Vandals smash 19 tombstones at historic Goodna Cemetery

PIC: Vandalised statue of an angel erected in 1922

Vandals have damaged 19 tombstones at Goodna's historic, 150-year old cemetery in Stuart Street Goodna, causing an estimated $100,000 damage overnight.

Police are investigating the incident.

One of the damaged graves dates back more than 110 years.

The Goodna Cemetery was established by the New South Wales government in 1859 before Queensland became a separate colony.

Local Councillor and Cemetery Trustee Paul Tully described the vandalism as "a senseless destruction of family graves".

"Whoever is responsible should face the full consequences of the law for this appalling desecration," Cr Tully said.
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Media Release: Call for bomb decontamination as Commonwealth updates UXO maps

PIC: Unexploded UXOs

UNITED STATES SHOULD PAY FOR CLEAN-UP OF THE BOMBS THEY LEFT BEHIND IN AUSTRALIA

Unexploded World War II bombs continue to pose a major threat to Ipswich residents following publication of updated UXO (Unexploded Ordnance) maps by the Commonwealth Government.

This has prompted a call for the Australian and United States governments to decontaminate affected sites in residential areas across Australia.

There are 307 areas in Queensland which have been assessed as containing UXO contamination with 73 officially classified as "substantial".

In Ipswich 17,219 individual parcels of land are listed as being affected by unexploded UXOs.


Thousands of residents of Redbank, Goodna, Redbank Plains, Gailes and Bundamba are living close to the affected areas.

Ipswich City Council Planning spokesman Paul Tully described the situation as "horrendous".

"It's almost 65 years since the end of World War II and we still have these bombs lying around waiting for a tragedy to happen."

"Redbank was a major Australian and American military base during the second world war and there are regular reports of UXOs being unearthed by inquisitive children or popping-off during local bushfires."

"The Yanks are responsible for many of these unexploded bombs buried around Ipswich and they should bear the cost of cleaning it up."

Cr Tully said several UXOs had been discovered at Redbank during the current upgrade of the Ipswich Motorway on former Commonwealth land which had been part of the defunct Redbank Rifle Range.

In 2006, workers unearthed a live mortar bomb near Cedar Road at Redbank Plains during the construction of the new water pipeline.


In February 1943, a 12-year old schoolboy died at Goodna after a live mortar shell he brought to the local Catholic School exploded.

He had discovered it at a nearby American war base.

Commonwealth Map link: www.defence.gov.au/uxo
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PAUL TULLY: PaulGTully@gmail.com
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Minister Annastacia Palasczuk unveils historic plaque at Wacol

PIC: Minister the Hon Annastcia Palasczuk, Member for Inala is joined today by Cr Milton Dick and (left) Dr Noel Wallis for the official plaque unveiling to recognise Dr Stephen Simpson MD, MLC (1792 - 1869).


The Richlands, Inala and suburbs History Group Inc. was responsible for today's event commemorating Dr Simpson who, at various times between 1842 and 1859, was the Commissioner for Crown Lands at Moreton Bay, Protector of Aborigines, foundation member of the Royal Brisbane Hospital Board and the Queensland Legislative Council.

He was one of the most-respected persons in the colony.

In 1843, he moved to Woogaroo - the area now in the suburb of Wacol, part of The Park with former names of the Woogaroo Lunatic Asylum, Goodna Mental Asylum and Wolston Park.
He lived adjacent to the current site of the Wolston Park Golf Club from 1843 to 1853.

Today's ceremony included the planting of several endangered Willem Pines.

Ipswich City Councillor Paul Tully, representing the adjoining suburb of Goodna, attended today's unveiling.


PAUL TULLY: paul@tully.org.au

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Riverview Reunion

Memories flooded back today for former residents of the Salvation Army Home for Boys at Riverview.

It was a difficult time for many of the men who talked about their time at Riverview in the 1940s, 1950s and beyond.

Time heals all and the honesty and openness of the former Boys' Home members and Salvationists at today's event was a milestone in the lives of all involved.

PAUL TULLY: paul@tully.org.au

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Rocklea trots closes for the last time today

PIC: The last race at Rocklea!

The last race ever at Rocklea was run today.

This is truly the end of an era.

Punters - big and small - had tales to tell of decades of happy punting at the unique Rocklea track.

The big question is:

Can Marburg fill the gap?

PAUL TULLY: paul@tully.org.au

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Ipswich claims World Lamington Record

PIC: Seven years' old James
Tully from St Augustine's
College at Augustine Heights
in Ipswich about to savour
the delights of the world's
largest lamington.


It's official.

Ipswich has won the title for the largest lamington in the world.

The monster lamington weighed in this morning at the Ipswich Turf Club at a whopping 1.32 tonnes, eclipsing the previous one tonne record set in Melbourne in 2005.

The super-sized lamington is equivalent to 20,894 standard lamingtons.

The giant lamington, named after Lord Lamington Governor of Queensland from 1896 to 1901, was made from 230 litres of water, 200 litres of eggs, 535 kg of sponge mix, plus 68kg of desiccated coconut, 75kg of jam, and 150 kg of chocolate lamington mix.

The unveiling of the lamington was witnessed by Lord Lamington's great grandchildren Alex Scrimgeour and Belinda Leigh who had travelled from the UK for the event.

Celebrity chef Ipswich Councillor Paul Tully said the gigantic lamington was a work of art which had taken three days to prepare.

"This record will be difficult to break given the culinary dexterity needed to put this giant lamington together," Cr Tully said.

The creator of the Australian icon Lord Lamington once described them as "those bloody poofy woolly biscuits".


PAUL TULLY: paul@tully.org.au

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World Record Lamington Attempt in Ipswich - More than a tonne!

PIC: Cr Paul Tully with a super sized lamington!

‪‪The Ipswich Turf Club will host Tuesday's record attempt to create the world's largest lamington.‬‪ ‬‪

The event is the brainchild of Ipswich Councillor and local historian Paul Tully and Mayor Paul Pisasale both of whom have secured their own claim to fame in the Guinness Book of Records.‬‪ ‬‪

As a 17 year old University of Queensland student in 1969, Paul Tully became the world potato crisp eating champion downing 30 packets of crisps in 24 minutes 33.6 seconds without a drink.‬‪ ‬‪

Eating records were removed from official Guinness records in 1990 with Cr Tully retiring undefeated as the world champion.‬‪ ‬‪

Two years ago, Mayor Paul Pisasale became the proud owner of the largest tea set collection in the world, a feat formally recognised by the Guinness Book of Records.  ‬‪

On Tuesday - Australia's National Lamington Day - the political duo's culinary skills will combine with a team of professional chefs to create a monster lamington in excess of one tonne, half the size of a family sedan and the equivalent of more than 20,000 standard size lamingtons.‬‪ ‬‪

Cr Tully has been researching the history of the Australian lamington for more than a decade.‬‪ ‬‪

"The most-plausible theory is they were named after Lord Lamington, Queensland Governor from 1896 to 1901, when a maid-servant accidentally dropped some sponge cake in melted chocolate and then tossed the concoction into some desiccated coconut to hide her embarrassment.‬‪" ‬‪

He said they were an instant hit at Government House in Brisbane with Lord Lamington once describing them as "those poofy woolly biscuits".‬‪ ‬‪

At the 1998 Constitutional Convention in Canberra, lamingtons featured in the debate on the merits of an Australian republic with Cr Tully - an elected Queensland delegate - calling Lord Lamington's gastronomic creation as the "one, solitary positive achievement of any governor since the First Fleet arrived in 1788".‬‪ ‬‪ 

Now, the humble Aussie lamington - which has raised millions of dollars over the past 100 years for scouts, schools and sporting groups - is known throughout the states and territories of Australia, New Zealand, the United States and even South Africa but is a relative rarity in Mother England!

PAUL TULLY: paul@tully.org.au

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Brisbane's Historic Norman Hotel destroyed by fire

PIC: The historic Norman Hotel goes up in flames.

It was built in 1889 when Queensland was still a British colony and the Commonwealth of Australia was still 12 years away.

The Norman Hotel has weathered 120 years of community life in Brisbane and southeast Queensland.

At lunch time today, a spark from a tradesman's tool ignited one of the biggest blazes seen in Brisbane for many years.

The Norman Hotel advertised itself as Brisbane's Worst Vegetarian Restaurant - a clever play on its well-deserved reputation as the best steak house in the state.

The beer will be flowing again soon on Ipswich Road at Woolloongabba and the oysters and steaks will be back again with customers savouring the pub's delights as they have for 120 years.

But one thing's for sure.

The steaks at the Norman Hotel will never be as well done as they were at one o'clock this afternoon.

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CR PAUL TULLY: paul@tully.org.au

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First Electric Telegraph transmission from Brisbane to Ipswich

This is a copy of the first telegram (known then as the Electric Telegraph) sent from Brisbane to Ipswich.

It was sent on 13 April 1861.
It was a congratulatory telegram from the Mayor of Brisbane Alderman J Petrie to the Mayor of Ipswich Alderman J Murphy on the opening of the Electric Telegraph between the two towns which were 24 miles apart.

The original is a truly historic document.

St Paul's celebrates 150 years in Ipswich

St Paul's celebrates 100 years in Ipswich from 1859-2009.

There is a feature display on this historical building at the Ipswich Art Gallery at d'Arcy Doyle Place, off Limestone Street Ipswich.

This Church has been an important part of Ipswich's history from the same year Queensland separated from New South Wales and a year before Ipswich was officially proclaimed as a municipality.