The Alphabet Club_Saturday Detention for Q

IS FOR

Which is actually not always so sunny!

As actually the other day Queensland experienced a hailstorm with hail the size of tennis balls - you can read more about it here.

Queensland is the pointy state in the north-east of Australia, it is one of the biggest states (much bigger than Victoria where I live, as you can see).

It is so big, that the distance from Melbourne to Brisbane (the capital of Queensland) is almost exactly the same distance as from Brisbane to the last biggish town in Queensland, Cairns!

Quensland also likes to celebrate its large size by having lots of Big attractions...

Now, for some more serious information about Queensland....

European History of Queensland (named after Queen Victoria, of course, just like my home state of Victoria - she was a bit greedy or vain or both, really, wasn't she? lol!)....

Settlement

Queensland was first seen by Europeans in the 1600s. Dutch explorer Willem Jansz landed on the Cape York Peninsula in 1606, and in 1623 Jan Carstens explored the Gulf of Carpentaria. An Englishman, Lieutenant James Cook, is acknowledged as the first European to encounter Queensland's east coast in 1770 in HMS Endeavour.

Europeans settled in Queensland in 1825 when Brisbane was selected as a penal settlement for the more difficult convicts. The penal settlement was officially closed in 1839 and the land was prepared for sale for permanent settlement.

Queensland was originally part of the British-administered colony of New South Wales. This occupied a large part of the Australian continent.

A desire to separate from New South Wales began to emerge as Queensland's economic significance increased and its productivity and population expanded. The people of Queensland began to realise the importance of Brisbane as a port and urban centre.

The physical remoteness of Queensland from the centre of government in New South Wales and concern about the maintenance of public infrastructure, contributed to a desire for independence.

Independence

In 1851, a public meeting was held to consider Queensland's separation from New South Wales.

Queen Victoria granted approval and signed Letters Patent on 6 June 1859 to establish the new colony of Queensland. On the same day, an Order-in-Council gave Queensland its own constitution.

Queensland became a self-governing colony with its own Governor, a nominated Legislative Council and an elected Legislative Assembly.

Source:https://www.qld.gov.au/about/about-queensland/history/creation-of-state/




Of course, one of the famous places in Queensland is the Gold Coast....

... and the Great Barrier Reef ...

It has spectacular scenery.... 

But you do have to worry about these fellas!  

Where is Crocodile Dundee when you need him?

Whenever I go up to Queensland, I look out for the beautiful old Queenslander homes, built high up on stilts (for the flooding) and with wonderful verandahs which surround the whole house (to catch the breeze).

Unfortunately, a lot of these houses are disappearing now....

Anyway, that is all from me for the Letter Q but let me explain what The Alphabet Club is all about ....

  It is the brainchild of Chiara from The Grey Tail and Jo from Serendipitous Stitching and is loosely based on the premise of the movie "The Breakfast Club" - you can see the button for The Alphabet Club on my right sidebar.

On the first Saturday of each month, members of the club have "detention" and have to post about something that will enlighten others about their culture (as blogland is so diverse).  Of course, there should/could be something stitchy in there, if possible (although I seemed to have moved right away from that premise as the months have gone by, instead focusing on boring you all with quirky facts about Australia - lol!)

Each month will be a different letter of the alphabet - hence the club's name - and, of course, we started with "A" and now we are up to "Q".

hugs,

 

P.S. If you want to see what the other detainees got up to this month.  Please click on this link here.