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Earthquakes are relatively rare in Queensland. Nevertheless, since European settlement, most parts of the state's east coast have felt the impacts of several moderate to high-magnitude events. Knowledge of seismic activity in Queensland is limited owing to sparse historical seismograph coverage, and the relatively short period (ca 1825 onwards) for which records are available. Previously published compilations of observational records for several high-magnitude historical earthquakes and their effects on local communities are incomplete. The National Library of Australia Trove newspaper collection and newspaper microfilm records were used to document 12 moderate–high-magnitude earthquakes that impacted major population centres in Queensland between 1879 and 1958, before the establishment of effective seismic monitoring. The Trove newspaper collection facilitates access to details on the timing, duration and intensity of events, and the damage caused for many locations where these earthquakes were felt. Newspaper reports for the 12 earthquakes were used to define their regions of impact and a re-evaluation of felt radii, epicentre locations and magnitudes against previously published interpretations. The Trove records are consistent with existing interpretations for the Gayndah 1883, Atherton Tablelands 1928, Bundaberg 1918, Gayndah 1935 and Cairns 1958 events. In contrast, previously published interpretations for the Townsville 1879, Cairns 1896, Mundubbera 1910, Coalstoun Lakes/Kilcoy 1913, Ravenswood 1913, Daintree 1942 and Atherton 1950 earthquakes are not consistent with Trove records, which facilitate improved estimates of epicentre locations and magnitudes. This study has identified and documented three earthquakes in southern Queensland previously unrecognised in the seismological literature that impacted Degilbo in ca 1873, Nanango in 1876 and Toowoomba in 1877. Inconsistencies were found between data on an event that impacted Toowoomba in 1875 and Trove records. This review demonstrates the usefulness of the Trove archive to better identify and document the attributes and impacts of historical earthquakes. Newspapers in the Trove archive are a useful source of information on historical earthquakes. Information from the Trove archive can be used to re-evaluate interpretations of historical earthquakes and discover previously unidentified earthquake events. The nature of historical buildings influenced the effects and the amount of damage caused by historical earthquakes in Queensland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Defining a 'weed' is more complex than the usual variations of 'a plant out of place'. It depends on time, place and the identity of the people affected by it, and can change as uses are found for an unwanted plant. Whether or not a plant is introduced can also affect its status. This study uses examples of weeds in the Australian state of Queensland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate, water shortages, poor soils, pests, isolation and the impermanence of settlements made ornamental gardening difficult for householders on the mining fields of Queensland's dry tropics between 1860 and 1960. Only some tried to overcome these disadvantages. Out of the many motivations that exist for ornamental gardening, the principal reasons here seem to have been the love of plants, climate mitigation, expectations of gender and class, the desire of schools to civilise their students, aesthetics derived from European tastes, and attempts to improve the raw rough mining settlements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of explosives in mines in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries was notoriously unsafe. In Queensland's underground metalliferous mines, explosive practices could be dangerous not only because of the attitudes of miners and managers, but because of problems inherent to the technology, conditions underground, economic fluctuations, and the persistence of outmoded practices. Some limited specialisation of labour occurred in the interests of safety, and although newer technology had the potential to deskill the work of miners, these developments were quite dissimilar to the highly specialised work practices that were adopted for large-scale mining in the United States during the same period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the first legislation written specifically to control water pollution in Queensland. The Act was sparked by the pollution of the Herbert River with tin dredge effluent after 1944. It is stated that the conditions imposed on the dredge operations were compromises, chosen for utility for dredging rather than for effectiveness, and further legislation maintained the situation to ensure pollution of the river and water supplies drawn from it continued for 40 years. The attitude towards pollution control persistent after other jurisdictions had moved to more environmentally sensitive styles of pollution management.