Our History

Queensland Braille Writing Association (QBWA) was established with the purpose of providing books in braille for the blind of Queensland. The membership fee was fixed at one shilling (ten cents) per annum. Lady Lamington, wife of the Governor of Queensland, was the first patron of QBWA.

The free lending library was officially opened by the Honourable J.R. Dickson, Premier of Queensland. Fifty-four books made up the collection, including authors such as Lewis Carroll, Charles Dickens, and Arthur Conan Doyle.

Six braille machines were purchased after the export ban of the machines from the UK was lifted (prior to this, all braille volumes were manually transcribed with a stylus on a hand frame!).

The library moved to the basement of the Queensland Musical and Literary Self-aid Society For the Blind, located on the corner of Vulture Street and Stephens Road in South Brisbane.

Dedication to the Blind, a radio program dedicated to promoting the work of QBWA, begins running on radio station 4KQ. The program ran until 1976.

The property at 507 Ipswich Road, Annerley, was purchased to house Braille House and its library. This was made possible by Mr Tunley, who enlisted the South Brisbane Rotary Club’s assistance in raising funds.

Braille House officially opened its doors to the public. Lady Lavarack, wife of His Excellency, the Governor of Queensland, performed the ceremony.

Braille House held an opening ceremony for the new building extension which included extending the north wall of the building and excavations under the house.

The Marjory Taylor Wing was official opened, including two levels attached to the main building by a ramp. The wing was named in honour of Marjory Taylor, recognising her 33 years of dedicated service to the blind.

The Madeline Bird Wing was opened on the land acquired adjacent to the original Braille House. The wing included two storeys with the ground floor accommodating the Magazine Room and a caretaker’s unit.

Braille House purchased its first printer and embosser. The first item to be embossed was the year’s Annual Report.

Dell Purtill, a long-term volunteer and Moon Librarian, received an OAM for service to the community. Dell’s legacy lives on at Braille House, through a carefully organised Moon library, and the introduction of the library catalogue.

Braille House became home to the annual Braille Literacy Challenge (BLC), our biggest event of the year. The BLC provides an environment for school students to test their braille skills, and to socialise with other students who are blind or low vision.

Braille House became the host of the Dickinson Memorial Literary Competition, one of the only writing competitions exclusively for entrants who are blind or low vision. The event was revived as part of the celebrations of Braille House’s Diamond Jubilee Year, and remains an annual event to this day.

Braille House began transcribing magazines for the library. The first magazine transcribed was Reader’s Digest. Presently, the library boasts over 150 magazines transcribed by the Braille House team.

The Braille House Library celebrated its 125th anniversary.