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The Dave & Malou Channel, Brisbane (2026)

10/08/2026

Imagine standing at the Brisbane Exhibition Grounds in 1912 and suddenly seeing an aeroplane soaring above the Main Oval! 😲✈️

On Saturday, 6 July 1912, Brisbane witnessed its first aeroplane flight when American aviator Arthur Burr “Wizard” Stone brought his Bleriot monoplane to the Brisbane Exhibition Grounds.

And it wasn't exactly a small audience… around 8,000 spectators gathered around the Main Oval to witness this extraordinary event.

Powered aviation was still incredibly new. The Wright brothers had achieved their first successful powered flight just nine years earlier, in 1903.

Stone's flying machine was remarkable for its day. The Bleriot had a 28-foot (8.5 m) wingspan, was about 25 feet (7.6 m) long, and was fitted with a 50-horsepower, seven-cylinder engine. Spectators could even pay an extra shilling to inspect the aircraft before the flight!

Then, at around 4pm, the moment everyone had been waiting for…

𝐔𝐩 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐞𝐧𝐭! 🚀

Stone climbed to about 200 feet, then circled the Exhibition Grounds three times, gaining altitude with each circuit until he reached around 400 feet. After about ten minutes in the air, it was time to come back down.

𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭'𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠! 😬

Stone began his landing in a very steep descent. The aircraft struck the ground heavily, one of its four wheels came off, and the Bleriot somersaulted and crashed, smashing in half.

Remarkably, Stone survived the crash with only minor injuries and bruising.

Afterwards, Stone reportedly considered the Exhibition Oval unsuitable for flying, describing it as “practically a well” - difficult to rise from and even more hazardous to descend into.

But there's another fascinating connection to this story…

During Stone's 1912 Australian tour, he met a young Bert Hinkler in Hinkler's hometown of Bundaberg. Hinkler subsequently became Stone's mechanic, accompanying him on his tour through southern Australia and New Zealand and gaining valuable hands-on experience with the troublesome Bleriot.

That experience would prove incredibly valuable for the young Queenslander, who would go on to become one of Australia's greatest aviation pioneers.

So next time you're at the Brisbane Showgrounds, look across the Main Oval and imagine 8,000 Brisbanites in 1912, staring skyward as an aeroplane took to the Brisbane skies for the very first time! ✈️

From agricultural exhibitions and machinery to pioneering aviation, the Brisbane Showgrounds have witnessed some truly remarkable moments in Queensland history.

Images: With thanks to the John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland - Public Domain.

09/08/2026

🔧 Did you know one of the world's most important power tools traces its origins to an Australian invention?

When people think of Australian inventions, the Hills Hoist, the black box flight recorder or Wi-Fi often come to mind. But here's one that rarely gets the recognition it deserves.

On 20 August 1889, engineers Arthur James Arnot and William Blanch Brain, working in Melbourne, patented what is widely recognised as the world's first electric drill. Designed for drilling into rock in mines and coal shafts, it was a large industrial machine - very different from the portable drills we use today.

Before then, mining relied largely on manual methods or steam and compressed air-powered rock drills. Arnot and Brain's invention applied electric motor technology to rock drilling, marking an important milestone in the evolution of powered drilling equipment.

Their drill was built for heavy industrial use, not for workshops or home DIY projects. Just six years later, in 1895, German inventors Wilhelm Fein and Carl Fein developed the first portable electric hand drill, helping pave the way for the compact electric drills we know today.

Today, electric drills are used on construction sites, in workshops, in mines and in homes around the world. While the modern drill evolved through many innovations over the decades, its story can be traced back to an Australian invention patented in Melbourne more than 136 years ago.

It's another fascinating reminder that Australian ingenuity has made a lasting contribution to engineering and everyday life around the world.

What's the oldest electric drill you've ever owned or used? Let us know in the comments! 🔧🇦🇺

Arthur James Arnot photo & Electric drill diagram held by the Victoria Library - Public Domain.

08/08/2026

🪙 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐁𝐞 𝐒𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐧 𝐚 𝐒𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐞? 💰

Australia's 1930 Penny is one of the country's most famous and valuable coins. During the Great Depression, no official penny production was planned for 1930, yet somehow a small number were struck and released into circulation.

𝐓𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐢𝐭'𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝟏,𝟓𝟎𝟎 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐮𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐞𝐱𝐢𝐬𝐭.

So, what are they worth? That depends on their condition, but even well-worn coins have sold for tens of thousands of dollars, while exceptional examples have fetched hundreds of thousands. One of the incredibly rare proof versions even sold for over $1 million! 🤯

The amazing part? These coins weren't handed out as collector's items - they were spent in everyday shops, carried in pockets, and dropped into money tins just like any other penny.

So here's your mission... 🕵️‍♂️

✅ Check the back of your drawers.
✅ Search those old piggy banks.
✅ Have a look through Grandpa's coin collection.
✅ And while you're at it... check down the back of the couch - you never know what might be hiding there!

Just remember, many 1930 pennies have been altered or counterfeited over the years, so if you think you've found one, have it authenticated before celebrating too much.

💬 Have you ever found an old coin worth more than face value? Tell us your best coin-finding story in the comments!

𝐴 𝑛𝑜𝑡𝑒 𝑜𝑛 𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑣𝑖𝑠𝑢𝑎𝑙𝑠: 𝑇𝑜 ℎ𝑒𝑙𝑝 𝑏𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑠𝑡𝑜𝑟𝑦 𝑡𝑜 𝑙𝑖𝑓𝑒, 𝑤𝑒'𝑣𝑒 𝑢𝑠𝑒𝑑 𝑎𝑛 𝑎𝑟𝑡𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑐 𝑖𝑙𝑙𝑢𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛. 𝑊ℎ𝑖𝑙𝑒 𝑤𝑒'𝑣𝑒 𝑎𝑖𝑚𝑒𝑑 𝑓𝑜𝑟 ℎ𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑜𝑟𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙 𝑎𝑐𝑐𝑢𝑟𝑎𝑐𝑦, 𝑖𝑡 𝑚𝑎𝑦 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑎𝑖𝑛 𝑒𝑟𝑟𝑜𝑟𝑠 𝑜𝑟 𝑎𝑟𝑡𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑐 𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛. 𝐼𝑡 𝑖𝑠 𝑢𝑠𝑒𝑑 𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑒𝑙𝑦 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑒𝑑𝑢𝑐𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑙, 𝑛𝑜𝑛-𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑚𝑒𝑟𝑐𝑖𝑎𝑙 ℎ𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑜𝑟𝑦 𝑠𝑡𝑜𝑟𝑦𝑡𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑔.

07/08/2026

𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐞'𝐬 𝐒𝐦𝐮𝐠𝐠𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫... ⚓🌙

In the days gone by, when darkness fell over the Brisbane River, not everything coming ashore was quite as innocent as it looked. 👀⚓

Many ships arriving in Brisbane presented opportunities - not just for honest merchants, but also for those hoping to avoid paying customs duties on valuable imported goods.

Among the goods attracting significant customs duties were spirits, to***co, o***m and many imported luxury items. For some, the temptation to bring these ashore without declaring them was simply too great.

Based at Brisbane's impressive Customs House, officers were responsible for protecting the colony's revenue. They boarded newly arrived ships, examined cargo, checked manifests and monitored the busy wharves for undeclared or concealed goods.

𝐈𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐚 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐠𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐜𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞.

Newspapers of the day frequently reported seizures, prosecutions and fines involving merchants and ship crews who attempted to evade customs regulations. Some lost their cargo, while others found themselves before the courts explaining why their goods had not been declared.

The bustling waterfront around Petrie's Bight wasn't just Brisbane's gateway to the world - it was also the setting for repeated efforts by Customs officers to prevent smuggling and duty evasion.

Today, Customs House stands as one of Brisbane's most beautiful heritage buildings. But more than 130 years ago, it was the centre of customs enforcement, where officers worked to prevent smuggling and collect the duties that helped fund the colonial government.

Next time you walk past its magnificent copper dome overlooking the Brisbane River, imagine the ships tied up at the wharves, Customs officers boarding with inspection lists in hand, and smugglers hoping their valuable cargo would escape detection.

Have you visited Brisbane's Customs House? Or have you come across any stories about the city's bustling river trade? We'd love to hear them!

06/08/2026

🌾 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐈𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐋𝐞𝐭 𝐏𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐬 𝐉𝐮𝐦𝐩 𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐓𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐦𝐩𝐬!

Imagine trying to plough a paddock, only to hit a hidden tree stump every few metres. Before long, the plough was damaged, the horses had stopped, and your day's work was over.

For many South Australian farmers during the 1870s, this was a constant battle. Newly cleared land, particularly on the Yorke Peninsula, was often littered with stubborn mallee stumps buried just below the surface.

In 1876, brothers Richard Bowyer Smith and Clarence Herbert Smith devised a remarkably clever solution: the Stump-Jump Plough.

Rather than becoming jammed against buried stumps or rocks, each plough share was hinged and held in place by a spring. When it struck an obstacle, it would simply "jump" over it before dropping back into the soil, allowing the team of horses to keep moving instead of stopping every few metres.

The invention dramatically reduced the time, labour and expense of cultivating newly cleared land. It helped open vast areas of South Australia and other parts of Australia to more efficient farming, and the design attracted international attention, influencing later tillage equipment around the world.

More than 140 years later, the same engineering principle still lives on. Many modern cultivators and scarifiers use spring-loaded or flexible tines that ride over rocks and other obstacles before returning to their working position.

It's a wonderful reminder that some of Australia's greatest inventions weren't flashy or complicated, they simply solved a problem that thousands of people faced every single day.

💬 𝐇𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐚 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐦𝐩-𝐉𝐮𝐦𝐩 𝐏𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐮𝐦, 𝐚𝐭 𝐚 𝐟𝐢𝐞𝐥𝐝 𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐨𝐫 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐬 𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐧 𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐟𝐚𝐫𝐦 𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝? 𝐖𝐞'𝐝 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬!

A note on our visuals: To help bring this story to life, we've used an artistic illustration. While we've aimed for historical accuracy, it may contain errors or artistic interpretation. It is used solely for educational, non-commercial history storytelling.

05/08/2026

🔒 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐇𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐋𝐨𝐜𝐤𝐮𝐩 – 𝐚 𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚 𝐛𝐢𝐠 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲

Standing quietly today as part of the Lockyer Valley’s history, the Forest Hill Lockup is a wonderful reminder that sometimes the smallest buildings can hold the biggest stories.

It is believed this unique lockup began its journey in Clermont, Central Queensland, before making its way to Forest Hill in 1917 following the devastating floods of 1916. The floods caused widespread damage across Clermont, and as the community recovered, some buildings and infrastructure were relocated as part of the rebuilding and adaptation of the town.

Rather than being forgotten, this sturdy little building was carefully dismantled, transported by rail, and reassembled at Forest Hill, where it was ready for use in 1917. Local history suggests that Clermont later received a larger three-cell lockup to replace it.

For the next seven decades, this humble building served the Forest Hill community as a police lockup — a place where people were temporarily held before appearing in court, being transported elsewhere, or being released.

From the outside it may look like a simple timber building, but there is much more than meets the eye. Weighing approximately 17 tonnes, the lockup was built with a steel lining between the inner and outer timber walls, creating a secure structure designed to stand the test of time.

In 1987, when a new Forest Hill Police Station and Watch House were completed, the lockup’s working life came to an end. Thankfully, its story continued. The building was purchased by the Gatton and District Historical Society Inc. and preserved as an important part of the region’s heritage.

And like many old buildings, it has collected a few stories along the way. One local tale recalls a night when the tiny cell became so crowded after a local altercation that those who entered as enemies emerged the next morning as the best of mates — proving that even a lockup could bring people together!

Today, the Forest Hill Lockup stands as a link between two Queensland communities, a reminder of resilience after disaster, and a glimpse into the everyday lives of people who lived, worked and policed these rural towns more than a century ago.

Next time you visit the Gatton and District Historical Society, take a closer look at this remarkable little building. Behind its timber walls is a story of relocation, survival and community.

04/08/2026

🚗 From just 18 pioneering motorists meeting in Brisbane in 1905 to becoming one of Queensland's most trusted organisations, the history of RACQ is a remarkable journey of innovation, service, and advocacy.

Join us as we explore the fascinating story behind RACQ and discover how it helped shape motoring in Queensland.

A note on our visuals: To help tell this story, we’ve used computer‑generated illustrations modelled on public domain archives. These are produced strictly for educational, non‑commercial history sharing.

03/08/2026

Ever wondered how Queensland got its postcodes? 📮 They’re such a normal part of everyday life now - but they only arrived in the 1960s as part of a major national shift in how Australia handled mail.

Before postcodes, mail in Queensland was sorted by hand using town names, local knowledge, and written delivery routes. As Brisbane, regional centres, and rural settlements expanded rapidly after WWII, the system became slow and inefficient - especially with growing interstate mail volumes.

A major turning point came in the 1960s, when Australia modernised its postal system:

📍 1967 – Australia introduces the postcode system nationwide, and Queensland is fully included from day one. This replaced older, inconsistent sorting methods with a simple numeric system designed for faster mail processing.

Queensland’s postcodes were structured logically:

The first digit “4” was assigned to Queensland.

The remaining digits identified postal regions, mail sorting centres, and local delivery areas, helping Australia Post route mail efficiently. Major metropolitan centres such as Brisbane were assigned more closely grouped postcode ranges (primarily the 4000–4200 series), while regional and remote areas were allocated broader postcode ranges to cover much larger geographic areas.

For example:

• 4000–4006 → Brisbane CBD & Inner City
• 4100–4199 → Southern Brisbane & Logan
• 4300–4306 → Ipswich & Surrounding Areas

Regional Queensland was mapped out to ensure mail could flow from Brisbane sorting centres out to coastal towns, inland communities, and remote settlements

The introduction of postcodes was a huge leap forward for Queensland, especially as rail, road, and air mail networks expanded. It allowed Australia Post to introduce automated sorting systems and dramatically speed up delivery times across the state.

Today, Queensland postcodes do much more than guide mail - they help shape logistics, online shopping, emergency services planning, and even population research.

So whether it’s 4000 in Brisbane or 4870 in Cairns, every postcode tells a small story about how Queensland is connected.

📬 A simple number system - but a massive change in how a whole state communicates.

A note on our visuals: To help bring this story to life, we've used an artistic illustration. While we've aimed for historical accuracy, it may contain errors or artistic interpretation. It is used solely for educational, non-commercial history storytelling.

03/08/2026

🐾🌏 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐰𝐢𝐧 𝐕𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐀𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐚 𝐀𝐛𝐨𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐇𝐌𝐒 𝐁𝐞𝐚𝐠𝐥𝐞⚓

In December 1831, the Royal Navy survey ship HMS Beagle set sail on a voyage that would transform our understanding of the natural world. Among those on board was a 22-year-old naturalist named Charles Darwin, eager to explore the world's plants, animals, and geology.

After nearly five years at sea, the Beagle arrived in Sydney in January 1836. During his time in Australia, Darwin visited Sydney, Hobart Town (now Hobart), and King George Sound (now Albany), carefully recording his observations of the landscape, geology, wildlife, and the growing British colonies.

One of the things that fascinated Darwin most was Australia's extraordinary fauna.

🦘 Kangaroos, wombats, and the remarkable platypus were unlike anything he had encountered elsewhere. He was especially intrigued that Australia's marsupials appeared to occupy ecological roles similar to those filled by placental mammals in Europe and South America, despite belonging to entirely different branches of the mammal family tree.

Reflecting on the striking differences between the mammals of Australia and South America, Darwin wrote:

"𝐒𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐰𝐨 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐭 𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤."

At the time, Darwin had not yet developed his theory of evolution by natural selection. Instead, observations like these raised profound questions about why different parts of the world were home to such distinct forms of life. Those questions would later become central to his revolutionary ideas about evolution.

⚓ Fun Fact: The Beagle's primary mission was not scientific exploration, but hydrographic surveying - charting coastlines and producing accurate navigation maps for the British Admiralty. Darwin joined the expedition as its naturalist and as a gentleman companion to Captain Robert FitzRoy.

The Beagle's famous voyage covered approximately 40,000 miles (64,000 kilometres), making it one of the most influential scientific expeditions in history.

🌿 From the Galápagos Islands to Australia's unique wildlife, the observations Darwin made during the voyage helped lay the foundations for the ideas that eventually led him to publish On the Origin of Species in 1859 - a book that forever changed the way we understand life on Earth.

A note on our visuals: To help bring this story to life, we've used an artistic illustration. While we've aimed for historical accuracy, it may contain errors or artistic interpretation. It is used solely for educational, non-commercial history storytelling.

02/08/2026

📢 𝐄𝐱𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐍𝐞𝐰𝐬!

We're thrilled to announce that Dave & Malou will be presenting at the 9th Annual Moreton Bay History Seminar 2026!

📅 Tuesday, 1 September 2026
🕘 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM
📍 Morayfield Sport and Events Centre

If you have a few hours to spare, we'd absolutely love to see you there!

This year's theme, "Change", explores the remarkable transformations that have shaped the City of Moreton Bay - from the stories and people of the past to the innovative technologies that are changing the way we discover, preserve, and share our local history.

It's a fascinating look at how storytelling has evolved, from dusty archives and handwritten journals to immersive digital exhibitions, interactive media, and cutting-edge technology that brings history to life in exciting new ways.

Whether you're passionate about local history, love discovering hidden stories, or are simply curious about the incredible heritage of Moreton Bay, this seminar is sure to inspire.

🎤 Presenters include:

Lyndon & Zeke Davis
Dr Rose Barrowcliffe
Rob "Walk about With Rob" Braiden
Conway Searle
Dave & Malou (that's us!)

🎟️ Best of all... 𝐢𝐭'𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐅𝐑𝐄𝐄!

𝑹𝒆𝒈𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒊𝒔 𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒂𝒍, 𝒔𝒐 𝒃𝒆 𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒆 𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆:

👉 https://www.moretonbay.qld.gov.au/libraries/Events/History-Seminar-2026

We're honoured to be presenting alongside such a fantastic lineup and can't wait to share some amazing stories with you!

Come along, say hello, and enjoy a morning celebrating the rich history of Moreton Bay and the exciting future of how those stories will continue to be told.

We hope to see you there! 😊

𝒟𝒶𝓋ℯ & ℳ𝒶𝓁ℴ𝓊

The Dave & Malou Channel

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