The station began official transmission on Sunday 1 November 1959 as the second television station in Brisbane (QTQ-9 beating it to air some months earlier) which was followed by ABC station ABQ-2 the following day. The station is situated on Mt Cootha in Brisbane, alongside rival stations QTQ-9 and TVQ-0 (now 10)

Colour transmission officially started on 1 March 1975.

By the early 1980's, the four existing Brisbane TV stations had opened UHF translator stations at the Gold Coast, south of Brisbane. BTQ-7's relay transmitter is BTQ-52..

In 1984, the station was purchased by Fairfax, owners of ATN-7 in Sydney.

Digital television began 1 January 2001, with BTQ commencing digital simulcast on VHF channel 6, with the analogue signal still on channel 7. The station still identifies on-air as "Channel 7"

Slogans

1959: Start on 7 and You'll Stay on 7!

1959-1961: Station of the Stars

1965-66: You'll See It All on Seven

1967: Brisbane's Liveliest Channel

1975 (Jan-Feb): The Entertainers

Summer 1978/79: Summer Fever!

1979: Seven Fever!

Summer 1979/80: Summer Fever!

1980: Seven, You're Still Looking Hot!

Early 1981: We're Doing It For You

1981: Supercharged 7!

1982-88: Love You Brisbane

1982: Shine on Brisbane

1984: Love You Queensland - 25 Years of Television

1989: Happy 30th Birthday!

1992-94: Nobody Knows Brisbane Like Seven

1994: 35, Love You Brisbane!

1995-96: Queensland's Great South East

1997-99: The Great South East

1999: 7 - 1959-1999

Christmas 1999: Christmas in the Great South East

2002: The Great South East

2007-08: Love You Queensland

2009 (Jul-Nov): Celebrating 50 Years