Cairns Museum

This is a free public event - bookings are required to assist with seating and catering. As part of the Cairns 150 celebrations, the Cairns Historical Society and Cairns Museum are presenting a series of free public lectures throughout 2026. Held every second month, each lecture afternoon features two talks exploring key moments, people and themes from Cairns and Far North Queensland’s history. LECTURE #1 Roads to Cairns from the mining fields, 1876–1877 Dr Ruth Kerr OAM Driven by the desire to reach the Hodgkinson goldfield, early miners, police, explorers and adventurers turned their attention to existing trails across the coastal range. This lecture follows the journeys of those who claimed to have found the best route inland and explores how the opening of these roads transformed the region. LECTURE #2 The Cannon Family David Cannon Between 1884 and 1911, four brothers and two sisters of the Cannon family migrated from the Lake District in northern England to Cairns. Settling in Cairns, Gordonvale and Babinda, the family contributed to the region’s development through agriculture, trade and industry. William and John Cannon were founding members of the Mulgrave Central Mill, and William later provided land at Woree to the Cairns Jockey Club, now known as Cannon Park. ABOUT THE SPEAKERS Dr Ruth Kerr OAM is an Adjunct Professor at the University of Queensland’s School of Historical and Philosophical Inquiry. She is a renowned Queensland historian, recipient of the Cairns Historical Society S.E. Stephens Award (2023), and a long-term member of the Society. David Cannon was born and raised in Babinda and is a graduate of James Cook University with a Bachelor of Education. His interest in history began in the 1970s while working as an assistant to historian Dorothy Jones. He has been a member of the Cairns Historical Society and Mulgrave Shire Historical Society for more than four decades.

This is a free public event - bookings are required to assist with seating and catering. As part of the Cairns 150 celebrations, the Cairns Historical Society and Cairns Museum are presenting a series of free public lectures throughout 2026. Held every second month, each lecture afternoon features two talks exploring key moments, people and themes from Cairns and Far North Queensland’s history. LECTURE #1 Recent Archaeological Investigations of Chinese Gold Mining Communities in the North Dr Kevin Rains Discovered in 1868, the Ravenswood Goldfield offers valuable insights into Chinese life and activity on Far North Queensland goldfields. Drawing on recent archaeological investigations, this lecture examines Chinese homesteads, market gardens and commercial sites, and traces the connections between Ravenswood and northern ports such as Cooktown and Cairns through patterns of migration and enterprise. LECTURE #2 Architecture of Cairns Roger Mainwood In the final lecture of the C150 Public Lecture Series, prominent Cairns architect Roger Mainwood explores the architectural development of the city. Drawing on decades of professional experience and a deep appreciation of Cairns’ built environment, this lecture examines how design, function and heritage have shaped the city’s architectural identity. ABOUT THE SPEAKERS Dr Kevin Rains is a historical archaeologist and heritage manager with extensive experience delivering heritage projects across large-scale infrastructure developments. He holds a PhD from the University of Queensland, with research focused on the overseas Chinese social landscape of early Cooktown. Roger Mainwood is Director of TPG Architects and has led or contributed to numerous local and state heritage projects, including the Tanks Arts Centre, the conversion of Wharf Shed 3 into the Cairns Cruise Liner Terminal, and the refurbishment and adaptation of the School of Arts Building into the Cairns Museum.

Led by Dr Jan Wegner (historian and Society Secretary), volunteer Barb Kelly, and Sarah Morgan (Exhibitions Curator), the workshop will guide participants through the full oral history process: from researching your subject and developing thoughtful interview questions, to recording technique, ethical considerations such as informed consent, and working with narrators to review transcripts before they enter the record. Importantly, the participants will also learn how digital recordings and transcripts are stored, catalogued, and preserved; work that is increasingly vital for the Society and for our wider community's heritage. Voices that might otherwise be lost become part of a permanent, accessible archive for researchers and future generations. Whether you're an experienced or new volunteer who is curious, or has a family member whose memories you think should be preserved, these workshops are designed to build real, practical skills you can take into your community, capturing the stories that official records so often leave out. We look forward to learning together. Oral History Workshop When: Saturday 31st October 2026 from 10:30am to 12:00pm. Where: Cairns Museum, 105 Lake Street, Cairns.