Glimpse inside Maryborough's historical homes

THE Heritage City will be a plethora of sight, sounds, and smells this weekend when Maryborough business and home owners open their doors to the public.

Maryborough's Open House event - School of Arts, Kent St. Picture: Valerie Horton

THE Heritage City will be a plethora of sight, sounds, and smells this weekend when Maryborough business and home owners open their doors to the public.

Take a trip from bell ringing to uncovering treasures, walking through historic rooms full of relics and colourful gardens during the Maryborough Open House and Garden.

The door to the impressive 25m bell tower will be thrown open for visitors from 9am on Saturday when tower captain Ruth Andersen will give groups of four to eight a crash course in bell ringing and playing a tune.

The eight musical bells with a ninth half tone bell were cast in London in 1887 and are believed to be among just five sets in the world.

Maryborough pioneer Edgar Aldridge donated the tower and its peal of nine bells to the city in memory of his wife Maria who died on March 17, 1886 after living almost 37 years in Wide Bay Village, which was later renamed Maryborough.

Maryborough Open House and Garden chairperson and Deputy Mayor George Seymour said ringing the bells was one of the most popular listings on the event schedule.

He said children and adults alike were welcome and no bookings were needed.

A photo taken in 1908 shows the second floor reading room in its former glory. Picture: Maryborough Wide Bay & Burnett H

The doors to the bell tower will close to Open House visitors at 4pm but Ms Andersen said anyone wanting a return visit could make a booking on the day and pay $5 per person for a more extensive tour.

The second floor of the School of Arts building will be open to the public for the first time this year during the open house.

Maryborough Wide Bay Burnett Historical Society volunteer Barb Hovard said many people who had visited 130-year-old building during previous Open House days had asked to see upstairs so this year, the former reading room and balcony would be opened.

She said it was thanks to the generosity of the council that the area would be accessible to the public from 10am to 4pm on Saturday.

Explore the 10 colourful gardens including Howard and Joy Duke's cottage garden in Aldershot.

The keen gardeners have shown their gardens before but have been busy redesigning and replanting stunning drought resistant plants.

They will also have a plant sale and Joy will hold floral art demonstrations at 11am and 1pm on Sunday.

Other buildings open on Saturday include the WWII Air Raid Shelter - MELSA in Richmond Street Queens Park nestled between the Court House and the old Telegraph Station, the 140 year old Cottage and National Trust Interiors Resource Centre in Lennox St and a number of museums and buildings in Wharf St.

For more information on Maryborough Open House and Garden, visit ourfrasercoast.com.au/open-house or find Maryborough Open House on Facebook.