Cairns Historical Society

The Society's Volunteering Open Day was held in March with more than forty people coming in to see whether they might be interested in joining the staff.  Mel has been busy following up with prospective volunteers and will be monitoring the results and the retention to see whether it has been a useful strategy.  Thanks to everyone who made the first trivia night fundraiser a great success.  The event was sold out a week early with eleven tables of contestants on the night.  Ben Woodward did a sterling job as MC on the evening and the Society is thinking of having another trivia night later in the year.  The last set of local history lectures were well attended.  David Phoenix's presentation on the mystery of Kuranda's 2,225 year old Ptolemaic coin led to much interest and discussion.  Carol West spoke of the days when the Central Hotel was one of the major social meeting places in Cairns and Angela Meyer introduced the group to Anna Eglitis who was a promoter of the arts and culture in the Far North.  The next lectures will be held at the museum on 26 May at 1.30pm.  Subjects will include the early history of the Waugh Pocket area and the story of Bill Horsfall's memoirs of 1950's Cairns.  On a sadder note, three of the Society's long-term volunteers, Bill, Val and John have decided it is time to move on.  Their long years of effort have left the Society a huge legacy of which they should be justifiably proud and they will be missed.  The Society is now on the hunt for information about a benevolent society which once operated in the city.  The museum manager Suzanne Gibson is seeking to learn more about the Loyal Trinity Lodge of the Manchester Unity Independent Order of Oddfellows (MUIOOF) after a donation of formal Lodge regalia from the Uyterwijk family.  This year's annual tour, which is held in conjunction with the local branch of the National Trust will be held on Sunday 20 May.  This will be to the Herberton and Watsonville areas and for further details, contact Dawn May on 40578100. 

Herberton Mining Museum

Volunteers from the Herberton Mining Museum were thrilled recently to be invited by the Atherton Visitors Centre on a familiarization trip to Ravenshoe.  The weather was beautiful and the Millstream Falls were spectacular.  The day started with devonshire tea provided by the ladies from the Ravenshoe Heritage Railway followed by a visit to the Ravenshoe Visitor Centre where their displays were viewed.  The museum volunteers are currently developing an 'app' that is based on the 'Heritage Walk' brochure.  Visitors to Herberton will be able to download the app and then as they walk about the streets of town it will tell them stories about each building and shows photos of it at different times.  They are looking for people who have links to particular buildings who would like to be the voice for that building's story on the app.  Hopefully it will be finished in time for Pioneer's Weekend in May.  The museum was recently visited by a VIP; Mr Paul Turpin.  A photo of Paul features in one of the displays at the museum and the volunteers were enthralled by his stories of his life as a local tin miner.  There is continuous progress at the Herberton Mining Museum!  Thanks to Mr Smiley Wharton, the water turbine that once drove a stamper mill on Wondecla Creek has been recovered.  This 1880's Laffel water turbine is another valuable part of our history saved and is now on display for all to see. 

Cairns & District Family History Society

The Cairns & District Family History Society is looking for actors for their 2018 production of 'Shadows from the Past.'  No experience is necessary but you must be over the age of 15 years.  Get a team together for the Trivia Night and come along to a fun night to help raise valuable funds to support your local family history society!  When; Saturday, 12 May  Time; 6.30pm  Tickets; $10 for members and $15 for non-members  Theme; General knowledge and family history.  There will be a Cash bar and light nibbles provided with a complimentary tea and coffee.  Book a table or team for six or eight people.  'Stories from the Shadows - Mary Anne Lovelock' is the latest blog post by member Joan Taylor.  It summarizes the life of Mary Anne Lovelock of North Queensland and includes some beautiful family photos. The Society is also delighted to announce that the Cairns Family History Centre is now a FamilySearch Affiliate Library.  With Affiliate Library status you will be able to access nearly all the restricted digitized images available from FamilySearch.  Many of the restricted digitized images are highly desirable sets not freely available elsewhere, including the Scottish parish records and a lot more worldwide.  Then come in and learn some terrific and easy search tips for finding family history information using Google at the 'Googling for Genealogy' lecture with presenter, Melanie Dunstan on Saturday, 21 April 2018 at 2pm.

Douglas Shire Farming History

In 2009, Mr Ken Keith moved to the Douglas district and quickly became fascinated with the local history.  This led to a project with two fellow Douglas Shire Historical Society members, John Anich and Belinda Peters, to document the old farming equipment that still exist on local farms.  The trio soon had so much information that they decided to put it into print.  Now after years of research, Ken has released his book,'Cattle, Cane and Cedar; Early farming in the Douglas Shire.'  This story follows the progression of local farming from horse-drawn implements to the increasing powerful tractors and agricultural machinery of more modem times.  The new book also tells the story of the pioneers who struggled or thrived from the 1870's to the 1960's and highlights the farming families who are still on the land in the district.  These rural industries are a part of the cultural heritage of the Shire and the authors tried to cover the whole region from Wangetti in the south up to the Bloomfield River in the north.  It also touch on the attempts to produce crops like cereals, coffee, coconuts and even rubber in this district.  Douglas Shire Mayor Julia Leu recently officiated at the launch of the book at a small event at the Mossman Library.  It can be purchased through the Douglas Shire Historical Society and local booksellers.   

Kuranda History Group

Last year, following the opening of the newly refurbished and expanded Cairns Museum, a group of interested Kuranda residents were encouraged to explore the idea of establishing a Kuranda 'historical society' with the aim of finding a home for items of historical interest pertaining to the Kuranda district.  Photos, letters, documents and other items are being lost each year and with them the details of daily life.  Ultimately it is hoped that one day Kuranda will have a museum or keeping place for residents old and new and of course visitors to explore.  An interim working group consisting of a dozen or so local residents, with Interim President Garth Owen and Interim Secretary Gayle Hannah, was established to approach Council to see if a space could be found to store items the public might donate or loan, as well as a space where small displays, exhibitions or events might be held.  Council has responded positively and now the working group is wanting to invite the general public to get involved.  The process of incorporating the Kuranda Historical Society has just begun.  It is hoped that a public meeting will be held in April.  For more information see next month's Kuranda Paper, check them on Facebook or send them an email on kurandahistory@gmail.com  

Cooktown Historical Society

The Cooktown Historical Society is wanting to start a self interest Family History Group.  This is for anyone researching their family history, not necessarily just the Cooktown area.  This group will be under the umbrella of the historical society so there will be no separate committee etc.  They envisage this will be an ideal forum to discuss those 'brick wall' that all genealogists encounter and to be able to talk with others of a like mind.  If you are interested, please contact the Society to give an ideal time to suit and when number are ready, the group will let you know the date of the first gathering.  The historical society is also to trial a series of free public History Nights this year.  The first evening will be presented by Bev Shay and will be entitled 'A Productive Community'.  It will look at the production and exporting that was being conducted in Cooktown in the early 1900's.  The most exciting news of all is that the Society was advised by Council that it had been awarded a RADF grant.  This fund is to be used towards the 'Preserving the Palmer' project and cataloguing of the Wild Irish Girl collection.  This Community Engagement project aims to train volunteers on how to catalogue and manage objects from the collection of the late John Hay.  The workshop will be open to other participants if they wish to learn more about collection management.     

Irvinebank museum

Volunteers Brian Perkes, Bob Barnes and Bill Moulang have been hard at work with their shovels installing the new interpretative signage at Irvinebank's heritage and historic buildings.  Visitors to Irvinebank can now enjoy a heritage walk around the town to view the historic buildings built during the Moffat era from 1884 - 1912 and read the stories that provides a glimpse into the past and the people who were connected to these buildings.  This project has seen interpretative signage erected at the following sites; School of Arts Hall,Queensland National Bank, Loudoun Mill, Police Station & Courthouse Buildings, Tramway Station and the Loudoun House Museum.  Heritage walk maps are available from the museum which is open 10an to 4pm daily.  This 'Sharing Our Heritage Stories' project was supported by the Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal (FRRR) Small Grants.  The talented local, Mr Harry Knowles has very skillful constructed in paper a model of the small Borsig locomotive that used to run on the 2 ft gauge tramway from Irvinebank to Boonmoo.  It will form part of a new display for the Tramway and State Treatment Works.  The group is so lucky to have a talented artisan such as Harry working on the displays.  The Association is now holding a fundraising event at the School of Arts Hall every second Friday evening from 5.30pm till about 7.30pm with a barbecue and drinks.  All the proceeds to go towards maintaining the lovely old heritage buildings.  The group is also seeking a new Volunteer Caretaker to assist in the museum and help with the ongoing conservation work of the town's heritage buildings.  For a information package, email the Secretary.