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Normanton is full of old-world charm and started life as a port for the Gulf of Carpentaria’s cattle industry and also became of importance after the discovery of gold at Croydon in 1885. You can’t pass through Normanton without having your photo taken with Krys – The Savannah King. This croc is unique as it is said that this is an exact replica of the huge croc, 8.63 meters. It was shot by professional crocodile hunter, Krystyna Pawlowski in July 1957 on the MacArthur Bank, in the Norman River downstream from Normanton. The crocodile was shot on the MacArthur Bank, Norman River, downstream from Normanton in July 1957. The woman who shot it was a professional crocodile hunter. Normanton Tourist Park boasts to have the largest resort pool in the North West of Queensland. Source: www.aussiecaravanninglifestyle.com/normanton-queensland/

History Nursing staff, circa 1899 Mary McConnel, a mother of six and grandmother, grew concerned at the lack of primary care for children in Brisbane. Inspired by the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in her home town of Edinburgh and London's Great Ormond Street Hospital, she endeavoured over fifteen years to raise money to found a children's hospital in the Brisbane.[1] In 1878, the Hospital for Sick Children opened in rented premises in Spring Hill. McConnel hired a nurse and matron from England to run the hospital, while local women were trained. The hospital quickly outgrew its 15-bed premises, and was moved to a larger building in Herston on land provided by the Queensland Government.[1] The hospital's name was changed to Brisbane Children's Hospital in 1943. Its name was changed again in 1967 to Royal Children's Hospital.[2] In 2009, a decision was made to merge the Royal Children's Hospital with Mater Children's Hospital in Stanley Street, South Brisbane to create a single children's hospital in Brisbane. The decision was very controversial with many people opposed to the merger, while others supported the merge but argued over location of the new hospital (some favouring the Herston site and other favouring the South Brisbane site).[3] The Queensland Children's Hospital opened on 29 November 2014, adjacent to the Mater Misericordiae Hospital, in South Brisbane, with the Royal Children's Hospital and the Mater Children's Hospital closing immediately as their patients were transferred to the Queensland Children's Hospital.[4] In November 2016, the Queensland State Government announced the creation of the Herston Quarter Priority Development Area[5] to restore and redevelop the hospital site.[6] Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Children%27s_Hospital,_Brisbane

McConnel Street on the River at Bulimba is said to be named after Mary McConnel. A tribute to a fine woman.

With its heritage buildings, towering palms, and ancient figs, the grounds of the residence are strikingly beautiful — but its rich history is what makes Jimbour unforgettable. The Russell family has restored the house and gardens to their former grandeur and today, Jimbour offers a picturesque location for truly unique events, weddings or a country drive stopover. Experience a timeless place beneath the big skies of the Darling Downs. Source: jimbour.com/

Prior to the arrival of Europeans, the area was inhabited by members of the Barungam Aboriginal language group. Jimbour is an English language interpretation of the Aboriginal word Gimba, which meant “little white clouds” and was their interpretation of sheep (which they hadn’t previously experienced) moving over grasslands. Jimbour Station came into existence in 1841 when Henry Dennis settled in the area and took up the Jimbour run on behalf of the first owner, Richard Scougall, who had come to Australia from Scotland in 1832. 1870 Thomas Bell built a two-storey residence for the family, of blue stone and cedar. The lower storey of this house still stands today. 1912 After the decline of the Bell family fortune, the house was sold and its contents auctioned off. Jimbour fell into disrepair. The Bell family left a legacy to Jimbour in the trees they planted - particularly three Moreton Bay figs. They also laid out the basic plan of the southern garden - a central round garden, two triangular lawns, and the current gravel driveways. However at that time, there was not much water available, and an extensive garden was not attempted. It wasn’t until the property was purchased by the Russell family that the history of Jimbour’s garden began. With the assistance of Brisbane landscape gardener Harry Stokes in 1924, the basic plan of the garden as it is today was laid out – a central rose garden, lawns with palms and shrubs, and garden beds. A row of olive trees was planted along the southern stone wall (today chrysanthemums are planted in their place) as well as tropical figs, bauhinias, macadamias, and colourful bougainvilleas. The Douglas firs, silky oaks, and Queen palms date from this time. Source: jimbour.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/1020_Jimbour_Histo...