Gayundah & Brisbane Botanical Gardens from River Terrace

by Ashton, Julian Rossi

Brisbane City Gardens from River Terrace, South Brisbane (c1886). Old Government House, Parliament House and the Queensland Club can be seen beyond the Brisbane City Botanic Gardens.

Heritage Editions reproduction print from a hand-coloured wood engraving by Andrew, after the sketch by prominent artist and teacher Julian Rossi Ashton (1851-1942) for Picturesque Atlas of Australasia published in Sydney between 1886 and 1888 to commemorate 100 years of settlement since the First Fleet arrived in Sydney in 1788, and to provide a graphic summary of Australia’s development.

Half the Queeensland Maritime Defence Force in 1886 (with her sister ship Paluma (meaning thunder)), alpha-class flat iron gunboat HMQS Gayundah (meaning lightning) was built in Newcastle-on-Tyne in 1884 for 35,000 pounds - commissioned for defence against perceived threat from the Russian Pacific fleet. Later renamed HMAS Gayundah as one of the Royal Australian Navy's 10 ships, Gayundah was the first warship in Australia to use ship-to-shore wireless telegraph (in 1903). This view shows Gayundah when under the command of Senior Naval Officer, Captain Henry Townley-Wright, who was attempting to win a pay dispute. He moored the ship in the middle of the river and threatened to sail for Sydney. (It has been suggested that he trained the single stern gun towards Parliament House.) 

Gayundah was sold to Brisbane Gravel Pty Ltd in 1921 and spent many years as a sand and gravel barge. Sold in 1958 to Redcliffe Town Council, she was beached as a breakwater off the Woody Point cliffs where she still protects the shore from erosion.

Image size approximately 145mm x 260mm (5.3/4 inches x 10.1/4 inches)