Heritage Services

CityLibraries Heritage Services provides information about the region's heritage in a variety of ways. We are continuing to expand on the resources we provide on these pages.

• Sir Robert Philp Lecture Series
• Looking Back... Memories of Townsville project
• Heritage Services Lecture Series
• Heritage Information Sheets(available as downloadable PDFs)
• Publications
• The Former Thuringowa Collection
• Historical Image Collection  

Flinders Street Local History Room

Phone: (07) 4727 9667
Email historyandheritage@townsville.qld.gov.au
Monday to Friday: 9am to 5pm
Saturday and Sunday: Please ask staff at the Reference Desk for assistance.

Heritage Lecture Series

These lectures focus on the history of the former Thuringowa area.

• History of Ross River (1.48mB) Library Heritage Services Lecture Series Number 1, 10 April 2003 by Dr Peter Bell
• Twin Cities Two Moments of Destiny, (218kB), Library Heritage Services Lecture Series Number 2, 15 September 2004 by Professor Henry Reynolds
• The 'Doover', Jungle Training And Jungle Juice - The Military Services In Paluma During World War II, (893mB), Library Heritage Services Lecture Series Number 3, 15 September 2004 by Linda Venn

Heritage Information Sheets

1. Former Customs House (520kB)
2. Pioneer Park (119kB)
3. Aitkenvale Airfield (143kB)
4. Isabella Gertrude Fitzpatrick - first female member of Thuringowa Council (109kB)
5. Hervey Range Road (303kB)
6. Ross Plains Airfield (139kB)
7. Ross River Weirs (93kB)
8. The Changing Shape of Thuringowa - boundary changes 1879-2004 (89kB)
9. Thuringowa's Water Supply (72kB)
10. Joseph Hodel - Pioneer and Chairman of Thuringowa Council (122kB)
11. Chronological List of Chairmen and mayors 1879-2004 (98kB)
12. History of Thuringowa City Council (132kB)
13. Townsville Show (139kB)
14. Upper Ross Suburbs (118kB)
15. The Krait and "Z" Special Unit Force (214kB)
16. Vincent "Bushy" Parker (550kB)
17. Paluma and the mt Spec area during World War II (490kB)
18. The Gleesons and the Retreat Hotel (170kB)
19. The Range Hotel site (139kB)
20. Weir School (261kB)
21. Armidale to Rollingstone (174kB)
22. Paluma Road (271kB)
23. Alice Hotel (131kB)
24. John Charles von Steglitz (141kB)
25. Bluewater area (119kB)

Former Thuringowa Collection

The Thuringowa Collection relates to the history of the former Thuringowa, and consists of books, photographs, oral histories, maps, archival, and ephemeral material.

Items in the former Thuringowa Collection are not available for loan, but may be consulted in the Thuringowa Central branch. Due to their fragile nature, some material may only be used under the direct supervision of the Heritage Services Officer.

You may search for books and oral histories using the Library Catalogue.

Historical Image Collection

CityLibraries Heritage Services holds a large photographic collection documenting the history and growth of the former Thuringowa region. More than 1000 images are available to view online.

The images cover the period from the early 1900s to 1990. The collection portrays life, especially rural life, in the former Thuringowa region. Some early families such as the Kelsos and areas such as Paluma, Rollingstone, and the Upper Ross are well represented. There are also a range of images reflecting rural life and life in the region during World War II.

Search our online Historical Image Library

You may also like to search PictureAustralia which has more than one million images from other institutions throughout Australia.

To requests copies of images, and for information about reproduction prices and copyright please contact us. You will need to have the image number along with your contact details and how you intend to use the image. Charges for commercial image use may apply.

For more information, please contact CityLibraries.

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