The Dave & Malou Channel

The Dave & Malou Channel We’re digital storytellers who blend history, travel, and emerging technology to uncover and share forgotten stories.

Through modern tools, archival research, and on‑location exploration, we bring the past to life in fresh and visually engaging way.

Ever wondered how Rochedale in Queensland got its name, or why it has such a quirky agricultural history? Let’s take a q...
29/05/2026

Ever wondered how Rochedale in Queensland got its name, or why it has such a quirky agricultural history? Let’s take a quick trip back in time to the sunny southside! 🕰️🌿

🏠 A Real Pioneer Spirit
Back in 1860, the Roche family made the big move from Ireland to Australia. A few years later, in 1868, they settled in the area and built a beautiful, sprawling homestead. They decided to name their property "Rochedale." That name stuck around and eventually became the name of the whole suburb we know today!

🥒 The "Home of the Choko"
Fast forward to the early 20th century, and the fertile, alluvial soils transformed the district into a bustling market garden hub. While they grew plenty of standard crops, one particular vegetable took over the landscape with surprising enthusiasm: the humble choko! Locals produced so many of them that the area earned the affectionate (and slightly hilarious) nickname the "Home of the Choko."

💧 A Thriving Transformation
It wasn’t always easy, though - early farming struggled with dry spells. Everything changed around 1912 when the first underground bores were tapped for irrigation. Suddenly, the landscape exploded into lush vineyards, citrus groves, and small-crop farming!

✏️ School Days in the 1930s
With so many farming families moving into the area, the local children initially had to travel all the way to Eight Mile Plains to go to school. That all changed in April 1931 with the founding of Rochedale State School at the intersection of Miles Platting and Rochedale Roads, opening its doors to an enthusiastic inaugural class of 27 pupils.

It's amazing how much vibrant history lives just beneath the modern surface of our Brisbane suburbs!



The representations of the Roche family and other historical imagery provided herein are digital illustrations. As artistic interpretations rather than exact historical depictions, there may be visual variances between these illustrations and the actual historical individuals. These images are curated and provided exclusively for educational, non-commercial purposes.

🚨 𝐐𝐮𝐞𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐡𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐝......🚨On 20 April 1881, a man named R. I. Cottell from Roma sent a proposal to th...
28/05/2026

🚨 𝐐𝐮𝐞𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐡𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐝......🚨

On 20 April 1881, a man named R. I. Cottell from Roma sent a proposal to the Colonial Secretary’s Office in Brisbane for a ONE-WHEELED horse buggy.

Not two wheels.

Not four.

𝐎𝐍𝐄.

Imagine looking at a perfectly functional sulky and thinking:

“You know what this needs? Less wheel.”

The design was for a single-wheel sulky/buggy, balancing rider and carriage around one wheel while being pulled by a horse.

Which immediately raises the important scientific question:

What happened when the horse stopped??

Because my first thought is this becoming the world’s largest horse-powered unicycle situation.

And honestly, the horse in the drawing looks way more confident about the idea than I am. It has the expression of an employee who has seen management approve stranger things:

🐴 “Yep. One wheel. We’re doing this now.”

I love these old invention submissions because they capture that incredible 19th-century energy of:

✨ “I had an idea.”
✨ “I drew it.”
✨ “I sent it to the government.”
✨ “History will judge me.”

Whether it was brilliant, impractical, or delightfully chaotic, it’s a reminder that people in regional Queensland were experimenting, inventing, and dreaming up genuinely unexpected ideas over 140 years ago.

Roma, 1881 - inventing the world’s first horse-powered balancing act.😀



Original Drawing: Public Domain - Computer-generated illustration modeled on public domain archives produced strictly for educational, non-commercial history sharing.

Long before it became a private hospital, “Beerwah” was one of Brisbane’s grand homes. Built in the late 1870s on Gregor...
27/05/2026

Long before it became a private hospital, “Beerwah” was one of Brisbane’s grand homes. Built in the late 1870s on Gregory Terrace in Spring Hill by prominent builder and politician John Petrie, the residence was named after Mount Beerwah, which Andrew and John Petrie were reputedly among the first Europeans to climb.

Standing opposite the Exhibition grounds near the Old Museum, Beerwah became a well-known landmark of colonial Brisbane. Following John Petrie’s death in 1892, the property passed through several owners and uses over the following decades.

By the 1930s, the mansion had been converted into a boarding house and private hotel. During World War II, the United States Navy leased the building, using its 50 rooms to accommodate 76 enlisted servicemen stationed in Brisbane.

In the 1940s and 1950s, Beerwah underwent a major Art Deco-style renovation and reopened as the Beerwah Private Hospital. For many Brisbane families, the hospital became closely tied to memories of births and family milestones during the post-war years.

Like many historic Brisbane buildings, Beerwah ultimately fell victim to redevelopment. After the hospital closed in the 1980s, the once-grand mansion was demolished and replaced by commercial development.

Today, nothing remains of Beerwah, but its story reflects Brisbane’s changing history - from colonial mansion to wartime accommodation, private hospital, and finally another lost landmark of old Spring Hill.

With sincere thanks to Anthony Ewing for suggesting this article.



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

26/05/2026

Our visit to Sandgate felt like stepping into a slower, gentler rhythm of coastal life. We wandered along the foreshore where Moreton Bay opened out in soft shades of blue, the tide pulling quietly at the edge of Flinders Parade. The historic streets, the old town hall, and the breezy esplanade all carried that unmistakable Sandgate calm - a blend of seaside nostalgia and Queensland sunshine.



This video contains computer‑generated imagery inspired by Public Domain sources. The visuals are intended as artistic interpretations and should not be viewed as exact representations of the original scenes.

𝑬𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒃𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒕𝒐 𝒂 𝒕𝒐𝒘𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕’𝒔 𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒏𝒂𝒎𝒆𝒅 𝒂𝒇𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒂 𝒃𝒖𝒍𝒍𝒐𝒄𝒌? 🐮🍌If you’re driving through Central Queensland and find your...
25/05/2026

𝑬𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒃𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒕𝒐 𝒂 𝒕𝒐𝒘𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕’𝒔 𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒏𝒂𝒎𝒆𝒅 𝒂𝒇𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒂 𝒃𝒖𝒍𝒍𝒐𝒄𝒌? 🐮🍌

If you’re driving through Central Queensland and find yourself in the town of Banana, don’t go looking for fruit plantations - you probably won’t find many!

Instead, you’re standing in a town named after a 19th-century legend: Banana the bullock.

According to local tradition, back in the 1860s Banana was a famous “decoy” bullock - a large dun-coloured beast with a yellowish tinge that earned him the nickname “Banana.” Stockmen reportedly used him to help lure wild cattle into yards where they could be captured.

When the old bullock eventually died, the nearby creek became known as Banana Creek. Later, the township and eventually the entire Shire took on the same name.

Fun facts about Banana:

📍 There’s a life-sized statue of the legendary bullock in the middle of town.

📍 Banana is the administrative centre of Banana Shire - a huge region covering thousands of square kilometres.

📍 Despite the name, the area is far better known for beef, coal and agriculture than bananas. 🥩⛏️

So next time you peel a banana, spare a thought for the famous yellow bullock who became one of Queensland’s most unusual place names.

Have you visited any other Aussie towns with strange or funny names? Let us know below 👇

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞: 𝐀 𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐞 𝐈𝐜𝐨𝐧 🧒✨🧴Ever found an old bottle with a marble trapped in the neck? It’s not a manu...
24/05/2026

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞: 𝐀 𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐞 𝐈𝐜𝐨𝐧 🧒✨🧴

Ever found an old bottle with a marble trapped in the neck? It’s not a manufacturing flaw - it’s a Codd-neck bottle, one of the cleverest pieces of 19th-century “fizzy drinks technology.”

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠

Patented in 1872 by Hiram Codd, this design solved a major problem of the era: keeping fizzy drinks sealed before modern caps existed.

Codd’s idea was simple but brilliant. The carbonation inside the bottle forced a glass marble up against a rubber washer in the neck, creating a tight seal. To open it, you pushed the marble down - usually with a small wooden or metal plunger - into a chamber where it stayed while you drank.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 “𝐀𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐲” 𝐇𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬

The design worked perfectly - perhaps too well. The built-in marble became a prize.
Children across Australia often smashed these bottles to retrieve the marble, commonly called an “alley” or “alleys” (a general term for marbles). This widespread habit is one reason intact Codd bottles are relatively scarce today.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: 𝐎𝐰𝐞𝐧 𝐆𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐫 & 𝐒𝐨𝐧𝐬

Brisbane had its own aerated-water powerhouse in Owen Gardner & Sons, established in 1878. The company became one of the city’s most prominent soft-drink producers.

Operating from Edward Street and later expanding operations in the central city area, Gardner bottles - often embossed with the company name - are still regularly found in backyard digs and creek beds around Brisbane.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐚𝐧 𝐄𝐫𝐚

By the early 1900s, the Codd system was fading as the cheaper, simpler crown cork (invented in 1892) took over. Codd bottles lingered into the 1910s and 1920s, but were steadily phased out. Today, a Gardner Codd bottle is a prized collector’s relic - a heavy, green-tinged piece of Brisbane’s fizzy past.



The images presented are digital illustrations for educational purposes only and do not portray real people or actual events.

Exploring the Legacy of Underwood Park! 🌿✨We recently spent some time exploring Underwood Park in Priestdale (QLD), and ...
23/05/2026

Exploring the Legacy of Underwood Park! 🌿✨

We recently spent some time exploring Underwood Park in Priestdale (QLD), and it’s easy to see why this spot is a local icon. Whether you’re there for a quiet stroll by the lagoon or to watch the chaos at the skate park, there’s a sense of history in the air that makes it special.

🕰️ A Slice of Park History

The park is named after the Underwood family, true pioneers of the district. William Underwood was a prominent figure in the late 1800s, serving as a postmaster and publican. At the time, his massive 614-acre estate was considered part of the vast Eight Mile Plains and Rochedale districts. It’s incredible to think that this sprawling recreational hub was once the heart of a colonial farming empire!

📜 The Historical Fact

Did you know that the suburb was almost called Langford? In the mid-1970s, authorities considered naming the area after Brigadier Sam Langford, who purchased a large portion of the Underwood estate in 1932. Ultimately, the historical ties to the original family won out, and the name was gazetted as "Underwood" in 1975.

Another bit of trivia: William Underwood’s famous Commercial Hotel, which stood nearby in the late 1800s, met a dramatic end when it completely burnt down in 1895!

🎡 The "Random Fact" File

The FUNderwood Hollow playground is actually the largest "Spielart" playground in Australia. It features a fairytale design originally inspired by a famous Peter Pan-themed park in Berlin, Germany.

Why it's a must-visit:

🔸The Lagoon: A tranquil spot perfect for birdwatching or a picnic.

🔸The Labyrinth: Yes, there is an actual labyrinth with a giant Rose Quartz crystal centerpiece!

🔸Active Vibes: From the BMX tracks to the off-leash dog areas, there’s never a dull moment.

We love seeing how these historic pockets of Logan continue to evolve while keeping their stories alive.

📍 Address: 982-1006 Underwood Rd, Priestdale QLD 4127

🐦 VETERANS ON BOARD: The Great Pigeon Repatriation of 1945 🚂Forget your standard passengers - in 1945, Queensland Railwa...
22/05/2026

🐦 VETERANS ON BOARD: The Great Pigeon Repatriation of 1945 🚂

Forget your standard passengers - in 1945, Queensland Railways had some "high-flying" VIPs taking up space in the carriages!

As World War II drew to a close, the Australian Army Signal Corps faced a unique logistical puzzle. They had over 530 carrier pigeons stationed at the training base in Canungra, and it was time for these feathered veterans to be demobilized.

But you couldn't just open the cages and tell them to fly home! These birds belonged to civilian breeders all across Australia, from Brisbane down to Sydney and Melbourne. They had served honorably, carrying vital messages when radio silence was a must, and now they needed a proper es**rt back to "Civvy Street."

The Feathered Express 🪶🚂

Queensland Railways was called into action. These weren't treated like mere freight; they were treated like returning heroes.

🚂 Specialized Transport: Custom-built ventilated crates were prepared to keep the birds comfortable.

🚂 Priority Status: They were loaded onto passenger trains, ensuring they reached their destinations as quickly as possible.

🚂 The Journey: Station masters and guards along the line were on high alert to ensure our winged veterans were handled with care.

Imagine sitting on the platform at Roma Street or Ipswich in late '45, waiting for your train, only to see a specialized shipment of war pigeons rolling past on their way back to their home lofts!

It’s a quirky slice of our Queensland railways heritage - proving that whether you have two legs or two wings, the railway was the heartbeat of the nation’s homecoming.



The pigeon‑basket illustration is by Dave & Malou. All other images are colourised public‑domain photographs. Although great care was taken to preserve historical detail, the final results are artistic interpretations and may not fully reflect the original scenes.

If you were standing at Kangaroo Point on 10 September 1910 watching the sunset, your view across the Brisbane River wou...
22/05/2026

If you were standing at Kangaroo Point on 10 September 1910 watching the sunset, your view across the Brisbane River would have looked very different from today. Those two massive silhouettes on the water? Not ferries. Not cruise ships. Dutch warships.

𝐓𝐨 𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰: 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐥𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐟𝐭 𝐨𝐫 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐥.

🇳🇱 Meet the visitors:

• De Ruyter - the sleek cruiser on the right
• Hertog Hendrik - the formidable coastal defence ship on the left

These impressive vessels sailed into Brisbane on 10 September 1910, drawing huge crowds and plenty of curiosity. Their visit wasn’t just a spectacle - it was a moment of international diplomacy and a reminder that Brisbane was already becoming an important port city more than a century ago.

The ships were part of a Dutch naval squadron travelling from the Dutch East Indies (modern-day Indonesia) on a goodwill tour of Australia. After turning heads in Brisbane, they continued on to Sydney and Melbourne later that month.

It’s wild to imagine warships anchored where CityCats and kayakers glide today - a perfect reminder of just how much history our river has witnessed.



Original image sourced from the public domain. This reconstructed version has been digitally enhanced and animated using modern software techniques. While every effort has been made to preserve the historical integrity of the original scene, the final result remains an artistic interpretation and may not perfectly represent the event as it originally appeared. Image is produced strictly for educational, non-commercial history sharing.

Looking for a venue with a bit of "spark"? Let’s talk about the Incinerator Theatre in Ipswich! 🎭🔥If you’re walking thro...
21/05/2026

Looking for a venue with a bit of "spark"?
Let’s talk about the Incinerator Theatre in Ipswich! 🎭🔥

If you’re walking through Queens Park and spot a building that looks more like a geometric temple than a playhouse, you’ve found a true Queensland icon.

🏗️ A Little History Lesson

Back in the 1930s, this wasn’t a place for standing ovations - it was a place for... well, burning trash. Designed by the legendary Walter Burley Griffin (the visionary behind Canberra!), this is the only building in Queensland designed by him.

It officially opened on November 5th, 1936. Griffin believed even industrial buildings should be beautiful, blending functional engineering with Art Deco and Mayan Revival aesthetics. By the early 1960s, the city had outgrown the furnace, and the building faced a bleak future of demolition.

🎭 From Trash to Treasure

In a stroke of creative genius, the Ipswich Little Theatre stepped in. They saw past the soot and realized the building’s dramatic concrete tiers and soaring heights were perfect for a stage.

After a massive community effort and renovation, the "Refuse Destructor" was reborn as the Incinerator Theatre in November 1969. Today, it’s a heritage-listed gem where the only things getting fired are the actors' imaginations!

✨ Why You Should Visit:

🔹The Vibe: It’s intimate and cozy, seating only about 80 people, creating an "industrial-cool" energy you won't find anywhere else.

🔹The Architecture: It’s one of only six surviving Griffin incinerators in Australia.

🔹The Talent: The Ipswich Little Theatre continues to put on incredible local productions and festivals year-round.

Next time you’re in Ipswich, skip the multiplex and catch a show in a piece of living history. It’s literal proof that you can turn something discarded into a work of art! 🌟

🔗 Check out upcoming shows: www.ilt.org.au



B&W Image Ipswich Incinerator Official Opening 5/11/36 - Public Domain
https://www.pictureipswich.com.au/nodes/view/1814

🚚 THE RAWLEIGH’S MAN: A QUEENSLAND ICON! 🧴Long before online shopping or even the weekly "run to town" was a thing, the ...
20/05/2026

🚚 THE RAWLEIGH’S MAN: A QUEENSLAND ICON! 🧴

Long before online shopping or even the weekly "run to town" was a thing, the sight of a dusty van pulling into a Queensland farm driveway was the highlight of the month! The Rawleigh’s Man was more than just a salesman - he was a rural lifeline, a news-bringer, and a purveyor of the legendary "Blue Tin."

📜 A Bit of History
The W.T. Rawleigh Company landed in Australia around 1928. Their independent distributors soon became fixtures across the Lockyer Valley, the Darling Downs, and all the way up the coast to the sugar districts.

✨ The "Time and Trial" Way
What made them so welcome? Trust. They operated on a "try before you buy" policy. The Rawleigh's man would leave a bottle of essence or a tin of salve on one visit and wouldn’t collect a penny until his next trip (often months later). If you didn’t like it, you didn’t pay. Talk about old-school service!

🎒 What was in the kit?

🔹 The Iconic "Blue Tin": Rawleigh’s Antiseptic Salve. Used for everything from barbed wire scratches to saddle sores - it was the "Swiss Army Knife" of every kitchen.

🍦 Vanilla & Spices: Legendary for their strength - a must-have for every home baker.

📖 The Almanac: A staple on the kitchen table, filled with recipes and weather predictions.

🤔 Where are they now?

While the "man with the van" mostly faded out by the 1970s and 80s, the brand didn't disappear!

🤝 The Merger: The company merged to become Rawleigh-Golden Pride.

🌏 The Move: Once manufactured in Melbourne, the brand now operates as Rawleigh’s Healthcare out of New Zealand.

💻 Modern Sales: The door-to-door model has evolved into online stores and independent distributors. You can still buy that original formula "Blue Tin" today!

💭 Let’s take a trip down memory lane...
Did your family have a "Rawleigh’s Man" visit? Do you still have a vintage tin tucked away in a drawer somewhere? Leave a comment below 👇



Special thanks to Gavan Butteriss for inspiring this article.
Car / Horse Cart Image - Public Domain - Blue Tin - CC - North Sydney Heritage Centre, Stanton Library.

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