Original Laidley Shire Council Building

The former Shire Council chamber, now the Village entrance, office, research room and military and local-history displays.

This timber building was the chamber of the Laidley Shire Council and was used for local government administration from 1909 to 1956. It originally stood at the corner of Railway and Herbert Streets in Laidley.

The building was moved to the Pioneer Village in 1983 and restored in 1984. It was officially reopened on Australia Day 1985 by W. A. M. “Bill” Gunn.

Today it is the entrance to the Village. It accommodates the office, the family-history research room and the military and local-history displays. The Armed Forces display preserves photographs, medals, uniforms and documents that pay tribute to the men and women of the district who served.

Laidley’s governance history reaches back to the Divisional Board of Tarampa. In 1888 a portion of Laidley was separated from Tarampa to form a new division, and when the divisional system was abolished in 1902 the modern system of shires and towns was introduced. Among the items displayed in the office is the Royal Plaque Coat of Arms that was mounted on the front of the train used by the Duke of Gloucester during his 1934 Royal Tour, when he officially opened the Laidley Show.