1960 Bushfires on Bribie

 In late September 1960 residents of Bribie Island battled several outbreaks of bush fires and endured days of high fire hazard danger as recorded in the following newspaper reports.

BUSH FIRES ON BRIBIE ISLAND

1960

Blaze over Bribie. Fire threatens island town

A mile-long bushfire last night was sweeping across Bribie Island towards Bribie township.  The blaze has menaced dozens of houses on Bribie in the last two days.  Last night island residents, and Brisbane owners of holiday homes who had rushed to the island, were beating out flames as they roared up to their rear fences.  Local residents fought to save Bribie Island school yesterday.  Flames encircled the building.

Picture caption: Fire front a mile long crept through bush across
the south-western corner of Bribie Island towards the Bribie township
(at right) at 4 p.m. yesterday [28.9.1960].  Several houses on the
outskirts already were ringed with flames.
Picture was taken from a specially chartered plane.
Photo source: CM 29.9.1960 p.1

Smoke Pall

Choking clouds of smoke driven by a gusty easterly wind partially obscured the small settlement all day.  The fire started on Tuesday, and burned first from the west.  Although several homes were menaced, the wind gradually took the blaze from homes.  Yesterday, when the wind changed, the fire spread out on a long front, parallel to Bribie Passage, and swept back towards the township.  Fences, outhouses, and gardens have been destroyed on the island.  Police said last night that only a determined battle had saved many homes.

Picture caption: Fire rings township. Ring of flame and smoke surrounding homes
in the township on the southern end of Bribie Island at 4 p.m. yesterday [28.9.1960]
as bushfires swung back into the area with a change of wind. 
Picture was taken from a specially chartered plane which flew over the island. 
Photo source: CM 29.9.1960 p.3

New flares

Firefighters beat out the flames at most danger points yesterday, but last night the fire was flaring at several new points.  Some people on the island, living in homes nearest the approaching blaze, have not been to bed since Monday.  The island's only policeman, Constable Brian Pickup, has had only a few hours sleep in the last three days.

Australian Paper Manufacturers Ltd. yesterday sent a bulldozer and two tankers to the island to safeguard pine plantations owned by the company.

Fires already have burned out an estimated 10 square miles on the island between Bribie township and the ocean beach.

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BUSHFIRE DANGER NOW AT WORST

1960

The bushfire risk in Queensland was a bad as it could possibly be, the Lands Minister (Mr. Fletcher) said yesterday. ... Like 1951 ... [other places in Queensland] ...

Bribie safe
Bribie Island township was safe yesterday - after two days of fire hazard.  Fires which ringed the township on Wednesday died down when the wind dropped during the night.  But yesterday another huge fire started two miles north of the township, and menaced 1000 acres of pine plantations owned by Australian Paper Manufacturers Ltd. Men and machinery rushed to the island burnt breaks and safeguard the plantations estimated to be worth £40,000.

A huge smoke pall from the fire yesterday blotted out most of the southern end of the island.  By 9 o'clock last night the fire had been stopped short of the plantation, and brought under control.  Firefighters kept an all-night guard to prevent fresh outbreaks. 

Shell risk
A hazard of fires on the island was revealed yesterday by the island's only policeman, Constable B. Pickup.  He said there were many unexploded shells - wartime relics - on the island.  Many had been found during the last few years - one, two weeks ago.  'All the time we were fighting the fires I was expecting an explosion," he said.

Picture caption: Bribie Battle. Bribie Island's "two-man fire brigade,"
Constable B. Pickup (left) and Mr. H. Lougheed,
taking a breather after burning the last of the firebreaks
to safeguard Bribie township yesterday.
Photo source: CM 30.9.1960 p.3

Yesterday Bribie Island's "two-man fire brigade" - Constable Pickup and Mr. H. Lougheed - burnt the last of the breaks to safeguard the township.  The two men, assisted by other residents, have done most of the fire-fighting on the island since the township was first menaced on Monday.  Mr. Lougheed burnt a half-mile long break by himself to save a dozen holiday cottages.  One partly-erected home was destroyed in the fires, which residents said yesterday were the worst for years.  Many owners of holiday homes visited Bribie yesterday to check on their properties.

REFERENCES

Blaze over Bribie. Courier Mail 29.9.1960 p. 1, 3.

Bushfire danger now at worst, Minister warns. Courier Mail 30.9.1960 p.3