T150 - Townsville Past & Present 1: Landmarks and the Natural Environment

This historical travel guide titled "Townsville in word and picture" was published during the 1920s hence the beautifully designed art deco style cover.  Previously owned by E R Hayles it now is part of the North Queensland Collection (NQ 919.43604 TOW C.A)
This year, with the generous support of Townsville City Council, JCU Library Special Collections will join in the T150 celebrations - marking out 150 years of history since the City was declared a municipality - through a multi-faceted and exciting project called Townsville Past & Present.  Through the project we will draw out the City's visual history found across the various special collections. 
Bronwyn Mathiesen (JCU Blended Learning Librarian) enjoys her time viewing the T150 displays in the Eddie Koiki Mabo Library.
Visit the Special Collections Exhibition Zone, Level 1 of the Eddie Koiki Mabo Library on the Townsville Campus to see the changing displays of collection materials focusing on a range of Townsville themes from now until November.  Prepare for your visit by checking the Library opening hours.
The iconic Castle Hill in any photograph instantly confirms you are looking at a view in Townsville. Here we see the City Baths on the Strand from the ocean side in 1938, S. Nicholas Album, North Queensland Photographic Collection, NQID 2055.
Theme One is Townsville's Landmarks & the Natural Environment. The displays feature the iconic Castle Hill and surrounding Hervey Range, the Ross River, the Townsville Palmetum and beautiful Magnetic Island - so often also considered a landmark of Townsville by the locals.
The North Queensland Collection contains a range of attractive booklets created for the tourist market promoting the natural surrounds of Townsville to potential visitors including "Magnetic, The Beautiful" published by D.W. Hastings before WWII. (NQ 919.436 044 MAG C.B)
Featured in the displays is the stunning "Palmetum" artist book, produced in 2002 by the JCU based Lyre Bird Press. The Townsville Palmetum is a botanical garden located on the Ross River based around one family of plants, that is palms.  The collection there contains approximately 300 species, many of which are rare and threatened in their natural habitat.  This exotic garden formed the focus for new creative work by 13 artists who were invited by the Lyre Bird Press to visit and record their impressions in an original print.  Consequently the book consists of 23 original prints including silk screens, etching, drypoints, lino cuts and wood engravings.  Whilst the book is on display the pages will be turned.
The Palmetum artist book open at an image created by artist Ron McBurnie - an original etching featured as a double page spread in this magnificent limited edition publication.





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