NB Approximate position
Ever wanted to circumnavigate Australia? We still have a way to go...we'll be going on quite a journey, at least virtually, and clockwise. So as to make sure all states and territories are covered, we started in Western Australia and explored a little of the early history of a small part of this massive state via TROVE...from Rottnest Island to Broome..then across to Katherine Gorge, then Tennant Creek, from there to Darwin on the way to the Tiwi Islands, Bathurst and Melville.
We've had to travel back to Darwin, before leaving the Northern Territory, then across to Cairns, in North Queensland... but we didn't stop there, instead headed to the tropical north, to one of the most beautiful areas you can imagine... isolated yes, but perfect for that great getaway... to Cape Tribulation. It seems you loved that area so well, that Cairns was the obvious place to travel to next... not too far south. That was another very popular place...as was our visit to Fraser Island...
We then headed inland, on an approximately 6 hours flight to a place steeped in history.. what a contrast to the sub tropical island of Fraser ...no waterfalls or clear lakes or rainforest, but Longreach has so much to offer.
We then returned to Hervey Bay, by plane, and then took a short drive of approximately 25 minutes to a town founded in 1847... the charming historical town of Maryborough. So many of you loved that place as I do.
What a contrast the next destination was, though it is also very much steeped in history... a beautiful place, but it was a place of horror, of deprivation and loneliness... St. Helena Island. To get there, we left on a ferry from Manly, across to the island.
Now we've returned to Brisbane, to explore the beautiful, sub tropical capital city of the Sunshine State. Brisbane today, is the third largest city in Australia and growing rapidly...
It has come a long way from it's beginnings as the Moreton Bay convict settlement, with such an interesting history. In the last issue, we explored some of the history of Brisbane, now to visit Brisbane of a later period. There is so much to see and do in this beautiful city, once known as the biggest country town in Australia...
Rather than compose an extremely long post, yet again, I will choose a few items from the Brisbane Heritage Trail and cross link to a specified page for them...adding to them over time.
As with many modern cities, far too much of our history and historical buildings have been discarded, in favour of towering monoliths. We need to treasure what we have left and document them while we can. Last issue, we explored the once beautiful Regent Theatre and the still outstanding City Hall.
You can find the Heritage Trail list and map here
Partial map..
The red arrow shows the site of the Regent Theatre, the blue, the elegant Brisbane Arcade and the gold arrow, the site of the convict barracks..
The site of the convict barracks still draws attention.
Site of the Convict Barracks
130 Queen Street, Brisbane
Between 1829 and 1830, a multi-storey stone convict barracks was constructed on the corner of Queen and Albert Streets. It was the largest building in the settlement at this time and provided basic accommodation for up to 1,000 convicts.
It's hard to believe that this was all part of the Moreton Bay settlement... as stated by a correspondent, Old Tom..though this is lengthy, it presents great insights into the early days of Brisbane.
Brisbane Courier (Qld. : 1864 - 1933), Saturday 24 July 1869, page 7
National Library of Australia http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1291606
OLD TIMES
(BY OLD TOM.)
THE SETTLEMENT.
IN those days happily long since passed away—when the parent colony of the Australian group enjoyed the unenviable distinction
of being the only penal settlement on the shores of New Holland, it was found from time to time necessary to push out from her midst
other settlements on the eastern coast, for the purpose of getting rid of that portion of her criminal population, which the terrors of the
lash, the chain gang, and the gallows had failed to restrain from committing fresh crimes.
Thus, in reading the early history of New South Wales, we find that but a short time after Governor Phillip landed at the head of Sydney
Cove, in the harbor of Port Jackson, it was found necessary for the peace of the new settlement to cast out from her midst the turbulent
and irreformable portion of her felon population.
Thus we find various localities from time to time taken up, upon which settlements were established. The first on the list is the Coal
River (Newcastle) ; the second, Port Macquarie ; then, I believe, Norfolk Island ; and, finally, in 1823, Moreton Bay.
As it is with the latter settlement we have to do, I will refrain from dwelling upon this not very interesting subject, further then just stating that
in 1824 a draft of convicts and a large military detachment was despatched from Sydney, and located in the first instance at Redcliff Point—
a headland lying about six miles north-east of the present village of Sandgate. The unhealthiness and general unsuitableness of Red-
cliff necessitated the authorities to look out for another clearing ; and for that purpose the adjoining country was surveyed, and finally the
present site of Brisbane was fixed upon as the future settlement.
Under the energetic supervision of the Commandant, Captain Logan, very important public works were undertaken. For instance, the old
Commissiariat Stores bears the date of erection, 1824, on its front ; the convict barracks, military barracks, officers and official quarters, all
appear to have been rapidly brought into existence under Captain Logan and his successor, Captain Clunie's, government.
Thus, when the pioneer squatter began to follow up the discoveries of the lamented Allen Cunningham, and migrate with their flocks and
herds to the Downs country and below the eastern slopes of the Main Range, the penal settlement established on the waters of the
Brisbane River some fifteen or sixteen years previously, had began to assume the importance of a town—the roads leading through and above
the settlement having evidently been laid out with that end in view.
Queen-street had been judiciously laid out a chain and a half wide—that is, taking the line of the old Post-office lumber yard, lock-up, and
barracks, forming one side of the thoroughfare, and the various plots of ground opposite, used, I understand, as gardens for the non-commis-
sioned officers, and others employed in the service of the Government,
The road, also, running parallel to the river, and leading to the commandant's quarters, now William-street, had been left, very judiciously,
a good width ; but, unfortunately for the future of the city, Governor Sir George Gipps, on his visit to these districts in the early part of 1842,
directed the surveyor, in laying out the streets of Brisbane and Ipswich, to confine the width of the streets to one chain.
The unadvisability of this step has been apparent ever since. Yet it is somewhat remarkable that in recent days our present Surveyor-
General has committed, in too many instances, the same blunder.
But to go back : In 1842, the settlement of Moreton Bay was thrown open by proclamation to the occupation of the general public ; and a
number of Sydney men availed themselves of the opportunity of viewing the promised land, and on their return the results of their investi-
gation were such as to induce numbers of land sharks and speculators to attend the first sale of town lands in the town of Brisbane, and at the
land office in Bent-street, Sydney, run up the allotments submitted to auction to rather burn-finger prices.
The land sold at that auction, held in July, 1842, consisted of one section only in North Brisbane—namely, that section comprised in the
area formed by Queen, George, Elizabeth, and Albert streets; and two or three sections on the south side of the river.
But the disasterous effects of the commercial crisis of that and the previous year had so revolutionised business matters in Sydney that
most, if not all, of the allotments sold on that occasion either became forfeited or changed owners subsequently at very reduced prices.
As an instance of the uncertainty of land speculations in that day, the allotment at the corner of Queen and George streets, occupied
by the New South Wales Banking Company, sold at the sale in July, 1842, for about £450.
The purchaser failed to pay up the balance of the purchase-money within the month, and the land became forfeited, and reverted to the Go-
vernment. That same allotment was again offered at public sale, and disposed of at the upset price of £26 (twenty-six pounds). It
passed through various hands, who improved the property, and finally become the property of the present proprietors, at a value about the
cost of the buildings at the time erected thereon.
With those preliminary remarks, as we say when on the stump, permit me to give my readers a short epitome of my first night in the
" Settlement."
Cold and weary with long sitting, hungry from last fasting, behold me and my fellow voyagers in the little schooner Falcon, of and
from Sydney, Captain Johnny Brown, master, landing from the pilot boat which had brought us all up from the Pilot Station at Amity Point,
on a make-shift wharf nearly opposite the Commissariat Stores.
The night had set in before we entered the river, having had to contend against a strong S.W. breeze across the bay. It may be, therefore,
set down as an established fact that when we shook ourselves together on the old wharf, about 8 o'clock in the evening, we were not
exactly the parties competent to be called upon to express an opinion upon the beauties of the river, or the natural advantages of the Settlement.
On the contrary, my friend the skipper said something about his eyes and limbs that did not convey a blessing to himself or to his hearers.
But it was cold ; and one could hardly avoid being uncomplimentary when it is taken into consideration that we left the comfortable
quarters of Jemmy Hexton, the old pilot at Amity Point, about 4 a.m. that morning without breaking one's fast, and, with the exception of
a slight feed on the voyage, had not been able to keep up the necessary carbon to keep the inner man comfortable. In fact, we had all
been the victims of misplaced confidence. We had expected to land in Brisbane in about eight or ten hours—having a good boat and crew—
instead of which we had nearly doubled that period of time.
After all, my first night in the Settlement was a caution to croakers. Let me describe scene the first.
A portion of the southern wing of the old Barracks, converted, by the ingenuity of the lessees, from a dirty, dreary kitchen or cook-
house into a snug and comfortable stores and dwelling place, in which, on the night I made my first appearance therein, I found, with my
brother-in-law the skipper, a hearty welcome from the worthy occupiers—namely, Messrs. John Harris and Richard Underwood, trading
in the new Settlement under the style and title of Harris and Underwood, general store-keepers.
The company at the supper table consisted of the firm and their ladies, an old gentleman named White, then acting as Postmaster and
General Inspector and Superintendent of the Ticket-of-leave Constabulary Force stationed in Brisbane, the captain of the schooner Falcon—
familiarly known amongst old colonials as Johnny Brow—-and Old Tom, without the frosty pow.
The amusing anecdotes of passing events given with much zest and humor by our hosts, and their graphic particulars of life in the
Settlement, coupled with those social appendages which, I believe, to this day are profusely placed on the hospitable boards of those gentle-
men, kept us visitors in high good humor, and very much helped to thaw our stagnant blood, and make us have a better opinion as to the
future of the young community.
Before this scene passes away, let me for a few moments recall to memory some of the anecdotes relating to " Old Times," and in con-
nection with one of those that sat with me round Messrs. Harris and Underwood's mahogany.
Old Mr. White, the first man of letters in Brisbane-—odd old soul, who can forget his hospitable manner of receiving the jackaroo
squatter—whose advent, perhaps for the first time to the Bay, was not only to receive and forward supplies to his station, but to obtain the
much prized letters from home.
But the unique management of the postal service under the directory of old White was something to remember as an instance of the
unsurpassing value of this old trump. I will repeat an anecdote related to me by a gentleman who had occasion to visit the Settlement just
previous to the removal of the convicts. This squatter had come down from the tablelands with his team, to obtain supplies for his
establishment, and after unyoking his team on the south side of the river, came over to obtain his letters. Calling at the Post-office, then kept
in the old brick house at the corner, and still forming a portion of our present postal department, he found the worthy distributer of letters
busy discussing with two other gentlemen the relative merits of red and white tape—vulgarly known as rum and gin. Upon asking for his
letters, he was politely requested to take a seat, and help himself from the black jacks standing on the table. Before availing himself of this
kind invite, he again asked for his letters. The reply was, "Oh, stuff! sit down, and we will look for the letters by-and-bye." Towards 11
o'clock the other two visitors left, to proceed to the Commandant's quarters, where they had been invited to lunch. Another attempt was
then made to get the long-coveted letters ; but no ! the old gentleman seemed to consider the question of correspondence a matter of no
moment, and insisted upon my informant going with him to dinner, at Mr. Andrew Petrie's.
Finding that it was better to make a virtue of a necessity, the invitation was accepted, and at the hospitable residence of the Clerk of
Works the disappointed letter seeker spent a very pleasant afternoon. In the meantime, the postmaster had hooked it, and on my informant
going again to the Post-office, found it, although only 4 o'clock, closed for the day, and the man of letters not comfortable. Going round to the
rear of the premises, my friend enquired of the servant, one Peter Glynn, what he should do to get his letters. "Is that all you want?" says
Peter. " Come in ; I will manage that." Going into the bed-room and bringing out a bunch of keys, he opened a large bureau, dis-
played a conglomerated heap of letters, and said, " There you are ; help yourself!"
It may be considered somewhat remarkable that though the Post-office duties were conducted in this rather loose style, yet, I believe,
no complaint was ever made that the letters or their contents had been tampered with.
The following (Sunday) morning found me and the worthy skipper all serene, after a comfortable night's rest, and upon going outside to
have a look round before breakfasting, the beautiful and varied scenery that presented itself to view was very encouraging, and induced
one to believe there was a great future before the young settlement, could the Government be induced to throw open the fertile borders of
the Brisbane and its tributaries to an agricultural population.
The new arrival could observe, in making an inspection of the clearing around the settlement, that a large portion of the land in and about
the new township had been under cultivation, and at the time I speak the roots of the cornstalks still remained in the holes made around
them, and the few gardens and cultivated spots about the settlement were teeming with wonders of the vegetable world. The pine apple, the
banana, the citron, the lemon, orange, and apple, with mulberries, grapes, and other fruit bearing trees, were of remarkable size and
beauty ; and gave satisfactory evidence that with proper means and appliances the land would support and well repay the industrial efforts of
a large population.
As I intend, as I proceed with my gossip about the settlement, to advert more particularly to these matters, I shall for the present
content myself by stating that I ever afterwards considered it rank heresy for anyone to assert that Moreton Bay was only suitable for the
rearing of stock.
After having breakfasted it was arranged that we should amuse ourselves by taking a stroll round the settlement, and take a birds
eye view of the surrounding country from the top of the old Windmill. What I saw and heard in our rambles about town, I must defer
narrating until a future issue.
You can read a continuation of the story at..
Brisbane Courier (Qld. : 1864 - 1933), Saturday 31 July 1869, page 6
National Library of Australia http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1292136
Mentioned in the above article, as well as the old Convict Barracks were the Commissariat
Stores and the old Windmill...
Artist's impression of the Convict Barracks, Queen Street, Brisbane
Creator
- Trewern, E. P.
- John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland, Undated
- Drawing, by Mr. E. P. Trewern, of the first Houses of Parliament in Queen Street, Brisbane. 'Originally the Military and Convict Barracks. Through the Archway was the Military Commandant's Residence (see inset), the Author's birthplace. No really good representation of this interesting old relic of convict days appears to have been preserved, but this picture is approximately accurate, and was drawn by Mr. E. P. Trewern, of the Public Works Department, from old and inferior representations of the structure which appear in photographs of early Brisbane'. (Information taken from: C. A. Bernays, Queensland politics during sixty (1859-1919) years, 1919).
- Out of copyright
Queen Street, from the corner of Edward Street looking south, Brisbane, 1883
- View of Queen Street looking south. Horsedrawn carriages are passing up and down the street
- This is one of the first photographs of Queen Street to show the new commercial buildings erected on the site of the demolished Convict Barracks. An interesting feature, in the days before verandahs became universal, are the blinds drawn over shop windows to protect goods from the morning sun. A telegraph pole stands on the corner of the street to the left.
Creator Lomer, Albert Item is held by John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland
- Out of copyright.
Sketch of the Convict Barracks, Brisbane, 1832. Detail from a sheet of pencil drawings of public buildings at Moreton Bay, September 1832. Original drawings held in the Mitchell Library, Sydney, New South Wales. Attributed to Sockering. Reproduced in J. G. Steele's Brisbane Town in Convict Days, plate 80. (Description supplied with photograph.).
1844 Map of Brisbane drawn by C. F. Gerler. This basic map has a numbered list of forty-eight locations in the bottom right corner. The list corresponds to places and residences on the map. The locations are represented by hand drawings of houses and other buildings with the numbers next to them. Trees, roads, and rivers are have also been included as a decorative flourish. Caption: Brisbane in 1844. Map legend : 1. Andrew Petrie, 2, Handel, cattle drover, 3. Savory (the only baker), 4. Bensteads, sawyers, 5. T. Richardtson (the only general store), 6. Convict Barracks, 7. W. Kent (druggist shop), 8. Fitzpatrick (the first Chief Constable), 9. The Lock-up, 10. The Constable's place (only two in all), 11. Slate's Post Office (old), 12. Slate's Pineapple Garden, 13. Church of England, 14. The Hospital, 15. Mort, milkman. 16. Wright's Hotel, 17. General Cemetery, 18. Tread and Windmill, 19. Edmonston.s Paddock, 20. Old R. Jones, 21. Dr. Simpson (the first Commissioner), 22. Old Major Prior, 23. The Gaol, 24. Skyring's Beehives (soft goods shop), 25. Hayes, milkman, 26. Brothers Fraser (first houses), 27. Catholic Church, 28. McLean's Blacksmith's Shop, 29. Edmonston's butcher, 30. Bow's Hotel. 31. Taylor Shappart, 32. Montifeur (a financier), 33. W. Pickering, 34. Sergeant Jones, 35. Soldiers' Barracks, 36. Officer de Winton, 37. Commission Stores, 38. Queen's Wharf, 39. Captain Wickham's office, 40. Commissioner T. Kent, 41. Commissioner's Garden, 42. Captain Coley, 43. Government Gardens, 44. Father Hanley (the only priest), 45. Saw Pits, 46. Queen Street, 47. The Boat House and Boatman's House, 48. The First Tombstone (two graves). (Description supplied with photograph.) Public Domain
- File:StateLibQld 2 119348 Map of Brisbane, 1844.jpg
- Created: 1 January 1844
A beautiful aspect of the Old Windmill
courtesy of Sharon Fritz
The oldest convict-built structure surviving in Queensland, the windmill tower has accommodated a range of uses. Constructed in 1828 to process the wheat and corn crops of the Moreton Bay penal settlement, it had a treadmill attached for times when there was no wind but also as a tool for punishing convicts. The mill ceased grinding grain in 1845 and the treadmill was removed sometime before 1849. From 1855 the tower was reused as a signal station to communicate shipping news between the entrance of the Brisbane River and the town. Substantial renovations were made to it in 1861 including the installation of a time ball to assist in regulating clocks and watches. Twenty years later a cottage for the signalman was constructed to the immediate west of the tower, with a detached kitchen erected to the south two years after that. Both were later demolished. The windmill tower was used as a facility for early radio, telephony and television communications research from the 1920s and underwent substantial conservation work in the 1980s and 2009.[1]
For further information
Commissariat Store, 115 William Street, Brisbane
Kgbo Own Work CC BY-SA 3.0
Commissariat Store is located in Brisbane, Queensland bordered by William Street, Queen's Wharf Road and the Brisbane River, the birthplace of Queensland. The heritage listed building is one of only two surviving buildings from the convict period in Queensland,[1] and is one of only four surviving commissariat buildings in Australia. It is the second oldest building in Queensland, dated to 1829, the oldest building being the Windmill at Wickham Park, dated to 1828. However, the Commissariat Store is the oldest occupied building in Queensland, as it is currently occupied by Royal Historical Society of Queensland (RHSQ). The Commissariat Store was originally built by convict labour under the direction of Captain Logan as a permanent Commissariat Store for the Moreton Bay Penal Settlement. Presently, the restored and renovated building operates as the headquarters for the RHSQ, housing the museum, Welsby Library, and functions.
For further information
