Toowong and District Historical Society in Toowong | Community organisation

Toowong and District Historical Society

Locality: Toowong

Phone: +61 401 180 092

Address: PO Box 187 4066 Toowong, QLD, Australia

Website: http://toowonghistory.org.au

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25.01.2022 James Birrell designed the Toowong Swimming Pool, which is now demolished. A celebrated architect, sadly he died last year.

25.01.2022 Has anyone read this novel set in 1943 in Brisbane? I am part way through, enjoying the mystery and the references to familiar Brisbane places and landmarks. No mention of the Toowong area yet but I’m hopeful!

24.01.2022 I thought our followers would enjoy this trip down memory lane, and give thanks to Clem Jones for delivering flushing toilets to those households west of Dean Street, Toowong and elsewhere in the suburb, and ditto all over Brisbane.

24.01.2022 View along Coronation Drive, Milton c1949. BCC photo

22.01.2022 Here are photos of the finches in Brisbane

21.01.2022 While I was doing my weekly shop at Coles at Toowong Village I noticed this donation box inviting people to donate non perishable food to be given to those in need. So if you would like to do this keep an eye out for a deposit box at your local shopping centre.

20.01.2022 Paddington tram shed fire 1962. This was taken from one of my father’s old slides

18.01.2022 Anyone heard this call yet this year?

17.01.2022 Let’s have a chat about the history of Lang Park (as we refer to the area around Suncorp Stadium!)... In 1842, Brisbane, the former Moreton Bay Penal Settlement... (est. 1825), was made available to free settlers. The following year the North Brisbane Burial Grounds were established on the future Lang Park site, then beyond the boundary of the town shown on the map below. From 1843 1875, Brisbane expanded rapidly surrounding the Burial Grounds which had become overcrowded. The Brisbane General Cemetery at Toowong officially opened in 1875 and burials mostly ceased on the Lang Park site. From 1876 1910, the redundant North Brisbane Burial Grounds became overgrown and the Queensland Government planned to redevelop it as a recreation ground to serve the surrounding densely populated suburbs. Between 1910 - 1914, relatives were advertised for by the Queensland Government and given the opportunity to have the remains and memorials moved to another cemetery at the Government’s expense. 505 headstones from the site were placed in storage in a reserve created behind Christ Church, Milton. Those not claimed by the relatives were broken up in early 1930s and used as fill. In 1914, the former Anglican, Presbyterian, Roman Catholic and Jewish burial grounds were gazetted as Lang Park, named after the Reverend John Dunmore Lang who was instrumental in bringing migrants to directly to Brisbane in 1849. During World War I, Lang Park was used as a parade ground. During the 1920s, Lang Park hosted numerous athletics carnivals and cycling events. From 1934, Lang Park became the home of Queensland Soccer Council who subleased the grounds from the Queensland Amateur Athletics Association. During the 1940s, a cycling track is clearly visible in this panorama taken in 1949, the year a new track is opened at Kelvin Grove. Since the 1920s, the Wirths’ Circus were annual visitors to Lang Park. Their elephants were a favourite attraction and the community were saddened in 1956 when Carley died and was buried at the Hale Street side of the Park. In 1957 Lang Park became the headquarters for Queensland Rugby League. Five years later, the Queensland Government established the Lang Park Trust allowing the QRL to undertake improvements and administer all activities at Lang Park. Construction of the Frank Burke Stand commences. In 1974, Lang Park was severely impacted by the Brisbane floods. 1994 saw the Frank Burke Stand replaced by the Western Grandstand and Lang Park was renamed Suncorp-Metway Stadium. Thanks to Suncorp Stadium and the John Oxley library for these photographs...

11.01.2022 For those who are researching their family history the following programme offered by QFHS could be useful to attend.

10.01.2022 This is a rather lovely photo of a creamery at Pullenvale around 1916. Does anyone know more about creameries or where others were located?

10.01.2022 Congratulations to coach Keith Walis of Wests Jnrs Aussie Rules Club for reaching the milestone of coaching his 1000th game this Saturday. A big day is planned to help Keith celebrate. Look forward to catching up with Keith and shaking his hand on Saturday.

10.01.2022 Another view of Coronation Drive.

09.01.2022 Since Bruce Pascoe's book Dark Emu: Black seeds: agriculture or accident? was first published in 2014, there has been a growing interest in Australia's First Nations languages. Pascoe's book, published by Broome-based Aboriginal owned and led, Magabala Books challenged some of the most deeply rooted preconceptions held by white Australia, and has sold more than 300,000 copies. This is a really interesting article about recording, preserving and using First Nations Languages in Australia

05.01.2022 Are our followers interested in this event?

04.01.2022 Thanks to John Siemon for sharing his research into Brisbane's unique geology. His maps showed the location of Brisbane tuff, granite and clay, with the subsequent sites of quarries and brick works dating from the convict era. His talk then took us on a virtual tour of Brisbane's CBD looking at the beautiful stone buildings built from materials sourced around Queensland and amazingly even artifical stone.

03.01.2022 Make sure you check out the West Toowong Bowls Club Christmas Raffle when you come to our meeting this Friday!

01.01.2022 The Battle of Brisbane started on this day in 1942 - a large-scale riot between United States military personnel stationed in Brisbane, and Australian military personnel. Pictured is a letter sent from Prime Minister John Curtin to the Queensland Premier regarding the incident.