Unlocking Queensland's Queer history, one object at a time

This blog was written by 2026 Rainbow Research Fellow,  Monika O'Hanlon, as part of her research on the project: Out of the Archives.

Every archive box begins with a mystery. Sometimes it's a photograph. Sometimes it's a typewritten legal letter that appears entirely unremarkable. Sometimes it's a campaign T-shirt with four words printed across the front: "Vote 1 Tamara Tonite". 

On its own, it doesn't tell you very much. Who is Tamara Tonite? What was the story behind this campaign? Why has this T-shirt been carefully preserved inside State Library of Queensland? And perhaps the biggest question of all... Why does it matter? 

As a research fellow, these are the moments I love most. 

One question turns into another, and before I know it, I've spent hours chasing a story I didn't even realise existed that morning. I am a journalist and the creator of The StickyBeak podcast, and I've spent years following those moments of curiosity and seeing where they lead. The stories that stay with me are usually the ones that start small. A question. An object. A passing comment. Something that seems ordinary until you start looking closer. That's exactly what drew me to the 2026 Rainbow Research Fellowship. 

Through my research fellowship podcast, "Out of the Archives", I’m exploring Queensland’s LGBTQIA+ history one object at a time. Every episode begins with a single artefact from the John Oxley Library collection. A photograph. A poster. A costume. A letter.  

The object is where the story begins.

But the real story lies with the people connected to it. Pull one thread and before long you're meeting the people behind these objects, discovering the movements they helped shape and uncovering moments in Queensland's history that, in many cases, have almost slipped from public memory. I've lost count of the number of times I've picked up what looked like an ordinary object, only to discover an extraordinary story behind it. 

A poster introduced me to the people who helped build Brisbane Pride. An AIDS awareness badge opened a conversation about fear, resilience and the communities who cared for one another when many others turned away. A lawyer's letter offered a glimpse into what it meant to live under laws that criminalised homosexuality. And a campaign T-shirt sent me down an unexpected path exploring drag, community advocacy, gender diversity and the people who challenged ideas about who deserved to be seen. 

I've found myself opening archive box after archive box with the same feeling: What am I about to discover? The more time I spend in the archives, the more I realise these collections aren't simply preserving objects. They're preserving people: their courage, humour, and heartbreak. Their determination to create spaces where others could simply exist as themselves. 

But the archives can only tell part of the story. The rest lives with the people who were there. 

One of the greatest privileges of this fellowship has been making connections with the people whose lives intersect with these collections. Over the past few months I've had countless conversations, conducted pre-interviews and been generously introduced to people whose stories I hope to include in the series. Every person I've spoken to has pointed me towards another story, another memory or another person to meet. One conversation has a habit of turning into 5, and every lead seems to open another door. 

I hope Out of the Archives becomes a series that helps more people discover these stories, just as I have — one object, one conversation and one unexpected rabbit hole at a time. 

The journey is only just beginning, and I can't wait to see where the next question leads. 

Monika O'Hanlon, 2026 Rainbow Research Fellow

Read more blogs about Queensland's LGBTIQA+ history from previous Rainbow Research Fellows.

The Rainbow Research Fellowship is proudly supported by Lyn Valentine through the Queensland Library Foundation.