Windmill Hill, or as it became later, Wickham Terrace, afforded townsfolk an outstanding view of Brisbane Town. Several photographers stood more or less on the same spot and recorded the view through the 19th and early 20th centuries in a series of panoramas. In the process, they recorded enormous growth, historic buildings under construction, andContinue reading “Panoramas of Old Brisbane.”
Category Archives: Old Brisbane Town
The Past in Colour.
Lantern Slides and Tinted Slides The first set of colourised slides of Brisbane in the State Library collection depict the flood of 1893. Adding some (slight) colour to them brings out some detail that would be lost in black and white, particularly the height of the water compared to the banks and houses. Brisbane landmarksContinue reading “The Past in Colour.”
The Fatal Race.
The beginning of 1850 was a time of much excitement in Brisbane Town. The Commissariat Office was seeking tenders for purchase of the “Old Windmill,” a venerable structure of some twenty-two years’ standing, and if no-one bought it, the Government was inclined to knock it down. The post office had received a small supply ofContinue reading “The Fatal Race.”
The A-Z of Old Brisbane – A selection of other “B” stories.
Mrs. Bailey In the late 1840s, and for just a year or so, Brisbane Town had its own silk crinoline-wearing demi-mondaine. Not for long, but she certainly made an impression on Regimental morale. My post about her is here. Dr Ballow. Dr David Keith Ballow is, 175 years after his passing, still part of Brisbane.Continue reading “The A-Z of Old Brisbane – A selection of other “B” stories.”
The Man Behind the Watercolour.
The Painting. It is the earliest image of Brisbane that isn’t an architectural drawing. I’ve used it extensively, and it’s beloved by local historians. It’s May 1835, the 3rd to be precise, and a civil servant named Henry Bowerman is standing on the south bank of the Brisbane River, sketching the convict settlement on theContinue reading “The Man Behind the Watercolour.”
The A-Z of Old Brisbane – Old Brisbane Town.
A pictorial trip through Brisbane Town, taking in the main areas we now call the central business district. All images unless otherwise stated are from the State Library of Queensland. Queen Street George Street South Brisbane Notable Buildings and Sites Views
Modern Problems, Old Queensland.
The past might be a different country, but in some ways, they did things the same way there. The Housing Shortage. Building.-We are glad to perceive that the advice which we have so frequently tendered to the owners of town allotments is beginning, to be acted upon, namely, that of building small cottages to obviateContinue reading “Modern Problems, Old Queensland.”
The Mistakes of a Night.
Or, an exercise in translating from the original Moreton Bay Courier into plain English. 19th century journalists were prone to wordiness. They could use that tendency to create wildly amusing observations that bring that time and its people vividly to life. They could also use that tendency to expand a small incident into, well, this.Continue reading “The Mistakes of a Night.”
”I do not know how to describe to you the beauty of this place.”
On this day – January 27, 1842. Word reaches Moreton Bay that it is to be thrown open for free settlement. On this day in 1842, the inhabitants of Moreton Bay found out that the area was to become a free settlement. The convict settlement had been gradually dismantled with this end in mind. OnlyContinue reading “”I do not know how to describe to you the beauty of this place.””
On this day, 8 November 1885: the Death of Old Tom
The Late Mr. Dowse. BY AN OLD FRIEND “Yesterday, in early morning, at his residence, Milton, there quietly passed away from amongst us, at the ripe age of 76, Mr. Thomas Dowse. When the present Queensland was Moreton Bay, he was always in the front of every political movement, and indefatigable in co-operating to achieveContinue reading “On this day, 8 November 1885: the Death of Old Tom”
Moreton Bay and More 