News and other stories about real people, places, and events in Fortitude Valley and nearby suburbs.
Queensland State Archives posted a photo:
The cotton research station at Biloela was established in 1923 with a grant from the British Empire Cotton Corporation and ongoing subsidies from the Queensland and Commonwealth governments. At its peak it covered 430 acres with around 130 acres dedicated to experimental work.
Queensland State Archives Item ID1076737, Photographic material
Queensland State Archives posted a photo:
The bridges were illuminated for the 1954 Royal tour.
Queensland State Archives Item ID435655, Photographic material
Queensland State Archives posted a photo:
Johann Heussler, a wealthy Brisbane merchant purchases 22 acres of land from the Government in 1862 and made plans to build a house there. Local architect Benjamin Backhouse designed a house in 1865, to be constructed from stone excavated on site combined with a cement and lime mixture.
The Heussler family lived at Fernberg from 1865 until 1872 when the high cost of upkeep forces foreclosure on the property by the mortgagee.
Sir Arthur Palmer, Premier of Queensland (1870-1874), and later Lieutenant Governor resided in Fernberg from 1872 to 1881.
John Stevenson MP purchased Fernberg and commissioned the addition of a fine frontage to the building and considerably extended the grounds by purchasing adjacent land. He also installed the stained glass window depicting Robert the Bruce, King of Scotland (1306-1329) on the main internal stairway of the house.
The title to Fernberg was transferred in 1894 to Stevenson’s mortgagees,
Queensland State Archives posted a photo:
In controlling and regulating the survey, sale, occupation and management of Crown Lands in Queensland, the Survey Office was responsible for the primary survey of the public estate, the boundaries of public roads and reserves and surveys relating to the alienation, sale or leasing of Crown Lands and for the associated mapping, record-keeping and administration.
Queensland State Archives Item ID435654, Photographic material
Queensland State Archives posted a photo:
From the Queensland Heritage Register.
Tobruk Memorial Baths were commenced in 1941 and completed in 1950. An initiative of the Townsville City Council, the baths were intended initially simply as a civic amenity, to replace older city baths. In December 1941, however, the Council decided to name the baths in honour of the Australian servicemen who had taken part in the Siege of Tobruk [Tubruq].
Tobruk Memorial Baths were erected on a site associated with sea bathing since at least the 1870s. The first European settlement at Townsville was concentrated in the area of Flinders Street East and The Strand, and The Strand and Cleveland Bay foreshore developed as one of the earliest recreation venues in Townsville. As early as 1866, Townsville’s more affluent residents were constructing homes along the beachfront, and by 1872, three hotels had been erected opposite the present Anzac Memorial Park. The Strand
Queensland State Archives posted a photo:
Julia Creek was named after the niece of Donald McIntyre, the first European settler in the area. Burke Street was named after explorer Robert O’Hara Burke of the ill-fated Burke and Wills expedition.
Queensland State Archives Item ID435651, Photographic material
Queensland State Archives posted a photo:
Hughenden was named after Hughenden Manor in Buckinghamshire, England, the home of former British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli.
Gray Street was named after Robert Gray who had a pastoral run named Hughenden and had a family connection with Hughenden Manor.
Queensland State Archives Item ID435651, Photographic material
Queensland State Archives posted a photo:
From the Queensland Heritage Register.
The Post Office was constructed in 1886 at a cost of £17,235. Dennis Kellcher submitted a tender and carried out extensions in 1888, while a clock tower was built by Henry L Davis & Co. Chimes were imported from England in 1889 and installed by 1891. As a result of severe bomb damage done to buildings in Darwin, the clocktower was dismantled in 1942 and the mechanism was stored away. A greatly modified tower was built in 1963-64 by JE Allen & Co. of Townsville at a cost of £42,135. The interior was also modernisation at this time. Because of its prominent location, the Post Office often became the scene of political rallies around a speaker on a soap box.
Queensland State Archives Item ID435651, Photographic material
Queensland State Archives posted a photo:
The Australian Estates & Mortgage Co Ltd was founded in 1894 as wool and produce selling brokers, stock and station agents, pastoralists, raw sugar millers and cane growers. It renamed The Australian Estates Company Limited in 1936 and was taken over by CSR Limited in 1975.
As of August 2017, both these building still exist.
Queensland State Archives Item ID435653, Photographic material
Queensland State Archives posted a photo:
After serving in both world warrs, Lieutenant General Sir John Lavarack became Governor of Queensland in 1946. He was the first Australian-born governor of Queensland and the second Australian-born person to hold a governorship in Australia.
The 33rd Parliament was opened on 5 August 1953 following the election on 7 March..
Queensland State Archives Item ID435653, Photographic material