long lasting cypress pine

The wonderfully robust qualities of houses made from locally milled cypress pine are evident here today in the top floor of this house. It was originally constructed as a ground floor dwelling in 1896 by long term Cunnamulla saddlery business owner and local racing club handicapper Joe Vowles. The building was raised up a level to sit as the first floor of the house renovation nearly 90 years later in 1989.

The opportunity to build such fine dwellings at an affordable price in Cunnamulla in the 1890s reflects the town’s prosperity in the run up to Federation in 1901. With the arrival of the railway link from Charleville in 1898 coinciding with the successful drilling of the town bore guaranteeing a quality water supply, businesses were keen to invest in this south west Queensland growth centre.

While cypress pine

“with which the district abounds”

had long been a mainstay of building in Cunnamulla, getting plentiful supplies of milled timber at an affordable price was a challenge.

Then however the Albion Sawmill opened up here around 1896 and it was a case of problem solved. The mill comprised:

“all the latest planing and matching machines, saws, benches and all steam accessories necessary to a complete outfit.”

As a result more than forty new buildings were constructed over an 18 month period leading up to the opening of the railway in the spring of 1898. Some were also moved around to new locations as is occurring in the image from Cunnamulla in the 1890s we see here.

This abundance of timber processing also had another impact on the ambience of Cunnamulla. As the Queenslander newspaper described things:

“the aroma from the newly cut pine wood seems to pervade the air, while the burning chips and pine sawdust through off a kind of pine incense which is not at all unpleasant.”