The Queen’s Wharf redevelopment in Brisbane revitalizes the CBD with a blend of historical significance and modern design. This area, rich in Indigenous and colonial heritage, features landmarks like the Commissariat Store and Treasury Building. The project incorporates Indigenous art, ensuring a connection between Brisbane’s past and vibrant future.
Planting the seed: a growing acknowledgement at Queensland State Archives
Archives are more than repositories of history; they are cultural heritage tapestries. For First Nations Peoples, historical records can evoke both pain and empowerment. The records may reflect past injustices, but they also hold the potential to reconnect individuals with their cultural roots and reclaim lost languages. Queensland State Archives (QSA) recognises the need for […]
A plague on all your houses – The bubonic plague in Queensland
When people hear the words ‘bubonic plague’, thoughts turn to the deadly pandemic that swept through Asia and Europe killing tens of millions of people during the Middle Ages. However, the infectious disease, spread to humans by rat fleas, came closer to home with multiple epidemics occurring in Queensland in the early part of the […]
Mabo vs QLD
The doctrine of terra nullius – ‘land belonging to no-one’ – was challenged and overturned in the High Court of Australia on 3 June 1992, largely due to the dedication of one man: Eddie Koiki Mabo. Eddie Mabo was born among the Meriam people on Mer in the Murray Group of islands of Torres Strait […]
James McPherson – The Wild Scotchman
James Alpin McPherson, otherwise known as ‘The Wild Scotchman’, was one of Queensland’s most infamous bushrangers. Born in Inverness-shire, Scotland, in 1842, McPherson came to Australia aboard the William Miles, arriving in January 1855 with his family. As a boy, he was a diligent student, learning French and German, and was an engaging public speaker. […]
Longest Basketball Game
Twenty-four high school students from Thursday Island set a world record on Saturday 6 May 1972 for the longest non-stop game of basketball played on an outdoor court. This herculean effort of 110 hours and five minutes broke the previous record by three hours, five minutes. Played at the Wongai Courts, the marathon, as it […]
Escape from St Helena Island
Sitting isolated, surrounded by the dangers of Moreton Bay, St Helena Island Penal Establishment was a fortified prison. Despite this, numerous prisoners still attempted to escape. One of the greatest escape attempts lasted 11 days and was carried out by two prisoners: Henry Craig and David McIntyre. The response to their escape was unprecedented, […]
Astrologers, Dreamers and Theorists
The tragic murder of siblings Michael, Norah and Ellen Murphy near Gatton on Boxing Day 1898 sparked intense community speculation. The case remains unsolved to this day.
The Queensland Woollen Manufacturing Company
2018 marks the tenth anniversary of the Queensland Woollen Manufacturing Company woollen mill being listed on the Queensland Heritage Register because of its significance in the history of manufacturing in Queensland. When asked “are you aware of any circumstances … which would render it expedient to place the ship and people in quarantine?” the Health […]
Masonic Records in the Archives
My Dad was a Freemason, just like his dad and his dad before that. Back we go through the generations and various Lodge records held in Queensland, New South Wales, Ireland and Scotland that document the membership of my forebears for more than 150 years in this unique society once considered a Secret Society. Times […]