Community & Business
20 August, 2025
Honour for local historian
A LOCAL historian has been honoured for her contribution to the preservation of Mareeba and Tablelands history with a special medal from the Royal Historical Society of Queensland.
Helen Kindt was presented with The Centenary Medal by Dr Ruth Kerr OAM at a presentation ceremony recently to mark her efforts over the past three decades in researching, documenting and promoting history of the region.
Helen was the founder of the Historical Society of Mareeba in 1993, has been the secretary ever since and also took on the role of treasurer at times.
Passionate about the role of history, Helen was thrilled to receive the medal that features a Latin phrase, “Colantur Annales ut Futurum Ditetur”, which translates into “May the history and heritage of the past be preserved in order that the future might be enriched” – an ethos Helen lives her life by.
Helen has immersed herself in pursuing the preservation of history all her life, which she attributes to being “a sticky beak”.
Among some of her achievements is serving on the Mareeba Heritage Museum Committee for 26 years, being involved in the research and launch of two books documenting life at the Wolfram Camp mine, coordinating and running many fundraising events and assisting many people with research for Mareeba Shire matters and for genealogy.
She has been the spokesperson for the society at many functions including plaque unveiling, book launches, and local history and genealogy organisations, as well as church classes and different service clubs in the area.
She is also the editor of Mareeba Memories, has helped in the cleaning, repairing and painting of various monuments within Mareeba Shire and recorded and printed monumental inscriptions of most of the 38 cemeteries in the shire.
Helen has also been instrumental in arranging extended family get-togethers for the Atherton and Mulligan families.
