On 15 June 1868, a 38-year-old Lancastrian woman named Hannah Chadwick was admitted to the Dunwich Benevolent Asylum suffering “debility from injuries.” She gave her history in a matter-of-fact manner: Came to Queensland per ship “Rockhampton” in 1866 with my husband. After a stay of about six weeks, we went to Rockhampton, where my husbandContinue reading “Nothing ventured, nothing lost?”
A trip to Coolangatta, in the early days.
1899 A trio poses on the Rainbow Bay edge of Greenmount Hill in Coolangatta. They are carefully dressed, overdressed in fact. The man at the left has his suit jacket buttoned up, the man at the centre’s jacket is unbuttoned to reveal the waistcoat underneath, and the woman is in long sleeves and long skirts.Continue reading “A trip to Coolangatta, in the early days.”
The early days of Stradbroke Island, in colour.
We still say “Stradbroke Island,” even though there are two Stradbroke Islands – North and South. The reason is that originally we had one “Straddie,” but it broke apart from 1894 to 1896, the result of an incursion into a vulnerable sandy area of a wrecked ship, the detonation of the explosives it carried, andContinue reading “The early days of Stradbroke Island, in colour.”
Old Government House
The creation of a new colony called Queensland meant many things to people living north of the Tweed River. They would have their own Parliament. Their own identity. Their own Premier. Their own Governor! Hang about, where were we going to put our new vice-regal overlord (and lady)? Thankfully, Dr Hobbs had a nice place,Continue reading “Old Government House”
The early days of Charters Towers, in colour.
A new reefing country, manly miles in extent, has been discovered about one hundred miles from Townsville. It is reported to be very rich, and a rush has taken place from Ravenswood. Lumps of quartz richly impregnated with gold, and 120 ounces of gold, have been lodged in the bank at Ravenswood. More than oneContinue reading “The early days of Charters Towers, in colour.”
The early days of Winton, in colour.
Winton (population less than 1,000) is a small town with a big history. So big that it deserves its own post – think indigenous history, frontier violence, shearing disputes, Waltzing Matilda, incredible prehistoric finds, aviation history, and Native Title cases. In the meantime, here’s a look at Winton in the early days. Winton and itsContinue reading “The early days of Winton, in colour.”
The early days of Barcaldine, in colour.
The Wool Industry A sheep station was set up in the district in 1863, and named Barcaldine Downs. The owner of that station had been a slaveholder in British Guiana, and employed South Sea Islander labour on the station in the early years. Presumably, the man had seen a successful business model in operation, andContinue reading “The early days of Barcaldine, in colour.”
The early days of Allora, in colour.
Allora is a picturesque town in the Southern Downs region of Queensland. The district became home to two large squatting runs – Glengallen and Talgai – that were established through overland stock movement. Allora’s name is believed to come from the Giabal language word “gnarrallah,” or waterhole. The town was formally surveyed in the lateContinue reading “The early days of Allora, in colour.”
The early days of the Logan District, in colour.
The Logan river was named for the most famous, or notorious, Commandant of the Moreton Bay penal settlement, Patrick Logan. The area was developed around sugar cultivation, farming, and the Logan river. The beauty of the district, with its river traffic and German farm holdings, is astonishing. Some of these images were taken by theContinue reading “The early days of the Logan District, in colour.”
The early days of Dalby, in colour.
The Dalby Races, 1859 Darling Downs Gazette and General Advertiser (Toowoomba, Qld.: 1858 – 1880), Thursday 11 August 1859, page 3 The Ipswich Observer and West Moreton Advocate (Qld.: 1870-1879), Saturday 10 June 1876, page 2. Festivities in Dalby. All images are from the digital collection of the State Library of Queensland and are outContinue reading “The early days of Dalby, in colour.”
Moreton Bay and More 