History
with Wendy McMullin

THE 1920s was a vibrant decade for Palmwoods. The town expanded, business boomed and the horse and cart began to make way for the automobile.
Local historian WENDY MCMULLIN takes a look at the way our town was:

DURING the 1920s, the town of Palmwoods had a well established business centre which catered for most requirements of local residents.

Early in the decade, the businesses included baker W. Cameron, butcher W Hobson and storekeepers W. M. Tapper, Walter S. Collins and Edward Kenny. Blacksmith shops were owned by F. Bailey and A. Wilshire, a saddlery by Chas C. Cumming and Thomas P Miller was the boot maker.

The licensee of the Palmwoods Hotel was Thomas J. Hobbs. P. D. Chapman was manager of the English Scottish and Australian Bank and station master was Joseph H Hooper. Then there was the travelling salesman Edwin Sheppard and the post mistress was Gertrude A. Coxon. Builders and carpenters were Donald Mowat, W. Finch and J. Roderick.

Land east of the railway line was auctioned in July 1923, allowing expansion of the town to the east.

Some of the highlights of the period were the opening of the new Chevallum Road in October 1924; the new road to Montville in November 1929 and, in competition with the Palmwoods-Buderim tram, Mr Billy Phillips began a passenger/mail service to Maroochydore in 1924.

The railway was playing a large part in the transport of passengers and goods. Returns for the year 1920 show that 15,963 tickets valued at 2,886 pounds were sold.

Goods despatched amounted to 128 tons of sugar cane; other agricultural produce 4452 tons, logged and dressed timber 4359 tons, six tons of firewood and 312 tons of general merchandise.

The total amount of goods outward was 9257 tons and inward 3647 tons including livestock.

Building activity also reached an all time high during the decade.

The Palmwoods-Montville and Buderim Fruit Growers Societies decided to amalgamate. The outcome was construction of a new shed which was opened in June 1920, and is now part of the QFS buildings.

The School of Arts building at the sports reserve had for some years been inadequate for local needs and eventually, a decision was made to build a new hall. The Palmwoods Memorial Hall and School of Arts opened in May 1922.

Up to this time, the Union Church, now the woodwool factory site, had been used by all the protestant denominations. The Presbyterians were the first to build their own church on "Church Hill" in Hill Street, behind the police station.

The official opening took place in November 1924, followed in May 1925 by the opening of St Augustine's Anglican Church.

The Hill Street Methodist Church, now the Uniting Church, was the fourth church built and opened in 1928.

The Church Street Roman Catholic congregation had held services at the school before their church was opened in June 1926 on the eastern side of the police station.

In 1923, Mr J. Page made alterations to his building, located on the corner of modern Main and Hill Streets, and ran tea rooms and a cafe.

Mr Gail had also erected a two storey building opposite the hotel, which he conducted as a drapery and boot store, with offices to rent on the top floor.

A private hospital was established by Nurse Boisen in early 1924. The building still stands at the corner of Margaret and Fewtrell Street.

In 1923, there had been rumours of a resident doctor for the town. Doctor G. F. A. Gill became the town doctor in the latter part of the 1920s, providing a much needed medical service for the surrounding district. He also worked in conjunction with the hospital.

In July 1928, the Palmwoods Police District was established.

The phone service was upgraded in 1924 and Mr F. Lloyd became the postmaster where the upholsterer now stands in Main Street.

Some businesses changed hands during this period and some were duplicated. The 1920s saw the end of saddle makers and an increase in car hire and sales advertisements by H. C. Meder. Williams were the agents for Buick and Chevrolet car sales.

Some further businesses were established or upgraded in later years but with less urgency than in the 1920s.Many of the original buildings are still standing, with only a few making way for progress.

By the end of the decade, the following people were established in the town: W Cameron and H Williams were bakers; W S Collins and A R Crockburn were storekeepers; W Hobson was the butcher; J Page and J Conwell ran the tea rooms and cafe; H N Fell was the real estate agent; W Ranger, W F Krebs and H C Meder were blacksmiths; J B Poole was the bootmaker; A R Caplick and Donald Mowat were carpenters; F Henk, H Henkey and F Lingard were plumbers; Mr T J Sheedy was the bank manager; A Miller was the station master, with W Welldon Fettler, T Cannon and B P McFarlane also working on the railway; Mr F Lloyd was the post master; G T Latcham was the hotel licensee; and Quayle and Turnbull operated a soft drink factory.