1919 Holiday at Bribie

 1919 First two weeks of January

Holiday at Bribie

On Wednesday 1 January 1919, Elsie Jones (19) and her aunt Ivy Campbell (21) were staying at Toorbul and went across to Bribie Island to see the Beaver arrive and wave goodbye to one particular passenger returning to Brisbane. These details are recounted by Elsie in her diary which has been kindly shared with BIHS by her family.

For Elsie and Ivy, 1st January was a public holiday known as Commonwealth Day. They had travelled from Brisbane to Toorbul on the previous day and may have attended the concert that was held on Bribie on New Year's Eve.

The concert on Bribie had been arranged by a committee comprising Messrs. R. Davies, H. McLeure, T. Marshall, T. Carberry, F. Brockley and P. Daunt (chairman) and Miss Ackworth (pianist), for the benefit of the Ambulance Brigade and the St John's Ambulance. A newspaper article reported that 400 people attended the concert, the majority of whom were campers staying on Bribie Island for the holidays.

QUEENIE  JONES  DIARY  1919 JANUARY

1 WEDNESDAY        Commonwealth Day – Public Holiday

Ivy & I landed at Toorbul yesterday.  All of us went over to Bribie in motorboat in morning to see the “Beaver” in, & to see Pte. Davis off.  In afternoon Ivy & I took books up into a tree on the beach – scrumptious.  Then had a yarn (revelations) to Miss Shepherd, & came to bed straight after tea.  Scrummy day!

2 THURSDAY

Went over to Bribie again today.  Met Mrs. Dickson & had lunch there.  In afternoon, Ivy & I went up into tree on beach & wrote poetry!  People next door put telescope on us & also camera.  Miss Shep., Ivy & I walked on jetty at night.

3 FRIDAY

In morning, Miss Shep., Jack S., Ivy & I fished out in rowing boat, then in afternoon, we three girls drove over to a fruit farm, had tea & bought fruit.  Slept & read for a few hours at midday & had a walk on jetty at night.

4 SATURDAY

All the party of us went up the Channel about twelve miles, had lunch on Bribie, stayed a few hours & came home about 4.30 p.m..  Read till night.  Got a letter from Mum.

5 SUNDAY

Went over to Bribie again, & then read all afternoon.

6 MONDAY

A party of us all went up to Caloundra by motor boat (30 miles).  Had a lovely walk along beach, collected shells, climbed rocks, etc..  At night slept in a tent, cows walked on us, etc..  Heavenly day.

7 TUESDAY

Went up to Mrs. King’s Boarding House & met Mrs. Dickson & Oliver & spent morning on cliffs with them.  Came back from Caloundra in afternoon in boat.  I wrote a letter.  Pte. Davis came back.

8 WEDNESDAY

We three sat in tree on beach in morning & talked.  In afternoon we read & talked to Alick (Pte. D. I mean!).  At night he played accordion & then gramophone to us.  I got a home letter.

9 THURSDAY

Looked through Cottage in morning.  Then all went over to Bribie in launch, & met Mrs. Jubb there.  Doctors went home!  We read all the afternoon & had an argument at night – Miss. Shep. v. Alick Davis.

10 FRIDAY

Read all the morning, and Ivy slept.  In afternoon the three of us took a walk into the bush and read.  Then had a bonser bathe.  Had a walk & some music at night.

"Bonser" bathing belles - Elsie and Ivy
Photo from Jones Family collection.

11 SATURDAY

Read a whole book this morning – “Delphina”.  In afternoon, Miss Shep, Ivy & I drove about six miles & went to see Mrs. Hill & son.  Got home about dark.  Moonlight on jetty!

12 SUNDAY

Saw Miss Shep. off at Bribie.  At night, sat on jetty, then Alick told us his WAR experiences.

13 MONDAY

All went round Skirmish Point on Bribie per launch for picnic.  Then Mr. Bar., Mrs. Bick (?), Alick, Ivy & I had a four miles walk round beach.  Had a glorious time.  Ivy & I had walk on jetty at night, tide in & moonlight, then a talk on verandah.

14 TUESDAY

Packed in morning & Mr. Davis brought us over to “Koopa”, where we met Harold B. who took us up ‘aloft’.  Met Spurgins at Redcliffe & all came home together.  A storm & she rocked some!  Lost luggage, & I came home on 8 train & waited for Ivy till 10 p.m..

Elsie 'Queenie' Jones at Toorbul Point, 1919
Photo from Jones Family collection.

Ivy Campbell on holiday at Toorbul Point, 1919
Photo from Jones Family collection.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

We thank Claire Wilson and the Jones family for allowing the use of diary entries and their photos.

REFERENCES

The Holiday at Bribie. Concert for Ambulance Funds.
The Telegraph (Brisbane) Sat 4 Jan 1919 p.2 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article176307074
A very enjoyable time has been spent by the campers at Bribie Island, and through the energy of a committee comprising Messrs. R. Davies, H. McLeure, T. Marshall, T. Carberry, F. Brockley and P. Daunt (chairman) and Miss Ackworth (pianist), a concert was held on Tuesday 31st December from the veranda of Mr Leeder's house, for the benefit of the Ambulance Brigade and the St. John's Ambulance. The audience numbered about 400 people. Mr Leeder was kind enough to place at the disposal of the committee his piano and house, and also donated a Christmas cake and 6 dozen oysters, to be disposed of.... 

Jones, Queenie (Elsie Llewella) & Cook, Margaret & Pullar, Helen (2005). Queenie's diary : a schoolgirl's life : 1914-1915. Agneau Press, Bellbird Park, Qld.
https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/14798005?keyword=%22queenie%27s%20diary%22

FURTHER READING

1919 Bribie Island -- The Rising Resort
http://bribieislandhistory.blogspot.com/2022/01/1919bribieislandtherisingresort.html

The Apiary.
Brisbane Courier 31.10.1914 p.13 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article19993020
Mr H.L. Jones presided at a committee meeting of the Queensland Beekeepers' Association ... A communication was received from Mr A.N.J. Hill [Toorbul] ... "... the best friend of the orchardist - the bees" ...

1919 Bribie Island The Rising Resort

1919 Bribie Island ... The Rising Resort

Bribie Island, or Bribie as it is more conveniently called, is reached by continuing the steamer trip in the steamer Koopa past Redcliffe to its furthest limits.  It is some 38 miles from Brisbane, and is reached after a three hours’ run from the city, the steamer berthing at a short, well-constructed jetty.  It and Moreton Island, which lies opposite at a considerable distance, form the most northern outposts of Moreton Bay.  Bribie Island about 20 miles long, from 2 to 3 miles broad, and is well timbered.  ....

The landing place is at Bongaree, on the calm inner beach of the island.  The Brisbane Tug Company have formed a road of about three miles to the main ocean beach, where surf bathing can be enjoyed.  Later on it is intended to construct a tramway thereto.

Near the jetty there is a commodious refreshment-room, where fish and oyster dinners are obtainable, and also two stores at which campers can purchase necessities.  A large pavilion, bathing sheds, and other conveniences for the use of visitors have been erected.  Accommodation is provided for by three boarding-houses, and as a further inducement, the steamship company has erected some twelve or more huts of a standard design and size (about 14 feet by 12 feet) along the inner beach.  On application to the caretaker, Bribie, these may be let at the following rates:- Ordinary weekly tariff, 6s; Christmas, New Year, and Easter, 10s per week; week-ends 3s 5d.  There are also several furnished cottages, which may be rented periodically.  

Campers and picnickers are assured of an ample supply of fresh water, large tanks having been erected by the company for that purpose.  As a proof of the increasing popularity of this resort it may be mentioned that during the recent holidays fully 1000 campers, apart from other visitors, were located here, and had further accommodation been available it goes without saying that this number would nearly have doubled itself.

For the excellence of its fish and oysters, Bribie is known far and wide, and during the summer months it is the intention of the company to run their steamer to Bribie every alternate Saturday at 2 p.m., thus affording city folk and anglers an opportunity of a week-end at this resort.

Advertisement from Telegraph 3 Jan 1919 p.5

Whole day trips are now made to Bribie (calling at Redcliffe both ways) on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays, leaving Kennedy Wharf at 9.30 a.m. and returning at 6 p.m.  Passengers are allowed 2 hours ashore on these trips.

Splendid motor boat trips may be taken northward through the picturesque Pumice Stone Channel, on the inner side of the Island, to Caloundra, a distance approximately, of about 28 miles.  Arrangements for this trip can be made by first communication with Mr A. Bestman, of Bribie, who also keeps a motor car for hire.  By this latter means tourists are enabled to enjoy a trip along the hard sand of the outer beach, and, when the ferrying arrangements at the northern end are completed, the journey to Caloundra may be completed almost wholly by motor car.

Visitors at Caloundra can also make arrangements through Mr A. Tripcony for their conveyance by motor boat through the Pumice Stone Channel to Bribie, connecting with the steamship Koopa for Brisbane. ...

REFERENCES   

Bribie Island -- The Rising Resort. 
Daily Standard (Brisbane) Sat 4 Jan 1919, p. 5 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article179818787 

Redcliffe, Bribie and Dunwich Bay Excursions from Kennedy Wharf [advertisement]
Telegraph (Brisbane) Fri 3 Jan 1919 p.5 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article176300901