Pattemore Milking Bails in Safe Hands

The Friends of Pattemore House are pleased to announce that they have been granted the License by the Sunshine Coast Council to manage the Pattemore Milking Bails on the Maleny Community Precinct.

Farmers arriving in the Maleny area had turned to dairying in the late 1890s. Maleny farmers established their own co-operative dairy factory in 1903-04.

The dairy bails were constructed using the saw-pit method, from white beech on the far ridge of their property. As some of the oldest intact milking bails left in the lush green hills of Maleny, the Bails were built by the four Pattemore brothers Bill, Stan, Albert and Ernest at the turn of the century shortly after they completed building “Fairview” (Pattemore House) for their parents, Emily and JR Pattemore.

They were built to accommodate share farmers to work JR Pattemore’s dairy farming property. The brothers constructed dairy bails, yards and a sharefarmer’s house called “Mosman” on a ridge about 400 metres to the east of Fairview in North Maleny. Whilst Mosman is gone, removed to Caloundra in

They are one of of the last remaining examples in the district of a walk-through milking parlour, bestowing a high historical significance to Maleny, the region and to the dairy industry.

The Pattemore Milking Bails are unique in that they sit on public land, now forming an historic backdrop to the 18 hole Maleny Golf course. With a heritage, sculpture and poetry trail meandering past them on the developing Maleny Community Precinct, the bails need some serious TLC to allow visitors and walkers to safely enjoy them and understand their role.

After working for many years to have them recognised as an important heritage reminder of Maleny’s dairying past, the Friends established the Fairview Bails Restoration Committee in January 2022 to reinvigorate the restoration plans under the Chairmanship of member John te Kloot.

The Vision Statement of the group is to: restore and preserve the Fairview milking shed and yards for the future education and enjoyment of all restore and preserve the Fairview shed and yards, including the six unique walk-through cow bails enable visitors safe access to guided tours and non-entry viewing

The License to manage the bails, nestled in the heart of North Maleny dairying country, is the start of what the Friends are determined will be a chapter that’s yet to be told from the Pattemore’s family history.

Looking to the future and with community support, the Fairview Bails Restoration Committee will work to restore, maintain and preserve the historic site, in doing so creating another unique heritage experience for walkers on the Maleny Community Precinct.

Photo Left: With the Bails forming the backdrop, signing the new License for the Pattemore’s Milking Bails are (L - R) Sunshine Coast Council’s Kay Bennett, Pattemore House's Penny Edwards, Pattemore House President Gail Denver, Fairview Bails Restoration Committee Chairman John Te Kloot and SCC’s Linda Neiland.