These surviving seconds of actuality footage were shot by the official photographer of the Queensland Department of Agriculture, Frederick Charles Wills, and his assistant, Henry William Mobsby. The footage captures a busy Brisbane intersection.

Queen Street and Victoria Bridge synopsis

This actuality footage, shot in 1899, shows electric trams in Queen Street, Brisbane, with the Treasury building and Victoria Bridge in the background.

Curator's notes

These surviving seconds of actuality footage were shot by the official photographer of the Queensland Department of Agriculture, Frederick Charles Wills, and his assistant Henry William Mobsby using an original Lumière Cinematographe. The film captures a busy Brisbane intersection.

According to Chris Long and Pat Laughren’s article 'Australia’s First Films’ (see Cinema Papers, 1993, No. 96, p 37), this film was probably screened for the Queensland Amateur Photographic Society, along with a few other films including Roma Street Station (1899) and Opening of Queensland Parliament (1899).

Notes by Elizabeth Taggert - Speers