Our Story

Stories in Stone is an annual not-for-profit community conference that presents the knowledge, experience and perspectives of the many wonderful people involved in caring for, researching, and creatively engaging in Queensland's historical cemeteries.   

The inaugural 'Stories in Stone' conference was hosted by the Royal Historical Society of Queensland at the Commissariat Store in Brisbane in March 2024 (see here for details of this event) and was successful enough to create demand for another one, and so an organising committee was formed later that year.

A second event was held in August 2025 at the Hamilton Town Hall, Brisbane, with an attendance of around 90 people (see here for details of this). The success of this conference firmly established the potential for Stories in Stone to be held as an annual event, and at the moment that is our intention.

Stories in Stone 2024, Commissariat Store, Brisbane. (C Dawson)

Stories in Stone 2025, Hamilton Town Hall, Brisbane. (C Dawson)

Organising for the 2024 event was led by Stephen Sheaffe and Chris Dawson.

The 2025 organising committee were Jenny Clark (vice-president of the Friends of Balmoral Cemetery); Jess Parker, history researcher; and Chris Dawson, historian and president of the Queensland Cemetery Heritage and Arts Association (QCHAA).

Chris is also the lead organiser for the 2026 event, consulting with the QCHAA, and White Lady Funerals.