Maryborough Military and Colonial Museum

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Maryborough Military and Colonial Museum In 2005, John and Else Meyers turned a vision into reality, founding our museum to preserve Australia’s military heritage.

Their passion and dedication laid the foundation for the stories we proudly share today.

Look up as you walk past the Maryborough Military & Colonial Museum and you’ll find the story of one of the region’s rem...
21/10/2026

Look up as you walk past the Maryborough Military & Colonial Museum and you’ll find the story of one of the region’s remarkable World War II servicemen painted across its walls.

Squadron Leader Frank Lawrence DFC DFM was born in Maryborough on 22 March 1919. He left school at just 14 and began working in a hardware store to help support his family.

In 1940, Frank enlisted for compulsory military training with the local 47th Infantry Battalion before joining the RAAF in 1941. He later served with No. 460 Squadron, flying bombing missions during World War II. 🪖✈️

He was awarded both the Distinguished Flying Medal (DFM) and Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) for his service. The Museum hosts a dedicated display to Frank Lawrence which include these impressive medals.🎖️

His squadron also took part in Operation Manna, a remarkable humanitarian mission to deliver food to starving Dutch civilians in the German-occupied Netherlands.

Frank Lawrence’s story takes us from a young Maryborough schoolboy to the skies over Europe, showing just how far the stories of our local servicemen travelled during wartime. 🌏

🎨 The Frank Lawrence mural, painted by artist Benjamin Higgins (‘Mr Mupz’), can be found on the side wall of the Museum at 106 Wharf Street.

Next time you’re in Maryborough, take a moment to find Frank’s story, then step inside the Museum to discover more. 👣

What does almost 40 years of service look like? Explore the remarkable career of Major General John Cantwell AO DSC, fro...
19/10/2026

What does almost 40 years of service look like?

Explore the remarkable career of Major General John Cantwell AO DSC, from his first days as a private soldier to commanding Australian forces in the Middle East. 🎖️

Born in Ipswich in 1956, John joined the Australian Regular Army as a Private in 1974. He rose through the ranks, was commissioned as an officer in 1981 and eventually reached the rank of Major General. 🪖

His career took him through the First and Second Gulf War, the Iraq War and Afghanistan, including his appointment as Commander of Australian Forces in the Middle East Area of Operations in 2010. His distinguished leadership was recognised with the Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) in 2012.

The Museum’s display offers a fascinating look at his life and military career, including his medals, badges, photographs and objects connected to his service.

Read more about Major General John Cantwell AO DSC:

https://www.maryboroughmuseum.org/jcantwell.html

Behind the Uniforms: Two Maryborough Stories of Service 🎖️ On the left is Ronald Victor “Cody” Bray, a Maryborough-born...
16/10/2026

Behind the Uniforms: Two Maryborough Stories of Service 🎖️

On the left is Ronald Victor “Cody” Bray, a Maryborough-born sailor who enlisted in the Royal Australian Navy at just 17 years of age. After training, Cody served aboard HMAS Manoora, travelling through Singapore, Calcutta, Hollandia, Wake Island, Morotai, Leyte, Lingayen Gulf, Tarakan, Brunei and Balikpapan. He was mentioned in dispatches for his wartime service. ⚓

Returning to Maryborough after the war, Cody completed a carpentry rehabilitation program and began working as a wagon builder at the Queensland Rail workshops, where he remained until his death in 1973.

Cody was also an outstanding sportsman - representing Maryborough and Queensland in cricket and hockey, and later coaching hockey. He was part of a Granville Tigers team that won 14 consecutive premierships.

On the right is Squadron Leader Geoffrey Charles Corlis, a Maryborough doctor who served with the RAAF during WWII. Born in Lismore, Geoff graduated in medicine from the University of Sydney and enlisted in 1941. After various Australian postings, he saw operational service with 31 Beaufighter Squadron, later serving with the squadron in Morotai and Tarakan. ✈️

After the war, Geoff and his wife June moved to Maryborough, where he established a medical practice in Bazaar Street. For the next 44 years, Dr Corlis served the local community. He was also a Legatee, spending many years caring for war widows and their families. ❤️

Two local men. Two very different wartime experiences. And two men who came home and continued to serve their Maryborough community in very different ways.

Their stories are just two of the many personal connections between Maryborough and Australia's wartime history preserved at the Maryborough Military & Colonial Museum.

Planning a visit to the Museum? Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll discover inside. 👇 🪖 Stories of service Explore the expe...
13/10/2026

Planning a visit to the Museum? Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll discover inside. 👇

🪖 Stories of service
Explore the experiences of Queenslanders and Australians who served across conflicts including the Boer War, First and Second World Wars, Korea, Vietnam and more.

🎖️ Medals & memorabilia
See medals, uniforms, photographs, personal items and military memorabilia that bring individual stories to life.

⚓ Maryborough’s military connections
Discover the people, industries and places that connected Maryborough and the Fraser Coast to Australia’s military history, including the story of HMAS Maryborough, built right here by Walkers Ltd.

📜 Rare historical collections
Explore photographs, documents, diaries, maps, newspapers and other objects that help preserve the stories behind Queensland’s military past.

✈️ Unexpected stories
From a Maryborough man who flew 84 Catalina operations to a 1914 Douglas motorcycle like those used by dispatch riders at Gallipoli, there are plenty of stories you might not expect to find.

Come in, take your time and see what stories you can uncover.

📍 106 Wharf Street, Maryborough

https://www.maryboroughmuseum.org

On the side wall of the Museum is a mural depicting a remarkable Maryborough-born man whose work during World War I reac...
08/10/2026

On the side wall of the Museum is a mural depicting a remarkable Maryborough-born man whose work during World War I reached far beyond the battlefield.

Maryborough-born Reverend Philip Thomas Byard “Tubby” Clayton served as an Army chaplain in World War I. In December 1915, he and fellow chaplain Reverend Neville Talbot opened Talbot House as a unique place of rest and sanctuary for British troops serving on the Western Front. 🪖

Importantly, Talbot House was open to everyone, regardless of rank. Its guiding principles were friendship, service, fair-mindedness and the Kingdom of God.

After the war, Clayton continued its work through the Toc H movement which continues today. For his service and care for troops, he was awarded the Military Cross. 🎖️

🎨 The Tubby Clayton mural, painted by artist Akos Juhasz, can be found on the side wall of the Museum at 106 Wharf Street. The mural also features Clayton’s beloved dog, Chippie. 🐕

So next time you visit the Maryborough Military & Colonial Museum, take a moment to look outside as well as inside. You might discover that some of Maryborough’s most remarkable military stories are painted on the walls.

Have you spotted the Tubby Clayton mural? 👇

This October marks 75 years since the Battle of Maryang San, one of the most significant Australian actions of the Korea...
05/10/2026

This October marks 75 years since the Battle of Maryang San, one of the most significant Australian actions of the Korean War.

From 3 – 8 October 1951, Australian soldiers of the 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (3 RAR) fought alongside British Commonwealth forces during Operation Commando, attacking Chinese positions around Hill 317 - known as Maryang San.

3 RAR launched its attack on Hill 317 on 5 October. After fierce fighting, the Australians secured the crest the following day and then faced repeated Chinese counter-attacks as the battle continued. 🎖️

The Australian War Memorial describes the battle as one of the most impressive victories achieved by an Australian battalion during the Korean War.

But the story of Australia's Korean War service can also be found much closer to home.

The Maryborough Military & Colonial Museum has a dedicated Korean War collection, including the medals of Sergeant Vincent Joseph Healy, who served with 3 RAR and was killed in action in Korea in March 1951.

The collection has numerous objects from the Korean War on display including a Korean War cap, Japanese binoculars and an original Chinese propaganda poster. 📜🪖

Discover more about these objects:

https://www.maryboroughmuseum.org/korean.html

Over the weekend we had a delightful chat with Vanessa and Danil. Vanessa is Russian by birth but lives in Germany, Dani...
05/10/2026

Over the weekend we had a delightful chat with Vanessa and Danil. Vanessa is Russian by birth but lives in Germany, Danil is French. It was interesting to hear their stories about WW2 (although they are far too young they had a deep understanding and an incredible respect for the men and women who served). Old buildings aren’t new to them either, but they loved Maryborough’s Wharf Street precinct, and praised the fact that we are looking after our heritage.

Have you ever wondered if a family member served in the military? Our collection and research resources might help you e...
30/09/2026

Have you ever wondered if a family member served in the military?

Our collection and research resources might help you explore the service of family members, discover where they served and learn more about their military journey. 📜🎖️

Whether you're just starting your family history research or trying to uncover the story of a relative you've been searching for, museum visitors are welcome to talk to our knowledgeable volunteers about their family history research.

You never know what you might discover – a forgotten photograph, a service record, a medal or a story that has been waiting to be found. ❤️

🔎 Bring us your family name and, as part of your museum visit, start your journey into the past.

📍 Visit the Maryborough Military & Colonial Museum and find out more about your family's military history.

Who knows what stories you might uncover?

Your military history journey doesn't have to end when you leave the Museum. Just a short distance away, Maryborough’s ...
22/09/2026

Your military history journey doesn't have to end when you leave the Museum.

Just a short distance away, Maryborough’s Queen's Park is home to the Gallipoli to Armistice Memorial, a trail tracing the story of the First World War from Gallipoli to the Western Front. 🌳

Follow the path through the memorial and discover the stories of Wide Bay men who served, including Maryborough-born Lieutenant Duncan Chapman, recognised as the first Australian ashore at Gallipoli on 25 April 1915.

The memorial features an 8-metre representation of the cliffs of Gallipoli, a bronze statue of Chapman and three scale boat bows representing the boats used by the 9th Battalion at the Gallipoli landing.

Queen's Park is also home to the Maryborough Cenotaph and Memorial Gates, as well as historic naval guns. ⚓

So why not make a day of it? Visit the Museum, then take a walk through Queen's Park and discover more of Maryborough's military history.

https://www.visitfrasercoast.com/product/gallipoli-to-armistice-memorial

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are advised that this post contains the name and image of a person who has...
22/09/2026

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are advised that this post contains the name and image of a person who has passed away.

Following on from last week’s story about Keith Payne VC AM, we’re sharing a special moment from the Museum’s history.

On 20 March 2010, we were honoured to have Keith attend the opening of the Museum’s Gallipoli Room, alongside Fraser Coast Vietnam veterans Buddy Lea and Reg Gillian.

Keith’s extraordinary story of courage and service sits alongside those of other decorated Australian servicemen whose experiences and achievements are preserved in the Museum’s collection. 🏅

It’s moments like these that remind us that military history isn’t just about battles and medals - it’s about the people, their experiences and the connections that continue long after their service. 🕊️

Come and discover the story of Keith Payne VC AM for yourself.

Address

106 Wharf Street
Maryborough, QLD
4650

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 3pm
Tuesday 9am - 3pm
Wednesday 9am - 3pm
Thursday 9am - 3pm
Friday 9am - 3pm
Saturday 9am - 2pm
Sunday 9am - 2pm

Telephone

+61741235900

Website

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