New Townsville History

Thanks to its stature as the premier city of North Queensland, from as early as 1895, Townsville was known as the 'Queen City of the North'.  This now been the title of a recently published book written by Trisha Fielding.  It is like a leisurely stroll through some of the fascinating aspects of Townsville's history since its settlement in 1864 as a port for the region's pastoral industry.  The book tells tragic tales such as the disappearance of the last lighthouse keeper at Bay Rock, the sinking of the SS Yongala and shark attacks in Ross Creek.  Stories of the destruction caused by floods and cyclones, to gun battles in the city streets over workers' rights, the bombing of the city during World War Two and of the cast of colourful characters that shaped the city's fortunes.  The book presents a remarkably vivid picture of life in early Townsville that should delight all lovers of northern history.  Trisha Fielding won a National Trust of Queensland Award in 2010 for her first book, 'Flinders Street, Townsville; A Pictorial History' and was awarded the John Oxley Library Award in 2015 for her blog on North Queensland history.