A SHOW of pure luck saw a Glengallan Homestead volunteer reunited with a book that has a special family connection.

As the Southern Downs gathered at the historic homestead on Friday to celebrate Australia Day and the region's citizens, this story had people asking "what are the odds?!".

Jill Beaumont and her husband Burt, together with Fred and Rhonda Hill, travel from Brisbane to each Glengallan market day to volunteer their time tour-guiding and in the kitchen.

"I volunteer in the kitchen and during a break I wandered off to have a browse through the trash and treasure stall," Mrs Beaumont said.

"Billy Goddard was looking after that part of the market and was sorting a pile of books when I walked over.

"I asked him if he had anything good to read."

Mr Goddard found one particular book that caught his attention, called Once upon A Time.

Mrs Beaumont said Mr Goddard showed her a large old book that had been awarded as a Sunday school prize at St Saviours in Gladstone in 1928.

"Billy told me there was a name on the bookplate inside the front cover and he thought he might get on the public address system and see if the name rang a bell for anyone present," she said.

"So I took a look inside the book at the name, Doris Tudman.

"It was my mother.

"It was such a shock - quite surreal really."

Glengallan Homestead Trust chairwoman Donna Fraser said Mrs Beaumont was delighted by the find.

"She couldn't believe it," she said.

"Unfortunately nobody knows who bought that particular box of books out for the trash and treasure, but it's an amazing story and such a wonderful coincidence."