Sunshine Coast Council’s latest round of Heritage Levy grants have been awarded with nine local organisations sharing in more than $43,000 to help with collection care, exhibitions and public programs.
Fairview, often referred to as Pattemore House, is a state heritage listed property built in 1907 in North Maleny and is leased by a dedicated volunteer group, Friends of Pattemore House Inc.
The group has received a $7421 grant for a storytelling project – From Forest to Farmhouse – Building Fairview.
It is the story of the Pattemore brothers, who built Fairview using pit sawn White Beech, cut and dressed on the Maleny property, and how they, and other settlers in the Sunshine Coast hinterland, were able to convert a rainforest tree into a farmhouse.
The story will be re-enacted using a pit saw and other early tools, with the final product a digital story for display in Fairview.
Friends of Pattemore House Inc president Gail Denver said they were thrilled to receive the Heritage Levy Grant.
“We’re going to work with a conservation architect and local filmmaker to re-enact and film a demonstration of pit sawing and timber hand planing, using tools authentic to the period,” Ms Denver said.
“The film will become part of a permanent display at Fairview for our visitors to enjoy.”
Heritage Levy Grants are an initiative funded by council’s Cultural Heritage Levy for not-for-profit museums and heritage organisations.
Community Portfolio Councillor Rick Baberowski said preserving and hopefully learning from our heritage through sharing our stories were key goals of the Heritage Levy.
“We have a network of heritage organisations across the Sunshine Coast that continue to work hard to understand, preserve and promote our history and create opportunities to share our region’s cultural heritage through new exhibits and creative public programs,” Cr Baberowski said.
“A huge thank you to our dedicated band of volunteers, who work in most of our local museums and community heritage organisations. They do a remarkable job of helping to preserve our Sunshine Coast heritage, both for current and future generations.”
