March 12, 2026
Current and former Goomeri residents filled the Goomeri Hall Of Memory to overflowing on Saturday to mark the centenary of the Heritage-listed building.
The celebration was organised by the Goomeri Hall of Memory Committee with support from the Gympie Regional Council.
Visitors had the opportunity to browse memorabilia and photographs from the hundreds of events that have been held at the hall as well as share memories over lunch.
A special guest was Joseph Keen, from Hervey Bay, who was playing old-time music on the hall’s piano.
Joseph’s grandmother, Elizabeth Keen, was one of the pianists who played at the many dances held in the hall during World War II.
Australian and New Zealand troops, who flocked to the dances, were camped on the Keens’ property near Goomeri.
Its wartime role was fitting as the Hall Of Memory was originally dedicated to the memory of the district residents who had served in World War I.
The building has been extended and modified several times over the years, but its history actually stretches back to Nanango.
Gympie Regional Council’s “Heritage Trails” website records that members of the recently chartered Goomeri RSL Sub-Branch immediately began working on the project in 1926.
A public meeting was held in March 1926 and a Building Committee – consisting of J.T.C Mayne, J.E. Stanton, C.A. Wimberley, A.W. Maudsley and T.M. Wise – was authorised to obtain land and a building.
The committee bought an existing timber store from Cuthbert Butt at Nanango.
Local residents, including Percy Perrett, helped with the removal and prepared the building site; Arthur Kopp and Bill Toop re-erected the building which was ready by May 1926 and officially opened on July 28.
It has been a key part of the town’s social life ever since … serving as a picture theatre, ballroom, concert venue, meeting room and much, much more.
A crow’s ash floor was laid for dancing and the building was painted.
The under area of the building was later enclosed, a large supper room and kitchen added in 1931, and more extensions opened in 1940 and 1946.
During the World War II, the basement area was used to store tonnes of emergency supplies for the area in case of Japanese invasion.
After the war, this area was partitioned as clubrooms for the RSL.
Kilkivan Shire Council took over responsibility for the hall in 1971, with this passing to Gympie Regional Council after council amalgamations in 2008.
