Queensland is one of six states and two Territories of Australia. It is located on northeast coast of Australia. Initially part of New South Wales, the Colony of Queensland, was designated in 1859. After Federation in 1901, it became the State of Queensland. In the 2021 Census, Queensland had an enumerated population of over 5.2 million people, of which about 4.6% recognise as Indigenous Australians.[1] The capital of Queensland is Brisbane, home to over 2.5 million people. Despite its massive area, more than 70% of Queenslanders live in the South Eastern corner of the state.[1]
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History of QueenslandHistory of Queensland
Indigenous historyIndigenous history
Queensland is home to some of the earliest recorded sites of Aboriginal habitation on the continent. Archaeological evidence, including magnificent rock art dotted all over the state, suggests that humans crossed the Torres Straight by boat or land bridge to Cape York over 50,000 years ago.[2] Aboriginal Australians have a deep and abiding cultural connection to the land, with around 90 different tribal or language groups identified in Queensland. Communities living on Islands in the Torres Straight are linguistically and culturally distinct from communities on the mainland. Torres Straight Islanders have a long history of trading trepang, sea cucumber, with Makasar fisherman from Sulawesi. European settlement brought with it devastating consequences for indigenous communities across the region. The Frontier Wars,[2] a series of shootings, battles, and massacres some people characterise as acts of genocide,[3] were particularly marked in Queensland.
From 1860, the Native Police were formed to try to keep indigenous people in line: The Native Police was a body of Aboriginal troopers that operated under the command of white officers on the Queensland frontier from 1849 to the 1920s. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men were often forcefully recruited from communities—already diminished due to colonisation—that were normally a great distance from the region in which they were to work. They were offered low pay, along with rations, firearms, a uniform and a horse. Many deserted.[4]
In 1897 the Queensland Government passed the Aboriginal Protection and Restriction of the Sale of Opium Act, authorising the removal of Aboriginal people to reserves and creating the positions of Protectors of Aboriginals. The lives of Aboriginal people in Queensland were intimately controlled by this office. Families were subjected to forced removal of their children and adults had to seek permission to marry or work off the missions. Thousands of people who worked on outback stations had their wages stolen.[5] Through social change, activism, and perseverance the aboriginal community of Queensland now has control of its own destiny. Aboriginal culture is celebrated and indigenous run businesses, particularly in tourism, are thriving. In the 2021 Census, 237,000 Queenslanders identified as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander. This represents 4.6% of the Queensland population.[1]
European settlementEuropean settlement
In 1606, Dutch explorer Willem Jansz landed on the west coast of Cape York Peninsula.[6] French and Spanish explorers also traveled around the northern reaches, a well as merchant ships from the East India Company. But it is Lieutenant James Cook who is credited as the first European to map the east coast of Australia in 1770, aboard the HM Barque Endeavour. Cook claimed the east coast under instruction from King George III of the Kingdom of Great Britain on 22 August 1770 at Possession Island, naming eastern Australia, including Queensland, New South Wales.[7]
A penal colony was established by the British in Sydney Cove in 1788. Subsequently, further settlements were established up and down the coast. In 1823, explorer John Oxley travelled north to scout for more potential settlement sites. In 1824 he established a penal colony at Redcliffe (now Moreton Bay). In 1825 this settlement transferred to the site of present-day Brisbane, the capital city of the state. That same year, Edmund Lockyer discovered large reserves of coal in the area.
The penal colony was disbanded in 1839 and the area opened up to free settlers. In 1844, explorer Ludwig Leichhardt traversed the interior of the country on an epic expedition from Moreton Bay to Port Essington, in the Northern Territory, opening up opportunities for development. In the 1850s, as more and more people settled in the northern regions of the colony of New South Wales, a movement to separate into a distinct colony developed. Meetings were held, petitions were distributed and eventually a delegation sent to England. On 6 June 1859, Queen Victoria signed letters patent to form the separate Colony of Queensland as a self-governing Crown colony with responsible government. Brisbane was selected as the capital city. On 10 December 1859, a proclamation was read by George Bowen, the first Governor of Queensland, formally establishing Queensland as a separate colony from New South Wales.[8]
One of the first orders of business was to pass the Unoccupied Crown Lands Occupation Act of 1860, with the aim of increasing the white population. Over the next 3 years almost 25,000 people of European descent settled in the Colony of Queensland.[6] As in other parts of Australia, the discovery of gold in the 1860s drew thousands of new settlers into the region. The government also set up grammar schools - the first example of free education in the country, revolutionising the whole education system.[6] Australia is said to have been built “on the sheep’s back” and by 1891, the wool industry in Queensland was thriving. In 1891, a group of shearers went on strike for better wages and conditions. Their action was undermined by aboriginal and Kanaka workers who agreed to work for lower wages, but the strike is credited as the midwife of the modern Labor party. The first branch meeting of the Australian Labor Party is said to have been held by striking shearers under the gum tree now known as the Tree of Knowledge in Barcaldine, Queensland, in 1891.[6]
Post-federationPost-federation
On 1 January 1901, the union of the Commonwealth of Australia was created. The majority of Queenslanders voted yes to a referendum asking whether Queensland should join the Federation. The referendum was passed resulting in Queensland losing its colonial status and becoming a state.[6] Since Federation, Queensland has been the site of some significant events and accolades:[9]
- In 1911 a self-taught nurse from NSW, Elizabeth Kenny, established a clinic with novel treatment for polio patients. Despite the medical profession being skeptical, Kenny’s therapies were eventually adopted across the world.
- Over 58,000 Queenslanders fought for the Empire in WW1. 10,000 of them did not return home.
- In 1920, the Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services was established in the central Queensland town of Winton. Today QANTAS, the Red Kangaroo, is the national carrier of Australia.
- During WWII, American military commander General Douglas McArthur established the South West Pacific Headquarters in Brisbane. Thousands of American troops were stationed in Queensland. In 1942, a brawl between US and Australian Servicemen which resulted in 1 death and hundreds of injuries, became known as The Battle of Brisbane.
- The end of WWII brought waves of migration from Europe and the end of the White Australia Policy in 1973 saw immigrants from Asia, Africa and the South Pacific make Queensland their home.
- Mining is the largest industry in Queensland, worth A$86.5 billion GVA. Health care and social assistance is the second largest industry, with over 450,000 people employed in the sector.[10]
- Queensland is one of the most popular tourist destinations, being home to globally significant natural wonders such as The Great Barrier Reef and Daintree Rainforest in the tropical north, the dinosaur trail across Central Queensland and resorts and theme parks on the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast.
Government of QueenslandGovernment of Queensland
Queensland Parliament is the only state parliament in Australia without an Upper House. This makes it a 'unicameral' parliament, meaning that it has just one House—the Legislative Assembly.[11]
Queensland LGAsQueensland LGAs
In 2001 the Constitution of Queensland 2001 was officially ratified. This constitution provides a set of rules for how Queensland is governed and sets out the role of the Governor in relation to the government. Queensland is divided into 93 electoral districts, represented by state parliamentarians. The Queensland State government is responsible for areas of public administration such as schools, hospitals and public transport. They also manage the State Library of Queensland and State Archives of Queensland. Local Government Areas (LGA's), also known as local councils, are responsible for issues that relate to a local area, sometimes referred to as the 3-Rs - Roads, Rubbish and Recreation. Councils are also responsible for local libraries.[12]
Demographics of QueenslandDemographics of Queensland
28% of people in Queensland were born overseas. The 2021 Census included a question on ancestral background. The top ancestral backgrounds in Queensland are:[1]
- English 38%
- Australian 33.4%
- Irish 11%
- Scottish 10.2%
- German 6%
In the 2021 census, the top five countries of birth of Queenslanders were:
- Australia 71.4%
- New Zealand 4.0%
- England 3.7%
- India 1.4%
- China 1.1%
10 most common surnames in Queensland10 most common surnames in Queensland
Researching family history in QueenslandResearching family history in Queensland
Records relevant to family history research can be found in collections at a national, state and local level. As a British colony, some very early records may also be found in The National Archives in the UK. The primary sources for genealogical records in QLD are Government agencies, archives and libraries. The Registry of Births Deaths and Marriages manages vital records and certificates. They have an index available to search for free online. Privacy restrictions apply to the index, with access to data for births over 100 years, marriages over 75 years and deaths over 30 years accessible. You will need to register and pay to order pdf copies of certificates.
The Queensland State Archives, hold records related to the government and government agencies, as well as other historically significant collections related to immigration, convicts & early settlers, and Australian South Sea Islanders, amongst others. Vast quantities of records on thousands of individuals subject to the 1897 Aboriginal Protection and Restriction of the Sale of Opium Act also exist and contain invaluable information about indigenous people in the Queensland. Documents include those related to forced removals, applications requesting exemptions from the ‘Protection’ Act, for permission to marry, employment and wages records, files about sickness, health and welfare. While the majority of these records have been transferred to the Queensland State Archives, access to them is managed by the Queensland Government’s Community and Personal Histories Team because the files often include information of a personal and sensitive nature. The National Archives of Australia has a Brisbane office.
Brisbane City Archives holds records pertaining to the development of the city and surrounds, including directories, municipal maps, and photographs. Their collection is also accessible via Trove. The State Library of Queensland holds collections relevant to family history including guides for tracing First Nations ancestry, e-resources and indexes and for tracing the history of buildings and homes. Trove, managed by the National Library of Australia, is an extraordinary free resource that aggregates content, including digitised newspapers, magazines, images, diaries and letters, and other material, dating from the establishment of the colony, from collections around Australia. Military Archives from around the country are predominantly held at the Australian War Memorial (AWM). The collection includes millions of items relating to individuals, units and conflicts, including digitised service records.
In regional areas and small country towns, local history and genealogical societies are a great source of local records. Many regional towns in NSW have a local history society, and/or a local library and museum. The Federation of Australian Historical Societies has a searchable index where you can find contact details for a society in a specific town or locality, or simply do a web search for the town name plus historical society. And of course, MyHeritageholds a large number of records for Queensland.
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See alsoSee also
Explore more about QueenslandExplore more about Queensland
- Queensland collection catalogue at MyHeritage
- Six Top Sites for Queensland Research webinar at Legacy Family Tree Webinars
- Interview: Jeanette Finlayson – Central Queensland Family History Association on the MyHeritage Blog
- Interview: Cynthia Edwards – Cairns and District Family History Society on the MyHeritage Blog
- Interview: Rozalyn Kuss, Caloundra Family History Research on the MyHeritage Blog
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Snapshot of Queensland. Australian Bureau of Statistics
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Ørsted-Jensen, Robert (2011). Frontier History Revisited – Queensland and the 'History War'. Cooparoo, Brisbane, Qld: Lux Mundi Publishing. ISBN 9781466386822
- ↑ Genocide in Australia. The Australian Museum
- ↑ Frontier wars. Queensland Government
- ↑ Aboriginal people in Queensland: a brief human rights history. Anti-Discrimination Commission Queensland
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 Creation of a state. Queensland Government
- ↑ European discovery and the colonisation of Australia
- ↑ Letters Patent erecting Colony of Queensland 6 June 1859 (UK). Museum of Australian Democracy
- ↑ Queensland Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages World War One commemorative death certificates
- ↑ About the Queensland Economy. Queensland Government
- ↑ System of government. Queensland Government
- ↑ The responsibilities of the three levels of government. Parliamentary Education Office, Commonwealth of Australia