News & Events

Queensland holds a special place in helping shape Australia’s labour movement and the ongoing legacy of workers’ rights. In the late 19th century, workers were faced with difficult conditions and limited protections. It was in this context that organised labour began to take shape, driven by a collective belief in fairness, opportunity, and reform.

A single tree in Central West Queensland became one of the most important political landmarks in Australia. In Barcaldine, the story of the Tree of Knowledge is about workers who gathered in hardship, and helped shape the future for all Australians. The events linked to this site date back to the 1891 Great Shearers’ Strike, a time when Queensland’s wool industry sat at the centre of national wealth and conflict. Today, visitors can explore that story at the Australian Worker

A day of reflection, storytelling, and community as visitors gathered to honour the legacy of the Tree of Knowledge, through the Young Un's 21st Anniversary and launch of Voices Under a Ghost Gum, by Ken Purdham.

2021 commemorates the 130th anniversary of the Great Shearer's Strike of 1891