Jondaryan's vision renewed

Over the past four years a dedicated team has been hard at work implementing a business plan to ensure the facility appeals to all ages.

The newly constructed Woolshed Cafe is one of the drawcards. It offers delicious meals prepared with local products, while visitors soak in panoramic views of the countryside from its timber verandah.

Jondaryan Woolshed operations manager Mark Morrissey said what they hoped to achieve was to put a modern day spin on a beautiful place.

In keeping with heritage listing requirements, only eight sheets of iron have been removed from the woolshed. The cafe and its kitchen, which was built into two 40-foot shipping containers, sit beside the woolshed but do not touch or interfere with its structural integrity.

The newly constructed Woolshed Cafe. Click on the image to see a gallery from the new facility.

"It had to be built to be sympathetic with a heritage-listed building like the woolshed but not to copy it," he said.

"We wanted something light and airy, that felt like you were sitting on your verandah and people could relax.

"It complements the woolshed; it sits on the end of the woolshed and the cafe has been built so all of our meals can go into the woolshed for functions."

General manager Lisa Raklander and executive chef Ian Raklander were determined to create a state-of-the-art facility and their vision is being realised.

The Woolshed Cafe is open from 8am to 4.30pm on Friday, Saturday and Sunday and for dinner on Friday nights.

Mr Morrissey said although the cafe has not been widely promoted yet, it has attracted plenty of locals and visitors for breakfast and lunch.

"The locals love it because in the Jondaryan area there isn't much that you can visit and take part in," he said.

"What's happening is that as a result of the cafe and woolshed functions more and more people are coming here for a day out."

BUILT in 1859, the shearing shed has been a Darling Downs landmark ever since.

In the late 1970s it became one of the main attractions of the museum and historical village that was built around it.

Mr Morrissey said he came for a day to attend the heritage festival in 1983, fell in love with the history and people, and ended up volunteering.

"It's a very, very important facility because it has so much history around the formation of Toowoomba. It was really the economic motor of this region in the 1850s," he said.

"It has a significance that many people just don't understand - the trouble is you can't just teach that to people; they have to want to know about it.

"It has to stay alive because it is such an important part of Queensland's history and by engaging people, that's how we do it."

THERE are plenty of events marked on the Jondaryan Woolshed calendar, including the 2015 Australia Day celebration on Monday.

Mr Morrissey said the woolshed was all about families and during busy periods like Easter they would have up to 1000 visitors.

One of the highlights for kids will be a waterslide to beat the summer heat and he encouraged visitors not to forget their togs.

"We'll have Australia Day games like thong throwing, kids in billy carts, face painting and bobbing for apples - the kids just love it," he said.

"The cafe will be open for a great big traditional breakfast on Australia Day itself - a buffet breakfast.

"The Australia New Zealand Alliance dance troupe is coming out here to perform in the woolshed and lined up from the Aboriginal community we will have people to come and play the didgeridoo at the flag raising ceremony."

Mr Morrissey said the future of the woolshed looked wonderful and relevant in 2015.

"By having people come here - that sustains the woolshed and keeps it going forward for another 100 years."