Council to donate artefacts to Queensland Museum
Date published: 18 April 2019
Townsville City Council’s Planning and Development Committee has recommended to donate over 600 artefacts discovered at Jezzine Barracks to the Queensland Museum.
The artefacts were discovered during the 2012 redevelopment of Jezzine Barracks and some of the items are thought to date back to the 1840’s.
The Queensland Museum intends to create a display of the items at the Museum of Tropical Queensland.
Planning and Development Committee Chair Cr Les Walker said the artefacts are important links to Townsville’s history.
“Townsville has an extensive military background and the items discovered during the redevelopment date mainly back to the World War 2 era and earlier,” Cr Walker said.
“One item found includes a wallaby jawbone inside an enamelled pot which can tell us about how soldiers ate when food supplies were low.
“The Museum of Tropical Queensland is the perfect home for a piece of Townsville’s history.”
Local Councillor Ann-Maree Greaney said Council had been holding on to the artefacts ever since they had been discovered.
“Council has been looking after these artefacts since the Jezzine Barracks redevelopment in 2012,” Cr Greaney said.
“It’s a great outcome to have these items on display close to their home at the Museum of Tropical Queensland.
“I’m looking forward to seeing the display once Queensland Museum has catalogued and assessed all of the artefacts.
“This will be a great way to share an important part of Townsville’s history and attract residents and visitors to the city.”
