Woolitji Co-op has been a long standing organisation in the Lower Clarence region, with strong links to helping to assist in getting up Woolitji House, it’s new venture is now in Ulmarra and we are working on bringing to the lower Clarence a gallery/Keeping Place and hopefully turning the hall into a language centre.
Current Premises: Maam Yuungguway – Keeping Place
Woolitji House
Woolitji House was built in 1882 as premises for the Bank of New South Wales. It was designed and built by Grafton builder William Kinnear.
Woolitji House is imprinted into the history of the Yaegl traditional owners of the lands and waters of the lower Clarence River. The front door of the building marked the line in River Street beyond which members of the community could not proceed up the main street of Maclean after 6.00 o’clock in the evening.
The building in it’s first years of our ownership was used as a office for Nungera Co-op, a nursery and an Aboriginal gallery.
A 1934 built addition to the front of Woolitji House was removed in 2003 making way for reinstatement of the front wall and open verandahs to the 1882 built design. The restoration project was assisted by a grant from the NSW Heritage Council. This work was completed in early 2004 .
After the restoration the building was used as offices, a barber shop, a cafe and the nursery has been a constant since it’s beginnings.
Woolitji Co-op 