Campaign calls for region to 'Make Mary Street Great Again'

Letter: This is a plan for life after the bypass is completed so Gympie will attract its share of tourists and travellers into Gympie.

A horse and carriage navigates the intersection at the Fiveways during one of the regular celebrations in Mary Street. Picture: Leeroy Todd

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

MAKE MARY ST GREAT AGAIN

HAVING recently moved to Gympie to live as an artist and gem collector ex businessman construction builder, as an outsider I see a big issue facing Gympie as the Bruce Hwy Bypass is nearing completion.

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Gympie's history tells how Mr Nash by discovering gold in Mary Street saved Queensland from bankruptcy. So now is the time to ask the favour to the Queensland Government to help fund the rebuild of Mary Street.

The way forward is only one way and I don't come here saying that others aren't doing their best. But here is my vision of Mary Street rebuild.

Start with a slogan: "Make Mary Street Great Again”.

Cars parked in Mary Street Gympie 1928

The history and heritage of Mary Street is undeniably the biggest asset.

Keeping heritage buildings in place, the statue of Mary dipping her toe, the gold making machine, the busker, the unique shops, but also shops that attract the people to similar malls throughout Queensland.

This is a plan for life after the bypass is completed so Gympie will attract its share of tourists and travellers into Gympie.

This photo is of the Gympie flood of February 4, 1893, which peaked at 25.45 metres. Reached the office of Tozer Solicitors (now Jeffery Cuddihy and Joyce Solicitors), upper Mary Street and where The National Australia bank now stands. The flood water went around the back of Mary Street and covered the floor of the Town Hall. Photo supplied by Les Priddy.

There is room for all the other centres but a unique mall above the flood levels, fully glassed in, fully air-conditioned, bringing Gympie into the future; not creating "a white elephant” but a modern artistic structure unique to Gympie. The cost would be high but I believe achievable, and if not, what will happen to Gympie in the future?

In Germany a town named Düsseldorf was flattened by bombing in WW2.

A street performer in Mary St. Picture: Tom Daunt

This town was rebuilt into a magnificent above-ground rail to clear crowds and also protected the heritage and history of the old town.

I visited that town in 1974 and saw for myself this great town and it is bypassed by the Autobahn.

When I went to the Gympie Show I met a lady whom I shared this vision and as she worked for the council asked me to share on a bigger platform maybe this is this platform.

Kevin Downey,

Gympie

Originally published as Campaign calls for region to 'Make Mary Street Great Again'