The Boisdale Stables A Community Restoration Project

Words By Ken Roberts | Photos By Ken Roberts & Doug Pell

In the small hamlet of Boisdale, not far from Maffra, it seems magic is in the air. The “blink and you miss it” township has so much going for it in a town with only one street, Main Street.

The Post office, open until lunchtime, is a step back in time where the Postmistress hands out the mail to her customers. The busy small garage seems hardly changed for decades but still offers old fashioned expertise from days gone by. The town boasts artists such as photographers, a potter, textile artists, a weaver and musicians as some of its inhabitants.

A cross section of society from families with young children to retirees live on the one street. The local football and netball teams are thriving with well curated grounds and up to date facilities. Their Women’s football team were champions across Gippsland! The local hall has an active committee that ensures that the building is in tip top condition and holds regular events, including weekly Tai Chi.

This vibrant small township of Boisdale is a surprise to those who only ever pass through on the way to somewhere else. Only 10 km from Maffra it also has a unique history that many people are unaware of. It began as a “company” town for the family run Boisdale Estate. The area was settled in the mid 1800’s and the township began in the early 1900’s by the owners of 10,000 surrounding acres, the Foster brothers, to accommodate their workers at the Cheese and Butter Factory they had constructed there.

The brick cottages housing the original factory workers all remain today, a tribute to the craftsmanship of the era. The stables and a blacksmith’s workshop were built in Circa 1908 opposite the factory and housed their working horses.

Through various changes over time, including the decommissioning and demolishment of the factory, the stables remained and would ultimately become a storage place for bits and pieces of the descendants of the Foster family. In this manner it unwittingly became a time capsule that held artifacts that would tell stories from the town’s history and the early agriculture of the area.

In 2005, the large Foster estate consisting of homestead, farms and the stable building were to be auctioned. A group of locals formed a steering committee with the aim of purchasing and restoring the building for use by the community. A title dispute held up the auction of the stables’ building and ultimately the Foster family generously donated the building and its contents to the community of Boisdale.

The stables’ building that the Committee started with was a shadow of what the building is today. The time, dedication and sheer hard work that was required by a small group of the community over the many years has been incredible.

The numbers involved in bringing this project to completion are impressive. In the latest project an amazing 5500 volunteer hours equated to $110,000 in comparable monetary value, that did not include the work and goods donated by local tradespeople. The grants that were provided along the way are what made the long slow journey possible, they include Regional Development Victoria in 2014 and the major grant from the Latrobe Valley Authority of $167,000 towards a $210,000 project that enabled the amenities block, storage and display shed to be constructed. This, in addition to funds raised by the committee and work by volunteers, has recently brought the project to completion.

The dedication of a core group who provided constant labour and commitment to the project are what enabled its ultimate success. They battled a huge storm that ripped off part of the original roof, heritage restrictions that dictated what they could do and ground conditions, which meant their plans for the amenity block had to be changed three times. The result of their toil is a community asset that will service Boisdale and the wider area for years to come with outdoor display and storage areas and a revitalised building that has retained and enhanced its humble origins as a utilitarian building.

The feeling inside the revitalised stables is magical. Its transformation seems effortless, even though it was far from it! The place oozes a sophisticated rustic charm. It has retained the look of a stable building but has been spruced up and dusted off until it shines. The lofty central area with its sturdy redgum posts provides a light and airy space that when the end doors are open becomes an even more amazing inside/ outside pavilion. The view towards the farmland and hills beyond is just superlative. The sunsets from that aspect are quite amazing.

Imagine holding a function there in the evening and guests being able to appreciate the view and nature’s stunning light show. The whole place is really a living museum. The horse stalls, all carrying names of local families, are perfect nooks for seating as well as being display places for artifacts. The century old brick paved flooring, once clattering with the sounds of horses’ hooves, is now the perfect surface for any event.

The addition of toilet facilities has been designed in such a seamless way that they look like they have always been there. Wherever possible there are images and items displayed relating to the early agricultural history of Boisdale and the area.

What makes The Boisdale Stables stand out as a venue is that it offers a unique and tasteful alternative to most options available. It’s a small and intimate setting yet it can hold 120 people. A large grassed area at the rear of the stables is more than adequate for functions with plans for this area to be extended and fenced.

The Boisdale Stables has already hosted several weddings, parties and official functions of many sorts. These were put on hold due to COVID and the building project but now it’s ready to go again. It is beginning to be booked for so many other events as its rebirth well and truly begins. An opening event will be held later in the year to officially launch the space and to acknowledge the huge volunteer effort it has taken to breathe new life into what was once a tired, unloved building.

A surprise no longer, people will soon be flocking to experience the historic Boisdale township to enjoy its hidden treasures, such as the fantastically revitalised Boisdale Stables.