The people bringing life back to Maryborough's heritage buildings

Simon Gall and his wife Csilla Gall are restoring several heritage buildings into entertainment spaces or dining venues in Maryborough. (ABC Wide Bay: Olivia Nunes-Malek) Residents have been quietly restoring several heritage-listed buildings to create an entertainment and dining precinct in Maryborough. These projects are expected to revitalise the regional city's central business district, which has been plagued by anti-social behaviour. One community advocate is calling on the local and state governments to provide financial assistance for the initiatives. Link copiedShareShare articleMaryborough has cultivated its historic charm since its origins as a bustling port city in the 1840s. But more recently, the city, located about 250 kilometres north of Brisbane, has made headlines for a concerning rise in anti-social conduct in the central business district. Combating this trend, several residents have invested their time and resources into restoring heritage buildings to their original status. Opened in the 1930s, the Embassy Theatre was utilised as a theatre to screen new films and watch live music. (ABC Wide Bay: Olivia Nunes-Malek) Simon Gall manages a cultural heritage consultancy business with his wife, Csilla Gall, on the Fraser Coast. The couple bought the Embassy Theatre, King's Café and the Central Hotel — all venues with a rich history in entertainment and dining during the mid-to-late-1900s. Mr Gall hopes restoring these buildings to their original state will bring a bustling atmosphere from that period into modern times. Mr Gall says the Central Hotel will be utilised as a multi-functional space: a bar and a bistro with lodging rooms upstairs. (ABC Wide Bay: Olivia Nunes-Malek) "We felt by activating these venues, that will also help the community and give them places to take back the town, I guess, get some life back in there," he said. But he describes the restoration journey as an "adventurous nightmare". "The buildings have gone through so much change and alteration, the first step has been to go through almost a demolition stage where we're carving back the terrible things people did to these buildings," Mr Gall said. "[We] work out what they look like, see what's missing, get the right trades and people to then replicate or remake these things." Matching heritage colours and finding vintage replicas are all part of the job. "Some of the pressed metal is actually plaster because they didn't have the same pattern in 1921," he said. Mr Gall says they are working with Australian businesses to create near-identical replicas of older items that can be difficult to re-create. (ABC Wide Bay: Olivia Nunes-Malek) Luckily, Mr Gall has been working with Australian-owned businesses to source specific colours and designs. "These are very specialised skills that not many people can do anymore," he said. It's a familiar situation for Carl Jespersen who has owned the upscale Portside Cafe & Restaurant since 2018. Carl Jespersen has transformed a former customs house into a renowned fine-dining restaurant. (ABC Wide Bay: Olivia Nunes-Malek) Built in 1899, the building paid tribute to the customs officers that worked and lived at the port on the Mary River, which was the point of entry for new immigrants. Mr Jespersen took over the lease from the previous owners after noticing the site's potential. "People struggled to go to a nice place to have functions or to eat out and there really wasn't that market here," he said. "It [the building] was in a good location and was well under-utilised … we really saw the market niche and we went for that." Mr Jespersen says he has spent around $150,000 on equipment and ongoing repairs for the restaurant in the last eight years. (ABC Wide Bay: Olivia Nunes-Malek) Mr Jespersen said the building's current owners did most of the repairs but, surprisingly, it was installing fans that created the biggest hurdle. "It was a long, drawn-out process to try and get a telephone number for the [Queensland Heritage Council] to find out if I could get permission," he said. Fraser Coast councillor Daniel Sanderson is ecstatic about the restoration projects. Maryborough Chamber of Commerce president Michelle Clune says business owners are thrilled about new venues popping up around town. "It encourages other investment and encourages people into the CBD to enjoy all that it has to offer," she said. Mary Inc vice-president Nancy Bates wants local and state governments to provide financial assistance towards restoration initiatives. (ABC Wide Bay: Olivia Nunes-Malek) Mary Inc vice-president Nancy Bates says the historical buildings are a significant part of Maryborough's tourism sector, which attracts thousands of visitors each year. "They say they had no idea there was all this to discover and they're amazed," she said. But these projects can cause significant strain on the hip pocket. Mr Jespersen says he has spent approximately $150,000 on equipmen

The people bringing life back to Maryborough's heritage buildings

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