https://ko-fi.com/thedavemalouchannel

The Dave & Malou Channel, Brisbane (2026)

05/09/2026

🍷 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐆𝐋𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐎𝐔𝐒 𝐇𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐆𝐎𝐎𝐍 𝐒𝐀𝐂𝐊!

Few Australian inventions have achieved the cultural importance of the humble goon sack. It’s wine, yes - but it’s also been camping equipment, party furniture, a musical instrument and, occasionally, a questionable fashion accessory! 😂

The story begins in Australia in the 1960s, when winemakers were looking for a cheaper, lighter and more practical way to package wine. The solution was brilliantly simple: put the wine into a flexible plastic bladder, seal it, and place it inside a cardboard box. 📦🍷

𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐨, 𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐤 𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧!

Australians, naturally, decided “cask wine” sounded far too respectable. The plastic bladder became the goon sack, and a legend was born.

It soon became a favourite at university parties, barbecues, camping trips and festivals. Cheap, portable and, most importantly, it didn’t smash into a thousand pieces when dropped.

𝐏𝐞𝐚𝐤 𝐀𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠! 🏕️🍷

Then came the truly Australian innovation - discovering what to do with the empty bladder! 🤔

Need a pillow? Goon sack.
Need a floatie? Goon sack. 🏊
Need a party decoration? Goon sack.
Need a musical instrument that sounds like a dying bagpipe? GOON SACK BAGPIPES! 🎶😂

And who could forget the legendary “Goon of Fortune”? 🍷🎡

A goon bag was pegged to a rotating Hills Hoist, the line was spun, and everyone waited to see where the bag would stop. Whoever was closest when it came to a halt had to take a drink straight from the bag - before the whole thing was spun again!

Basically, it was Wheel of Fortune… Aussie backyard style! 😂

Over the years, cask wine improved dramatically, with better packaging, better wine and more recyclable materials. What began as a cheap alternative to bottled wine became a clever and practical way of packaging wine.

Today, the goon sack remains an enduring part of Australian culture - cheap, cheerful, practical and endlessly adaptable.

It started as a packaging solution and somehow became a national institution.

Take wine.
Remove the bottle.
Keep the bag.
Invent several questionable uses for it.
Call it “goon.”

🍷😂 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐓, 𝐦𝐲 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬, 𝐢𝐬 𝐡𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲!

04/09/2026

🌋 𝐃𝐈𝐃 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐊𝐍𝐎𝐖 𝐀 𝐆𝐈𝐀𝐍𝐓 𝐕𝐎𝐋𝐂𝐀𝐍𝐎 𝐎𝐍𝐂𝐄 𝐃𝐎𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐃 𝐒𝐎𝐔𝐓𝐇-𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐓 𝐐𝐔𝐄𝐄𝐍𝐒𝐋𝐀𝐍𝐃?

When you look at the lush mountains around the Queensland–New South Wales border, it’s hard to imagine that you’re actually looking at the eroded remains of one of Australia’s great ancient volcanoes! 🌋

Around 23 million years ago, a huge shield volcano developed around what is now Wollumbin (Mount Warning) in northern New South Wales.

𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐚𝐬𝐧'𝐭 𝐚 𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐯𝐨𝐥𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐜 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐞. 😲

The Tweed Shield Volcano stretched across an area of roughly 100 km by 80 km, reaching from around Lismore in the south to Tamborine Mountain in Queensland to the north. It rose to about 2 kilometres above sea level and poured enormous flows of basalt lava across the surrounding landscape.

🔥 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬𝐧'𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐥𝐚𝐯𝐚 𝐟𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐬!

Over roughly 3 million years, the volcano produced different types of volcanic activity, including basalt lava flows as well as more explosive eruptions involving rhyolite, ash and volcanic rock. Some lava flows were hundreds of metres thick.

Eventually, around 20 million years ago, volcanic activity ceased.

𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫. 🌧️

For the next 20 million years, rain, rivers and weathering gradually stripped away the softer volcanic rocks.

The harder rocks resisted erosion, leaving behind the spectacular landscape we see today.

🏔️ 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐖𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐢𝐧?

Wollumbin is the remaining central core or volcanic vent of the ancient volcano — essentially the hardened material that once occupied part of the volcano's internal plumbing.

𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐖𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐢𝐧 𝐢𝐬𝐧'𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐭.

Springbrook, Lamington, Tamborine Mountain, the McPherson Range, Tweed Range and Nightcap Range are all associated with the eroded remains of this enormous volcanic landscape.

The huge bowl-shaped landscape surrounding Wollumbin is known as the Tweed Caldera.

𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞'𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐬𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭…

It isn't simply a gigantic crater left by one explosive eruption.

It is largely an erosion caldera, created over millions of years as softer basalt was worn away while more resistant volcanic rocks remained. 🌧️🏔️

And that ancient volcano is still influencing life today.

The weathering of volcanic rocks produced rich soils, helping support the spectacular subtropical rainforests and agricultural landscapes of the Tweed region. 🌿

So next time you're enjoying the scenery around Springbrook, Tamborine or the Tweed Valley, remember…

You're looking at the remains of a volcano that was active around 23 million years ago! 🤯

From 🔥 volcano… to 🏔️ mountains… to 🌧️ erosion… to 🌳 rainforest.

𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞!

Map Image background - By KHN45 - CC BY-SA 4.0
Other Images: These images may contain imperfections or artistic interpretation. To be used solely for educational, non-commercial history storytelling.

03/09/2026

🧱 𝐖𝐇𝐘 𝐈𝐒 𝐂𝐋𝐀𝐘𝐅𝐈𝐄𝐋𝐃 𝐂𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐄𝐃 “𝐂𝐋𝐀𝐘𝐅𝐈𝐄𝐋𝐃”? 🤔

Today, Clayfield (QLD) is known for beautiful Queenslanders, leafy streets and some of Brisbane’s most desirable homes. But the suburb’s name has a fascinating industrial connection - one that goes back to the clay pits and brickworks of the 19th century!

Brisbane City Council records that the name Clayfield is derived from the fine white-grey sedimentary clay that was mined in neighbouring Albion, particularly between Morgan and Sykes Streets, from the 1860s.

The clay was used in local brickmaking, and the area came to be known as the “clay fields” - giving the suburb its distinctive name. 🧱

One of the most important figures in this story was John Petrie, Brisbane’s first Lord Mayor and one of the colony’s best-known builders and contractors.

In September 1858, Petrie acquired a holding of just under 20 acres near the corner of Oriel Road and Sandgate Road.

When the Petrie family’s earlier brickyard in Fortitude Valley began running short of suitable material, a second brickyard was established on this new property.

By around 1860, Petrie’s brickmaking operation was underway. The site was then considered part of Albion, an area that included parts of what we now know as Albion, Ascot, Clayfield and Hamilton.

Petrie’s works became one of the earliest industries in the district and employed a considerable number of people. By 1884, a small community had developed around the brickyard, with workers and their families living there.

And here's a wonderful surviving connection to that forgotten industry…

The “Dahlow” house in nearby Ascot was built around 1892 for Isabella Petrie, John Petrie’s daughter, and her husband James Ross Coutts.

The house stands on land that formed part of the former Petrie brickyards, and its face-brick walls still contain bricks bearing the “Petrie” brand. 🧱

So the connection isn't just in the history books - part of the old brickworks survives in the walls of the house itself.

You can read more about Dahlow here:
https://heritage.brisbane.qld.gov.au/heritage-places/79

But Petrie wasn't the only brickmaker operating in the wider district.

Other brickworks, quarries and clay pits developed throughout the Albion–Clayfield area, helping supply materials for Brisbane's rapidly expanding population and building industry. The Albion brickworks were particularly important in the residential development of Brisbane's inner north.

Then came a major change. 🚂

In 1882, the North Coast railway opened through the district, with a line running from Eagle Junction to Ascot via Clayfield. The railway greatly improved access to Brisbane and helped encourage further residential development.

By the late 1880s, several large residences had appeared, and Clayfield was beginning to rival Hamilton as one of Brisbane's most desirable northern suburbs.

Then, in 1901, a tram line began operating along Sandgate Road, running from Breakfast Creek to Wagner Street and further opening up the suburb for residential development.

The old industrial landscape gradually began giving way to houses, gardens and residential estates.

Petrie's brickworks had already shut down in 1890, following a combination of difficult economic conditions and a strike. After John Petrie's death in 1892, the family business struggled during the severe economic downturn of the early 1890s and was declared insolvent in 1894. The brickyard was permanently closed and the property passed to the Australian Joint Stock Bank.

Then came the next chapter.

In 1903, the former 20-acre property was subdivided, and allotments were offered for sale as the Petrie Estate. Interestingly, advertisements that year still referred to the land as “Petrie's Brickyards.”

The transformation was underway.

What had once been a working brickyard was becoming residential land.

And that brings us back to the name…

🧱 𝐂𝐋𝐀𝐘𝐅𝐈𝐄𝐋𝐃.

The suburb's name preserves the memory of the clay deposits and brickmaking industry that once helped shape this part of Brisbane.

The pits, quarries and brickworks have largely disappeared beneath the modern suburb, but their legacy survives - not only in the name Clayfield, but in surviving buildings like Dahlow, where Petrie-branded bricks remain part of the walls.

History really can be hiding right beneath your feet! ❤️

𝑀𝐴𝑃 𝑁𝑂𝑇𝐸: 𝑇ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑚𝑎𝑝 ℎ𝑎𝑠 𝑏𝑒𝑒𝑛 𝑟𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑢𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑢𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑔 ℎ𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑜𝑟𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙 𝑚𝑎𝑝𝑠, 𝑑𝑜𝑐𝑢𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑠 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑎𝑣𝑎𝑖𝑙𝑎𝑏𝑙𝑒 𝑟𝑒𝑓𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑚𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑎𝑙 𝑡𝑜 𝑖𝑛𝑑𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑎𝑝𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑥𝑖𝑚𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑚𝑒𝑟 𝑏𝑟𝑖𝑐𝑘𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑘𝑠 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑞𝑢𝑎𝑟𝑟𝑦. 𝑊ℎ𝑖𝑙𝑒 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑦 𝑒𝑓𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑡 ℎ𝑎𝑠 𝑏𝑒𝑒𝑛 𝑚𝑎𝑑𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒 ℎ𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑜𝑟𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙 𝑎𝑐𝑐𝑢𝑟𝑎𝑐𝑦, 𝑠𝑜𝑚𝑒 𝑑𝑒𝑡𝑎𝑖𝑙𝑠, 𝑏𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑑𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑠 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠 𝑚𝑎𝑦 𝑏𝑒 𝑎𝑝𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑥𝑖𝑚𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑜𝑟 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑎𝑖𝑛 𝑒𝑟𝑟𝑜𝑟𝑠. 𝑇ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑚𝑎𝑝 𝑖𝑠 𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑑 𝑎𝑠 𝑎 𝑣𝑖𝑠𝑢𝑎𝑙 𝑔𝑢𝑖𝑑𝑒 𝑜𝑛𝑙𝑦 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑠ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑑 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑏𝑒 𝑟𝑒𝑔𝑎𝑟𝑑𝑒𝑑 𝑎𝑠 𝑎 𝑑𝑒𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒 ℎ𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑜𝑟𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙 𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑣𝑒𝑦.

𝐵𝑟𝑖𝑐𝑘 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑘𝑠 𝐼𝑚𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝑁𝑜𝑡𝑒: 𝐴𝑟𝑡𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑐 𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 - 𝑚𝑎𝑦 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑎𝑖𝑛 ℎ𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑜𝑟𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙 𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑐𝑐𝑢𝑟𝑎𝑐𝑖𝑒𝑠 𝑜𝑟 𝑖𝑚𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑓𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠. 𝐶𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑒𝑙𝑦 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑒𝑑𝑢𝑐𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑛𝑜𝑛-𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑚𝑒𝑟𝑐𝑖𝑎𝑙 ℎ𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑜𝑟𝑦 𝑠𝑡𝑜𝑟𝑦𝑡𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑔.

02/09/2026

𝐏𝐞𝐞𝐥 𝐈𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐋𝐚𝐳𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐭 – 𝐐𝐮𝐞𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝'𝐬 𝐈𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐈𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

Today, Peel Island sits peacefully in the sparkling waters of Moreton Bay. Boaties anchor in its sheltered bays, bushwalkers explore its walking trails, and visitors admire its natural beauty. Yet for more than half a century, this tranquil island was home to one of Queensland's most significant and heartbreaking institutions: the Peel Island Lazaret.

From 1907 to 1959, people diagnosed with Hansen's disease (then commonly known as leprosy) were compulsorily isolated at the Peel Island Lazaret under Queensland's public health laws. At the time, there was no reliable cure, and medical understanding of the disease was limited. Governments around the world believed isolation was the only effective way to protect the wider community.

For many patients, the journey to Peel Island began with devastating news. Some were given little time to prepare before being transported across Moreton Bay by government launch. Carrying only a small suitcase and a few personal belongings, many had no idea how long they would remain on the island or whether they would ever return home.

The word lazaret dates back centuries and refers to a quarantine station or hospital for people with infectious diseases. On Peel Island, it became an isolated community where around 500 patients lived during its 52 years of operation. Many spent years, and some decades, separated from their families.

Life on the island was tightly regulated. Men and women lived in separate accommodation areas, visitors were restricted, and patients could not leave without official permission. Letters became a lifeline to loved ones, while birthdays, weddings and family milestones were often missed.

Despite these hardships, residents built a remarkable community. They established gardens and orchards, attended church services, played music, organised sporting events and social gatherings, and worked in workshops repairing buildings and making furniture. Together they created a surprisingly self-sufficient settlement, finding dignity and purpose despite their circumstances.

Doctors, nurses, cooks, attendants and other staff also lived and worked on the island. Although facilities gradually improved over the decades, the emotional burden of prolonged separation remained profound.

Everything began to change in the late 1940s with the introduction of sulfone drugs, particularly dapsone. For many patients, these treatments dramatically improved outcomes and eventually made compulsory lifelong isolation unnecessary.

Today we know Hansen's disease is one of the least contagious bacterial diseases. Around 95% of people have a natural immunity, and the disease is now completely curable with modern multi-drug antibiotic therapy. Once treatment begins, people quickly become non-infectious.

The Peel Island Lazaret closed in 1959, and the remaining patients were transferred to Brisbane's Princess Alexandra Hospital, where they continued receiving treatment without the strict isolation that had defined life on the island.

Although many former patients eventually returned to society, the stigma surrounding Hansen's disease often remained. Rebuilding relationships and starting anew after years of isolation was not always easy.

Today, Peel Island forms part of Teerk Roo Ra National Park (formerly Peel Island National Park). The surviving lazaret buildings are among Australia's best-preserved former leprosy settlements and are protected for their outstanding heritage significance. They stand as a powerful reminder of how fear, limited medical knowledge and public health policy shaped countless lives during the first half of the twentieth century.

Peel Island's story is about far more than disease. It is a story of resilience, friendship, hope and the extraordinary strength of ordinary people. It reminds us that behind every chapter of history are real lives, real families and stories that deserve to be remembered.

𝐇𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐚 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐏𝐞𝐞𝐥 𝐈𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝, 𝐨𝐫 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐫 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞? 𝐖𝐞'𝐝 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬.

To help bring this story to life, we've used colourised public domain photographs. While every effort has been made to ensure historical accuracy, some images may include minor imperfections or artistic interpretation. We gratefully acknowledge the Moreton Bay Council Archives and the State Library of Queensland for preserving these valuable historical records.

01/09/2026

🎞️ 𝐀 𝐆𝐋𝐈𝐌𝐏𝐒𝐄 𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐎 𝐐𝐔𝐄𝐄𝐍𝐒𝐋𝐀𝐍𝐃’𝐒 𝐏𝐀𝐒𝐓! 🏛️🚂

We’re heading back to the 1800s, when Brisbane was growing from a colonial town into a busy city, while new communities were emerging across Queensland. The discovery of gold at Gympie in 1867 brought thousands hoping to strike it rich, while Queensland’s first railway between Ipswich and Grandchester opened in 1865. ⛏️💰🚂

Old photographs give us a fascinating glimpse of a Queensland that has largely disappeared - a world of horse-drawn vehicles, steam trains, dusty streets and growing towns. 📸🕰️ Join us as we bring these amazing pieces of Queensland’s history back to life! 🇦🇺❤️

This video contains AI-generated imagery inspired by historical Public Domain sources. While every effort has been made to remain faithful to the original photographs, places and events, some details have been artistically interpreted or reconstructed. The visuals should therefore be viewed as historical interpretations rather than exact representations of the original scenes.

31/08/2026

🌌 Meet the man who helped keep colonial Queensland on time... by watching the stars! ⏰⭐

Imagine living in Queensland before GPS, smartphones, radio time signals or even reliable weather forecasts. How did ships navigate safely? How did surveyors accurately map the colony? And how did railway stations all keep the same time?

One of the key figures behind it all was Captain Henry O'Reilly (1824–1877), an Irish-born civil engineer, surveyor and astronomer who established a permanent astronomical observatory in Brisbane in the 1860s.

Now, don't let the title fool you. O'Reilly wasn't simply gazing through a telescope admiring the night sky. His observations had a very practical purpose.

Using a transit telescope and precision clocks, he carefully recorded the exact moments that stars crossed the local meridian. By doing so, he could determine Brisbane's local time with remarkable accuracy.

The accurate time determined from these observations could then be distributed through the telegraph network, helping government offices, railway stations and businesses synchronise their clocks. Accurate time was also invaluable to navigators entering Moreton Bay, allowing them to check the accuracy of their marine chronometers - essential instruments for determining longitude at sea.

But O'Reilly's work wasn't only about timekeeping.

Long before satellites and GPS, astronomers and surveyors relied on the positions of the Sun and stars to determine latitude, longitude and direction. Astronomical observations like these helped surveyors map Queensland's expanding frontier, establish property boundaries and produce accurate maps of the young colony.

It's remarkable to think that, before electronic time signals, Queensland's official time depended on careful astronomical observations made under the night sky. In the nineteenth century, astronomy wasn't just about exploring the universe - it was an essential tool that supported navigation, surveying, communication and the daily operation of a growing colony.

Today, Captain Henry O'Reilly is little remembered, yet he played a key role in establishing accurate timekeeping for colonial Queensland and demonstrated how astronomy could solve practical everyday problems.

So next time you look up at the stars, remember... those same stars once helped keep Queensland running on time. ⭐🌏

Had you ever heard of Captain Henry O'Reilly? We'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments!

30/08/2026

🏛️ 𝐅𝐑𝐎𝐌 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐂𝐈𝐋 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐌𝐁𝐄𝐑𝐒 𝐓𝐎 𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄 𝐂𝐀𝐏𝐒𝐔𝐋𝐄! - 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐎𝐋𝐃 𝐋𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐒𝐁𝐎𝐑𝐎𝐔𝐆𝐇 𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐑𝐄 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐂𝐈𝐋 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐌𝐁𝐄𝐑𝐒

Ever wondered about that beautiful old timber building in Maleny Street, Landsborough? It has been part of the community for more than a century! 👀

Long before Sunshine Coast Council existed, Landsborough was the administrative centre of the Landsborough Shire.

The Landsborough Shire was created in 1912, with the first meeting of the newly formed council held on 20 April that year. In 1913, a council residence and one-room office were constructed and used for council meetings.

𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐰, 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐛𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐝.

🏛️ In 1924, the purpose-built Landsborough Shire Council Chambers opened.

Designed by Brisbane architect Walter Carey Voller and built by A.E. Round, the timber building was constructed using native hardwoods, hoop pine and bunya pine. It contained council offices, a council chamber, public counter and even a strong room for important documents.

For more than four decades, this modest building was where the business of running the Landsborough Shire was conducted.

𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐮𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠.

During the 1950s and 1960s, coastal towns were developing rapidly, with population increasingly shifting from the country to the coast. Landsborough Shire Council had simply outgrown the town and its 1924 chambers.

🏢 In 1968, the council relocated its chambers and staff offices to Bulcock Street, Caloundra. The last shire meeting at the old Landsborough chambers was held on 24 July 1968, with the new Caloundra chambers officially opened just days later.

The old building wasn't immediately abandoned, however. Council records remained there until the premises finally closed in 1974.

𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐲, 𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐝𝐢𝐝𝐧'𝐭 𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞. ❤️

On 3 April 1976, the Landsborough and District Historical Society opened the former chambers as the Landsborough Shire Historical Museum.

For decades, dedicated volunteers cared for the building and built an incredible collection documenting the history of Landsborough, Caloundra and the surrounding districts.

The collection grew to include more than 14,000 historical items, along with photographs, documents and publications.

Then, in 2022, Sunshine Coast Council took over management of the museum, helping secure the future of both the collection and this remarkable heritage building.

Today, you can still step inside this beautifully preserved former council building and stand in the very place where the business of the Landsborough Shire was conducted more than 100 years ago.

From council chambers ➡️ to museum ➡️ to a living time capsule of local history.

𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐛𝐚𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐧 𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐥 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠! ❤️

More info: https://heritage.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au/landsborough-museum

29/08/2026

🥭 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐔𝐑𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐒𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘 𝐎𝐅 𝐐𝐔𝐄𝐄𝐍𝐒𝐋𝐀𝐍𝐃’𝐒 𝐁𝐎𝐖𝐄𝐍 𝐌𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐎

Few things say Queensland summer quite like biting into a juicy Bowen mango - but the story behind this famous fruit has an intriguing international connection!

The mango we know as Kensington Pride is also known as Bowen Special and commonly as the Bowen mango. It was selected from mango seedlings grown in the Bowen district of North Queensland during the late 1880s.

At the time, northern Queensland had active shipping connections with South-East Asia. Queensland horticultural records suggest this is the most likely route by which the original mango seed arrived in Australia - although its precise origins remain unknown.

The story became part of Bowen's agricultural history, with the superior seedling eventually becoming known as Kensington Pride. The name is associated with the Kensington property in the Bowen district, where the variety was selected and propagated.

🥭 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞'𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠…

Where did that original mango come from?

There has long been speculation that Kensington Pride may have originated from India or the East Indies, particularly because of the trading links between Queensland and those regions. A Queensland Government technical report records this historical theory.

𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐞.

Kensington Pride is polyembryonic, meaning its seeds can produce several seedlings, including seedlings genetically identical to the mother plant. Polyembryonic mangoes are particularly associated with the South-East Asian group of mango varieties.

That doesn't prove the mango came from South-East Asia - and it certainly doesn't prove that Kensington Pride is a natural hybrid of Indian and South-East Asian varieties.

The truth is that its pre-Australian origin remains uncertain. Modern horticultural references simply record Kensington Pride as originating in Australia, with its earlier ancestry unknown.

What we do know is that Bowen produced one of Australia's most famous mangoes - a variety prized for its sweet flavour, distinctive aroma and low-fibre flesh.

So next time you enjoy a Bowen mango, you're tasting a little piece of Queensland history - with an international mystery still hiding inside the seed! 🇦🇺🥭

And yes… Dave & Malou are perfectly happy to conduct further research.

𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐨 𝐚𝐭 𝐚 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞! 😂🥭

28/08/2026

🚍🐴 BEFORE BRISBANE HAD TRAMS… THERE WERE HORSE-DRAWN OMNIBUSES!

Long before electric trams and motor buses became part of everyday life, Brisbane residents relied on horse-drawn omnibuses to get around the growing colonial city.

According to the Archives, this particular omnibus operated between three important Brisbane destinations:

⛴️ The Edward Street Ferry – an important river crossing at a time when ferries were an essential part of Brisbane's transport network.

🌿 The Botanic Gardens – already a popular destination for recreation and leisure.

📚 The Normal School – Queensland's first normal school, established to train teachers, with a model school associated with the training of future educators.

In an era before widespread motorised transport, the omnibus provided a practical way for people to travel around the city – powered by horses, rather than petrol or electricity. 🐎

And Brisbane was about to enter a new era of public transport.

Horse-drawn trams began operating in Brisbane in August 1885, with the first service operated by the Metropolitan Tramway and Investment Company. The new trams ran on rails and gradually expanded their network across the city and inner suburbs.

Then, on 21 June 1897, Brisbane's first electric tram began operating, marking another major change in the way people travelled around the city.

So this seemingly simple illustration captures an important moment in Brisbane's transport story – a time when getting around the city meant horses, harnesses, ferries and omnibuses, just before the arrival of Brisbane's tramway era.

The omnibus itself gives us a wonderful glimpse of late-19th-century urban transport, while the people, clothing and surroundings help place the scene firmly in Brisbane's colonial past.

A note on our visuals: To help bring this story to life, we've used an artistic illustration based on historical descriptions. While we've aimed for historical accuracy, some details may contain minor artistic interpretation or imperfections. The visual is intended solely for educational and non-commercial historical storytelling.

27/08/2026

🇺🇸🚨 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐓𝐋𝐄 𝐆𝐔𝐀𝐑𝐃 𝐇𝐔𝐓 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐀 𝐁𝐈𝐆 𝐖𝐖𝐈𝐈 𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘! 🇦🇺

Tucked away in Banyo (QLD) is a tiny timber hut with a fascinating connection to Brisbane’s WWII history. 🇺🇸🪖

During World War II, Banyo became home to the United States Army General Depot - the largest US Army depot in Australia.

Established in 1943, the enormous facility included 14 warehouses, vehicle storage areas, railway sidings, administration facilities, workshops and a troop camp. Huge quantities of military stores were held here, while vehicles were stored and repaired before being sent wherever they were needed in the Pacific.

And keeping watch over it all was this little US Army sentry box! 🚨

𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐦…

Earnshaw Road ran through the middle of the depot! 😲

The road was closed when construction began, but was later reopened to local traffic once security measures were in place.

Two sentry boxes were built along Earnshaw Road — one at each end of the depot. Guards stationed there recorded the registration number and time of civilian vehicles passing through.

And incredibly, one of those WWII sentry boxes has survived!

🗺️ 𝐁𝐔𝐓 𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄'𝐒 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐓𝐖𝐈𝐒𝐓…

The hut isn't actually where it originally stood!

On our map:

📍 A = Original location
📍 B = Present location

Brisbane City Council’s heritage assessment notes that the timber sentry box appears to have been relocated to its current position in the corner of the car park during later industrial development.

Today, it is the only surviving building from the former US Army General Depot, making this tiny hut a remarkably rare piece of Brisbane’s WWII history. 🏚️🇺🇸

After the war, the site was transferred to the Australian Army and became known as the Banyo Ordnance Depot. Part of the former site was later used by Golden Circle, while the Australian Army continued operating the depot until it vacated the site in 2001.

𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐡𝐮𝐭 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐝. ❤️

So next time you're in Banyo, remember that this quiet suburban area was once a vital part of the enormous American military logistics operation supporting the war in the Pacific.

Amazing what you can discover when you start looking closely at Brisbane’s past! 🇦🇺

Did you know Banyo once had such an important US military depot?

B&W images ca. mid 1940's: Public domain.
Map image: Black-and-white photograph taken in 1946, digitally superimposed over a modern-day 2026 map for comparison.

The Dave & Malou Channel

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