• Beenleigh Historical village building
Arts + Culture, Division 12, People of LoganDecember 16, 2021 / 6 minute read

Volunteers the heart and soul of Beenleigh gem

Life at the Beenleigh Historical Village looks serene on the surface. 

The buildings from yesteryear are beautifully kept, and it’s a peaceful vista. 

But beneath the surface, dozens of hard-working volunteers are busy keeping the village alive, looking after their own sections.  

It’s no wonder – 14,000 schoolchildren pass through the Historical Village each year, it’s the venue for a range of community events, and it’s also where the award-winning Spirits of the Red Sands production takes place. 

The historical village houses more than 20 heritage buildings and puts on a range of displays and role plays showing what life was like in the mid-1800s. 

Committee member and long-term volunteer June Collard says the volunteers are the reason the historical village holds such an important place in the heart of locals and visitors. 

“Volunteers are really committed to this place because it does so much good”

— June Collard

‘Volunteers are really committed to this place because it does so much good,’ she says.

‘The volunteers work so hard and they don’t need to be asked to do things – they just see something that needs to be done and they get on with it.’

Fellow committee member and village manager Barry Power says he believes June is an integral part of the ongoing success of the Village.

‘June really is the heart and soul of this place and keeps it all together,’ he says.

Barry has been at the historical village since 1995 when he became involved as a coordinator for a Work for the Dole program – one which is still running and which has seen many success stories.

‘We’ve seen people whose families have three generations of unemployment, come here and get a trade and break intergenerational cycles, and they feel such achievement,’ he says.

‘We help instil that work ethic and sense of pride – and often those young people love the place and keep coming back as they go through their lives.

‘The people who volunteer here all really take ownership of the job and take real pride in what we have here.’

What they have ranges from a schoolroom, post office, printing room and more.

Volunteer Bob, a retired printer, shows students how printing presses used to work in the hot shed and says he loves seeing the reactions of the children.

‘Mostly it will be the first time they have seen something like this and they ask lots of questions – it’s always really interesting to see how their minds work,’ he says.

In the costume section, period dress is sourced through local op shops or donated, made from scratch or altered to give visitors an authentic taste of yesteryear.

June says while the past two years have been disruptive due to COVID, the team has big plans for 2022 with more school visits, Australia Day and Heritage Day along with other events and markets every second Saturday of the month peppering the calendar. 

‘There’s lots happening which is great – I love this place,’ she says.

For more information you can head to the Beenleigh Historical Village website here.

Beenleigh Historical Village. City of Logan

‘The people who volunteer here all really take ownership of the job and take real pride in what we have here.’

What they have ranges from a schoolroom, post office, printing room and more.  

Volunteer Bob, a retired printer, shows students how printing presses used to work in the hot shed and says he loves seeing the reactions of the children. 

‘Mostly it will be the first time they have seen something like this and they ask lots of questions – it’s always really interesting to see how their minds work,’ he says. 

In the costume section, period dress is sourced through local op shops or donated, made from scratch or altered to give visitors an authentic taste of yesteryear.  

June says while the past two years have been disruptive due to COVID, the team has big plans for 2022. There will be  with more school visits, Australia Day, and Heritage Day and along with other events, and markets every second Saturday of the month peppering the calendar. 

‘There’s lots happening which is great – I love this place,’ she says. 

For more information, visit  you can head to the Beenleigh Historical Village website here.   

By Sharon Worboys

Your Privacy

This website uses ‘cookies’ for analytical purpose and to improve site user experience. By continuing to browse, you consent to the use of cookies in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

Close