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I 11 August 2026
Wear a flanno for a farmer
Image: Noosa Libraries – Heritage Noosa. Image No.T5002474. Crowning ceremony, Cooroy Show Society Ball Queen, Cooroy Memorial Hall, 1950.
Get set to celebrate 100 years of the Hall! From debutante balls to boys boxing matches (see page 2), Cooroy Memorial Hall has been at the heart of community life since 1926.
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Acoustic Guitar Spectacular Page 13 returns
Cooroy Memorial Hall celebrates a century of community BY SARAH JANE SCOTT FOR 100 years, generations of locals have walked through the doors of Cooroy Memorial Hall to dance, get married, celebrate, watch sports, debate, perform, farewell loved ones and connect as a community. Get set to celebrate 100 years of the Hall! From debutante balls to boys boxing matches, Cooroy Memorial Hall has been at the heart of community life since 1926 the town is celebrating the centenary of one of its most treasured landmarks, with a weekend of events
recognising both the historic building and the people who have kept its spirit alive. Officially opened on 20 August 1926, the hall was built as a living memorial to local servicemen following World War I and has remained at the heart of Cooroy life ever since. According to Heritage Noosa, the idea for a memorial hall began in 1921 when the Cooroy Sub Branch of the Returned Sailors and Soldiers Imperial League identified a park adjoining the existing School of Arts as a suitable location. Fundraising followed, and by
1925 the Memorial School of Arts Committee was working with prominent local sawmiller Fred Fenwick on plans for the new building. By 1926, construction was ready to begin at a cost of £1700. Designed and constructed using timber sourced and milled from native trees in the Cooroy district, the hall was built with the help of local volunteers. One of the building’s most remarkable surviving features is the original dance floor crafted from locally grown crow’s ash, also known as Australian teak (Flindersia australis). According
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to Heritage Noosa, the hardwood was selected because it could withstand decades of dancing and heavy community use. The hall was also designed as an early entertainment venue, featuring an overhead projection box for silent films along with a front ticket office. The two front rooms were also intended as a library, while a space was set aside for the Cooroy Women’s Guild in recognition of their wartime work. The future of the much-loved building was uncertain a decade ago. After years of decline and failing modern safety standards,
the hall was closed by Noosa Council in 2015 and faced possible demolition. Instead, the community rallied. The Cooroy Memorial Hall Association was formed, bringing together residents, Noosa Council, Bendigo Bank, local businesses and supporters to save the landmark. A major restoration project (2017-2018) returned the hall to its 1926 appearance while upgrading essential services. The association says the centenary is a celebration of the people who have filled the hall with memories. Continued page 2
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Cooroy Rag, 11 August 2026 - Page 1