Queensland State Archives

[5] In 1939, Sir Raphael Cilento (a former Vice-President of the Royal Historical Society of Queensland) commented that a Department of Archives should be established.

In 1953 the Government claimed that "it has not been possible to implement this portion of the Act owing to difficulties which have arisen, chief of which has been a lack of suitable space in which to store and display these documents.

[8] The Act placed archival authority in the hands of the State Librarian and made the Library Board of Queensland responsible for the destruction of records.

[8] By the late 1970s and early 1980s a surge in genealogical and family history research created a heavy demand for reference services and access to records.

The Queensland State Archives Public Search Room was expanded to accommodate more clients and a modern storage warehouse in Acacia Ridge was acquired in 1983.

The Act provided a contemporary framework for the management of public records and also marked a changing role for Queensland State Archives.

[citation needed] With the appointment of an Archivist in 1959, space was initially allocated in the Commissariat Store in William Street, Brisbane, but this building was full by March 1962.

Additional space in the Anzac Square government building and the old Lady Bowen Hospital also filled rapidly.

[citation needed] In July 1968 Queensland State Archives was relocated to a purpose-built facility in Dutton Park.

Conservation was accorded a new emphasis in the Dutton Park building, with fumigation chambers installed to deal with pest and mould infestation.

[citation needed] Open records held by Queensland State Archives may be viewed onsite in the Public Search Room.