Booran: Flaxton’s centre for entertainment has witnessed many local milestones
The house today is surrounded by tall bunyas and gums.
Booran with its spacious verandahs c 1930s.
This Old House by G Plowman MHG
This old house, at 12 Akala Street just off Flaxton Mill Road in Flaxton, and named Booran (indigenous word for wind), began life in 1913 as the matrimonial home of Percival (Percy), Dixon and his bride, Beatrice (May) nee Willett. Percy bought the block from his father Joseph Chapman Dixon and established his farm. The couple had two daughters, Allie and Betty.
Elevated above the ground in typical Queensland style, the amply proportioned east-facing house set high on a grassy ridge exhibited all the trimmings of a fine country estate.
Clusters of camellias dappled red and white with magnificent blooms welcomed visitors when they entered the front gate and made their way along the path where the border plantings of gerberas bobbed their colourful heads.
Climb the stairs up to the verandah and the extent of Dixon’s cow pastures becomes evident. In the distance the range falls sharply away to reveal the farms dotting the coastal plains and beyond there, the blue Pacific Ocean sparkles into view.
The present owners Kerry and Noreen Ryan have several photos of Percy Dixon and his family hanging on the walls intermingled with photos of their own family.
Noreen said: “There have been so many changes to the area since we retired here from Brisbane, but I have always loved this view from the kitchen window. It is still a country view.”
On these spacious front verandahs, many milestone events were celebrated from birthdays and weddings to garden parties and dances. In October 1931 the Nambour Chronicle had this to say:
The bachelors of Flaxton gave a most successful ‘anti-depression’ evening, which was held at the residence of Mrs Percy Dixon. About sixty guests were present, and dancing was held on the spacious verandahs, which were beautified with palms and masses of scrub flowers and foliage, Chinese lanterns, suitably hung, added to the decorative scheme.
A portion of the evening was given to community singing and a very happy time was spent generally.
At the rear of the house, tall macadamias gave some relief from the hot western sun and at the back stairs, a garden of ferns and monstera deliciosa added an illusion of coolness on a summer’s day.
The back verandah provided access to the kitchen and pantry and beyond there, an impressive lounge room with carpeted floor. On an occasional table stood an ornate kerosene lamp and on another, a blue vase containing peacock feathers. On entering, all eyes were drawn toward the piano with sheet music piled on top and brass candle sconces above the keyboard. If that room could speak it would tell stories of long ago when Flaxton folk gathered with the Dixons around the piano and gave full voice to the songs of the day.
This was a happy house and a loving home, but in 1948 May Dixon died after a long illness aged just 59 years.
Percy later remarried, and a happy home was re-established. In 1961 following Percy’s death the house and land became the property of his second wife Evelyn along with his sons-in-law Sid Rann and Gordon Mayne. Percy’s daughter Allie and her husband Gordon purchased the shares belonging to Evelyn and the Ranns and lived in the house for many years. They subdivided the land in two lots and there were several owners before the current owners who have called Booran home now for a quarter of a century.
Times change and so do the needs and tastes of individuals.
Booran has now been lowered almost to ground level and instead of standing proud and alone upon the hill it is surrounded by increasing suburban development. The house is now called Naburn 2 according to the letter box.