Our Vision, Our Mission, Our Story ⚓
Keeping Queensland’s Maritime Heritage Afloat
Our Vision
Connecting people with the maritime heritage of Queensland and the world.
We want everyone to discover, experience and enjoy the stories that connect us to the sea.
Our Mission
We’re here to bring maritime history to life!
We do this by:
- Creating an enjoyable and memorable visitor experience.
- Bringing history to life through interactive displays that educate and entertain.
- Sharing the stories of our maritime culture and heritage.
- Preserving, protecting and growing our unique and significant collection.
- Building strong connections with our community.
The Stories We Tell
Queensland’s history is deeply connected to the sea. From early explorers and coastal traders to naval heroes, working vessels and modern maritime adventures, our waterways have shaped who we are.
Through our exhibitions and collections, we explore the many ways the sea has influenced Queensland’s past.
Our collection themes include:
- Lighthouses – Guiding ships safely along our coastline.
- Sailing in Queensland – The vessels, people and adventures that shaped our waterways.
- Naval History – Stories of service, courage and life at sea.
- Brisbane’s American Years – Discovering Brisbane’s connections with American forces during World War II.
- Ship Models – Remarkable miniature vessels and the stories behind them.
- The Pearling Industry – Exploring Queensland’s fascinating pearling history.
- Steam Power – The engines that powered generations of vessels.
- Radio Operations – Keeping ships connected across the oceans.
- Brisbane Floods – The impact of our river and its floods on the city and its people.
Our Story
A Museum Built by Volunteers, Powered by Passion
Every great voyage has a beginning. Ours started with a group of people who shared a passion for ships, the sea and preserving maritime history.
Today, that same spirit keeps the Queensland Maritime Museum sailing forward.
It All Began in 1969
In 1969, a Queensland branch of the World Ship Society was formed. Its members shared a love of shipping and maritime history.
When they were invited to help display historical maritime artefacts during Navy Week, the public response sparked an exciting idea.
Brisbane had a wealth of maritime treasures, but no dedicated maritime museum.
The Queensland Museum advised that it had no plans to establish one, so a group of enthusiastic locals decided to take matters into their own hands.
A steering committee was formed, and the journey towards creating the Queensland Maritime Museum began.
1971: All Hands on Deck!
The Queensland Tug Company retired the steam tug ST Forceful on 10 June 1971 and generously donated her to the newly formed Maritime Museum.
The Queensland Government also agreed to make the historic South Brisbane Graving Dock available as the Museum’s home.
The news generated plenty of excitement, attracting media attention and more than 50 membership applications.
The Museum was becoming a reality!
Volunteers rolled up their sleeves, cleared the grounds and began restoring ST Forceful.
1974: A Flood Tests Our Crew
Just as the Museum was finding its feet, Brisbane experienced one of its biggest floods in 1974.
The Museum site was inundated, with floodwaters rising more than a metre across the dock grounds and flooding most buildings.
When the water finally receded, volunteers were left with an enormous clean-up. Silt and debris covered the site, and much of their hard work had been damaged.
But our crew wasn’t giving up!
Volunteers got stuck in, rebuilding and preparing the Museum for its next chapter.
Their efforts paid off. In December 1979, the old diesel workshop officially opened as a Museum display hall, with the then Governor of Queensland, Sir James Ramsay, performing the opening.
1981: A Very Special Ship Comes Home
One of the biggest milestones in our history came when the Royal Australian Navy donated the recently decommissioned World War II frigate HMAS Diamantina.
Getting her into the historic dry dock was no small task!
The dock had been flooded for years and needed extensive preparation, including the removal of at least three metres of silt from the floor.
Museum volunteers worked tirelessly, supported by 12 Royal Australian Navy technicians, to get the dock ready.
A dedicated crew of QMM volunteers then helped sail Diamantina from Sydney to Brisbane.
Finally, in 1981, she was safely placed in the dry dock, and restoration began to return her to her original frigate configuration.
That restoration is still an ongoing labour of love for our volunteers today.
1988: Room to Grow
Following World Expo 88, the building originally constructed as the Pavilion of Promise was gifted to the Queensland Maritime Museum for use as an exhibition hall.
Once again, our volunteers got to work!
The building was transformed into a public exhibition space, showcasing an exciting range of maritime treasures, including:
- Historic lighthouse equipment.
- Shipwreck relics and artefacts.
- Vintage marine engines.
- Navigation equipment.
- Fascinating stories from Queensland’s maritime and European settlement history.
2001–02: Making More Waves
With the Museum continuing to grow, the Queensland Government funded an extension to the exhibition building in 2001–02.
This expansion helped establish the Queensland Maritime Museum as one of Australia’s largest maritime museums.
Today: Keeping Our Maritime Heritage Alive
Our story is still being written!
Our dedicated volunteers continue to care for, restore and expand the Museum’s remarkable collection.
Today, the Queensland Maritime Museum is home to Australia’s largest collection of lighthouse artefacts, alongside an extraordinary range of ships, engines, models, navigation equipment and maritime memorabilia.
Our Greatest Treasure? Our Volunteers!
From the early pioneers who established the Museum to the dedicated people who keep it running today, volunteers have always been the heart and soul of the Queensland Maritime Museum.
Our crew now includes more than 150 active volunteers, ranging in age from 18 to 91.
Their skills, knowledge, enthusiasm and generosity keep the Museum operating, growing and sharing its stories with the community.
But it’s about more than maintaining ships and restoring old machinery.
It’s about passing on knowledge, sharing personal stories, creating connections and keeping Queensland’s maritime heritage alive for future generations.
Different generations. Shared passion. One incredible maritime story.
And the best part? Our journey is far from over.
We’re proud of where we’ve sailed, excited about where we’re heading and always ready to welcome new crew aboard! ⚓🌊