Meg remembers Moonford's pioneers

Each day as she rode her pony to the local school, she passed the construction site of the Moonford Hall, which was soon to become the social hub of the community.

Seventy-four years later – as the imminent sale of the Moonford Hall trundles closer – Meg fondly narrates its long life.

Arriving in the district, just north of Monto, in 1936, Meg was one of nine children in a large dairying family.

She admits that while she can’t remember the hall opening – and jokes that she certainly wouldn’t have been allowed to go – she does remember her first fancy dress ball at the hall.

“It was so exciting after watching it being built and finally coming to fruition,” she said. Meg proudly explained that her father had helped cut the timber for the Moonford Hall, taking it to the sawmill with an old-fashioned bullock team.

“People all used to help one another at that time and everyone used to pitch in to keep the hall going.”

Meg said that like hers, most families in the district were large, meaning a lot of young people.

“Really, that’s why they built the hall,” she said.

“In those days young people didn’t really go away and get jobs like they do now.”

With an obvious nostalgic air, Meg remembered the once youthful vibrancy of the community, which she now describes as “an old people’s town”.

“I can’t even remember any old grandies in the area,” Meg said.

She said that when early settlers came to the region there was such a community bond between them, which was only strengthened when the hall was built.

“With nowhere much to meet up for young people, the Moonford Hall really became our social hub.

“It was built more or less as a meeting place.”

Eyes twinkling, Meg explained the raucous old card nights that used to take place within the confines of the hall - with loud music often getting the youngsters into trouble.

“The music used to get so loud, and cards got shifted pretty soon after,” she said.

Meg went on to outline a faded memory of an old family friend called Mr Mikey, on a dark and stormy night.

“I wanted to go to the dance, but dad said it was too

wet,” Meg said.

“I can still remember Mr Mikey saying ‘I wouldn’t miss a Moonford dance for a blimey fiver!’

“They really were a big deal.”

Further testament to the sense of community among the early settlers – at a time before government grants – is that the cost of the hall was partially burdened by local graziers.

“It may seem insignificant now, but at that time it was a lot of money,” Meg said.

With the hall constructed the year the war broke out, a major role in its early days was hosting send-off functions for young soldiers heading into battle.

“A lot of our young men went away to the war,” Meg said.

“We always had a send-off but they were pretty sad occasions, really.”

The treasured hall served another diverse role in its long-winded history, as the launch pad for the first Moonford Country Women’s Association (CWA).

Meg said there were a lot of dairy farms in the region at that time, and with the men descending on the hall for their industry meetings, the women thought it a good idea to co-ordinate their own gatherings too.

“Not a lot of women drove in those days,” Meg said.

“So the CWA started having their meetings at the same times as the men were having their Queensland Dairy meetings.”

It is with a certain degree of sadness that Meg and other members of the community witness the sale of their hall, but she said it was “the only thing to do”.

“The Moonford Hall was such a special place for so many people,” Meg said.

“But we would rather see it sold than see it fall into disrepair.”

These circumstances reflect the obvious absence of young people in Monto. Once a bustling agricultural hub, boasting strong dairy, grazing, and timber industries, Meg said there was now not enough viability to attract young people to the community.

“At that time there wouldn’t be a day where there wasn’t a train pass through town.

“But now we have completely lost the railway. It’s certainly a different situation.

“It’s a bit sad, but this is happening across small communities everywhere.”

Despite the loss of the hall, Meg still loves the camaraderie in Monto.

“A lot of the district’s pioneers are still here,” she said.

“Granted, all the kids are now old like me, but I think that is why Monto still has such a caring community.”