Maryborough, Queensland, Australia

On our way up to Hervey Bay we stopped at a small town called Maryborough, and discovered a relic from the Colonial Days in Australia. Located north of Brisbane, the town came into existence as a thriving port located on the Mary River. Local industries such as farming, fishing and logging contributed to the growth of the town to the extent that for the last half of the 19th century it was the second-largest settlement in all of Australia; only Sydney was larger

. As a result, it was home to many Colonial offices, and was poised to become the capital of the new state of Queensland in 1859. However, political interests stepped in at the last minute and shifted the new capital to Bisbane; which secured that town's future and put an end to the bright prospects for Maryborough. However, it remains a pleasant and cozy little town with some marvellous Victorian architecture and beautiful parks; a glimpse into the Golden Years of Australian settlement during the Victorian years.

Photo Above -Flood Markings from the rise of the Mary River; there are several even above this Photo.

A gun battery from the mid-1800s that guards the Mary River;

The Customs House

A typical traditional Aussie Pub;

A fountain and the Bandshell in a riverfront park; a miniature railroad runs through it;





Aussie Oddities

Maryborough boasts the oldest still-operating Post Office Building in Australia;

The first telephone exchange in Australia was located here;

The author of Mary Poppins was born and raised in Maryborough;

This is a $7 lunch in the old pub in town; not only is the burger quite large, the bun is fresh, and it is served with that Aussie staple for steak and hamburger, (other than chips); cooked beets. For $7 you get the Burger smothered in fried onions, a salad, and the requisite side of chips; all served with a glass of draught beer!;

An old cannon discovered in the nearby waters in 1877. It was produced prior to 1755 and was carried aboard a Portuguese East India Trading Company vessel that plied the waters in the pre-settlement era. Likely it was jettisoned from a trading ship in an attempt to dislodge itself from an off-shore reef.