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Lieutenant James Cook Charted the Outside of Moreton Bay
Lieutenant James Cook charted the outside of Moreton Bay and named several features, including Point Lookout on North Stradbroke Island. -
Minjerribah Helped Matthew Flinder's Crew find Water
A group of Minjerribah (Stradbroke Island) people helped Matthew Flinders’ crew find water when they came ashore near Cylinder Beach on their way back to Sydney. This was possibly the first black-white contact on the Island. -
Timbergetters, Finnegan and Parsons were shipwrecked
Timbergetters Pamphlett, Finnegan and Parsons were shipwrecked on Moreton Island and spent the next eight months travelling around Moreton Bay. The Noonucals at Pulan (Amity Point) looked after them for nearly six weeks. They housed, fed and advised the trio on canoe making, and saw them off some months later in the craft they’d made on the island. During their time on Minjerribah (Stradbroke Island), the three experienced bora gatherings, and ceremonial, celebratory and gladatorial events. -
Two Surveyors and a Bontanist Visited Pulan
Surveyor General John Oxley, botanist Allan Cunningham and surveyor Robert Hoddle visited Pulan and called it Cypress Point. It is now known as Amity Point after their ship. They met with the local residents and described the tracks, huts and other features they saw. -
Amity Point; Moreton Bay's First Pilot Station
Amity Point was set up as Moreton Bay’s first pilot station. -
The Rename
In June Minjerribah was renamed Stradbroke Island by Governor Darling in honor of the Honourable Captain JH Rous, son of the Earl of Stradbroke and also Viscount Dunwich. Rous was commander of HMS Rainbow, the first ship of war to enter Moreton Bay. Darling also named Dunwich, Rainbow Reach and Rous’ Channel. -
Cotton Plantation
A cotton plantation was established at Moongalba (Myora).8 It was abandoned not long after -
Dunwich Settlement Closed
November: the fourth Commandant of the Moreton Bay penal colony, Captain James Clunie, requested that the Dunwich settlement be closed. His request was granted. After it closed, it became a timber depot. -
Schooner was Seized
The schooner Caledonia was seized by convicts and moored off Amity Point. -
Pilot Station Closed
The pilot station at Amity Point was closed. -
No More Convicts to Moreton Bay
From May no more convicts were sent to Moreton Bay and the non-essential ones were withdrawn. This marked the end of the Moreton Bay penal settlement, and moves began to open Moreton Bay to free settlers. -
Survey of Stradbroke and Moreton Bay Islands
Government surveyor Robert Dixon began surveying Stradbroke and Moreton Islands. He and Surveyor Warner also surveyed the coast from Brisbane River to Innes (Coochiemudlo) Island. -
Mission to Convert
Four Passionist missionaries set up a mission at Dunwich to convert Aborigines. It broke up in 1846.15 The last priest, Raymund Vaccari, left on 20 July 1847. -
Baptised
Two of the earliest recorded baptisms in what is now Queensland took place at Dunwich on 20 June. Two sons of Irishman Dick Smith and Aboriginal Neli were baptised by Father Joseph Snell, one of the four Passionist missionaries. -
Sinking Boat and New Pilot Station
In March the Sovereign sank in South Passage between Moreton and North Stradbroke Island, which was still the most used entry to Moreton Bay. A group of Moreton Island and Stradbroke Island Aborigines rescued 10 of the passengers and were rewarded for their efforts with a boat and breast plates. As a result of the accident, a pilot station was opened on northern Moreton Island and the North Passage became the main entry. -
Quarantine Station
On 16 July Dunwich was proclaimed Moreton Bay’s quarantine station. Only weeks later, the immigrant ship Emigrant arrived with typhus on board. The passengers were put into quarantine at Dunwich. In all, 56 people died. Many are buried in the Dunwich cemetery. -
Dugong Oil
Dr Hobbs established a dugong oil plant at Dunwich. -
Dugong Trap
Fernandez Gonzales began employing Aborigines to net dugong. -
Telegraph
The telegraph was installed to link the quarantine station at Dunwich with Brisbane. -
Asylum
Work began to erect permanent buildings at Dunwich for the planned benevolent asylum