Hardeen

As Irish immigrants the Laheys established themselves with a succession of successful timber, arrowroot and sugar mills in the Pimpama, Beaudesert, Waterford, Canungra areas in the late nineteenth century. David Lahey, one of the eleven Lahey children, after establishing himself in his own right as a successful saw miller and timber merchant, decided to found his own saw milling business as a legacy for his own eleven children. In the early twentieth century David purchased land in Corinda, beside Oxley Creek. It was deemed advantageous to have a site with water access that not only provided an efficient mode of timber distribution, but also an opportunity to establish boat building as part of the business. 

In 1910 the saw mill at Corinda was built after an intensive land clearing operation carried out by several members of the Lahey family. By 1911 the mill was operating. The business was known as Brisbane Timbers Ltd. Projects such as the construction of many of Brisbane’s trams, as well as providing Brisbane with high quality timber, ensured the success of the Corinda saw mill. Percival Lahey, one of David’s sons, was fundamental in the design and construction of a vehicle and goods ferry built at the Corinda mill that ran between Indooroopilly and Chelmer, prior to the construction of the Walter Taylor Bridge.  This was an important service for the residents of the Corinda/Sherwood/ Graceville/ Chelmer areas as it allowed a swifter trip to central Brisbane. 

Initially David Lahey and his family lived in various stately homes in Yeronga, Indooroopilly and Toowong when they first relocated to Brisbane. However in 1912 David Lahey built a large house on the Corinda property, known as Wonga Wallen, no longer existent on the site. As the family and the business grew David had three other houses constructed around the Corinda mill property from 1919 to 1925. The last of these houses was 103 Martindale Street, and was built for Percival Lahey and his family. David Lahey purchased the parcel of land at the apex of the hill that sloped down to Oxley Creek. In 1924 he passed the titles on to Percival who subsequently built the substantial timber house.  The house followed the ‘Californian Bungalow’ design, popular at the time and used the local timber milled on the site. Percival was first listed at the address in 1927. 

By the mid 1920s the Corinda mill had expanded with another mill constructed for the cutting of softwood, the original would be used exclusively for hard wood. The Lahey family at Corinda were aware of the importance of timber as a renewable resource and as such were committed to reserving a portion of their land for the planting of pine trees. As the 1920s drew to a close so too did the prosperity generated from the Corinda mill. In 1931 the mill went into receivership. However, by 1934 it was back in business, albeit operating at a smaller scale. 

103 Martindale Street is not only representative of the history of industry and settlement in the Corinda area, but as an intact timber ‘Bungalow’ style residence built by a member of an important Queensland pioneering family, using local timbers and as such is historically significant to the local area and to Brisbane.

1. Lahey, Shirley, The Laheys: Pioneer Settler and Sawmiller, Brisbane, 2003

2. Lahey, Shirley, “Lahey’s Corinda Connections”, Places, Patriachs and Pastimes, Oxley-Chelmer History Group Papers: I 1996-1997

3. Historic Titles, Department of Natural Resources and Water

4. Queensland Post Office Directories

5. Metropolitan Water and Sewage Survey Maps, 1949