Restoring Fairview House for future

Sunshine Coast Council was today (March 7) delighted to unveil the recent restoration works at the Council-owned and heritage listed Fairview House (also known as Pattemore House) at North Maleny.

The works included the installation of a front timber fence, the construction of a new timber pergola and new timber clothesline, the reinstatement and restoration of the front garden path, garden bed upgrades and a front timber step upgrade.

The works form part of a series of planned annual conservation works guided by recommendations from Fairview’s Garden Restoration and Recreation Master Plan.

Councillor Jenny McKay said the works highlight the significance of Fairview House within the community.

“These works demonstrate council’s commitment to protecting and preserving the future use of Fairview House,” Cr McKay said.

“As our region continues to grow, it is more important than ever to preserve our historical sites.

“Fairview House shows us an insight into the early development of Maleny as an agricultural settlement and the pattern and expansion of the dairy industry in Queensland in the early 1900s.

“I would like to thank Friends of Pattemore House for their assistance during the works and their role in researching the history of the house and providing their feedback throughout the master plan process.”

Small amounts of cultural heritage material were discovered and included ferrous metal (iron) such as nails and pins and a mower blade, glass fragments, a 20th century cotton sports sock and a low denomination Thai coin minted with southeast Asian style script.

Although mostly unremarkable, these items have the potential to help illustrate the lives of the people who lived here in the past and will be displayed at Fairview House in the future.

As a state heritage listed site under the Queensland Heritage Act 1992, the Fairview Management Plan required approval from the Department of Environment and Heritage Protection for works to proceed.

These works were funded through Cr McKay’s discretionary funds program. Any future works will be subject to available funding and prioritised on an as-needs basis.

Image: Cr Jenny McKay joins Friends of Pattemore House and council officers at the unveiling of restoration works at Fairview House.

From left to right: (back row) Sue McCleary (Friends of Pattemore House), Penny Edwards (Friends of Pattemore House), Val Carbery (Friends of Pattemore House), Greg Williams (Friends of Pattemore House), Anne Boyle (Friends of Pattemore House), Mel Bell (Friends of Pattemore House); (on the step; middle row) Gail Denver (President, Friends of Pattemore House), Cr Jenny McKay; (front row) Peter Osborne (Sunshine Coast Council), Glen Meier (Sunshine Coast Council).

/Public Release. View in full here.