Work to repair part of Cooroy’s heritage-listed Lower Mill site have begun with works to concentrate on the old boiler house and kiln.
The Noosa Council is overseeing the repairs in co-operation with the Department of Environment and Heritage Protection.
Contractors will remove asbestos, repair termite-damaged timber and replace weathered chamfer boards, plus remediate the chimney and reinforce the roof and walls.
Heritage Levy Advisory Committee chair Cr Jess Glasgow said the work would make the building safe so the council could re-open it to the public.
“It will also ensure its long-term preservation,” he said.
The Queensland Government transferred the site to the Noosa Council in 2002 after the mill closed in 2000 as a result of the Regional Forestry Agreement.
The boiler house, kiln and associated buildings were added to the State’s heritage register in 2008.
Cr Glasgow said the mill was an important part of Cooroy’s history, with the timber industry being one of Noosa’s earliest industries.
“The kiln was the first drying kiln to be built in the region and it’s the only known remaining example of a timber drying kiln in the Sunshine Coast region,” he said.
Built in 1956, the kiln paved the way for the sale of timber to markets that demanded lower moisture content than could be achieved by air-drying.
The council has appointed Cooran-based Marbelle Pty Ltd as primary contractor and work is expected to take three months. Once the boiler house has been refurbished parts of it will again re-open to the public so they can learn about the former mill operation.
“The site will be fenced off and we’ll need to reclaim some car parking spaces adjacent to the Cooroy Woodworkers Club and Cooroy Camphor Laurel buildings to house machinery. Council appreciates the community’s patience while the work is completed,” Cr Glasgow said.
