Queensland Memory Awards 2012

The 2012 Queensland Memory Awards was held at the State Library of Queensland on Saturday 2 June.  These awards recognise the valuable contributions made to ensure that memories of Queensland, past and present, are preserved and celebrated.  During the ceremony the three awards were presented - John Oxley Library Fellowship, John Oxley Library Award and John Oxley Library Community History Award.

The recipient of the 2012 John Oxley Library Fellowship was Brisbane-based architect and historian Don Watson. 

Don's project is to compile of biographical dictionary of Queensland architects between 1900 and 1950.  His research will be a follow-up to his 1994 published work, Queensland Architects of the Nineteenth Century: A Biographical Dictionary. Don Watson is an adjunct professor in the Department of Architecture at the University of Queensland and an architect in the Queensland Government. Over the next year Don will be utilising the collections of the John Oxley Library for his research, including our manuscripts collections, photographs, directories and newspapers.

The recipient of the John Oxley Library Award were filmmakers Sean Gilligan and Adrian Strong for their documentary film Fantome Island.

The film tells the tale of Joe Eggmolesse who in 1945 was removed from his family and confined to an Indigenous leper colony. Joe was only 7 years old and spent the next 10 years on Fantome Island. This 85 minute documentary reveals a history unknown to most Queenslanders. The film's executive producer Mark Newman accepted the award on behalf of Sean and Adrian who are currently travelling through Europe.

http://youtu.be/1iiikVKxtXc

The final award of the afternoon, the John Oxley Library Community Award, was presented to Cardwell & District Historical Society. 

 The society’s museum building was badly damaged during Cyclone Yasi and was eventually demolished. This group showed great community spirit during the salvaging of their collections in the wake of Yasi. They also showed great commitment in recording the events of this devastating cyclone by collecting oral histories from the town’s inhabitants. The Cardwell & District Historical Society are committed to the rebuilding of their museum in time for Cardwell’s 150th anniversary in January 2014.

At the end of the ceremony Louise Denoon, Executive Manager of Queensland Memory, proudly highlighted the many achievements of Queensland Memory during 2011/12.

The John Oxley Library Fellowship and the John Oxley Library Community History Award are proudly supported by the Queensland Library Foundation.