Redcliffe, Queensland’s first settlement city, has a rich and varied history.
The area was first visited by Matthew Flinders in July 1799. He spent 15 days in Moreton Bay, landed and named Red Cliff Point on 17 July. It was not until 1823 that John Oxley, on instructions from Governor Brisbane to find a suitable place for a northern convict outpost, visited Moreton Bay. It was on Oxley's recommendation that Red Cliff Point was chosen for the penal colony.
On 24 September that same year the brig Amity brought officials, soldiers, their wives and children, and 29 convicts to Redcliffe. Three children, the first European children born in Queensland, were born in September and November 1824.
The settlement progressed well with temporary huts being built for the soldiers, their wives and children, and the convicts. Gardens were dug and vegetables planted. However the death of Felix O'Neill in March 1825 combined with Aboriginal attacks, hordes of mosquitoes and the lack of safe anchorage facilities, led to the settlement being moved in the middle of 1825 from Redcliffe to the banks of the Brisbane River.
A few buildings were left standing at Redcliffe and it is claimed that the local Aborigines, with a rather nice sense of irony, called the houses 'oompie bong' meaning 'dead house'. The name stuck and the Anglicised 'humpybong' was applied to the whole of the Redcliffe Peninsula.
During the short life of the convict settlement a store, prisoners barracks, a kitchen, well, whipping post (no good convict settlement could be without one), gaol, guard room, brick kiln, soldiers barracks and commandant's house were all constructed. The stores and the main landing place were located where the Redcliffe Jetty now juts out into Moreton Bay. More details on the early history are contained in the excellent Redcliffe 1824 and Matthew Flinders in Moreton Bay 1799 both of which are available from the Redcliffe Museum.
It was not until the early 1860s that the Redcliffe area was opened up for agricultural purposes. Over the next 70 years it grew slowly. The first school was opened in 1876, hotels were built at Woody Point, Redcliffe and Scarborough in the 1880s, the Woody Point Jetty was completed in 1881, the Redcliffe jetty and Post Office were built in 1885 and Garnet & Natone's steamers from Brisbane started a regular service in the 1880s.
In 1908 a publication the Souvenir of Humpybong (it can be obtained from the Redcliffe Historical Society) sang the praises of the peninsula: 'The exhilarating climatic conditions of Redcliffe, Woody Point and Scarborough cannot be too highly praised. They are little paradises set in the silver sea, where you can breathe God's glorious oxygen and thrill with delight to be alive.
'Excellent as summer resorts, their chief attractions are their beautiful mild winters...those who desire a change of scene and who are in search of health and renewed youth to visit Humpybong and sojourn there at all seasons of the year.'
Redcliffe remained an isolated retreat until 1935 when one of the engineering marvels of Queensland, the Hornibrook Highway, was built. The Hornibrook Highway stretches 2.74 km across the mouth of the Pine River and Hay's Inlet and is the longest road bridge in Australia. It linked Redcliffe to Brisbane and, particularly after World War II, was instrumental in the rapid growth of the Redcliffe area. By 1969 some 20 300 vehicles were using the bridge every day and with a single lane either way just one breakdown caused chaos. Consequently in 1974 it was decided to build a second bridge. It was completed in 1979. It has 99 spans and a total of 400 beams. The longest pile was driven 38 metres before reaching sandstone.
Today Redcliffe is one of the popular outer city beachside retreats for Brisbane residents. It is pleasant and thriving centre which officially became a city in 1959.
The Redcliffe Jetty has been considered the heart of the peninsula ever since boats carrying holiday
makers started arriving in the late 1800s. In those days, Brisbane residents who wanted to visit the
popular seaside resort either had to embark on a four hour coach ride or a two to three hour journey by
sea.
1881 Reverend John Sutton and other landowners requested Assistant Marine Surveyor FDG
Stanley to survey for a jetty at Redcliffe Point
1881 (May 19) The survey report was submitted to the Government. It suggested a jetty be built at
Redcliffe Point - north of the reefs projecting from the point. The site had been used by
steamers landing timber and was considered the most sheltered and accessible part of the
coast. The estimated cost was £1050
1883 (July 18) The ratepayers of Humpybong signed a petition which was presented to the
Caboolture Divisional Board. The Board decided to refer the subject to a special committee
to further investigate the project. It was felt a Redcliffe Jetty was needed to stop residents
having to travel to the Woody Point Jetty and to provide better deep water access to the
peninsula.
1884 (July) The Caboolture Divisional Board invited tenders for the Redcliffe Jetty. No suitable
tenders were received from outside companies, so the work was carried out by day labour. S
Walters was appointed supervisor and was expected to take approximately three months
1884 (August 27) Work began on the Redcliffe jetty. Approximately 10,000 feet of timber was on
site and ironwork was supplied by Messers JW Sutton and Co
1885 The Jetty Construction Committee of the Caboolture Divisional Board reported that the
construction of the Redcliffe Jetty was finished. The final cost was £1357.5.2
1888 The Redcliffe Divisional Board was proclaimed
1889 (May 7) The Redcliffe Divisional Board was presented with a petition from the residents of the
district requesting an extension to the Redcliffe Jetty. The Board agreed and appointed
Messers E MacDonnell and JC Ham to make preliminary arrangements
1889 (May 29) The government nautical surveyor Mr Cullen surveyed the waters
1889 (July 15) Mr Stannix appointed as engineer for the extension project
1889 (August 6) Mr Stannix was authorised to prepare plans to extend the Jetty by 290 feet -
bringing the total length to 700 feet. Tenders were called shortly after and a tender was
accepted from Edward Clarke of Toowong at a cost of £588. Works were to be completed
within 12 weeks. The existing diamond head was to remain and be roofed. A local hotel
keeper did the plumbing required on the roof of the new pavilion and Mr Thomas Watson did
the timber work, both free of charge. Work was finished December 3
1892 (January 13) JE Macgregor was appointed caretaker of the Redcliffe Jetty for £15 a year,
payable monthly
1904 (February 2) A tender was accepted from E Richardson to erect gates at the entrance of the
Redcliffe jetty to prevent dangerous crowding that sometimes occurred when boats came in
1906 (November 6) JE MacGregor resigned as caretaker of the Redcliffe Jetty. George
Corscadden was appointed as his replacement
1917 (October 1) Plans for the construction of a sea wall were drawn up by Harding Frew and
accepted by the Board. Mr Frew was appointed engineer of the project
1918 (June 10) Tenders for the sea wall construction were considered. Christie and Blondell were
the successful tenderers at a cost of £3,209.13.4 for a wall 900 feet long. Another £300
covered administrative costs
1919 (July 7) The seawall at Redcliffe was officially finishedRedcliffe Historical Timeline
The Redcliffe Jetty
1919 (November 3) After several reports indicating that it would be more economical to build the
new jetty than to repair the deteriorating old one, Mr JRW Hyde, a civil engineer, was
authorised to prepare plans and specifications for a new structure. After several tests, it was
decided to build the new Jetty 66 feet north of the old jetty and to extend it a further a further
200
1920 (February 2) A tender was accepted for the new Redcliffe Jetty from Taylor Bros at a cost of
£14,279.17.6
1921 (July 1) Redcliffe was proclaimed a town
1921 (February 1) The Marine Department declares the old Redcliffe Jetty unsafe and it is closed to
the public
1922 (January 23) The second Redcliffe Jetty officially accepted by the Redcliffe Town Council
1923 (December) The wooden Jetty pavilion was completed
1924 (November 14) The Council imposes a toll of one penny per person going onto the jetty
1925 (February 2) The toll is abolished - only to be reinstated exactly nine months later
1928 Electric power was switched on in Redcliffe
1930 The Electrical Installing Company was contracted to provide six lights on the Redcliffe Jetty
1935 The Hornibrook Highway opened
1937 The Jetty pavilion was replaced with a brick structure
1938 An entertainment parlour opened in the Halfway House on the Jetty
1959 Redcliffe was proclaimed a city
1961 Hayles Cruises Pty Ltd - the only remaining commercial boat users of the Redcliffe Jetty -
produced a report on the deteriorating condition of the jetty. The results of the report meant
the end of the Miramar mooring on the jetty unless the structure was repaired or replaced
1973 (December) The Halfway House demolished
1976 The Jetty was severely battered by Cyclone David
1979 The Houghton Highway opened
1983 Jetty decking was repaired
1995 The Department of Transport undertook a condition assessment and risk analysis of the jetty -
recommending that the mooring and berthing of vessels be banned and a gate be installed to
prevent pedestrian access during unfavourable weather
1995 (September) Redcliffe City Council calls for expressions of interest for the design and
construction of a new Redcliffe Jetty. Plans went on display two years later
1998 (April) New plans that were placed on display included a breakwater facility
1998 (September 2) The Council approves the tender submitted by McMasters Queensland Pty Ltd
1998 (October) Demolition work began on the old Redcliffe Jetty
1999 (January) Construction work began on the new Redcliffe Jetty
1999 (November 27) The third Redcliffe Jetty opened
The current Redcliffe Jetty features heritage lights, seats and drinking fountains in recognition of
the two previous structures. Its concrete deck also has a railway track motif along its length.
Railway tracks were an important feature of the first two jetties and were used to move cargo
between the head of the jetty and Redcliffe’s main street
It's easy to forget how important sea travel was in the early days of white settlement. With no roads, explorers used boats to navigate their way to different spots on the coastlines. When settlements sprang up, they needed to provide port facilities to enable food supplies and other necessities to reach them. Queensland's first settlement was in Moreton Bay at Red Cliff Point in 1824, although it only lasted for about a year before being moved up the river to Brisbane. The area became known as Redcliffe, and was pastoral land for decades after that. In the 1880s, the cool breezes and refreshing water of Moreton Bay encouraged holiday makers and day-trippers from Brisbane who could journey there by coach - a four hour trip. A sea journey from the Brisbane port took just over half that time, and a jetty was built at Redcliffe in 1885 to provide landing facilities for the travellers. In 1889 the jetty was extended to 700 feet.By 1911 the SS Koopa was making regular trips to Bribie Island via Redcliffe.In 1922 a new jetty was built to replace the deteriorating original, and they stood side-by-side for a time until the older one was demolished. In 1930 electric lights were switched on at the jetty, and in 1937 a new brick pavilion was built. This jetty lasted until, having also deteriorated by its exposure to the elements including Cyclone David, it was replaced with the third iteration in 1999.