By Abbey Cannan
For a century the house now known as Tait Duke Cottage has been a prominent landmark in the heart of Tewantin, and today the historic home continues to benefit the community.
The Tait-Duke Cottage was built at the corner of Poinciana Avenue and Sidoni Street, Tewantin, for Charles Tait and Emma Duke in 1919, marking 2019 as the home’s 100th year standing.
It was Esme Tait’s home for close to 87 years, until she gifted the 98-year-old Queenslander to Noosa Council for the benefit of the Tewantin community.
The Cottage was relocated to its current location on Council land in Earl Street in 2015, and was then lovingly restored and transformed into a community meeting place.
Council, State and Federal governments contributed funding for the renovation with a variety of community organisations and businesses including Rotary Club of Noosa Heads, United Synergies, and Hutchinson Builders contributing materials and expertise.
In June 2017 the Cottage was officially opened by Esme Tait, realising her wish of seeing her historic former home transformed for the benefit of the community.
The Rotary Club of Noosa Heads is now managing the Cottage and they are encouraging community members and groups to continue to utilise the space and take full advantage of this gifted piece of history.
The Cottage has meeting facilities for up to 30 attendees, a kitchen, office and reception area, plus bathroom and storage space. The space is equipped with air-conditioning and a television to display computer-based presentations. There is ramp access and toilet facilities allowing for wheelchair access.
The space can and has been used for anything from small weddings, yoga classes and even students filming for school projects.
The Cottage is also home to a Social Services Hub Day, a fortnightly one-stop-shop providing services for people in the community who are facing hardship.
The Social Services Hub runs every second Tuesday from 9.30am – 1.00pm at the Cottage in Earl St Tewantin.
The initiative was organised by the Noosa Council last October, bringing together a number of not-for-profit organisations including Sunny Street mobile health service, St Vincent de Paul, Red Cross Employment Services, Orange Sky Laundry, Department of Housing, Centrelink, NDIS and United Synergies.
The Cottage is rented out at a small cost and the space can easily be booked online.
For more information on rates, head to www.tait-dukecommunitycottage.com/.
