Cairns Museum

Join us on Saturday 18 October for another engaging afternoon in the Cairns Historical Society’s Public Lecture Series. We’re delighted to present two very different but equally fascinating talks. First up, Cairns Museum Exhibitions Curator Sarah Morgan will share the story behind Han Mak Belong Tumbuna: Made by the Hands of the Ancestors — from the curatorial process to her collaboration with Cairns’ Papua New Guinea community in bringing this landmark exhibition to life. Our second speaker, Carole Hardingham, returns with Ways to die on the Chillagoe Field. Building on her much-loved talks about Far North Queensland’s historic graveyards, Carole explores the stories — and mysteries — behind the headstones of the Chillagoe Mineral Field cemeteries. After the lectures, relax on the veranda for afternoon tea among friends. 🗓 When: Saturday 18 October 2025, 1:30–3:30pm 📍 Where: Lecture Room 1, Cairns Historical Society (inside Cairns Museum) 🎟 Admission: Free – all welcome

Step into the world of spies and secret messages at Cairns Museum! Guided by our Museum expert Tony, kids will learn the dots and dashes of Morse Code and practise sending and cracking their own secret signals. A fun and exciting workshop for curious minds. Ages: 8–10 years (parent supervision required) Dates: Tuesday 23 & 30 September Time: 10:30am – 12:00pm (45 mins activity time + 45 mins free time in Museum) Cost: $7 per child or free for Cairns Museum Members

These school holidays, kids can get crafty at Cairns Museum with our Recycled Paper Bead Making workshop. Using colourful recycled paper, they’ll roll and glue their way into creating beads to turn into necklaces and bracelets. The best part? They’ll have unique creations to take home and give as presents — a real step up from pasta necklaces! Ages: 5–10 years (parent supervision required) Dates: Tuesday 23 & 30 September Time: 10:30am – 12:00pm (45 mins activity time + 45 mins free time in Museum) Cost: $7 per child or free for Cairns Museum Members

The Cairns Historical Society and Museum invites you to Han Mak Belong Tumbuna: Made by the Hands of the Ancestors at the Museum’s Ground Floor Gallery on 27 September at 2.30pm for 3pm Official Opening. Beautiful and fascinating objects from Papua New Guinea designed for ritual, war, decoration and the home will be on show. Made up of various collections donated to the Cairns Museum over many decades, this exhibition is the first step in the long journey of re-gifting the objects back to PNG.

Our August Saturday afternoon lectures at the Cairns Historical Society are nearly upon us and back by popular demand is Janine Evans with a paper on the curse of the north Lantana: a weeds guide to empire. Based on her Honours research, this paper explores how weeds were an inevitable outcome of colonial clearing for agriculture, overgrazing and over-use of fire for pastoralism. In many cases, plants like lantana were planted as ornamental garden plants only to escape into the environment an later create havoc. Following hot on the heels of colonial weeds is a paper by well-known local historian, Jan Wegner. “What plants did the Chinese introduce to the north?”, reveals some of the varieties of new food plants introduced to north Queensland by Chinese settlers and dispels some of the many myths surrounding Chinese settlers being responsible for the introduction of several weed varieties. When: 16th August 2025 Where: Cairns Museum, Cairns Historical Society Lecture Room 1

10.30am to 12.00pm 45 minutes Fun Activity 45 minutes Kids Tour of Museum Suitable for children 5-10 years Member Child $0 / Non-member Child $7.00. Places are limited so booking is advised. Do you like to recycle? We do, so join us for some fun and design your own crazy pictures to brighten up your school holidays.

The Cairns Museum is pleased to present Politically Spruiking. This new exhibition at the Museums Ground Floor Gallery takes a light-hearted look at politics in Far North Queensland. With over seventy original cartoons by political satirist Harry Bruce and the Museums own varied collection of politically related objects, images, pamphlets, manifesto and bumph, the exhibition promises some witty entertainment. "Politically Spruiking" will be opened by the Honourable Warren Entsch on Saturday 5th July 2025, 3.00pm at the Cairns Museum, Lake Street and will run from 5th July to 22nd September

We are delighted to welcome a man who has recently found his freedom from the rigors of a very public life! Warren Entsch will regale our members with stories and memories from the ‘bush capital’ as he leads the audience through his “Reflections of the Honourable”. Warren’s talk is followed by Dr Sandi Robb with her paper “Dragons Dreaming: Aboriginal- Chinese families of north Queensland”. Her paper will bring to light a little known aspect of Chinese history and its connections to First Nations families across northern Queensland. Attendance at the lectures is FREE and open to all. When: 21st June 2025 Where: Cairns Historical Society Lecture Room, Level 1 Time: 1.30 – 3.30pm Entry is free Attendance at the lectures is FREE

The next lecture is from well-known sino-specialist and 2023 recipient of the Society S.E. Stephens Award, Gordon Grimwade who will present his talk Chinese Temples in Tropical Australia. Gordon has been researching temples in tropical Australia for over thirty years and his talk will discuss the Chinese temple from places of worship to museums and tourist attractions. Our second speaker is Dr Sarah Collins who has been researching the life and works of Oswald Brierly. Her paper, The Inner Route from the artist’s point of view: Oswald Brierly’s art in 1848, will enthral and capture the imagination while providing insight into the man himself. When: 26th April 2025 Where: Cairns Historical Society Lecture Room, Level 1 Time: 1.30 – 3.30pm Entry is free Attendance at the lectures is FREE

Enjoy a morning of Easter themed craft with us. Make a cutie bunny card for your friends and family as well as an Easter basket with your own colourful eggs. Suitable for 6-12 years. Member Child $0 / Non-member Child $7.00. Places are limited so booking is advised.

Have a fun morning playing some classic board games. Make your own Tic-tac-toe board game and take it home in your self-decorated bag Suitable for 6-12 years. Member Child $0 / Non-member Child $7.00. Places are limited so booking is advised.

You are invited to help celebrate 45 Years since the Cairns Museum opened its door through exhibition "if these Walls Could Talk". Presenting stories from those in the know, our very own volunteer members, and showcasing Cairns Historical Society treasures from our significant collection, this exhibition will thrill and delight our members and exemplify why the Cairns Museum is the best museum in far North Queensland.

Source: (2006). Group of men having a rest beside Lake Eacham, 28 July 1889. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland Our first Saturday afternoon lectures at the Cairns Historical Society for the year will be held on the 15th February 2025. We welcome back by popular demand Carol Hardingham, with the second part of her talk on lone graves in the Cairns District called Alone, but not lonely: lone graves of Cairns , part II. Carol will talk on her research about two more lone graves in the Cairns area and who they belonged to. The second talk is on the history of Lake Eacham. A history of Lake Eacham charts the rise of the place from mystery to major tourist attraction. Lake Eacham has always attracted attention for its lush rainforest which extends down to its tranquil and rejuvenating waters. When: 15th February 2025 Where: Cairns Historical Society Lecture Room, Level 1 Time: 1.30 – 3.30pm Entry is free Attendance at the lectures is FREE

Our next Saturday afternoon lectures 19 October 2024, offers two exciting and little known aspects of Cairns Local History. Sarah Collins will take us on a journey back in time to the settlement of Smithfield in her talk “The Jewish Residents of Smithfield Township 1876-1879” while Jan Wegner will talk about “Why did Mungana really die?” a look at the factors leading to the demise of the hinterland mining town of Mungana. Come and join us for a relaxing afternoon at the Cairns Historical Society to hear these two speakers talk on their subjects, and relax on the veranda among friends for afternoon tea. When: 19th October 2024 Where: Cairns Historical Society Lecture Room, Level 1 Time: 1.30 – 3.30pm Entry is free Attendance at the lectures is FREE