Gympie interviews for Leith Barter

Gympie interviews to complete Q150 historical film on Strathpine’s Normanby Rum Distillery
Local Library historian Leith Barter is interviewing people from as far as Gympie for a Q150 documentary on the Normanby Rum Distillery, formerly of Strathpine.

Rum has been an integral part of Australia’s history since its colonial days, but few residents would know that our region was once home to a thriving distillery turning over 1100 gallons (5,000 litres) of rum per day in its heyday.
Mayor Allan Sutherland said the Normanby, the oldest rum distillery in Australia, was the subject of an historical feature film currently in production.
The distillery, located at Strathpine, operated from 1875 to 1968.
Cr Sutherland said this nostalgic film project received $5,000 funding through Q150 grants to celebrate Queensland’s 150th birthday.
“Council’s crew will be travelling as far as Gympie to complete an oral history interview with the granddaughter of Frederick Bennett, one of the distillery’s owners from 1908 to 1963,” he said.
“This interview will complement several other oral histories, including former distillery workers like Jack Hanson.”
Cr Sutherland said once this production was completed it would be shown to visitors at the boutique rum distillery, a replica of the original Normanby, near the Tom Petrie Hotel in North Pine Country Park, in Dayboro Rd, Kurwongbah.
“One hundred copies of the film will be produced in DVD format and presented to local schools, libraries and museums,” he said.
Cr Sutherland said the new boutique rum distillery, which would open in the second half of this year, was created by the YMCA staff.
“Council’s Pine Rivers Heritage Museum and the North Pine Historical Society are highly supportive of this project and the YMCA has registered the name “Normanby” and commenced rum production,” he said.