Montville back in the day • Interesting history facts

Visiting a destination when you have the background knowledge of their history makes it so much more special.

Montville forms part of the Blackall Range (Montville, Mapleton/Flaxton), the product of a volcanic extrusion. We are nestled in nature! 

What you see today in our National Parks is what earlier visitors would have seen. We walk in their footsteps when we visit. The smells, the scenery, the cool fresh air they experienced we experience today. We are very lucky to have all this on our doorstep to share with visitors.

Montville became a popular holiday destination in the 1920s. The town’s history began in 1887 when it was first settled, and it grew into a thriving agricultural town over the next 50 years. The Blackall Range was promoted as “Queensland’s Blue Mountains” during this time, and guest houses became popular in Montville.  https://www.montvillehistorygroup.com.au/post/glorious-montville

While we have a good introduction to the history of Montville on our website we suggest you check out the “Montville History Group website” or their  FB page  or the Sunshine Coast Councils Heritage information for so much more! Here are some quick facts:

In the beginning: Aeons before European settlers arrived, the local Kabi Kabi and Jinibara people welcomed indigenous tribes from throughout eastern Australia to the banks of the Obi Obi Creek and nearby ‘Kondalilla Falls’ – to exchange songs, stories, tools and ornaments while feasting on the fruit of the Bunya pine. Abundant harvests were cause for celebration. The bush custodians sent messengers far and wide to announce an upcoming festival. It was a time for ceremonies and marriages. The nutritious bunya nut harvest and fresh creek water supported large gatherings for weeks.

Early history: Peter Weitemeyer and his wife Isabella were the first pioneers to settle in Montville in 1887. They used the land for plantations, growing produce like bananas, oranges, pineapples, macadamias, avocados, and strawberries.

Logging and farming: Montville was primarily a logging and farming community until the 1970s when tourism boomed. Timber-cutters were attracted to the Blackall Range in the 1860s by the area’s timber resources, including red cedar, white beech, bunya pine, blackbutt, and tallowwood. The timber was called “red gold”. Timbermen used chutes to transport logs from the hills and plateaus to where bullocks could cart them to mills, ships, or railway lines. These steep tracks were named after the people who first used them, such as Landers Chute and McCarthy’s Chute. In fact heading out of Montville towards Maleny about 2 klms out of town on the left hand side of the road near a bus stop there is a sign that tells you this is where a chute was. Stopping and looking down you can’t image it now. 

Dairying was also an important industry, until the European market collapsed and the last dairy in Montville closed in 1980.

Naming: Montville was originally called Razorback because of the steep ridge it’s located on. However, Henry Smith, who applied to establish a mail receiving office, chose Montville after his hometown in Connecticut, USA and it was accepted. The road leading down from Montville (from the centre of town) to Palmwoods we still call Razorback. 

Photos from Montville Historical Group

Thanks to Sunshine Coast Council’s Heritage Library for information. Links provided above.