1924 Ocean Beach Open

Many Watering Places within easy reach provide rest and recreation. An appreciation by Phoebe Kirwan

Beautiful Bribie - Ocean Beach Open

1924

"Bribie Island is historic as the place where the Southern Queensland aborigines found their last refuge from the ever-encroaching white man on the mainland to the southward of the Wide Bay district.  They were a wild tribe, living chiefly on fish and oysters, which then, as now, swarmed in the surrounding waters. Its southern extremity (Skirmish Point) obtained its name from a stubborn resistance put up by the locals, to the landing of a number of white men, and there are still a number of aboriginal kippar rings, clearly and unmistakably defined, to be found on the island.

To-day Bribie is one of the favourite seaside resorts of the Brisbane residents, and during the summer months, its boarding house and furnished residence accommodations taxed to the utmost. Surrounded as it is by seawater, the climate is healthy and bracing to the invalids, 10 degrees cooler in the summer and 10 degrees warmer in the winter than the mainland. The fishing and bathing facilities – including surfing on its Ocean Beach – are second to nothing in the State, whilst the botanical and shell curio collectors can indulge in their special hobbies to their hearts content.

The Simple Life on Bribie Island
The Telegraph 27.10.1924 p.3

Bribie Island is divided from the mainland by Pumicestone Passage, open to the ocean at both ends and navigable by boats of light draught throughout.  It is some 30 miles in length and from one to three miles in width, with a number of small and picturesque islands in its course.  The trip through in a well-equipped motor boat from Bongaree to Caloundra in smooth and land-locked waters, is picturesque and enjoyable to a degree.  Mr Harry Wright, a well-known Brisbane man, was the first to take up land on the island, some six to seven hundred acres in extent, under the Dutton Act in 1907, and for some time afterwards he, with his family, where (excepting the lighthouse keepers at the Caloundra end) the only permanent residents.  He named his selection Mountain View, from the fact that 13 out of the 18 peaks of the Glasshouse Mountains were visible in clear weather from the veranda of his residence.

Steamer Koopa at the Pier Head, Bribie Island.
The Telegraph 27.10.1924 p.3

This has all changed of late years.  The township of Bongaree, in the centre of which is situated the Tug Company’s wharf, has sprung into existence, and is now a rapidly rising and flourishing place, with a post and telegraph office, a special telephone service, a State school, a State farm, five boarding houses, a dozen or more unfurnished shacks, and innumerable furnished flats and houses for the accommodation of visitors. There are three general stores and a butchering business. On the esplanade frontage there are ladies and gentlemens bathing sheds, a kiosk, restaurant, dancing and concert pavilion, tennis court, etc., for the use and convenience of residents and visitors.

A two-chain wide roadway, cleared from end to end, with a macadamized motor track in the centre, has recently been completed right across the island from the township jetty to the Ocean Beach.  

The new [private] road constructed by the Brisbane Tug and Steamship Co., Ltd.,
from Bribie Passage to the Main Ocean Beach.
Brisbane Courier 5.12.1924 p.20

Upon this [private] road the Tug Company are now running motor ‘buses at frequent intervals at a moderate charge for the return journey, which enable day excursionists to leave Brisbane at 9.30 a.m., have a pleasure trip down the River and across the Bay, enjoy a six-mile (there and back) motor drive across the Island, an hour’s surf fishing or bathing, and return to town for their 6 o’clock tea – a programme which probably cannot be equaled on the whole Australian coast line."

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Phoebe Kirwan, b. 1896, Queensland. Phoebe was a journalist in the 1920s/1930s in Brisbane. Phoebe was married to cinema photographer Bert Kirwan from 1917 to 1933.

REFERENCES

Beautiful Bribie. Ocean Beach open.
The Daily Mail 12.10.1924 p. 14 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article219015825

Bribie Island.  ILLUSTRATIONS. Picture 4: Steamer Koopa at the Pier Head, Bribie Island.  Picture 5: The Simple Life.
The Telegraph 27.10.1924 p. 3 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article179598892

Happy Island. Bribie’s Lure.  ILLUSTRATION - The new road constructed by the Brisbane Tug and Steamship Co., Ltd., from Bribie Passage to the Main Ocean Beach.
The Brisbane Courier 5.12.1924 p. 20. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article22877599  

FURTHER READING

Brisbane Tug & Steamship Company (1912-1952)
https://www.bribiehistoricalsociety.org.au/records/brisbane-tug-%26-steamship-company-inc

1961 Water Supply Switching On ceremony

 On 4 November 1961, a "Switching On" ceremony for Bribie Island's water supply was held at Bongaree. The following article describes the day's events.

Switching on Ceremony [water supply] 

Vice-Regal Triumph at Bribie

In clear ringing tones came the final words of His Excellency Sir Henry Abel Smith K.C.M.G., K.C.V.O., D.S.O., as he concluded his speech at the opening of the Bribie Island water scheme on Saturday: “It is now my privilege to switch on the fresh water supply to Bribie Island”.  And then the irrepressible, effervescent humanity of the Vice-Regal visitor broke through. Sir Henry, with a twinkling smile, a mercurial flick of the hands, and a whimsical chuckle, turned and said: “I don’t know where the switch is – someone will have to show me!”

The crowd loved it. It cheered and then it chuckled too, as the chairman of the Caboolture Shire (Cr. S.A. Clayton), piloted His Excellency down the gentle incline to where the switch stood.  A pause, a twitch to the switch, and then another chuckle came as three jets of water sprayed dramatically to a height of thirty feet to proclaim the official reticulation of water to Bribie Island. Again the crowd roared but it had eyes only for the Governor. He had won their hearts as he has wherever he has “performed” in any part of the State.

"Three jets of water sprayed dramatically to a height of thirty feet
to proclaim the official reticulation of water to Bribie Island"
Photo: Caboolture Shire Council
Repository: QSA id 305320

Sir Henry’s humanity had asserted itself early in the piece when he chatted informally with the Guard of Honour provided by the Bribie Island Surf Life-saving Club headed by President Les Boyland, and again when he stepped away from the official party to congratulate Kathie Eliasson, drum-major of the Caboolture State School’s Drum and Fife Band on their playing. 

BRIBIE CELEBRATES ITS GREATEST DAY
And so the day wore on – with the Governor winning more and more hearts, stopping to chat with old Bribie identifies on his way to the Bongaree Bowling Club pavilion; and again, while there, mixing informally with as many persons as he could and making himself completely at home.  It was a great day for Bribie – and the Shire of Caboolture – for it was the first occasion on which His Excellency had paid an official visit to the Shire and it was the first occasion on which a Governor of Queensland had officiated at any ceremony on historic Bribie Island.

The island did itself proud for the day – and so did the weather despite a threat of rain earlier in the morning.  The day was radiant, the waters of the Passage sparkled in the sunshine; the spectacular plum-shaded masses of the Glasshouse Mountains beckoned to the north; the ladies wore their gayest frocks and the Marching Girls and the school-children from both Bribie Island and Caboolture in their colourful attire bedecked the sylvan scenes with freshness and warmth.

DISPLAYS
Mr. D. McNaught, head-teacher of the Bribie Island School, had charge of the pre-ceremony programme and his pupils gave a note-worthy display of folk-dancing in between programmes of recorded music which kept the crowd in good humour.  The Caboolture Marching Girls, marshalled by Mr. H. Shew and Mr. C.Duffy, instructor of the senior team, gave several displays of marching which amply demonstrated the excellent progress the girls are making.  Their eye-catching uniforms of blue and vieux rose, and lemon and green, gave added zest to their demonstrations.  The Caboolture Drum and Fife Band, in white uniforms with olive-green forage caps and green sashes, marched seventy strong prior to the official ceremony giving a number of tuneful selections which were true crowd-pleasers, too.  With the arrival of His Excellency, they “piped him in” with “Advance Australia Fair”.

To all these people a vote of thanks was carried by acclamation at the conclusion of the ceremony on the call of Cr. E. Bateman, (deputy chairman of the Shire of Caboolture). Apologies for non-attendance were announced from the Premier (Hon. G.F.R. Nicklin), Mr. D. Low, M.H.R. (Maroochy) and Mr. Sewell (Director of Local Government). The Shire chairman (Cr. S.A. Clayton) was ably assisted by Mrs. Clayton with the reception of the guests both at the official enclosure and at the Bongaree Bowling Clubhouse.

Governor Sir Henry Abel Smith chatting informally with the
Guard of Honour provided by the Bribie Island Surf Life-saving
Club headed by President Les Boyland.
Photo: Caboolture Shire Council
Repository: QSA id 305320

CHAIRMAN’S WELCOME
The chairman of the Shire of Caboolture, Cr. S.A. Clayton, extended a very hearty welcome to His Excellency and expressed their pleasure at having him with them that day to turn on the water supply to Bribie Island. “It is, I believe”, said Cr. Clayton, “the first time that a Governor of Queensland has been the guest of the Caboolture Shire Council and the number of people assembled here today shows how much your visit is appreciated.

The turning on of the water supply to the island, said Cr. Clayton, marked the completion of another stage in his Council’s progressive water supply policy.  It meant that the towns of Caboolture, Bongaree, and Woorim now had treated water supplies reticulated to each house. Construction work was in progress for supplying treated water to Woodford and plans had also been completed and approved by the council for a similar supply to Deception Bay.

GREAT PROGRESS
With the completion of the bridge across Pumicestone Passage both Bongaree and Woorim would grow rapidly, added Cr. Clayton, and he knew of one development company that would have 200 blocks for sale when the bridge went across.  There were others, too, no doubt, that would also have large quantities of land for sale.  This would inevitably mean that the size of the water treatment plant would have to be increased and more bores connected to the system. “To this end”, said Cr. Clayton, “the council is having comprehensive records kept which will show the drawn down and recovery rates of each bore which will give the necessary information for the extension of the scheme.

COUNCIL’S THANKS

The extensive works that were required to provide the water supply for Bribie Island were carried out for the council by various contractors supervised by Messrs. John Wilson and Partners to whom his fellow councilors and he were very grateful.  While he was diffident about singling out anyone for special thanks, he felt that he had to voice the council’s appreciation of the yeoman work done by Mr. Derek Stringfellow during the period that the works were in progress.

UNIQUE SCHEME

Some added information on the unique nature of the Bribie Island water scheme were given in a short address by Mr. R.D. King-Scott, Chief Engineer to the Local Government Department, who said that 650 acres of land had actually been resumed for water supply purposes but to date only 135 acres had been utilised.  The bores which provided the supply were each 8-inch tubes surrounded by 15-inches of gravel and spaced 700-ft. apart. The system of collection of water was in use nowhere else in Queensland. Bundaberg and Mackay, although they too drew their supply from underground, actually tapped river sources, where Bribie Island’s scheme derived from a great saucer or sponge which retained the great mass of rainfall which accrued on the island.  This rainwater, despite losses from evaporation and from other causes, was retained in the sand to the extent of between 20 and 30 percent of the yearly fall (which, in the case of Bribie was about 45 inches) and thus provided the bores with an adequacy of water for all the needs of the island.

BIG RETENTION

Pointing out that one inch of rain on one acre yielded 22,000 gallons of water, Mr. King-Scott said that the figures for complete yield very quickly went into more than the million-gallon mark on the resumed area.  The accumulated water was pumped from the six bores 30-ft. below ground level to the treatment works at Woorim and from there, after treatment, it was pumped into the two towers at Woorim and Bongaree and then into the reticulation system.  Mr. King-Scott congratulated the council on their enterprise in undertaking the scheme to supply the island and on their successful achievement in bringing it to the stage where the water could be turned on that day.

SIR HENRY SPOKE OF ISLAND PRIDE AND THE QUAINT HISTORY OF BRIBIE
The peculiar pride that resides in the hearts of Island people and a colourful resume of the quaint history of Bribie Island were features of the official speech by His Excellency at the opening of the Water Scheme.  “It is indeed a pleasant task which you have given me to perform this afternoon”, said Sir Henry in opening his address.  “What is there about an island which makes its inhabitants regard it with a peculiar pride?  “It has always been so in history from the time of the ancient Greeks, who placed their earthly paradise not on any mainland but in what they called the Fortunate Islands – somewhere out in the western ocean. “What is it that gives an island the special charm? I think the main reason is that an island has its clear physical limits and the mind is able to grasp it and make a picture of the whole.  Our imagination may be kindled by big things – the vastness of Australia – but it is on little things that our affections lay hold.

“Your island is historic in the annals of Australian history.  Only eleven years had elapsed after Governor Philip landed at Botany Bay, when Flinders set foot on these shores whilst he was looking for the entrance to the Brisbane River. An affray took place with the local aborigines, Flinders named the location Skirmish Point.  “Accompanying Flinders on this voyage of discovery was his devoted and loyal servant Bongaree – King and Supreme Chief of the Sydney Tribe.  Such was Flinders’ regard for Bongaree that he took him on all his navigating and exploring voyages.

“I pray that the historic island of Bribie will bring health, happiness, and recreation to many thousands of our people in Queensland and that when its noble forests have grown up they, too, will bring work to many thousands of other people”.

REFERENCES

Governor Wins All Bribie Hearts. Switching on Ceremony [water supply]. Vice-Regal Triumph.
North Coast & Stanley District News, Thur 9 Nov 1961, p. 1 & p. 4.

Photos. Caboolture Shire Council Scrapbook 1924-1965.
Queensland State Archives ID 305320

Is it just a piece of driftwood or a relic

 The following article was published in the Bribie Times on 21 November 1986 and refers to a piece of driftwood that was found by Bribie Times staff member and photographer Terry Scarborough. The question posed - is it just a piece of driftwood or a relic from an old ship?

When is a lump of wood, not a lump of wood?

by Wes Thomas B.Sc.

Bribie Times, 21 Nov 1986 p. 6

When is a lump of wood, not a lump of wood! When it is a relic - that's when - and, possibly local photographer Terry Scarborough, has found just that. And not just any old relic either. It is in the right place to be a part of Flinder's boat, the "Norfolk" and it is certainly very old.

Now, before we get too involved in this, let us get a few things straight and, with that idea in mind, we turned to Stan Tutt. Stan is a noted writer and an authority on matters such as this (by the way, Stan has a book coming out in a few weeks time and it will be worth having at hand).

Stan Tutt told us that the relic was in the correct place to make it possible to be associated with Flinder's journies in Moreton Bay. Apparently, early in 1799, Flinders set out in "The Norfolk" to explore the northern coastline but ran into storms which created a serious leak in the ship, Stan outlined the story and referred us to the chronicles of Thomas Welsby.

Thomas Welsby's lifespan straddled the last half of the nineteenth century and the first third of this century [20th]. His talents inclined him to the recording of early history and, in particular, the explorations of Matthew Flinders. His records were gathered together by Thomson in the 1960s and published under the title "The Collected Works of Thomas Welsby" (Jacaranda Press, 1967, Edited by A.K. Thomson). In these volumes we discovered the facts.

Imagine the relief of the crew of the "Norfolk"when they discovered the sheltered waters of Moreton Bay after the battering that they had taken along the southeastern coast. On the afternoon of 16th July 1799, they passed into the Bay and anchored off the southwestern point of what is now Bribie Island. In the morning, Flinders and an aboriginal interpreter named Bongaree (from Sydney) and a few others went ashore. There was a party of natives on the Point and communication was at first friendly but, after receiving presents, they made an attack and one of them was wounded by gunfire.

We may be proud to have an important commercial centre on our Island known as Bongaree. Because of the representations by this remarkable man, the relations between these two isolated groups of people became friendly and Flinders stayed over a fortnight. Of course, they were all anxious to repair the leak, so the vessel was brought more around the point to a place where there was a "small beach close to which the depth was seven fathoms".

This, and other references quoted by Thomas Welsby make it clear that the site of these repairs was a locality we now know as ... [see Editor's Note] ...

That is where this ancient timbering in the form of a ship's plank has been found.

The relic discovred by Bribie Times photographer
& Advertising Manager, Terry Scarborough, November 1986.

A sentence from the writings of Thomas Welsby leaps out - "I wonder if any relics of Flinder's visit will ever turn up on the island frontage where thesloop was repaired". I wonder indeed.

Stay with us to learn about the steps that are being taken to investigate the possibility. Stay with us also to find out if we have got our history straight. For example, is the present day nomenclature with respect to Skirmish Point correct? And what happened to the key man in this situation - the man called Bongaree?

One thing I feel certain about - those men of the "Norfolk" enjoyed their stay while the vessel was being repaired. More about that too - Bribie Island's first tourists --- 187 years and 5 months ago.

Editor's Note: Upon the request of the Queensland Museum, we have withheld naming the vicinity of the relic to protect it against vandalism and sourvenir-hunters. Please, if you have sufficient knowledge of Bribie's history to work out its general location, we implore you not to interfere with it until the Museum can get to it once their work on the "Pandora" is finished in North Queensland. Also be advised that the relic has been officially reported to the Museum and now comes under the ownership and protection of that august body. Any interference with the relic will result in severe penalties to any offenders! 

REFERENCE

Lifeboat Bribie [backgrounder series of articles] by Wes Thomas B.Sc.
Bribie Times, Friday November 21, 1986 page 6.

family photo from May 1941

A recent phone conversation between the Bribie Island Historical Society's president Graham Mills and a family member of Mrs Mary Schulz led to Mrs Schulz sharing a photo of herself and her brother Stan Tutt at Bribie Island in 1941. Thank you Mary.

Family photo at Bribie Island 

May 1941

L-R: Stan Tutt, his sister Mary Tutt, Fred Trusz
with their picnic lunch, Bribie Island, May 1941.
Source: Mary Schulz nee Tutt

L-R: mum Doris, Stan, sister Mary, Nigel, Madge, Charles.
Tutt family members at their property 'Woodnook', Landsborough, 24 Dec 1942.
Source: Sunshine Coast Libraries brn 535994

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:
We thank Mrs Mary Schulz nee Tutt formerly Reynolds for sharing her photos with us. Mary said, "I will be 100 in September." Thank you Mary. 

REFERENCES:
Photo from Mrs Mary Schulz nee Tutt
Photo from Sunshine Coast Libraries online catalogue

FURTHER READING:
Stan Tutt Oral History Transcript. Interview held 31 Jul 1997 at Landsborough Historical Museum. http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/159229/20160628-0006/library.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au/sitePage71b5.html

Backward Glance - Shining a light in May: Mothers, Nurses and Carers. 2018. Sunshine Coast Council. Heritage. Media Releases.
https://heritage.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au/About/Media-Releases/Backward-Glance-Mothers-Nurses-and-Carers-090518
This article refers to the Tutt family photo [shown above] taken at their property 'Woodnook', Landsborough, 24 Dec 1942.

If you have any information about the above photos or if you have a similar collection of Bribie Island photos that you would like to share, our email address is bribiehistoricalsociety@gmail.com

Q150 2009 Bribie Heritage Tutt

Q150 Heritage Plaque - 8 of 16 - Bribie Island Heritage quote by Stan Tutt

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 

http://bribieislandhistory.blogspot.com.au/2016/01/bribie-heritage-plaques-walk.html

BRIBIE ISLAND HERITAGE “It might not be too much to claim, Pumicestone Passage and Bribie Island contain more history, written and unwritten, than any other place in Queensland”. Stan Tutt (1981)  -  Sunshine Coast Historian

Stan Tutt

Stan Tutt

        ¨ Born in 1914 at Murgon.  He arrived in the Eumundi-Cooroy district in 1916 aged two.

      ¨ He worked in many industries in the region including dairying, timber and agriculture.

       ¨ He loved the outdoors and keenly observed the natural environment around him.

      ¨ During World War II he served two periods of active service in New Guinea and studied journalism while in the Army.

       ¨ Stan the historian, author and environmentalist wrote articles for newspapers and published books on the Sunshine Coast.

A Thumbnail view of Stan Tutt

¨ Stan Tutt has an empathy with indigenous Australians, their legends and culture.  He gained an extensive knowledge of the history of the Sunshine Coast region and had been instrumental in keeping that history alive through his reporting, his books and his activities at the Landsborough Historical Museum.

¨ He conducted campaigns to preserve the natural environment and is a life member of the Wildlife Preservation Society of Queensland.  He is a founding member of the Sunshine Coast Environmental Council.

¨ Many years ago he warned that the sea would, sooner or later, break through the sandy northern tip of Bribie Island.  Only recently has this possibility been taken seriously.

¨ His community service has been recognized by the Landsborough Shire Council’s Citizen of the Year Award on Australia Day 1986 and his Order of Australia Medal (OAM) in January 1994.

¨ In 1998 he launched the original website of the Pumicestone Region Catchment Coordination Association Inc.

Pumicestone Region Catchment Coordination Association

Launch of website by Historian Stan Tutt  -  4th December, 1998.

“Bribie Island, Pumicestone Passage and the Glasshouse Mountains are ancient partners of land and sea.  These places belong together.  It is a region which holds human history older than written words.  History lost in time, yet breathing still in the native names of the ancient Glass House Mountains.  Names preserved by those of another race who came after Captain James Cook  saw and named the ‘Glass House Mountains’ as he passed aboard the ‘Endeavour’ in May 1770.

And so European history began is this region.  It slept 29 years until Lieutenant Matthew Flinders arrived in the sloop ‘Norfolk’.  He named ‘Pumicestone River’ and climbed Beerburrum Mountain in July 1799.  The bicentenary of that visit is but a few months away.  In those 200 years an amazing history has grown within the region of Bribie Island, Pumicestone Passage and the Glasshouse Mountains.  It has been preserved in written works and photographs—a rich heritage for those who care to search.

It is fitting that we now, 200 years after European boots first marked the sands of Bribie Island and Pumicestone Passage care for this unique region of sea and land.  The Pumicestone Region Catchment Association with Government and community support, was formed for this purpose—to introduce the story of sea, land and history.  To generate interest and gain support for a region which belongs to Australia’s history.  I launch this website.  Thank you.”

Stan Tutt, 1998 

James Cook

Matthew Flinders

Bongaree