Category: Queensland State Archives’ Photostream About Fortitude Valley

Queensland State Archives posted a photo:

Well-Kept Lawns On The Homestead.

When once properly laid down, a lawn can be kept in first class condition with the ordinary routine of mowing, watering and rolling, and an occasional top-dressing. The initial formation demands most careful consideration, for not after attention can compensate for defects in the original preparation. The requirements of a good lawn are well understood. It must be of good texture, have a pleasing colour, make a complete covering of the ground, and grow sufficiently thick to keep out weeds. To enable the grass or grasses comprising the turf of the lawn to send their roots well down into the moist subsoil and thus enable the lawn to combat the prolonged dry spells in some districts, it is essential that the ground be well-dug, or, better still, trenched. In the case of heavy soils, it is essential, of course, that they

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Queensland State Archives posted a photo:

Homestead Planning

Home-building is topical. Dozens of books have recently made their appearance, but there has been none quite like “Planning the Australian Homestead,” written exclusively from the country dweller’s viewpoint.
The author is Kenneth McConnel, B.Arch, F.R.I.B.A., grandson of one of Queensland’s earliest pioneers. He is a brother of Mr. Edgar McConnel, Cressbrook.
Written with an intimate knowledge of what country people need, the book contains house plans suited to varying conditions, and there is a section on garden planning.
Hundreds of exterior and interior photographs of homesteads have been used, many of which will be familiar to station folk. Some could have been more expertly taken, but they serve the author’s purpose of capturing the reader’s interest.
As commonsense as it is practical, the book contains numerous labor-saving ideas for dining room and kitchen. When it comes to bathrooms, Mr. McConnel declares a bath to be almost out

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Queensland State Archives posted a photo:

Fire Destroys Station Home

Toowoomba, Friday – One man tried in vain to save the fine old homestead on Ellangowan station from being destroyed by fire this afternoon.
The fire, which started about 3 o’clock, completely destroyed the main building and the maids’ quarters, which were in a seperate building, in about half an hour.
It is believed the fire started in a refrigerator.
The owner of the property, Mr. W. Donohoe, and family are holidaying at Redcliffe.
It is reported that the only other person at the station was Mr. Jack Brydon, who tried to put out the flames with buckets of water. In a few minutes, however, the wooden building was blazing like a furnace, and he was driven away by the heat.
He then rang the post office in Layburn, and between 50 and 60 men from the town and district rushed to the scene. When they arrived

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Queensland State Archives posted a photo:

My Homestead.
(Written by Hetty Sypher.)

There stands my homestead, white amid the trees;
So lowly set where stirs a faint, cool breeze.
Across the grass the thronging milkers pass,
Their colours blurred, as, in one moving madd,
A glade of grass, the panting creatures seek,
Their resting place is by the dry, old creek.
Yet sunlight gleams in through the crimson leaves,
And, where it touches, softer beauty weaves.
It plays around the open entrance doors,
And casts its glowing radiance on linoleum floors.
See, on each drooping flower, whose heavy head
Bows with tiredness, the dying sunbeams shed
A faded splendour lending deeper grace
To all those colours which their rays embrace.
All day long the busy birdies sing among the leafy trees,
At my old Homestead.

Description source: The Central Queensland Herald, 6 Dec 1934

Image source: Queensland State Archives, Digital Image ID 5024

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Queensland State Archives posted a photo:

Artwork by Frank Olsen

Also known as the Striate Anglerfish, this species occurs in most marine tropical and temperate waters. In Australia, it occurs around the north of the country, from the south-western Western Australia, across the north of the country, and south on the east coast to southern New South Wales.

Anglerfish include some of the best camouflaged of all fishes. They have extraordinary adaptations including a lure for attracting their prey, a large mouth and “hidden gill openings” Striate Anglerfish are extremely variable in form and colour, and even fish from the same area can look quite different. Colours range from red, orange, and yellow, through to green, brown or black. Some are heavily striped, while others have broken stripes or spots, or lack stripes entirely.

Description source: Australian Museum

Image source: Queensland State Archives, Digital Image ID 6233

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Queensland State Archives posted a photo:

Artwork by Frank Olsen

Also known as the Four-lined Grunter, this fish is found in the tropical Indo-west Pacific. It is known in northern Australian waters from Shark Bay in Western Australia to Smiths Lake in New South wales, and possibly south to Sydney.

A coastal species, usually in schools, they are often found in brackish waters to the depth of 39 metres, and are also common in estuaries. Juveniles are found in seagrass beds and in mangrove bays.

Trumpeters feed on small fishes and invertebrates. The eggs are guarded and fanned by the male parent. Generally silver in colour with four to six dark horizontal lines, these fish croak when taken from the water.

Description source: FishBase, Fishes of Australia

Image source: Queensland State Archives, Digital Image ID 6249

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Queensland State Archives posted a photo:

Artwork by Frank Olsen

Also known as the Yellowstripe Barracuda, this fish is a relatively small schooling species that occures in coastal and estuarine waters of tropical and temperate Australia.

This species is yellowish or greenish to brown above and silvery below. It usually has two stripes on the side of the body, and sometimes a line of whitish bars may be present on the upper side.

It has an elongate body but is actually shorter thatn most other barracudas. It’s maximum length is around 55 m. The first dorsal fin is positioned over the tip of the pectoral fin (versus well behind it).

This fish inhabits bays and estuaries; it is found in schools in seagrass beads and rocky reefs. A voracious carnivore, it actively hunts small fishes.

Description source: Australian Museum, Fishes of Australia, FishBase

Image source: Queensland State Archives, Digital Image ID 6248

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Queensland State Archives posted a photo:

Artwork by Frank Olsen.

This species only occurs in Australian waters, and is known southern Queensland to southern New South Wales. It can be recognised by its pattern and colouration. Juveniles have stripes on the side of the body and a wide black stripe along the upper side. Older fish have fine lines of dots. The species grows to 40 cm in length.

Information from Australian Museum.

Queensland State Archives, Digital Image ID 6191

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Queensland State Archives posted a photo:

Artwork by Frank Olsen.

Also known as the rainbow yellowtail, Spanish jack and Hawaiian salmon, this species is widespread throughout the tropical and subtropical waters of the world, inhabiting both coastal as well as far offshore areas.

The rainbow runner is easily distinguished by its body shape, and the brillian colouration which gives the fish its name. It is a fast swimming predator, taking small fish, cephalopods and a wide variety of planktonic crustaceans.

Information from Wikipedia.

Queensland State Archives, Digital Image ID 6240

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Queensland State Archives posted a photo:

Artwork by Frank Olsen.

Also known as the spangled emperor and sand bream, this is a species of emperor fish that occurs in the waters of East Africa to the southern parts of Japan. It also lives in Australian coastal waters, and has been recorded in the Red Sea, Persian Gulf and New Caledonia, where it is one of the major commercial fish.

This species inhabits both marine and brackish waters at depths of between 10 and 75 meters. It is a non-migratory species, and is found on coral and rocky reefs, seagrass beds, and mangrove swamps, as well as over sandy substrates. Juveniles may be found in large schools.

Information from Wikipedia.

Queensland State Archives, Digital Image ID 6187

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