Community & Business
12 September, 2023
Putting Kooroongarra back on the map
What was once a thriving town, Kooroongarra had fallen by the wayside for several decades until 2021 when Suzy Shepherd decided to take on the massive project of restoring the ‘Garra to its former glory.
Situated between Millmerran and Inglewood, Kooroongarra’s town centre was established in 1905.
In its heyday during the first half of the twentieth century, the town was home to a butcher shop, post office and telephone exchange, cheese factory, blacksmith, saddler, general store and boarding house, two churches and a school.
A decline in the town, which included the closure of the cheese factory in 1955 and post office in 1970, saw the population dwindle to just a handful in the 21st century.
Suzy Shepherd, a financial planner living in Brisbane, alongside her friend Angela Jelic, was looking for a lifestyle block within driving distance from home.
In early 2021, two acres came up for sale at Kooroongarra, and they jumped at the opportunity.
“As it turned out, I bought a town centre,” Suzy said.
“We both fell in love with the property.
“Its values aligned with us.”
On the two acres were the old butcher shop, the post office and telephone exchange and its accompanying manager’s residence and the cheese factory.
Unused for their original purposes for decades, Suzy said the buildings had all fallen into a state of disrepair and the challenge was set to restore them all to their former glory.
She is now tackling the project on her own and after two and a half years of blood, sweat and tears she is well on her way to restoring Kooroongarra.
The early days were the hardest.
“The previous people didn’t have electricity, water, a running toilet, a kitchen,” Suzy said.
“Mice were running around at the outhouse.
“Mice had eaten the putty off the windows and got through plastic to eat putty stored in it.”
Although not accustomed to life in the sticks, Suzy does have experience in the country, as she lived in Toowoomba from 1996 to 2004, during which time she was a national-level sprinter.
She also has some family on the Downs, as her father lives at Westbrook.
Another challenge, which those in the city and in large towns can be unaware of, has been the lack of a regular bin service.
Her family has been of vital help along their journey and she bought at Kooroongarra as something to share with them.
In addition to restoring the buildings, Suzy said the early stages of the process involved sorting through mountains of things that the previous owners had stored away over their 19 years of ownership.
“Nobby Shed took two trailer loads of scrap from ‘Garra,” she said.
In times gone by when lots of materials were much more expensive and harder to come by, anything of value was recycled or reused.
Throughout her time at Kooroongarra Suzy has taken this outlook on board.
For instance, an old windmill post was used to built a flagpole hoisting the Australian flag.
Community groups have also played a role in restoring Kooroongarra.
The Millmerran Men’s Shed has helped out and the Pittsworth Women’s Shed is scheduled to make a visit as well.
One of the largest tasks yet to have been tackled is restoring the cheese factory.
Suzy said it was formed by a local co-operative and ran from 1906 to 1955, producing Kooroongarra cheddar.
A community library has also been set up, allowing anyone to drop off and pick up books at their leisure.
To help bring history back to Kooroongarra, Suzy is eager to find out more about Kooroongarra’s past.
Over the years, various bits and pieces of the towns have been sold off or donated.
For instance, the old post office is now at Millmerran.
Suzy is looking for any donations of historical artefacts that would be suitable for the premises.
She would like to get her hands on bits and pieces belonging to the cheese factory, which were sold off in 1965.
Suzy said she has been overwhelmed by the support she has received from the local community.
“People love seeing a couple of women having a crack at renovation.”
A Facebook page that tracks the goings-on at the ‘Garra has garnered over 1,500 followers, attracting locals and former locals.
People often share with her their childhood memories of the place.
Although there is still much work to do, the long-term ambition for Kooroongarra is to maximise its potential as a function venue, which will see groups rent it out for a night or weekend to host a wedding and other events.
As the current custodian of Kooroongarra, Suzy said she is as aware of the role she plays in the area’s history.
“It’s all our jobs to maintain our history,” she said.
Suzy is not the only one having a go at restoring Kooroongarra, as the nearby Narraburra farm has purchased the old church and is also restoring the tennis court.
Anyone looking to find out more about Kooroongarra can visit their website old-kooroongarra-town-centre.business.site or its Facebook page.
Those with time or artefacts to donate can send a message on Facebook or contact Suzy Shepherd on 0411 528 440.
