Queensland is losing cemetery headstones at an alarming rate - from weathering, deterioration and old age, lack of maintenance, spreading mould, or – most distressing of all – from the lamentable actions of vandals. It is therefore fitting that we, among others, are committed to preserving our heritage for future generations and by transcribing epitaphs (monumental inscriptions) and photographing the gravestones of our ancestors we are actively recording family history. At the same time we are reminded of their passing, and can come to learn a little more about them, their lives and the times they lived in. The legacy that we are building is testament to their former life and will become an irreplaceable asset for today’s families, their children, and the descendants still to come.

These resources contain complete transcriptions from cemeteries, columbaria, gardens of remembrance etc, and in many cases, the images of graves and memorials from Brisbane’s major cemeteries and those of provincial and rural Queensland. Much of the transcription work has been undertaken over several years and is due to the dedication of members of QFHS and other similar societies, private citizens and other like-minded people. The photographic collections are largely the work of a former stonemason, Mr George Bond, who in the very early days began photographing monuments and stonework. The collections grew as snapshots of headstones in cemeteries in Queensland, interstate and overseas were donated by family historians, passionate about preserving a record of the gravestones of their own forebears.

All these resources are of enormous value to genealogists and family historians in the pursuit of piecing together the jigsaw of life and times of their community. Not to be forgotten are Queensland’s lone graves, the details of which are often the most difficult to find.

War and other memorials are also included and the following will provide some additional information: Volume 3: A January 1996 indexed transcription of the war memorial at two of Toowoomba’s major cemeteries: Drayton/Toowoomba Cemetery - 406 entries, and Toowoomba Garden of Remembrance -1,063 entries. Volume 2: A further 79 war and other memorials from Queensland (including the Anzac Square Crypt memorials), five interstate, WW I Awards, WW II (Tobruk Awards), Korean War deaths and Vietnam War deaths. Volume 1: 106 war and other memorials from Queensland.

Unless otherwise stated, these resources are Queensland in content. Abbreviations have the meanings as shown: '+' postage extra; AUD$ Australian currency, CD CD-ROM, Edn edition, FA post free Australia-wide, GST goods & services tax (Australia), M microfiche, MIs monumental inscriptions, NA not available/applicable, P print (books, hard copy), '.pdf' portable document format, P&P postage & packing, Pub published (yyyy), R microfilm reel/s, TBA to be announced/advised.