"Dangerous to Know: Early Colonial Doctors and Asylums in South East Queensland"

In the mid-19th century most doctors believed that cold water immersion, straightjackets and brandy would cure a disturbed person.

In the early 1860s, Queensland’s new colonial government hurriedly ordered a mental asylum to be built at Woogaroo. Another asylum for the poor and chronically ill was set up on Stradbroke Island.

None of the staff understood the problems they would face.Lack of skill and effective drugs were not the only reasons why patients received little care. The doctors had other priorities, ambitions, sectarian divisions and professional jealousies. Often described in biographies as medical heroes, many of these men were dangerous to know.

The Brisbane Courier summed it up in 1869.….the inmates of such an institution are at the mercy of' warders and nurses. As long as these do not quarrel among themselves, or are satisfied to keep each other's secrets, there is apparently no cruelty which they may not perpetrate undiscovered and unpunished. In this case the violence used threatened the immediate death of the patient…

Join us at Redcliffe Museum as we embark on a creative quest to make your own movable animal puppets!

Spark your child’s imagination in this school holiday workshop led by local artist Russell Solomon.

They will transform everyday craft materials into wacky, movable animal puppets.

Inspired by the Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards, your kids will create a take-home expressive animal puppet, master simple mechanics and bring funny, quirky characters to life.

About the artist
Russell Solomon is a multidisciplinary artist with more than 30 years’ experience. He creates evocative sculptures that explore the intersection of the natural world and our human impact on it. Russell has lived in Redcliffe for the past 25 years and has continuously exhibited and facilitated workshops within the community.

How has the school changed over 150 years?

Current Humpybong State School families, students and staff are invited to Redcliffe Museum for a special morning exploring the school’s history and its connection with the Redcliffe community. Memorabilia includes the school bell from 1929 and past school uniforms on display.

Hear from guest speakers and past members of the Humpybong community. Discover how classrooms, teaching, transport and everyday school life have changed across generations, while celebrating the people and stories that have shaped the school since 1876.

This event offers opportunities to share personal stories, ask questions and learn more about one of the Redcliffe Peninsula's longest-standing schools.

A special lunchtime conversation exploring the legacy of acclaimed Australian artist and educator William Robinson through the perspectives of those who knew him as a teacher.
Facilitated by Vanessa Van Ooyen, Director, QUT Galleries & Museums, alongside guest curator Anne Wallace and fellow former students of William Robinson, Stephen Brasch, Sally McRae and Sara Whomsley, this conversation reflects on Robinson's enduring impact as a teacher, mentor and creative influence.

Date Start: 18 September 2026

Time Start: 12:00 PM

Date End: 18 September 2026

Time End: 1:00 PM

We invite you to join us at Anzac Square Memorial Galleries on Sunday 13 September for a free and informative talk focused on the care and preservation of military-related items in your collection.

Whether you have medals, wartime mementos, or other historical objects, this session will provide valuable insights into the best practices for their protection and longevity.

This talk will be presented by State Library’s preservation team who will share expert tips on how to properly store and care for these important items, helping you appreciate their cultural and historical significance while ensuring they remain in good condition for years to come. It is an excellent opportunity to learn practical techniques for preserving your collection and to connect with others who share an interest in history and conservation. Questions are welcome.

After the talk, visitors can stay to explore the Memorial Galleries, embarking on an interactive journey from the World War I to today, before taking time to reflect on the remarkable stories of bravery and sacrifice in the tranquil parklands.

Anzac Square Memorial Galleries is located at 285 Ann Street, Brisbane. Entry is through the double brass doors located beneath the Shrine of Remembrance.

The Last ‘New Australia’ Communard

Join us to learn more about the New Australia commune in Paraguay!

Talk Abstract

The ‘girl’ is Margaret Hoare who was born on 22 January 1883 at Barcaldine, Queensland. In late 1893 Margaret and her family joined William Lane’s would-be utopian commune, called ‘New Australia’, in Paraguay.

As part of my doctoral research, by luck and my historian’s sleuthing, on 19 March 1984, I located and interviewed the 102-year-old Margaret, the last survivor of this remarkable communal experiment.

This talk will include extracts from that interview, and describe New Australia commune from her adolescent perspective – a humorous yet painful story of one girl’s ‘utopia’? Or was it her dystopia?

Speaker Bio

Dr Bill Metcalf is a retired social historian holding honorary positions at University of Queensland and Griffith University.

He is the author of twelve books and numerous journal and popular articles about history, particularly of utopian and communal ventures as well as Queensland/Brisbane history.

He has been granted the Distinguished Scholar Award, by the Communal Studies Association, USA, the ‘John Douglas Kerr Medal of Distinction in Research and Writing Australian History’, by RHSQ, and Distinguished Scholar award by the International Communal Studies Association, Israel.

He is a long-term member of RHSQ and serves on its Council.

Through her work as a writer, researcher and volunteer tour guide for Queensland's Government House since 2010, Judith Anderson OAM has developed a great interest in the history of this unique heritage-listed estate and the stories of the men and women who have left their mark on it, including John Stevenson, the wealthy pastoralist and parliamentarian who died in abject poverty in West End in 1912. Together with his wife Jane he is buried in South Brisbane Cemetery.

Judith's talk will be illustrated by a selection of historic and contemporary photographs.

About Judith Anderson

Judith Anderson was born and raised in Warwick, studied at The University of Queensland, and during her subsequent career has worked in Australia and overseas in fields ranging from international marketing, health education, and higher education management, to journalism, teaching at secondary, tertiary and community level, and arts management. She was awarded an OAM in 2012 for her contribution to the arts and to women.

Since retirement 16 years ago, she has worked as a free-lance writer, researcher and editor, has published a book about the history of the baking trade in Warwick, and has continued to contribute to a range of organisations as a volunteer including Zonta International.

In 1096, mobs moving through the Rhineland toward Jerusalem killed thousands of Jewish people in the first mass anti-Jewish violence in European history. It's a precedent many historians link to the antisemitism that culminated in the Holocaust. Historian and educator Dr Alan J Barrie re-examines the evidence, asking hard questions about Peter the Hermit's real role in the massacres, and challenges the accepted narrative of one of medieval history's most consequential and contested episodes.
Tickets: $8 concession or $10 adult (includes lecture and museum entry).

Experience the beauty and colour of period instruments as the Brisbane Baroque Players with soprano Luisa Tarnawski present a vibrant program of chamber music and arias by Vivaldi, Telemann, Mozart and more.
Presented as part of Brisbane City Council’s Bands in Parks program.

Date Start: 30 August 2026

Time Start: 11:00 AM

Date End: 30 August 2026

Time End: 12:00 PM

Step back in time—then make it your own in this hands-on silversmithing workshop. Learn to design and create textured earrings using recycled metals, exploring basic metalsmithing techniques such as mark-making, hand sawing, and stamping with letters and numbers.

You’ll also discover essential silversmithing skills, including soldering on stud posts and clip-on fittings, and ball making. Over 3 hours, you’ll craft 1–2 pairs of earrings, choosing from drop earrings, studs, or clip-ons, while adding your own creative touches and building practical skills in this timeless craft.
Under the guidance of Silversmith Jemica Ostrofski, learn how to design and fabricate textured earrings using recycled metals. The basic metalsmithing techniques of mark-making and hand sawing will be explored using various hammers, letter stamps, number stamps and other tools. You will also learn some basic silversmithing techniques, from soldering on stud posts and clip on earrings, and ball making. You will have the opportunity to add your own creative touches to your design along the way, while learning key techniques and skills.

Step into one of Brisbane’s most unexpected moments of cultural history. Led by historian Robert Allen, Queensland Walks and Brisbane Living Heritage, this guided walking tour examines the real‑world setting of the 1991 “Democracy Manifest” arrest through the lens of transport and urban design. What began as a police incident became enduring cultural folklore, shaped as much by place and movement networks as by people.

Walking through Fortitude Valley, the tour explores how streets, service lanes, building frontages and transport corridors create spaces of interaction, control and visibility. For transport professionals, it offers insight into how everyday movement networks and supporting infrastructure influence behaviour, public encounters, and the stories that shape our cities. Come learn about some the Valley’s schemers, dreamers, rogues and quiet achievers and the places they created.

The Democracy Manifest walking tour is a collaborative project by Queensland Walks, Brisbane Living Heritage and Robert Allen, Historian and walking tour host.  Democracy Manifest tour has been researched by Robert Allen, Professional historian and author. We are incredibly grateful to Robert for his research and guidance for this signature walk featured at Open House Brisbane and the Transport Professionals Association Conference, 2026.  

Step back in time—then make it your own in this hands-on workshop. Learn to design and craft textured rings using recycled copper piping, exploring foundational metalsmithing techniques with hammers and other traditional tools.

Over 3 hours, you’ll have the opportunity to create 2–3 rings, adding your own creative touches while developing key skills in this timeless craft.

Under the guidance of Silversmith Jemica Ostrofski, learn how to design and fabricate textured rings using recycled copper piping. The basic metalsmithing techniques of ring making can be explored using various hammers and other tools. You will have the opportunity to add your creative touches to your designs along the way, while learning key techniques and skills.

The workshop will run for 3 hours during which you will have the option of making 2 – 3 rings.

Morning and Afternoon workshops 9-12, 1-4

Our August seminar will focus on the lives of several Brisbane artists from the colonial period to modern times. Our expert presenters will speak about sculptors, an author, a film maker, a musician and an architect.

For over a quarter of a century Marguerite Weller was a distinctive figure in Brisbane’s cultural community. Though little-known today, her work in the fields of visual art and early childhood education coincided with Brisbane’s embrace of modernist art, design and architecture.

Henrietta née Percival, known in her adopted home of Brisbane firstly as Madame Mallalieu, and later Mrs Willmore, was one of Queensland’s notable musicians. She was a prolific performer as virtuoso pianist, chamber musician and organist being associated with the arrival of the Willis pipe organ which is now the cultural showpiece of Brisbane City Hall.

Charles Edward Chauvel was an Australian filmmaker, producer, actor and screenwriter, and nephew of General Sir Harry Chauvel. Perhaps best know for Forty Thousand Horsemen and Jedda, his early work was in silent films, followed by a spell in Hollywood before returning Australia.

Brisbane born David George Joseph Malouf came to prominence with Johno in the mid 1970s. He had a lifelong career as a poet, novelist, short story writer, playwright and librettist. Internationally renowned, he died in April this year.

Lange Leopold Powell was a noted architect who designed many important buildings in Brisbane and the state of Queensland. He started practice in 1909 his major works included St Martin's War Memorial Hospital (opened 1922) and the Masonic Temple, Brisbane (1928).

Born in 1934 Graham Radcliffe, was a professional sculptor who worked in both Italy and at home at Mount Glorious where he created the Phoenix Sculpture Garden, examples of his work set in a bush setting. Many feature unusual marble and onyx sourced from around the world.

Our presenters are Tim Roberts, Peter Roennfeldt, Andrew Best, Simon Farley, John East, and Margit Klee.

There will be a chance to mingle over tea and biscuits midway through the afternoon.

Entrance to the GT125 Theatre is located to the right of the Chapel when viewed from Gregory Terrace.

Registration and book stall from 12.30pm, presentations commence at 1pm.

Access to Theatre: When viewed from Gregory Terrace, the GT125 Theatre is in the building to the right

of the Chapel.

Enquiries: Robert Allen by email: rallen3@iinet.net.au RSVP by 19 August 2026

General Admission: $15.00 BHG Members $10.00

Booking Essential - By email/EFT brisbanehistoryevents@gmail.com Include attendees’ names, funds

transfer to Brisbane History Group, Westpac, BSB 734 000, A/C 093887.

Use your family name in the reference.

By Humanitix - https://events.humanitix.com/the-arts or via QR Code

Enjoy the Fascinating Science exhibition from Questacon and get hands-on with interactive tabletop demos from the UQ Demo Troupe.

Bribie Island Seaside Museum is celebrating National Science Week with the troupe - a team of passionate university STEM students who love sharing the excitement of science across Queensland.

Their hands-on activities captivate visitors of all ages, ranging from exploring how spacecraft move in a vacuum to discovering where clouds form. You can even watch a tornado spin to life right before your eyes. These lively demonstrations entertain curious minds and science newcomers alike.

Tabletop demonstrations are highly interactive and give visitors an opportunity to get hands-on and do some of the science for themselves. There are two sessions and bookings are essential.

Bribie Island Seaside Museum is open from Wednesday to Friday, 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM, and Saturday to Sunday, 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM

Join artists and Elders from the Hope Vale Arts and Culture Centre for a hands-on creative workshop responding to the works presented in Gulbuuygu and the extraordinary painted depictions of Guugu Yimithirr Country and its surrounds.
Participants are invited to paint their own depiction of home—or a place of special significance—on a tote bag. Using fabric markers and paint, we will come gulbuuygu (together) to create unique artworks that carry personal stories and connections to place.

Date Start: 20 August 2026

Time Start: 10:00 AM

Date End: 20 August 2026

Step back into the 1940s right where history happened.
For one unforgettable day, Wolston Farmhouse becomes Brisbane’s wartime home front. The big band sound drifts across the paddocks, swing dancers take the floor, vintage frocks and victory rolls are everywhere you look and one of Brisbane’s oldest surviving farmhouses comes alive with the stories, style and community spirit of the 1940s. This is no ordinary festival setting. During the Second World War, the farmland surrounding Wolston was requisitioned for military use, and thousands of American troops were stationed in the area. The Home Front Festival brings that remarkable chapter back to life, right where it happened.

On the day

Live 1940s music and swing dancing, join in or just tap along
Living history displays and costumed interpreters
Vintage fashion and historic vehicles
Heritage demonstrations and hands-on activities
Children’s entertainment and activities for the whole family
A commemorative Victory in the Pacific Day ceremony, marking 81 years since the end of the Second World War in the Pacific
Make a day of it
Pack a picnic rug and claim a patch of grass in the historic grounds, or leave lunch to us a food truck, ice cream and barista coffee will be on site all day. And if you’ve got a 1940s outfit hiding in the wardrobe? This is its moment. Period dress is warmly encouraged (but never required).

Presented by: National Trust of Australia (Queensland) in partnership with Camp Columbia Heritage Association

The Abbey Museum Friends invite you to their Presentation hosted by Professor John Moorhead, on Saturday, 15th August at the Abbey Hall.

Synopsis
‘Goths and Vandals’ – These Germanic groups, who settled in the territory of the Western Roman Empire in the fifth and sixth centuries, have long had a hold on the popular imagination; even today, a Gothic subculture flourishes and we speak of acts of vandalism. This presentation will consider the origins of these peoples, their impact in Italy, Spain, and Africa, and the fall of the states they established there, before discussing their long-term significance in the history of those regions.

Bio
John Moorhead is Emeritus Professor of History at the University of Queensland. He has published on both the Goths (Theoderic in Italy) and Vandals (Victor of Vita History of the Vandal Persecution); most recently he has written on the history of the Eucharist. Among other things, he has walked the Camino to Santiago across France and Spain.

Includes a light afternoon tea.

Time: 2pm – 4pm

Location: The Abbey Hall (located behind the Abbey Museum), 31 The Abbey Place, Caboolture

Tickets: $20 Guest | $10 Friends Member
+ Booking Fee

Step back into a slower time and experience the traditional craft of wood carving in this relaxing, beginner-friendly workshop. Using time-honoured techniques and hand tools, participants will shape a wooden spoon from a pre-cut timber blank while learning carving fundamentals, wood grain direction and safe tool handling. A mindful and rewarding introduction to a timeless skill passed down through generations.

Using time-honoured techniques and hand tools, participants will shape a wooden spoon from a pre-cut timber blank while learning the fundamentals of carving, wood grain direction and safe tool handling. This workshop offers a hands-on introduction to a skill that has been passed down for generations—practical, mindful and deeply satisfying.

Hosted by Catie & Steve, you’ll be guided step-by-step through the carving process in a supportive and enjoyable environment. By the end of the session, you will leave with your own handmade spoon, ready to finish, use at home, or gift to someone special.

A variety of spoon blanks and timber types will be available to choose from (depending on availability).

For most people, their knowledge of Roman slave revolts, start and finish with the historical figure Spartacus. What most people don’t realise, was that his revolt was only one of three major Servile Wars during the Roman Republic.

Reconstructing Roman slavery is an incomplete jigsaw. Most slaves lived and died without a trace. Archaeological finds, epigraphic and demographic data, written primary sources, legal texts and Imperial law codes all provide information. By weaving this evidence together, we build a multi-dimensional picture of how slavery underpinned Roman society and the bloody histories of the three Servile Wars which are stories of savagery, betrayal, torture and crucifixions.

Your evening begins with live entertainment and a delicious charcuterie selection, setting the atmosphere for a night of storytelling and exploration. After your grazing experience, take a twilight wander through the Museum’s galleries, where centuries of history come alive in the glow of the evening.

Ticketing Inclusions:
- 40 min talk
- Evening through the museum with exclusive viewing of Reserve Collection artefacts in a temporary display
- Gift bag
- Cheese and Wine evening

Pricing: $45pp + Booking Fee (recommended for ages 16yrs+)

Celebrate the Redlands Ekka Holiday with a day of discovery at the Museum!

Explore mighty machines big and small, including vintage cars, tractors, windmills, the Model T Ford, Morris Mini, steam engine, printing press, Motorail, and more.

Perfect for curious young minds, this family-friendly event showcases how machines helped build our communities and shape everyday life.

join us on Sunday 9 August as we showcase the intimate and deeply human stories hidden between the pages of State Library's collections.

Libraries and archives are treasure troves for wartime stories waiting to be shared. This talk, presented by Specialist Librarian India Dixon, will explore collections new and collections rediscovered, and detangle from the page and between the lines the remarkable stories of love, grief, survival, and war contained within.

From prisoners-of-war to top-secret teenage cartographers, Queensland's records are full of unique and homegrown stories. Join India as she shares those stories, explains how they are interpreted within the collections, and why it is so important to preserve them for generations to come.

If you've ever wanted to take a deep-dive into some of our most poignant wartime collections, this talk is for you!

After the talk, visitors can stay to explore the Memorial Galleries, embarking on an interactive journey from the First World War to today, before taking time to reflect on the remarkable stories of bravery and sacrifice in the tranquil parklands.

Anzac Square Memorial Galleries is located at 285 Ann Street, Brisbane. Entry is through the double brass doors located beneath the Shrine of Remembrance.

Domestic and family violence is a national emergency with a long and troubling history. In this lecture,  Dr Andy Kaladelfos , Senior Lecturer in Criminology in the School of Law, Society and Criminology, University of New South Wales, and the Co-Convenor of the Gendered Violence Research Network., draws upon a longitudinal study to map the contours of interpersonal violence in Australian history and the criminal law’s responses. It examines how domestic and family violence was recognised and responded to across a 100-year period (1855–1954), how this compared to other forms of violence, and where historical lessons may reveal new pathways for prevention and response.    

Register to attend this free event and stay for refreshments and networking in the Portrait Gallery, or register for the livestream.

More information

• Visit sclqld.org.au/Selden for more information about the lecture and speaker

• If you have any questions, please contact us

Discover the creative art of slow stitching and learn the techniques of Transforming Clothing Through Textile Art. In this six-session workshop series, you’ll personalise and revitalise your clothing through decorative hand sewing, visible mending and creative textile embellishment. Guided by experienced tutors Susan Hoy and Sandra Johnson, you’ll learn a variety of hand stitches while working on your own garment. A relaxed and inspiring course celebrating creativity, sustainability and traditional textile skills.

*Booking fees apply.

Join us for a rare opportunity to step inside the National Trust Queensland’s new Trust Library and Research Centre, located at historic Wolston Farmhouse, with the morning session SOLD OUT, our 1:00pm-2:00pm session has tickets available.

Usually accessible by appointment only, this special Trust Talks event offers an exclusive white-glove encounter with the Trust’s heritage collections and archives. Presented by Heritage Officer Meg McKavanagh, guests will be introduced to the Research Centre and its vital role in preserving some of Queensland’s cultural heritage.

Participants will view a curated selection of six significant collection items and, under expert guidance, don archival gloves to carefully handle rare and delicate objects not usually on display.

Following the behind-the-scenes experience, guests are invited to relax with coffee, tea and cake, and enjoy time to wander through Wolston Farmhouse, taking in the atmosphere of this important historic property.

An intimate experience celebrating history, conservation and discovery.

Other dates are: 15 September and 17 November 2026

As we acknowledge the 40th anniversary of Sharron’s murder, journalist Kate Kyriacou will talk about the case of Sharron Phillips who went missing from the busy Ipswich motorway and why the case had such an impact on Queenslanders.

Attend a free talk on Australia’s involvement in World War I trench warfare, discussing tactics, technologies and the human experience.

Few things are more central to our popular memory of the Western Front in World War I than the trench. Trench warfare, with its mud and men going ‘over the top’, is frequently depicted in photography, cinema, games and literature about the war. Yet, the planning and engineering that shaped the battlefields is often simplified or omitted from such media. The trenches were muddy and rat-infested, but they were also a prepared and layered warren of crenelations, hard points, listening posts and bunkers. Likewise, battlefield advances involved highly detailed firing plans of creeping and box barrages, observation and strafing by aircraft, and grenadier teams.

This talk draws on archival material, published histories and personal stories to explore the practical realities of trench warfare on the Western Front in World War I. It will cover how the design of trenches developed over the war alongside methods for assaulting them. How soldiers were equipped and trained for trench warfare, and how they described their experiences. And it will shed light on why the Western Front was so deadly, despite tactical and mechanical innovations aimed at breaking the stalemate.

So, if you’ve ever wanted to storm a trench, this is the guide for you.

After the talk, visitors can stay to explore the Memorial Galleries - embarking on an interactive journey from the First World War to today, before taking time to reflect on the remarkable stories of bravery and sacrifice in the tranquil parklands.

Anzac Square Memorial Galleries is located at 285 Ann Street, Brisbane. Entry is through the double brass doors located beneath the Shrine of Remembrance.

This hands-on workshop introduces the foundational techniques of decorative leather tooling. Create your own Glasses Case, Purse or choose leather valet tray and key ring while learning how to use stamping tools to produce both simple and intricate patterns with confidence. Perfect for beginners and anyone wanting to explore a timeless craft.

This hands‑on workshop introduces participants to the foundational techniques of decorative leather tooling. Attendees will create a choice of glasses case, purse or valet tray and key ring while learning how to apply stamping tools to produce both simple and intricate designs with confidence.

**Special Discount Adult ticket now on offer for a short time only**

Workshop Content

· Introduction to creative tooling on natural vegetable-tanned leather

· Correct use and positioning of stamping tools

· Techniques for creating clean designs within borders

· Exploring how one tool can create multiple pattern effects

· Completing a leather valet tray and key ring using learned techniques

Ticket Includes:

• Entry to the Museum to explore our fascinating exhibits

*Booking fees apply.