Peter Olds legacy celebrated at Gatakers Artspace

Published on 08 September 2026

• New exhibition celebrates renowned Maryborough engineer and innovator Peter Olds
• Items showcase a lifetime of engineering, invention and craftsmanship
• Twenty26 exhibition showcases creative works by St Mary’s College students

The remarkable life and legacy of renowned Maryborough engineer and innovator Peter Olds will be celebrated in a new exhibition opening at Gatakers Artspace this weekend.

Peter Olds: A Retrospective opens on Saturday 12 September, about a year after Mr Olds passed away aged 95, and brings together objects, photographs and stories reflecting his lifelong contribution to Maryborough and beyond.

Fraser Coast Mayor George Seymour said Peter Olds was a much-loved and respected member of the Maryborough community whose ingenuity left a lasting mark.

“Peter was an extraordinary engineer and inventor, but he was also incredibly generous with his knowledge, skills and time,” he said.

“His work ranged from the practical to the remarkable, from engineering components used around Australia and overseas to helping recreate the Mary Ann steam locomotive that has become such an important part of Maryborough’s identity.

“Peter had an incredible curiosity about how things worked and what could be created, and this exhibition gives people the opportunity to see some of that ingenuity up close.

“It is a fitting tribute to someone who contributed so much to Maryborough throughout his life.”

Peter worked at and later managed W. Olds and Sons Engineering, established by his father William in Maryborough in 1925.

His achievements included developing the innovative Olds Elevator for moving bulk materials, designing specialised hospital equipment and overseeing the construction of the working replica of Queensland’s first steam locomotive, the Mary Ann.

He was named Maryborough Citizen of the Year in 2000 and received an Order of Australia Medal for his contribution to the community.

The Gatakers exhibition has a particular focus on Peter’s metalworking and foundry practice, featuring castings, sand moulds, raw ingots, a crucible and images and video showing the casting process.

Among the objects on display will be the first casting of the Spirit of the Mary Valley locomotive nameplate, accompanied by footage of its creation at Olds Engineering.

The exhibition also includes ornate cast-alloy work connected with the British Royal Carriage and Nanette, a coal-fired live steam model locomotive built by Peter’s father William in 1929, and a carved bust of Peter created by his close friend Kevin Banting.

“There is a strong tradition of engineering, manufacturing and craftsmanship in Maryborough, and this exhibition celebrates that history while sharing the story of a local person whose ideas and workmanship reached far beyond our region,” Cr Seymour said.

Also opening at Gatakers Artspace on 12 September is Twenty26, an exhibition celebrating the creativity of Year 7 to 12 St Mary’s College students.

The exhibition features student-nominated works in traditional and contemporary styles, capturing a diverse range of creative pursuits and perspectives.

“Gatakers is a wonderful space for celebrating creativity in all its forms, from the craftsmanship and engineering ingenuity represented in Peter’s retrospective to the emerging talent of our young artists,” Cr Seymour said.

Peter Olds: A Retrospective will be on display at Gatakers Artspace Studio until 10 October, while Twenty26 will continue in Galleries 1 and 2 until 31 October.

Entry to Gatakers Artspace, 311 Kent Street, Maryborough, is free, with more details available at https://www.ourfrasercoast.com.au/Gatakers-Artspace