History of Maryborough
By Maryborough City Council
History
Historic Home Maryborough is one of Queensland’s oldest cities. In early colonial times it was the second most important port on the East Coast of Australia after Sydney and at one stage was the rival for Brisbane as the site for the new state capital.
Maryborough has a rich history few cities could rival. But what really sets Maryborough apart is that much of that heritage remains. It is living history, captured in beautiful old homes and buildings, outstanding museums, iconic historical characters and events, festivals and ghostly tours.
Town Criers Under its well-earned Heritage City title, it has scores of sights and historic points of interest within walking distance in the city centre alone. Visitors can enjoy a free guided Heritage Walking Tour departing City Hall Monday to Saturday. For those who wish to explore at their own pace, the Heritage Walk Map is available online or from the Maryborough Fraser Island Visitor Information Centre.
For the homes and sights further a field, visitors can choose air-conditioned bus tours or explore at their own pace by following the Drive Tour booklet.
Bond Store When the Port of Maryborough was at its zenith in the last half of the 1800s, it was Australia’s second largest port and a gateway for more than 22,000 immigrants.
While the port has long grown dormant, its history and gloriously preserved buildings remain as Portside, Maryborough’s largest tourist destination.
Name: Ghostly Tours and Tales of the Port of Maryborough
Tollfree Phone: 1800 214 789
Fax: (07) 4123 2533
Address: c/o City Hall Visitor Information Centre, 388-396 Kent Street, MARYBOROUGH, QLD, 4650
Ghostly Tours and Tales of the Port of Maryborough
Details: Dusk is gathering as the coach stops at the gates of the Maryborough Cemetery. You feel a tiny tingle of foreboding. It is a classic old graveyard scene with weathered headstones and the wooden, domed tower of a mortuary chapel fading into approaching gloom. To greet you is a group whose dated black garb continues the delicious sense of something a little extraordinary. The evening will commence at City Hall where guests board the coach as the tearful Mary Widow greets them, dressed in black. The Ghostly Tours and Tales of the Port of Maryborough provide a night that combines a delightfully eerie experience, a touch of theatre, a glance into history with spooky tales and a progressive three-course dinner. The adventure takes in historic homes, museums and the old Maryborough Cemetery for a guided torchlight tour to hear mysterious and interesting tales of the city?s pioneering past. Guests are advised to keep their wits about them, as the Cemetery tour could have some surprises.
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Name: Maryborough City Whistle Stop Inc
Phone: (07) 4121 0444
Fax: (07) 4121 0544
Address: 180 Lennox Street, MARYBOROUGH, QLD, 4650
Details: A dedicated team of volunteers crews the Mary Ann. It operates on each Thursday in historic Queens Park, alongside the Mary River, between Sussex Street and Macalister Street. It also operates on the last Sunday of each month, from Macalister Street to Tiger Street, to Sussex Street, plus special operating times in conjunction with MELSA (Model Engineers & Live Steamers Association) and their miniature trains. Each Thursday, Market Day, and on the last Sunday of the month, the Whistle Stop Rail Museum at the old Maryborough Railway Station across from the corner of Lennox and Ellena Streets, Maryborough is open.
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Name: Maryborough Heritage Gateway
Phone: (07) 4190 5730
Fax: (07) 4123 1535
Address: MARYBOROUGH, QLD, 4650
Maryborough Heritage Gateway
Details: The Bond Store Museum is located in the Maryborough's historic Wharf Street Precinct and concentrates on the history of the Port of Maryborough and how the City developed around the Port. The Museum has recently been incorporated into the Maryborough Heritage Gateway Project as part of the Queensland Heritage Trails Network. This project is located in the original Customs House, adjacent to the Bond Store Museum and illustrates the importance of the Port of Maryborough to the development of the Wide Bay/South Burnett Region.
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Name: Maryborough Military and Colonial Museum
Phone: (07) 4123 5900
Fax: (07) 4123 5666
Address: 106 Wharf Street, MARYBOROUGH, QLD, 4650
Details: The Maryborough Military and Colonial Museum is regarded as one of the best country museums in Australia. It has a strong focus on local military and colonial history and contains more than 2000 items of interest with the displays constantly changing. Housed in a National Heritage listed building in the heart of the Portside areas in Wharf Street, the Maryborough Military and Colonial Museum is a must see during your visit to Maryborough. Opening hours - 9am - 3pm seven day a week.
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Name: McMillan Light Horse and Military Museum
Phone: (07) 4123 5497
Fax: (07) 4123 3774
Address: 256 Queen Street, MARYBOROUGH, QLD, 4650
McMillan Light Horse and Military Museum
Details: Located underneath Mavis Bank Historic Home, this museum specialises in the history of the Australian Light Horse as well as other militaria, including WWI, WWII (Army, Navy and Air Force) and Vietnam. The museum houses a vast collection of saddlery, weapons, equipment, uniforms, original photos, military records and war diaries. Set out in chronological order, it allows the visitor to follow the history of the Light Horse at their own pace, ending with a look over a working Saracen Armoured Personnel Carrier.
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Name: Ship To Shore - The Portside Story
Phone: (07) 4123 5001
Address: Wharf Street, MARYBOROUGH, QLD, 4650
Details: Ship To Shore, The Portside Story was born as the result of five local portside businesses wanting to showcase the beautiful and historical area of Wharf Street to as many people as possible. Working together they provide an all inclusive tour that offers a three course meal, wine/cheese tasting, bus tour, river cruise and horse and wagon ride while sharing the cultural and heritage secrets of Maryborough?s amazing past.
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