Hugo du Rietz: Swedish noble, architect, farmer and a founding father of Gympie

Author Linda Atkinson shares the story of one of Gympie's founding fathers, Hugo du Rietz.

Hugo du Rietz was the architect behind such heritage buildings as the School of Arts in Nash Street, the Surface Hill Church in Channon Street, the Royal Bank of Queensland (now offices) in Mary Street just to name a few. The family were also major contributors to the dairying industry in the region.

The book is free to download on the link below.

Hugo du Rietz by Linda Atkinson (PDF 12MB)

The Gympie Goldfield 1867-2008

Authors John Ferguson and Elaine Brown tell the full story of one of Australia's most productive goldfields and celebrate Gympie's role as the town that saved Queensland.

Richly illustrated, and painstakingly researched, this book describes the growth of the local community, explores the prosperous eras of alluvial mining, shallow reefing and deep reefing, and discusses modern efforts to revive gold production.

In 2010, this book received a National Trust of Queensland Bendigo Bank Heritage Award.

The Gympie Goldfield 1867-2008

Wild Heart Bountiful Land

Produced by the Queensland State Archives in partnership with Cooloola Shire Council, Wild Heart Bountiful Land is an historical overview of the Mary River Valley.

Read Wild Heart Bountiful Land 2.3MB

Cooloola Shire… a golden past

In 2001, Cooloola Libraries published "Cooloola Shire...a golden past". The book details the history of the shire and includes many photos.

Read Cooloola Shire...a golden past  6.5Mb

Memorial Park

Memorial Park in Gympie celebrates its 100th birthday in April 2021. 

Read a brief history of the park.

Memorial Park

Gympie Town Hall

The Gympie Town Hall was officially opened on 4 March 1891 and the first Council meeting held on that date with John L. Matthews as Mayor.

The booklet outlines the history of the Gympie Town Hall and the baby clinic on Mellor Street.

Gympie Town Hall

Gympie School of Arts and Library

The Gympie Regional Gallery started its life in February 1905 as a School of Arts and Library building. In 1995 the Friends of the Library researched and wrote a book on the history of the building. The author, Mr Rae Webb, is still a Friend of Gympie Regional Libraries and has allowed us to scan and make available this book.

The Gympie School of Arts and Library

Founding Fathers of Gympie

Edward Bytheway

This is a history on Edward Bytheway, a most prominent founding father of Gympie who made significant contributions to the development of Gympie between 1867 and 1905.

A hardback version can be purchased from the Gympie Regional Gallery Shop for $40. Phone 5481 0733 or email gallery@gympie.qld.gov.au

Edward Bytheway

Doctors of Gympie

Local author, Linda Atkinson has been researching the first doctors in Gympie. Each book is a delightful reminiscence of their life in the pioneering days of Gympie.

Doctor Theordore Edgar Dickson Byrne

Doctor Stephen John Joseph Burke

Lighthouses

Ron and Yvonne Turner are volunteers assisting in the preservation of lighthouses in Queensland. Ron is a retired National Parks Ranger. They have graciously shared 2 books they have written on the lighthouses at Double Island Point and Bustard Head. 

Double Island Point LIghthouse

Bustard Head Lighthouse

Gympie and the railway

Learn about the history of the railway in Gympie from the 1880s to the 1990s.
This presentation follows the evolution of the Gympie Station site, from a dead-end railway terminus, to a large complex and major station.
Presented by Sean O'Keeffe, Senior Heritage Officer, Department of Environment and Heritage Protection at the Gympie Heritage Forum held at Gympie Regional Gallery, 23 May 2012.

Transcript

Slideshow