February 17, 2025
The historic ‘Cedarvale’ cottage at Dandabah on the Bunya Mountains has undergone a much-needed facelift thanks to the hard work of volunteers and the support of the Heritage Nanango Community Branch.
‘Cedarvale’, which was built in the 1880s for William A. McClelland, was moved from Bell to the Bunyas in the late 1970s.
The slab cottage – typical of early settler homes in the area – was carefully disassembled and then reassembled slab-by-slab in its new location to serve as a community museum and headquarters for the Bunya Mountains Natural History Association (BMNHA).
It was joined five years later by another former cottage, ‘Hillview’ from Yamsion, to extend the museum space.
BMNHA president Bernice Seton said that despite consistent maintenance and “patching up” by dedicated volunteers over the years, the group realised last year the museum buildings were in need of help.
They approached Heritage Nanango for support and received a grant of $21,236.50.
BMNHA contributed a further $2000 towards the project.
Bernice said the restoration included replacing the roof on ‘Cedarvale’; cleaning, repairing and painting the external walls and window frames on both buildings; sealing under the verandah; and repairing a fence.
New posts were installed on the main verandah.
“Capricorn Fascia and Guttering did a fabulous job on the new roof, and Ross Lanham, painter and handyman, worked hard on the exterior,” Bernice said.
“Thanks also to one of our members, Graeme Wright, who worked voluntarily throughout the project. The improvements look amazing!”
A get-together was held at the museum on Saturday morning to provide an opportunity for members to thank Heritage for their support for the project.
“We are so impressed by their interest in the local community, and their support and encouragement has been wonderful,” Bernice said.
Heritage Nanango Community Funding secretary Jane Hodgkinson said that as soon as the application came in, the Board were keen to support the project.
The museum includes information about the long Indigenous history of the Bunya Mountains area, tools used by timber cutters and early European settlers, and displays about local flora and fauna.
Cedarvale Cottage Museum was opened in 1981 and now welcomes visitors on most Saturdays.
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