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Lieutenant James Cook Sailed By
In the year of 1770, Lieutenant James Cook sailed by the outer reaches of Mortein Bay. On his way, he named several prominent features such as Point Lookout. This place was a way of warning fellow sailors of the rocky outcrop. -
Matthew Flinders Discovers Stradbroke Island
In 1803, Matthew Flinders came ashore on Stradbroke Island in search of fresh water. -
Pamphlett, Finnegan and Parsons were shipwrecked on Moreton Island
In 1823, three timber getters, Pamphlett, Finnegan and Parsons were shipwrecked on Moreton Island. They spent eight months exploring around Moreton Bay. Upon their arrival at Pulan (Amity Point) the trio was welcomed by the Noonucals who fed, housed and shared knowledge with them. The Noonucals showed the three men how to make a canoe from the local timber and it was in this vessel that they departed six weeks later. -
The Renaming of Minjerribah
In 1827, Minjerribah was renamed to the more commonly known name of Stradbroke Island. It was renamed by Governor Darling in reverence of the Honourable Captain J.H. Rous, son of the Earl of Stradbroke and also Viscount Dunwich. -
Conflicts Between the Convicts, Aborigines and Europeans
Over the following years, tensions erupted between the convicts, local Aborigines and the Europeans. One of the first known conflicts erupted in 1828 when a cotton plantation was established at Myora, near Dunwich – the site was a favoured Aboriginal campsite and tempers flared. The site was inexplicably abandoned within six months. -
More Conflict Between the Eurpeans and Aboriginals
Between 1831 and 1832 there were more than ten violent clashes between the Europeans and the Minjerribah people. This resulted in multiple deaths on both sides. -
Fishing Industry in Mortein Bay
From 1850 onwards fishing became a major industry. No more convicts had been sent to Moreton Bay for some time and the Island had been opened up to free settlers. Houses were constructed and the men set their sights on supplying the Redlands area with fish and their byproducts. -
Quarantine Station Closed
After numerous deaths, the quarantine station closed in 1864 and Peel Island was declared as Moreton Bay’s official quarantine station. -
Benevolent Asylum Completed
Dunwich was nominated to accommodate the Benevolent Asylum which was completed in 1867. -
Stradbroke Island Seperated
Prior to 1894 North and South Stradbroke were one and the same island. The two islands were separated after a barque; the "Cambus Wallace" was shipwrecked in a narrow passage off the island that was carrying explosives that had to be detonated in the passage. -
Oyster Farming Began
By 1901 oyster farming was well established on the Island, but a plague of mud worm wreaked havoc on this enterprise. Oyster farming had been the biggest seafood industry in Queensland at that time, employing many Aboriginal and European workers for years. The outbreak of mud worm was devastating but not terminal, and through perseverance the industry survived and still prospers in Moreton Bay. -
Sinking of the Prosperity
1902 saw the sinking of the “Prosperity” off Point Lookout, it is believed that a skeleton revealed on the beach in 1956 with a boot still intact on the foot, was the remains of the cook from the “Prosperity”. The discovery of these remains was the origin of the name given to the beach on which they were found – Deadman’s Beach at Point Lookout. -
Tourism in Mortein Island
Tourism came to the Island much later, when in the 1930’s, Bert Clayton bought land above the South Gorge to build a guesthouse. His first guests were accommodated in tents which he gradually replaced with one room cabins, the next owners of the property renamed it Samarinda. Samarinda still exists in a very modern form on the original site today. Bert Clayton also started the first bus service to Point Lookout and Hayles Cruises began a regular service to Amity and later Dunwich bringing visito -
Construction of the Lighthouse
The Point Lookout Lighthouse was constructed in 1932 and the materials used in its construction were deposited on one of the beaches including the cylinders used for assembling the light. The beach was named Cylinder Beach for this reason. -
Centaur Torpedoed
On the 14th of May 1943, the Australian Hospital Ship “Centaur” was torpedoed off the Island and 268 of its passengers were killed, leaving only 64 survivors. -
First Vehicular Ferry Service
The first vehicular ferry service commenced in 1947 with the “Amazon” soon renamed the “Karboora”. That same year the Surf Lifesavers began patrolling Point Lookout’s beaches. The following year saw the Point Lookout Club being affiliated with Queensland Surf Lifesaving and a permanent club house was erected on the Main beach Headland where it remains today. -
Sand Mining Established
Sand mining was first established on the Island in 1949 when Zinc Corp set up their operation. In the early stages sand was dug up by hand from Main Beach and sent by truck to Dunwich, this hands-on approach solved the unemployment problem on the Island giving jobs to many local residents. -
Titanium and Zirconium Industries Set Up
After sand mining was established, some five years later, Titanium and Zirconium Industries set up a more elaborate operation building a dredge on Main Beach and utilizing a trans-island ropeway to transport the sand overland to Dunwich. Sand mining is still the number one employer on the Island with Consolidated Rutile Ltd, established on the Island in 1963 still in operation today. -
Stradbroke Island Ferries
Stradbroke Ferries began a regular service to the Island in 1964 and over the years, the Island has seen many changes in its population, industry and construction.
