Minister for Public Works and Information and Communication Technology
The Honourable Robert Schwarten

Friday, October 30, 2009

South Bank’s history highlighted in Queensland State Archives’ exhibitions

Minister for Public Works, Robert Schwarten, said South Bank’s historical connection to Queensland’s first world exposition is explored in a new Queensland State Archives’ exhibition which opened this week at South Bank in Brisbane.

The Queensland Museum is hosting the Top 150: Documenting Queensland and Queensland Firsts exhibitions until Sunday, 29 November, 2009.

“The exhibitions were commissioned by Queensland State Archives to commemorate Queensland’s 150th Anniversary and they provide a fascinating insight into Queensland’s past,” Mr Schwarten said.

“The public records at Queensland State Archives date back to the 1820s and represent the story of Queensland.”
 
Eminent historian Dr Murray Johnson selected Queensland’s top 150 historical documents from the State’s leading cultural institutions and ranked them in order of significance for Top 150: Documenting Queensland.

“The other equally-fascinating exhibition, Queensland Firsts looks back on the past 150 years and identifies 50 history-defining milestones that shaped the State of Queensland, including World Expo ’88 at South Bank as part of Australia’s Bicentennial celebrations,” Mr Schwarten said.

“Leading historians Professor Kay Saunders and Dr Julie Ustinoff from the Brisbane Institute and Dr Shirleene Robinson from Bond University have chosen rarely seen archival records to provide an inspiring overview of the social, cultural and political history of Queensland.

“From the introduction of the first railway in 1865 to the establishment of QANTAS at Winton in 1920, the firsts for Queensland have been numerous.

“Queensland Firsts also features a number of world first achievements for Queensland including the world’s first Labor Government in 1899, the world’s first general strike in 1912 and the world’s first koala sanctuary in 1927.”

The Queensland State Archives’ exhibitions are touring South East Queensland throughout 2009 in conjunction with the Queensland Newspaper’s exhibition Our Queensland.

Our Queensland captures some of the memorable moments and people of our great State through iconic photos from The Courier-Mail and The Sunday Mail archives. To find out more about this exhibition, visit www.couriermail.com.au/ourqueensland.

“Queensland has a colourful and interesting history – and the Department of Public Works through its agencies like Queensland State Archives, is doing its part to bring that history to the people of Queensland,” Mr Schwarten said.

“The Department is celebrating with a range of initiatives which will stretch far and wide across this great State and I encourage Queenslanders to enjoy all that is on offer during Q150 celebrations.”
 
For more information about the Queensland State Archives’ 2009 Events and Exhibitions Program and to view the exhibitions online, visit www.archives.qld.gov.au.

Media contact:    Minister's Office 3237 1184

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