History

Forest Lake History Part 5 – The Queensland Land and Coal Company

Jamie Furness March 15, 2023 3 min read 0

The 1880’s were a boom time for coal exploration in Queensland – coal became the primary source of energy and expanding railways provided a growing market. The Queensland Land and Coal Company, established in 1881 was one of a number of companies formed to search for coal at that time. Historically located at Homestead Park…

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The Durack Family – Forest Lake History Part 4

Jamie Furness March 11, 2023 4 min read 0

The Durack’s were perhaps the only owners of the Archerfield station to actually live on the property. Michael Durack married Catherine McInnes in Goulburn in 1873. The family lived at Archerfield House from 1882 until 1886, and the contemporary birth notices show that two Durack children were born at Archerfield House, in 1884 and 1885….

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“Archerfield;” The First name of Forest Lake – Forest Lake History Part 3

Jamie Furness March 10, 2023 4 min read 0

The name ‘Archerfield’ for the first Forest Lake property first appeared in a newspaper advertisement in April 1880. Earlier newspaper references to the property simply refer to ‘Selection No. 2815.’ The nearby Brisbane suburb of ‘Archerfield’ was not named until almost 50 years later when Archerfield Aerodrome was established and named in 1929. Neither is…

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The first selector and owner of Forest Lake – Forest Lake History Part 2

Jamie Furness March 9, 2023 4 min read 0

A little information about the founding European settlers of Forest Lake; the first selector; Henry Charles Farley and first purchaser; William Edward Murphy. The First Selector In 1876 Henry Charles Farley was the first government selector, and ‘Father of Forest Lake,’ in terms of European settlement. With white settlement came a new view of land…

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Early Indigenous Presence – Forest Lake History Part 1

Jamie Furness March 8, 2023 4 min read 0

The Lake News acknowledges the Jagera people, the traditional custodians of the land where Forest Lake is today and pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging. This article is a collection of some of the evidence of Indigenous presence – the original inhabitants of Greater Forest Lake who have cared for and maintained…

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