Rockhampton Heritage Village Preview

St Peter’s Roman Catholic Church was built in 1911 and situated just west of Rockhampton at Gracemere and was used for services until 1993. It was then given as a gift from the Rockhampton Catholic Diocese to the Rockhampton Heritage Village. It had been a vandals’ paradise at Gracemere. The church was moved into Rockhampton in one piece with the high roof removed, by Norm James the local house remover.

The windows had all been smashed whilst at Gracemere and have been. You will find in most of the older buildings that there is never as much of the Rose coloured glass used as these is of the green and yellow. This is because the Rose coloured glass has to have flecks of gold spun through it during the production process, thus making it so much more expensive to make and replace.

The flooring has been replaced because of large holes. During summer as the bush fires raged, the smoke used to filter up through the holes, if the fires were near. Then in winter, parishioners would bring floor mats to church to cover up the holes so that the draughts would not get through.

St Peters’ is not a consecrated church now, because we do not have a permanent congregation. The church is the people, therefore without them; we do not have a consecrated church. Wedding ceremonies area held but mostly with celebrants. It is an excellent venue for a small wedding of approximately 60 to 70.

We like people to sing in the church to appreciate the wonderful acoustics that exist in the building. The fact that the building is completely constructed of timber makes for a wonderful sound, especially for a soloist.

There are two pump organs in the church. The one at the rear of the church was made in Canada in 1887. If you look at the bottom of the pedals, you will find the words “Mouse Proof Pedals” in the metal. In Canada, a lot of grain is grown, and the mice would have been a real problem. These words would have been part of the marketing ploy for this particular organ.

Since 1904 the local communities of Woodend, Bushley and Sandy Creek had each been seeking to have a school erected in their district and had been petitioning the Department of Education. In March 1914, District Inspector RG Skelton recommended a school for 30 pupils be built at Woodend on two (2) acres of land donated by Mr Dallow. The erection of the school was delayed so the Department could consider an application from the Sandy Creek residents and to determine whether one school could serve the three communities.

The Department approved the establishment of an ‘open-air type’ building at Woodend in 1914. This school opened on 8 June 1915 by Mabel Gwendoline Wellings, the first teacher. By December of that year the three blinds had blown out completely leaving practically the whole of the interior of the school exposed to the weather.

In 1916 it was decided to build a new school (the present structure) which was occupied in February 1918.

In 1934 the school changed its name from Woodend to KALAPA. One reason given for the change was that the school was ‘within a few yards of the Kalapa Railway station and every institution, committee, organisation, etc., in the neighbourhood was widely known as KALAPA’. Another reason given for the change is that it avoided confusion with the postal authorities with a similar place via Ipswich. KALAPA also means wasp/hornet in the local Aboriginal dialect.

It is interesting to look through the list of principals and notice that the first male principal was appointed in 1947 after which there was only one more female principal, 1987 to 1989, appointed before the school was closed in 1997.

Lakes Creek is named after an early seaman who was named Captain Lake and a small fresh water creek that ran through the area.

The Emu Park Rail Line opened in 1888 to service the Lakes Creek Meat Works and the sea side town of Emu Park. The meat works opened in 1871.

The first railway station in the Lakes Creek area was originally situated across the road from where the heritage listed Lakes Creek Hotel stands today and when the new station at Lakes Creek was built, this station was renamed Berserker Rail Station.

The Alexandra Railway Bridge, crossing the Fitzroy River was opened in 1899 and was built with 2 tracks over the bridge. A short branch line was constructed to run directlyt into the meat works, enabling the company to rail the sheep and cattle as far west as Longreach or intervening stations right into the slaughter-yard. The Alexandra Railway Bridge is still in use today but only with one track operating. On the northern side of the bridge was the Glenmore Junction, where trains were directed, north to Mackay or east on to the Emu Park Rail Line.

A building contract for the new Lakes Creek Rail Station was awarded on 9 July 1900 to Newman Brothers for an initial cost 221 pounds. This figure later blew out to 228 pounds. Prior to this station being built, there was only a gate shed manned by 1 person. The first working timetable commenced on the 3 December 1900. The stationmaster’s house was located on the hill opposite the station.

Two Purrey Steam Trams – similar to the one at Archer Park Rail Museum – had a service fourteen times daily to the Lakes Creek Railway Station. These trams were put into service between 1924 – 1925, transporting the meat workers and general public to and from town. The tram service ceased in 1930 in favour of buses. The trams were able to carry 40 passengers in the main unit and 50 passengers in the trailer.

Train movements were controlled by a disc telegraph system, which was replaced by a electric telegraph system using long rods rather than discs. The original telegraph system was in use from the North Rockhampton Railway station to Lakes Creek Railway Station and later extended to Nankin.

When the trains offloaded at the meat works, the steam locomotive and wagons would then reverse back to the main station. After a traffic accident on the rail line near Archer Street, a decision to install a turntable to allow the locomotives to be turned to face the correct direction of travel. A turntable sourced from Many Peaks on the Monto line and installed in the 1950’s.The turntable was pulled up in 1969.

Bill Head was the last stationmaster, at the Lakes Creek Railway Station from 1969 to 1992 and his father was stationmaster for 3 years prior to that. During this time, Bill remembers that there were two or three cattle trains each day and more on the weekend. During Bill’s time, he had an assistant and a porter when needed. When Bill retired, his job was advertised, but never filled.

The Lakes Creek Railway Station moved to the Rockhampton Heritage Village on 5 August 2008.

The hospital collection, housed in the 1946 Mount Morgan Hospital Matron and Sisters’ quarters, includes displays of artefacts and memorabilia from 150 years of health services history in Rockhampton. Separate rooms are devoted to each aspect of a typical country hospital’s operation including a doctor’s room, a general ward, operating theatre, dental surgery, pharmacy, and nurse’s bedroom. Special displays are devoted to the Westwood Sanitorium, the Iron Lung, and poliomyelitis. The hospital collection is curated by members and volunteers of the Australian Country Hospital Heritage Association.

The ‘KIANGA’ station story started with its original owners, Archie and Mary McNabe.
After a chaotic beginning Mary and Archie finally settled on their run ‘KYANGA’ in 1857. 1857 was a wet year so they were unable to move any sheep to the property until April 1858. It was a four month journey for the McNabe’s to drive the sheep to their new home.

When first arriving at the station the new arrivals began building huts by the creek, however it is recorded that they had a most unsettling experience with some hostile aborigines. They built huts with boltholes in the walls through which rifles could be fired. However Mary believed that if they were attacked it was safer for her helpers to sleep in the bush to being trapped inside.

In 1860 Archie went on an errand to purchase two hundred Shorthorn heifers for ‘Kyanga’, it was on this journey that Archie took ill and sadly passed. It took 4 years but leases that had been granted to Archie were finally transferred to Mary in 1864. This saw Mary become the owner of 200 sq miles of land and grazing of 20000 sheep.

Throughout the years Mary battled floods, droughts, dingo invasion and bush fires, all of which greatly affected her income and caused massive disruption to station life.

Mary struggled over the years to keep the station afloat. Then in 1877 a fellow Scot, John Sutherland joined Mary to manage ‘Kianga’. Within two years of taking on management, ‘Kianga’ became a financially viable asset and John bought a half share from Mary.

Mary stayed on at ‘Kianga’ until her passing on the 10th of May 1894 at 73 years of age. Mary left her share of ‘Kianga’ to her sister’s children with her nephew Henry (Harry) Bracker as trustee.

In 1917, John Sutherland bought out the Bracker interests and the McNabe connection to the ‘Kianga’ Station came to an end.

‘Kianga’ station went on to be home to many families, with the station including the main homestead, a butchery, a small school house, the farm managers cottage, men’s quarters, shearer’s quarters, the cook house and of course the shearing shed. The Shearing Shed was believed to be built in 1946 on the ‘KIANGA’ station. The shearing equipment was said to be powered by a Diesel engine.

Dawson mine is now neighboring to the ‘KIANGA’ station and in 2006 the mining began to encroach on the station. The unique Shearing Shed was one of the buildings threatened when the mine purchased 200 acres of the homestead block.

As the owners of the ‘KIANGA’ station, Mark and Simone Howard recognized the exceptional nature of the building and offered to donate the shed to the Rockhampton Heritage Village.

A team of volunteers and a staff member from the village spent four weeks dismantling, photographing and numbering all the parts of the shed so that it could be reassembled. The team camped on ‘KIANGA’ station with the Howard family during this time to complete the project.

Although there were some parts of the shed that required replacement or modification, however the majority of the building has be assembled to its original specifications.

Some of the steel framing had rusted away and it was necessary to weld in new sections to replace those parts that were unsound. Sound sections that were distorted were painstakingly heated and straightened individually. Used railway line was used for the new piers. Available in 1946, it was more appropriate than modern concrete or galvanized steel piers.

Saving the ‘KIANGA’ shearing shed was important because of the way is was constructed, it’s demonstration of a vanishing industry with Queensland sheep being replaced by beef production and the lifestyle of that era.

Some time ago Pat Benson approached the Rockhampton Heritage Village with a view to establishing a Timber Cutters camp with some ‘old junk’ as folk tended to call the gear hanging round the gazebo of his home. His main aim for this was to keep alive the knowledge of the dying art of timber getting for future generations.

Pat’s dad was a Bullock teamster, so at a very young age, he did his apprenticeship in the timber industry, as offsider to his Dad on the bullock wagon. It was a ten day trip to get the load, and deliver it to the timber mill. Four days getting there, one day snigging and then another five into the mill.

The rails and poles for the tents and bunks were left at each campsite, and after unyoking the bullocks and turning them out to graze each night, the work started erecting the tents, the bunks and then cooking tea. Bells which hung around the bullocks necks, helped to locate them in the morning light.

In later years Pat’s Dad gave him his own bullock team and he was paid four shillings per 100 super feet to cut and four shillings per 100 super feet to snig the logs out of the scrub and onto a ramp for trucking to the mill.

This meant he had to have two residences, one tent in the scrub when cutting the logs and one over the range, where the bullocks grazed, when he was snigging. Cutting timber is an art of its own. Trees growing on mountains must be felled in the right direction, enabling them to shoot down the mountain.

Tools needed for working were crosscut saws, maul, wedges, two axes, a wallaby jack and a brush hook to brush your way through the vine scrub. Imagine a Hoop Pine tree, 100 feet high, falling down through the scrub and ending up covered with vines.

This all has to be cleared off before removing the limbs and bark to ensure it shoots down the mountain into the gully, where it was cut into logs. It was then snigged by bullocks onto a ramp, where trucks would load and cart it to the mill.

The big drought of 1946 forced Pat to let the bullocks go in July. Along with hundreds of other drought stricken cattle from the Eidsvold/Monto area, they grazed on approximately 200 square mile of unfenced country.

To maintain an income, cord wood was cut for the foundry furnaces and sleepers for the Railway department. Sleepers were squared by using the bushman’s line level and a broad axe.

The ‘End of an Era’ came in about 1947 when the bullocks were sent off to the butcher, and tractors took over the work.

The Power House houses a display of vintage stationary engines and generators used in various locations in the district before mains power was connected. The display includes a 1905 International harvester engine and the Ruston Hornsby generator, weighing about 16 tonnes.

The centre section of this shed was originally the pattern design shed at Burns & Twiggs Engineering Foundry works. It was moved to Gangalook and then to Village. In the original building, to reach the top floor, you had to climb up a steel ladder. When the shed came to the Village indoor steps were added to allow access to the second floor.

This cottage was built around 1900 in Mount Morgan and later moved to the Lakes Creek area for use as housing for the meatworks. A breezeway separates the kitchen from the main house for both ventilation and to reduce the risk of fire.

The design, most resembling the gable and hip-roofed houses and cottages which places the building in the period between 1880 and 1910. This supposition is supported by the fact that the building is generally believed to have been constructed in 1900. This style of building is distinguished by the overlapping weatherboard walls, the use of bracketed posts to support the verandah and the overall symmetrical shape of the windows, door and verandah when viewed front on.

This cottage was built in 1911 at 234 Denham Street, The Range (a suburb of Rockhampton). Of the many interesting stories behind the exhibits at the Village, the story of Alice Dingley is one of the most fascinating. Alice lived in this house in Rockhampton for more than 70 years until her death in 2008, without the modern conveniences of electricity, running water or sewerage. Alice’s family donated her house to the Heritage Village, just as it was when she was alive. It’s fascinating insight into a way of life unchanged for decades.

Lorna and Donald Rackemannn gave this cottage to the Village when they were retiring from their Marlborough cattle property. It had been erected on a 128 acre lot at Wooroolin, in the South Burnett, near Kingaroy. The Rackemanns for sentimental reasons had brought the cottage to ‘Lorna Vale’ near Ogmore.

We know the provenance of this cottage as it was constructed by the Rackemanns ancestors’, Hans and Ida Hansen, in 1908. At the time of purchase it comprised the front two rooms and the front verandah. Hans considered the house to have been built on land that was too low. He pulled the cottage apart, numbered each of these pieces and then rebuilt the cottage on higher ground. You can see the original numbering system used by Hans on the inside of the slabs next to the front door. Hans then added the back two rooms and the back verandah on.

Hans and Ida (nee Devantier) were married in about 1906 and purchased the 128 acres and house in 1908. They ran the property as a dairy farm, hand milking until they retired in 1947. They had four daughters in total. One was aged 7 months when they moved into the cottage. Hans and Ida lived in that cottage for over ten years. During that time they built themselves another house, which they then moved into and lived in until 1947. The new house had a front and back verandah with a central corridor with two bedrooms and the kitchen and lounge off either side of the corridor.

No electricity was connected to the property and washing was done using a chip copper, and 3 galvanised wash tubs. One was for washing the clothes, one for rinsing the clothes and the third tub was for bluing the whites. The day before wash day Hans would set the fire in the copper and then on the day just before the clothes were hung out he would check the wind direction. Ida would clean the clothes line with a wet cloth and then start the wash. Ida washed in this way until 1965. Water was bailed from the tanks into the tubs.

For ironing Ida used Mrs Potts irons and also the type of iron that you could put coals into. Ida used corn cobs to create the coals for this iron. Corn cobs were plentiful as corn was grown as supplementary feed for the dairy herd. The cobs were dried and then Hans and Ida would strip the corn from the cobs in the evening.

Both Hans and Ida had been born in Australia. Hans’s parents had emigrated from Denmark and Ida’s from Germany. Ida was excellent at needlework. Examples of her needle skills were displayed throughout her house. Even her curtains were decorated with her embroidery as well as the bedspreads and no doubt many other items.

In 1908 Mr and Mrs Hans Hanson and their 7 month old daughter, Evelyn, came from Boominya to live 2 miles east of Wooroolin by road, in this Slab Hut, on 128 acres of standing scrub. Evelyn their eldest daughter was born in Boominya, their first home. The house at that time consisted of the two front rooms (and veranda with no floor). Later Hans added the two back rooms and built a small galley for cooking in a camp oven. Four years later (1912) another daughter, Gladys was born in the house. 18 months later in 1913 their third daughter Daphne was born in a nursing home in Wondai. In 1916 their fourth daughter Lorna was also born in this home.

In later years Evelyn married Roy Turner (a neighbour). Gladys married Alf Stiimer of Home Creek, west of Wooroolin. Daphne married Ray Rackemann of Home Creek and Lorna married Arthur Rackemann (cousin of Ray) also from Home Creek. Evelyn and Ray were married in this house.

In 1947 Hans and Ida sold their farm and retired in Wondai. In 1980 Arthur and Lorna Rackemanns’ son Donald Arthur purchased this house and with the help of his father and working men, Danny May and Gordon Bayles, rebuilt it on “Lorna-Vale Station”, Marlborough, owned jointly by the Rackemann family. Arthur won this block in the Brigalow Scheme Ballots in 1958 and pioneered for many years enduring many hardships with little money to build it up to the fine property it became.

Following the sale of the property in 1996, this home was again shifted to Rockhampton, to its present location.

The building began as a wartime construction in the early 1940’s when it was built by the Public Works Department as a recreation building for the American forces, near St Christopher’s Chapel at Nerimbera. During these years, the Rockhampton-Yeppoon area was a major base for American operations and many thousands of troops were stationed in the towns and surrounding countryside. Even today one can still find concrete slab foundations in all sorts of unsuspected places. The superstructures of the buildings have long since been removed and the native forest has again taken over the area. The original building had an open fireplace of brick construction at one end for warmth and comfort for the inmates, however this feature was lost when moved.

It was at the end of the war that the building became just another item of “war surplus” and was offered for sale as such. It was at this stage that the building became the property of the Yeppoon Boys Scouts Group, being purchased for a sum of 192 Pounds on 31st August 1946. The building became the local Scout head quarters for many years and was used by scouts, cubs, guides and brownies. Such was the life of the building from the time of purchased until regrettably the Yeppoon Scout Group ceased to function and after a number of years of disuse and several attacks by vandals, the scouting administration decided to sell the property. This was at the time when the Keppel Bay Shell Museum was looking for a premises and the sale was completed. The building was now known as “The Keppel Bay Shell Museum”. Because of a land sale in 2002, the building was up for removal or demolition. Through the help of Rockhampton City Council, and our local member Robert Schwarten, a grant was given to relocate the building to The Rockhampton Heritage Village. After nearly 2 years of restoration by the Village Volunteers and Staff. This building now houses the Myrtle Perkins Doll Collection, along with other donates dolls and toys.

In 1903 Andrew (Lofty) and Emma Anderson arrived in Rockhampton along their infant son, William Price (Bill). In addition to their luggage, there was a second hand printing press and just enough metal type to set up a newspaper.

The first step in the founding of City Printing Works was taken on 2nd May 1903 when 2500 copies of ‘The Critic” were eagerly snatched up by the citizens of Rockhampton and Mount Morgan for one penny a copy, less than two cents. The name was appropriate as it set out to right justice in and better the lives of workers. Sportsmen and blue-collar workers loved it and Lofty Anderson was a hero to many. ‘The Critic’ was a sporting and political weekly available Friday evenings.

‘The Critic’ was a weekly issue and its circulation increased greatly over the years. The Great Depression led to its closure in 1931.

The original building was on Charles Street, North Rockhampton hence the name of the building. It was built and opened in 1933. There is 1925 Beam fire engine which was commissioned for the opening of this station. We also have a Chevy fire truck which was stationed at Lakes Creek Meat Works. When Kerry Packer bought the meat works the truck was donated it to the City of Rockhampton along with the Lakes Creek Cottage which is also located at the Heritage Village.

The upstairs level has a large display of items including different types of hoses, nozzles, breathing apparatus, helmets, uniforms and medals. There is a lot of history captured in pictures and news reports by fiery family members particularly the Semple family.

See a glimpse of the past with trenches, vehicles and an igloo full of history. The 1st CQ Light Horse, Regiment – Rockhampton Historical Troop is an historical troop created to commemorate mounted troops raised in Central Queensland. This troop was raised on 11th November 1991 with the inaugural meeting being held at the O.R.’s mess of the 42nd Battalion.

The Igloo has been constructed to display memorabilia from the American forces who were stationed in and around Rockhampton during the Second World War. Volunteers from the 1st CQ Light Horse have collected memorabilia from the local area and are putting together a display to ensure that the support received from the USA is never forgotten.

The first mounted troops (Rockhampton Mounted Infantry) were raised in 1888. This troop was formed out of the previous militia unit composed of volunteers that had been raised to protect the gold shipments from Mt Morgan Mine. With reviews of the defence forces the troop underwent several name changes with the RMI becoming K Company in the Queensland Mounted Infantry in 1895 and then the 3rd Battalion of the Queensland Mounted Infantry in 1899. The 3rd Battalion (QMI) departed for the Boer War on 1 March 1900 and returned on 7th June 1901 after serving in the Relief of Mafeking (17th May 1900), Koster River (21-22nd July 1900), Elands river (4-16th August 1900) where they were besieged for 13 days and at Rhenoster Kop (29th November). The Battalion was awarded the King’s Banner for its service in South Africa.

The Light Horse were involved in WW 1 at Gallipoli and in the Middle East and Europe. They were also involved in the Second World War although in 1943 the unit was formally disbanded on the formation of the Australian Armoured Corps in December 1943.

The Burns and Twigg Blacksmith Shop features many of the original tools of the trade and equipment from the original shop and foundry. The blacksmith was a common business at the turn of the century. Work consisted of repairs to wagons and sulkies, sharpening tools such as picks and crowbars, making horseshoes etc. Many other machines in the shop like the Tyre Shrinker were used by the wheelwright, also the Tyre Roller and Spoke Shaves.

Our building called Separation Coach and Waggon Works is a replica of business premises located in Fitzroy Street Rockhampton and operated by Mr Anders Nielsen. Mr Neilsen also had business premises at 16,18 and 20 Lower East Street, Rockhampton. The building was reproduced using a photograph so although the appearance is similar from the front the internal layout and the rear view is not necessarily correct. Likewise the building techniques used may not be the same as those used in the original building.

Anders used the latest technology in his businesses. His letter headings have a picture of West’s Patent Tyre Setter set in the left hand corner. West’s Tyre Setter was and still is the machine that reigns supreme in wheelwrighting. This machine was first produced in America around the 1890 period and made it to Sydney by about 1897. It was claimed that such a tyre setter could set tyres at a rate of 25 per hour. Nielsen’s incorporation of a picture of West’s Tyre Setter on his letterhead is really a statement of his businesses excellence, it’s capacity and modernity. We have one sulky that we can identify as being made by Mr Neilsen. This sulky has the maker’s name engraved on the foot plate located on the shaft.

The Heritage Village Radio Museum hosts a display of vintage radios and radio-related equipment. Radio communication has been an essential part of life in Central Queensland.

Radio equipment is used by many essential services. The museum has radio equipment on display that has been used for communication by the following:

• Police services.

• Maritime communications with commercial ships and leisure boats.

• Royal Flying Doctor Service communications to aeroplanes and remote locations.

• School of the Air communications between teachers and students in remote properties.

• Taxi communication.

• Amateur radio operators.

• Short wave listeners.

Test equipment used to service radio equipment is also on display.

The station can communicate with other amateur radio stations in Australia and overseas.

A morse code station is set up which allows you to send your name in morse code.

The Rockhampton and District Amateur Radio Association assists with the operation and maintenance of the Radio Museum.

This replica is based on a building occupied by a local heavy dray and coach manufacturer in Rockhampton in the late 1800s near where the City Centre Plaza stands today. The building houses a range of horse drawn carts including a pie wagon, fruit cart, butcher’s cart and baker’s cart to name a few. Also on display are various tractors and some lovely glassware, china, lamps and brassware.

This building houses part of the Heritage Village’s extensive collection of historic vehicles. Most of the vehicles have been restored to running condition.

This building was originally a testing laboratory but has been refurbished to become a replica of a general store that traded in Allenstown in the 1920’s owned the Arnold sisters. Apart from the usual items in a general store, the sisters specialized in fresh pastries and cakes.

Arnold's is now used as a volunteer run cafe. Ask at the front desk if the cafe is open when you arrive.

This homestead was built in 1881 by the Egan family on their property “Rosewood”, situated at Wycarbah, 100km west of Rockhampton. It is of horizontal slab construction with iron bark timbers felled from the property and dressed by an adze (a tool used for smoothing rough cut wood) and broadaxe. The Homestead is interesting as it has glass windows and pressed metal “Wunderlich” walls and ceilings, all imported from Britain. The hessian ceilings in two of the rooms were to keep the rooms cooler in summer. The house was occupied until 1984, with electricity provided by a generator from 1955 to 1981 when it was then connected to the grid power.

The kitchen is separate from the living area of the house not only to reduce the risk of fire but to help keep the living areas cool. It originally had earth floors made from a mixture of earth or termite nest, cow manure and ox blood, which set as a solid floor. Before Rosewood Homestead was built, the kitchen was the original house.

Rosewood Shed houses some of the Heritage Village’s collection of tractors and other working vehicles.

Built by the Woods family in the early 1900s, this cottage, known as a drop slab cottage, was originally situated on a property near The Caves township, north of Rockhampton. In 1978 it was totally dismantled and moved to the Gangalook Museum site where it was rebuilt piece by piece. The construction of this building is typical of the era with large ironbark slabs being hand cut and then dressed by adze and broad axe. Each room is furnished with household items and fittings from the period and has been collected from local families.

Woods barn is a good example of the split timber building methods in use throughout the Rockhampton Regional area in the early 1900s. In constant use for a variety of purposes, the barn was originally owned by the Wood's family and subsequently donated by the Gomersal family.

Menzies Garage display hosts a range of vehicles and vehicle related memorabilia from the early days of motoring to the 1950s. These vehicles have been restored onsite by volunteers and staff of the Rockhampton Heritage Village and are housed in a replica garage. A few of the vehicles are kept in working condition for rides on market days and at events. A real treat for motoring enthusiasts.

Walter Glen Menzies was a born and bred Rockhampton lad who, after leaving school, worked at a variety of jobs in the Rockhampton area before some astute financial management led to his purchase of a bakery in Marmor in the mid 1930s: His brother Malcolm worked beside him so forming the first “Menzies Brothers”. A few years later, Glen sold the bakery and bought a general store in Baree, Mount Morgan. Malcolm assisted for a while but then signed up for the army so Glen’s wife Jessie assisted with the general store and post office while Glen opened (next door) a small garage which sold batteries, tyres, petrol, oils etc and undertook “small repairs” to vehicles. (Glen’s father was a tanker driver for the Vacuum Oil Company so fate seemed to dictate the connection between the Menzies family and automobiles).

In the early 1960s the Menzies family moved to Rockhampton and Menzies Ampol Frenchville was soon built and began trading in 1965. Glen’s son Raymond and his wife Del initially ran and managed the business. Ray was a fully qualified mechanic having completed his trade at Lawrence Motor Company in Bolsover Street. Ray was joined by his brother Mervyn after he completed his apprenticeship as a panel beater at Lomas Panel Works in Alma Street. Wayne Menzies joined his two older brothers after finishing his schooling. Wayne completed his mechanical apprenticeship under the watchful eye of Ray and , together, the three brothers worked and grew the business.

Today the business is still run by the family. Wayne is the Director of the business, Ray and Merv having since retired. During its operation the business has given many of the extended family members opportunities to learn trades and participate in this close family business.