FOR 37 years the iconic windmill on Christie Street outside Canungra Pharmacy has been red, but it has recently been painted white.
Jennifer Corcoran’s late husband, Mick, was involved in moving the windmill to its current location.
“The windmill was obtained from Day’s property on Darlington in 1987,” she recalled.
“Mick and his employees, Neil Martin, Steve Geiger, John Geiger and Max Walters removed the windmill in one piece and transported it to Canungra on the back of Mick’s one tonne Holden Ute.”
“The fully intact blades were sitting on top of the ute’s cab. It was then erected where it now stands and painted red by the then owner of the new complex, Wayne Furness. Wayne wanted the windmill to compliment the feel of the town, along with the bullnose veranda roof.”
Was changing the colour the right choice? Some of the respondents on our Facebook post seemed to think so, but the majority of people who commented disagreed.
Sandy Davies said that it was a shame the windmill was painted white and that she would love to see more colour to portray a country feel.
Many commenters suggested painting a mural on the blades of the windmill, similar to the Canungra Library, Canungra Times and Ray White office and the OWL Wholefoods shop.
Locals have their say (from Facebook)
“[The windmill] should be red as it always was or perhaps a more rural rustic colour. Doesn’t suit the country town” – Carolyn Cahill
“I much prefer it painted red, it’s iconic to Canungra and would love to see it back to being red” – Linda Mahaffy
“Any refurbishment of infrastructure throughout our township should keep in line with the character that Canungra is so well loved for.” – Anita Denning
“Perhaps they will change it later. The buildings look great and so fresh” – Daniel Blignaut
“I love the rest of the building being painted white – but the windmill should remain red to stand out” – Sarah Nulty
“The windmill in its original form may not have been red, red, but at least its ‘red’ stood out. Now it’s been whitewashed” – Laura Lydian-Sage
