Author: Belinda Daly

Storyteller. Environmental Educator. Social history researcher. Interpreter of natural and cultural heritage. Writer. Teacher. Ecotourism Lecturer. Ex Ranger. Protector of our fragile planet. Collector of stories and keeper of memories. Explorer of special places. Lover of adventure and life.
St Helena Prisoners, St Helena Warders, Today's Community

Are your ancestors connected with the Penal Establishment of St Helena Island? We need to hear from you!

We are searching for Warders’ families that lived on St Helena Island during the Penal Establishment years. Is that you? We need to hear from you! The St Helena Island Community is regularly contacted by individuals exploring their family tree and who have unearthed information that they have a St Helena prisoner or warder amongst their relatives. Others know their ancestor was on St Helena … Continue reading Are your ancestors connected with the Penal Establishment of St Helena Island? We need to hear from you!

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Colonial History, St Helena Warders, Today's Community

We’ve received a Harry Gentle Resource Centre Visiting Fellowship at Griffith University!

The St Helena Island Community is excited to announce that we have received from Griffith University, the Harry Gentle Research Centre’s Visiting Fellowship. We look forward to conducting in depth research into the wives and children of St Helena Island. Continue reading We’ve received a Harry Gentle Resource Centre Visiting Fellowship at Griffith University!

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Built environment, Moreton Bay history, Today's Community

Roland Dowling – custodian of St Helena Island

A significant event occurred on the 31st January 2025 that marks the end of an era for St Helena Island. That’s the retirement of Ranger-In-Charge Roland Dowling – mentor, guru, expansive thinker, protector of rangers and the environment in equal measure, lover of heritage, friend and all-round great person. When Roland first stepped into the role of managing Fort Lytton National Park in 1991 (and … Continue reading Roland Dowling – custodian of St Helena Island

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Colonial History, Moreton Bay history

New arrivals, new stories and old mysteries – 1862 was a busy year.

SHIP: ‘Chatsworth.’ 1037 tons, departed Liverpool 5th April 1862, Arrived on the 6th August 1862 in Moreton Bay, Queensland, Australia. Deaths at Sea: 12. Deaths on St Helena Island: 7 Our last story ‘New arrivals, new stories and old mysteries – 1862’ gave us new insights into the burials on St Helena Island, Moreton Bay, Queensland when the ship ‘Erin-Go-Bragh was quarantined there in 1862. … Continue reading New arrivals, new stories and old mysteries – 1862 was a busy year.

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Colonial History, For Schools, Moreton Bay history, Primary Schools

New arrivals, new stories and old mysteries – 1862

10 years passed between the burial of Johanna Goodwin and her infant on St Helena Island and the next woman to die and be buried there also. My last blog post in this series ‘New arrivals, new stories and old mysteries in 1852’ detailed the arrival of the immigrant ship ‘Maria Soames’ and the first immigrant burials recorded on St Helena Island, Moreton Bay. Fast … Continue reading New arrivals, new stories and old mysteries – 1862

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Colonial History, Environmental History, Moreton Bay history, Secondary Schools, Today's Community

New arrivals, new stories and old mysteries in 1852

While our focus is often on the prison era of the St Helena Penal Establishment from 1867, the previous 15 years saw St Helena Island used as a quarantine site. Moreton Bay settlement was opened up to free immigrants in 1842 and in doing so it became exposed to outbreaks of disease the immigrants brought with them on the ships. The story of these immigrant … Continue reading New arrivals, new stories and old mysteries in 1852

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St Helena Prisoners, St Helena Warders, Today's Community

Is data your thing?

Is data your thing? Or stories? For me it’s always the story, which is why it’s so amazing that this whole blog post is going to be about data and databases. And I’m going to be seriously enthusiastic about them because we’ve never had digitised data relating to St Helena Penal Establishment in any format that is searchable. And now The St Helena Island Community … Continue reading Is data your thing?

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Colonial History, St Helena Warders

One day in September on St Helena Island -Warders

It’s a numbers game. My last post focussing on the importance of the 14th September 1921 showed how 30 prisoners were transferred on that one day to Brisbane Prison. Our new research shows that the same fate befell the warders, with 12 warders also leaving on the same day. In fact, by the 14th September 1921, St Helena Penal Establishment staff had been reduced from … Continue reading One day in September on St Helena Island -Warders

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