Souvenir Programme for Native Concert Party at Gympie October 11 1927

It is important to the Government that the settlement is seen as a worthwhile institution. Organised by the superintendent’s wife, Mrs Semple, inmates perform at venues across south-east Queensland and for visitors to the settlement.

“ My mother had a little bit of know how of putting on concerts, so she organized concerts in Kingaroy, Nanango, Maryborough, Bundaberg and Gympie. A picture of the brass band always went on the front of the program. The concert program gives some of the names and acts they did. The band would play in the street as an advertisement. There were such crowds to watch them. Once in Bundaberg they couldn’t even play, people just jammed the street.
Of course in those days there was no television and there wasn’t much night entertainment in the country towns. They were tremendously popular and with the money they raised they got band uniforms and I think they paid something towards the construction of the big hall where we later had dances and films.”
— Betty McKenzie, Daughter of Superintendent Semple, 1977