Australiana is often defined by the combination of local materials, local motifs and local skills to create art that is distinctively and recognisably Australian. The Harvey School of pottery making, which flourished at the Central Technical College in Brisbane from 1916 for more than thirty years is one of the best-known examples. Almost 40 years ago, Glenn Cooke began researching the Brisbane woodcarver L J Harvey (1871–1949), who taught himself pottery making and established the school, which mainly attracted well-bred young ladies. New evidence emerged in 2019 to reveal developments in the early years.