From full sheep processing to weddings, the heritage listed Jondaryan Woolshed in Queensland has plenty of stories to tell.
Jondaryan is a small rural township of approximately 385 people located in the Darling Downs region in Queensland. It’s about 140 kilometres west of Brisbane and midway between the larger populations of Toowoomba and Dalby.
The Jondaryan Woolshed is one of the oldest and largest woolsheds in Australia. In 2019 it celebrated its 160th birthday. Jondaryan Station was established in the early 1840s and was one of the earliest and largest pastoral enterprises on the Darling Downs.
The Jondaryan Woolshed is one of the oldest and largest woolsheds in Australia. In 2019 it celebrated its 160th birthday. Jondaryan Station was established in the early 1840s and was one of the earliest and largest pastoral enterprises on the Darling Downs. It preceded the settlement of towns and acted as a catalyst for closer settlement by providing employment and facilities for a large number of employees and their families in the area. In 1972 the owners of the property sectioned off a portion of the original station and gifted it to the Jondaryan community. The site was then repurposed into a historical museum and tourism venue. It remains one of the longest continuously operating shearing sheds in Australia.
The Woolshed hosted many events and festivals over the past fifty years, including the nine day Australian Heritage Festival, Sunday brunches, the Draught Horse Expo and numerous other community events run by the St Anne’s Church Guild, the local school and private weddings.
The new lease on life is thanks to volunteers who have contributed significantly to the survival of the Woolshed. Various volunteer groups have operated at the site since it was handed over to the Jondaryan community. While the Jondaryan Woolshed has experienced a variety of different owners and operating models over its long history.
Last year Toowoomba Regional Council voted to take over the running of the Woolshed after its closure in 2020 during the pandemic. At this month’s council meeting an operating model analysis was presented to examine the best way forward for the future of the historic site and much loved community asset.
Toowoomba Regional Council’s Environment and Community Committee Chair Cr James O’Shea said Council was investing significant time and resources into getting the operating model for Jondaryan Woolshed right into the future.
“Council, in conjunction with the Friends of the Jondaryan Woolshed and other key stakeholders, is developing an appropriate operating model for the woolshed into the future,” he said.
Cr O’Shea acknowledged the importance of the woolshed to the community.
“We know the community has a connection with the facility and want to see it restored and open for use; however there is a lot of work that needs to take place for this to happen and the cost to do this is quite significant.
As an interim measure, Council has employed an on-site facilities manager. There is still work to be done in determining what the re-opening looks like for visitors and the community. No decisions have been made to move any displays at this point in time.”
He said the Council will continue to work to determine the best way forward for the Jondaryan Woolshed into the future.