Old Petrie Town is a historical village, with speciality shops in historic buildings, a variety of museums, and Sunday markets with things to buy and food to eat.
History of Old Petrie Town
Old Petrie Town was first called North Pine Country Park, changing names in 2005. The history of the buildings and land date back to the 1800s, with the Forman’s Cottage built in 1876 near baby fig trees, now proud and majestic fig giants.
Hyde family moved the cottage to become the kitchen of the Hyde homestead, instead of demolishing the cottage as the fig trees grew larger over the top of it.
Many of the buildings have been relocated to Old Petrie town, such as the church which was originally in Lawnton, built on land donated by Stephen Lawn, and McKenzie’s Store was from Dayboro, now a sweets store.
Old Petrie Town Museums
Old Petrie Town holds a cluster of museums. The museums don’t follow the same hours as Old Petrie Town in general. Sunday is normally the best day to go as most things are open on Sundays.
At the front next to the car park is the Pine Rivers Heritage Museum, showcasing the history of the surrounding area. There is a video display talking to some of the Petrie family, reminiscing what it was like going to the homestead such as during the holidays.
Yebri House sits to the side of the museum (accessed from the museum), a historic farm workers cottage owned by the Petrie Family, a pre-fabricated kit house built in the 1880s. It has been set up to show what it was like living in a house in the 1920s without electricity.
The old schoolroom shows what a schoolroom would have looked like when the school first opened in the area, with old wooden desks complete with ink wells, and slates for writing on.
Pine Rivers Heritage Museum is open the most frequently, open every day except for Monday, from 10am to 3pm Tuesday to Friday, and until 2pm on Saturday and Sunday. It opens earlier at 9am on Sundays.
The Queensland Fire Museum as a collection including rural, industrial and military displays, consisting of uniforms, vehicles, fire fighting apparatus, and more. The vehicles is an impressive collection, from the 1930s to the 1980s.
The Queensland Fire Museum is open only on Sundays between 8am and 12pm. The kids may also get a ride in Lil Squirt.
The Queensland Steam and Vintage Machinery Society has a large collection of steam era machinery. Entry is with a gold coin donation, which goes towards the running and restoration of steam machinery.
The best day to see the Steam Museum is on the first Sunday of the month. This is when you will see the machinery come to life. The big boiler in the shed is lit up, supplying steam to a variety of steam powered machinery throughout. Steam traction engines are also brought to life and run around the park.
The Steam Museum is open Wednesday, Friday and Saturday between 8am and 12pm, and on Sunday betweem 9am and 2pm.
The Murrumba Scout District Museum shows lots of items from scouting, with uniforms, woggles and patches. It is open on the second and forth Sunday of the month between 9am and 12pm.
Near the Scouts Museum is the original Petrie Trail Station, relocated to Old Petrie Town in 1992 after operating for 104 years. It was also a Cobb & Co. Coach depot, Telegraph Station and Post Office. A telegraph message was sent from this building first warning Brisbane of the approaching floods in 1893.
The Pottery is not a museum, but offers hand made pottery for sale, and provides classes for children on Sundays between 9am and 11.30am. They do adult classes also, on Thursdays and Saturdays.
Markets and Food in Old Petrie Town
If you are looking for something to eat there are a few choices. The bakery has sausage rolls and pies among other things, an old double-decker bus has been converted into a cafe with seating outside and upstairs. There is a food hall, Mumford’s Barn, with a few options from Asian to waffles. Waffles go down well for young and old for a Sunday breakfast or even lunch for that matter. Out the front is the Heritage Hotel, offering a sit-down menu, for lunch and dinner on Fridays, and breakfast and lunch on Saturdays and Sundays.
The Old Petrie Town markets open every Sunday starting from 8am until 2pm. You will find a variety of arts, crafts, jewellery, fresh fruit and vegetables, home-made delights, and entertainment. With the other activities on offer, venturing to the markets in Old Petrie Town provides a great day out for the family.
To get there:
Coming from north of Brisbane along the Bruce Hwy, or from the south following the Gateway Motorway, take the Petrie exit to Anzac Ave (exit 133), and follow the signs to Petrie. Follow Anzac Ave for 5.4km, to a roundabout at Petrie. Turn right at the roundabout following the brown sign to Old Petrie Town onto Dayboro Rd. Continue for 2.7km to the entry to Old Petrie Town.
Coming from the south along Old Gympie Rd, take the Strathpine exit at Strathpine Rd, and turn left. Follow Strathpine Rd, which becomes Gympie Rd, for 7.2km, to a roundabout at Petrie. Turn right at the roundabout following the brown sign to Old Petrie Town onto Dayboro Rd. Continue for 2.7km to the entry to Old Petrie Town.
Cost: Free, donation for some attractions
Hours: Wed-Sun 9am-4pm, see hours for different attraction in content above
Toilets: Yes
Bins: Yes
Tables: Yes, at eateries
Seating: Yes
Water: Yes
Food: Yes, various eateries
Wheelchair accessible: Yes
Pets: No
BBQ: No
Links:
http://queenslandsteamandvintagemachinerysociety.org.au/
https://www.moretonbay.qld.gov.au/pine-rivers-museum/
