Woodchoppers Inn history

A little bit of history...

During the 1840's timber getters from northern NSW hacked rough trails through the ranges in the south-east corner of Queensland, seeking the valuable timbers that dotted the mountainsides such as cedar, beech, crows ash, teak and pine.

The annual fee for a timber licence was 5/-. Trees were felled using axes and crosscut saws, and the loggers used springboards to position themselves against the trunks.

Bullock teams hauled the logs through the scrub to nearby creeks and rivers. From there they were transported to Brisbane and much was exported to England, especially the cedar which was used to craft fine furniture.

Several mills operated around Mudgeeraba over the years, the first being at Upper Mudgeeraba in the early 1800's. During the 1920's timber was brought to the railway station at Mudgeeraba via a specially constructed 2 gauge tramway from a mill at Neranwood. Other timber mills were run by the Houghton, Meckleburg, Knack, Rayner and Sehmish families.

Though the timber industry around Mudgeeraba is, by comparison, almost non-existent today, the art of wood chopping still continues to be a popular event at the annual Mudgeeraba Show. In earlier times, the Show was held in and around the Memorial Hall (now rebuilt), and the well attended wood chopping events were conducted on the adjacent vacant land - the site of the present Woodchoppers Inn.

Originally the Palm Beach Bowls Club, the building that now houses the Inn, was moved to Mudgeeraba around 1974. Refurbished by the Kearney family and operated by Stan Brown (a well known chef and personality on the Gold Coast) and his wife Lyn.

A popular feature of the Woodchoppers Inn became the crosscut sawing competition involving diners and guests. Wood chopping exhibitions were also staged by world champion axe-men.

The restaurant was refurbished in 1995, under the guidance of host, Don Murphy, a resident of Mudgeeraba for the past 26 years and known throughout the Gold Coast for his hospitality and professionalism.

Just as the Woodchoppers Inn was a focal point in earlier years it now lives on with its colonial charm, in keeping with the village atmosphere of Mudgeeraba.