Army Museum of North Queensland, Mitchell Street, Townsville

ARMY MUSEUM OF NORTH QUEENSLAND
MITCHELL STREET, TOWNSVILLE

visits since 30 January 2012

The Army Museum of North Queensland is located within Jezzine Barracks, at Kissing Point in Townsville. The Museum collects and exhibits memorabilia associated with past and current military units and personnel from North Queensland, including a geographic area between Rockhampton in the south, extending north to Torres Strait and west to the Northern Territory border.

Photo:- Peter Dunn January 2012

A view inside Gallery No. 1 from near the Museum entrance area

The Collection extends from the establishment of the first defences at Townsville and Thursday Island until the present day. Initially housed in the old Kissing Point Fort, the new Museum has moved to the newly refurbished building at the centre of Jezzine Barracks. Showcased within the Museum is a gallery displaying pre-federation Army and a gallery showing more recent conflicts of Vietnam and Korea, and the history of Sir John Lavarack and Lavarack Barracks. A third gallery is planned for 2012 and will house World War I and World War II displays, including the magnificent Townsville Honour Boards from both these conflicts.

The earliest history of the Army in North Queensland can be traced back to the early 1880’s when volunteer independent Rifle Companies were formed at Charters Towers, Townsville, Bowen, Cairns, Cooktown, Hughenden, Ingham, Mackay Thursday Island and Ravenswood. On October 30"' 1886, the 3rd Queensland or Kennedy Regiment was gazetted, based at Kissing Point Townsville with Major William Vincent Slade as its first commanding officer.

Photo:- Peter Dunn January 2012

Townsville WWI Honour Board in Gallery No. 2

Photo:- Peter Dunn January 2012

Townsville WWII Honour Board in Gallery No. 2

Photo:- Peter Dunn January 2012

Artillery display in Gallery No. 3

MUSEUM ON SHOW

The Army Museum of North Queensland consists of three Galleries:-

Gallery One:- focused on the Pre Federation and Boer War highlighting the history of the Australian Army within North Queens l and from the late 1800's till the end of the Boer War.

Gallery Two:- focused on World War I and II to showcase the Australian Army during these two conflicts. This gallery is also currently under construction and will officially open to the public in 2012. However, you can still see the impressive Townsville Honour Boards for both World War I and II in this gallery.

Gallery Three:- focused on more recent and contemporary conflicts like Vietnam, Korea, East Timor, lraq and Afghanistan.

Opening hours are Sunday, Wednesday and Friday - 9:00 a.m. to 1.00 p.m.

Entry by Donation

MUSEUM CONTACT DETAILS:-

Manager:- Major Charmian McKean - 0467 734 749
Charmian.mckean@defence.gov.au

Curator:- Mrs Amanda Pontifex: 0457 526 704
curatoramnq@gmail.com

Kissing Point Military Foundation:
Office - (07) 4721 1495 (phone/fax)
kpmf2003@bigpond.com.au

Army Museum North Queensland
Jezzine Barracks TOWNSVILLE
PO Box 381
BELGIAN GARDENS
QLD 4810