Curiosities
The ‘Spanish Galleon’ Mystery
Off the Queensland coast in a swamp on Stradbroke Island, a Spanish galleon lies. That’s the romantic legend. It’s said that the truth is stranger than fiction, but sadly in this case it isn’t. However, there is a shipwreck, and there is a mystery around it. What do...
Dr William Bland
An Antipodean Atmotic Vessel A model of an airship appeared in the New South Wales section of the London Great Exhibition of 1862. Doctor William Bland designed the 'atmotic vessel' in 1851. Born in London in 1789, Doctor Bland, after qualifying in medicine, joined...
Transported
In 1770 Captain Cook explored the east coast of Australia and claimed it for Britain under the name ‘New South Wales’. In January, 1788 the first fleet of eleven ships, carrying 775 convicts arrived in Port Jackson and landed at…
In Search Of Joe Goosey
In 1837 Andrew Petrie, an architect, was appointed as the clerk of works to the convict colony of Brisbane. He brought with him his family and one of them, Tom, later had his recollections of Brisbane’s early days recorded by…
Flash Language
This is a brief list of terms and slang from the convict era. Most of these words are taken directly from James Hardy Vaux’s ‘A New and Comprehensive Vocabulary of the Flash Language’, published in 1819. Other words and…
All Curiosities
The ‘Spanish Galleon’ Mystery
Off the Queensland coast in a swamp on Stradbroke Island, a Spanish galleon lies. That’s the romantic legend. It’s said that the truth is stranger than fiction, but sadly in this case it isn’t. However, there is a shipwreck, and there is a mystery around it. What do...
Dr William Bland
An Antipodean Atmotic Vessel A model of an airship appeared in the New South Wales section of the London Great Exhibition of 1862. Doctor William Bland designed the 'atmotic vessel' in 1851. Born in London in 1789, Doctor Bland, after qualifying in medicine, joined...
Transported
In 1770 Captain Cook explored the east coast of Australia and claimed it for Britain under the name ‘New South Wales’. In January, 1788 the first fleet of eleven ships, carrying 775 convicts arrived in Port Jackson and landed at…