Drystone Walls on Buderim
By Meredith Walker
Drystone walls were part of the character of Buderim in the
agricultural era, but are now becoming rare. Buderim mountain is a basalt plateau; a flow from a volcano (probably
south west of Maleny) 31-26 million years ago. Erosion has changed the
landscape and when the first farms were established much of the plateau, upper
slopes and benches were covered in loose surface rocks.
To establish farms, the rocks were gathered up and used to
from drystone walls – structures constructed without any mortar to bind them
together. The stability of the wall depends upon the skill and patience of the
maker in selecting the stones and having a ‘good eye’ to ensure that they fit
closely together. Larger rocks formed the base, with rocks diminishing in size as
the wall tapers towards to top. Constructing
drystone walls was probably one of the first activities of the agricultural
settlement and it continued until the 1970s.
The builders of the first walls are not known, but many
walls are said to have been built by Kanakas. In the 20th century,
George Egmolesse – who came to Australia in the late 19th Century
from the island of Espiritu Santo, built many drystone walls around Buderim.
And as many South Sea Islanders lived in Buderim it is likely that others might
also have constructed walls.
Dave Crerar built several drystone walls, especially as part
of the gardens he constructed to the designs of landscape architect Edna
Walling.
Among the largest and most splendid drystone walls are those
at Foote Sanctuary, constructed in 1970s along the southern boundary and the
upper sections of the eastern and western boundaries by John Nilson. It is
likely however, that other men active at Foote Sanctuary also worked on the
walls.
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