customshouse

my mother grew up in Brisbane. I was baptised there in 1949. but I've never been there as an adult. if I'd known it was so beautiful maybe I'd have made the effort...

[http://www.flickr.com/photos/51979177@N02] Thanks Quasymody, our records have been updated.

[http://www.flickr.com/photos/51979177@N02] Thanks Quasymody, this image has some challenges. The paddlesteamer is a great find - thanks for the ID! We have put your research into our database for this image :)

Seriously you just take some good pictures!

This is an outstanding image of the illuminations which welcomed the fleet. I've seen plenty, but I've not seen such a detailed view before.

BobMeade Great! Keep an eye on our blog as we will be sharing some more images of these Fleet Celebration illuminations in the coming weeks :)

A similar shot in the PHM collection but the little building out the front isn't there (is it a police box or for the trams perhaps? I can't zoom in to read it! www.flickr.com/photos/powerhouse_museum/2666198817/ And City of Sydney Archives www3.photosau.com/cos1/scripts/home.asp Just a quick guess without actually doing any in depth research at the moment. I'm thinking that this appears to be post the 1903 renovations. Going by the clothes and the lack of cars I would guess that this image would not have been taken much later than c1915, but my gut says earlier. Still haven't managed to find any other pics with the little building out front either. Anyone else?

The sign attached to the little hut says "Forest Lodge Races, Every Monday"....that might help with the date.

"FOREST LODGE RACES, EVERY MONDAY" - Thanks Rhonda, it certainly has ... [Posted here as too many links to be accepted by the Archives Outside blog] The Forest Lodge Pony and Galloway races were held at Forest Lodge (formerly known as Lillie Bridge) every MONDAY between December 1899 and May 1903. They were first held on Monday 25 December 1899, with the last reported weekly Monday race being held on Monday 25 May 1903. The trotting track was bought by Sir James John Joynton Smith in 1903 and renovated and renamed Epping. Newspapermen were given a tour of the new racecourse when renovations were complete in June 1904. Thereafter the weekly Pony and Galloway trotting races were run on FRIDAYS, the first on Friday 1 July 1904. I imagine those intending to catch a tram to the races would wait by the hut, as this would correspond to the tram routes mentioned (in the previous link): "Trams (Forest Lodge and Balmain) will leave Circular Quay, via George Street". So, taking all this into consideration with Walter Liberty Vernon's Customs House rebuild completed in 1903, I think we can safely say: 1903 it is! [With thanks to the wonderful digitised newspaper resources of Trove]

Wow! Which is Harold Park Paceway today. According to the website racing occured at Forest Lodge for only two meetings after it's opening in November 1902 then the races moved to Kensington until they returned in 1904, when the track was called Epping until 1929. But a quick search of Trove clearly shows newspaper articles mentioning 'Forest Lodge Races' on Mondays from 1899 to 25 December 1903. After this there are no references to this but in 1904 there begin to be mentions of the Epping Race Club in 'The Turf' section of SMH - which I'm presuming means at Forest Lodge. So I propose that the photo is 1903 to 1904 based on this - what does everyone think?

pellethepoet oh this is too funny - I had been researching the above answer for about half an hour, hit post & there appeared your comment just above mine! Touche :-)