HERITAGE NOOSA
HERITAGE NOOSA
McAully Collection
ABOUT THIS ITEM
Additional InformationThis collection features of series of photographs, taken by Maxwell McAully during World War I. The historic album was displayed during the Noosa's War Front exhibition at the Noosaville Library on 20 November 2015, generously loaned for the event by Peter McAully.
The McAully and Donovan families stand as foundational pillars in the pioneering history of the Noosa Shire, shaping the early tourism and social fabric of Tewantin. The lineage roots firmly in regional Queensland with Maxwell McAully, born in Gympie in 1899. A decorated veteran of both World Wars, Maxwell's family network intertwined closely with his sister, Eliza McAully, who became an early matriarch of Noosa hospitality. Alongside her husband John Donovan, Eliza managed the iconic Laguna House in Noosa Heads before expanding the family footprint into Tewantin.
In 1930, the family purchased the historic Royal Mail Hotel in Tewantin, transforming the former Cobb & Co staging post into a premier hub for modern coastal tourism. Rebranded during their era as "Donovan's Royal Mail Hotel," the venue became central to local commerce and community life. Eliza and John’s son, Lionel Donovan, operated a popular local cinema in Tewantin and pioneered regional transit. A true automotive enthusiast, Lionel drove the family tourer to meet travellers arriving at the Cooroy train station, shuttling them down to the Royal Mail Hotel for luncheon before they cruised onward across the Noosa River. Though John Donovan passed away in 1935 and the landmark pub was sold to the Queensland Brewery in 1936, the family’s legacy remains permanently etched into the landscape. Generations later, descendants like Peter McAully carry forward the name of a pioneering clan that helped transform Tewantin from a rugged timber settlement into the gateway of a world-famous coastal destination.
The McAully and Donovan families stand as foundational pillars in the pioneering history of the Noosa Shire, shaping the early tourism and social fabric of Tewantin. The lineage roots firmly in regional Queensland with Maxwell McAully, born in Gympie in 1899. A decorated veteran of both World Wars, Maxwell's family network intertwined closely with his sister, Eliza McAully, who became an early matriarch of Noosa hospitality. Alongside her husband John Donovan, Eliza managed the iconic Laguna House in Noosa Heads before expanding the family footprint into Tewantin.
In 1930, the family purchased the historic Royal Mail Hotel in Tewantin, transforming the former Cobb & Co staging post into a premier hub for modern coastal tourism. Rebranded during their era as "Donovan's Royal Mail Hotel," the venue became central to local commerce and community life. Eliza and John’s son, Lionel Donovan, operated a popular local cinema in Tewantin and pioneered regional transit. A true automotive enthusiast, Lionel drove the family tourer to meet travellers arriving at the Cooroy train station, shuttling them down to the Royal Mail Hotel for luncheon before they cruised onward across the Noosa River. Though John Donovan passed away in 1935 and the landmark pub was sold to the Queensland Brewery in 1936, the family’s legacy remains permanently etched into the landscape. Generations later, descendants like Peter McAully carry forward the name of a pioneering clan that helped transform Tewantin from a rugged timber settlement into the gateway of a world-famous coastal destination.
McAully Collection. Heritage Noosa, accessed 02/08/2026, https://heritage.noosa.qld.gov.au/nodes/view/33971
