June 4, 2025
Local history buffs will be excited that two new books about the early days of Kingaroy have been added to the reference section at the Kingaroy Library.
The titles detail the history of the first Kingaroy District Hospital, which was officially opened in 1914, and the stories behind the formation of the first Kingaroy Shire Council in 1912.
The two books were presented to South Burnett Regional Council library services officer Chloe Patch and Mayor Kathy Duff in a small ceremony at the Kingaroy Council Chambers on Wednesday morning.
The books were researched and written by members of the South Burnett Genealogical and Family History Society.
Member Pauline Ardley, who worked on the hospital book, said she started doing some research about the history of the first Kingaroy Hospital, and ended up with enough information to write a book!
Fellow member Carmel Olsson worked on the Kingaroy Council volume.
She started her research after looking at the old photographs of councillors which hung on the walls of the 1913 Council Chambers in Edward Street, Kingaroy.
“The frames looked bigger than the photos!” she said.
“I could find nothing – except a little bit in (local history volume) ‘Landscapes of Change’ – about how they formed the first Council, so I thought ‘Why don’t I make a book?’.”
Carmel tracked down the 1911 “Delegates Book” which recorded the decisions made at the time.
“I was gobsmacked. It was like they were talking to me,” Carmel said.
The first Shire Chairman was T.W. (Thomas) O’Neill and the first Shire Clerk was G.S. (George) Venman.
The two new books are not available to borrow from the library, but can be perused and portions photocopied.
The South Burnett Genealogical and Family History Society meets at the Kingaroy Library, in Glendon Street, from 9:00am to noon every Wednesday morning.
