A Part of Buderim's History

Concerts

By Joyce Short
August 2011

Buderim has always been blessed to have a number of talented people in both musical and Theatre skills who have been willing to give freely of their time and expertise.

Concerts were always popular and drew full houses.  Local groups often went to other places to give performances and so help good causes at those centres.  I know of one group in the nineteen twenties called “The Buderim Pierrots” and who dressed in appropriate clown type costumes.  They went by utility truck to Palmwoods one night to give a concert.  The evening went well, but preparing for the trip home it was found the vehicle wouldn’t start.  No one knew how to fix it so the whole group had to walk home in the dark along the Buderim tram line to their homes on Buderim.

Often it was arranged for a concert to be held near full moon so that all the people walking to the concert would find it easier.  When I was about eight years old our family went to the Buderim Hall to hear the Flaxton Mouthorgan and Accordion Band perform.  The large audience was appreciative of the Bands efforts and everyone left in high spirits.  Only a few years ago I was talking to one of the members of that band who had driven the band members to Buderim that night in his father’s farm truck.  It seems that when they were packed up and ready for home, everyone piled into the truck and the motor started but the headlights fused-What a to do!  It was a long way to Flaxton-so “It’s bright moonlight” the members chorused, so “let’s go”!  And they did!  Off Buderim through Palmwoods, up the Montville Range and right to Flaxton at a very slow speed.  The driver gave a mighty sigh of relief.  They had not passed even one car on the whole of the journey and the driver was game to face his Dad next day with his truck intact!

During World War 2, the Buderim Voluntary Defence Corps gave a concert.  As usual the hall was full and everyone enjoyed seeing “the blokes perform”  Being wartime everyone had walked to it and some of the VDC men in the show had walked from Tanawha, Glenmount and other surrounds to be on stage that night.  Then they had to walk home after it ended.

Actually in those days, people considered the walk home as all part of the evenings proceedings.  Groups walking together would discuss the concert in detail, then graduate to local news, world affairs and any other interesting subjects.  It was really quite enjoyable.

It was quite common to hear people, walking alone at night, whistling or singing as they went.  It certainly was a different era, and I imagine the music broke the monotony of their walk.