Preserving The Stories Behind Queenslander Homes

If your walls could talk, what would they say? Emily O’Brien recently took to social media asking residents to answer that very question, inviting locals to share their memories, photographs and personal histories tied to an iconic Queenslander home. Emily hopes to document the lived experiences inside these homes through a self-published book, focusing on the everyday moments that often go unrecorded.

Emily’s passion for preserving Queenslander stories was sparked when she discovered a house for removal in the small locality of Massie in the Southern Downs. After meeting the descendants of the man who built it and hearing how he constructed the home by dismantling two others and transporting them by bullock dray, she realised just how easily these histories could be lost, and how important it is to capture them before they disappear.

At its heart, her project will work to preserve voices that might otherwise be lost to time.

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“It feels like it has become a duty to safeguard the stories, so they aren’t lost to the passage of time and to give the houses and families a legacy,” said Emily.

“There would be so many houses and families out there whose stories have already been lost, and I’d love to make a difference.”

Rather than focusing on architectural perfection, Emily’s interested in the emotional connection people have with their homes, whether they’re “a weathered diamond-in-the-rough, or a polished gem”, she wants to hear every story.  

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“I haven’t had any two stories that are the same, and while there’s no type of story I’m after, it’s definitely the more intimate memories I’m trying to capture, rather than another history textbook,” she added.

“Perhaps what people remember growing up in the house, or their relative may have built the home back in the day by milling the timber themselves. Many people have even bought one of these old homes and have restored it and are therefore carrying on that legacy for years to come. It could be stories of what life looked like inside the home and how it changes throughout the generations.”

Emily’s project will largely focus on regional and remote communities where Queenslander homes have long been part of the cultural and social fabric.  

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“I’m focusing on the regional and remote areas in particular, because these houses are generally situated so far away that people may not know they exist to begin with,” Emily explained.

“The challenge with these homes isn’t just preserving their stories but finding them in the first place.”

With an intentionally inclusive approach, Emily warmly encourages anyone with a story to tell, or even those who know someone else whose story deserves to be shared, to reach out to her via emailing trumby03@gmail.com.

“I'm hoping to find stories of the everyday Australians who are our unsung heroes. They're the stories that matter most. They're the ones we need to know about.”

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CAPTION: Emily has already received waves of positive support regarding her project, hearing stories from inside the four walls of a Queenslander home from across the state. Photo credit: Emily O’Brien

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