Backward Glance: From little things big things grow

The Governor of Queensland officially opened council’s Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve Rainforest Discovery Centre on February 27, 2017.

The name “Mary Cairncross” is a tribute to the memory of Mary Thynne, whose maiden name was Cairncross.

Born in 1848, Mary was a passionate environmentalist from an early age.

She was involved in campaigns to prevent the felling of forests on St Helena Island in Moreton Bay.

Later a prison was built on the island and sadly the forests were cleared.

She married Irish born Andrew Joseph Thynne on June 3, 1869 in Brisbane.

Andrew Thynne purchased the Maleny land where the reserve is situated in 1902.

This reserve is part of an original land holding of 790 acres taken up by Isaac Burgess on November 12, 1878.

Isaac Burgess was the first selector in Maleny on Portion 98.

In 1941, the former Landsborough Shire Council seized an opportunity due to generosity to secure this piece of isolated Maleny rainforest. It was then protected for future generations.

In October 1941, 100 acres was transferred through a Deed of Trust by three sisters Elizabeth, Mabel and Mary Thynne, honouring their mother Mary.

The sisters would never have imagined what an incredible conservation legacy that they had provided.

Without their foresight, it would have perhaps been lost as a community asset forever.

There is a story that needs to be told of a group of hardworking volunteers called the Rotary Club of Maleny.

The club provided most of the assistance and sheer determination in a decision in October, 1959 after discussion with Landsborough Shire Council and Elizabeth Thynne that they would undertake a project.

Their first project was the 100 acre rainforest reserve.

From those discussions, it was agreed that the newly formed Rotary Club would create and maintain the Mary Cairncross Reserve.

After the initial meeting, it was time for the group to roll up their sleeves and get the project underway in this unique rainforest area.

Almost every weekend they volunteered along with their families and worked on a project where they created a reserve like no other.

A former resident of Maleny, community minded Caloundra resident Ben Bennett, was the driving force in getting Rotary started in Maleny and the branch was officially chartered on May 22, 1959 with 20 chartered members.

Maleny Rotary Club charter president Norm Tesch envisaged that the reserve could perhaps be open in October 1960.

This was a tremendous vision as the area comprised of 100 acres of natural scrub.

Many thousands of hours of dedicated labor were spent by this group who transformed this special land to the iconic reserve we see today.

The Rotarians cut tracks, dug holes, built bridges, removed rubbish, made signs and created walkways all in their spare time.

The Landsborough Shire Council assisted with funding for the construction of conveniences and a motor grid at the entrance to the park.

With some funding, the hard working Rotary members also built the early park shelter shed with water tank, picnic tables and also made a fire place to boil the ‘billy’.

The Maleny Rotary Club worked tirelessly for more than 20 years to transform this land. Some of those dedicated volunteers included Jack Wilcox, Norm Tesch, Keith Riordan, Clarrie Skerman, Bert Brooker, Joe Spooner the local policeman, Arthur Finter, Ken Edser, Bruce Aberdeen, Wal Burnett later Sir Walter Burnett, Alex Myers, Joe Spooner, Vic and Jim Waddell, Brian Turner, Arthur Tesch, Bill Hankinson and a young Ivan Hankinson, Ivan Bonney, Jack Hill, Rob Norris, Trevor Appleby, Lloyd Bell, Ken Boden, Reg Cox, ex POW Nev Anning, Bob Doyle and the then known matriarch of Maleny Rotary Peg Burnett and her husband Rixon Burnett – to name a few.

During those early days, Rixon Burnett and the legendary Maleny doctor Tony Parer meticulously researched plant encyclopedias as they attempted to identify species.

Undaunted they sought the help of a research botanist at the Brisbane Botanic Museum and Herbarium.

Rixon Burnett was one of the strongest stalwarts committed to the development of the reserve which he did for over 27 years.

In recognition of his contribution, a Rixon Burnett Walk was aptly named after him within the park.

On December 12, 1960, the Governor of Queensland Sir Henry Abel Smith officially opened Mary Cairncross Reserve.

A guard of honour of Maleny Girl Guides, Cubs and Scouts, Boys Brigade and Girls Life Brigade and Junior Red Cross attended on the special day.

Sir Henry Abel Smith took the time to speak to every little guard of honour on that day and those on the special platform included the surviving donor of the land, Miss Elizabeth “Bessie” Thynne.

In the early hours of New Year’s Day 1963, a severe cyclone tore through the land causing major damage to the reserve.

Many trees fell in the park and sadly had to be removed.

Once again Maleny Rotary rolled up their sleeves and got to work organising extensive working bees in their community to clean up the reserve.

On August 22, 1964, there was another important occasion in the reserve - a cairn was erected as a memorial to Mary Cairncross.

The Rotary Club made this cairn just inside the fence in June 1964.

Sir Henry Abel Smith came back to Maleny for the occasion.

On December 11, 1966, Elizabeth “Bessie” Thynne donated a further five acres to the Landsborough Shire Council.

In 1997, Caloundra City Council (formerly Landsborough Shire Council), with a grant from the Federal Government, built the first education centre.

It was around this time that the Rotary Club of Maleny were able to lessen their involvement in the park.

It had been a huge responsibility by this community-minded club who never faltered in their endeavors for their Sunshine Coast community.

The Sunshine Coast is very grateful for the extraordinary legacy created by the Thynne family along with the sheer determination of Maleny’s Rotary.

This snapshot through time is of major significance in the history of the Sunshine Coast.

Thanks to Sunshine Coast Council’s Heritage Library Officers for the words and Picture Sunshine Coast for the images.

In 2017 we celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Naming of the Sunshine Coast. For more information on this milestone anniversary visit www.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au/fifty.

Image captions

Hero image: Crowd gathered for the opening of Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve, Maleny on December 12, 1960.

Carousel Images:

Image 1: View of the Glass House Mountains from Maleny, 1961.

Image 2: Official opening of Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve on 12 December 1960. Pictured: Cr HW Anning (then Chairman of Landsborough Shire Council), Rotary officials Victor Waddell and Norm Tesch, Elizabeth Thynne and the Governor of Queensland Sir Henry Abel Smith who performed the opening ceremony.

Image 3: Bullock team hauling logs across the Obi Obi Creek upstream from Gardners Falls Maleny, ca 1905.

Image 4: Rotarian Nev Anning ex POW 8th Division AIF, farmer, timber cutter and volunteer who assisted with the creation of Mary Cairncross Reserve during the early 1960s

Image 5: Giant Strangler Fig in Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve, Maleny, 1976