Category: Queensland State Archives’ Photostream About Fortitude Valley

Queensland State Archives posted a photo:

From The Week, Friday 1 June 1928:

PIG RAISING

SCHOOL FOR FARMERS

Arrangements are being made to hold at the Queensland Agricultural High School and College, Gatton, a school of instruction in pig-raising, said the Minister for Public Instruction (Mr. T. Wilson) on Friday afternoon.

At the school, which will last from June 11 until June 23, the subjects trated will include breeding, cross-breeding, feeding, diseases, care, management, marketing, and judging of pigs, and the course will comprise lectures, demonstrations, and practical work in these matters. It is intended that the school shall be open to both men and women.

Officers of the Department of Agriculture and Stock will co-operate with the Principal and the Department of Puclib Instruction. Applications from those desirous of attending should be made to the Principal, Queensland Agricultural High School and College, T.P.O. South.

“It is expected that the holding of the school will be highly

See Full Post >>

Queensland State Archives posted a photo:

On 22 February 1928, Bert Hinkler touched down in Darwin after successfully completing the first solo flight between England and Australia, and in record breaking time, making the trip in only sixteen days.

From The Telegraph, Thursday 23 February, 1928:

HEROIC HINKLER

The world adores a brave man and a successful one. Lieutenant Bert Hinkler is both, and to-day he is the laurel-crowned hero of an aerial conquest that has literally set the world talking. Seventeen days ago he was in England.
Yesterday evening he landed on Australian soil an he had made the 10,500 miles journey by air under conditions which none but an exceedingly brave man would have faced.

He chose for his venture a diminutive monoplane in which there was no room for a companion, so that he had to be his own mechanic as well as pilot, and threw himself entirely on his own

See Full Post >>

Queensland State Archives posted a photo:

The Brisbane Courier
Wed 4 Oct 1871

Doughboy Creek
(From a Correspondent)

Sept 30.

After a series of preliminary flirtations, Pluvius precipitated himself upon this locality in the shape of a refreshing shower, and powdery roads and vacuous waterholes are temporarily invisible. There have been two long intervals of drought separated by a slight rainfall, and water for domestic purposes had, in many instances, to be carted from a considerable distance, so that this aqueous visitation has been very welcome. The clouds had been so long threatening to expend themselves that even the ominous procession of ark, purple masses from the north-west, together with the roll of distant thunder, failed to assure the most sanguine, until the pleasing certainty was drummed into our ears by noisy roofs – the patter of raindrops being sweeter music to us than the divinest of human strains. A place not far off, unlucky enough

See Full Post >>

Queensland State Archives posted a photo:

The Moreton Bay Courier
Tues 3 July 1860

Notes Made At Brisbane In Queensland
By An Invalid
(From the Melbourne Age, June 7)

Various circumstances, among which may be numbered a not over robust state of health, having rendered a residence in Queensland desirable, I very recently transferred myself and traps to Brisbane, the infant capital of that still long-coated colony. Being a stranger in the land, I have felt the time hang somewhat heavily on my hands, and, as a divertisement, I have written down a few notes on the place and its inhabitants which may supply some information to people at a distance; but whether they may be found to possess that merit or not – here at all events, they are:-

Various things soon make a visitor from Sydney to Brisbane aware that he has approached a few degrees nearer to the equator. He feels the atmosphere sensibily

See Full Post >>

Queensland State Archives posted a photo:

The Brisbane Courier
Sat 26 June 1886

CITY POLICE COURT
Friday 25 June

Before Mr. Pinnock, P.M.

DRUNKENESS – Four drunkards were discharged, and one was fined 5s, or six hours’ imprisonment – Margaret Marshall was fined £2, or forty-eight hours’ imprisonment.

Disorderly Conduct – Harry Fischer, for being disorderly on the Ipswich-road, was fined £2 or forty-eight hours’ imprisonment. – Ann M’Cormack, for using obscene language, was fined £3 or fourteen days’ imprisonment. There were forty-five previous convictions against the accused, making a conviction for each year of her life.

Vagrancy – John Kelly, 19 years of age, was charged with vagrancy. After hearing the evidence of Constable M’Quaker, the accused was given seven days’ notice to clear out of town.

Before Mr. W. H. Day, water police magistrate.

Larceny = Alexander Campbell, charged with the larceny of a clock, was discharged, to appear when called upon, owing to the

See Full Post >>

Queensland State Archives posted a photo:

The Brisbane Courier
Mon 10 Oct 1887

The Wolseley Shearing Machine at Work

On 9th September last the Wolseley sheep shearing machine was started at work in Messrs. Wallance and Casey’s shed at Normanby, and with the exception of Sundays, it has been daily at work ever since. This is the first extended trial to which the machine has been submitted, all previous ones having merely been public trials carried out under the direction of the inventor.

[…]

As it is now, the men as they get accustomed to it are gradually overtaking the tallies of the shearers on the other side of the shed. On Wednesday last the writer timed one of the shearers, Charles Shepherd, an Ipswich resident, who was using a circular faced comb, who sheared comfortably seven sheep in twenty-nine minutes, and his tally for the day was eighty-four; a remarkably good one considering the

See Full Post >>

Queensland State Archives posted a photo:

The Brisbane Courier
Wed 28 Nov 1888

Brisbane Tramway Company

[…] Since the printing of the report the company had sold to the Townsville Omnibus Company a considerable number of light horses which were unfit for the Brisbane traffic, and had formerly been used on the “feeders.” They had also disposed of four waggons and three omnibus, the lot coming to nearly £700. This had relieved the company of a considerable number of animals and vehicles for which they had no present use, and they had agreed to take payment for this rolling-stock and these horses in shares in the Townsville company. He [the chairman] had looked into the matter very carefully when he visited Townsville, and he believed the little ‘bus company there would be an extremely remunerative investment. The town was so laid out that there were no hills on the routes, and the wear and

See Full Post >>

Queensland State Archives posted a photo:

Statue of a seated swagman at Winton commemorating the Waltzing Matilda song composed by Banjo Paterson, June 1966.

From the Bowen Independent, Friday August 1940:

Waltzing Matilda.

WRITTEN IN WINTON DISTRICT.

“Waltzing Matilda” which has come into the front like of war songs in England has a romantic Queensland background. “Banjo” Paterson was inspired to set down the verses of what has been described as Australia’s unofficial national anthem while on holiday at Dagworth Station in the Winton district.

It is claimed to have been sung first in the North Gregory Hotel, Winton. The present owner of the hotel, Mr. T. J. Shanahan, who is chairman of Winton Shire Council, and who has been in Brisbane for the Local Authorities’ Conference told the story on Sunday.

Paterson’s verse, he said, was based on actual happenings at the MacPherson holding at Dagworth.

“Bob MacPherson was a fine character and he was always very

See Full Post >>

Queensland State Archives posted a photo:

The Brisbane Courier
Thursday 5 May 1932

The Angora Wool Industry

Those who were able to visit the display of Angora wool at last year’s Royal National Show in Brisbane, and those who have had the opportunity of seeing similar displays elsewhere, as, for instance, at the Arts and Crafts Exhibition of the Country Women’s Association in Toowoomba last March, must have been deeply impressed with the possibilities of Angora rabbit wool, its beauty, feather-weight, and hard-wearing and washing qualities.

One of the pioneers of the industry is Mrs. Edith Harris, whose Regal Rabbitries are situated on the Anzac Road, Belmont. Chatting on the topic of the industry, this experience woolgrower has much interesting information to give. “Most people,” she says, “do not realise what this industry will mean to Australia. For instance, wool may be manufactured into most beautiful garments, blankets, and underwear. The pelts can be made

See Full Post >>

Queensland State Archives posted a photo:

The Courier Mail
Sat 27 Nov 1937

Old Town Hall a Link With Early Days

The old Town Hall was completed in 1865 at a cost of £25,000, and the civic fathers of that distant day had every reason for self-gratification.

Every to-day the old building is regarding as one of the finest examples of Italian Renaissance architecture to be seen in Australia. For more than 70 years it classic facade has looked out upon an ever-changing scene in Queen-street. Through the decades demolition and reconstruction attended the relentless march of time.

When the freestone for its construction was excavated from the old Breakfast Creek quaryr, the long low front of the convict barracks was still standing on the present site of Allan and Stark’s premises. The adjoining site to the south was occupied by a shingle shanty, used as Brisbane’s one and only Post Office.

The construction of what

See Full Post >>