Amplify: Transcribe the voices of Queensland

The Bloomfield River Oral History Project contains 39 interviews conducted by Camilla Darling with local Kuku Yalangi elders and non-Aboriginal settlers in the Bloomfield River area. The interviews reveal the way of life of the interviewees and their families, and speak to the interactions and relations between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal settlers on the Bloomfield in a period prior to, and during missionary involvement. Some stories capture the knowledge, skills and beliefs of elders which have through time been eroded along with the change of lifestyle brought by the influence of European people. Other stories reflect on the tin mining and timber getting industries which were the two major industries on the Bloomfield, but have long since ceased. These oral histories amount to a powerful collection of memories of a community that spans from the time of James Cook. Digitised photographs and a digitised hand drawn map of the Bloomfield River region are included with the oral histories. View the collection record in One Search. Image Attribution: Billy Burchill (interviewee), OH 55 Bloomfield River Oral History 1995, John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland

The Battle of the Coral Sea was a series of naval engagements off the north-east coast of Australia between 4 and 8 May 1942. It was fought by Allies (United States and Australian) and Japanese aircraft against four different major groups of warships. The battle was significant for two main reasons: it was the first time in World War II that the Japanese experienced failure in a major operation; and the battle stopped the Japanese sea-borne invasion of Port Moresby. The 13 oral history interviews were recorded during the 50th Anniversary celebrations commemorating the Battle of the Coral Sea. Several veterans who had served in Townsville during World War II and who had returned for the celebrations were interviewed about their war time recollections of Townsville. View the collection record in One Search. Image Attribution: Fleet Admiral William T. Halsey and Commander W. J. Kitchell at the Coral Sea Service, American Memorial, in Newstead Park, Brisbane, 1954, John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland

The Royal Brisbane Hospital Graduate Nurses' Association was first formed in 1979 and became an incorporated organisation in 1986. Two objectives of the Association are to promote the study of the history of nursing and of the history of nursing at Royal Brisbane Hospital, and to establish and support a Museum of the History of Nursing. The four oral history interviews are with past nurses who were members of the Royal Brisbane Hospital Graduate Nurses’ Association. View the collection record in One Search. Image Attribution: Group of nurses sitting on steps at the Royal Brisbane Hospital John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland.

Somerville House began in October 1899 when Miss E.A. Fewings opened the Brisbane High School for Girls with 31 students and a staff of 5. In 1918, ownership of the school was transferred to the Presbyterian and Methodist Schools Association. In 1919, the school council bought Cumbooquepa and the school transferred to the new premises. In that year, the school adopted the name 'Somerville House' in honour of Mary Somerville, a 19th century Scottish mathematician and scientist who made a great contribution to the intellectual advancement of women. The Somerville House Centenary Oral History collection features forty-six interviews that were recorded as a series to mark the centenary of the school in 1999. View the collection record via One Search. Image Attribution: Sketch of Somerville House by artist James Wieneke, ca. 1934, John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland

The Australian Fishing Industry Oral History collection contains twenty-two interviews of the Australian fishing industry. The interviews were conducted by Jack Darcey and interviewees discuss fishing techniques, concerns for the ecosystem and the hardships endure by fisherman. While the tapes form part of a larger Australian wide study, State Library only holds tapes relevant to Queensland’s fishing industry. View the collection in One Search. Image Attribution: Fleet of prawn trawlers in the broadwater on the Gold Coast, Undated 7032 Kahlert collection of colour slides 1970-1990, John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland