About Recollections 
Recollections keeps Museum members, supporters and others informed about the Museum's public programs and other activities.  We take pride in being a cultural hub inviting everyone to explore and learn about our heritage, as well as exciting your imagination through interesting exhibitions, lively entertainment, and educational opportunities.  

What's On 

BOOKINGS OPENING SOON

ONGOING EXHIBITION

explore and learn at Redland Museum

Merchant Navy Day

Redland Museum commemorated International Merchant Navy Day on 3 September with a display of six ship paintings on loan from the Queensland Maritime Museum.   This date is the anniversary of the first merchant marine sinking of World War 11.  This was the British liner SS Athenia which was torpedoed and sunk by a German submarine 10 hours after Britain's declaration of war in 1939.  Merchant ships, often unarmed, transported service personnel, supplies and equipment and some were converted into military hospital ships.

The Battle of the Atlantic, lasting almost the entire duration of World War 11, resulted in 3,000 Allied merchant ships being sunk and 30,000 Allied mariners being lost at sea.  The Australian War Memorial estimates that over 800 Australian merchant mariners died serving the Allied cause during the World Wars. The Seamen's Union of Australia estimates that 386 Australian merchant mariners lost their lives in World War 11.

Not all merchant ships were sunk in the distant Atlantic.  The SS Kowarra, owned by Australian Steamships Pty Ltd and built in 1916, was on its way from Bowen to Brisbane with a cargo of sugar when it was sunk by a torpedo of a Japanese submarine in April 1943 off Sandy Cape on Fraser Island - 21 lives were lost.  The SS Macumba, owned by Australasian United Steam Navigation Co and built in 1919, was transporting supplies and war materials from Brisbane to Darwin when it was attacked and sunk by Japanese aircraft in August 1943 with 3 lives lost.  The wreck of SS Macumba was found in 2017, 74 years after its sinking, in the Arafura Sea north of the Arnhem Land coastline.  The Centaur, originally a vessel of the British Merchant Navy, was commissioned as an Australian Hospital Ship (AHS) in 1943 and was sunk on 14 May 1943 by a torpedo of a Japanese submarine off Moreton Island with 268 lives lost.

Other countries established their merchant fleet in Australia.  By 1942, the Royal Netherlands Merchant Line had 20 ships in Australian waters and American Liberty Ships, manned by merchant seamen, were a familiar sight in Brisbane and Townsville.

References:
https://anzacportal.dva.gov.au/commemoration/commemoration-days/merchant-navy-day
 https://www.ww2places.qld.gov.au/the-services/merchant-navy

Caravan Camping Boating & 4x4 Expo 

excite your imagination at Redland Museum

Switch on to Science

Hard working volunteers meet to discuss final arrangements for the inaugural Switch on to Science.
L to R: Keith Fidler, Ian Munday, Peter Adam, Owen Friar, Paul Ledington, Ross Bower, Phil Robinson, May Sheppard (obscured), Irene Cole and Kathy Teh.

GLOWING COMMENTS FROM A VISITOR TO THE
SWITCH ON TO SCIENCE DAY.

The Museum received an email from Zrinka Johnston who says she has sent the following letter to the Editor at Redland City Bulletin.

I must express publicly my fulsome appreciation of the outstanding Switch on to Science event held at the Redlands Museum on Thursday 30 September. My grandkids and I attended 8 of the 14 presentations on offer. They were all great. No, not great, almost all were spectacular. All the presenters were generous explaining what they were demonstrating and then in allowing kids to participate in using the machines they were demonstrating. Kids loved them and even shy children became involved when they saw other kids shouting with glee sending messages on the telegraph machines and spinning yarn from bundles of sheep's wool. The blacksmith presentation was a rare blast from the past that really resonated with kids and their adult companions. My grandkids loved best talking on the old telephones with wind-up handles.  The best overall hour-long presentation was Reuben Meerman performing several explosions with liquid nitrogen as The Surfing Scientist. Even my 7 year old granddaughter understood his simplified explanation of the Periodic Table of elements and my 10 year old found it so interesting he agreed that I could recommend that his primary school repeat the presentation to the upper classes in his school. Many of the presenters were experts in their field and others were local Redlands Museum staffers. Wow, what a talented and generous bunch of people we have here! And what a wonderful organisation is The Redlands Museum. They will certainly get my vote for best local organisation! 

escape to a different world at Redland Museum

New Management Committee

At the Redland Museum Annual General Meeting on 7 September 2021, a new management committee was elected to take us through to our 50th year.
L to R.  Doug Alexander (Treasurer), Bruce Smith (President), Shirley Mahon (Member), Liz Blumson (Secretary), Suzana Petrovic (Member), Jan Spinks (Vice-President) and Tony Spinks (Members).  Missing in the photo is Rick Thomason OAM (Member).

A big thank you to elected members who have taken on these responsible roles.

Meet Our Life Members

L to R:
Douglas (Doug) Alexander, joined 2004, 9 years on the Management Committee.
Albert Benfer OAM, long term major supporter and benefactor.
Gordon Davidson, joined 1999, 9 years on the Management Committee.
Ross Bower OAM, joined 2005, 11 years on the Management Committee.
Kathleen (Kath) McNeilly OAM, joined 1986, 15 years on the Management Committee.
Ken Hanson, joined 2005, 1 year on the Management Committee, agricultural team leader.
Ian Munday, joined 2005, 8 years as Safety Coordinator, 16 years maintaining Garrett steam engine. 
Jan Banks (seated left), joined 2001, 4 years on the Management Committee, Textile Curator since 2009.
Barbara Matthews (seated right), joined 1990, guiding, catering and volunteer roster.
Not in photo:
Richard (Rick) Thomason OAM, joined 1979, 24 years on the Management Committee and 20 years as Exhibition Officer.
Peter Robertson, joined 2001, 11 years on the Management Committee, 18 years as Licenced Armourer.
Dan Holzapfel, joined 1971, major supporter and benefactor.

Over 49 years of Redland Museum's operation, 32 members have been awarded Life Membership. Sadly, 18 of those members have passed away. Redland Museum Life Membership is awarded to members who have rendered long and/or outstanding service to the Museum including major benefactors.

The editors, Paul Ledington and Sharon Vassallo will endeavour to provide you with articles about Museum events and activities, Collection items, and historical facts on the Redlands.  But we would like to hear from members.  What would you like for inclusion?  Do you have a story to tell? 

The newsletter will continue to be sent at the end of each month (except for December which may be earlier). Editors can be contacted at recollections@redlandmuseum.org.au