Cairns Historical Society & Museum

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Cairns Historical Society & Museum Preserving and sharing the social history of our region through stories, research and exhibitions. Cairns Historical Society & Museum.

Located in the Cairns School of Arts building, in the heart of the Cairns C*D in conjunction with the Cairns Museum, The Cairns Historical Society’s extensive archival and photographic collections are open to anyone with a research interest in Cairns or Far North Queensland. Our research centre boasts over 70,000 items, including personal memoirs; family history and reminiscences; academic and Government papers; books; unpublished reports; newspapers; journal articles and maps. Many of these are available digitally. A separate Images Collection holds nearly 40,000 digitised photographs.

A tough climb, but what a view!Thanks to Ann for sharing these great photos from the recent C150 commemorative walk alon...
13/10/2026

A tough climb, but what a view!

Thanks to Ann for sharing these great photos from the recent C150 commemorative walk along the historic Douglas Track to Glacier Rock.

Led by former Cairns Historical Society volunteer Alan, the group included current volunteers Evelyn and Michael, along with friends of the Society.

The walk commemorated 150 years since Sub-Inspector Douglas's journey from the Hodgkinson goldfields to the Cairns foreshore in September 1876, a journey that played a part in the establishment of Cairns.

By all accounts, it was a challenging walk, but the view from the top was well worth the effort!

Interested in Chinese Australian history and heritage?A reminder that the Chinese Heritage in Northern Australia (CHINA ...
13/10/2026

Interested in Chinese Australian history and heritage?

A reminder that the Chinese Heritage in Northern Australia (CHINA Inc) conference returns to Cairns on 24–25 October, with a field trip exploring Innisfail's Chinese heritage sites on 23 October.

The conference brings together people working across history, archaeology, heritage management, law, literature, linguistics, art and library science to explore the Chinese Australian experience in northern Australia.

This year's theme, “Commemorations”, is particularly fitting during Cairns' 150th anniversary year, which also marks 150 years since the arrival of the first Chinese people in Cairns, 50 years of the Cairns and District Chinese Association (CADCAI), and CHINA Inc's 20th year.

The conference will be held at the Cairns Sheridan Hotel, with registrations closing soon.

For more information and to register, visit https://chinainc.yolasite.com/

📷 The K*m Yuen store, Mossman, north Queensland (courtesy of CHINA Inc)

Linking the Tablelands to Cairns: the blue rail carIn February 1953, two new aluminium and blue rail motors arrived in C...
12/10/2026

Linking the Tablelands to Cairns: the blue rail car

In February 1953, two new aluminium and blue rail motors arrived in Cairns to begin a daily service between Ravenshoe and Cairns. Only the second of their type in Queensland, they operated every day except Sunday.

Sleek in style and costing £73,000, or approximately $3,243,336 in today’s money, the rail motors could carry up to 100 passengers at a time, along with two tonnes of luggage. Their striking silver aluminium exteriors, with royal blue trim beneath the windows, made them easy to spot.

Inside, the rail motors offered all the modern amenities of the time, including toilets, stainless steel washbasins, iced drinking water and paper cups, which contemporary reports noted were hygienic!

The design was thoroughly modern for its time.

Wish they were still operating? We do!

Title: Blue Rail motor in Cairns. C. 1953
Image: P13348
Photographer: Unknown

In 1990, Prime Minister Bob Hawke was famously 'detained' by a giant white possum.But this was no ordinary possum.The co...
11/10/2026

In 1990, Prime Minister Bob Hawke was famously 'detained' by a giant white possum.

But this was no ordinary possum.

The costume, representing the rare white lemuroid ringtail possum found in Queensland's Wet Tropics, was handmade by Cairns locals Jan and Craig Harriss in 1987. Craig wore it during the campaign to protect the region's tropical rainforests.

The White Possum became a memorable symbol of the Wet Tropics conservation campaign, demonstrating how humour and theatricality could attract public and media attention to environmental issues.

Today, the original costume is part of an exhibition at the Museum of Australian Democracy in Canberra, while a life-sized photographic cut-out features in C150 Exhibition | Decades of Dedication: CAFNEC's Legacy of Environmental Stewardship at Cairns Museum.

Discover this and many other stories of environmental activism in far north Queensland, now showing until 7 November as part of Cairns' C150 commemorations.

📷 Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House

Environmental activism isn't always about protests and placards. Sometimes it's about getting people to stop, think and ...
08/10/2026

Environmental activism isn't always about protests and placards. Sometimes it's about getting people to stop, think and change their everyday behaviour.

Ever stopped to think about where the water goes when it disappears down a stormwater drain?

That's exactly the question CAFNEC wanted people to ask when it launched its Drain Stencil Project in 2015.

In Cairns, stormwater drains connect to waterways that eventually lead to the Great Barrier Reef. And it's not just rainwater that can make its way through the system, but also litter and other pollutants.

By 2016, the project was working suburb by suburb, with schools and local communities helping stencil more than 100 drains with colourful marine life and the message "This drains to the Great Barrier Reef" and “The Reef starts here”.

Who remembers seeing these stencils around Cairns? Did they make you stop and think?

The Drain Stencil Project is one of the many examples of environmental advocacy explored C150 Exhibition | Decades of Dedication: CAFNEC's Legacy of Environmental Stewardship, now showing at Cairns Museum until 7 November.

📷 CAFNEC

Mulgrave tramway extension openingThere was plenty of excitement in Cairns when the long-awaited extension of the Mulgra...
05/10/2026

Mulgrave tramway extension opening

There was plenty of excitement in Cairns when the long-awaited extension of the Mulgrave Tramway from Aloomba to Harvey Creek opened in 1903.

A specially decorated train left Cairns at 9.30 am carrying His Excellency the Governor, Sir Herbert Chermside, who was visiting far north Queensland. As the steam train pulled out of the station, fog signals exploded in honour of the occasion.

The train travelled south through Aloomba to the end of the line at Harvey Creek, where Governor Chermside drove the final spike into the new extension. Official photographs were taken by Lyne Brown before 180 guests gathered under a huge marquee for lunch, speeches and multiple glasses raised in toast to King and Country.

Construction of the extension from Aloomba had begun in 1901. Its completion two years later opened up a further 10,000 acres of land for sugar production.

Title: Cairns-Mulgrave Tramway Babinda extension opening Governor Chermside officiated at the opening, 1903.
Image: P37761
Photographer: L Fraine

Further reading: Morning Post (Cairns, Qld. : 1897 - 1907) Tue 16 June 1903, page 7

Work experience for Christian from St Andrew’s Catholic CollegeMy week has been really good. On Monday, I helped the sch...
30/09/2026

Work experience for Christian from St Andrew’s Catholic College

My week has been really good. On Monday, I helped the school team and cut some tickets to give to primary school children. On Tuesday, I worked in the shop and also did a bit of cleaning.

Today (Friday), I enjoyed watching a film crew. I liked seeing all the camera gear being set up. I feel happy.

This is my favourite display out the back. It is a PNG display.

The oldest club in Cairns 🎾Cairns has been playing tennis for almost 140 years. The Cairns Tennis Club was formed in 188...
28/09/2026

The oldest club in Cairns 🎾

Cairns has been playing tennis for almost 140 years. The Cairns Tennis Club was formed in 1887, establishing the city's first public tennis court in what is now Munro Martin Park. Before then, “lawn tennis” was played on private courts at the homes of large landowners, including Hambledon Plantation.

Clubs and courts multiplied, reaching a high point in the 1930s. Suburbs, businesses including the Cairns Post, Bolands and AJ Drapers, churches and schools all had their own clubs. Lawn courts were replaced by clay courts, Aussie style, surfaced with rolled ant bed, until bitumen was introduced in the 1940s. Night tennis was also enthusiastically adopted during the 1930s.

Women were involved from the start, playing ladies’ tennis and mixed doubles. They also prepared afternoon teas for matches, while the men maintained the courts.
World War II saw participation decline, with some courts taken over by military camps. Although new clubs formed during and after the war, many others disappeared and tennis never regained the popularity it had enjoyed during the 1930s.

From its first public court in what is now Munro Martin Park to its courts on the Cairns Esplanade, the Cairns Tennis Club remains the oldest tennis club in Cairns.

Title: Male and Female tennis players c.1919
Image: P07730
Photographer: Unknown

Know a teacher or school that would love this for their students? Tag them below 👇Cairns Museum welcomes group bookings ...
27/09/2026

Know a teacher or school that would love this for their students? Tag them below 👇

Cairns Museum welcomes group bookings from primary schools, high schools and international colleges, and our new C150 exhibition gives students another great reason to visit.

Young people today are highly engaged with environmental issues and activism. But what did environmental campaigning look like 45 years ago, long before social media and TikTok?

Decades of Dedication: CAFNEC’s Legacy of Environmental Stewardship gives students the chance to look back at how people in far north Queensland organised, campaigned and made their voices heard.

From hand-drawn maps, typewritten newsletters and public meetings to protest costumes, photographs and campaign materials, students can see how the tools of activism have changed, and what has stayed the same.

The exhibition offers plenty of connections to environmental issues, sustainability, civics and local history, while a visit to Cairns Museum also gives groups access to four other galleries across three levels exploring the people, places and events that have shaped Cairns.

Planning a school or college visit? We’d love to have your students through.

And if you know a teacher or school that should see this, tag them below and help us spread the word.

Decades of Dedication: CAFNEC’s Legacy of Environmental Stewardship
📅 Until 7 November 2026

Taking care of our digital world 🌐 💻After more than 10 years of service to the Cairns Historical Society and Cairns Muse...
23/09/2026

Taking care of our digital world 🌐 💻

After more than 10 years of service to the Cairns Historical Society and Cairns Museum, we’re saying farewell to Rob and welcoming Kevin, who is taking over the care of our IT systems.

Rob built our IT systems from their inception, as Cairns Museum was being developed and before the Society moved back into the School of Arts Building. Over the years, he has kept everything up and running, while continually improving and renewing our systems as our needs have changed.

Rob is now taking a well-earned break and stepping back from his IT commitments, although we’re sure we’ll still see him around in the future. Thank you, Rob, for more than a decade of support and service!

Kevin comes to us with more than 25 years’ experience as a local business operator, supporting the IT needs of the Cairns business community. Already quick to respond to our computer and technology issues, he’s ready to take on the challenge of looking after the IT needs of our Museum and Collection repository.

We’re looking forward to working with Kevin for many years to come. Welcome, Kevin!

Address

105 Lake Street
Cairns, QLD
4870

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 4pm
Tuesday 10am - 4pm
Wednesday 10am - 4pm
Thursday 10am - 4pm
Friday 10am - 4pm
Saturday 10am - 4pm

Telephone

(07) 4051 5582

Website

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