The History of Floriana.
As told by one of the daughters, Cairns resident, Mary Brophy.

Floriana was our home as teenagers. It was named after a village in Malta, where my parents were born. We had a farm at Bartle Frere, and my father built the white block of Flats. We lived next door in the Dutch colonial Building. My mum and dad took all of us for a holiday back to Malta to meet our relatives, and while there we went to London for the Coronation of George 6th.

When war broke out we were evacuated back to the farm, but as things got better we returned to Floriana. American and Australian Musicians would come and jam at our house, and we have many wonderful sessions with soldiers waiting to be transferred to New Guinea and the Islands.

Interesting people, such as Adelaide, daughter of renowned war photographer, Frank Hurley, and Tom McDonald, well known jeweller and aviator, lived in the Floriana Flats.

There were seven daughters, and two sons, and we all played instruments, such as accordion, piano, saxophone, etc.

Two of the daughters, had wedding receptions in the grounds of Floriana.