TRACES of OLD Bribie

Like other regular contributors to this magazine, my Bribie History Page will only be published monthly in future. I am never short of things to write about, and I know residents and visitors enjoy reading and seeing old photos of the variety of people and events that made Bribie such an interesting place.

How long has Bribie been an island is a question I am often asked. I can’t give you an exact date, but just a few thousand years ago the whole of Moreton Bay was dry land, and the ocean shoreline was east of Moreton Island. The diagram map shows what the area was like 9000 years ago was kindly given to me by Archaeologist Michael Strong and shows that the sea level has risen about 140 metres over the last 9,000 years The sea was at one stage even higher than it is now, with the south end of Bribie Island under water.

You can see clear evidence of old beach sand dune ridges as you drive across the island. The original Indigenous people of Moreton Bay adapted to climate change slowly over time, and many of their camp and ritual sites have been identified under the waters of Moreton Bay. Bribie Island had a plentiful supply of fish and seafood, edible plants, and berries, which were traded with mainland tribes for essential stone tools, as there were no stones at all on this sand island. island and built water tanks and a dozen small wooden huts, known as The 12 Apostles, that could be rented out for three shillings a week. (30 cents) Some cottages and guest houses were then built and by 1918 the first private shop operated from a cottage in Toorbul Street. With settlement came roaming domestic animals and collecting their droppings was a regular job to burn on open fires to reduce the significant mosquito problems.

Steamship excursions started coming to Bribie from Brisbane from 1912 when the jetty was built, and people came in their thousand to camp and fish here. All along the Bongaree foreshore, and on the “Hill” where the library now stands, was covered with white canvas tents. The Brisbane Tug Company invested in development of the

The unique attraction of Bribie as a cheap and cheerful place to relax and fish spread, and the population slowly grew and attracted a different and interesting cross section of people. It started to become known as “The three D’s” because of its appeal and reputation for Drunks, Dogs and De Facto relationships.

Many unusual characters made their way to Bribie in the early days. After the first World War it seemed to attract veterans with less than the full complement of arms or legs. In the 1920’s there were several limbless people, one being Jimmy “No-Legs” Hagan who lost both legs in the War in France in 1915 and came back to Brisbane but decided to move to small and flat Bribie Island. He built his original cottage which still stands firmly beside Shirley Creek more than 100 years later.

The first car was brought to Bribie in 1918 by the first store owner Artie Bestmann, six years before the first road was built. It took two days to drive the car from Brisbane over farm bush tracks and beaches, and eventually floated over to Bribie from Godwin beach. The car was second hand when it came here and ran on bush and beach tracks for over 25 years before it finally rusted out.

It was several years later that the first basic road was cleared from the Jetty at Bongaree to the Ocean Beach at Woorim in 1924. The Surf Club started, and a few houses were built at Woorim. Some of the early houses were cottages relocated from the failed “Soldier Settlement” development at Beerburrum. Some soldiers returning from World War 1 were allocated a few acres to become farmers. It failed because of poor selection of crops and unreliable weather, and some of the abandoned government cottages were relocated to the new settlement at Woorim. The ocean beach at Woorim was then, and still is today, the closest surf beach to Brisbane, long before there were any roads to what is now the Gold Coast, even with the three-hour steam ship trip from Brisbane to Bribie.

Bongaree Jetty was the focal point of the island for the coming and going of visitors, and Oyster and Fish dinners were always available nearby for visitors. Competition was rife to entice customers to various food offerings and a stall on the Jetty sold large Oysters at 6 pence a dozen. (5 cents) During World War 2 (1939-45) many residents were evacuated and some private homes were occupied by the military. After the Wars, when construction materials were very scarce, some old buildings were relocated from Brisbane to Bribie and re-erected for various purposes. The Freemason Lodge in Banya Street was used as Church, and had been a School at Deception Bay, and Saviges Fish shop in First Avenue had been a military Hospital in Brisbane before it was moved to Bribie.

Historical Society meetings are on second Wednesday of each month at 6;30 pm at the RSL Club and visitors always welcome. More stories and photos of Bribie on our Web Site Bribiehistoricalsociety.org.au and Blog Site http://bribieislandhistory.blogspot. com or if you have a question contact us on bribiehistoricalsociety@gmail.com