Category: Today’s Community

Posts in this category will link with members of the general community who have shared information or contributed new ideas. It will also contain information relevant to any organisation or individual who is involved privately or professionally in St Helena Island in the current era.

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!

Belinda DalyLeave a comment
silver ipad on stack of books
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!

Belinda DalyLeave a comment
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

Belinda DalyLeave a comment
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

Belinda DalyLeave a comment
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?

Belinda DalyLeave a comment
Environmental History, St Helena Prisoners, St Helena Warders, Today's Community

History is like a box of jigsaw pieces

I think history is like a large jigsaw puzzle – the 5,000 small piece kind. In the box, the puzzle is a jumble of indistinct colours and shapes and there is no clarity. Yet, when you begin to join some pieces together, a picture starts to emerge, and the more pieces that you are able to join together, the clearer the picture is. When researching … Continue reading History is like a box of jigsaw pieces

Belinda DalyLeave a comment