Hosted by Brisbane Valley Heritage Trails Inc.
Enjoy exploring the history of the Brisbane Valley at the Brisbane Valley History EXPO.
Explore the rich tapestry of our regions history all in one place, featuring over 30+ history groups and a lineup of engaging keynote speakers
TICKETS | Entry is FREE
DATE | Saturday 24 October
TIMES | 9am to 2pm
VENUE | Somerset Civic Centre, 35 Esk Hampton Road, Esk QLD 4312
2026 Exhibitors;
#Artist Noela Lowien #Author Julia Caunce – Fernvale Histories #Bellevue Homestead #Blackbutt and District Tourism and Heritage Association #Brisbane Valley Heritage Trails #Bunya Mountains Natural History Association #EK Art Sculptures #Esk Hospital Auxiliary #Friends of Stonehouse – History, Restoration and Conservation #Gatton & District Historical Society #Genealogical Society Queensland, Colonial and Convict Interest Group #Genealogical Society Queensland, Writers Interest Group #Jimna Forest Action Group #Kilcoy District Historical Society #Kingaroy Museum #Kumbia Historical Society #Laidley Pioneer Village #Moore Soldiers Memorial Hall #Nanango History Room #Professional Historians Association of Queensland #QCWA Glamorgan Vale #Queensland Museum #Queensland Rail #Rosewood Scrub Historical Society #Somerset Dam & Districts Progress Association #Somerset Family History Centre #Somerset Library #Stonehouse #TOCAH (Treasury of Country Australian History) #Toogoolawah & District History Group #Toogoolawah RSL #Wondai Museum #Wyvill’s Museum #Yarraman and District Historical Society
2026 Guest Speakers;
Greg Hallam – Historian, Queensland Rail
‘THE BRISBANE VALLEY LINE: SOME STORIES ABOUT THE RAILWAY AROUND IPSWICH’
Greg Hallam is a historian for Queensland Rail. Greg’s professional employment in the public sphere in cultural heritage and community history extends for 30 years and he has worked as a historian for QR/Queensland Rail since 2000.
Dany Williams, Snr Repatriation Manager – Queensland Museum
Dany Williams, Senior Carpet Snake man of the Dau’wai Kav’ai/Kabi of the Munna and Wide Bay watersheds.
‘PROTECTING, PRESERVING AND REPATRIATING FIRST NATIONS CULTURAL MATERIAL’
Dany Williams is the Senior Manager, Repatriation for the Queensland Museum and oversees the state repatriation program on behalf of the Queensland Government and the Federal Government.
Dany is responsible for overseeing the ongoing care, protection, and preservation of First Nations Ancestors, Secret Sacred Objects and Cultural Material held in care by the museum on behalf of the First Nations communities of Queensland and Australia. Dany also has responsibility to protect and care for any Cultural Material that is handed into or surrendered to the museum by members of the public or/and from private collections with the state.
Dany’s First Nations title, Senior Carpet Snake man of the Dau’wai Kav’ai/Kabi of the Munna and Wide Bay watersheds, when broken down has the following meaning;
- Senior would mean Lawman, Headman or Elder of the clan
- Carpet Snake (Won’ai) is my individual totem,
- Dau’wai Kav’ai identifies my family and clan totems, Dau’wai is the Stringy Bark tree from my country and Kav’ai (Kabi) is the light-coloured Native Honeybee
Beverley Murray, Genealogical Society of Queensland
‘RESEARCHING YOUR COLONIAL AND CONVICT ANCESTORS’
Beverly has been the convenor of the Colonial and Convict Interest group at the Genealogical Society of Queensland for the past three years.
Jane Harding, Historian and Heritage Consultant – Dotting The Past
‘MAKING YOUR COLLECTIONS DISCOVERABLE’
An accredited professional historian with over 20 years’ experience in local history and heritage services, Jane Harding’s project portfolio includes published books and articles, oral history programs, exhibitions, interpretive signage, heritage studies, talks and workshops and she is an experienced archival collections manager. Jane works as a freelance historian and heritage consultant in her own practice, Dotting the Past.
Julia Caunce, Author and History Teacher
‘LIVING IN THE VALLEY. FIRST PEOPLES TO 1920’
Retired to the Brisbane River Valley at Fernvale in 2009, history teacher Julia Caunce became intrigued with the stories about early settlement and the people who had lived in the region. After 10 years of research, the result is the book, ‘Fernvale Histories’. While focusing on the Fernvale area, many of the stories and experiences described and explained in the book also apply to the other settlements in the valley.
Pauline Williams, Genealogical Society of Queensland
‘FROM FAMILY HISTORY RESEARCH TO A FAMILY HISTORY’
Convenor of Genealogical Society of Queensland (GSQ) Writing Group, Pauline Williams has been researching her family history for over 30 years. Pauline has presented talks on many and varied topics for both GSQ and other organizations. Pauline has been the Convenor of GSQs Writing Group since its inception in 2011 and is an Honorary Life Member of the GSQ.
Barbara Perry, Family Search Centre
‘THE BENEFITS AND ADVANTAGES OF FAMILY SEARCH’
Barbara is the Coordinator at the Family Search Centre, Plainland and has been researching for over twenty-five years. Barbara’s journey began when her Mum handed her a family story book and said, “fill this”. By the time Barbara had finished it, she was hooked on Genealogy.
Dr Ray Kerkhove, Associate Professor with Madonna Thomson, Traditional Elder
‘INDIGENOUS HERITAGE OF ESK / BRISBANE VALLEY’
Dr Ray Kerkhove is an ethnohistorian, specializing in the Indigenous heritage of SE Queensland sites. Dr Kerkhove has worked extensively with the Bonner Aboriginal family documenting aspects of the Indigenous history of areas between Esk and Gatton.
Madonna Thomson is a traditional owner who was heavily involved in the recent work both on Glen Rock and the Brisbane Valley.
