About

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
When two worlds collide: contact in the Cairns region
Dr Alice Buhrich and Dr Sandi Robb

During George Dalrymple’s 1873 North Coast expedition, he observed people living all along the coastline. Campfire smoke rose through the trees along the Mulgrave River, Malanbarra people called out to him, and at Palm Cove, Yirrganydji warriors defended their Country with spears and woomeras against Sub-Inspector Johnstone and his troopers armed with Snider rifles. We now understand that Dalrymple was traversing a complex, socially rich and deeply storied landscape.

LECTURE #2
From the Indian Empire to Far North Queensland: Indians in Cairns
Dr Sandi Robb

From the Indian Empire to Far North Queensland, very little is known about the migration and settlement of Indian people in the region during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. This lecture explores some of the earliest Indian settlers to Cairns, the challenges they faced, their working lives, and marriage relationships. From these early struggles emerged pathways for future generations, leaving a rich and enduring legacy that continues to shape the community today.

ABOUT THE SPEAKERS

Dr Alice Buhrich is a freelance heritage specialist working across Far North Queensland. She works closely with Aboriginal groups in the Gulf savannah, Wet Tropics rainforest and Cape York Peninsula.

Dr Sandi Robb is a historian and Executive Officer of the Cairns Historical Society. She specialises in north Queensland migration and women’s history.

Location

Cairns Museum
93-105 Lake Street, Cairns QLD 4870

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