Heritage Buildings

The Town Common is the central open space of Hyde Village and comprises a number of elements of historic consequence. Three Time Capsules were buried in the Common in 1988 to be opened on Australia Day in the years 2013, 2038 and 2088.

Emily Hyde Place was established in 1983 in memory of the mother of the last family to farm this property. She lived here for over fifty years and passed away in 1963 at the age of 92.

Rita Collins was the driving force behind the establishment of this Park. She was Deputy Chairman of the Pine Rivers Shire Council, and foundation President of North Pine Country Park Management Committee. Rita Collins Place was named in June 1992 in her honour.

This structure is preserved from a dairy farm in the North Pine area. The cream shed represents another important part of the development of the dairying industry. Milk was set down in large diameter shallow vats in the cool confines of these rooms. After a settling period the cream could be skimmed from the top. When cream separators were first introduced these hand operated machines were installed in the Dairy.

Later these buildings were used for storage of cream in cans awaiting for collection by the carrier. The advent of the dairy refrigerator improved cream handling and storage, and made the cream shed obsolete.

The role of steam driven equipment is a significant element in the history of the area. The Queensland Steam and Vintage Machinery Society Inc. have restored numerous machines and vehicles to working order and these are regularly operated, amid clouds of steam, to provide an insight into steam power for the modern generation. The “Steamies” regularly traverse the park road system to demonstrate their meticulously restored machinery.

The Boilerhouse was constructed to house their machinery display and to provide workshop space for restoration procedures. The Boilerhouse is not based on any specific structure but is reminiscent of the larger rural buildings. It was extended in 1992 with the assistance of a bequest from a late resident of Petrie, Mr. Noel Archinal.

The Bakehouse is not a replica of any particular historic building. It is a purpose made structure, designed to reflect elements of the building design for bakehouses of the period. Some parts of the front section of the building use material from a former bakery in Strathpine. The oven is a replica of and is built mainly from bricks, and other parts recovered from an old bake oven in Dayboro. Some metal parts came from disused bakeries out west. The oven is wood fired in the tradition of the early bakeries.

This Church was originally located in Station Street, Lawnton on land donated by Stephen Lawn. Local identity, James Todd, was given the job of building the Church for the contract sum of 130 pounds ($260). The Church was commenced on August 25, 1888 and opened on St. Thomas’ Day December 21, 1888. The silky oak and cedar pulpit, built by James Foreman and originally used in Samsonvale Station Homestead, was donated to the Church by Mr. William Joyner.

After St. Thomas was last used in 1984, all recoverable contents, furniture etc. were moved to the new St Faith’s Church in Samsonvale Road, Strathpine. The alter rails were reconditioned and set up for use in the new Church. A small Chapel named St. Thomas’, consecrated on 26th November, 1989 was built to house the alter, front, and other items of furniture from St. Thomas’.

This playshed was built in 1906 at the Petrie State School. It is typical of the shelters built in most schools of the period. It was Government policy in those days to require that portion of the funds required to construct the shed had to be raised by the School Committee. Population growth demanded that the school be upgraded and expanded and site planning required demolition of the shelter. Arrangements were made to acquire the historic Playshed for the Park in 1984. It was dismantled and re-erected on location to become an integral part of the school precinct.

The truss system of this building was used originally in a large industrial shed and workshop in Dixon Street at Strathpine. These columns and portal frames are prefabricated from timber sections and represent an early construction form in use before the development of today’s steel frames. The building walls are clad with timber flitches or slabs to be in keeping with the rural theme. The building was initially used for barn dances and other social events, then became the first home of the Pioneer Village Country Music Club and is now the home of the North Pine Country Park Potters.

The Rollo Petrie Rainforest is a community project of the Pine Rivers Branch of the Society for Growing Australian Plants. The first trees were planted on Australia Day 1983 and plantings have continued each year, until there are now over 1500 rainforest trees and shrubs planted. Each plant is individually catalogued and monitored. Shortly after establishment this rainforest plot was named the “Rollo Petrie Rainforest Walk” in recognition of all the work so willingly done by Rollo and as an expression of the respect and high regard in which he is held.

The RDA Barn and arena provides an important community facility which utilizes the facilities available in the Park to assist disabled people to expand their potential. This facility ideally expresses the philosophy of North Pine Country Park which is planned as a community facility providing for a range of active and passive recreation permits not available elsewhere in the Shire.

The Pine Rivers Pony Club was one of the first community groups to take advantage of the site and facilities offered by the development of North Pine Country Park. The club has established an excellent arena, associated pony club facilities and built clubrooms of appropriate character. Regular equestrian activities take place on the North Pine River flats and the Pony Club is a major contributor to the rural character of the Park.

This small building was built in Petrie in 1878 at the same time as the Courthouse and Police Station. It was used as the local “lockup” until sold for removal in 1962, and was shifted a small distance down the road where it became a garden shed. The cell block was later donated to the Park by Mr. H Leitch and relocated to Hyde Village.

Planning for the North Coast Railway began in 1884 and initial construction began in 1886. The section from Northgate to North Pine was opened on March 1, 1888. This original station building served the developing community for 104 years, until it was relocated to North Pine Country Park in 1992. The station also served as the Cobb and Co Coach Depot, Telegraph Station and Post Office.

Perhaps the most important message telegraphed from this building was the warning to Brisbane of the impending 1893 floods relayed after a heroic cross country horseback ride from “Caboonbah” Station near Esk to North Pine. The Station was renamed Petrie in honour of local pioneer Tom Petrie, on July 15, 1911. The restored station was reopened by the Governor of Queensland, Mrs. Leneen Forde, on March 6, 1993.

Banking facilities were non-existent within the Shire until the opening of the Queensland National Bank at North Pine (Petrie) on August 27, 1886. However the depression of the early 1890’s forced the bank to close its doors after only 5 years of trading, on June 30 1893. This building is a replica of the original bank and was constructed with the assistance of the National Bank of Australia as part of the Australian Bicentennial celebrations and opened in 1987.

The first premises were temporary, until Mr. A. J. Wyllie built a suitable building with small residence for a Manager in Whites Road, which he then rented to the Bank.

The Courthouse was originally built in Petrie by the Queensland Government Works Department in 1878. In the early days the building also served as a community hall for various meetings, fund raising concerts, lantern slide evenings and occasional church services, before other venues became available. It served the community as Courthouse and Police Station until 1962. The building was then relocated to Kallangur and converted for use as the North Pine Baptist Church. In 1982, it was moved to the Park, to be the first building relocated at Hyde Village. It is the oldest known preserved building in the Shire.

It is thought that the grove of mature fig tees, Ficus macrophylla and Ficus oblique, on the top of the ridge south of the main village, could be over 300 years old, and that they are original remnant specimens of the rainforest which once covered most of the site. The trees are remarkable botanic specimens due primarily to the extensive and impressive buttress roots which surround the trunks. The huge trees and their leaf canopy enclose the space called Ngoanga, which is the gateway to the rural zone, and will be developed to record the aboriginal heritage of the valley. Ngoanga was the local aboriginal name for the fig trees.

This building was for many years the home of the Petrie Scout Group in Connors Street, Petrie. In 1985 the property was sold and the group made arrangements to establish a new Scout Den in the northern section of North Pine Country Park off Beeville Road. The old Scout Den was moved to a temporary location in Hyde Village for scout activities. The building will be relocated to its permanent position and suitably restored to become a Museum of district Scouting memorabilia.

This building was originally located in the main street of Dayboro where it had been used as a shop selling veterinary and farm supplies. Although it was built in the 1920’s it is a typical example of a country store. It was relocated at the village in 1984.

This avenue of Hoop Pines Araucaria cunninghamii is one of the most visually distinctive elements of the Park. The stylized tree is used as the bases of the Park logo. The trees were planted in 1869 by James Foreman to establish an avenue along each side of the lane leading to his cottage.

Kumbartcho was the local aboriginal name for the Hoop Pine tree and has been used to recall the relationship between the early settlers and the native inhabitants of the area.

This barn was built for the Kriesch Family in 1880 when they selected their farmland further west along the North Pine River. It is interesting to note the extreme width of the slabs in the walls which were split from individual trees. The slabs are up to 1.1 metres wide and this gives some indication of the size of the trees these pioneers had to work with, using only hand tools. As was the case with many other pioneering families, this building was the first residence for the family, until other accommodation could be built. It was then converted to use as a barn. It was saved from destruction by the Pine Rivers Historical Society, when the site on which it stood was to be inundated by the waters of Lake Samsonvale.

The Hyde family lived originally in the small cottage built by James Foreman – now known as Foreman Cottage. In 1917, the cottage was moved from its original site to the top of the nearby ridge, raised on high stumps and combined with a new section built in the style of the period. This became the farm homestead and was used by the Hyde family until the property became North Pine Country Park. Unfortunately, the complete building was destroyed by fire in March 1984. It was decided to reconstruct it as two original buildings – Forman Cottage relocated close to its original location, and Hyde Homestead retained on the existing site.

The Hyde family built these milking and feeding stalls shortly after taking over the property in 1912. A later extension housed the plant powering the milking machines. The building was first used by the park Potters Group and currently by the village Blacksmith. The building is planned to be restored as a working dairy to become the main focus of “Foreman’s Farm” and educational and “hands on” exhibit of the dairying and farming industry of the Shire.

This barn was built by Jack Hyde, soon after 1912 and was used for the storage of farm produce on a raised floor section. The skillion portions of the roof provided protection for farm implements, machinery and vehicles. It has been partially restored thanks to the efforts of Rollo Petrie, a descendent of the areas initial pioneering family. It will be further restored to fulfill its original function, as an integral part of “Foreman’s Farm”.

James Foreman and his family migrated from England in 1866. Two years later he acquired 16 hectares (40 acres) of Tom Petrie’s “Whiteside” run and established the farm on the land which is now known as North Pine Country Park.

He built the cottage in 1876 to replace the original slab hut he had erected as the family dwelling. The cottage was located close to the (now) large fig trees. In 1917 the Hyde family moved the cottage to the top of the nearby ridge and added a new section on the front – thus Foreman Cottage became the kitchen of Hyde Homestead. The Hyde brothers used to say they were the Shire’s first conservationists as they relocated their cottage rather than chop down the expanding fig trees. The cottage was rebuilt close to its original location after the homestead was destroyed by fire in 1984. Foreman Cottage was the residence of the Park caretaker.

This structure is a replica of a typical suburban Fire Station. The façade and folding doors are from the Woolloongabba Station. The Fire Museum Barn is a purpose made structure designed to allow optimum storage and display of fire vehicles and artifacts but is not based on any specific structure. The hose drying tower is from the Ithica Fire Station.

The Fire Station is the home of the Fire Brigade’s Historical Society Qld. Inc. whose members regularly use the buildings to restore, exhibit and demonstrate the historic equipment and techniques of fire fighting.

This building was one of the last remaining rural structures of the Bridgeman Downs area and was donated by local pioneer Mrs. Fahey. In that district’s early farming days it provided storage foe fodder with feeding bays for farm animals. The slab walls roof and floor framing are part of the original construction built in 1890.

The Barn continues to be used in similar fashion as the home of the Park’s two Clydesdale draft horses. This use will continue as an integral part of the proposed “Foreman’s Farm”.

It was determined that the Park required a suitable hall to hold barn dances and other activities appropriate to the historic and rural theme of Hyde Village. Funding assistance was sought and provided by the Federal Government under the Bicentenary program. Responsibility for construction was shared jointly by the Shire Council and the Pioneer Village Country Music Club. The building was opened in 1988 and it has since developed to be one of the more unique and popular venues at North Pine Country Park. The building is a purpose made structure designed to suit the specific requirements of Country Music and has a reversible stage which serves indoor performances and outdoor amphitheatre audiences.