Establishing the BRGHS

In July 2003 the volunteers who had maintained the Boggo Road site for up to 11 years formed the Boggo Road Gaol Historical Society Inc. as an incorporated association, and John Banks, a former officer who had volunteered at the site since 1992, was the founding president. Our objectives included:

To work to preserve, maintain and promote the site of the No.2 Division at the former Brisbane Prison.

To co-ordinate the use of the museum space at the site and to create a quality museum experience, including tours, exhibits, displays and educational programmes.

To collect, conserve and research artefacts relating to all sites of the former Brisbane Prison in Dutton Park and other corrective service facilities in Queensland.

To create a research centre at the site to co-ordinate the collection, analysis and dissemination of historical knowledge relating to all sites of the former Brisbane Prison and other corrective services in Queensland.

To develop working relationships with similar heritage organisations.

Because of our proven dedication to the site, the BRGHS was chosen by the Department of Public Works (which took over the site in 2003/04) to provide day-to-day services and staff until the site was temporarily closed in December 2005. During this time, interest in the site allowed the BRGHS to quadruple in size, attracting a diverse range of members who were engaged in a range of research activities, tour guiding, and maintenance work.

The BRGHS today

Although our future seemed uncertain when we left the site in late 2005, the BRGHS has thrived and grown, and we have many more members today than when we were based at the museum. We hold general meetings once a month, and our members engage in regular research activities together.



BRGHS general meeting, December 2007: Senator Claire Moore presents the inaugural BRGHS Honorary Lifetime Memberships.

Our research has diversified to include various aspects of local history, and we continue to build and strengthen our working relationships with other community groups, such as the Friends of South Brisbane Cemetery. In 2008 we organized the first-ever ‘open days’ at the cemetery with the FOSBC, which featured free guided tours, bookstalls, and a BBQ. We also continue to lobby for the best outcome for the future of the gaol site, and we hope to be the on-site volunteer organization when the gaol re-opens circa 2011.

In 2010, our membership stands at around 150 people and is still growing.

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Boggo Road Gaol Historical Society (Inc.)