'Loo-seum' celebrates Australia's dunny history

The humble backyard dunny is no longer a fixture of suburban Australian life, but their memory will linger on in a specially created new memorial.

The "Looseum" opened today, with a ceremony featuring a brown carpet.

Queensland Urban Utilities launched the project, which is fittingly located next to Brisbane's Luggage Point sewage treatment plant.

The new memorial boasts three fully restored outhouses, as well as photos, stories, paintings, books and even songs that were sent in as part of a national campaign to "flush out" Australia's thunderbox history.

Outhouses used widely in Brisbane until as recently as the 1970s, but toilets were gradually moved inside homes as underground plumbing networks became more common.

Many households ended up converting the now unused buildings into sheds, however the QUU says it found at least 120 backyard dunnies still in use across the country as part of its search.

The Looseum's thunderboxes were rescued from Carina, Alderley and Toogoolawah and were renovated by volunteers from the Men's Shed, QUU spokespersonMichelle Cull said.

"The dunnies were in terrible condition when we found them and one was destined for certain demolition, so it's great we could save this piece of Australian history for future generations," she said.

"Some [dunnies] are being used as tool sheds or chicken coops and there's even the rare dunny still in use – sawdust and all. We heard memories of trips and spills by the night soil man, pranks played on parents, and kids running scared to the backyard dunny at night."