Jondaryan Woolshed temporarily reopens to the public after almost two years, reigniting interest in its future

The iconic 164-year-old woolshed, which is owned and operated by Toowoomba Regional Council, was closed in March 2020 due to numerous safety issues.

This followed periods of management issues which culminated in council taking over day-to-day management in July 2021.

However, a three-day 'Back to the Woolshed' event launched on Australia Day got many curious about the future of the largest and oldest operating woolshed of its kind in the southern hemisphere.

Principal facilities officer Robert Campbell, who started there in early 2021, said the event was a good way of measuring the venue's preparedness for large crowds.

"It's been a good event for us to see where we're at and where we need to be, and we're not too far from the mark," Mr Campbell said.

He said staff and volunteers had worked hard to get the site ready, but there was more work to be done.

"It was at a stage where it needed a lot of TLC," he said.

"We've done a fair bit of work on the buildings and throughout the whole complex, getting it to a safe enough stage that we feel that we can bring people in."

Despite the dry conditions and the temperature reaching 35C, about 1100 people were keen to soak up the history after the long hiatus.

"We had a very big crowd. As soon as the doors opened, they flooded in," Mr Campbell said.

Friends of the Woolshed volunteer Jeanette Kummerow, who was playing music before the shearing demonstrations, said the response had been "extremely good".

"There were plenty of people in the shearing shed. We had kids dancing to us," Ms Kummerow said.

"We play some of the Australiana songs like Advance Australia Fair and then they just pick up the shears and start."

Mr Campbell said the more than 50 volunteers were the backbone of the venue.

"We wouldn't be where we are if it wasn't for the volunteers. Council can throw as much money at it as it can and we can do the big stuff, but the volunteers know how to do everything else."

The site has been under three management models since being gifted to the community in the 1970s: an independent not for profit company, a council-controlled entity, and the current direct management by council.

A Jondaryan Woolshed operating model option analysis report published by TRC Tourism last year found "a fully independent not for profit charitable entity as being the model that has the most factors which have the potential to contribute to success".

However, it shows annual visitor numbers would have to increase from pre-COVID levels of 8264 to about 20,000 before the site would be viable.

Mayor Paul Antonio said the woolshed was open for organised bookings during the year, including accommodation, while council undertook further work around the facility's operating model.

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