A century before outdoor adventure became an industry, Queenslanders were already hauling themselves onto jagged volcanic spires and taking cameras with them.
A new exhibition, On the Heights, draws on early photography to place visitors in the world of Australia’s pioneering mountaineers and chart how climbing around the Glass House Mountains became a cultural movement.
Drawing from archival photographs, newspaper accounts and personal collections from the early 1900s to the 1930s, the free exhibition is curated by climber and historian Michael Meadows. It is presented by Landsborough Museum and Bankfoot House Heritage Precinct and runs from December 12, 2025, to March 29, 2026.
Among the stories featured are the Clarke Sisters (c.1912), who cycled from New Farm to Bankfoot House for a weekend of climbing, and Bert Armitage Salmon, whose remarkable photographic collection documents the rise of a social scene in Queensland. His images record not only the peaks but also the people drawn to them, and the rituals of early outdoor life.
Alongside these are accounts of the Dimes Sisters and other adventurers, revealing a time when women claimed space on the heights and stepped beyond the limits of conventional society.
Sunshine Coast Council heritage portfolio councillor David Law said the exhibition was a meaningful tribute to the region’s history and landscape, while acknowledging the deep spiritual and cultural significance of the Glass House Mountains to Jinibara and Kabi Kabi Peoples.
“We acknowledge that past practices, such as recreational climbing, did not always respect the values of Jinibara and Kabi Kabi Peoples,” Cr Law said. He said the council remained committed to truth-telling and reconciliation so visitors understood both the historical context and the ongoing cultural significance of the landscape.
Today, some peaks climbed by early adventurers and featured in the exhibition are protected as culturally significant sites and are closed to recreational climbing. Visitors are encouraged to check official park information, follow Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service guidance and observe all closures and cultural protocols when exploring the region.
On the Heights: Bankfoot House, 1998 Old Gympie Rd, Glass House Mountains; Landsborough Museum, 4 Maleny St, Landsborough. Free. Wednesday to Sunday, 10am to 3pm (closed December 25; reopens January 2). December 12, 2025 to March 29, 2026. More: heritage.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au
