James Wieneke collections
By Marg Powell, Specialist Library Technician, Metadata | 6 January 2026
Bungunyah Annie, and her partner Jimmy Anderson 'aka King James of the Cooper'. Both sketches by James Wieneke, were completed while visiting Barconia Station and purchased by The Queenslander Pictorial. The works were featured on the front covers in October 1934 [Annie] and May 1934 [Jimmy]
Refer to these articles by James Wieneke for provenance of illustrations
Original material collections - James Wieneke
The collections showcased here contain material relating to artist, illustrator, cartoonist and gallery director James Wieneke and his wife Anthea, who featured prominently in the Queensland art world for many decades.
Albums | Art Works | Correspondence | Family History | Photographs | Publications | Scrapbooks
James 'Jim' Wieneke was born in Bundaberg to William 'Fred' Wieneke and Mary Calder. His father - one of eleven children - was a saddler who worked with his brothers John and George, before becoming a hotelier, managing the Excelsior Hotel in Walumbilla. Sadly, his father died of pneumonia in 1922, age 43 leaving his wife and four children. James studied art at Central Technical College, Brisbane under [Frederick James] Martyn Roberts from 1930-1932, winning the Godfrey Rivers prize in his year, and in 1933 he visited Western Queensland where he spent time painting and sketching with many of his works reproduced in newspapers between 1933-1934.
Station Life Works of Art
Like many artists of the period, he travelled through remote and rural regions in search of commissions and inspiration, recording everyday life on the land and the people he encountered.
His illustrations were widely published in newspapers and magazines, and he also wrote about his subjects, with articles appearing in The Queenslander. Wieneke’s work is now held in major Australian collections, including the State Library of Queensland, the Queensland Art Gallery, National Gallery of Australia and the Australian War Memorial.
At left: Illustrated front cover from The Queenslander Pictorial, 25 February 1937 by James Wieneke. [full view]
During the 1930s-1940s James Wieneke illustrated books and newspapers, designed bookplates and painted signs. He was a member of the Half Dozen Group of Artists, Royal Queensland Art Society, Brisbane Art Group and the Marburg Group.
Illustrated front covers of The Queenslander Pictorial
The War Years, 1939-1945
Between 1942 and 1946 James Wieneke served with Royal Australian Engineers, 28 Australian Camouflage Unit (Torres Strait Force) in North Queensland and Thursday Island.
Several other notable Australian artists were engaged with camouflage units during the Second World War, including: Arthur Boyd, William Bustard, R Emerson Curtis, Max Dupain, William Dobel, Frank Hinder, and Charles Lancaster.
From his experiences he published: "6th Div. sketches : Aitape to Wewak" [written and illustrated by James Wieneke]
In the late 1940s James Wieneke taught at a number of Brisbane secondary schools and in 1949-50 was art critic for the Brisbane Telegraph newspaper. He also completed a commission for a mural of the 'Resurrection' within St Joseph's Catholic Church, Kangaroo Point, Brisbane.
Moreton Galleries and Queensland Art Gallery
In 1950 James Wieneke purchased the Moreton Galleries and was their director until 1967 when he was appointed director of the Queensland Art Gallery, a position he retained until 1974. In 1981 he was awarded the Queensland Art Gallery Trustees' Gold Medal in recognition of his services to art in Queensland.
Collections, James Wieneke
- M819, James Wieneke papers [1 letter, 2 pages ephemera]
- 3394, James Wieneke, Station Life works of art [194 drawings]
- 4098, James Wieneke papers and works of art [6 boxes: drawings, sketches, and watercolours ; includes original artwork for the publication "Sixth Division Sketches", original correspondence, art books and Christmas cards]
- 4662, Moreton Galleries albums [10 albums]
- 7609, James Wieneke collection of photographs [large collection of copy prints]
- 29356, James Wieneke, Brisbane Exhibition work of art [1 watercolour, RNA 1937]
- 30350, James Wieneke, Executive Building Queen's Park work of art [1 pencil sketch]
- 30744, James Wieneke clippings collection [1 box, 151 clippings]
- 34776, James and Anthea Wieneke papers [photographs, albums, art works, family papers and correspondence relating to James and Anthea Wieneke and associated extended family members]
Collections, Anthea Wieneke
- M652, Anthea Wieneke papers [1 scrapbook, 1 autograph book]
- M893, Anthea Wieneke records [1 folder papers]
- 32287, Anthea Wieneke correspondence [7 letters, 1 xmas card, 2 photographs]
Publications
- 6th Div. sketches : Aitape to Wewak, written and illustrated by James Wieneke
- Green mountains and Cullenbenbong / by Bernard O'Reilly ; decorations by James Weineke
- Where strange paths go down / by A. M. Duncan-Kemp, with illustrations by James Wieneke, 1952
- Myths of the Munkan / Ursula McConnel, with illustrations by James Wieneke & Madge Hodges, 1957
- Where strange gods call / A. M. Duncan-Kemp, with illustrations by James Wieneke, 1968
Articles relating to James Wieneke's illustrations in The Queenslander
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