Gatakers Creative Space opens

Photo: Councillor David Lewis, State Member for Maryborough, Assistant Minister for Local Government Nikki Boyd, printmakers Jenny Rogers and Carol Seeger and Fraser Coast Mayor use the 150-year-old printing press to make a commemorative print to celebrate the opening of the Gatakers Creative Space.

Another section of the Gatakers warehouse building in Kent Street, Maryborough, has been transformed into an arts space.

Work recently finished on the new double-storey ‘Gatakers Creative Space’, which will provide an opportunity for artists, community groups, individuals and visitors to connect, create and collaborate.

Federal Member for Wide Bay and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Llew O'Brien said the project was part of a jointly-funded transformation of the Maryborough Portside Precinct, and would build on Maryborough’s growing reputation as a centre for arts and culture.

“This new creative space will create a focal point for local artists and businesses to meet, work and showcase their work to an increasing number of visitors to the area,” Mr O’Brien said.

“It builds on the success of the popular Mary Poppins Story Bank, which was the first stage of the Portside Precinct revitalisation and will further support jobs in the arts sector and contribute to Maryborough’s growing tourism market.”
Fraser Coast Mayor George Seymour said this section of the old building had previously been used for life drawing, painting, print making, pop up exhibitions and workshops.

“The facilities have been greatly improved with equipment such as printing presses, kilns, WiFi and a site-specific retail space,” Cr Seymour said.

“In this space, artists will be able to create and develop, exhibit and offer their works for sale.”

Member for Maryborough Bruce Saunders said the Palaszczuk Government had invested $395,000 in the project from the successful Building Our Region program.

“Gatakers Creative Space is a game changer for Maryborough’s arts community,” Mr Saunders said.

“Not only will it provide a platform for local artists to create and work, it will also help display our local talent to the larger community.

“Over $348.3 million has been approved towards 271 projects across 67 councils as part of the Building our Regions program.

“We’ve supported 2,770 jobs across Queensland.”

Now the project is completed, artists and groups will be able to book the Gatakers Creative Space through the Council’s Cultural Services section.

The $897,683 project also included the installation of a lift to the second-storey to ensure the building is accessible.

Cr Seymour said the Gatakers Creative Space was another exciting stage of the Portside Cultural Precinct Redevelopment project, which had been funded by the Australian Government, Queensland Government and Council.

“The middle section of the heritage-listed Gatakers warehouse building, which once stored goods unloaded from ships arriving in the Port of Maryborough, was refurbished by the Fraser Coast Regional Council as the Gatakers ArtSpace in 2010,” he said.

“The redevelopment project has been a part of the revitalisation of the historical wharf precinct of Maryborough, and allowed its museums (Customs House, Bond Store and Maryborough Military and Colonial Museum) to flourish.”

One of the key elements of the redevelopment program was the refurbishment of the former Australian Joint Stock Bank building on the corner of Kent and Richmond streets where the author of the Mary Poppins books, Pamela Lyndon Travers, was born in an upstairs bedroom in 1899.

It is now an interactive interpretive centre called the Story Bank that has become a popular tourist destination since it opened in June 2019.

The Portside Cultural Precinct Redevelopment project, which includes Gatakers Creative Space, is jointly funded with the Australian Government providing $395,000, the Queensland Government $395,000 and Fraser Coast Regional Council $790,000.

For more information about the Story Bank, visit https://storybank.ourfrasercoast.com.au/

For more information about Gatakers Artspace, visit https://gatakers.ourfrasercoast.com.au/