AustLit

'The Australian Journal (1865–1957) is wellknown to students of Australian literature as a publisher of Australian fiction, including the first version of Marcus Clarke’s celebrated convict novel, For the term of his natural life.  Apart from the decades surrounding the turn of the twentieth century when it relied heavily on syndicated fiction from overseas, The Australian Journal was consistently a significant publisher of Australian fiction, issuing several thousand stories by some hundreds of Australian writers. Histories of magazines acknowledge the preeminence of the magazine in the 1870s, but then ignore or treat cursorily its next eighty years. However, not only did the journal survive for ninety years, but under the editorship of RG Campbell from 1926 to 1955 it fostered the careers of a range of freelance Australian writers, contributing to their incomes and allowing them to develop their craft.' (Introduction)

'For most of her married life, Ipswich writer and artist Helen Haenke lived in ‘Rockton’ – the historic Ipswich home of her husband’s family. It was indeed surrounded by a beautiful garden which often provided inspiration for her creative talents. This often-quoted line from Prophets and honour, one of her two published volumes of poetry, in some symbolic way encapsulates the life of this insufficiently recognised woman.' (Introduction)

'The centenary of the First World War has inspired many commemorative events and exhibitions across the country, not least in regional museums. As I researched an exhibition on the medical history of the war for the Springsure Hospital Museum, the story of one particular family stood out.' (Introduction)

'The trial and execution of an eleven-year-old Australian boy for espionage in World War Two doesn’t seem like the sort of story anyone could easily forget. As a nation, though, we have not only forgotten the story of Dickie Manson but have a broader blind spot when it comes to Australia’s shared history with Papua New Guinea. PNG’s history and culture remain what they have always been to most Australians: overlooked and often misunderstood.' (Publication abstract)

'Lilla Watson is rightly regarded as one of Queensland’s finest visual artists. Her ‘burnings’ on paper depict with insight and beauty our lives and landscape. In this short piece, I pay tribute to another of her great contributions – as a university researcher, tutor and lecturer in Aboriginal social welfare. It is timely to do so as the Fryer Library has acquired a collection of her papers (UQFL576) from this phase of her remarkable career.' (Introduction)

'The graduates in Architecture from The University of Queensland in 1954 included some significant names including Blair Wilson, Cecil Hargraves and Steven Trotter, but it was Robin Gibson who, of that select group, had the most celebrated career, particularly with high profile public buildings. He was first chosen by Zelman Cowan, then ViceChancellor of The University of Queensland, to design Mayne Hall at the St Lucia campus and other UQ projects were to follow. In 1973, Gibson won the competition to design the Queensland Art Gallery and that grew into his design for the whole Cultural Centre, which spanned the next fifteen years in four stages, until 1988 and beyond. In 1989, he was awarded the Royal Australian Institute of Architects’ Gold Medal. He also received honorary doctorates from both UQ and Griffith Universities.' (Introduction)

'In Carlos Ruiz Zafón’s novel of 2001, The shadow of the wind,  there is a secret library called the ‘Cemetery of Forgotten Books’. Zafón describes it as ‘the greatest, most fantastic library you could ever imagine. It’s a labyrinth of books with tunnels, bridges, arches, secret sections – and it’s hidden inside an old palace in the old city of Barcelona.’ (Introduction)

'The Fryer Library added the remarkable Archdeacon Edward Leo Hayes Collection to its holdings fifty years ago in October 1967. Based in Oakey on the Darling Downs, Fr Hayes (1889-1967) had been collecting Australiana, including books and manuscripts, as well as assorted specimens and antiques, from the age of seven.' (Introduction)

'Errol Joseph O’Neill was born in 1945 in Brisbane, Queensland to Irish and Lebanese parents. As a young man, his deep political convictions meant he would dedicate himself to fighting injustice, discrimination and elitism. Never one to shy away from a challenge, he chose to do it with art.' (Introduction)

'This is a time to celebrate the life and achievements of Constance De Mestre Healy, known as Connie. She was born 93 years ago in Sydney on May 30, 1923 to Eric and Kate Lovegrove, and was the third of three sisters. Her older sisters were Florence and Patricia, known as Pat. The three sisters were to support the cause of organised labour and socialism all of their lives. I should add that this commitment was not without its costs, but they remained steadfast and passed on their socialist ideals to their children.' (Introduction)

'The history community is saddened to learn of the passing of Dr Lorna McDonald OAM on 25 June 2017. Born in Portland, Victoria in 1916, Lorna moved to Rockhampton with her family in 1963. She studied externally via The University of Queensland, and in 1975 attained a Masters Degree for her thesis on land settlement in the Port Curtis and Leichhardt districts of Queensland. In 1985, Lorna was awarded a PhD for her thesis on the history of the cattle industry in Central Queensland. The same year, she became a member of the Royal Historical Society of Queensland, an organisation she would have a long and productive relationship with, publishing papers in the Queensland History Journal and speaking at conferences and seminars organised by the Society.' (Introduction)