About this book:

A History of Queensland offers readers a sweeping journey from the deep past of First Nations peoples who have inhabited the land for at least sixty‑thousand years to the modern challenges of a globalised twenty‑first century. Through meticulously researched chapters, the book reveals how ancient Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander societies thrived in diverse environments, managed complex kinship systems, and left enduring legacies in art, trade, and sustainable land practices that continue to shape Queensland today.

The narrative then follows the turbulent arrival of Europeans, beginning with the brutal Moreton Bay Penal Colony, the violent expansion of pastoral squatters, and the fierce frontier conflicts that dispossessed Indigenous nations. Readers will witness the birth of the colony through separation from New South Wales, the transformative impact of gold rushes, the rise of the sugar industry built on indentured South Sea Islander labour, and the emergence of regional powerhouses like Rockhampton and Townsville that challenged Brisbane’s dominance.

Political and social evolution is explored in detail, from the early days of responsible government and the tumultuous 1860s marked by financial crisis and religious fervour, to the shearers’ strikes that sparked the Australian Labor Party, the Federation debate that forced Queensland to confront the White Australia Policy, and the state’s contributions and sacrifices in both World Wars. The book also examines the post‑war boom, the controversial Bjelke‑Petersen era, the watershed Fitzgerald Inquiry that exposed systemic corruption, and the cultural renaissance ushered in by Expo ’88 and the Smart State initiative.

Environmental awakening, native title struggles, migration and multiculturalism, natural disasters, and the mining boom of the twenty‑first century are all covered, showing how Queensland’s identity has been continually reshaped by boom‑and‑bust cycles, climate challenges, and movements for justice and reconciliation. Finally, the book looks ahead to the opportunities and dilemmas facing a state striving to balance resource wealth, renewable energy transition, urban growth, and a commitment to a fair, inclusive society for all who call Queensland home. Readers will finish with a nuanced understanding of what makes Queensland both a land of extraordinary beauty and a place of profound historical complexity.

What You'll Find Inside:

• The deep Indigenous history of Queensland spanning over 60,000 years, including diverse First Nations cultures, sophisticated land management practices, and enduring connection to Country.
• Queensland's origins as a brutal penal colony at Moreton Bay and its transformation through pastoral expansion, gold rushes, and sugar plantations built on indentured Pacific Islander labor.
• The state's unique political development including early separation from NSW, abolition of the upper house, and the controversial Bjelke-Petersen era marked by development-at-all-costs and systemic corruption.
• Major social movements that shaped Queensland, from the shearers' strikes and birth of the Labor Party to environmental battles for the Great Barrier Reef and Daintree Rainforest, and the Indigenous land rights movement culminating in the Mabo decision.
• Queensland's evolution in the 21st century facing challenges of economic transition from resources to knowledge industries, climate change threats to natural icons like the Reef, and ongoing reconciliation with First Nations peoples.

Who's It For:

This book is ideal for students of Australian history, general readers interested in Queensland's development, and anyone seeking to understand the state's complex social, political, and environmental evolution. It will particularly benefit readers interested in Indigenous history, colonialism, labor movements, and environmental history within an Australian context, providing a comprehensive overview from ancient times to contemporary challenges.