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state library of queensland
Sir Illuminated Album of water colours presented to His Excellency Lieutenant-General Sir John Goodwin

Treasures

Explore the State Library's unique treasures and collections representing different aspects of Queensland's social history and contemporary stories.

artwork dipicting early Charters Towers, Brown earth, white buildings, blue cloudy sky.
Music score cover featuring a man in an aviators hat with a bi-place sketched in the background in a cloud
The Queenslander newspaper cover from 1928, feauring a CWA illustration
small globe next to its case and a magnifiying glass
Stylised illustration of proposed servants home building in brisbane city, 1860s
State Cannery Jam Label feautring red, orange and blue background with an assortment of fruit
two indigenous people face the photographer in a land rights poster, 1963
18 carat gold swag necklace with five openwork carved gold hinged pendants
artwork dipicting early Charters Towers, Brown earth, white buildings, blue cloudy sky.
Music score cover featuring a man in an aviators hat with a bi-place sketched in the background in a cloud
The Queenslander newspaper cover from 1928, feauring a CWA illustration
small globe next to its case and a magnifiying glass
Stylised illustration of proposed servants home building in brisbane city, 1860s
State Cannery Jam Label feautring red, orange and blue background with an assortment of fruit
two indigenous people face the photographer in a land rights poster, 1963
18 carat gold swag necklace with five openwork carved gold hinged pendants
artwork dipicting early Charters Towers, Brown earth, white buildings, blue cloudy sky.
Music score cover featuring a man in an aviators hat with a bi-place sketched in the background in a cloud
The Queenslander newspaper cover from 1928, feauring a CWA illustration
small globe next to its case and a magnifiying glass
Stylised illustration of proposed servants home building in brisbane city, 1860s
State Cannery Jam Label feautring red, orange and blue background with an assortment of fruit
two indigenous people face the photographer in a land rights poster, 1963
18 carat gold swag necklace with five openwork carved gold hinged pendants

Norman Tindale Genealogical Collection 1928-1960

The Tindale Genealogical Collection is a significant Aboriginal family history resource. State Library of Queensland began indexing the Norman Tindale Queensland genealogies in the late 1980s so that Aboriginal people could access their family lineage and connections to community who were forced to live on government missions. The Tindale Genealogical Collection has supported Native Title claims and assists Aboriginal people to trace traditional clan names, family connections, and traditional knowledge that has been lost. The Norman Barnett Tindale Collection held at the South Australian Museum is recognised as part of the UNESCO Memory of the World Australian Register.
Annie Sibley, Palm Island, 7 November 1938, Tindale Genealogical Collection

Real Estate map collection of the John Oxley Library

State Library of Queensland holds a unique and sometimes colourful collection of original estate maps and plans created by various real estate firms between the 1850s to the mid-1900s. The maps often showcase the various subdivisions by estate title, the number of blocks for sale and their proposed size, auctioneering details, and other interesting features in graphic detail. The maps are especially useful for investigating the history of urban settlement and development in South-East Queensland. Predominantly Brisbane based, several feature estate sales on the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast regions of Queensland.
estate map of the mt coolum estate

Ron and Ngaire Gale Photographic Collection

From 1980 to 1990, photographers Ron and Ngaire Gale travelled through Far North Queensland documenting the vast and diverse landscapes the region has to offer. Their drive and perfectionism led them to capture over 50,000 photos in half a decade, ranging from images of pristine island coastlines, rugged outback roads, and the harsh saltpans of the Gulf of Carpentaria. The Ron and Ngaire Gale collection features almost a thousand digitised images available to view on the Onesearch online catalogue.
Aerial photographs of a light blue inlet on Whitsunday Island
Coloured estate map of Caloundra Bullock Estate, featuring a light house and the Bribie Island Passage

Discover more treasures

Read about the collections from the John Oxley Library on our blog.

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