Royal Historical Society of Queensland

Welcome to The Royal Historical Society of Queensland.

Founded in 1913 as a cultural organisation which exists for the benefit of its members and the community, the objects of the Society are to:

Promote interest in and advance the study of Queensland history,
Broaden opportunities for the practice and writing of history,
Preserve documents and manuscripts relating to Queensland history, and
Preserve and display artefacts illustrating Queensland colonial history.
Study the history of the Commonwealth of Australia and the adjacent islands of the Pacific

The Society’s headquarters, the Commissariat Store situated in Brisbane's CBD shares with the Windmill on Wickham Terrace the distinction of being the oldest buildings in Brisbane. The Commissariat Store was erected by convict labour during Captain Logan's term as Commandant of the Moreton Bay Penal Colony. The Store was completed in 1829.

A huge effort on the part of the Queensland Government has resulted in great progress being made to get the Commissariat site operational again.

The government kindly offered the Society accommodation in The Mansions, the office and a small museum operated on the second floor from Tuesday 8 March to Friday 1 July 2011. To read a more about this historic, heritage building, click on The Mansions

Some new web pages have been added to the Links web page. One is for an exciting new Brisbane web page with the historic features of more than 2100 heritage-listed homes and buildings in Brisbane can now be accessed through a new online heritage register database. The online register can give quick details of Brisbane's earliest car showrooms, some of its earliest farms and the homes of some of its most-established families. Visit http://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/heritage to find out more.

Two other interesting web pages added to the links web page are:-

Queensland World War II historic places and Queensland War Memorial Register

The Store is home to the Society's extensive Welsby Library, museum collection, and cultural activities and under normal circumstances the Society appreciates the opportunity to show the building, convict and other displays to members, visitors, school children, and tourists.

The Council is excited about the new brochure promoting the Society. What do you think?

Membership is open to the public and application forms are available from the website.
Check our website for coming activities.

The recent @ HOME was on Sunday 27 November 2011, the venue was Store and over 100 people attended.

Christmas / New Year Hours:
The Society's headquarters and Museum will be closed from 24 December 2011 to 09 January 2012.
We will resume regular opening hours on Tuesday 10 January 2012.

Hours:
Museum open 10 am to 4 pm Tuesdays to Friday
Welsby Library open Thursday 9.30 am to 3.30 pm

Society’s headquarters and Museum address:
115 William Street, Brisbane
ph (07) 3221 4198
fax (07) 3221 4698

Postal address:
PO Box 12057, Brisbane George Street 4003

Email address:
info@queenslandhistory.org.au

The Commissariat Store building in William Street,
Brisbane, (picture) is a reminder of Queensland's days
as a convict settlement.