The Students for Democratic Action was formed in Brisbane in 1966. Later changed its name to Society for Democratic Action.

Objectives - To work against nuclear war, the Vietnam war, conscription, world poverty and the unwarranted interference of the State. Emphasized participatory democracy and the superiority of morality over material values. Believed that democratic freedom had to be fought for and, once achieved, had to be protected.

Publicists - Mick Bergin, Tony Bowen, Carlene Crowe, David Guthrie, Alan Knight, Matthew Lambourne, Janita Laver, Dave Nadel, Phil Richardson, Dick Shearman (in addition to those in Students for Democratic Action).

Organisers included Jim Prentice, Greg Mallory, Lorraine Dyer, Paddy McCorry, Janine Bell, Dan O'Neill, Mal Price, Merv Partridge.

Notes: Involved in Civil Liberties Co-ordinating Committee (1967). Linked with Students in Dissent and University Conscription Committee. In March 1968 S.D.A. founded FOCO at Trades Hall as an independent, radical cultural centre It involved music, poetry, film, theatre, a bookshop and a newsletter. FOCO was closed by the Trades and Labor Council in May 1969. The dissolution of S.D.A. in April 1969 reflected a desire to find revolutionary forms of action.

On 3 March 1968 the FOCO Club opened on the third floor of the Trades Hall building. Foco Club came about in March 1968 when the "Society for Democratic Action (initially the Students for Democratic Action) founded FOCO at Trades Hall as an independent, radical cultural centre. It involved music, poetry, film, theatre, a bookshop and a newsletter. FOCO was closed by the Trades and Labor Council in May 1969" -- excerpted from Guyatt, Joy and George, Greg. Publications of political organizations in Queensland p 266.

FOCO was once described as Australia's most evil nightspot.

The Trades and Labour Council building was located on Turbot Street looking down Edward Street, adjacent to Jacob's Ladder. In 1984 the property was sold. With the decision to demolish the Trades Hall, a group of people from Brisbane organised "The last Foco" or "Foco lives" event to be held on Saturday 16 February 1985.

FOCO, a Spanish word meaning focus or centre, connected to Che Guevara's Foco theory of revolutionary warfare. After being asked to leave the Trades Hall venue, and unable to find a suitable replacement, the decision to close FOCO was made in September 1969.

Eseli Peter or Peter Eseli (he was know by both names) was born at Mabuiag in February 1886. His notebook has his name as Esili Peter. He married Baibai Harry (1887-1952) on 10 May 1913; they had eight children, six of which survived childhood: Mauare (aka Maurie) (born in 1917), Peter (1921-1981), Waiu (born in 1924), Dubi (born 1926), James (1929-) and Baibai (1933). The family spells the name as 'Eseli'. Eseli Peter died on 16 September 1958.

Violet Madge Jones was born on 22 March 1917 at Cobak, Tweed River, New South Wales. Madge attended Coolangatta State School and Brisbane State High School. Madge was the secretary and a member of the Royal Queensland Art Society from 1940 to 1966. She married Albert Errol Staunton (1905-1962), a book trader, on 2 Oct 1937. They had a daughter, Madonna Pearl Staunton, on 6 October 1938 while living at Murwillumbah. In 1951 the Staunton family moved to Brisbane. Madge Staunton, a poet and artist, lived most of her life in Queensland. She began writing poetry in the 1970s. She won two Henry Lawson Festival awards (1974,1975); won the Silver Jubilee Henry Lawson Festival Award (1982); won Highly Commended for the Anne Elder Award (1982). She was involved in the visual arts, and adjudicator of many poetry competitions. Madge Staunton died on 18 April 1985.

Albert Holt contributed to Caroline Kelly's anthropological research conducted at Barambah Aboriginal Settlement (Cherbourg) during the early 1930s.

Charlotte Costello (Dhurulu Kumi) contributed to Caroline Kelly's anthropological research conducted at Barambah Aboriginal Settlement (Cherbourg) during the early 1930s.

Oscar Wallace contributed to Caroline Kelly's anthropological research conducted at Barambah Aboriginal Settlement (Cherbourg) during the early 1930s.

Tomi Toms contributed to Caroline Kelly's anthropological research conducted at Barambah Aboriginal Settlement (Cherbourg) during the early 1930s.

Sam Murray contributed to Caroline Kelly's anthropological research conducted at Barambah Aboriginal Settlement (Cherbourg) during the early 1930s.