A late nineteenth century portrayal of a group of traditional owners camped at South Brisbane. Queen's Wharf is across the river, in the middle distance. Section of an engraving by JC Armytage, c1874 to c1876.
State Library of Victoria H3530.

Traditional owners

Other than the occasional encounter with an explorer or the inclusion into Aboriginal society of shipwrecked persons such as the timber-getters Finnegan, Pamphlet and Parsons, prior to the arrival of the convicts arrived in Moreton Bay in 1824 the Aboriginal clans of the region had had little contact with white people The first convict settlement […]

A story about Queen's Wharf Basement

What’s in the basement?

Refurbishment of the B1 level of National Trust House in mid-2013 revealed some unexpected items. Just inside the doorway of one of the rooms, a man’s boot was found beneath the floorboards. Construction of this part of the building occurred in 1899 and it is believed the boot was deliberately placed there at the time.

The Yacht Lucinda

The Government Yacht Lucinda

No single vessel had a stronger connection with Queen’s Wharf than the paddle wheel steamer Lucinda. Commissioned by the Queensland Government to a design that would serve the purpose of lighthouse tending and was equipped with a level of comfort that the Rockhampton Morning Bulletin in February 1885 described as ‘absolute luxury’.

Hulk Beatrice

Hulk Beatrice

The barque Beatrice finished its journeys as a hulk in the river near Queen’s Wharf. In November 1884, following a six-month journey from New York that the Brisbane Courier described as a ‘boisterous passage’, the Beatrice was towed up the Brisbane River and condemned.

The First Ship Inn

The First Ship Inn

Patrick Mayne purchased the Ship Inn at Queen’s Wharf for £1,100 in 1859. Located on allotment no. 7 and immediately adjacent to the Queen’s Wharf Reserve, the Ship Inn was the last name given to a small hotel located on this site. It proved to be not the best investment for the usually astute Mayne.

steamer-amy

The Steamer Amy

In the 1860s the firm of Orr and Honeyman owned a company wharf and warehouses on allotment 5 near Queen’s Wharf. Integral to the early expansion of this commercial venture by Matthew Orr and James Honeyman was the steamer Amy.

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