Development

Crowd at Emerald racecourse, c1960. Slide by Gayle Ahearn, Collection of the Centre for the Government of Queensland

Sports day, Thursday Island, 1966. Slide by Elna Kerswell, Collection of the Centre for the Government of Queensland

Thylungra station polo cross, west of Quilpie, 1976. Slide by Dennis Costigan, Collection of the Centre for the Government of Queensland

Flying Doctor Captain Phil Darby practising golf on the Birdsville airstrip, 1972. Kite hawks stole the balls and Captain Darby had to climb the sand hills to retrieve them.

Tobruk Pool, Townsville, 1966. The Australian swimming squad including Dawn Fraser, Lorraine Crapp and Murray Rose trained here for the 1960 Olympic Games.

Humpybong yacht club, Woody Point, 1970. Slide by Robin Barron, Collection of the Centre for the Government of Queensland

Picnic races at Burrandowan, near Kingaroy, 1979. Slide by Allan Webb,Collection of the Centre for the Government of Queensland

The sporting landscape

If Queensland was a country it would be among the top ten sporting nations in the world.

Creating rural attractions

Australia’s coastal and inland towns have long resented the dominance of the capital cities, not only as the major seats of government, commerce and transport, but as the dominant sites for sportin

Dehorning rams on Biddenham Station, Charleville, 1915. From Queensland sheep and wool industry, 1918. Collection of the Centre for the Government of Queensland

Collection of the Centre for the Government of Queensland