top of page

Builders and Dreamers



Montville’s distinctive character was created in the 1980s and the 1990s. Of the 30 commercial development applications for building approval on Montville’s Main Street over the last 50 years, over 80% were lodged in these decades. Leading this wave of development were Ian Russell’s Camphor Cottage (1980) and the Green House (1984); John Hargreaves’ Montville Mountain Inn (1982); and Joe and Sue Delaney’s Connemara Cottage (1984).


Connemara Cottage, 1984


These early developments set a pattern for the boom of the 1990s – to preserve the village feel of Montville and, in the case of Connemara Cottage, to provide a residential component to attract people to live on Main Street. Later buildings, including Eastnor Terrace (1989), Montrose (1990), Montville Chalet (1991) Bala House (1995) and the Heritage House (1995) all incorporated residential components. In 1991, the village held a competition through the school to come up with a design for a Montville flag and to create a motto. Joe Adkins’ winning design for the flag featured several historic buildings while Rebecca Kennedy’s winning motto was This – Our Montville Village. The people of Montville had established some basic criteria for future developments based around history and a village environment where people lived.


Not all these early development proposals were accepted. Three of these were rejected after extensive community opposition; the proposal to build a tavern at 58 – 62 Main Street where Hoffman Close is now situated; the proposal to build a shopping centre/supermarket at 161 – 167 Main Street, now the site of the Chapel behind Poets Café ; and the proposal to build a Golf Course with residential hubs stretching from Main Street along the valley between Western Avenue and Kondalilla Falls Road. Others proved controversial, including the Montville Village Square (loss of community space), Altitude (design) and the Chapel, Café Gallery development at 161 – 167 (traffic access and parking).


Three business men drove this development: John Hargreaves; Ian Russell and Ron Geyl. With the decline of the guest houses of Montville, John Hargreaves responded to a need to provide accommodation for visitors and to cater for their evening meals by building the Montville Mountain Inn and Restaurant (now the Montville Café, Bar and Grill).


Montville Cafe Bar Grill 2017


Ian Russell responded to a need to offer buildings for commercial use while Ron Geyl tapped into the burgeoning tourist market. All three sought to maintain the historic, village atmosphere of Montville with Ian Russell and Ron Geyl becoming politically active within the Montville Village Association to influence the conservation of Montville’s character. In 1997, the Montville Village Association negotiated with the Sunshine Coast Regional Council to develop and install a streetscape design to enhance the character of Main Street as an historic, village precinct.


For better or worse, Montville is now locked into limited development – restricted to Main Street under the South East Regional Plan. Even so, the people of Montville have made their wishes very clear. Three times they have successfully fought against large scale commercial development which would impact negatively on their village. They expect the legacy of the last 50 years of development to be respected and honoured, not only by future developers, but also by future council planning officers. Recent, bureaucratic “we know better than you what is appropriate for Montville” expressions are of concern after a number of recent planning decisions ignored community feedback.


MONTVILLE DEVELOPMENTS 1970 – 2019

Building/Property

Main St Address

Developer

Year

Purpose

Comment

 

The Tavern

58 – 62


1990s

Hotel

Controversial Not Approved (Now Hoffman Close)

 

The Dome

 

86 – 90

R & R Hayes

1972

Tourist Attraction

Now Derelict

Altitude

94 – 96

Purcell Family

2015

Accommodation + Restaurant

Controversial (Community Objection Denied)

 

The Links

 

116


2005

Golf Course

 Controversial Not Approved

Montville Mountain Inn

 

118

John Hargreaves

1982

Accommodation


Montville Mountain Inn Restaurant (Now the Montville Café Bar and Grill)

 

126

John Hargreaves

1982

Hospitality


Top of the Range

130

Pottingers

1970s

Restaurant + Commercial

 


Mayfield

127 –133

John Hargreaves

2009

Accommodation + Hospitality + Commercial

 


Bala House

 

146

Phillip Harrison

1995

Commercial + Accommodation


Montville Village Square

 

168 –170

  Bannerman  & Rogers

1996

Commercial

Controversial

Proposed Shopping Centre down from school

 

161 -167

Halcagni  Pty Ltd

Circa 1993

Commercial

Controversial Not Approved

Poets Cafe

161 -167

Ron Geyl

Circa 1997

 

Hospitality


Chapel/Café/Gallery Expansion on site

161 -167

Ron Geyl

Circa 2016

Weddings + Hospitality

 

Controversial

Connemara Cottage

172

Joe and Sue Delaney

1984

 

Commercial + Hospitality + Accommodation


Eastnor Terrace

174

Ian Russell

1989

 

Commercial + Accommodation

 


Montville Chalet

176

Bob and Joan Allen

1991

 

Commercial + Accommodation

 


The Bower Bird

178

L. & G. Farmiloe

1998

 

Commercial + Accommodation

 

Moved from 31 Western Ave.

Montrose

180

Helen Price-Dinning

1990

 

Commercial + Hospitality + Accommodation

 

Waterwheel

The Witch’s Hat

182

J. & R. McDonald

1993

 

Commercial + Accommodation

 


Belvedere

184

A. Tilt

1996

 

Commercial

 


Cadman Cottage

 

186

Ron & Petro Geyl

Circa

1995

Commercial


Rose Cottage

188

B. & S. McKlaren

2002

 

Commercial

 


Camphor Cottage

190

Ian Russell

1981

 

Commercial

 


Heritage House/

Montville Mews

192

H. & R. Outteridge

1995

Commercial + Accommodation


 

The Clock Shop

 

194


 

1980s

 

Commercial


 

 

The Information Centre

 


Maroochy Council

Circa 2005

Tourism


 The Green House

200

Ian Russell

1984

Commercial

Moved from 124 Western Ave.

 

Banksia Place

 

202


 

1995

 

Commercial


 

The Pottery

 

171 -183

 

Dennis Ilott

 

1998

 

Commercial + Hospitality

 

Replaced old pottery

The Rangers

 

Western Avenue

Ian Russell & Jack Hayden

1988

Sub-Division


 

Russell Family Park

 

Behind Main St.

 

Sunshine Coast Council

 

1999

 

Recreation

 

With input from the MVA


Thanks to Jenny Tatton and Montville Realty for their invaluable assistance in compiling this table.


There are some gaps in this table and maybe some errors. If you can fill/correct them please email Cate Patterson – research@montvillehistory.org.au

Recent Posts

See All

Comentarios


bottom of page