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Jun 6, 1500
Coastline around Stradbroke Mapped
Dutch, Portuguese and French probably mapped the coastline around Stradbroke during the middle decades of the 16th century. -
James Cook Charted the Moreton bay area
Lieutenant James Cook charted the outside of Moreton Bay and named several features, including Point Lookout on North Stradbroke Island. -
First contact between Indigenous and British
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. -
Amity Point was set up as Moreton Bay’s first pilot station.
Amity Point was set up as Moreton Bay’s first pilot station. -
Minjerribah renamed to Stradbroke
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 estabilished at Myora
A cotton plantation was established at Moongalba (Myora). It was abandoned not long after. -
End of penal settlement
From May no more convicts were sent to Moreton Bay and the non-essential ones were withdrawn.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. -
Mission estabilished in Dunwich
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 1847.16 -
The entire Moreton Island Aboriginal poplation moved to Stradbroke
The entire Moreton Island Aboriginal population moved to Stradbroke Island. -
Dunwich proclaimed 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.21 In all, 56 people died. Many are buried in the Dunwich cemetery. -
Dr Hobbs established a dugong oil plant at Dunwich.
Dr Hobbs established a dugong oil plant at Dunwich. -
Work started on benevolent asslyum
Work began to erect permanent buildings at Dunwich for the planned benevolent asylum. -
The Dunwich quarantine station closed
The Dunwich quarantine station closed but the site continued to be used for the next decade as the need arose. -
Benevolent Asylum set up and opened
The Dunwich Benevolent Asylum was set up to house Moreton Bay’s elderly and homeless. It occupied the former quarantine station buildings. The asylum was officially opened in 1867. -
Land at Amity proclaimed for sale
Land in the township of Amity was proclaimed for sale at the end of 1886. A total of 124 allotments were offered and 89 fell to the auctioneer's hammer. The purchasers were enthusiasts, mainly bay folk and yachting men like Tom Welsby. From Wallin Creek to the outside beach, a foreshore roadway, Moreton Esplanade, was proclaimed.31 -
School estabilished in Dunwich
The Island’s first school, the Dunwich Provisional School for Aboriginal Children, opened for business on 7 January. William Balliston was the teacher. It is not known exactly where this school was located. It moved two years later to Bribie Island. -
Aborigines Protection Act came into being.
Aborigines Protection Act came into being. It was effective until 1977 and was based on isolating Aborigines. -
The Dunwich Provisional School opened on 18 August.
The Dunwich Provisional School opened on 18 August. It mainly catered for the children of staff, including Stradbroke Islanders, working at the Dunwich Benevolent Asylum -
The Southport Shire Council applied to close the breakthrough at Jumpinpin
The Southport Shire Council applied to close the breakthrough at Jumpinpin. It has been suggested that had this scheme gone ahead there may well have been a major highway from Southport to Brisbane via Stradbroke Island and the Moreton Bay Islands -
The Australian Workers’ Union tried unsuccessfully to help its Aboriginal workers.
The Australian Workers’ Union tried unsuccessfully to help its Aboriginal members regarding wage rises. The issue affected Myora and Dunwich’s Aboriginal Gang for the next few years. -
Tourism started at Pont Lookout
Point Lookout’s first tourism venture started in the 1930s when Bert Clayton bought land above South Gorge to establish a guest house. The first guests were accommodated in tents which were slowly replaced by one-room cabins. He sold up in 1946 and the new owners, the Bulcocks, renamed the complex Samarinda -
Aboriginal Activists demanded fair wages
Aboriginal activists Jack Patten and William Ferguson formed the Aborigines Progressive Association to demand award wages. Eight of 28 Qld members were from Myora. -
WW2 has signficant impact
By this stage, World War II was having a significant impact on the island – armed service personnel were stationed there; radio tents were set up; and a radio direction finder, radar, power plant and gun emplacements were constructed at Point Lookout. A second telephone line was erected between Dunwich, Amity and Point Lookout, vastly improving the old service.70 -
The Myora mission was close
The Moongalba/Myora mission was closed. Most residents moved to One Mile where the Moongalba buildings were re erected. The Moongalba families weren’t allowed to live in Dunwich. -
Benevolent Asylum moved
The Dunwich Benevolent Asylum and its 768 inmates moved to an old RAAF base at Sandgate. The facility was called Eventide and still operates. The move caused massive unemployment and hardship on Stradbroke Island.74 Many families left the Island as a result. -
The first life-saving patrols started at Point Lookout
The first life-saving patrols started at Point Lookout. The following year the Point Lookout club became affiliated with the Queensland Surf Life Saving Association. The army tent used in the early days was replaced by the club’s first permanent clubhouse in 1950. -
The native title agreement was signed
A native title ‘process’ agreement between the Quandamooka Land Council and Redland Shire Council over island land claims was signed. The land claim was over North Stradbroke Island, the Bay Islands and surrounding waters in 1994