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The Dave & Malou Channel, Brisbane (2026)

11/09/2026

🌑☀️ 𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐔𝐍 𝐃𝐈𝐒𝐀𝐏𝐏𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐄𝐃 𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐑 𝐐𝐔𝐄𝐄𝐍𝐒𝐋𝐀𝐍𝐃 - 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐆𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐓 𝟏𝟗𝟐𝟐 𝐓𝐎𝐓𝐀𝐋 𝐒𝐎𝐋𝐀𝐑 𝐄𝐂𝐋𝐈𝐏𝐒𝐄

Imagine standing in Goondiwindi on Thursday, 21 September 1922.

It’s afternoon. The daylight begins to fade, the air cools and strange shadows appear across the ground.

Then, for 3 minutes and 31 seconds, the Sun completely disappears.

The Moon has passed directly between Earth and the Sun, casting its shadow across Australia.

For Queenslanders, it was an extraordinary spectacle. But for scientists, it was also a rare opportunity to make detailed observations of a total solar eclipse. 🔭

🌑 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐏𝐀𝐓𝐇 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐎𝐓𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐘

The path of totality is the relatively narrow band across Earth's surface where the Moon completely covers the Sun.

In 1922, the predicted path was about 180 kilometres wide, crossing Australia from the north-west towards the east coast.

The shadow entered Western Australia near Wallal, crossed the Australian interior and continued through Queensland and New South Wales before reaching the Pacific.

In Queensland, towns including Cunnamulla, Warwick, Stanthorpe and Goondiwindi were within or close to the path of totality.

But Goondiwindi was one of the major observing stations.

🚂 RAIL ACCESS made it easier to transport scientists, visitors and bulky scientific equipment.

🌾 Its flat landscape provided good conditions for observation.

☀️ Favourable weather prospects gave astronomers a reasonable chance of clear skies.

More than 40 scientists gathered around the town, with temporary observatories established at the local sports ground. Special trains brought crowds of visitors, while huge telescopes and photographic equipment were assembled for the event.

One of the most impressive instruments was the Sydney Observatory astrograph, transported by rail and set up at the Goondiwindi racecourse.

🌑 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐍 𝐂𝐀𝐌𝐄 𝐓𝐎𝐓𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐘

As the Moon moved across the Sun, daylight faded and the temperature dropped. Stars and planets became visible.

Then came totality.

For 210 seconds, scientists worked rapidly, operating telescopes and cameras and exposing photographic plates.

The eclipse passed almost exactly as predicted - and the weather at Goondiwindi was excellent. Contemporary reports described the spectacle as magnificent.

Unfortunately, some of the Goondiwindi photographs were not sufficiently clear for all the scientific measurements the observers had hoped to make. Other expeditions along the eclipse path, however, obtained valuable results.

👀 𝐇𝐎𝐖 𝐃𝐈𝐃 𝐏𝐄𝐎𝐏𝐋𝐄 𝐖𝐀𝐓𝐂𝐇?

Newspapers of the time published instructions for making viewing devices, including a method attributed to R. A. Bowden, Government Photographer, using specially prepared photographic film.

Interesting history - but DON'T try this today!

🍫❌ CHOCOLATE WRAPPERS ARE NOT ECLIPSE GLASSES!

Nor are ordinary sunglasses, smoked glass, photographic film or other homemade filters.

They may look dark, but that does not make them safe for viewing the Sun!

For a modern eclipse, use proper solar-viewing glasses or a certified handheld solar viewer. An indirect method such as a pinhole projector is another safe option.

During the brief period of totality, when the Moon completely covers the Sun's bright face, it is safe to look directly at the eclipse. But the instant any bright sunlight reappears, proper eye protection must go back on.

🌑 For one remarkable day in 1922, Goondiwindi became a centre of astronomical activity.

Scientists, photographers and curious visitors gathered by the thousands - waiting for just 3 minutes and 31 seconds of darkness.

No television.
No internet.
No smartphones.

𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐮𝐧, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐐𝐮𝐞𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐩𝐬𝐞.

Would you have travelled to Goondiwindi to see it? 🌑🔭

Images - Public domain reconstructed colourised images - The eclipse and the photographic film glasses. Goondiwindi High Street - The temporary structure erected by the Sydney Observatory. Goondiwindi, all photos ca. 1920s.

10/09/2026

🥄 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘 𝐎𝐅 𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐂𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐑𝐄 𝐒𝐀𝐔𝐂𝐄

It’s one of the most recognisable sauces in the world - but the story behind Worcestershire sauce is anything but ordinary!

In the 1830s, two chemists and druggists, John Wheeley Lea and William Henry Perrins, were running a chemist business on Broad Street in Worcester, England.

According to the traditional Lea & Perrins story, a nobleman from Worcestershire gave the chemists a recipe for a piquant sauce he had encountered in India and asked them to recreate it.

They produced a batch - but when they tasted it…

🤢 𝐈𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐰𝐟𝐮𝐥!

The mixture was put aside in the cellar and forgotten.

According to the famous story, when the chemists eventually rediscovered the sauce, it had matured and fermented. They tasted it again and were surprised to find that the harsh flavour had mellowed into something much more appealing.

That supposedly unsuccessful experiment became Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce, which was being sold commercially by 1837.

🕵️ 𝐁𝐔𝐓 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄'𝐒 𝐀 𝐌𝐘𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐘…

The story sounds great - but historians have discovered some serious problems with it.

The nobleman is often identified as Lord Sandys, but there is no good evidence that he was responsible for the recipe. Historical research has found that the Sandys traditionally associated with the story was not a Governor of Bengal, and available records do not establish that he travelled to India as claimed.

So where did the recipe really come from?

We don't know for certain.

Even the famous story of the terrible-tasting sauce being abandoned in the cellar may be partly company folklore created to explain the sauce's unusual origins.

What we do know is that Lea & Perrins successfully commercialised the sauce in the 1830s, and it soon began travelling around the world.

🇦🇺 𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐍 𝐃𝐈𝐃 𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐂𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐑𝐄 𝐒𝐀𝐔𝐂𝐄 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐂𝐇 𝐀𝐔𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐀?

Very early!

A fascinating early Australian reference appeared in the Maitland Mercury and Hunter River General Advertiser on 19 September 1846.

An advertisement by C. V. Earle offered Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce for sale at the Medical Chemical Repository opposite the Angel Inn in West Maitland, New South Wales.

There were other early references in Australasia around the same time, demonstrating that Lea & Perrins sauce was already reaching this part of the world less than ten years after its commercial introduction in Britain.

And eventually, Worcestershire sauce became a familiar ingredient in Australian kitchens - splashed over steaks, sausages, mince, pies, stews and countless other dishes.

From a mysterious 19th-century recipe to a sauce found in kitchens around the world, its journey is quite remarkable.

And perhaps the strangest part of all?

A sauce that was supposedly too horrible to eat became one of the world's most famous condiments! 😄

Bottle Images: 1890s bottle vs 2020s bottle - Old advertisements public domain ca.1875-1885

09/09/2026

🚲 QUEENSLAND’S CYCLING CRAZE WAS ALREADY ROLLING IN THE 1880s! 😲

Think cycling is a modern obsession? Think again!

Long before Lycra, carbon frames and electric bikes, Brisbane was already getting hooked on two wheels!

The first shipment of tricycles arrived in Brisbane in 1870, but it was during the 1880s that cycling really began to take off across Queensland.

In 1881, the Brisbane Bicycle Club held its initial meeting at the Belle Vue Hotel.

And these weren’t exactly the bikes we know today… 😳

🚲 High-wheel bicycles - including the famous penny-farthing were the machines of the day.

The Brisbane Botanic Gardens even hosted novelty penny-farthing races, where, according to the State Library of Queensland, more riders fell off than stayed on! 😂

Cycling was quickly becoming a serious spectator sport. By 1885, a bicycle carnival at Toowong was reported to attract up to 4,000 spectators!

But these early cyclists weren't just interested in racing.

On 12 December 1886, three Brisbane cyclists set off at 6:30 in the morning on a return ride to Humpybong - today's Redcliffe.

The roads were anything but easy!

After stopping for breakfast at South Pine, they continued towards Humpybong, where they encountered what was described as a “really bad road.”

They eventually reached the township shortly before midday.

At 4 pm, they began the journey back to Brisbane.

Near South Pine they encountered heavy showers, and then came the Bald Hills.

They finally arrived back in Brisbane at about 8:30 that night. 😮

And by 1886, Brisbane reportedly had around 200 bicycles, with 50 being used for racing.

No GPS.
No bike lanes.
No suspension.
No padded cycling shorts.

Just a tall bicycle, rough roads and an impressive amount of determination! 😂

So next time you're cruising around Brisbane on two wheels, spare a thought for the cyclists who came before us.

Queensland's cycling craze was already well underway more than 140 years ago! 🚴‍♂️

Would you have been brave enough to tackle the road to Humpybong on a penny-farthing? 😂👇

𝐼𝑚𝑎𝑔𝑒𝑠 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑏𝑎𝑠𝑒𝑑 𝑜𝑛 𝑝𝑢𝑏𝑙𝑖𝑐 𝑑𝑜𝑚𝑎𝑖𝑛 𝑝ℎ𝑜𝑡𝑜𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑝ℎ𝑠 ℎ𝑒𝑙𝑑 𝑏𝑦 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑆𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝐿𝑖𝑏𝑟𝑎𝑟𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝑄𝑢𝑒𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑙𝑎𝑛𝑑. 𝑇ℎ𝑒𝑦 ℎ𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑏𝑒𝑒𝑛 𝑐𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑓𝑢𝑙𝑙𝑦 𝑐𝑜𝑙𝑜𝑢𝑟𝑖𝑠𝑒𝑑 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑡𝑜𝑟𝑒𝑑 𝑡𝑜 𝑏𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑠𝑒 ℎ𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑜𝑟𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙 𝑠𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑠 𝑡𝑜 𝑙𝑖𝑓𝑒. 𝑊ℎ𝑖𝑙𝑒 𝑤𝑒 ℎ𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑚𝑎𝑑𝑒 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑦 𝑒𝑓𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑡 𝑡𝑜 𝑚𝑎𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑎𝑖𝑛 ℎ𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑜𝑟𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙 𝑎𝑐𝑐𝑢𝑟𝑎𝑐𝑦, 𝑐𝑜𝑙𝑜𝑢𝑟𝑖𝑠𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑖𝑛𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑣𝑒𝑠 𝑠𝑜𝑚𝑒 𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑜𝑟 𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑐𝑐𝑢𝑟𝑎𝑐𝑖𝑒𝑠 𝑜𝑟 𝑖𝑚𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑓𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠 𝑚𝑎𝑦 𝑜𝑐𝑐𝑢𝑟. 𝐼𝑚𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝐺.𝐸.𝐵 𝑇𝑖𝑚𝑒𝑤𝑒𝑙𝑙 - 𝐶𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑢𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝐺𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑑

08/09/2026

🏊 BRISBANE’S FLOATING SWIMMING BATHS

Imagine going for a swim in Brisbane — not at a modern swimming pool, but in a huge floating enclosure right on the Brisbane River!

The Metropolitan Swimming Baths were a popular swimming and sporting venue in Brisbane’s early years. The timber structure actually floated on the river, with changing cubicles around the swimming area and river water flowing underneath.

The baths were moved several times as Brisbane’s riverfront developed, including locations near the Gas Works, Boundary Street and Alice Street.

Competitive swimming was also held here, including Queensland championship events.

It’s hard to imagine today, but generations of Brisbane swimmers once jumped into the Brisbane River for their daily swim! 🌊

A fascinating little piece of Brisbane history that has almost disappeared from memory.

07/09/2026

🏛️ 𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐈𝐅 𝐆𝐋𝐀𝐃𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐍𝐄 𝐇𝐀𝐃 𝐁𝐄𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐄 𝐐𝐔𝐄𝐄𝐍𝐒𝐋𝐀𝐍𝐃’𝐒 𝐂𝐀𝐏𝐈𝐓𝐀𝐋?

It sounds like alternate history.

But there's a remarkable amount of truth behind it.

And the story actually begins before Queensland even existed.

In 1846, the British Government created a new colony called North Australia, covering a huge area north of the 26th parallel - including much of what is now Queensland and the Northern Territory.

And the planned capital?

👉 𝐏𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐂𝐮𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐬 — 𝐭𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲'𝐬 𝐆𝐥𝐚𝐝𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐞.

Lieutenant-Colonel George Barney of the Royal Engineers was sent to establish the new colony, with Port Curtis selected as the site for its capital and seat of government.

But there was a problem.

The British Government had already changed its mind.

A change of government in Britain brought a change of policy, and the Letters Patent establishing North Australia were ordered to be revoked.

The people sent to establish the colony didn't know that.

In January 1847, Barney and the first government party sailed from Sydney aboard the Lord Auckland.

When they reached Port Curtis, the ship ran aground on shoals near Facing Island.

The settlers spent weeks on the island before eventually reaching the mainland.

Then, on 30 January 1847, George Barney formally proclaimed the Colony of North Australia at Facing Island and was sworn in as its Lieutenant-Governor.

There was just one extraordinary detail:

The colony had already been ordered to be abolished.

News of the British decision took months to reach Australia.

So for a very brief and rather bizarre moment, Port Curtis was the seat of a colony that Britain had already decided not to continue.

The experiment collapsed.

The settlement was abandoned and the government party returned to Sydney.

But Port Curtis wasn't finished.

In 1853, a new township was surveyed there and given the name Gladstone, honouring British politician William Ewart Gladstone.

And then, just a few years later, another “what if?” emerged.

As the campaign grew to separate the northern districts of New South Wales and create a new colony, people began arguing over where the new colony's capital should be.

And Gladstone was one of the contenders.

It wasn't alone.

Queensland State Archives records Brisbane, Cleveland, Gayndah, Gladstone, Ipswich and Rockhampton as potential candidates for the capital.

Eventually, Brisbane won.

Queen Victoria signed the Letters Patent creating the Colony of Queensland on 6 June 1859.

On 10 December 1859, Governor Sir George Ferguson Bowen arrived in Brisbane and the proclamation establishing Queensland was read.

Brisbane was the capital.

And history took the path we know today.

But imagine if it hadn't.

🏛️ Queensland's Parliament in Gladstone
👑 Government House in Gladstone
🚂 Brisbane developing as the great southern city
🌴 Gladstone becoming the political centre of Queensland

The entire political geography of the state could have been different.

And here's another fascinating twist:

William Ewart Gladstone never actually visited Queensland.

The town that bears his name was named after a British politician who never set foot here.

So when you look at Gladstone today, you're looking at a place with an extraordinary history:

🇬🇧 It was chosen as the capital of a proposed British colony.

🏛️ A government expedition was sent there to establish that colony.

📜 The colony was proclaimed there in 1847 - even though Britain had already decided to abandon it.

🌴 The township was later revived and named Gladstone.

🏛️ And in the years leading up to Queensland's separation, Gladstone was one of the places whose supporters wanted it chosen as the new colony's capital.

So here's the big Queensland “what if?”

What would Queensland look like today if Gladstone - rather than Brisbane - had become the capital?

Would Brisbane still have become Queensland's biggest city?

Would Gladstone have developed into a political powerhouse?

And would the map of Queensland's history look completely different?

History is full of “what ifs”… and this one really did come surprisingly close.

Sources:
📜 Queensland State Archives — The Birth of Modern Queensland
🏛️ Gladstone Regional Council — Settlement Point Local Heritage Register
🏛️ Queensland Parliament — The Queensland Constitution

Images - Public Domain

06/09/2026

🎡🐅 BRISBANE ONCE HAD AN AMUSEMENT PARK… WITH TIGERS! 😲

Forget Dreamworld - 137 years ago, Brisbane had its very own extraordinary amusement park at Hemmant!

Opened on 7 August 1889, the Queensport Aquarium and Zoological Garden was far more than an aquarium. It is regarded as Queensland’s first amusement park, combining exotic animals, fairground rides, sporting grounds, concerts, dancing, boating and spectacular evening entertainment. 🎪

And the animal collection was something else!

Visitors could see lions, tigers, bears, cheetahs, monkeys, birds and snakes, while the aquarium featured marine life including penguins and performing seals. At one point, the menagerie included four Bengal tigers. 🐅🐒🐍🐧

But the animals were only part of the attraction.

Queensport had a switchback railway - an early form of roller coaster - along with flying machines, a camera obscura, swings, donkey rides and merry-go-rounds.

There were sporting grounds for cricket, athletics, cycling, tennis and lawn bowls, while sculling and yachting took place on the Brisbane River.

The grounds covered around 11 acres, with landscaped gardens, fountains, a fernery and plenty of space for picnics. 🌿

🎶 Then there was the enormous main building.

The two-storey structure contained six large fish tanks, a three-tiered fountain and a large fernery. Upstairs was a remarkable 1,400-seat concert hall, complete with dressing rooms, dining facilities, plush curtains and an electric self-playing pipe organ.

💡 And Brisbane’s new electric technology added even more spectacle.

Electric lighting was installed on 10 September 1889, allowing the Aquarium to stay open three nights a week. Visitors could take twilight cruises along the Brisbane River before enjoying evening dances and concerts. ✨

The attraction became hugely popular.

Three steamers - Alice, Woolwich and Natone - ferried visitors from Brisbane to Queensport, and by the end of 1889 tens of thousands of people had visited.

Then came an extraordinary day.

On 16 December 1889, around 10,000 people reportedly visited Queensport in a single day! 😲

But Queensport also had a much darker chapter.

In 1892, a murder near the Aquarium resulted in 17-year-old Francis Charles Horrocks being convicted and sentenced to death.

Horrocks was hanged at Brisbane Gaol on 26 September 1892, and the State Library of Queensland records him as the youngest person ever executed in Queensland.

Then came the weather…

🌪️ In March 1892, a severe storm blew the switchback railway and several empty animal cages into the Brisbane River.

🌊 And less than a year later came the devastating Great Flood of 1893.

Floodwaters swept through the Aquarium grounds, knocking down fences and freeing animals. The damage was enormous.

Remarkably, Queensport reopened on Easter Monday 1893.

But the Aquarium was never quite the same.

With much of its animal attraction gone, the site increasingly relied on dances, concerts, pleasure cruises and picnics to attract visitors.

The crowds eventually declined, and on 8 November 1897, the Aquarium was sold. The remaining animals and much of the infrastructure were disposed of, but the main pavilion survived and continued operating as a dance hall until 1901.

And then Queensport gradually disappeared from Brisbane’s landscape and memory.

Today, the former site lies at the end of Aquarium Avenue, Hemmant, with the history commemorated nearby at Queensport Rocks Park.

Imagine boarding a steamer in Brisbane in 1889 and heading down the river to a riverside wonderland filled with tigers, roller coasters, seals, concerts, dancing, electric lights and an enormous aquarium. 🎡🐅

Brisbane’s very own 19th-century theme park - and one of the most fascinating chapters in the city’s history.

Images sourced from Public Domain originals and digitally brought back to life by the Dave & Malou Channel. Where appropriate, images have been carefully colourised, restored and digitally enhanced using modern photo-editing and AI-assisted tools.

While every effort has been made to preserve the original details and historical character, these enhancements are artistic interpretations and may not perfectly represent the people, colours, buildings or surroundings exactly as they originally appeared. Original photographs: Queensland State Library & Queensland State Archives.

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 w**e, 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 w**emakers were looking for a cheaper, lighter and more practical way to package w**e. The solution was brilliantly simple: put the w**e into a flexible plastic bladder, seal it, and place it inside a cardboard box. 📦🍷

𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐨, 𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐤 𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧!

Australians, naturally, decided “cask w**e” 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 w**e improved dramatically, with better packaging, better w**e and more recyclable materials. What began as a cheap alternative to bottled w**e became a clever and practical way of packaging w**e.

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 w**e.
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.

The Dave & Malou Channel

11/09/2026

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