Written by Kerrie Alexander
You can feel the history of the Bond Store as soon as you walk through the doors of the Federation-style building.
It’s a place that exudes the character and charm of the “heritage city” theme while playing a vital part in preserving the region’s history.
Maryborough predates Queensland’s other historic towns by a number of decades, having once been one of only two ports in Australia that processed tens of thousands of immigrants, alongside Sydney Harbour.
The Bond Store dates back to 1863 and is on the Queensland State Heritage Register.
Museums Officer Taylor Dunn said the building was built for a very specific purpose, serving for many years as a store for goods being processed by the adjacent Customs House on Wharf Street.
It was built in three parts starting in 1864 and extended in both 1870 and 1883.
Each era is highlighted with the dates lit up on the floor as you walk, listen, and learn about Maryborough’s fascinating past.
“This is back in the time when Maryborough was quite a busy port and any goods that came off the ships like rum, tobacco, opium, wine and tea, were held in bond because you had to pay tax on all the goods,” Taylor said.
“Hence the name of the building.”
Being one of Maryborough’s oldest buildings, when you walk through the Bond Store, you’re stepping into history.
The earthen floor and handmade bricks in the original 1864 section downstairs still exist, as do many of the liquor barrels and barrel rails left over from that time.
Unfortunately, the building has been the victim of catastrophic floods over the years including in 2022 which saw flood waters from the Mary River inundating the building and the lower lying parts of the city.
The water rose to about half a metre below the floorboards of the first floor.
A massive team effort ensured all the display pieces on the ground floor were moved safely to higher ground, but it was a lesson learned for the future.
It took two years to bring the store back to life with plenty of operating changes now in place to ensure the longevity of the building and the contents inside.
“We did a big overhaul,” Taylor said.
“We used to have massive displays, but we couldn’t get them out in a hurry if we needed to.
“Usually, we would have about three to four days’ notice for floods but in 2022 we only had about six hours. The water rose that quickly.
“So, we had to figure out a way to protect what we have and how we could best use this space going forward.
“If we don’t protect it, we will lose it and it’s irreplaceable.”
The museums team do a magnificent job at preserving the building’s history by passing on tales of its rich history to locals, visitors, and visiting school students from all around Queensland.
The space was also recently graced with a performance by the Macabre Theatre Company.
“It was spectacular, and a fantastic way to christen this new space,” Taylor said.
The Bond Store is part of the much-loved Heritage Trail which also includes The Story Bank, Gatakers Artspace, heritage-listed Queens Park, the Mural Trail, the Military Museum and endless stories dotted around the city about P.L. Travers’ world of Mary Poppins.
You can join the team for a free floor talk where they share the trials and transformations the Bond Store has undergone since the 2022 floods.
Take a peek behind the scenes and learn all about the whys and wherefores of the closure, their ongoing work with specialists to care for the building, and their vision for the future.
“We talk about the history of the building and how it was a warehouse to store the taxable goods, how the building has changed over the years and why it has changed.
“There are always questions about why there’s bars on the windows inside the building, and that’s because that used to be the outside.
“We talk about the floods and the challenges having a heritage building so close to the river presents.
“I love that we get to be the next chapter in this building’s history.
“It’s been here since 1864 and it will be here hopefully long after we’re all gone.
“Hopefully we can continue to share that and inspire people to look after the buildings and appreciate history.”
Be sure to explore the Bond Store on your next visit to Maryborough and let this beautiful, heritage-listed building share its stories with you.
You can sample a range of delicious regional ports and liqueurs courtesy of a cellar door in partnership with Moffatdale Ridge Winery.
There is also a small provedore on-site which provides a range of regional produce and products for sale, including CC’s chutney and jams.
The perfect opportunity will be at the highly anticipated Relish Food & Wine Festival which will be held on Saturday, June 1.
The Bond Store Secrets and Scandals program is sold out, but there will still be plenty of opportunities to visit the store over the course of the day.
The Bond Store is open from Tuesday to Friday, 9.30am to 3.30pm, and Saturday-Sunday, 9.30am to 2pm.