Discover Queensland’s Stories: Australian Heritage Festival 2026 - sourced from NTAQ
From 18 April to 18 May 2026, the National Trust of Australia presents the Australian Heritage Festival—the nation’s largest community celebration of history, culture and place.
Across Queensland, the Festival opens doors to historic sites, shares untold stories, and connects communities with the places that shape our identity. This year’s theme, “Change – how has history changed us, and how are we changing history?”, invites us to reflect on how heritage continues to evolve. Enjoy some of Brisbane Living Heritage Members celebration of this Event, see below.
Napery over the Years – Tablecloth Treasures 1888–2000
Redlands Coast Museum: Replacing Le Chapeau, this display features treasured tablecloths and serviettes from 1888 to the late 1900s, showcasing beautiful embroidery, Battenberg lace and crochet work — each with a story to tell.
Celebrating the art and heritage of blacksmithing, this exhibition showcases the skill and creativity of the Museum’s volunteer blacksmiths. Handcrafted items from the Blacksmith Shed, including bells, hearts and poppies, highlight the precision and artistry of traditional forging, with selected pieces available in the Museum Shop.
Forging History - Blacksmith Exhibition
Live demonstrations every Thursday and Saturday bring the forge to life, offering sights, sounds and stories from the artisans themselves. Beginners Blacksmith Workshops on 17 & 21 May provide a safe, hands-on experience with limited spaces.
Reflecting the 2026 Festival theme, Change – How has history changed us, and how are we changing history?, the exhibition explores how traditional crafts evolve, blending heritage techniques with contemporary creativity.
Wolston Farmhouse
May Day Fair
Wolston Farmhouse Open Day
Explore Brisbane's bygone era…
Step back in time at Wolston Farmhouse, the oldest surviving residential farmhouse in Brisbane, nestled just a short drive to the southwest of Brisbane's bustling CBD.
This historic landmark, formerly known as Wolston House, boasts a rich rural history dating back to 1852. It holds the distinction of being the very first property entrusted to the care of the National Trust of Australia (Queensland).
This charming farmhouse exudes the authentic atmosphere of a traditional rural homestead and is surrounded by breathtaking views that stretch out towards the tree-lined riverbanks.
Family Friendly, bring your morning tea, afternoon tea or picnic lunch!
Miegunyah House
Heritage Talks: Queensland cemeteries
Join State Library Queensland for our first Heritage Talk of 2026 where we will hear from a panel of experts and passionate friends of Queensland’s many storied and historical cemeteries.
Cemeteries exist not only for the dead but also as a space for the living. Across Queensland, they are now valued not only as a resting and remembering place, but also as places of historical significance and civic engagement that continue to connect communities in meaningful ways.
This event runs in conjunction with Dearly Departed: death in life, State Library's exhibition that encourages reflection on mortality through history, art and personal stories. Audiences are welcome to visit the exhibition before or after the event to engage more deeply with its themes and artworks.
"Dinna Forget" - Scottish Treasures of the Queensland Women's Historical Association
When Scottish settlers arrived in colonial Queensland in the 1800's, they brought with them their most treasured objects - family bibles, christening gowns from Ayrshire, a smoking cap embroidered with thistles. These heirlooms were not only possessions, but treasured reminders of home in an unfamiliar climate and environment. They were passed down through generations, each one telling a story of change and survival.
"Dinna Forget" is an exhibition at Miegunyah House Museum highlighting a selection of these treasures brought by early settlers. What will be your favourite?
After the tour, enjoy a delicious Devonshire tea sitting on the wide verandah looking at the marvellous trees.
Tingalpa Pioneers chapel and Cemetery
Ormiston House
Open Day -Tingalpa Pioneers Chapel & Cemetery
The Friends of Tingalpa Cemtery Heritage Group Inc. invite everyone to our OPEN DAY -AGM Event on Saturday, May 9 at our beautiful heritage listed Tingalpa Pioneers Chapel & Cemetery, located at 1341 Wynnum Road, Tingalpa.
Our special place known as "Gods Acre" offers a place of serenity plus Open Day activities including local community group activities with Momentum Choir, displays by Bayside Woodies Group and stalls.
Look for the White picket fence beside Pepsico-Smiths Crisps Factory , plus parking signs telling you location of visitor parking, with nearby street parking available off Wynnum Road.
Originally Christ Church Tingalpa established in 1868 makes it one of the oldest cemteries in our city of Brisbane. Remember all welcome to come take look and tour of this unique heritage place.
Champagne High Tea at Ormiston House
A delicious Champagne High Tea with a guest speaker, Councillor Paul Bishop, Redland City Council Division 10 portfolio for Arts, Culture and Heritage, plus live entertainment and a tour of the historic home.
CategoryFood & Drink
Historical Dance
Step into the rich tapestry of Australian history through the power of dance. Join us for Historic Milestones: the changing nature of dance a captivating workshop that traces the evolution of dance from Brisbane’s early penal settlement through to the early 1900s.
Discover how dance has been a vibrant expression of societal shifts—shaped by fashion, philosophical movements, and cultural influences brought by migration. Explore the connection between changing lives and changing rhythms.
Throughout Brisbane’s history the fashions in dancing changed from country dances to quadrilles and waltzes, then polkas and barn dances. This interactive experience invites you to engage with the dances that have accompanied our ancestors through time.
Immerse yourself in this fun-filled workshop that not only honors the past but also encourages you to reflect on how dance continues to evolve with our ever-changing world. Whether you are a seasoned dancer or a curious beginner, come and celebrate the art of movement!
All dances taught on the night. No partner or experience required. Costumes admired but not required.