A History of Queensland
A land of stark contradictions and dramatic transformations, Queensland is a state whose history stretches far beyond its popular image as a sun-drenched tourist paradise. This comprehensive narrative begins over 60,000 years ago, exploring the sophisticated societies of the First Nations peoples who served as the original custodians of the land. It traces the transition from an ancient cultural landscape to a brutal European outpost, beginning with the 1824 establishment of the Moreton Bay Penal Settlement-a place of exile designed to "restore terror" to the British convict system.
As the penal colony gave way to free settlement, the book details the relentless northward push of the "squattocracy" and the subsequent frontier wars that shaped the state's foundation. The 1859 separation from New South Wales birthed a fledgling colony that was frequently on the brink of bankruptcy until saved by the providential discovery of gold. This era of expansion also saw the rise of the tropical sugar industry, built on the controversial and often dark practice of "blackbirding" South Sea Islander labourers, a chapter that left an enduring mark on the state's demographic and social fabric.
The narrative dives deep into the political turbulence that defined Queensland's character, from the birth of the Australian Labor Party under the "Tree of Knowledge" following the bitter shearers' strikes of the 1890s, to the state's hesitant entry into the Australian Federation. It explores Queensland's pivotal role as the frontline state during World War II, when over a million American service personnel transformed local life, and the post-war industrial boom that accelerated urbanisation and the growth of the Gold Coast.
Central to the modern history is the long and controversial premiership of Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen, an era marked by aggressive development, the suppression of civil liberties, and systemic corruption eventually unmasked by the landmark Fitzgerald Inquiry. The book captures the "coming of age" moment of Expo '88, which reinvented Brisbane as a cosmopolitan hub, alongside the environmental awakening that led to the protection of the Great Barrier Reef and the Wet Tropics rainforests.
The final chapters examine the challenges of the 21st century, including the massive coal and gas mining booms, the landmark Mabo decision on Native Title, and the state's resilience in the face of devastating natural disasters. It concludes by looking toward the future, weighing the opportunities of the "Smart State" and the transition to renewable energy against the persistent regional divides and environmental pressures of a globalised world. This is the definitive story of how a remote penal colony evolved into a dynamic, diverse, and often paradoxical modern state.
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