104-698: The Queensland Recruiting Committee was a volunteer organisation in Queensland , Australia, which urged Queensland men to enlist for military service during World War I. It operated from May 1915 to December 1916, when it was replaced by an Australian Government recruitment organisation, the Queensland State Recruiting Committee . On 28 May 1915, a meeting was held at the Brisbane Town Hall , chaired by Brisbane mayor George Down , to discuss ways to encourage able-bodied men to enlist in
208-406: A self-governing Crown colony with responsible government . Brisbane was selected as the capital city. On 10 December 1859, a proclamation was read by George Bowen , the first Governor of Queensland , formally establishing Queensland as a separate colony from New South Wales. On 22 May 1860 the first Queensland election was held and Robert Herbert , Bowen's private secretary, was appointed as
312-534: A country contingent could be created. There were reports of rowdy and drunken behaviour along the route by the marchers. The best known recruit from this march was John Ryan , who was awarded the Victoria Cross . 'Maitlands Own' Battalion, the 34th , was formed from a core of men who had commenced a recruitment march at Narrabri on 8 December 1915 and finished in Newcastle on 8 January 1916. Forty-three men began
416-584: A force of settlers and native police at Battle Mountain near modern Cloncurry . The subsequent battle of Battle Mountain ended in disaster for the Kalkadoon, who suffered heavy losses. Fighting continued in North Queensland , however, with First Nations raiders attacking sheep and cattle while Native Police mounted heavy retaliatory massacres. Tens of thousands of South Sea Islanders were kidnapped from islands nearby to Australia and sold as slaves to work on
520-654: A good church and wartime service record. The money was to be used to construct an Anglican church. Gilgandra was selected by the Bournemouth church authorities as the recipient of the peace and thanks-giving gift in December 1919 and the construction of St Ambrose Church in Gilgandra commenced in 1920. The March of the Dungarees in south-east Queensland started with 28 men leaving Warwick on 16 November 1915. Their march followed
624-557: A great rush to take up the surrounding land in the Darling Downs , Logan and Brisbane Valley and South Burnett onwards from 1840, in many cases leading to widespread fighting and heavy loss of life. The conflict later spread north to the Wide Bay and Burnett River and Hervey Bay region, and at one stage the settlement of Maryborough was virtually under siege. The largest reasonably well-documented massacres in southeast Queensland were
728-717: A member of the Queensland Cabinet , he would have received regular briefings on the work of the committee yet had never raised any concerns. Furthermore, the work of the committee had been praised by the Federal Government including the Governor-General who described the committee as "the finest organisation of its kind in the Commonwealth". The outcome of the conscription plebiscite was a majority "No" vote, meaning voluntary recruitment had to continue. However, how that
832-630: A population of half a million people. Since then, Queensland has remained a federated state within Australia, and its population has significantly grown. In 1905 women voted in state elections for the first time. The state's first university, the University of Queensland , was established in Brisbane in 1909. In 1911, the first alternative treatments for polio were pioneered in Queensland and remain in use across
936-472: A process known as blackbirding or press-ganging, and their employment conditions constituted an allegedly exploitative form of indentured labour. Italian immigrants entered the sugar cane industry from the 1890s. During the 1890s, the six Australian colonies, including Queensland, held a series of referendums which culminated in the Federation of Australia on 1 January 1901. During this time, Queensland had
1040-460: A series of snowball recruiting marches, which were intended to encourage men to enlist through the marchers' example. The first march was a locally based initiative led by the captain of the local Rifle Club in October 1915; eight other marches were known to have taken place over the next four months. Military authorities were initially ambivalent about the marches; they were not certain whether or not
1144-477: Is home to the Torres Strait Islander peoples . Torres Strait Islanders are ethnically and culturally distinct from mainland Aboriginal peoples. They have a long history of interaction with both Aboriginal peoples of what is now Australia and the peoples of New Guinea . In February 1606, Dutch navigator Willem Janszoon landed near the site of what is now Weipa , on the western shore of Cape York . This
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#17328558921901248-446: Is larger than all but 16 countries . Due to its size, Queensland's geographical features and climates are diverse, and include tropical rainforests , rivers , coral reefs , mountain ranges and white sandy beaches in its tropical and sub-tropical coastal regions, as well as deserts and savanna in the semi-arid and desert climatic regions of its interior . Queensland has a population of over 5.5 million, concentrated along
1352-570: The 138th meridian east , and to the southwest by northeastern South Australia . The state's southern border with New South Wales is constituted in the east by the watershed from Point Danger to the Dumaresq River , and the Dumaresq, Macintyre and Barwon rivers. The west of the southern border is defined by the 29th parallel south (including some minor historical encroachments ) until it reaches South Australia. Like much of eastern Australia,
1456-867: The Australian Imperial Force during World War I at a time when enthusiasm to enlist had waned after the loss of life in the Gallipoli campaign . The march began at Mooliba near Babinda with 4 men and ended in Cairns 60 kilometres later with 29 recruits. Seventy one men left Parkes by train on 19 January 1916. They marched from Daroobalgie to Donaghey’s Hill, and then on to Forbes , Yamma Station, Eugowra , Gooloogong , Canowindra , Billimari , Cowra , Woodstock , Lyndhurst , Carcoar , Blayney , Newbridge (to Georges Plains by train) and Perthville . They arrived in Bathurst with 202 recruits on 5 February 1916 at
1560-601: The Australian Imperial Force to fight in World War I. The decision of the meeting was to create the Queensland Recruiting Committee, the first recruitment committee established in Australia. Unlike in other states, the Queensland Recruitment Committee was not a government organisation but rather an independent and privately funded organisation with volunteer members. The immediate actions of
1664-464: The Bjelke-Petersen era of the late 20th century, Queensland has received a high level of internal migration from the other states and territories of Australia and remains a popular destination for interstate migration. Queensland has the third-largest economy among Australian states, with strengths in mining, agriculture, transportation, international education , insurance, and banking. Nicknamed
1768-512: The Brisbane River . He returned in 1824 and established a penal settlement at what is now Redcliffe . The settlement, initially known as Edenglassie , was then transferred to the current location of the Brisbane city centre . Edmund Lockyer discovered outcrops of coal along the banks of the upper Brisbane River in 1825. In 1839 transportation of convicts was ceased, culminating in the closure of
1872-609: The Gayiri Aboriginal people in response. Frontier violence peaked on the northern mining frontier during the 1870s, most notably in Cook district and on the Palmer and Hodgkinson River goldfields, with heavy loss of Aboriginal lives and several well-known massacres. Raids conducted by the Kalkadoon held settlers out of Western Queensland for ten years until September 1884 when they attacked
1976-656: The Great Dividing Range runs roughly parallel with, and inland from, the coast, and areas west of the range are more arid than the humid coastal regions. The Great Barrier Reef , which is the world's largest coral reef system, runs parallel to the state's Coral Sea coast between the Torres Strait and K'gari (Fraser Island) . Queensland's coastline includes the world's three largest sand islands: K'gari (Fraser Island) , Moreton , and North Stradbroke . The state contains six World Heritage -listed preservation areas:
2080-619: The Kilcoy and Whiteside poisonings, each of which was said to have taken up to 70 Aboriginal lives by use of a gift of flour laced with strychnine . At the Battle of One Tree Hill in September 1843, Multuggerah and his group of warriors ambushed one group of settlers, routing them and subsequently others in the skirmishes which followed, starting in retaliation for the Kilcoy poisoning. Central Queensland
2184-642: The Kingdom of Great Britain on 22 August 1770 at Possession Island , naming eastern Australia, including Queensland, New South Wales . The Aboriginal population declined significantly after a smallpox epidemic during the late 18th century and massacres by the European settlers. In 1823, John Oxley , a British explorer, sailed north from what is now Sydney to scout possible penal colony sites in Gladstone (then Port Curtis ) and Moreton Bay . At Moreton Bay, he found
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#17328558921902288-509: The Military Medal four times. The majority of recruits who enlisted during the march later formed the 4th reinforcements of the 55th Battalion, AIF, all of which saw service on the Western front. Of the 144 men who enlisted in the march, 39 were later to be killed in action and 75 became casualties. The Men from Snowy River recruitment march was revived during World War II when men retraced
2392-568: The Minister for Defence George Pearce set recruitment goals at 5,300 men per month in order to maintain the forces fighting at Gallipoli . This target was exceeded in Victoria when 21,698 men enlisted in that month, the largest number from any state during the war. The campaign in New South Wales by contrast was disappointing for state leaders — especially so in light of interstate rivalry between
2496-572: The National Council of Women of Queensland see how women might be employed to make up for the conscripted men. If employers were to "devote a little time to instruct female workers", the committee felt they could undertake work in offices, retailing, and manufacturing. It also advised local recruiting committees (who were not subordinate to the Queensland War Council) to prepare to campaign for conscription. Meanwhile, Premier T. J. Ryan
2600-462: The Queensland Government to use for a country recruiting drive with school children to be given a holiday on the day the train came to their town. Each train was fitted out as a recruiting depot with a doctor and a recruiting sergeant as well as carrying politicians and members of the Queensland Recruiting Committee to give speeches. At each town, the local mayor organised for people to attend
2704-576: The Southern railway line through Toowoomba , Laidley , and Ipswich to its destination in Brisbane , gathering 125 recruits along the way. Despite the strong support for the march shown along the route by the townsfolk, the Brisbane Courier expressed disappointment in the overall numbers of men recruited, given the high recruitment expectations demanded by the Australian Government . However,
2808-782: The Southern railway line , making its way through Allora , Clifton , Greenmount , Cambooya , Toowoomba , Helidon , Gatton , Laidley , Rosewood , Ipswich and Oxley . The 270 kilometre march ended in Brisbane with 125 recruits. Men marched from the South Coast : Nowra , Bomaderry , Meroo, Berry , Gerringong , Kiama , Jamberoo , Albion Park , Dapto , Unanderra , Port Kembla , Wollongong , Balgownie , Corrimal , Woonona , Bulli , Thirroul , Coledale , Scarborough , Stanwell Park , Helensburgh , Heathcote , Sutherland , Hurstville , Kogarah , Rockdale , arriving at The Domain . The contingent included men from Jervis Bay and Kangaroo Valley even though these towns were not on
2912-594: The Sunshine State for its tropical and sub-tropical climates, Great Barrier Reef , and numerous beaches, tourism is also important to the state's economy. Queensland was one of the largest regions of pre-colonial Aboriginal population in Australia. The Aboriginal occupation of Queensland is thought to predate 50,000 BC, and early migrants are believed to have arrived via boat or land bridge across Torres Strait . Through time, their descendants developed into more than 90 different language and cultural groups. During
3016-520: The Torres Strait to the north, with Boigu Island off the coast of New Guinea representing the northern extreme of its territory. The triangular Cape York Peninsula , which points toward New Guinea, is the northernmost part of the state's mainland. West of the peninsula's tip, northern Queensland is bordered by the Gulf of Carpentaria . To the west, Queensland is bordered by the Northern Territory , at
3120-544: The Western District to Melbourne , a distance of about 245 miles, was planned in 1916. It is not certain if this proceeded. A 1918 recruitment march from Albury via Yass to Sydney. The march stopped at 12 towns but the 'marchers' travelled by train. There was a 'march to freedom' recruiting march in Brisbane in November 1918. The 1918 march, from Edithburgh, South Australia to Adelaide , raised 170 men just before
3224-616: The White Australia policy came into effect, which saw most foreign workers in Australia deported under the Pacific Island Labourers Act 1901 , which saw the Pacific Islander population of the state decrease rapidly. A public meeting was held in 1851 to consider the proposed separation of Queensland from New South Wales. On 6 June 1859, Queen Victoria signed letters patent to form the separate colony of Queensland as
Queensland Recruiting Committee - Misplaced Pages Continue
3328-474: The White Australia policy in 1973 saw the beginning of a wave of immigration from around the world, and most prominently from Asia, which continues to the present. In 1981 the Great Barrier Reef off Queensland's northeast coast, one of the world's largest coral reef systems, was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site . In 2003 Queensland adopted maroon as the state's official colour. The announcement
3432-419: The 'Cooee March', led by the captain of the local rifle club, William Thomas Hitchen . At each town on the route the marchers shouted " cooee " to attract recruits and held recruitment meetings. By the time they reached Sydney just over one month later on 12 November, the numbers had swelled to 263 recruits, marching a total of 320 miles (510 km) and being welcomed by large crowds along the way. During
3536-465: The 140,000 expected and up to 70 volunteers a day were working on classifying the returns. After the Anzac Day ceremonies, the committee launched three large recruitment rallies in Brisbane, in the belief that men would more ready to enlist after that day of reflection. By May 1916 the Queensland Recruiting Committee had created a centralised and cross-referenced filing system. This filing system provided
3640-634: The Brisbane penal settlement. In 1842 free settlement, which had already commenced, was officially permitted. In 1847, the Port of Maryborough was opened as a wool port. While most early immigrants came from New South Wales, the first free immigrant ship to arrive in Moreton Bay from Europe was the Artemisia , in 1848. Earlier than this immigrant ship was the arrival of the Irish famine orphan girls to Queensland. Devised by
3744-474: The Committee with detailed records of 120,000 eligible males in Queensland and used a classification system to show availability in terms of family responsibilities, work commitments and other factors. This enabled recruitment to be much more focussed, enabling the committee to initiate follow-up enquiries to those who might be eligible to serve by local recruiting committees and recruiting sergeants. In June 1916,
3848-509: The Cooee march. The March of the Dungarees took place in south-eastern Queensland in November 1915. In 1918, in an effort to promote recruitment, another march was staged, but this was less spontaneous and the marchers in fact travelled by train. The marches were called "snowball marches" in the hope that like a snowball rolling down a hill will pick up more snow, gaining more mass and surface area, and picking up even more snow as it rolls along,
3952-450: The Courier praised those who had enlisted through the march as "splendid" "high-spirited patriots" in contrast to the "lethargic" "craven" "slackers" who were able to enlist but did not heed the call. On 26 November 1915, the new Prime Minister , Billy Hughes , promised Britain 50,000 more soldiers. Towards the end of 1915, the Australian Government initiated a war census. Every man between
4056-592: The Feisty Colleens, never set foot on Sydney soil, and instead sailed up to Brisbane (then Moreton Bay) on 21 October 1848 on board the Ann Mary . This scheme continued until 1852. In 1857, Queensland's first lighthouse was built at Cape Moreton . The frontier wars fought between European settlers and Aboriginal tribes in Queensland were the bloodiest and most brutal in colonial Australia. Many of these conflicts are now seen as acts of genocide. The wars featured
4160-1076: The Great Barrier Reef along the Coral Sea coast, K'gari (Fraser Island) on the Wide Bay–Burnett region's coastline, the wet tropics in Far North Queensland including the Daintree Rainforest , Lamington National Park in South East Queensland , the Riversleigh fossil sites in North West Queensland , and the Gondwana Rainforests in South East Queensland. The state is divided into several unofficial regions which are commonly used to refer to large areas of
4264-723: The Kookaburras are remembered for sleeping on the floor of the Capertee school. There is a veteran's plaque on the Tooraweenah village common. Twenty seven men left Grafton on 18 January 1916 and arrived at Maitland with 240 recruits. The march was accompanied by Bill Hitchen who had organised the original Snowball march of the Cooees. The Cane Beetles March was a snowball march in April 1916 in North Queensland , Australia, to recruit men into
Queensland Recruiting Committee - Misplaced Pages Continue
4368-643: The Native Police between 1859 and 1897. The military force of the Queensland Government in this war was the Native Police , who operated from 1849 to the 1920s. The Native Police was a body of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander troopers that operated under the command of white officers. The Native Police were often recruited forcefully from far-away communities. Conflict spread quickly with free settlement in 1838, with settlement rapidly expanding in
4472-467: The Queensland Recruiting Committee convened a conference of local recruiting committees in Brisbane. The committee's filing system had identified approximately 30,000 single fit men who should be able to enlist. But in September 1916, it was announced that Queensland recruitment had fallen even lower being roughly one-seventh of the increasing levels demanded by the Australian Government. A poll of
4576-482: The State and of your intended visit on public business to England". However, Thynne presented a different version of events in which Ryan had approached Thynne to get his call-up withdrawn because of the impending visit. In Thynne's view, now that the visit was completed "There is nothing now that I know of to prevent Mr Ryan from enlisting". Ryan then accused Thynne of "wilfully misrepresenting" their conversation. Although it
4680-408: The Western Front gallery at the Australian War Memorial), the recruitment march passed through the major regional centres of the Monaro , with civil receptions at Bombala , Cooma , Queanbeyan , Bungendore and Goulburn. Although volunteers joined the 'Snowies' as they passed through smaller towns and villages, massive civil receptions at the larger centres celebratised the 'Snowy' recruits, which
4784-554: The age of 18 and 44 had to send their reply by 1 March 2016. By early 1916, the Queensland Recruiting Committee was seeking new ways to attract recruits. Recruiting sergeants were appointed to many country districts. The committee also advertised that it would arrange for a recruiting sergeant and military band to attend for any local "patriotic entertainment". Recruiting sergeants were either returned servicemen or older men (ineligible for military service) with enlisted sons, to demonstrate their personal commitment to military service during
4888-408: The age of sixteen. In total, approximately 15,000 South Sea Islander slaves died while working in Queensland, a figure which does not include those who died in transit or who were killed in the recruitment process. This represents a mortality rate of at least 30%, which is high considering most were only on three year contracts. It is also similar to the estimated 33% death rate of enslaved Africans in
4992-400: The closure of the state borders. With a total area of 1,729,742 square kilometres (715,309 square miles), Queensland is an expansive state with a highly diverse range of climates and geographical features. If Queensland were an independent nation, it would be the world's 16th largest. Queensland's eastern coastline borders the Coral Sea , an arm of the Pacific Ocean. The state is bordered by
5096-479: The colony of New South Wales, which included all of what is now Queensland. Queensland was explored in subsequent decades, and the Moreton Bay Penal Settlement was established at Brisbane in 1824 by John Oxley . During the Australian frontier wars of the 19th century, colonists killed tens of thousands of Aboriginal people in Queensland while consolidating their control over the territory. On 6 June 1859 (now commemorated as Queensland Day ), Queen Victoria signed
5200-480: The colony's agricultural plantations through a process known as blackbirding . This trade in what were then known as Kanakas was in operation from 1863 to 1908, a period of 45 years. Some 55,000 to 62,500 were brought to Australia, most being recruited or blackbirded from islands in Melanesia , such as the New Hebrides (now Vanuatu ), the Solomon Islands and the islands around New Guinea . The majority of those taken were male and around one quarter were under
5304-437: The committee organised a march of school children in Brisbane on Friday 9 June, accompanied by school bands and the singing of patriotic songs by the children, while distributing handbills urging enlistment. Over two thousand children from 19 schools participated having between them over 9,500 of their fathers, brothers, uncles and cousins already enlisted. However, only 10 men enlisted at the recruitment station that night. Despite
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#17328558921905408-427: The committee organised for the first recruiting film to be shown in Queensland, which showed the conditions in which recruits would live and was hoped would convince those who may have listened to the "anti-recruiters" misrepresenting the conditions. In November 1915, the committee organised a snowball march , the March of the Dungarees , from Warwick to Brisbane. The march began at Warwick with 28 men and followed
5512-437: The committee were to take advantage of a march down Queen Street the following day by establishing two temporary recruiting booths, one in front of the Town Hall and one in front of the Brisbane General Post Office . The committee also decided to establish a permanent recruiting booth in Queen Street. The initial belief of the committee was that their role was primarily one of education; young men would enlist if they understood
5616-467: The conscription plebiscite at the Exhibition Hall . On Sunday 15 October 1916, the Queensland Treasurer , Ted Theodore , spoke at Warwick opposing conscription, saying, amongst other things, that voluntary recruitment had only failed because of "the incompetency and blundering mismanagement of the Queensland Recruiting Committee who had discouraged voluntary enlistment". The committee requested Theodore withdraw or explain his remarks, pointing out that, as
5720-423: The day with an appropriate religious service. One of the local initiatives was the Cane Beetles March , a snowball match from Bartle Frere to Cairns , arriving in time to take part in the Anzac Day march in Cairns. In March 1916, it was decided to allow the enlistment of men born within the British Empire but whose fathers were born in enemy nations if the local recruiting committee were unanimous in attesting to
5824-411: The east coast, particularly in South East Queensland . The capital and largest city in the state is Brisbane , Australia's third-largest city . Ten of Australia's thirty largest cities are located in Queensland, the largest outside Brisbane being the Gold Coast , the Sunshine Coast , Townsville , Cairns , Ipswich , and Toowoomba . 24.2% of the state's population were born overseas . The state has
5928-452: The education campaign, the committee commissioned cartoons for use in newspapers, posters for railway stations and a set of lantern slides which would be shown each day at the 20 picture theatres operated by Birch Carroll & Coyle . The committee also distributed promotional material developed in other states, sending several hundred copies of Victorian poster "Will They Never Come?" to every Queensland town. Another educational initiative
6032-418: The effort going into recruitment activities, fewer recruits were coming forward with some country districts reporting no new recruits and many local recruiting committees doubting they could meet their targets of volunteer recruits; increasingly the discussion turned to the possibility of conscription. It seemed that "nothing but compulsory service would bring in the shirkers". By July 1916, Queensland recruitment
6136-516: The federal scheme involved the creation of a new Queensland State Recruiting Committee chaired by Captain George Macdonald Dash and the Queensland Recruiting Committee was to "retire" after passing on information on the methods they had used for recruitment. Mackinnon thanked the Queensland Recruiting Committee for the "great zeal" it had shown. On Thursday 14 December 1916, the Queensland Recruitment Committee held its final meeting, in which its members offered their services in any way that might assist
6240-407: The first Premier of Queensland . In 1865, the first rail line in the state opened between Ipswich and Grandchester . Queensland's economy expanded rapidly in 1867 after James Nash discovered gold on the Mary River near the town of Gympie , sparking a gold rush and saving the State of Freddy-Mercury-land from near economic collapse. While still significant, they were on a much smaller scale than
6344-414: The first commercial production of oil in Queensland and Australia began at Moonie . During World War II Brisbane became central to the Allied campaign when the AMP Building (now called MacArthur Central ) was used as the South West Pacific headquarters for General Douglas MacArthur , chief of the Allied Pacific forces, until his headquarters were moved to Hollandia in August 1944. In 1942, during
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#17328558921906448-458: The first three years of being taken to America. The trade was legally sanctioned and regulated under Queensland law, and prominent men such as Robert Towns made massive fortunes off of exploitation of slave labour, helping to establish some of the major cities in Queensland today. Towns' agent claimed that blackbirded labourers were "savages who did not know the use of money" and therefore did not deserve cash wages. Following Federation in 1901,
6552-422: The gold rushes of Victoria and New South Wales. Immigration to Australia and Queensland, in particular, began in the 1850s to support the state economy. During the period from the 1860s until the early 20th century, many labourers, known at the time as Kanakas , were brought to Queensland from neighbouring Pacific Island nations to work in the state's sugar cane fields. Some of these people had been kidnapped under
6656-456: The highest inter-state net migration in Australia. Queensland was first inhabited by Aboriginal Australians , with the Torres Strait Islands inhabited by Torres Strait Islanders . Dutch navigator Willem Janszoon , the first European to land in Australia, explored the west coast of the Cape York Peninsula in 1606. In 1770, James Cook claimed the east coast of Australia for the Kingdom of Great Britain . In 1788, Arthur Phillip founded
6760-432: The issues at stake and the need for their service. Local recruiting committees were also established in local government areas and other committees were formed to support the war effort, e.g. the University of Queensland had a University War Committee. In October 1915, the Queensland Recruiting Committee become a sub-committee of the Queensland War Council when the council was established in September 1915. As part of
6864-424: The last ice age , Queensland's landscape became more arid and largely desolate, making food and other supplies scarce. The people developed the world's first seed-grinding technology. The end of the glacial period brought about a warming climate, making the land more hospitable. It brought high rainfall along the eastern coast, stimulating the growth of the state's tropical rainforests. The Torres Strait Islands
6968-490: The later decades of the 20th century, the humid subtropical climate —regulated by the availability of air conditioning—saw Queensland become a popular destination for migrants from interstate. Since that time, Queensland has continuously seen high levels of migration from the other states and territories of Australia. In 1966, Lyndon B. Johnson became the first U.S. president to visit Queensland. During his visit, he met with Australia prime minister Harold Holt . The end of
7072-426: The letters patent to establish the colony of Queensland, separating it from New South Wales and thereby establishing Queensland as a self-governing Crown colony with responsible government . A large part of colonial Queensland's economy relied on blackbirded South Sea Islander slavery. Queensland was among the six colonies which became the founding states of Australia with Federation on 1 January 1901. Since
7176-479: The local recruiting committees showed 95% recommended conscription. However, the Queensland Government declared it was opposed to conscription. Although some members of the Queensland Recruiting Committee were strongly in favour of conscription, the committee did not take an official position on conscription either way. Indeed, it was unclear if their role as a subcommittee of the Queensland Government's War Council allowed them have an independent position. The committee
7280-436: The loyalty of the recruit. The Queensland Recruiting Committee was tasked with processing the war census returns in Queensland. Many men and women volunteered their time to help process the returns and organisations donated space and refreshments and small gifts of thanks for these volunteers. To encourage frank disclosure, all those involved in processing the returns had to sign a document pledging strict secrecy. However, there
7384-435: The march and 281 miles later there were 265 new recruits. A re-enactment of the march was held on the 75th anniversary in 1990/1991. Following the successes of the 'Cooee' march in December 1915, 12 men set out from Delegate on 6 January 1916 to march the 220 miles to the nearest AIF Training Depot in Goulburn (currently the site of Goulburn High School ). Marching under the 'Men from Snowy River' banner (now housed in
7488-766: The march, the Cooees were issued about 50 dungarees in Dubbo , Army greatcoats in Orange and some additional dungarees in Lithgow. After the close of World War I, parishioners of St Ambrose Church in Bournemouth , England, grateful for the assistance England had received from the dominions in defending the British Empire, decided make a peace thanks-giving gift of £1,200 to the town in the Empire with
7592-426: The marchers would also collect more marchers as they progressed to the recruiting depot. The Australian Imperial Force was formed promptly on the declaration of World War I as a volunteer force; many men signed up immediately. From mid-June 1915 there was a substantial increase in recruitment, as state-based Parliamentary recruiting committees were formed and became active in towns, boroughs and shires. In June 1915
7696-480: The massive media attention the recruitment march received in the local press, the end result of 144 recruits was disappointing to recruiting staff who had envisaged at least 200 men. One recruit who did join the march was Ernest Albert Corey , a blacksmith from Nimmitabel . Corey later served with the 55th Battalion as a stretcher bearer, and is recognised as the only soldier in the British Empire to be awarded
7800-425: The men should march with rifles, when their pay would start, and who would clothe or feed them. Along the route however, local communities fed and housed the men, and the marches gained tremendous publicity. About 1,500 men marched in total, and they are credited by some sources with persuading anywhere from two to three times that number to enlist as a result. Twenty six men left Gilgandra on 10 October 1915 on
7904-452: The most frequent massacres of First Nations people, the three deadliest massacres on white settlers, the most disreputable frontier police force, and the highest number of white victims to frontier violence on record in any Australian colony. Across at least 644 collisions at least 66,680 were killed — with Aboriginal fatalities alone comprising no less than 65,180. Of these deaths, around 24,000 Aboriginal men, women and children were killed by
8008-490: The new committee. The initial members of the committee included: Later members included: Queensland Queensland ( locally / ˈ k w iː n z l æ n d / KWEENZ -land , commonly abbreviated as Qld ) is a state in northeastern Australia , and is the second-largest and third-most populous of the Australian states. It is bordered by the Northern Territory , South Australia and New South Wales to
8112-440: The occasion. Although the Queensland Recruiting Committee allowed the local committees to make their own arrangements, they stipulated that the day should focus on the commemoration of fallen soldiers and the honouring of those serving and that there should be no fund-raising. They also asked that all people should stand for a minute's silence at 9pm throughout the state. The committee also called on all religious denominations to mark
8216-399: The only Australian state with a unicameral parliament . In 1935 cane toads were deliberately introduced to Queensland from Hawaii in an unsuccessful attempt to reduce the number of French's cane and greyback cane beetles that were destroying the roots of sugar cane plants, which are integral to Queensland's economy. The toads have remained an environmental pest since that time. In 1962,
8320-562: The original path of the 'Snowies', albeit diverting to Canberra. Both recruitment marches were commemorated by a reenactment of the march and a civil reception at the hall at Delegate in January 2006, on the 90th anniversary of the original Men from Snowy River march. Twenty three men set out in January 1916 from Tooraweenah on a march to Bathurst to recruit men for service in World War I. Men were recruited from Coolah , Mendooran and Dunedoo , Binnaway , Merrygoen and Tucklan. En route,
8424-457: The question suggesting that the proof was to be found in correspondence between him and the Queensland Recruiting Committee, but that the committee would have to agree to the release of the correspondence. Later in early October 1916, Ryan defended himself by producing a letter dated 18 March 1916 from Andrew Thynne, as chairman of the Queensland Recruiting Committee, withdrawing Ryan's call-up letter due to "the importance of your duties as Premier of
8528-472: The recruiting rally at the station as the train arrived. The trains travelled to destinations such as: stopping at many smaller towns along the way and taking a number of branch lines along the route. The committee also took action on reasons why men might be reluctant to enlist. The committee had a campaign to get employers to commit to re-employing any staff members who enlisted and to otherwise give priority to employing returned servicemen. In October 1915,
8632-574: The route. The Waratahs entered camp at Liverpool on 17 December 1915. Eighty eight potential soldiers left Wagga Wagga on 1 December 1915. They marched via Harefield , Junee , Illabo , Bethungra , Cootamundra and Wallendbeen . At Wallendbeen on 9 December, the Governor-General addressed the marchers. After Wallendbeen, they marched via Nubba to Murrumburrah and the next day they were at Harden . They then marched through Galong , Binalong and Bowning to Yass . From Wagga Wagga to Yass
8736-523: The same time as the Kookaburras from Tooraweenah and were given a combined reception. Each marcher was presented with a medallion in the shape of a boomerang , engraved with their name and town and the words "Come Back". On the Light Horse memorial at Cowra, a plaque commemorates the re-enactment of the 1916 Boomerang march held in February 1999. A "snowball" march of recruits from Casterton, Victoria in
8840-455: The state's vast geography. These include: Snowball marches During World War I , recruitment marches or snowball marches to state capital cities were a feature of volunteer recruiting drives for the Australian Imperial Force in rural Australia . Between October 1915 and February 1916, nine marches were held starting from various points in the state; the most notable was the first march from Gilgandra , New South Wales , known as
8944-545: The then British Secretary of State for the Colonies, The Earl Grey Scheme established a special emigration scheme which was designed to resettle destitute girls from the workhouses of Ireland during the Great Famine. The first ship, the "Earl Grey", departed Ireland for a 124-day sail to Sydney. After controversy developed upon their arrival in Australia, a small group of 37 young orphans, sometimes referred to as The Belfast Girls or
9048-451: The two neighbours. It was suggested by the Premier of New South Wales , William Holman , that one of the reasons New South Wales was not meeting the targets was because the military authorities were not ready to accept the men at the time they offered to enlist and told them to come back later. In response to these embarrassing recruitment shortfalls, some New South Wales residents launched
9152-428: The war, Brisbane was the site of a violent clash between visiting US military personnel and Australian servicemen and civilians, which resulted in one death and hundreds of injuries. This incident became known colloquially as the Battle of Brisbane . The end of World War II saw a wave of immigration from across Europe, with many more immigrants coming from southern and eastern Europe than in previous decades. In
9256-509: The war. It was hoped that holding Anzac Day ceremonies in Queensland on 25 April 1916 (the first anniversary of the Gallipoli landings) would encourage recruitment. The committee initiated a public meeting in Brisbane to form a local Anzac Day committee to organise the event and, following the success of that meeting, decided to contact mayors in every town to establish a local organisation committees to conduct some suitable public meeting to mark
9360-521: The west, south-west and south, respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and the Pacific Ocean ; to the state's north is the Torres Strait , separating the Australian mainland from Papua New Guinea , and the Gulf of Carpentaria to the north-west. With an area of 1,723,030 square kilometres (665,270 sq mi), Queensland is the world's sixth-largest subnational entity ; it
9464-530: The world today. World War I had a major impact on Queensland . Over 58,000 Queenslanders fought in World War I and over 10,000 of them died. Australia's first major airline, Qantas (originally standing for "Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services"), was founded in Winton in 1920 to serve outback Queensland. In 1922 Queensland abolished the Queensland Legislative Council , becoming
9568-599: Was a total of 132 miles, the march travelled at an average of 8.8 miles per day. As with other marches, the men were fed and feted by the local population; at Murrumburrah, for instance, donations included 114 puddings and 9 sheep to be baked gratis by the local bakers, 200 loaves of bread, 850 potatoes and 30 dozen eggs. They marched to Campbelltown via Goulburn . The Kangaroo recruits travelled from Campbelltown into Sydney by train arriving on 7 January 1916 with somewhere between 210 and 230 recruits. It had been decided that this recruitment drive would finish at Campbelltown so that
9672-399: Was also concerned that the growing public debate on conscription was distracting attention from the need for ongoing recruitment. Nonetheless, in the anticipation of conscription being legislated by the Australian Government, the Committee wrote to major employers asking them to consider which men in their employment might be most likely to be called up for service and encouraged them to contact
9776-468: Was also involved in holding recruitment meetings of various kinds and coordinated with local recruiting committee to provide inspirational addresses by prominent citizens. Religious leaders of all faiths were also asked to appeal for volunteers to enlist as part of religious services. The committee asked each Queensland school to maintain a roll of honour listing those former pupils and teachers who had enlisted. In August 1915, five trains were borrowed from
9880-443: Was at 250 men per week, a third of the level of only two months earlier. Also, some districts such as Lowood which had a strong German heritage were running short of eligible "Britishers". In July 1916, the enlistment of men with fathers born in enemy countries was further relaxed to allow enlistment if a majority of the local recruiting committee would attest to their loyalty (rather than a unanimous opinion). On Monday 14 August 1916,
9984-519: Was constitutionally possible for the Australian Government to have introduced conscription, it was a controversial move to do so in the face of considerable opposition demonstrated by the public and politicians. Therefore, the Australian Prime Minister, Billy Hughes, decided to hold a plebiscite on 28 October 1916 to obtain a symbolic mandate from the Australian people. On Wednesday 4 October 1916, Hughes came to Brisbane to speak in support of
10088-593: Was intended to entice further 'eligibles' at the meetings to do likewise. Such was the case with recruit Timothy McMahon, who despite volunteering to march with the Men from Snowy River at Michelago , was employed by recruiting staff to dramatically 'volunteer' at several of these receptions in order to appeal to the patriotism of the crowd, and lure other volunteers into enlisting. The Men from Snowy River recruitment march arrived in Goulburn on 28 January 1916 144 men strong. Despite
10192-570: Was made as a result of an informal tradition to use maroon to represent the state in association with sporting events. After three decades of record population growth, Queensland was impacted by major floods between late 2010 and early 2011 , causing extensive damage and disruption across the state. In 2020 Queensland was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic . Despite a low number and abrupt decline in cases from April 2020 onward, social distancing requirements were implemented from March 2020 including
10296-552: Was particularly hard hit during the 1860s and 1870s, several contemporary writers mention the Skull Hole, Bladensburg, or Mistake Creek massacre on Bladensburg Station near Winton , which in 1901 was said to have taken up to 200 Aboriginal lives. First Nations warriors killed 19 settlers during the Cullin-La-Ringo massacre on 17 October 1861. In the weeks afterwards, police, native police and civilians killed up to 370 members of
10400-442: Was some concerns created in relation to whether the Queensland committee or the local committee should process the replies. Some local committees felt they would have a better understanding of local situations; others did not want the workload. Meanwhile, the Queensland committee believed that some men would not wish their circumstances to become known to other local people. By March 1916, 113,00 war census returns had been received from
10504-708: Was subject to ongoing criticism that he had not enlisted himself despite being a man of suitable age. In discussing the completion of his war census card in January 1916, Ryan "hedged" his answer saying "there is great room for difference of opinion as to the best way to serve the Empire". In March 1916, when Ryan addressed a recruiting railly in Rockhampton urging men to enlist, a heckler in the crowd called out "I will go with you tomorrow" to which Ryan responded "I am prepared to go tomorrow" and claimed he had indicated his willingness to serve on his war census card. In August 1916, when pressed on his willingness to enlist, Ryan deflected
10608-545: Was the first recorded landing of a European in Australia , and it also marked the first reported contact between Europeans and the Aboriginal people of Australia . The region was also explored by French and Spanish explorers (commanded by Louis Antoine de Bougainville and Luís Vaez de Torres , respectively) before the arrival of Lieutenant James Cook in 1770. Cook claimed the east coast under instruction from King George III of
10712-616: Was the publication of a 16-page booklet entitled "For Queensland's Honour: Queensland expects that every man will do his duty", providing a mix of motivational and practical information (rates of pay and training) for potential recruits. It also includes an additional verse added to the national anthem of God Save the King as follows: God save our splendid men Send them safe home again God save our men Keep them victorious Patient and chivalrous They are so dear to us God save our men. The committee
10816-458: Was to be achieved was unclear to the recruitment committees. The Federal Government decided that recruitment should be coordinated directly by the Federal Government with a hierarchical structure of local committees, state committees and a federal committee all under the direction of a Federal Director-General of Recruitment, Donald Mackinnon . Although it was noted that the existing Queensland recruiting arrangements were already arranged in this way,
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