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Our ancestors are the Ivernians/Picts, the Celts and the Norse that settled on the Isle of Man during the past 10,000 years.  The earliest evidence of occupation on the Isle of Man dates from about 8000 BC, however the Celtic Culture appears at around 6000 BC, and the Vikings at about AD 900.

The Isle of Man is the small island in the middle of the Irish Sea, on which the Vikings established a parliament, a democracy, and an independent nation. The parliament (called Tinvaal in Manx, or Tynwald in English) has served the island people for over a millennium;  the long lived democracy of Ellan Vannin (Isle of Man) has been the envy of much larger nation states;  while the Island’s independence has developed a unique Manx Culture that draws upon the rich cultural heritage of the founding ancestral groups.

As descendants of those ancestral Ivernians/Picts, Celts and Norse, we (the members of the Queensland Manx Society Incorporated) make up one of the proudest and most enduring Celtic cultural-heritage organisations in the Southern Hemisphere.  The Queensland Manx Society Incorporated has been continuously serving Australians of Manx Heritage, and kindred folk, since 1914.

Please consider participating in our events if you have an interest in the Manx, Viking or Celtic Cultures.


OBJECTS of the Queensland Manx Society Incorporated

  1. To support the members of the Queensland Manx Society.
  2. To provide assistance for Manx newcomers and visitors by way of advice, counsel, assistance and entertainment as appropriate.
  3. To keep in close communication with the Isle of Man and other State Manx Societies in Australia.
  4. To add to the Association’s knowledge of the Manx Heritage and share it to the benefit of all Australians.
  5. To facilitate Family History research.

A membership application form can be downloaded at this link: QMS-Application-Form.pdf


Management Committee

PresidentGeorge COWIN D UaGeorge Cowin 2014president@queenslandmanx

George Cowin (IV) is the great grandson of George William Cowin (Bill) who was a founding member of the Qld Manx Society in 1914 and who stood as President and Management Committee member for some years until he passed away. George (Bill) established a transport business in 1888 which operated until 1993 as a major Brisbane carrying company. He was also a founding member of the Master Carriers Association of Brisbane that later became the Qld Road Transport Association.

George (IV) is immediate Past President of the Qld Manx Society and served a term as President and remains a member of the Management Committee holding the position of Newsletter Editor. He currently is Chair of the Commonwealth Games Welcome 2018 Sub-Committee paving the way to welcome the Manx Commonwealth Games team into Queensland.

George (IV) also entered the family transport business in 1971 and managed it until it was sold in 1993. George (IV), like his great grand-father, also served on the management committee of the Qld Road Transport Association from 1977 until 1993. In that role he also re-founded the Qld Road Transport Industry Training Council as an initiative developed by the Honourable John Dawkins and stood as Chairman for four years establishing an office and training facility in Brisbane under a manager and teaching staff of four. He then took up the role of Chairman of the National Road Transport Industry Training Council from 1986 to 1990 and established an office in Melbourne with a manager to oversee initiatives of training in the industry throughout Australia.

In 1990 George (IV) took up the role of President of the Qld Renal Association and served in that position until 1995 establishing and office and overseeing initiatives to help kidney patients in times of need under their treatment regime. Accommodation was purchased with the assistance of the Qld Government and the help of the Honourable Tom Burns to house country patients while they were receiving training for dialysis.

George (IV) has also been a member of other community groups over the years and brings a wealth of experience to the Qld Manx Society to help it continue on for another 100 years.
Vice PresidentDoug QUAYLE D UaDoug Quaylevp@queenslandmanx

Doug is seven parts Manx and one part Irish. His paternal family is from Ramsey / Maughold / Lezayre and his maternal family is from Port St Mary and Limerick.

He and his family were 10 pound POMs and migrated from London to Townsville in 1948.

He is married to Nancy and has two daughters, Andrea and Jodie.
TreasurerDoug QUAYLE D UaDoug Quayletreasurer@queenslandmanx

Doug is seven parts Manx and one part Irish. His paternal family is from Ramsey / Maughold / Lezayre and his maternal family is from Port St Mary and Limerick.

He and his family were 10 pound POMs and migrated from London to Townsville in 1948.

He is married to Nancy and has two daughters, Andrea and Jodie.
SecretaryBetty ELMESsecretary@queenslandmanx

Betty's father Frederick Robert White was born in Douglas, The Isle of Man in 1913. His father (Joseph Lawrence) was born in Douglas also, though her dad’s grandfather (William) was from Ireland.

Betty's father’s mother (Margaret Jane Corrin) was born in Douglas and her parents were Robert Joseph Corrin and Christian Corlett.
Newsletter EditorGeorge COWINGeorge Cowin 2014editor@queenslandmanx

George Cowin (IV) is the great grandson of George William Cowin (Bill) who was a founding member of the Qld Manx Society in 1914 and who stood as President and Management Committee member for some years until he passed away. George (Bill) established a transport business in 1888 which operated until 1993 as a major Brisbane carrying company. He was also a founding member of the Master Carriers Association of Brisbane that later became the Qld Road Transport Association.

George (IV) is immediate Past President of the Qld Manx Society and served a term as President and remains a member of the Management Committee holding the position of Newsletter Editor. He currently is Chair of the Commonwealth Games Welcome 2018 Sub-Committee paving the way to welcome the Manx Commonwealth Games team into Queensland.

George (IV) also entered the family transport business in 1971 and managed it until it was sold in 1993. George (IV), like his great grand-father, also served on the management committee of the Qld Road Transport Association from 1977 until 1993. In that role he also re-founded the Qld Road Transport Industry Training Council as an initiative developed by the Honourable John Dawkins and stood as Chairman for four years establishing an office and training facility in Brisbane under a manager and teaching staff of four. He then took up the role of Chairman of the National Road Transport Industry Training Council from 1986 to 1990 and established an office in Melbourne with a manager to oversee initiatives of training in the industry throughout Australia.

In 1990 George (IV) took up the role of President of the Qld Renal Association and served in that position until 1995 establishing and office and overseeing initiatives to help kidney patients in times of need under their treatment regime. Accommodation was purchased with the assistance of the Qld Government and the help of the Honourable Tom Burns to house country patients while they were receiving training for dialysis.

George (IV) has also been a member of other community groups over the years and brings a wealth of experience to the Qld Manx Society to help it continue on for another 100 years.

The above members were elected as the Management Committee at the Queensland Manx Society Incorporated Annual General Meeting 2019.