THE BURNING OF THE FIERY STAR The logbook of Chief Officer William Sargent showed that the Fiery Star took twelve days to reach the south end of New Zealand, passing by on the 12th of April 1865. The journey had been proceeding as planned, although strong seas had destroyed two of the longboats on theContinue reading “The Burning of the Fiery Star”
Category Archives: Shipping
The Fiery Star in Brisbane
On 31 March 1865, the clipper Fiery Star sailed from Moreton Bay, bound for London. She had brought over 500 immigrants to Queensland on 20 November 1864, but her return journey would be a rather less crowded affair – eight in Saloon, eight in Second Cabin, and twenty-one steerage passengers. She would also be takingContinue reading “The Fiery Star in Brisbane”
Stories Behind the Corner
Memorable Characters from Old Tom’s Story of the Old Times Some of Old Tom’s friends and acquaintances – Tom O’Neil and Johnny Hamilton – passed through the Colony without making much impact on the news of the day. No doubt they were great friends and unique characters, but their activities did not incur much publicContinue reading “Stories Behind the Corner”
Ordinary Lives
Brisbane on camera 1870-1900 A Draper’s Business in Queen Street A moment in Queen Street, captured by photographer Richard Daintree, presumably from a window across the street. The building at the far left is a “commerce court”, and C W Fegan & Co are open for business in a building proudly established in 1861. TheContinue reading “Ordinary Lives”
Incipient Signs of Rowdyism in the Streets.
In the late 1840s, colony of Moreton Bay and its surrounding districts had been open to free settlers for several years, but was struggling with the need for labour, institutions and infrastructure. The convict buildings left about the place had deteriorated, and there was little economic stimulus to create new facilities for the town. TheContinue reading “Incipient Signs of Rowdyism in the Streets.”
The Queen of the Artemisia
1848 was a year of unrest and revolution in Europe. The world seemed to be in uproar. And uproar would find its way to Brisbane Town that year, not in the form of an uprising, but in the form of the Queen of the Artemisia. Before Dr Lang rounded up industrious protestants to populate “Cooksland,”Continue reading “The Queen of the Artemisia”
February 15, 1851 – Patagonia survivors reach Brisbane
The Patagonia, a British Brig of 323 tons was on a routine cargo run from Sydney to Manilla in what was then the Spanish East Indies. There was a small crew and a cargo of coal on board. On February 05 1851, the vessel struck Bond’s Reef just off New Caledonia and could not beContinue reading “February 15, 1851 – Patagonia survivors reach Brisbane”
February 7, 1849 – the first Fortitude immigrants arrive.
The Fortitude was the first of Dr John Dunmore Lang’s immigrant ships to Moreton Bay, departing Gravesend on 14 September 1848 with 253 on board. After dropping anchor on January 21, the immigrants spent time in quarantine, getting some fresh air and testing out their land legs. The Schooner Susan brought the first group inContinue reading “February 7, 1849 – the first Fortitude immigrants arrive.”
February 6, 1872 – the Peri tragedy.
On February 6 1872, a schooner was noticed lying waterlogged off Rockingham Bay near Cardwell in North Queensland. Crew from the H.M.S. Basilisk boarded her and found a terrible scene. Three dead bodies, and fourteen starving Pacific Islanders with no food or fresh water. The Police Magistrate from Cardwell, alerted to the horror found inContinue reading “February 6, 1872 – the Peri tragedy.”
The Captain would sail no further.
A tale of migration, intransigence and a further Separation – September 09, 1871 The year was 1871, and the Colony of Queensland was eleven years old. Brisbane, in the south-east corner, was the capital of the sprawling concern. All 1.73 million square kilometres of it. The City of Rockhampton nestled on the Tropic of Capricorn,Continue reading “The Captain would sail no further.”
Moreton Bay and More 