Q150 Heritage Plaque - 13 of 16 - First Car
The Bribie Island Heritage Plaques Waterfront Walk Bongaree consists of 16 bronze plaques located on the "Heritage Walk" along the walking path beside the Bongaree beach from the southern point of South Esplanade and finishes just north of Kangaroo Avenue.
These 16 bronze plaques set on a white concrete square record various aspects of the history of Bribie Island: Record Rainfall, South Esplanade, Campbell's Store, Camping Grounds, Bribie Island heritage quote from A. Meston, Ian Fairweather, First Shop, Bribie Island Heritage quote from Stan Tutt, First Avenue, Fishing Records, Welsby Parade, Bribie Island Wartime, First Car, Shirley Creek, Castaway Convicts and Fish Cannery.
The following excerpt is from the 2009 booklet produced prior to the plaques placement. The Heritage Plaques Waterfront Walk Bongaree project was a Q150 Community Funded Program, initiated by the Rotary Club of Bribie Island and supported by Moreton Bay Regional Council in conjunction with Bribie Island U3A and Bribie Island Historical Society.
A copy of the map for the Bongaree Waterfront Walk can be found at
|
FIRST CAR
In 1918 A.H. “Artie” Bestmann drove the first car, a 1914 Talbot, to Bongaree. With a young Ian Hall as his passenger, they did the 2 day drive from Brisbane along beach and bush tracks, and then by barge from Godwin Beach across the Passage.
|
First Car at Bongaree
 |
| Arthur (Artie) Bestmann driving a 1914 model Talbot. |
The first car to come to Bongaree was owned by Arthur Bestmann and Alfred Hall.
Bringing the First Car to Bongaree
 |
| Artie Bestmann's first residence on Bribie |
> Did you ever wonder about the first car trip made to Bribie Island? It was, of course, done 45 years before the bridge was built and when there were no roads at all on the Island.
> In 1918 Artie Bestmann and Ian Hall drove a 1914 Talbot motor car from Brisbane to Bribie Island , the trip taking 2 days. A raft, which was used to bring cattle from Toorbul Point to Bribie Island was used to transport the car across the Passage.
> It was appropriate that Artie Bestmann was the first to drive across the new bridge when it opened in 1963.
 |
| Artie Bestmann in later years. |
 |
| The hard working Talbot in 1922. |
History of the Sunbeam Talbot Motor Car
> The car has an interesting history since its first trip across Pumicestone Passage.
> After many active years travelling the beach and sand tracks on the Island the car was burnt when the shed in which it was housed caught fire.
> The engine was salvaged and used to power a boat where it served for many more reliable years.
> That particular motor boat was used to carry the soil for the first bowling green at Bribie Island Bowls Club.
No comments:
Post a Comment