Cairns Museum

The Historical Society of Cairns was formed by the School of Arts Committee in 1958 to study and record the history of Far North Queensland. It has fulfilled these aims admirably. Its publication program includes books such as Photographic Memories, Establishment Trinity Bay, Cairns Range Railway and Cairns Mulgrave Tramway, as well as several minor booklets and 485 monthly bulletins. The current membership of the Society is over 390 and growing. The Society has been housed in the School of Arts Building since its inception and is run by a dedicated group of voluntary workers and office holders.

Since its formation the Society has built up and catalogued an extensive collection of over 25,000 valuable historical items such as old maps, Government reports, photographs, books, personal historical notes and bulletins and an extensive microfilm and microfiche collection of old local newspapers which are now no longer available.

The Society has also entered into an agreement with Cairns City Council to set up a social history museum in the old School of Arts building in the centre of Cairns. This agreement has now been successful for 20 years. Currently, the Society provides a satisfying work experience for three unemployed members through Queensland Volunteers Inc.