Golden

Wedding
Anniversary
Mick & Joan
Brisbane
23rd January 1998
Presented to
 GOLDEN WEDDI NG
MI CK andJOAN BRI SBANE

M
ick and Joan Brisbane’s Golden Wedding Anniversary is a
time for paying tribute to their lives and achievements.
Day to day events may seem to them to have been fairly
ordinary. However, looking back over 50 years shows many
ways in which they have both carried on the traditions of their pioneering
families, starting out with little behind them and establishing and building
a family of their own.
The achievements highlighted in the following pages involve qualities which
are enduring despite rapid changes in the values of more recent times.
Mick and Joan have maintained a focus on family, and displayed a capacity
for hard work and an entrepreneurial spirit enabling them to make the
most of the opportunities afforded them.
In many ways they are examples of a generation who brought Australia
through a unique era of its development.

Family Backgrounds
Both Mick and Joan have important and interesting family histories which
warrant further research and documentation in the future.

Joan
Joan is descended from the Wegner family who were among early German
settlers in the districts around Gatton. The name Wagner also came into
use during the war because of attitudes of the Australian government.

Mick
It is believed Mick’s family line traces right back on his mother’s side (Teys)
to a French Princess of the 1500’s.
The Brisbane name is of course well known and his father, Thomas Edward
Brisbane, born in 1892 is believed to be linked to Governor Brisbane after
whom the city is named. Mick has obtained the Brisbane Family ‘Coat of
Arms’ which is reproduced overleaf.
The Family Crest
 Mick’s Story
M
ick was born at Tambo, son of
Thomas Edward & Amy
Brisbane. He grew up with
three brothers (Pat, Teddy and
Bobby) and four sisters (Jean, Joyce, Mavis
and Betty).

Starting Out
Mick left school at
12 years of age.
He went to work
on a dairy farm at
Bald Hills where
St Paul’s College
now stands. The Amy Ivy Agnes Catherine Teys
farm was sold after
12 months and Mick then worked on a dairy
owned by the late Mr Guy Hawkins. His farm
was where the ABC radio tower is at Bald Hills.
Back: Jean

Mick then went to B.Brown and Broad’s

Ply Mill in Newstead. He also worked at
Saxons in the Valley.
The War Years
At 17 years of age Mick joined the army,
on March 10th, and served 2 years with
the Fortress Engineers’ Searchlights on
Thursday Island. He then joined the AIF
after intensive training at Kapooka in
NSW and was stationed at Toorbul Pt.
For underwater demolition training Mick From left: Mick, Jean and Pat (now
was attached to the 9th Division 2 port
construction. This unit was then sent to Morotai where it trained for the
invasion of Labaun Island which then took place. Mick was in charge of a
Sea Mule which was a series of pontoons driven by a large motor. This was
used for the pile drivers in wharf construction or unloading ships standing
off the Island. Mick also saw service on Sarawack and in Brunie on
Borneo.
He was discharged on the
points system after 5 years
service which had seen 3 years
of active service. This took
place on March 16, 1946. The
period had included a family
trage dy when his younge r

From left: Jean, Mavis, Betty, Mick and Joyce

brother, Bobby, at 4 years of age, locked

himself in a cupboard playing with matches
and subsequently died. In those days, with
action happening off our shores,
compassionate leave had not been approved
at a time when Mick just needed to be there
with the family.
Romance
Mick went to work on the wharves for about
6 months and then applied for a course in
Mick at age 24 (approx) Bricklaying. While waiting he went to the
Lamington Plateau to help his father who
was working on a share farm up there. There he met Joan who was a
Trainee Nurse working with his sister, Jean.
Career
The Bricklaying Course came up and Mick decided to take it. After going
to the school in Stafford, the trainees gained experience building
Queensland Housing Commission homes in the surrounding area. Mick
was allotted as a trainee to Bryan Roberts who he worked with for about 2
years. They built about 4 houses and a squash courts in the Sandgate,
Wavell Heights, Aspley and Deagon areas.
Later on, another trainee and Mick went out contracting on their own and
got a lot of work from Battle and Lee, Sawmillers and Builders of
Coorparoo. They had a sub-contract to build Queensland Housing
Commission homes around what is now Tarragindi. After Stan left to go to
Canberra, Mick kept going on his own.
His first job was bricking up under what is now known as The Laurels in
the main shopping centre of Sandgate. Word of mouth got him work on
McKeerin and next to it the BCC Store.
Through further talk Mick was introduced to Father O’Rourke, Parish
Priest, who asked if he would be interested in helping renovate the old
Morven Building at Shorncliffe, making it into St Patrick’s College. Mick
worked for him on different projects for about three years including a school
building behind the Sacred Heart Church in Sandgate and a building for
Father Henry at Clontarf.
Getting Started - Gatton
After this period Mick went to Roma to work on the big Abattoirs job. This
is where he met Ian Barclay who had just started out building with his
father and brother, Don. They had just formed a company and told him
they would soon have plenty of work available around Toowoomba.
As Joan was on the farm at Forsdale, Mick came back from Roma and they
went to live at Gatton. Here they established a young family and were
there for about 10 years as Mick established himself in his trade. Listed
below are some of the main jobs he worked on while at Gatton, involving
buildings which are part of the area’s development and heritage today:

Stubbersfield House Methodist Church Toilet Block

Stables for Jack Zische - Numerous Houses
Gatton & Allora Work on Assembly Hall for
Laidley Shire Hall Apostolic Church,Hattonvale
Weigh Bridge Garage ToiletBlock,Hattonvale
Work on Catchloce House Major reconstruction of Gatton
Church - Laidley Arigcultural College:
Gatton Shire Centre Dormitory Blocks
School for Father Cahill Veternary Building
Thompson’s Shop Entertainment Building
Church of England & Manse Dwelling for Head Professor
Gatton Bank
After leaving Gatton, the family lived in various locations around the
Sandgate, Brighton and Zillmere areas of Brisbane. At this time Mick did a
lot of work for Ernie and Ross Day.

Jobs have included:

Police Boys Club - Manly

Numerous houses, including one at Birkdale which

was the home of Peter Kurt’s Manager, Trevor Penson.
It won ‘House of the Year’ in House and Garden
Magazine with special mention made of the fireplace
designed and built by Mick.
 Joan’s Story
J
oan was born Joan Thelma on 1st August, 1927 at Gatton. She was
third daughter to
Rudolph and
Annie Wagner of
Fordsdale, Grantham and
was one of a family of four
brothers (Tommy, Don,
Keith and Owen) and four
sisters (Cecilia, Hazel,
Faye and Mavis).
Early Life
Everyone used to say that
as a baby Joan went to
sleep curled up into a tiny
ball so that no one would
even know she was there. Back left to right: Tommy, Faye, Joan, Cecilia, Don.
In 1931 when Joan was Front left to right Owen, Mrs Wagner Snr, Keith.
only 4 years old growing up
on the family farm, a school was opened in Fordsdale. There had to be a
minimum enrolment of 8 children before an application could be made to
have a school opened. With Joan and the neighbour’s children there were
just enough to make up
this amount.
Later the school was
closed and Joan and her
sister had to ride to Mt
Whitestone School.
Joan rode a black pony
which was partly blind
and shied at anything

Aerial view of farm

 Creek at back of farm

which moved. Joan had a total of

22 busters while at Mt
Whitestone School. A new school
was later built at Fordsdale.
Joan left school at 14 years of age
and helped with the milking and
bringing in of the cows each
morning and evening. On turning
16 she joined the Nursing Staff of
the Ashgrove Private Hospital.
After a year she began her
training at Royal Brisbane
Hospital. She was then
transferred to the Princess
Alexandra Hospital from where
she eventually walked out after an argument.
Bottom photo: Hazel and Joan on their
horses.
 Tommy (back ,
first from left),
Joan (middle,
first from left),
Hazel (middle,
second from
left), Faye (front,
second from left)

Married Life
Joan got married when she was 19 years old. She and Mick lived at
‘Portrial’ where Tommy was born and later died of meningitis on his second
birthday. There were plenty of hardships which were not easy for Joan as a
young married wife but she seemed to find ways to take them in her stride.
On one occasion on the farm at Imbul a big carpet snake got hold of their
dog and had squeezed the life out of it by the time Mick and Joan discovered
it. They rescued it from the snake and not to be deterred, Joan managed to
revive it.
Six more children (Michael, Ross, Trissie, Jenny, Kaye and Bernie) were
born and raised in the various places they lived over the years. To help
raise the family Joan joined the staff of the PA Hospital again in 1969 as a
Domestic and worked there for 16 years before retiring in 1990.
The Brisbane Home
During her working life Joan held on to the goal of owning a family home.
Although she and Mick had started out with very little, this eventually
came about. Joan was able to see the potential of a rather ordinary house
in a good location in Fairfield. They were able to buy this with Mick’s
eligibility for a War Service Loan and his capacity to do the required
renovations which have seen it since transformed into an attractive brick
veneered home with its gracious bricked archway into the living area.
Unusual Experiences
From early in life Joan seems to have had to come to grips with life’s
realities in practical ways to cope and survive through good times and hard
times. In this same manner she has also accepted some unusual
experiences which have occurred at times in her life. One of these occurred
at quite a young age.
When she was about 8 years old Joan was sent off to bring in the cows
handy to the yard. Walking around the creek to a higher position from
which to get a better view, she then saw an unusual object in the shape of a
vacuum cleaner. It had flashing lights of red and green. Joan ran across
the cultivated land in terror. After that she didn’t remember anything for
awhile and when she came to it was nearly dark so she hurried home. Her
mother met her with a hurricane lantern and wanted to know where she
had been. Joan told her what she had seen and they went back to where
the object had been. All that was left was a burnt patch in the grass.
Joan also recalls another incident in her own words (see next).
 In Loving Memory
Thomas Brisbane
31st March, 1948 - 31st March 1950
By Joan Brisbane

T
ommy was born at
the Royal Brisbane
Ho spi t al o n 3 1 st
March 1948. We
lived in a flat at Sandgate and
later moved to ‘Portrial’ where
we rented a hostel with the use
of Kitchen and Lounge. When
Tommy was about 15 months
old, I was bathing him when a
strange voice spoke to me. The
message wa s that Tommy
wouldn’t live beyond his
second Birthday. I just stood
there for the moment but then
dismissed what had happened.
We g ot al ong wel l with a
couple who had a son, Paul. We went shopping together regularly.
On Friday 29th March, Tommy became ill. He didn’t eat his tea and was
running a high temperature. On Saturday we took him to the Doctor who
was relieving our present Doctor. He said to just give him a cool sponge to
bring his temperature down because he was getting the measles. I was too
upset to do anything because I knew what was going to happen. The
Doctor came over to sponge Tommy himself and realising he was so sick,
rushed him to the Royal Brisbane Hospital. They later did a Lumber
Puncture to drain the fluid from his spine but he died at 12 o’clock with
Cerebal Meningitis on the Saturday night.
If he had lived he would have been in a wheelchair with brian damage.
 Family Tree
Mick & Joan Brisbane
Children: Tommy (deceased), Michael, Ross, Patrice
(Trissie), Jan (Jenny), Kaye, Bernie

Michael & Lynette Brisbane

Children: Lisa, Mark
Lisa Brisbane & Gary Took
Children: Monique & Emily

Ross & Robyn Brisbane

Children: Jason, Scott, Rebecca

Patrice (Trissie) & Leon Bentley

Children: Anita, Claire

Jan (Jenny) & Gordon Smith

Children: Dale

Kaye & Russell Coglan

Bernie & Tracey Brisbane

Children: Joshua, Christopher, Samantha
 Family Photo Album
House: Ashby Street, FAIRFIELD
- Mick starting renovations.

House pictured below: Mick & Joan enjoying retirement in their completed home.
“Father of the Bride’, on this
occasion, it was Patrice’s (Trissie’s)
marriage to Leon Bentley.

Picture left: Mick and Joan Brisbane

(Dad & Mum)
 Top Photo: Ross and Michael

Bottom Photo: Back - Ross, Michael, Patrice (Trissie). Front - Jenny, Bernie, Kaye
Back: Michael,
Ross, Trissie.
Front: Jenny,
Kaye, Bernie.
T ak e n a t
Gatton.

P i c t u r e d
bottom:
The Cake
Mr & Mrs Brisbane
The Guests
The Guests
The Guests
The Guests
The Guests
 Family Photos
From left: Mick, Joan, Michael,
Ross, Jenny, Kaye & Bernie.

From left: Keith, Hazel,

Cecilia, Don (back), Joan,
Owen (back), Faye

From left: Betty, Mick

& Mavis
Cutting the Cake
The Presents
Opening the Presents
Guests