specious

Thornton erected the first prefabricated building in Queensland on the Main Street frontage of his property, a very comfortable two-storied residence, which stood until only a few years ago when it made way for a new motel. His stables were in the rear of the house. A brick and cement baths were on the river bank together with a jetty, whence his boat took him daily to and from the Customs House. Next door to Thornton's were some old brick and cement shops and, adjoining these, where "Travelodge" Motel stands, my grandfather John McDonnell* built "Prospect" in 1863. Source: espace.library.uq.edu.au/data/UQ_2

MESSRS. ALEXANDER AND MUNRO. The business establishment par excellence of Toowoomba is that of Messrs. Alexander and Munro, whose large operations are conducted in the most elegant premises on the Darling Downs—in point of fact, the beat appointed and largest soft goods stores in any provincial town in the colony. The building is two stories In height, with a frontage of 114 ft. to Ruthven-street, the central thoroughfare of Toowoomba, and with a depth of 125 ft. The proprietors believe in an abundance of light and air, and they have carried their idea into practical effect, special provision having been made for this in the construction of the premises. Handsome plate-glass fronts run the whole length of the building, and the interior of the store is brilliantly lit. The upstairs portion of establishment 1b is also replete with every convenience for the sections located in this part of the establishment. The departments are many and varied, and each is in charge of an expert. They comprise drapery, millinery. Manchester goods, dressmaking, tailoring, clothing, mantles, boots, glassware, crockery, floorcloths, linoleums, furnishings, fancy goods, hollowware. It is therefore abundantly evident that Messrs. Alexander and Munro are in a position to supply the modest wants of the farmer, or the more pretentious requirements of the householder and to a man of unlimited means. The business conducted by this firm covers a great extent of the country—not only the Darling Downs district, of which Toowoomba is the chief commercial center, but away out among the cattle runs of the distant North and the sheep stations of the remote West; indeed, it Is a well-known fact that no retail house in Southern Queensland can boast of more extensive ramifications. Businessmen from all parts of the world who have visited Toowoomba have found their way into Messrs. Alexander and Munro's extensive repository and expressed their astonishment at seeing everything so complete. The cash railway, for instance, is fitted up all through the establishment, and the comfort of the employees, coupled with the rapid and economical despatch of business,- has received the best consideration. 'As a thoroughly complete -emporium, Messrs. Alexander and Munro's establishment Is certainly on \ par with the best-known houses of the metropolis, while they have the reputation of selling at prices such as many of the leading city houses even can not touch. The business was started in a small way in 1871, and some years after Mr. Alexander retired, and Mr. Munro took the burden of affairs on his own shoulders. He steadily forged ahead and kept pace with all the modern methods that competition had compelled commercial men to adopt. A big staff of assistants is of course employed, and Messrs. Alexander and Munro are now doing one of the largest businesses outside Brisbane. Mr. Munro, the managing partner, is a Scotchman, a shrewd, far-seeing businessman, and a very hard worker. He stands high in the estimation of his fellow townsmen and has on several occasions been asked to allow himself to be nominated for public honors, but his business is too exacting to allow him to do so just yet. Source: "The Queenslander" 20Nov. 1897 trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/24471944

THE GREAT HOLIDAY BOOM The end of the war heralded the start of what the Sydney Morning Herald called in 1947, the ‘Great Holiday Boom’. A rush of affordable European and English sedans onto the market coincided with pay increases and big changes at work: two weeks of paid annual leave, a two-day weekend, and for many, regulation of the 40-hour working week and even long-service leave. While it might once have been just a dream, for Australia’s post-war families, owning a car became almost as important as owning a house and suddenly, everyone wanted to hitch up and go. With more time off and the money to cover holiday expenses, Australians embarked on annual beach holidays and forays into the little-explored outback, armed with maps provided free of charge by oil companies and motoring associations. The introduction of the production line revolutionised caravan manufacturing, and Australia’s Big Four led the way: Viscount and Millard in NSW, Franklin in Victoria, and Chesney in Queensland. In all, 22 manufacturers joined Australia’s inaugural 1954 caravan show in Melbourne showcasing their affordable, lightweight caravans decked out with Laminex benchtops, vinyl couches, carpeted floors and innovative gas and electric-powered kitchens. When Australian Prime Minister Ben Chifley launched Holden’s FX in 1948, one in every 10 Australian homes had a car in the garage. Once homegrown cars went into production in the mid-1960s, most Aussies had access to one and with rental caravans readily available, the caravan holiday could finally begin. Source: caravan.hemax.com/News/10865/Rise_of_the_Aussie_nomad

Congrats on Explore! ⭐ January 15, 2024

💠 Congratulations on Explore 💠 👏👏👏

Congrats on Xplore!!

Feines Bild.