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Queensland State Archives posted a photo:

William Landsborough and Nat Buchanan were the first Europeans to explore the Longreach district. Their 1861 expedition resulted in the arrival of pastoralists in the area, with the first cattle transported to the district in 1862.

Longreach, named for a long reach of the Thomson River, grew up as a teamsters’ camp on the Mount Cornish outstation. The town was officially gazetted in 1887.

Historic buildings still standing in Longreach today include the courthouse and Uniting Church (both 1892), the 1902 post office and the railway station (1916).

The wool boom of the 1920s assisted Longreach’s growth but the town is better known in that decade for its association with the Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Service (QANTAS).

Though founded in Winton in 1920, the airline moved its base to Longreach in 1921, where its main booking office remained until 1930. An original iron hanger (1923) where some

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Queensland State Archives posted a photo:

The Mackay Court House is a two storey Georgian Revival building constructed of face brick with rendered detail. It was constructed in 1938 to replace the 19th-century court house which had long been inadequate.

At the time Andrew Leven was Government Architect. His office was responsible for the design of a number of public buildings in the Georgian Revival style. The Mackay Court House is amongst the grandest of these buildings with handsome internal detailing including panelled offices.

The foundation stone was laid on 31 March 1938 by Premier Forgan Smith. The new court house addressed Victoria Street where the first police lockup had been and thus provided the main street with an imposing public building.

Description source:
Queensland Heritage Register

View the original image at Queensland State Archives:
Digital Image ID 16245

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Queensland State Archives posted a photo:

There had been an expectation that Bribie residents would not have to pay the toll, and eventually they did get a small concession. Books of tickets for multiple crossings could be purchased at a small discount and there was an exemption for Ambulance, Fire Brigade, Royal mail and Government vehicles.

14,000 cars crossed the bridge in the first week it was open, paying 7000 pounds to the two toll collectors, who were each on an annual salary of 5000 pounds. Many of the new visitors were very disappointed with inadequate parking facilities and amenities on the island, and may never have returned.

In the first two years of the new bridge over 300,000 cars crossed over, but population growth was much lower than anticipated reaching just 2000 by 1975 when the toll was lifted.

Description source:
Bribie Island History

View the original image at Queensland State Archives:
Digital Image ID 16959

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