Multicultural Queensland - History in Pictures

August 22-30 is Queensland Multicultural Week, the state’s largest celebration of multiculturalism. It's the perfect time to delve in SLQ's historical collections of photographs, diaries, letters and more and explore Queensland's diverse cultural landscape.  Below is a small sample from our digitised photograph collection. You can discover further images, as well as other collections via our One Search catalogue.  You can also peruse our theme based sets on Flickr.

Chinese gold digger starting for work ca. 1860s. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Neg 60526

Australian South Sea Islanders 1880s. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Neg 158127

Joss House Breakfast Creek 1886. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Neg 10124

Entrance to the Cairns Joss House, 1896. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Image APO-025-0001-0015

Afghans riding camels near Cunnamulla ca. 1900. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Neg 36390

Brisbane Synagogue ca. 1906. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Neg 145942

Members of the Chinese Nationalist League in Cairns ca. early 1900s. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Neg 85295

National Danish costume ca. 1907. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Neg 116572

Irish float at Mount Morgan ca. 1912. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Neg 13788

Social gathering at the German Club, Brisbane ca. 1913. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Neg 54068

Italian sugar cane cutters Innisfail District Queensland 1923. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Neg 67809

Congregation of St George's Greek Orthodox Church in Charlotte Street, Brisbane in 1929. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Neg 50670

Two Russian immigrants disembarking from a ship at Brisbane in 1931. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Neg 10106

Founding parishioners of the Russian Orthodox Church of Saint Nicholas Woolloongabba, Brisbane 1937. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Neg 62026

In Polish national costume, Misses Jeanette and Kitty Kowalczyk at the plain and fancy dress ball held for the Polish Red Cross and War Relief Appeal in the City Hall, Brisbane, 1940. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Neg 34282

Children of the Brisbane Greek school in traditional Evzone costume ca. 1943. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Neg 62475

Muslims at prayer, Brisbane ca. 1952. John Oxley Library. State Library of Queensland. Neg 34379

Representatives of the Chinese Club of Queensland in the Warana Festival parade, ca.1970. (Image in copyright). John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Image 7558-0001-0032

Polish community in national costume at the Warana Festival Brisbane, ca.1970. (Image in copyright). John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Neg 7558-0001-0027

Ms Ly Ho preparing lunch at the Phat Da Temple, Darra, 2005. (Image in copyright). John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Image 6317-0001-0196

Glimpses of the interior of the Taoist Temple, Deagon, 2007. Collection reference: 7718 Anthony Anderton photographs of the Water and Faith communities in Brisbane. (Image in copyright). John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Image 7718-0001-0014

Dancers performing at the Laura Aboriginal Dance Festival 2009. (Image in copyright). John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Image 10183-0001-0001