Proclamation Day in Eumundi

November 2009    Proclamation Day in Eumundi

Discover Eumundi Heritage & Visitor Centre will be celebrating Proclamation Day and Queensland’s 150th birthday on Thursday 10 December. All are invited to join in the fun – and learn a thing or two about the history of Queensland!

Manager of Discover Eumundi Wendy Birrell says Proclamation Day in Eumundi will see Member for Noosa Glenn Elmes MP take on the role of town crier.

“As town crier, Glenn will be ringing a bell through Eumundi’s ‘Summer Night Market’ from 5pm to call citizens over to Discover Eumundi for a re-reading of a selection from the proclamation from 150 years ago,” says Wendy.

“We’ll also have a display in the old police cells at the back of Discover Eumundi that gives the history of Proclamation Day,” she says. “There’s also a great selection of Queensland icons such as the lamington, macadamia nuts, XXXX beer and Bundaberg rum!  

And now for a bit of history...

The push for separation from New South Wales began in earnest in the early 1850s. Between 1851 and 1854, a number of public meetings were held and by January 1856 a series of petitions had been sent to Queen Victoria seeking the establishment of a new colony.

On 10 July 1859, the ship ‘Clarence’ with the word ‘Separation’ painted on its hull sailed into Brisbane, bringing the news that on 6 June 1859, Queen Victoria had signed the Letters Patent. The Queen favoured the name Queensland over suggestions to call it Cooksland in honour of Captain James Cook.

Later that month there were further celebrations when news was received that Sir George Ferguson Bowen would be the colony's first Governor. Fireworks, cannon fire, flag raisings and the sound of a gunshot expressed the public's sentiment.
                                     
On Saturday 10 December 1859 the proclamation declaring Queensland a separate colony from New South Wales was read by Governor Bowen from the balcony of Adelaide House – now the Deanery of St John’s Cathedral in Ann Street, Brisbane.