Monthly Meetings
All monthly meetings are held at the Wynnum Ambulance Museum Auditorium, Cnr Tingal Road & Cedar Street, Wynnum (entry is via Cedar Street) on the third Thursday evening of each month (except January and December). Meetings commence at 7.00pm and conclude around 9pm with tea and coffee. Interesting speakers attend each meeting and there is a raffle and a door prize on offer as well as our bring and buy table. The meetings are open to members and visitors. Cost of attendance is a gold coin donation. Visitors are always welcome.
February 15 Father Michael Twigg talked about his experiences in Wynnum. Fr. Michael has been the Rector and Principal at Iona College for the past nine years. He is a local man, being born in Hemmant and attending Iona College as a boy. He has been a strong supporter of the Wynnum Manly Historical Society. He was also a strong defender of the name Lindum and attempts to get the suburb recognised. Another point he made was that Sibley Road should be "Sibley's Road". Fr Twigg mentioned the efforts Iona has made to help other schools in the area including the special school at Darling Point while construction is in progress.
March 21 Michael Beard talked about the history of his house. How the land had been subdivided, and who the previous owners were.
April 18 Chris Seymour talked about the intrepid botanical painter Marianne North who traversed the world in the late 19th century, painting the local flora and sometimes the fauna and scenery. In 1880 she came to Brisbane and stayed at Government House, painting among other things the Brisbane Botanic Gardens. She travelled by ship, train, Cobb and Co Carriages and private means. In Queensland she visited Dalby, Toowoomba, Stanthorpe and the Bunya Mountains before moving on to NSW and Victoria. In six months in Australia she completed 80 oil paintings, in vivid colours. Chris is a retired Mining Engineer with an interest in art. He is State secretary of the Royal Queensland Art Society.
May 16 Russell Turner will talk about the Queensport Aquarium. It opened on 7th August 1889 and is considered Queensland's
first theme park. The marine life ranged from seals to sharks, and there were tigers, a panther, a cheetah, bears, monkeys, and a collection of birds. Other attractions included a switchback railway, a skating rink, picnic grounds and a hall for concerts. During its short life the park suffered several disasters, including floods and a storm in 1893 which resulted in the switchback falling in the river, but it was the depression of the 1890s that killed off the park which closed in 1901.
June 20th Ed Harwood will talk about the establishment of the port of Brisbane. Ed has been at the Port of Brisbane for nearly 10 years and is currently the Community Relations Manager.
July 18 Elaine Carroll will talk about the Wynnum Bowls Club, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary.
August 15 Rick Holder will talk about the Coast Guard, which is celebrating a 50th anniversary.
September 19th Greg Hallam will talk about railways on the South Side. For the past 23 years Greg has been the official historian at Queensland Rail. He says "Since 2000 my primary activity and focus within QR has been the promotion of our heritage to employees and the public by providing displays, exhibition, and education at various special events and promotions throughout the state." Previous to that Greg was the Heritage Registrar at Queensland's Department of the Environment.
October 17th Jual Butler - the "Dirt Fisherman". Jual will talk about his experiences with a metal detector and some of the things he has found.
