Allora Historical Society Inc.

Name: Allora Historical Society Inc.
Address: 27 Drayton Street, Allora, QLD, AU
Telephone: +61408740622

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Allora Historical Society Inc.

The Allora Historical Society preserves local history, family histories, local research, memorabilia

17/06/2026

BIRTH
Toowoomba Chronicle 75 years ago June 1951
LAWSON (nee Dougall)
To June and Walter (Pat) at Dalrymple Private Hospital, Allora, 18th June, a son (Wayne John).
First grandchild for Mr and Mrs Harry Dougall, Allora, and Mr and Mrs Jack Lawson, Isaac Street, Toowoomba.

Wayne has the distinction of being awarded the Dux Prize at the Allora State School Secondary Department for three years in succession, 1964, 1965 and 1966.
The photos show baby Wayne with mother June and Wayne receiving the Dux Prize from Alan Fletcher M.L.A. in October 1964.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY Wayne.

16/06/2026

FOOTBALL
Allora Advertiser 75 years ago June 1951

15/06/2026

PROTEST ON STATION CLOSURE
Warwick Daily News 75 years ago June 1951
When news was received that the Railway Department proposed to close the railway station at Ellinthorp, consternation was felt among the residents of that prosperous centre and a meeting of protest was organized.
This was well attended and it was decided that a protest should be made, and that Messrs O. O. Madsen and M. McIntyre, State members for Warwick and Cunningham, should be contacted in the matter and their help sought.
Concern was expressed regarding the inconvenience to residents generally. Also mentioned was the volume of business done by the station.
It was also stated that residents of Allora use this station, particularly in bad weather, as there is an all-weather road from Allora to the station.
The photo shows the Ellinthorp railway station before its closure.

14/06/2026

HISTORY OF HOUSES 2
We can’t tell you anything about the early history of the house at 11 Drayton Street but we can tell you a little about the Weier family who lived there in later years. My Allora contacts can’t go back beyond the Weier family.
Gustav Hermann Weier and Hulda Wendt were married on the 27th October 1920. Son, Stan, was born at Coominya and Len was born at Lowood, so the Weier family came to the Allora district from the Lockyer Valley. The other family members were Lily, Gilbert, Don and Merle.
When Stan enlisted in the A.I.F. on the 21st July 1942, his next of kin was given as his father, Gustav Weier, farmer, of Ellinthorp. On the Commonwealth electoral roll for the district of Allora in 1943 and 1944 Gus and Hulda Weier are listed as living at Forest Plain. This seems a bit far from their Ellinthorp base.
At some stage, probably in the 1950s they moved into the house at 11 Drayton Street. I am told that Lily and Merle may have worked on the Allora Telephone exchange.
Gus Weier passed away in 1958. Hulda passed away in 1987.
The two photos from the Len & Nell Weier slide collection courtesy Heather Goodall, show the house at 11 Drayton Street at different times. Perhaps someone can date them by the cars parked in the front.

13/06/2026

HISTORY OF HOUSES
11 Drayton Street
We have been asked by the current owner, about the history of the house at 11 Drayton Street next to White's Garage.
We know that it was there when the photo was taken c.1909. Drayton Street runs left to right across the lower part of the photo. The Royal Hotel (now Blue Cow) is on the right. The next building to the left is the Royal Hall (now White’s Garage). There are then two houses of similar design with open verandahs. One of these two houses must have been shifted at some stage. Because of its proximity to the cottage next door, it would seem that the house on the left was the one that was shifted.
On the corner of Gordon Lane and Drayton Street corner (partly obscured) is a cottage which until the new post and telegraph office was opened in Herbert Street in 1882, was rented out as the telegraph office. That cottage still stands at 9 Drayton Street.
We know that 11 Drayton Street was owned by Gus and Hulda Weier from about the 1960s to the 1980s. We will post photos tomorrow.
Does anyone have any information about the house prior to ownership by the Weier’s?

12/06/2026

ALLORA SHIRE COUNCIL
MUNICIPAL SALEYARDS
Allora Advertiser 50 years ago June 1976
Applications in writing accompanied by a fee of $500 will close with the undersigned on the 29th June 1976 for a licence to sell in the Allora Saleyards for the period 1st July 1976 to 30th June 1977.
Further particulars and information are available from the undersigned.
Lex Ellwood, Shire Clerk.

The last cattle sale in the old Deacon & Co and Donovan & Son yards on the corner of Herbert and Jubb Streets was conducted by Donovan & Son on the 28th September 1973. The first sale in the new Allora Shire Council municipal yards on the corner of Jubb and Forde Streets was conducted the following Friday the 5th October. The selling agents at the first sale were Deacon & Co, Donovan & Son, H. W. Stay & Sons and A.M.L.& F.
Cattle sales ended in Allora in 1980 when only Deacon & Co and E. J. & M. A. Nolan were operating in Allora. Dalgety, Warwick, started selling cattle again in Allora in 1990 when this photo was taken. Glen Whitton, Dalgety’s Warwick manager, can be seen on the left selling a pen of cattle.

11/06/2026

BREED FAMILY
We have had no post suggestions or photos sent to us so we rely on Catherine Welch, a descendant of John and Eliza Kirchin of Goomburra, for photos that she has sent us of the Breed family. The family were not long time Allora district residents. James and Florence Breed and their first two children came to Australia from England in 1923. Florence was the sister of John Kirchin. It is believed that they share-farmed at Goomburra for a short time before moving to the Queensland near north coast. James and Florence Breed had nine surviving children but none were enrolled in the Goomburra State School.
Second child, Harold, born in England in 1921, enlisted in the A.I.F. on the 20th February, 1942, from Cooroy. He was allocated to the 2/31st Docks Operating Company, Royal Australian Engineers, and served on Thursday Island and in New Guinea. He was discharged on the 14th November 1944 to return to the essential industry of dairy farming.
Harold Breed married Merle Mary Edwards on the 27th February 1943. Harold’s brother, Charlie, is the best man in the wedding party photo.

10/06/2026

THE SCHOOL OF ARTS
Warwick Daily News 100 years ago June 1926
Mr C. C. Curtis is the president of the Allora School of Arts. The library is being constantly replenished with the latest books.
A flower show is held each year in connection with the institution. This, besides affording the many enthusiastic horticulturists of Allora a chance to show their prowess, has resulted in the School of Arts attaining a credit balance of some £170.
Mr Henry Ludgate was Allora’s first police sergeant. With a record of good service in many places, he retired on a pension, and returned to his first home in Allora. He is 86 years old, hale and hearty, and finds congenital occupation in Allora as secretary of the School of Arts.
(Allora’s first police sergeant was Robert Grayson)

The Allora School of Arts committee had the original court house built in 1868, moved from Raff Street to a site in Drayton Street in 1884. The School of Arts library closed in 1966 when the new Allora Shire Council library was opened. The Allora Boy Scout committee then obtained a lease of the building which the Allora & District Historical Society took over in 1972. The building at 27 Drayton Street is currently waiting to be moved to the Allora & District Historical Society’s site at 53 Warwick Street.
The photo shows the Allora & District Historical Society museum at 27 Drayton Street in 1975.

09/06/2026

STAMP MACHINES for ALLORA & KILLARNEY
Warwick Daily News 75 years ago June 1951
The Federal Member for McPherson (Sir Arthur Fadden) has been advised by the Postmaster General that approval has been given for provision of stamp selling machines at the Allora and Killarney Post Offices.

The photo courtesy Marian Palmer (nee Muller) shows the Allora Post Office and staff c.1940. Those in the photo are from left: Eric Dickson (Postmaster), Marian Muller (postal assistant) and Bill Quinlan (Deputy Postmaster).
Marian Muller started as a postal assistant on leaving the Allora State School in 1934. As well as working behind the counter, she delivered telegrams by bicycle and worked at the telephone switchboard on weekends. She left the Post Office to join the W.A.A.A.F. in 1941.

Although the Historical Society has many photographs, we need inspiration as to what to post on this page. If you want to know about an old Allora and district family, a building or an event in Allora’s history, please email us. Also email us if you have any Allora and district photos, on [email protected] or message us.

06/06/2026

UNKNOWN OCCASION
We have been sent this image by Catherine Welch. It is not known what the occasion is. It could have taken place at, perhaps, St. John’s Church of England at Goomburra.
Those known in the photo are on the left, Leonard ‘Taffy’ Welch, (Catherine’s grandfather), John Kirchin snr., (Catherine’s great-grandfather), unknown minister, Fred Carpenter, and an unknown man.
Can anyone name the minister or the man on the right.

Address

27 Drayton Street
Allora, QLD

Telephone

+61408740622

Website

https://southerndownsandgranitebelt.com.au/attractions/galleries-museums-and-collections/allora-district-historical-soci

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