1963 Bellara Motel

 The following article describes the opening of the Bellara Motel on 2nd February 1963.

Opening of the Bellara Motel

Bribie Star 8.2.1963 p. 1, 8. 

At 11.30 a.m. on Saturday, February 2nd [1963], in brilliant sunshine, the Hon. D.E. Nicholson, State Speaker and Member for Murrumba, officially opened the Bellara Motel which is situated in the new Bribie Island approach street - Benabrow Street.

Picture shows the Hon. D.E. Nicholson unveiling the plaque
at the official opening of the Bellara Motel. 
Bribie Star 8.2.1963 p. 1

The official party included Mr and Mrs D.E. Nicholson, Mr Ross McCowan, Mr and Mrs A. Winston, Mr Athol Brentnall, Mr and Mrs W. Ewart and Mr and Mrs J. Proctor. Others noted in the large gathering were Mrs. Roggenkamp, Mr and Mrs R. Cheesman, Mr A. Thornley, Mr G.F. Gooch and Miss Gooch, of Woorim, Mrs W. Selke, of Woorim, Mr and Mrs G. Marr, Mr and Mrs F.E. Mullen, Mr and Mrs D. Mullen, Mr H. Davies, Mr R. Lewis, Mr R.J. Campbell, Mr Peter McCowan, Mr Neil McCowan, Mr Colin McCowan, Mr Frank Bayley and Mr Bob Canning. An apology was received from Mr Clayton, Chairman of the Caboolture Shire Council, whose indifferent health did not permit his attendance. 

Mr J. Proctor opening proceedings with some very interesting remarks and he subsequently introduced the various official speakers.

Warm Welcome

Mr Ross McCowan extended a warm welcome to the gathering, and in his opening remarks he cited a young couple who recently arrived from England to select a suitable island off the Queensland coast for community living, which he described as ideal island living. He said Bribie had all these ideal conditions and it should not be long before the Bribie Island bridge was completed.

Mr McCowan said that he had great faith in Bribie and in the near future the company would build an ultra-modernly designed shopping centre, comprising 10 shops, immediately opposite the motel in Benabrow Street, also a modern service station in the vicinity of the motel.

Mr McCowan paid high tribute to the architects, the builder and all sub-contractors who completed the 10-unit motel and restaurant in 12 weeks, for as late as October last year, the whole area was wilderness.

He also said that the prolific bird life on Bribie was no doubt due to the fact that one could not find a stone on Bribie, and that prompted him to have suitable porphyry brought down from Brisbane. These stones, including a very large one, were used to build the Cairn, to which a brass plate was fixed showing that the motel was officially opened by Hon. D.E. Nicholson on 2nd February, 1963.

Natural Surroundings

Mr Athol Brentnall, of Bligh, Jessup, Brentnall and Partners, Architects, sail all credit for the motel was due to Mr Ross McCowan for his foresight in having it built in such charming natural surroundings, and he hoped that the Island would never lose this charm. He said he would always remember his happy association with Bellara Motel principals.

Early Pioneers

Mr Arthur Winston, the Island's Councillor on the Caboolture Shire Council, said that it afforded him great pleasure on behalf of the Caboolture Shire Council, particularly in respect to Division 5, to extend congratulations to the proprietors, whom, he felt sure, would never regret their venture.

Mr Winston said that much credit was also due to the pioneers for their foresight in the ultimate development of the Island, and he particularly referred to the early transport services provided by the Brisbane Steamship Company, The Moreton Bay Shipping Company, Mr Gault, Mr Tesch, and finally Mr Snowy Drenan with his barge service. Mr Winston also paid tribute to the late John Goodwin for the many years he served the Island and the good work he had done as its Councillor on the Caboolture Shire Council. 

Whole Support

Mr D.E. Nicholson M.L.A., congratulated the proprietors on their venture, which he said was one of the best motels he had seen, and he made special reference to the accommodation provided for the family man, who could take his children with him and all be under the one roof.

He said thanks were due to the government, who were whole-heartedly behind land development, and to this end, despite adverse cricitisms from several sources, three or four years ago the Government still proceeded with the bridge project, which he hoped would be completed by June. Critics said that the bridge would be for only 300 or 400 people, but the Government reasoned differently ad he hoped and anticipated it would be used by 8.,000 to 10,000 people in the comparatively near future.

He congratulated Mr McCowan for his early foresight, as he knew that he had proceeded with Bribie land development even before the bridge was thought of. Mr Nicholson said that practically all the nearby North Coast beaches, and particularly Bribie Island, had a wonderful potential for the growing tourist trade, particularly when the bridge was completed. He said the motel business was here to stay and he believed Bellara was the first of others that would follow with the growth of the motoring tourist trade.

Mr Nicholson said that with the rapid development of Bribie, no doubt, applications would be made for future liquor licences and in respect to this, he said he was in favour of package licences for approved motels. He said the package licence was actually for a bottle store where one could obtain bottled liquor for consumption in their own unit in the motel.

Land Developers

He said that the surface of Bribie Island has been only scratched, and that much credit was due to land developers for the part they had played, and he also said that credit was due to K.D. Morris and sons for the progress they had made with the bridge despite the many hold-ups by sub-contractors and the adverse weather conditions which prevailed on occasions.

Mr Nicholson said that if he had his way there would not be any toll on the bridge.

He said that some people figured values with heavy rates could likely occur, but, he said, the Island should profit from the lesson of the expensive Gold Coast. His experience and knowledge of councils led him to believe that in instances where values increased substantially, Councils gave thoughtful consideration to lower rates and that no comparable inflation would occur on Bribie Island. Mr Nicholson said he liked to see all enterprises repaid, and he again congratulated the company and wished them every success in this and their land development scheme.

Vote of Thanks

Mr Ross McCowan said how much he appreciated the kind remarks of Mr Nicholson, and moved a vote of thanks to Mr Nicholson for officially opening the motel.

This vote of thanks was carried by acclamation by all the visitors and Mr McCowan invited Mr Nicholson to officially unveil the plaque.

Mr Nicholson then officially unveiled the plaque.

At the conclusion of this opening ceremony and the unveiling of the plaque, Mr McCowan invited all those interested to inspect the units, etc., after which the official party and other invited guests sat down to an excellent luncheon prepared by Mr Jack Dracos, the lessee-proprietor of the Cafeteria.

REFERENCE

Opening of the Bellara Motel.
Bribie Star 8.2.1963 pages 1, 8. article and photo.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The origin of the name "Benabrow" is a combination of part of the surnames of two local men, Cyril Bendall and Norm Browning. [source: Don Mullen, 18.1.2010]

In 1966, the restaurant at the Bellara Motel was named Bellara French Restaurant.

In the late 1980s / early 1990s, the Bellara Motel ceased trading. The motel buildings were repurposed as shops and commercial trade.

If you have any photos of the Bellara Motel, its opening in 1963 or the opening ceremony plaque, please contact the Bribie Island Historical Society on bribiehistoricalsociety@gmail.com

Early Days at Bribie Island

Early Days at Bribie Island

by Reg Campbell, October 1963.

The following article was published in The Bribie Star v.2(9) 19 October 1963, p. 15.

Early Days at Bribie Island, pictures by courtesy of Reg. Campbell, author of this article.

In the year 1905 our family set sail in the cutter Salina from Hayes Inlet, just up from Clontarf, for our new home at the mouth of Ninghi Creek, Pumicestone Channel.

My father, the late Joe Campbell, came to take charge of Mr. J. Clark’s extensive oyster farming operations. The oyster leases and dredge sections extended as far up the channel as Donnybrook, and some of them went as far up as Mission Point, which is about 10 miles north of Toorbul Point.

Our near neighbours were Mr. C. Dean and Mr. Fred Turner. Other families in the area were the Days, Bestmans, Bastins, and still further up Ninghi Creek were the families Freeman, Davis, Dux and Bishop. Mr. Harry Wright lived on Bribie Island and Mr. W. Mohr and J. Gallagher lived at White Patch. Mr. H. Bowles lived at Mission Point and a little further up the Passage was Mr. T. Tripcony, Mr. August Wilson and Mr. C. Bardon were at Donnybrook.

Oystering 
Oystering was the foremost industry carried on in those days, and the main oyster lessees were James Clark, Moreton Bay Oyster Company, J. Markwell and T. Tripcony. Apart from oystering, there was also dairy farming, and a good deal of log timber was handled in and around Toorbul and Bribie Island.

Oyster Dock [Reg Campbell photo]

All goods from Bribie Island were carried by J. Clark’s s.s. Sunset and later the s.s. Sunrise, the Moreton Bay Oyster Company’s schooner, Sir Arthur, and later still by the auxiliary cutters Result and Caloola.

The log timber for James Campbell’s mills at Brisbane was shipped by the paddle-wheelers Lintrose and Bell from the rafting grounds at Ninghi Creek, Donnybrook and Coochin Creek.

Mr. T. Tripcony ran a service with his motor auxiliary to and from Caloundra and Brisbane, carrying Government stores to Bribie and “lead lights” to the northern end of the Island and Caloundra. On the return trips he carried shell-grit, oysters, citrus fruits and also pineapples from Westaway’s orchard near Caloundra.

Only School 
The only school was on Toorbul Road, not far from Elimbah Creek, and as this was too far for us to attend we did not receive any school until 1908 when Mr. James Clark built a small provisional school at Toorbul Point. This building still stands there, but during the last war some additions were made to it. Miss Eustace was the first school teacher and there were only 14 pupils.

In 1910 Mrs. Sarah Ball established a fish cannery on Bribie Island, and the building stood opposite to where “Shady Glen” now stands. The cannery operated until 1914 when it was forced to close down because of a shortage of tin plate which occurred just after the war began. The building was sold to a Brisbane jam factory and it was removed to the city on the s.s. Porpoise, owned by Burke and Sons.

In 1911 the E. and A. liner s.s. Eastern ran aground on Salamanda Reef off the southern end of Bribie Island. After unsuccessfully trying for some days to refloat the vessel it was decided to jettison some of the cargo, after which the liner was freed from the reef.

The jettisoned cargo, which included bags of rice, canned foods, cases of petrol in 4-gallon drums, shark oil and bags of peanuts, was washed up on Ocean Beach. The bags of peanuts burst and loose nuts were blown from one end of the Island to the other. Eventually there were peanuts growing on many parts of the Island.

Destroy Cargo 
It was not long before customs officers were sent from Brisbane to inspect and destroy the cargo washed ashore on Ocean Beach. The officers rode along the beach on bicycles and cut holes with hatchets in all of the tinned goods that could be found.

Some of the cases of petrol (it was called benzene in those days) were salvaged at the Caloundra end of Bribie, and Mr. Charles Godwin was engaged to ship it to Brisbane in his auxiliary launch Victory. Returning from the second trip, Mr. Godwin was accidentally drowned after being hit by the sail of the Victory and thrown overboard into the Passage. The body was found several days later floating near the fish cannery jetty.

From 1906 to 1911 the Royal Australian Naval Reserve carried out annual gunnery
practice in H.M.A.S. Gayundah off Bribie Island. The targets were erected in Horeshoe Bay, just opposite where Mr. Gazzard’s home now stands in Webster Street, and the Gayundah anchored near the Deception Bay beacon.

During these same years, 1906 to 1911, the Brisbane Tug Company sent their tugs, Greyhound and Beaver, which had been fitted up to carry passengers, to Bribie Island on holidays such as Easter, King’s Birthday, etc. A square-end punt with seats all around was used to take passengers ashore. A rope was tied to a tree and to the boat, and the punt was hauled to and from the bank just opposite the Bongaree water tower near the Bribie Island Bowling Club.

Other visitors to the Island in their sailing yachts in those days were Messrs. T. Welsby, I. Bond, J. Plumridge, B. Fox, the Ruddles and many others.

Telephone contact 
One noteworthy happening which took place about this time, 1910, was when Mr. J. Clark had a telephone line erected to connect with Caboolture Post Office where Mr. Dick Draney was the post-master.

There was no telephone on Bribie at this time and it was a boon to Bribie residents to be able to send urgent messages from Clark’s private phone.

About 1911 the Brisbane Tug and Steamship Company decided to start a regular service to Bribie Island, and an order was placed with Ramage and Ferguson, Scotland, for the steamer which was intended for the Bribie run. Eventually, the ship, later named the Koopa (the word means flying fish) arrived in Brisbane under the command of Captain Douglas Taylor, and after docking and general overhaul the Koopa was placed on the regular service from Brisbane to Woody Point and Redcliffe. Later the services was extended to include a Bribie trip on Sundays, but as there was no jetty in those days the Koopa had to anchor in the Passage and any passenger wishing to go ashore were taken in rowing boats by local fishermen.

In those days the return fare on the Sunday and Thursday trips was 2/6 and campers could obtain a return ticket tenable for twelve months for four shillings.

Early in 1912 the construction of a jetty was started by Taylor Bros., of Brisbane, and although not quite completed it was used to land passengers by Easter of that year.

First Caretaker 
A residence was built near the end of the jetty for the first caretaker, Mr. George Jaques, and later a bush-house where refreshments were served was built at the rear of the residence. Shortly afterwards another building was brought from South Passage, Moreton Island, and erected beside the caretaker’s residence for use as a cafe. The building had been previously used for this purpose at Moreton Island.

About this time water tanks were erected at the shore end of the jetty. Water was brought each trip from Brisbane and pumped into the tanks, thus providing a good water supply for campers.

Mr. A.T. (Arty) Bestman, a bee farmer, was the first settler in the area, and when the Government decided to survey the township of Bongaree the first survey peg was driven on Mr. Bestman’s property on the corner of what is now First Avenue and Toorbul Street where the Four Square Store is located.

The Brisbane Tug Company built six 12ft. by 14ft. weatherboard huts along the foreshore just north of the jetty which were let at a rental of 6/- per week. The huts were so popular that another six were built shortly afterwards and they became known as the Twelve Apostles.

Building Erected 
About this time a building was brought over from South Passage, Moreton Island, erected just about where the Bongaree water tower now stands, and used as a dance hall. It was in this hall that the first Bribie island school was conducted under the guidance of Mr. L. Diplock, Bribie’s first school teacher. There were about 16 to 20 pupils attending when the school first started. Later the building was sold to the Bribie Island Bowling Club and it now forms the main portion of the present club house.

Sometime in 1914 A. Tripcony and Son began a motor-launch service which connected with the Koopa and ran from Bribie to Caloundra.

In 1915 the Avon, now referred to as “the wreck” on Blackbuoy Bank, near the mouth of Dux Creek, was placed in its present position to form a breakwater to protect the oysters on the bank from heavy southerly weather. The Avon was a condemned coal hulk, which, in its early days, had been a schooner engaged in bringing South Sea Islanders to Queensland to work the canefields.

In 1916 Messrs. J. McDonald & Son built a big house in Banya Street for Mr. Norm Congeau, the proprietor of a well-known Brisbane wine saloon. This building is now the property of the Church of England.

Novelty Gardens 
About this time the novelty gardens belonging to Mr. R.J. Davies, in Campbell Street, were really beginning to take shape. A cypress pine hedge around the property was trimmed into shapes of men, kangaroos, emus, etc. In addition to this there was a small collection of animals and birds and a small aquarium. There were also several hundred pineapples growing on the property.

"Pirra" one of the barges used to transport road metal
to Bribie Island. [Reg Campbell photo]
Vera Campbell Album VC8_128
Online at  SLQ APA-114-0002-0008

The first road between Bongaree and Woorim, Campbell Road, which was recently so named after the late Mr. G. P. Campbell of the Brisbane Tug Co., was built in 1924 by the late William Shirley.

After the necessary clearing had been done it was graded with the Caboolture Shire Council’s grader which, with the bullock team, was brought from the mainland by the late Mr. Joe Campbell, using a motor-boat and pontoon belonging to Mr. J. Clark.

Gantry for unloading road metal for road from
Bongaree, Bribie Island, to Woorim.
[Reg Campbell photo]

The metal for the road was brought from Collin’s quarry (the quarry was located on the bank of the Brisbane River where the Story Bridge now stands) to Bribie by several barges and the steamer Porpoise. The contractors for carting the metal from the jetty to the job were the Blake brothers (Harold and Bert) with two International trucks.


First Buses 
When the road was opened to traffic the first four buses to carry passengers across the Island were T model Fords. Later Mr. W. Shirley added an International truck, converted to carry passengers, and the first bus drivers on the run across the Island were Messrs. W. Shirley, Nobby Meelham, R.J. Campbell and J. Green.

After the road across the Island was completed the township of Woorim was surveyed, and a kiosk was built by Mr. W. Bishop for the Tug and Steamship Company. The timber for the building was shipped from Johnson’s mill at Caboolture, down the Caboolture River and across Deception Bay by a launch towing a pontoon. The men in charge of the towing job were W. Freeman and R. Campbell.

It was about this time, soon after the Ocean Beach road was constructed, that the Tug Co. added another steamer to their fleet. It was the ex-H.M.S. Wexford, renamed Doomba, which is the aboriginal word for “wombat”.

First Bakery 
A little later Mr. Kerr and his son built a brick oven in Toorbul Street and started the first bakery on the Island. About two years later the bakery was closed and Mr. Kerr went over to Redcliffe and opened the Peninsula Bakeries. Mr. Heenan then opened a bakery in Foster Street, opposite the Church of England Hall. The business later changed hands and was conducted by Mr. T. Read until a new bakery was built in Banya Street. When Mr. Read left the bakery it was carried on by the present owner, Mr. F. Kling.

Steamship Koopa bound for Bribie Island
Reg Campbell photo

During the 1914-18 war there was little progress on the Island. Apart from the
building of a few small houses Bribie was at a standstill. After the war the Island progressed slowly, then came the Second World War when forces were station here and Ocean Beach was closed to civilians. The progress of Bribie speeded up after the war and today it is fulfilling the hopes of the pioneers who foresaw the Island’s future potentials.

REFERENCES: 
Campbell, R. (1963) Early Days at Bribie Island. The Bribie Star v2(9) 19 October 1963, p. 15.

poem Nostalgia

Fifty-five years ago the following poem appeared in the Bribie Star newspaper.  Take a moment to enjoy the scene painted by these evocative words - trusty steed and all!

NOSTALGIA

High in the rosy hills at dawning,

Far in the woodland's fragrant cones,

The rolling mists of early morning,

Breathe o'er the rugged mountain domes,

Though with splendour so enthralling

Here I greet the morn divine,

My lonely heart is softly calling,

Bribie - Island in the pines.

Nature's now with magic jesting,

Far where hill and valley meet,

While my foaming steed is resting,

From the climb with aching feet.

But my lonely heart's devotion,

Longs for dear familiar scenes,

Scented pines and rolling ocean,

In the island of my dreams.

Soon this lovely scene of grandeur,

Will be folded from all ken,

Night - with jewelled dusky langour,

Will her wooing spell begin.

Then you'll hear me softly calling,

In the night wind's fragrant sighs,

May each lonely echo find you,

Bribie - Island in the pines.

Anne Jensen, "Creek Bend", Sylvan Beach, Bribie Island.

August 1962.

REFERENCE: 
Nostalgia (poem) by Anne Jensen, 1962.
Bribie Star, 24 Aug 1962.

Bribie's first newspapers

Bribie Island's First Newspapers

by Barry Clark

Masthead of the Bribie Star newspaper
2 November 1962.
Source: BIHS database

The Bribie Bridge was incorporated in
the masthead of the Bribie Star
in 1964.
Source: BIHS database

The first newspaper that was specific to Bribie Island was the "Bribie Star" and was first published in June 1962.  

This was a year or so before the Bribie Bridge construction was completed, and the opportunities for promotion and advertising of Bribie businesses was sent to increase. The newspaper was very popular and was always full of news and views about local issues, community activities and the involvement of Caboolture Council in a wide range of community projects and needs. In those days, the Bribie Island Councillor represented just the growing population of the island, although there were only about 650 residents at that time.

That newspaper was published weekly and ran for 9 years until it closed down in June 1971.  The newspaper continued to be published under the name of simply "The Star", but it covered a much greater geographical area of the Shire, with little if any news about Bribie.  

Cover of The Bribie Islander
Sep 1984 vol. 1, no. 2
Source: BIHS Database

Cover of The Bribie Islander
April 1985 vol. 2, no. 4
Source: BIHS Database

There was no Bribie newspaper for 13 years after that, until a monthly magazine style newspaper publication called "The Bribie Islander" started up in August 1984.  

This monthly publication ran for 6 years until June 1990 when it too stopped. Since then there have been other local newspapers including the "Island & Mainland News" which ran for a few years till early 2000s, and the "Bribie Weekly" that has changed ownership but continues to this day.

Cover of The Bribie Islander
Jan 1988 vol. 5, no. 1
Source: BIHS Database

Cover of The Bribie Islander
Jan 1986 vol. 3, no. 1
Source: BIHS Database

The Bribie Island Historical Society have built a significant Database of historical records over recent years that contains all copies of the 9 years of the Bribie Star, and all but the very first edition of the 6 years of The Bribie Islander. If you have a copy of the first August 1984 edition of The Bribie Islander, we would be delighted to hear from you - our email is bribiehistoricalsociety@gmail.com 

Cover of The Bribie Islander
Nov 1988 vol. 5, no. 11
Source: BIHS Database

Do you have a copy of the very first issue of The Bribie Islander August 1984? If so, please contact Bribie Island Historical Society bribiehistoricalsociety@gmail.com