1864 was a tough year for the fledgling town of Brisbane as two devastating fires swept through its commercial hub. This book is the first comprehensive historical record of both the ordinary and well-known citizens of the early settlement city who survived the fire’s ravages to lay the foundations of Australia’s third biggest city.

Monumental Queensland encourages us - whoever and wherever we are - to look more closely at the things around us and how they articulate our identity. It also asks us to consider why these objects continue to matter, and shows what can happen if they're not acknowledged.