Plan to hand out historic M'boro floorboards scrapped

Historic floorboards from the Heritage City's town hall will be thrown out despite community groups making bids to re-purpose the timber into trinkets and gifts

New floorboards at Maryborough City Hall. The council will not be giving the old timber floorboards to community groups over safety and health concerns. Picture: Alistair Brightman

HISTORIC floorboards from the Heritage City's town hall will be thrown out despite community groups making bids to re-purpose the timber into trinkets and gifts.

The Fraser Coast Regional Council called for expressions of interest in the timber back in April, prior to the floor's replacement under an extensive State Government-funded refurbishment of the Maryborough City Hall.

But minutes from last month's meeting reveal councillors voted unanimously to scrap the floorboards, dashing the hopes of nine Fraser Coast groups expecting to receive the packs of wood.

Councillor Denis Chapman explained the wood was found to be contaminated before it was sent out to the groups and the council needed to ensure the community's safety.

The floor during the replacement process. Picture: Boni Holmes

"We regret not doing that, but it's for the safety of everyone," Cr Chapman said.

"It was some old contamination from when they used to spray under the Town Hall for termites.

"If someone had used that to sand it or anything like that, we have got no control of what happens."

The decision has left John Lush from the Hervey Bay Woodcrafts Club "disappointed" at not being able to recycle part of Maryborough's history.

Mr Lush, the club's secretary, said they planned to create small souvenirs like pens and pen holders from the wood.

"Our club and members thought we could have made good use of some of those boards, we weren't requesting a mountain of them," Mr Lush said.