Toowoomba’s Empire Theatre, among others.

Cr Duff said the working group was on track to provide a report to the June Community standing committee.

Ringsfield House was previously leased to commercial operators who tried to run the venue as a restaurant and function centre.

The lessees won a Council tender in September 2017, but were forced to walk away from the property last year when the COVID-19 pandemic made the business untenable.

Prior to this commercial venture, the complex had been operated by the Nanango Historical Society since the mid-1990s.

The group was forced to abandon its lease in January 2017 due to an ageing membership and a lack of volunteers.

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