Welcome to the
We are a voluntary organisation with an executive membership of Primary and Secondary History Teachers, Academics and Educationalists. Our aim is to foster an interest in History and the teaching of History, but especially to support and assist History teachers in Queensland.
It’s our mission to:
Foster an interest in History as well as the teaching of History throughout QLD, Australia and the world
It’s our mission to:
Provide a forum for discussion and the exchange of information relative to History Teaching
It’s our mission to:
Publish material related to History and to the teaching of History for future generations of History teachers
It’s our mission to:
Sponsor and support all such activities as may assist History teachers and the teaching of History
Contact Details
Queensland History Teachers’ Association Inc
ABN: 77 270 249 802
PO Box 1029. New Farm QLD 4005
Phone: 0418 764 574
Email: qhta@qhta.com.au

Enquiries
For QHTA Membership Enquiries:
Sandra Kenman
qhta@qhta.com.au
For enquiries or comments regarding this website:
webcoordinator@qhta.com.au

Membership Details
Membership entitles you to:
- History teaching resources and practical teaching ideas
- HTAA affiliated membership
- QHTA membership, January to December in the year of payment
- QHTA Newsletter circulated electonically
- QHTA Curriculum e-zine
- QHTA Journal: QHistory Annual Journal
- Professional development opportunities at discounted rates
- Advocacy for the discipline of history
Individual membership $99.00 per annum [inc. GST]. All History teachers and those interested in promotion of History from preschool to tertiary are eligible for individual membership.
Institutional Membership Brisbane (Metropolitan regions) – $220 per annum [inc. GST]. Institutions are libraries, museums, universities, school departments and other interested institutions.
Institutional Membership Regional (over 100km from Brisbane CBD) – $187 per annum [inc. GST]. Institutions are libraries, museums, universities, school departments and other interested institutions.
Students/Unwaged/ Preservice Teacher membership $38.50 per annum [inc. GST]. All full time tertiary students are eligible for preservice membership.
The 2020 Team
QHTA State Executive
We are a voluntary organisation with an executive membership of Primary and Secondary History Teachers, Academics and Educationalists.
President
Pip Macdonald
Coomera Anglican College
Vice President
Susan du Rand
Brisbane Grammar School
Vice President
Julie Hennessey
(Chair of Curriculum Committee)
Brisbane Girls Grammar School
Treasurer
Christine Blaikie
Secretary
Jo-Anne Cameron
Web Wright / eNewsletter editor – Dr Glenn Davies, Craigslea State High
School
QHTA Historical Writing Competition – Jo-Anne Cameron & Michelle Brown,
Albany Creek State High School
National History Challenge – Susan Du Rand, Brisbane Grammar School &
Alex Francis, The Gap State High School
National Archives representative – Michael McMahon, Cannon Hill Anglican
College
Simpson Prize – Carmel Harman
eJournal Editor – Ryan Slavin, Unity College
Social Media Manager – Pip Macdonald, Coomera Anglican College
Chair of Curriculum Committee - Julie Hennessey, Brisbane Girls Grammar
School
QHTA Executive Officer – Sandra Kenman
QHistory Editor - Jan Christopher, Brisbane Boys College
Executive Members
Christine Blaikie
Associate Professor Andrew Bonnell - University of Queensland
Louise Brown - St Margaret's Anglican Girls School
Michelle Brown - Albany Creek State High School
Joanne Cameron
Kathleen Collin - Clairvaux Mackillop College
Jan Christopher - Brisbane Boys College
Sarah Coleman - MacKillop Catholic College, Mount Peter
Dr Glenn Davies - Craigslea State High School
Susan du Rand - Brisbane Grammar School
Alex Francis - The Gap State High School
Carmel Harman
Ben Hegerty - Stuartholme
Julie Hennessey - Brisbane Girls Grammar School
Craig Johnston - Clayfield College
Scott Kerr - The Rockhampton Grammar School
Michael McMahon - Cannon Hill Anglican College
Melissa Roth - Brisbane Catholic Education
Kira Sampson - Somerville House
Ryan Slavin - Unity College
Aaron Sloper - Canon Hill Anglican College
Associate Professor Tom Stevenson - University of Queensland
Louisa Tyrell - St Ursula's College, Yeppoon
Past QHTA Presidents
John Sparkes 1963 (1st President)
Harry Allsopp 1960s (2nd President)
Bill Logue 1970-1973
Joe McDonald
Josie James 1977
Stephen Paul 1978, 1979
Brian Hoepper 1980, 1981
Alan Dale 1983, 1984
Debbie Henderson 1985, 1986
Ian Gray 1987, 1988
Kay Bishop 1989, 1990
David Houston 1991, 1992, 1993
Jo-Anne Cameron 1993, 1994,
Cheryl Sim 1995, 1996
Kevin Schwede 1997, 1998,1999
Ros Korkatzis 2000, 2001
Jan Christopher 2002, 2003
Dave Houston 2004, 2005
Ros Korkatzis 2006, 2007
Kay Bishop 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012
Sue Burvill-Shaw 2013, 2014
Pip Macdonald 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020
QHTA Life Members & Patrons
Russell Turner (Life Member)
Kay Bishop (Patron)
Associate Professor Deborah Henderson (Patron)
Dr Brian Hoepper (Patron)
Josie James (Patron)
Emeritus Professor Colin Mackerras (Patron)
Emeritus Professor Robert (Bob) Milns AM (Patron – Vale)
The contribution of Emeritus Professor Robert (Bob) Milns AM, BA Hons (Leeds), MA (Camb.), DLitt (Hon) (Qld) to scholarship in Classics and Ancient History and the teaching of these at a tertiary level are well known and rightly lauded. Likewise, many know that he was a much respected, honorary member of the Greek community in Brisbane. The contributions Bob Milns made to encouraging school students to be passionate about the subjects he loved and supporting the professional growth of secondary school Ancient History teachers are less well known but deeply respected and fondly remembered by the Executive, Patrons and members of the Queensland History Teachers’ Association (QHTA).
A graduate of Leeds and Cambridge universities, Robert David Milns first taught in Australia at the University of New England until he was appointed Professor of Classics at the University of Queensland in 1970. A world-renowned expert on Alexander the Great and his father Philip II of Macedon, Bob’s involvement with Queensland secondary students began shortly after his appointment to UQ, via the medium of ABC School Radio broadcasts. A few small groups of secondary students were also given the opportunity to experience university type seminars on campus. From the late 1980s onwards, thousands of students attended Ancient History seminars organized by QHTA and conducted by Bob and his colleagues. In addition to these, thousands more school students and their teachers were drawn to UQ to spend time in the RD Milns Antiquities Museum (named for him in 2007 to acknowledge his contribution to its growth) or to attend the Ancient History Days run by the Friends of Antiquity. Bob’s passion for the ancient world was infectious and many who went on to study at UQ recall how their own love of Ancient History and Classics was inspired by hearing him speak.
This connection with school students continued, even as his health declined. In November 2019 Bob spoke at the QHTA Awards evening. He was there to present the award named for and sponsored by him, the ‘RD Milns Award’ for the best Ancient History essay in QHTA’s annual Historical Writing Competition. As had been the case on so many previous occasions, his short address on Plato, which had been prompted by the winning student’s essay, engaged, informed and delighted the assembled group. His warmth and ease with everyone were measures of a man, whose enormous intellect was matched by his genuine interest in and ability to speak with all. To see Bob Milns surrounded by deeply interested secondary and primary school students was to see to the heart of a man whose vibrancy, sincerity, kindness and personal magnetism knew no boundaries.
The contribution Bob made to the professional growth of secondary school Ancient History teachers was similarly significant. By 1977 he was a Patron of QHTA. From that time until his death on 20 February 2020, Bob made an enormous contribution to members, as he did for so many other groups. His articles in The History Teacher and later Q History covered topics from ‘Source Criticism and the Ancient World’ (1981) to ‘Alexandria – Alexander’s Greatest Legacy’ (2019). Additionally, he was a frequent and popular presenter at the QHTA State Conference and other teacher seminars and workshops. Those who read those articles and attended those sessions recall how much they enjoyed and benefitted from Bob’s breadth and depth of knowledge and his willingness to share these in his own inimitable way. Bob Milns was certainly no distant, staid academic. He was always warm, sometimes mischievous and frequently wickedly funny. Quite simply, he was a joy to be around.
Bob Milns’ passion for deepening our understanding of the ancient world stretched far beyond the halls of academia. School students and teachers alike, who were privileged to have known or simply met him, are all richer – not only because of his unparalleled ability to impart his extraordinary knowledge and wisdom but more importantly because his warmth, kindness and generosity touched our lives in countless, unforgettable ways. What a legacy! Vale Bob Milns.