Community & Business
26 August, 2023
Malanda history restored
AN iconic part of Malanda has now been restored thanks to the creativity of the Malanda Men’s Shed and artist Vivian Plant.
The Malanda dairy sculpture was in need of a restoration after sitting vacant in front of the old Malanda Museum for many years.
The sculpture features a man leaning down to pick up giant bottles of milk, with a tractor in the background.
Men’s shed president Glynn Morice said the group approached Tablelands Regional Council and were given a quote to repair it.
“It was important to fix it because, A, of its state of disrepair, it was rusted and broken and had loose parts on it and the fence was unsafe and B, the tourist in town. We didn’t want them to see something broken and we wanted them to stop and have a look at it and the old museum,” he said.
“We have quite a few community-minded guys who have been around for a long time and we like to look after our town and a number of our projects are along those lines.”
TRC Councillor Dave Bilney said he was impressed with the refurbishing of the sculpture, which showcases the rich airy history of Malanda.
“The sculpture celebrates a point in time where the dairy industry underpinned the growth of the community and surrounding towns,” he said.
“We thought it was important to ensure we don’t lose sight of the significance the dairy industry played in defining our community and its values. The transformed sculpture reflects not only the past, but also the importance of our future and our support for dairy farmers.
“The Malanda Men’s Shed and Viv Plant have done an exceptional job in recreating the original sculpture, which now holds pride of place alongside the horse and dray outside the Eacham Historical Building in James Street, Malanda.”
