Located 40 minutes north of Brisbane on the border of Lake Kurwongbah, Old Petrie Town is a well preserved village from the 1900s offering a plentiful range of things to see and do.
Originally known as ‘North Pine Country Park’, the concept for Old Petrie Town began in 1974, when the Pine Rivers Shire Council decided to move historical structures from areas such as Dayboro and Kurwongbah to create a historical village.
Comprised of an array of restored buildings including Piggott’s Store, Todd’s Cottage, two heritage listed chapels, The Old Schoolhouse and the original Petrie train station, each building carries with it a different significance and history. “They [the buildings] vary in age,” said General Manager, Nicholas Dodd. “The oldest one we have is the Henry Day Farmhouse from 1860.
“I believe in the mid-80s they had a concept for it to become more commercialised, and a number of other buildings that were not historic or specific to this area were either built or moved here.”
Leased by the YMCA in 2005 and renamed Old Petrie Town, the village has grown into an acclaimed gem of North Brisbane. Dog friendly markets where visitors can pick up a bargain on various handcrafted goods, second hand books and fresh produce are hosted every Sunday from 8am to 2pm, attracting an average 1,500 – 2,000 visitors each week. On Friday nights, vintage cars line up outside the Emporium Rock n’ Roll Milk Bar for visitors and enthusiasts to appreciate.
Old Petrie Town’s immense variety of cultural attractions including a working blacksmith, lolly shop, pottery barn, and fire and steam museums, also attract travellers and locals from all over Brisbane.
“Our biggest days are when we do big expos, like the animal expo that we do on the first of July,” said Mr Dodd. “We had 15,000 people on the ground last year, all in one day.”
This month from 1-2 June, Old Petrie Town’s Steam & Engine Museum ‘The Boiler House’ will host its annual Steam Fair. “All of our steam rollers and steam engines will be on display, along with hundreds of other expositions,” said Mr Dodd. “This event will probably yield 8,000 – 10,000 people on the ground for that weekend.”
For those wanting to dive deeper into the vast history of Old Petrie Town, Nicholas advises a visit to the Pine Rivers Heritage Museum, located onsite. “It contains all the information on Old Petrie Town; its history, the pioneers and the whole story of this area, which is huge.”
There’s always something new to explore in this small, buzzing town, with ghost tours the latest addition to upcoming attractions. “The ghost tours have been a work in progress, and are proving very popular, and will soon be open to the public,” said Mr Dodd.
Extending over 48 acres of parkland with a grove of 350-year-old fig trees surrounding the village, Old Petrie Town is a perfect weekend day trip destination. “It’s a beautiful setting and quite unique,” said Mr Dodd. “You won’t find anything else like it.”
For more information, visit the Old Petrie Town Facebook page.