Tag Archives: Torres Strait Islands

The early days of Cape York and the Torres Strait, in colour.

The Torres Strait saw a lot of foreign ships passing by and through it from the early 17th century to the Victorian era, which is when the passers-by started to stay. The Strait was named after Luis Vaz de Torres, the first European to have officially recorded its presence, in 1606. After suspecting that theContinue reading “The early days of Cape York and the Torres Strait, in colour.”

Luis Vaez de Torres charts the straits – August 30 1606

1606 Luis Vaez de Torres was on his way to Manila when bad weather forced him to take a detour below Papua New Guinea. On his way, he charted the coastline, stopped for provisions, claimed everything he saw for Spain and fought with indigenous people of the Islands, taking a small sample of the furiousContinue reading “Luis Vaez de Torres charts the straits – August 30 1606”

The Northern Murderers – Gleeson and Moncaro.

George Gleeson and William Leonardo Moncado were executed together at the Brisbane Gaol on Monday, October 24, 1892. They had both been convicted and sentenced to death at the Supreme Court’s Cooktown sittings in north Queensland a mere month before. George Gleeson George Gleeson (pictured) was a cook at a pearling station on Prince of Wales Island, which was offContinue reading “The Northern Murderers – Gleeson and Moncaro.”