Straddie

Stradbroke Island History

By Angusryan

  • Lutenant James Cook

    Lieutenant James Cook charted the outside of Moreton Bay and named several
    features, including Point Lookout on North Stradbroke Island.

  • First Black And White Contact

    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.

  • Pamphlett, Finnegan and Parsons

    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.

  • Renaming of Minjerribah

    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. • Commandant Patrick Logan selected Dunwich as a possible site for the Moreton
    Bay settlement following concerns about Brisbane’s suitability due to obstructions
    on Brisbane River. Dunwic

  • Moongalba Cotton Plantation

    A cotton plantation was established at Moongalba (Myora).
    It was abandoned not long after.

  • An Estimated 10 violent clashes between Stradbroke Island Aborigines and Europians at Dunwich and Amity

    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.10
    • January 1831-December 1832: 10 or more violent clashes occurred between
    Stradbroke Island Aborigines and Europeans stationed at Dunwich and Amity.11

  • Covict Seize Boat

    The schooner Caledonia was seized by convicts and moored off Amity Point.

  • Pilot Station Closes

    The pilot station at Amity Point was closed.

  • Quarentine Station set up. Weeks later typhus arrives, claiming the lives of 56 people

    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

  • Dunwich quarentine station closed

    The Dunwich quarantine station closed but the site continued to be used for the
    next decade as the need arose.

  • The Dunwuch Benevolent Asylum officially opened

  • Billy North was granted a lease over Point Lookout

    Billy North was granted a lease over Point Lookout. For nearly 40 years, he ran
    cattle, at one stage supplying beef to the Dunwich Benevolent Asylum. He also
    operated a fish cannery at Two Mile outside Dunwich. The quality of his canned
    fish was recognised by a medal from the National Agricultural and Industrial
    Association in 1908.40
    • A barque, the Cambus Wallace, was wrecked on the ocean side of a very narrow
    part of Stradbroke Island. Two years later, a southerly gale led to the breakthrough

  • Morteton Bays oyster fisheries continue to die, unemploying hundereds of people

    By this time, Moreton Bay’s oyster fisheries were slowly being destroyed by an
    outbreak of mud worm. Oystering had been the biggest seafood industry in
    southern Qld for years, employing hundreds of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal
    people over decades.47 Many oystermen lived in rough camps on the Bay Islands
    and Stradbroke. Dwellings comprised simple shacks made of bark and slab, with
    two-room cottages built as incomes improved.

  • Five survivors of a sunken ship are looked after at Point Lookout

    The Prosperity sank off Point Lookout on its way from Sydney with sugar
    machinery for Mourilyan Harbour in North Queensland. Five survivors were cared
    for at Point Lookout before returning home. In 1956 a skeleton and boot were
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    uncovered in the sand on Deadman’s Beach, and it is believed they were the
    remains of the Prosperity’s mate or cook.49 This is the origin of the name.

  • During the 1930's, Point Lookouts first tourism venture began

  • The Point Lookout lightouse is built and Cylinder Beach achive its name

  • 268 lives were lost after a hospital ship torpedoes off Stradbroke

  • A vehicular ferry service begins, using the Amazon later rename the Karboora

  • Zinc Corp begins sand mining on Stradbroke

  • Consolidated Rutile began mining operations

    Also The four bed hospital is opened

  • Barge Lookout begn operating from Cleveland and Stradbroke ferries began operating