History

[r.magnay]

I often wonder why it is called 'Queens' land, any tie up with Priscilla...'Queen' of the desert?....

[Bob Pacey]

Oh that is Sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo old Ross.


Bob

[Heather]

Apparently not Ross

[r.magnay]

I lived in SA when Don Dunstan made ....you know..."alternative partnerships" legal...possibly for his own benefit.. when people found out I lived in SA they asked, 'Have they made homosexuality compulsory there yet?' at least I could answer 'No'.....I am still waiting for an answer to my question from you Bob.....

[Bob Pacey]

Just For Ross.



How, did Queensland get its name?

Well 'it all began with the struggle for independence from
NSW in the 1850's. The people in the Moreton Bay District believed that their voices weren't being heard in the corridors of power in Sydney.

Why you may ask

Geography geography, geography, Sydney was just too far away. The opposition from Sydney to this talk of independence was virulent, having lost Victoria they weren't going to give up the northern districts.

As the agitation for independence continued Sydney hit upon an idea that they thought would solve the problem. Let the Queen decide. Sydney was convinced that the last thing the imperial government in London would want is another colony. They reasoned it would cost too much. But they hadn't reasoned on the size of Queen Victoria's ego.

What do I mean by that

Well she'd already given her name to the breakaway southern colony of Victoria She noted the ever-increasing demands for independence coming from Moreton Bay and knew that she would set the boundaries and give the new name to the colony. She reasoned that a new colony could be carved out of NSW and she called it Queensland.

On the 6th June 1859, Queen Victoria signed the paper creating the new colony of Queensland. Sydney had not reasoned well when it came to reading the mind of the great Queen. Or as Queensland's first governor, Governor Bowen put it ,
Queensland, the name selected for this new colony was entirely the happy thought and inspiration of Her Majesty herself.

Simple really

Bob

[Neville Briggs]

You reminded me Bob, The Hand That Signed The Paper. Great poem by Dylan Thomas.

Henry Lawson wrote a verse for Queen Victoria, not very flattering, and I doubt if she ever had a happy thought, look at the sour face on that statue in Queens Square in Sydney ' we are not amused " it says with a lemony scowl.

[r.magnay]

Thank you Bob, that clears that up!...

[Heather]

Queen Victoria was quite attractive as young lady Neville. And she had nine children so I'm guessing she smiled at some stage. A few months back I was at an art exhibition in Bendigo and saw a beautiful marble bush of Queen Victoria made by her daughter Louise - it was a beautiful piece of art I think you'd appreciate.

Heather

[Neville Briggs]

Fair enough Heather.

was quite attractive as young lady Neville.

At my age, all ladies are beautiful

[Heather]

Just an aside - Queen Victoria was the first woman (or one of?) to use chloroform during childbirth.

Find a picture of her when she came to the throne at 18 Neville and then tell me what you think.