Thousands of images by a photographer who snapped people and places on the Sunshine Coast for more than 30 years are now available for all to see.
Bill Robinson’s collection of 26,000 photos has been added to the Sunshine Coast Heritage Library for everyone to enjoy.
The images document the region’s cultural and social history, and important aspects of the natural and built environment, from the 1950s through to 1984.
Mr Robinson and his wife, Phyllis, moved to the Sunshine Coast after serving in the Royal Australian Airforce as photographers during World War II.
They initially lived at Tewantin but gradually extended their photography business through the district, visiting Nambour one day a week.
In 1950, they moved to Nambour and established a branch studio before buying Owen Studios, in the Chadwick building in Currie Street, in 1961.
In 1973, they opened another photographic studio in Caloundra, which was managed by their son Ted and, three years later, they opened a camera shop in the front of the Vogue Theatre at Nambour.
Mr Robinson also freelanced for a newspaper and the police, in addition to running his studio business.
In 1981, he and Phyllis pioneered Pacific Film Services on the Sunshine Coast before retiring three years later.
The negatives from his thousands of photos over the years were donated to Nambour Library by the Nambour Apex Club in 1990 and have been gradually digitised over the course of 30 years.
Three years ago, a digitisation plan was developed and funded by Sunshine Coast Council’s Arts and Heritage Levy.
Councillor Taylor Bunnag said council’s Heritage Library team was thrilled to have recently added the final 1500 images into the catalogue.
“This large-scale digitisation project started three years ago and now everyone is able to access these photos online,” he said.
“Photography plays a crucial role in helping us understand the past, documenting events, places and people to offer a glimpse of what life was once like, along with significant moments and cultural insights.
“These photos are invaluable for our local historians and of course evoke a sense of nostalgia for the generations whose lives they captured.”
To view Bill Robinson’s collection, search his name in the Library Catalogue online or visit Picture Sunshine Coast.
