This paper examines the contestations surrounding the life-sized statue of Robert Towns in Townsville, north Queensland. Unlike many of the cases catalogued by Contested Histories, this statue was erected in recent history–in 2004–with funds from the local council, in spite of instant controversy. Towns was a merchant entrepreneur and ‘blackbirder’, whose ship ‘Don Juan’ brought one of the earliest shiploads of South Sea Islanders from present-day Vanuatu to labour on his Queensland properties in 1863.

To see the full case study click here.

  • Learning to Disagree: Policy Recommendations

    Click here for the Policy Recommendations developed as part of […]

  • Football Makes History: Policy & Action Recommendation
  • Historiana Featured Resources

    Historiana, EuroClio’s online alternative to a European History textbook, is […]

  • Teaching and Learning about Life in 20th century Border Regions with Audiovisual Content
  • In Europe Schools: Documentary-Making and Online Exchange for European Schools