Queensland Maritime Museum

The Queensland Maritime Museum is located at the intersection of Sidon and Stanley Streets at the southern end of the South Bank Parklands. Staffed by volunteers, the museum offers an engaging look into the long maritime history of Queensland. The museum is open most days of the year from 9:30am to 4:30pm, and also is available outside these hours for private functions. Admission charges range from $3.50 for kids to $7 for adults, with family and group discounts also available. There is also a Museum Shop which stocks a collection of maritime books, gifts, and souvenirs. Great views of many of the outside exhibitions can also be seen from the Goodwill Bridge.

The museum was founded in 1971, and is run by the self-funded voluntary Queensland Maritime Museum Association. The main entrance incorporates a two level exhibition building presenting historic sailing ship models together with merchant shipping from early cargo ships to modern container ships, tankers and cruise liners. Of particular personal interest is the large wall map showing the location of approximately 200 of the 1500 vessels that came to grief in the graveyard of ships along the Queensland coast, in part due to the various coral reefs.


Outside you get to see some of that history come alive. The HMAS Diamatina currently sits in part of the South Brisbane Dry Dock, itself a landmark due to and the century of service it provided to ships and submarines of all types. There are also exhibitions to lighthouses, and other vessels such as the Penguin, and my personal favourite, the Forceful. Built in 1925, for most of her career she acted as a tug on the Brisbane River with brief trips to the Middle East, Fremantle and Darwin during the war years. Her life as a museum ship started at the same time as the opening of the museum back in 1971, although ever now and again she has runs out and about on the river.

Cheers, I Love Brisbane, Wes.

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Mephisto

Mephisto is the last surviving German A7V Sturmpanzerwagen tank from the World War I. Accessible from the Dinosaur Garden at the Queensland Museum at Southbank, the tank is enclosed in glass with a number of informational displays on its history. The Germans produced only this one type of tank during the first World War. Only 20 of them were built during 1918, and they saw action from March to October that year. This one, dubbed "Mephisto", is chassis number 506. As much as possible, the Museum has attempted to preserve its original condition, so the tank is no longer operational.


The tank was effectively disabled at Villers-Bretonneux during a the first tank versus tank fight on 24 April 1918. On the 25th April in a counter offensive, the ground where the tank had stalled was retaken Australian and British troops. The Germans did attempt to destroy it, however, it remained stranded in a shell hole over the following months until the 28th Batallion, consisting mostly of troops from Queensland, determined to recover it.


How amazing is this? In all the world, a German historic replica ends up in a museum in Brisbane! It got here effectively as a keepsake when it was loaded onto the SS Armagh for transport to Australia on 2 April 1919. Even then Prime Minister Billy Hughes got involved in deciding it could remain in Brisbane as part of the Queensland Museum where it has resided ever since.

Cheers, I Love Brisbane, Wes.

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Commissariat Store

The Commissariat Store at 115 William Street is the current home of the Royal Historical Society of Brisbane (RHSQ). The building is one of the most significant building, having been completed in 1829. Like the Old Windmill, it was originally built by convicts and is one of the only remaining remnants of the original penal settlement on which Brisbane was founded. Today, it effectively runs as a museum to Brisbane's history. It is open Tuesday to Sunday 10.00am - 4.00pm, with adults costing $4.00 to enter, and children $2.00.


The Commissariat store's primary role was to hold good for storage and distribution to the military, convicts and colonists. It was also used to control the supply of medicines and hospital equipment, customs and banking. When the penal settlement finally closed after more than a decade of brutal reign, the store became a land sales office, and then a military and police barracks. From the 1880's it became government offices, was extended in 1913, and in 1982 became the home of the RHSQ. It also holds the Welsby library for those who wish to research Queensland history.

When I visited, I was amazed at the wealth of historical displays and information on Brisbane held within the building. Not only is the building itself a wonderful historical icon, but the materials kept and displayed here all offer aspects of Brisbane's history which are both insightful and interesting. One specific thing which sent chills down my spine was the gallows beam from Boggo Road Gaol, on which several men were hung during its time as a prison. Then there are other uplifting displays to men such as Thomas Petrie who worked tirelessly for Aboriginal rights. The tour guides do an excellent job as well.

Cheers, I Love Brisbane, Wes.

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Queensland Police Museum

The Queensland Police Museum is located on the ground floor of the Queensland Police Headquarters, at 200 Roma Street. Two of the museums key aims are promoting the Queensland Police Service and preserving its history and heritage. The museum has a variety of displays on police heritage, Queensland crimes, police investigative techniques, medals, police women, operational equipment and transport, amongst others. It is open from 9:00am to 4:00pm weekdays, with the occasional Sunday opening. Entry is free.

Providing an education program for both primary and secondary students, the museum can be quite busy during certain times of the day. You can participate in forensic science and crime solving sessions, and there is even a mock courtroom. There is also a research library at the facility which can source and produce the service history for any Queensland Police officer who served between 1864 and 1940. I like that they have a 1930's poker machine on display, although I doubt it still works!


Some of the more chilling displays involve infamous Brisbane crimes, and real murder cases. One that struck me was the unsolved murder case of Betty Shanks, a young woman who was killed in the early 1950's. Still unsolved, the story remains one of Brisbane's most significant murder mysteries. Perhaps someone who visits the museum will have their memory sparked and may be able to shed some more light on the case, 50 years on.

Cheers, I Love Brisbane, Wes.

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Dinosaur Garden

The Dinosaur Garden is part of the Queensland Museum at Southbank. It is accessible from the Museum itself, or the footpath on Grey Street. The main features of the garden are the life-sized reconstructions of a Tyrannosaurus Rex and a Triceratops. The museum is generally open from 9:30am to 5:00pm daily. Admission is free except for special temporary exhibitions.

The exhibit features two of the most well known dinosaurs. Both are indicated as having lived in North America 65 million years ago. Tyrannosaurus is noted as being a giant bipedal carnivore, although less common than Triceratops. Triceratops is noted as a quadrupedal herbivore, and information is provided on its bony frill used for protection. It is postulated that this was used in its conflicts with other Triceratops or Tyrannosaurus. Although not native to Queensland they provide a great example of what dinosaurs could have been like. More information about Dinosaurs, with particular reference to Queensland species, can be found at the Queensland Museum Dinosaur web site.

How would you like to come across either of these beasties? I've seen Jurassic Park, and I'm sure glad that these types of dinosaurs don't still rule and roam the Earth. The chompers on the T-Rex would make short shrift of me. Of course, you can use these stories with your kids, and I'm fortunate because at the moment my three will believe anything! If you snap and growl and roar like a T-Rex you can chase them all around the garden. This is a great location to take the kids for a quick run through, and a welcome place to rest your feet after traversing the museum, and chasing the kids.

Cheers, I Love Brisbane, Wes.

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Museum of Brisbane

Aside from housing the Brisbane City Council, Brisbane City Hall houses the Museum of Brisbane. The Museum entrance via City Hall is located at King George Square, between Adelaide and Ann Streets. The Museum has four Spaces in which exhibitions are held, along with specific theatre areas for lectures and presentations, and discovery areas for kids. Most exhibitions are free, and they offer guided tours of the exhibitions on specific days. The Museum is open daily from 10:00am to 5:00pm.

At the moment they are changing over some of the exhibitions, so some of the spaces were not accessible. However, the Lord Mayor's Photographic Awards 2006: Secret Treasures of Brisbane was still on, and will run until only the 25th of March. Some of the photographs are sensational, and the commendations and awards for winners are well worth it. Along with the photographs are some objects and pieces from people's homes, museums and private collections which also represent Secret Treasures. This copy of the William Bligh's account of the Mutiny on the Bounty in particular caught my attention.


The Museum of Brisbane is highly accessible to visitors to the city. They have a distinct flavour in featuring both Brisbane history, and emerging artists and cultural exhibitions. It is fantastic that we have this as this type of venue. It also provides an active and participative place for our kids to explore and engage in the exhibitions, and I've always felt being immersed in something is the best way to learn.

Cheers, I Love Brisbane, Wes.

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