Old Petrie Town: Markets, Museums and Heritage Buildings

Old Petrie Town is a free heritage village on 48 acres of parkland at 901 Dayboro Road, Whiteside, run by Moreton Bay Regional Council. It is best known for its Sunday markets, and it also holds four small museums, a row of historic buildings and shops, cafes and craft studios.

Entry is free and parking is free, so it suits a relaxed Sunday morning of browsing, a look at old fire engines and steam engines, and a wander along the main street.

Old Petrie Town markets

The Old Petrie Town markets run every Sunday from 7 am to 1 pm, and entry is free. Stalls sell handmade crafts, vintage items, plants, homewares, specialty foods and gifts, and there is live entertainment.

On select Friday nights through the year there are themed evening markets with entertainment. Dates are not set out in advance on the markets page, so check the markets page before you plan a Friday visit.

Museums at Old Petrie Town

Pine Rivers Heritage Museum

The council-run Pine Rivers Heritage Museum is open Wednesday to Sunday from 10 am to 3 pm, and closed Monday, Tuesday and public holidays. Entry is free. It holds the Skyring Clock Collection of hand-crafted clocks, short films on the Australian Paper Mill and other early regional industries, and items on Pine Rivers in World War II. The museum includes an 1890s kit home made by timber merchant James Campbell and Sons, and Imaginarium, a play space for kids with changing activities.

It has air conditioning, a baby change facility, accessible toilets and accessible parking a few metres from the entrance.

Queensland Fire Museum

Displays are spread over two buildings and include more than a dozen historic fire vehicles (including a 1968 V8 Dodge from the Beaudesert Urban Fire Brigade), the Dennis Turntable Ladder known as Car 49 (in service at Brisbane’s Ann Street Fire Station from 1956 to 1984), and more than 300 helmets and uniforms. Admission is a gold coin donation, and there is a gift shop. Opening times are posted on the museum’s Facebook page.

Boiler House Steam Museum and Tractor Museum

Run by the Queensland Steam and Vintage Machinery Society, this museum shows restored steam engines and vintage machinery. It is open Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 8 am to 12 pm. On the first Sunday of every month except January, the engines are fired up inside the shed and roam the markets. The society also runs the Old Petrie Town Steam Fair on the first weekend in June each year.

Murrumba District Scout Museum

This small museum displays Scouting uniforms, badges and photographs.

Historic buildings, shops and cafes

The village is laid out as a main street of restored heritage buildings. The shops and studios include Country Cafe and Homewares (meals, coffee and baking), Billy Angel (watercolours, crafts and French-inspired home decor), Vinyl’s Back (new and used records), Lavenders Learnotopia (children’s learning resources and gifts), North Pine Country Potters (wheel throwing and hand building classes) and several others. Operating hours vary from shop to shop.

Heritage buildings have original features such as narrow doorways and small step-ups. Pioneer Hall can be booked through Moreton Bay Regional Council.

Is Old Petrie Town dog friendly?

Yes. Dogs are welcome on a leash, and service animals are welcome. Some shops and indoor venues do not allow pets.

Planning your visit

• How long: 1 to 3 hours, depending on how many museums and shops you visit.
• Best time: Sunday morning, when the markets are on and the most museums are open.
• Cost: entry is free. The Fire Museum asks for a gold coin donation; market stalls, food and shops cost extra.
• What to bring: a hat, sunscreen, water, and shoes that cope with gravel.
• Accessibility: accessible parking is included, and Pine Rivers Heritage Museum has ramp access. Some areas have gravel paths and uneven surfaces, and heritage buildings have narrow doorways and small step-ups that can be hard for wheelchairs, mobility scooters and prams.
• Toilets: there is an accessible gender-neutral toilet in Pioneer Hall, and accessible toilets at Pine Rivers Heritage Museum.

Hours can change and some areas may be fenced off while council carries out repair work. The council’s improvement works page says the site stays open to the public.

Getting there and parking

Old Petrie Town is at 901 Dayboro Road, Whiteside, about 28 km by road from the Brisbane CBD, which is about 40 minutes by car without traffic. Free parking is off Dayboro Road, with accessible spaces included.

Plan a public transport trip with the Translink Journey Planner or call 13 12 30.

More details are on the Old Petrie Town visit page. Details can change, so check before you go.

Nearby

• Caboolture Historical Village – another Moreton Bay heritage village with old buildings to walk through.
• Samford Valley – countryside, cafes and markets on the western side of Moreton Bay.
• D’Aguilar National Park – bushland walks if you want to follow the markets with a hike.
• Mount Mee – a scenic drive and bush walks north-west of Whiteside.
• Bribie Island – beaches for a day out on the coast.
• Markets in Brisbane – days, times and places for more market mornings.

Browse more history and landmarks and markets.

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