25–27 July 2025 – Dzintra Menesis
Just weeks after our residency in Mackay, Moveable Type Studio (MTS) rolled into Rockhampton for the annual River Festival, a shift from gallery calm to festival buzz. Parked behind Customs House and the Rockhampton Museum of Art, our 40-foot shipping container studio became an unexpected site of discovery and dialogue. Some festival-goers stumbled upon us with curiosity; others sought us out with intention. Either way, the engagement was immediate and electric.
Rolling into Rockhampton from Mackay, five hours on the road—the nerves were already high. Advance Rockhampton (the local council), had lined up something pretty wild: the Moveable Type Studio was going to be craned into place. Not just shifted, not inched along with a forklift—craned. That’s the kind of big, gutsy move that only a council with balls as big as a Brahman bull would sign off on.
When the container finally pulled up in the alley behind the Rockhampton Museum of Art, the show began. Two 12-ton Franna cranes moved in like a pair of heavy metal ballet dancers, swinging quietly into position. It was crane ballet—slow, precise, and just a little terrifying—as they lifted the black beast off the truck and swung it neatly into its tight corner. We were anxious, we were excited, and the container itself was about to start a whole new chapter in its journey, tucked right up alongside the Museum of Art.
Hands in Ink, Minds in Motion
Inside the container, Clint Harvey, Mattew Lyten, Matteo Calisti and I led hands-on encounters that blended traditional handset letterpress with contemporary practice. From free daily demonstrations to our ever-popular “Ink & Drink” sessions, participants rolled ink, set type, and operated proof presses, rediscovering the visceral joy of making something with their hands.
For graphic designers and print enthusiasts, the Moveable Type Studio offered a rare chance to step away from screens and into the physical world of type. The smell of ink, the weight of wood type, the mechanical rhythm of the press; these sensations stood in stark contrast to the instant gratification of digital design. In an age of AI and automation, the studio reminded people that creativity is also about slowness, touch, and connection.
A Space for Generations
Parents and children moved fluidly between play, learning, and memory. What began as casual curiosity often grew into thoughtful conversations about history, craft, and community legacy. The studio became a space where generations met through ink and paper, where kids discovered the “language” of print and adults remembered its role in shaping culture.
This multigenerational engagement was one of the most powerful aspects of our time in Rockhampton. Families weren’t just watching, they were participating. Children rolled ink with wide-eyed wonder while parents reflected on the printed forms that shaped their own childhoods. It was a shared experience, not a commodity. Visitors weren’t there to buy, they came to connect.
Anchored in Local Legacy
Our time in Rockhampton deepened our connection to the region’s rich print heritage. We were fortunate to meet with Derek Lamb, whose imprint The Officina Athelstane and exhibition Man of Letters at the Rockhampton Museum of Art showcased works printed on an 1887 Alexandra press. His broadsides, books, and typographic posters, rooted in local history and laced with joyful satire, offered a living bridge between tradition and contemporary commentary.
We also spent time with City Printing Works, a fourth-generation family-run print shop that’s still very much part of Rockhampton’s daily enterprise. It’s not just a legacy, it’s a living, working business. They’re printing everything from business cards and brochures to safety tags for local industries, schools, and creatives. The presses are still rolling, the team still knows their craft, and the place hums with quiet purpose.
Their archive is a tactile time capsule: type, woodblocks, and vintage letterpress machinery that’s not just for show, but still in use. You can feel the continuity, the same tools used decades ago are still helping people get their message out today. Being there during the Rockhampton River Festival felt like plugging into something enduring. It reminded us that print isn’t just history, it’s still here, still useful, still connecting people.
Keep the Presses Rolling
With Rockhampton River Festival wrapped and the container doors latched, the team wound down over a quiet brewski at the Oxford Hotel, though locals just call it the Ox. It was the perfect full stop before the next chapter.
Next stop: Ipswich. The container rolls into the Queensland Museum Railway Workshops for a four-week residency, where the journey continues, digging deeper into heritage, culture, and the stories we carry forward through print.
Rockhampton reminded us that letterpress isn’t just a nostalgic craft, it’s a living, breathing practice. From the hum of City Printing Works to laughter echoing through our container studio, the festival affirmed that print still has the power to connect, disrupt, and delight.
As Moveable Type Studio continues its tour, we carry these stories with us, inked impressions of community, curiosity, and creative exchange. Whether you’re an educator, artist, funder, or simply someone drawn to the smell of ink and the rhythm of the press, we invite you to stay connected.
Follow our journey across regional Queensland and beyond,
reach out if you see a collaboration waiting to happen,
and reflect on the value of tactile creativity in a fast-moving world.
