The first horses appeared in what would later become Brisbane with the establishment of the Moreton Bay convict settlement in 1824. The number of horses grew rapidly along with the population after the Queensland Government sponsored immigration of the 1860s, passing 3,000 by 1870 and 13,000 by 1890. In this post I look at how horses were an integral part of life in Brisbane.
Life
Dishonourable Real Estate Practices of the 1880s
In 1895, John David Hennessey published his first novel "The Dis-Honourable". In it he describes the tricks of real estate sales in 1880s Brisbane. In this post, I look for evidence of these tricks being used.
Life with Brisbane’s Trams
It's hard to over estimate the importance of the tram system to Brisbane's daily life over many decades. In 1930, for example, trams were carrying around 200,000 passengers a day, with the city's population at around 318,000. In this post I'll look at how trams were a part of our everyday life.
Kurilpa – Water, Water, Everywhere
Early residents of South Brisbane faced a shortage of water and at the same time there were problems with stagnant foul water courses and swamps.
The Battle of Highgate Hill
In the late 1870s, fears of a Russian invasion led to increased spending on defence. On a hot February afternoon in 1879, volunteers were running all over Highgate Hill firing at each other and letting off their cannons in a military exercise. A crowd gathered to watch the spectacle.
Brisbane Prepares for Air Raids
In 1941, fears of aerial attacks led to the instigation of black-out exercises in Brisbane. The first casualty was in Highgate Hill and inflicted by a dog! In 1942, householders were being urged to construct back yard air raid shelters.
From Telegraph To Telephone
Nowadays the internet and mobile phones are our preferred technologies for telecommunication. However the introduction of the automatic telephone to Brisbane in the last century was a great leap forward at the time.
Children on the Loose
How much society norms regarding the rearing of children have changed is brought home by these stories from not that long ago.
Roosters in the High Court of Australia,
In a classic case of how disputes between neighbours can escalate, in 1930 a problem with crowing roosters ended up in the High Court of Australia.
The Yodelling Milk Money Thief and Other Scoundrels
Over the years descriptions of a number of unusual Highgate Hill thefts have appeared in newspapers including a yodelling milk money thief and an audacious gas meter thief.
Highgate Hill and Its History 