Embracing beauty of Bunyas

IT TOOK a man like Wilf Russell of Jimbour House to conceive and implement a plan to start the first tourist venture in the Bunya Mountains.

Mowbullan Guest House, high on the Bunya Mountains. It was built in 1930 and was open for the most part of eighty years. Picture: Contributed

IT TOOK a man like Wilf Russell of Jimbour House to conceive and implement a plan to start the first tourist venture in the Bunya Mountains.

Although he was the local MP and president of the Bunya Mountains Club, there were a lot of obstacles to overcome.

Already he had shown his generosity by donating 445ha of beautiful rainforest country to be a park for the people. In the process he had surveyed out about 4ha of land on an open spur facing the south-west. This was to be the place for the guest house. It had magnificent views out over the Darling Downs. Carpenters set to work and constructed a large building with many rooms.

Russell approached William Chandler, a farmer of Burra Brri, to run the tourist establishment. He had chosen well as Chandler had made many trips to the mountains and loved the animals and forests of the area

He moved to the mountains with his wife, two daughters and son. This was the beginnings of Mowbullan House.

Their tourist brochures were much different than today.

"Queensland's Finest Health Resort - The Ideal Place For Convalescents. It is situated 15 minutes' easy walk to the top of Mt Mowbullan and has invitingly airy bedrooms, a commodious dining room and a comfortable lounge.

"Mount Mowbullan the summit of the beautiful Bunya Mountains (Himalayas of Australia), gives an unsurpassed view of practically the whole of the Darling Downs and Burnett district.”

There was the suggestion the area was good for the health.

"This is the place to regain renewed vigour - the place for a perfect rest. The entire absence of pests, danger and worry make it a little bit of heaven.”

To stay it would cost adults 12/6 ($1.25) per night and a little over $6 for a week. The brochure added the guest house had all modern conveniences, including a bathroom and septic system.

"Mt Mowbullan, Bunya Mountains - One of the most beautiful spots in Queensland.”

Communications at the time were poor, with only a single-wire telephone line passing through dense belts of bushland to connect to the outside world. The road up the mountain was narrow and dangerous and almost impossible to traverse after rain.

The Chandlers, the pioneers of the hospitality industry on the mountains, persevered to make Wilf Russell's plans come true, though he never lived to see the outcome.

Mowbullan Guest House was quite successful in the five or six years that the Chandlers were managing it. It was a change of lifestyle for them and also their three daughters, who found romance in that time.

The original building is still on the mountains and it is only in recent times it ceased to be a guest house. It paved the way for the tourist facilities that now welcome the tourists to the area.

Originally published as Embracing beauty of Bunyas