The Little Hall and Big Hall - Dundowran

The early hall built by Jas Mcpherson and shifted to Dundowran as a community hall.

Through community efforts the Dundowran community were able to raise funds to establish the first of two halls affectionately call the Little Hall or Dundowran Public Hall. The hall was originally erected in the 1880s by Mr Jas McPherson on Torquay Terrace. It was later moved to Torquay Road.

The people of Dundowran needed a hall and when Frank Whittaker heard that his relative Mr Doss was selling the hall in 1917 he suggested this as a solution to the Dundowran communities' hall problem. The Bagnall family donated land on the Lower Mountain Road and the hall was purchased and established there. The hall reverberated with the social and spiritual life of the community. Church services, Brass Bands, the music of accordions and pianos accompanied dancers. Bob Cambell Senior would run monthly evensong services ( Hervey Bay High School, 1988).

The Opening of Dundowran Recreation Hall 1933

The Dundowran Recreation Society was formed in 1929 as the community had outgrown the Little Hall. "The constitution stated that any adult could become a life member on payment of one shilling or 10 cents"(Hervey Bay High School, 1988). Reuben Woods purchased ten acres of land at the corner of Lower Mountain Road and Walligan Road (Hervey Bay High School, 1988). The price of sixty dollars or ten pounds for this land was followed by the community pulling together to put in a cricket pitch and two tennis courts. Once again a building was repurposed to use as the community hall. This time it was CSR Sugar Mill barracks at Childers that was purchased in May 1933 for 100 pounds. Under the guidance of Charlie Churchward and Alf Bromiley, it was dismantled and reconstructed on this site in September, 1933 (Hervey Bay Highschool,1988). This hall was known as the Big Hall or the Dundowran Recreation Hall. The Little Hall was then used as a non-denominational Church and Sunday school.  In January of 1972 this building suffered damage from cyclone Dinah and was donated to The Hervey Bay Museum for use as their first display building. In 1974 The Museum opened and the building housed farm implements and household objects used by settlers (Hervey Bay Historical Village and Museum).

References: 

Hervey Bay High School (1988) 1988 - A lighthearted overview of Hervey Bay's History - Hall Home to many Groups.

Hervey Bay Historical Village and Museum.

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