On the morning of July 6, 1951, a devastating fire broke out at the Harris Rockhampton Limited building on East Street. The blaze, fuelled by an electrical fault, spread rapidly, illuminating the city and consuming everything in its path.

Among the many tenants who suffered losses was the Rockhampton & District Historical Society. Tragically, our entire collection—much of it irreplaceable—was lost in the flames. The fire brigade fought valiantly, using 2,500 feet of hose and three pumps working continuously to bring the fire under control.

The damage to the adjoining buildings was estimated at £5,000. Below is a list of the tenants impacted by the fire, along with the losses they endured as reported by The Morning Bulletin in the days following the blaze:

• Rockhampton & District Historical Society
  • Red cedar bookcase
  • Photographs
  • Books
  • Historic documents
  • Several volumes of Land Office Gazettes (1860-70)
  • Large oil painting of North Rockhampton
  • Photographs of historic sites on Cooper’s Creek associated with the Burke and Wills expedition
  • Photograph of the record Rockhampton flood in 1918
  • Several photographs of notable personalities, including State Governor Lord Lamington
  • Photographs of Mt. Morgan and Rockhampton
  • The Jubilee prize-winning map by Margaret Mitrow
  • Two volumes of Logan Jack’s “Northmost Australia”
  • Numerous newspaper clippings of historic value
    
• George Craig’s Photography Studio
  • Several cameras
  • Large quantity of photographic material
  • £6 in the till (equivalent to approximately $309 today)
    
• Mr. W. J. Lennon (Music Teacher)
  • Years of work on handwritten music
  • Piano
  • Piano accordion
  • Metronome
  • Textbooks
  • A considerable amount of music
    
• Shaw’s Agencies’ Workshop
  • Four pianos
    
• Dr. R. M. Gold
  • Considerable damage to his surgery
    
• Mr. N. Browning (Manufacturer’s Agent)
  • Stock in two rooms destroyed
    
• Mr. A. J. Millroy – Heiser’s Jewellery
  • Damage to fittings and fixtures
    
• A Fruit and Vegetable Store
  • Quantity of fruit and potatoes slightly damaged by water
    
• Mr. W. J. Mercer – Trading as Studios Pty Ltd
  • Storeroom of furniture
  • Studio fittings and stock
  • Darkroom of the studio