Stanley Smith was an Australian businessman, WWII operative in China and expert horticulturalist. His life took him from a comfortable Brisbane upbringing to the danger of war and finally to a life half-way across the world. His Chinese-born wife, May Wong, grew up during the civil war in China and the fighting against Japanese occupation. May and Stanley met through their work … [Read more...] about War, Business and Orchids – the Smith Story
Brisbane
A Lesson in Life: Book Review of Auntie Rita
Warning: This post contains references to Aboriginal people who are now deceased. The books and links referred to in this post may also contain references and images of deceased Aboriginal people. Each July, book blogger Lisa Hill encourages bloggers to review books written by indigenous authors from around the world. She chooses 'Indigenous Literature Week' to coincide with … [Read more...] about A Lesson in Life: Book Review of Auntie Rita
Second-Hand Bookshopping in Brisbane
Hubble and I enjoy rummaging through second-hand bookshops. They are treasure troves. I buy some new books, but I am building up my Australian history collection by finding out of print, sometimes obscure gems in second-hand bookshops. Often these books are hard to find in a library near me - particularly if they solely relate to a state other than the state in which I live. I … [Read more...] about Second-Hand Bookshopping in Brisbane
Kangaroo Point, Brisbane
Last week I was back in Brisbane. Family from Melbourne and Sydney joined our Brisbane family to watch the Hawthorn vs Brisbane Lions football game at the Gabba. After an enjoyable family weekend, I stayed on for a few days to do some research. That plan was somewhat hijacked when my brand new laptop had a major failure. I had to use a spreadsheet on a tablet while I was … [Read more...] about Kangaroo Point, Brisbane
5 Tips about Queensland State Archives for researchers who live outside Brisbane
I had the pleasure of researching at the Queensland State Archives while I was in Brisbane recently. These tips are for anyone who lives outside Brisbane who wants to research at the Archives and make the best use of their time: 1. Lockers for suitcases The first thing an out-of-Brisbane researcher needs to know about the Queensland State Archives is that there are two … [Read more...] about 5 Tips about Queensland State Archives for researchers who live outside Brisbane
