suburbs

Thomas Charles Beirne was born in Ballymacurly, Ireland in 1860. After completing his schooling in 1880 he was employed as a draper with the Gallagher Brothers until he was persuaded by a friend to migrate to Australia. So, in 1884 Beirne set off for Melbourne, Australia on the ‘Lusitania’, where he was promptly employed by draper Eyre and Sheppard. In 1886 T. C. Beirne took up a partnership with a Mr Piggot in Brisbane, coming together to form a drapery store in Stanley Street. However, after a fire ripped through the store in 1889 the partnership was dissolved and Beirne went on to bigger and better things. After establishing a small store in Fortitude Valley, Beirne was once again offered the opportunity to join in a partnership this time with a Scottish gentleman by the name of James McWirther. Together they operated a business in the Valley, a major shopping precinct in the 1890s. After three years, however, James McWirther decided to open a rival store prompting serious competition for Beirne, who at this point in time had just opened his first small T. C. Beirne’s store in the town of Ipswich. Source: www.ipswichlibraries.com.au/the-beirne-family-irish-retai...

This estate map advertised 191 allotments in the Townsville suburb of Hermit Park in 1884. Many houses from the gold fields town of Charters Towers were moved to Hermit Park after 1917. Source: www.qhatlas.com.au/photograph/estate-map-hermit-park-1884

Advertisements for this sale can be found in The Queenslander and the Charters Towers newspaper, Northern Miner. "Varied charms, its eligible situation, the richness of its soil, etc. All this has been patent to the public for years, and the wonder has only been why so magnificent a property has been allowed to lie unimproved, while all around it has been built upon. Hermit Park reminds the Britisher of one of those noble parks in the West End of London." (The Queenslander, November 1, 1884) According to the real estate map the public auction was held at the Townsville Town Hall on the afternoon of November 6, 1884. Source: www.slq.qld.gov.au/blog/great-sale-hermit-park-townsville...

Hermit Park is a suburb of Townsville in the City of Townsville, Queensland, Australia. Hermit Park is a mixture of predominantly residential premises, commercial and light-industrial businesses, as well as serving as a public services hub. Hermit Park is situated in the traditional Wulgurukaba Aboriginal country. The origin of suburb name Hermit Park is from the residence of a business owner Leopold Ferdinand Sachs. Source: www.wikiwand.com/en/Hermit_Park,_Queensland

Over the past century, Townsville developed into the commercial center for northern Queensland with major industries including meat and sugar processing, copper refining, railroad repair, timber milling, boat building, and manufacturing. Outside the southeast corner, Townsville is the largest city in regional Queensland with over 196,000 residents. Breakwater Marina's construction starting in 1986 was a development of state significance. The precinct was originally developed as part of the first stage of the Breakwater Island Casino Development, and the marina basin is bordered by public promenades along Sir Leslie Thiess Drive, Anzac Park, and Mariner's Peninsula. The Marina started construction in 1986, neighboring Sheraton Breakwater Hotel and Casino (now known as "The Ville") opened to the public in 1986 with another Townsville attraction, Reef Wonderland (now known as Reef HQ) opening 24 June 1987. Source: www.breakwatermarina.com.au/destination/our-history/