#OutbackQueensland communities – featuring Boulia,...

2019 is Queensland’s Year of Outback Tourism and across the State visitors and travelers are flocking to events and different locations to experience outback Queensland. In response to the State Government’s initiative, State Library of Queensland is joining in the spirit, shining a spotlight on collections showcasing outback places and communities across Queensland.

Three men sitting on horseback in front of a windmill and corrugated iron water tank in the Cloncurry District. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Neg 163781

In the mid-80s staff from the John Oxley Library traveled to different centres in regional Queensland inviting donors to come forward and assist State Library with increasing regional Queensland’s representation in the collections.

This resulted in materials being donated to State Library and thousands of original photographs copied for the collection featuring a broader representation of the experiences of living in Queensland.

Today’s collection offered to the State Library in this way is a set of photographs belonging to Mr K. Haley (location unknown) which were copied in 1989 and added to the copy print collection – b/w photographs accessed by historians, researchers and visitors to the John Oxley Library. 47 of Mr Haley’s photographs are digitised under Accession number 89-8-3. You are invited to browse them online, download, share and add tags to them for enhanced searching.

Waiting at the finish line for a children’s goat race in Hughenden, ca. 1910. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Neg 163882

Another collection featuring parts of outback Queensland is 30793 Reverend R. W. Morton coloured slides, captured during the 1950s, the images evoke a feeling of open spaces, especially those images taken in the Boulia district. A small number are digitised.

General store at Boulia, Queensland 1954, 30793 John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland A road train travelling along the Boulia Rd, Queensland, 1954 30793 John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland

We invite you to browse all of the images and if you find any favourites among them log in to State Library’s catalogue One Search and add tags to help with searching for content, including the qld160 tag in honour of Queensland becoming a State in 1859 – 160 years ago this year! #yearofoutbacktourism

Anne Scheu | Collections Engagement | State Library of Queensland