History of the Ridgewood Hall and surrounds
On 2nd February 1935 a public meeting was held at Lowe’s corner and it was resolved to build a Hall in the District on land made available by the generosity of Mr Peter MacKellar.
Over the years the district has produced a great variety of agricultural commodities. Our earliest records (so far) show banana production began in the mid 1920’s. The bananas were transported to Cooroy rail in trucks manoeuvring over dirt tracks used mainly by bullock wagons, spring carts, drays, buggies and sulkies. In the wet season family members had to get out and push the truck over the worst patches.As production increased, Dick and Dan Carter established a steam driven sawmill which provided timber for banana cases.
Pastures were planted for the introduction of dairying to coincide with the construction of the Wide Bay Dairy Cooperative Dairy Association factory in Cooroy in 1928. Diary production went into full swing and cream was sent in to Cooroy right through until the 1970’s. Two successful diary by products that supplemented cream sales were casein* and calf skins
Cow cane, sweet potato and arrowroot were grown to provide feed for the introduction of cattle and piggeries and agriculture expanded. By the 1940’s Ridgewood /Carters Ridge farmers combined to enter an impressive display of a great range of grains, fruits and vegetables providing strong competition against East Cooroy and West Cooroy in the Cooroy Show.
Further history articles
