A Masonic Must-See from Brisbane History of 1864.

The United Grand Lodge of Queensland is a member of blhn (Brisbane Living Heritage Network) and The Museum of Brisbane’s current Exhibition entitled  “Cabinet of Curiosities’ is drawn from the Collections of the blhn.

The Exhibition is open daily at the Museum of Brisbane at 157 Ann Street at Roy Harvey House from 10am-5pm. (Roy Harvey a former Lord Mayor of Brisbane was a Freemason.)

UGLQ has loaned the two sandstone Foundation Stones of the original Brisbane Town Hall in Queen Street from the UGLQ Collection, as well as the copper plaque from 1864 when the Foundation Stones were laid “in due and ancient form” by Augustus Charles Gregory, Provincial Grand Master.

Entry to the Exhibition is free.

Grand Master’s Flood and Cyclone
Appeal hits the $1 million mark!

The Queensland Freemasons have raised $1 million for dozens of community groups still battling to get back on their feet 12 months after the January 2011 floods.

The money raised by the Grand Master’s Flood and Cyclone Appeal has been donated to 30 local sporting clubs and community groups throughout Queensland.

The Grand Master Adrian Burton said the RSPCA was just one of the many worthy recipients to benefit from the fundraising appeal.

“One of the most significant donations is $60,000 to the RSPCA, which will enable them to purchase lifesaving veterinary equipment for their brand new facility at Wacol,” he said.

“After the recent move from their flood damaged premises at Fairfield, they needed to replace a lot of equipment such as exam tables, scales, surgery lights, IV kits and recovery units.

“RSPCA Queensland saved the lives of thousands of animals during the floods and Cyclone Yasi, so it made sense for us to show the same kind of support in their time of need.”

RSPCA Queensland Executive Manager Michael Hornby said the donation from the Queensland Freemasons meant a much brighter future for thousands of injured, abandoned and sick animals.

“The equipment and supplies we lost at our Fairfield facility had been collected and donated over many years,” he said.

Hundreds of creatures great and small had to be evacuated during the January floods as almost three metres of water consumed the building, which first became RSPCA’s state headquarters in 1963.

“The damage to the building plus 350 cubic metres of flooded equipment and supplies left us with a total repair bill in excess of $1 million,” Mr Hornby said.

The new vet equipment will be put to good use at the new $23 million headquarters at Wacol, which is the largest animal welfare facility in the southern hemisphere.

“Around 50,000 animals will pass through the facility and without the generosity of the Queensland Freemasons many of these would have missed out on a second chance at life,” Mr Hornby said.

Other community groups to receive a helping hand from the flood appeal include:

• The Centenary Rowing Club, Riverhills – $33,000 for the purchase of two safety boats and two rowing boats
• Goodna Little Athletics – $12,000 for the replacement of marquees and high jump mats
• Rockhampton BMX Club – $10,000 for the
  replacement of track rolling equipment and canteen repairs
• Kilkivan Show Grounds – $40,000 for rebuilding the announcer’s box and storage facilities
• Scouts Qld Branch Headquarters, Auchenflower – $75,000 for repairing building damage and replacing lost equipment
• Tully Senior Citizens – $47,000 for air conditioning and replacing furniture destroyed by Cyclone Yasi
• Central Highlands Science Centre, Emerald – $9,000 to replace furniture and laboratory equipment

Charity work is a basic principle of Freemasonry and last year the Queensland Freemasons raised more than $250,000 for not-for-profit organisations and community groups across the state.

“Our flood appeal has been particularly successful thanks to the fantastic fundraising efforts of our 300 Queensland lodges, as well as interstate and international Freemasons,” the Grand Master said.