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HELP SUPPORT KAIDEN PATERSON’S DREAM

We are thrilled to announce that our son, Kaiden Paterson, has received an amazing opportunity to join the prestigious West Ham Soccer Development Academy in the UK! After competing in two regional and national ID camps—Redcliffe and Gold Coast—he stood out among participants and has now been selected for this once-in-a-lifetime chance to travel abroad and train with some of the best coaches in the world.

Kaiden’s journey has been nothing short of inspiring! From his early days with Bribie Tigers to his senior years with the Narangba Eagles, his relentless dedication and love for the game have propelled him forward. This academy experience could be the pivotal moment he needs to realize his dream of becoming a professional soccer player, inspiring many with his passion and determination.

However, we need your help to turn this dream into reality! The costs associated with the camp, including accommodation, transport, and uniforms, are quite significant. We are reaching out for donations to help cover these expenses. Every contribution, no matter how small, will make a tremendous impact and bring Kaiden closer to his goal.

Your support is not just a financial donation; it’s a powerful affirmation of Kaiden’s potential. Join us in making this incredible journey possible! Together, we can equip him with the experience and skills he needs to excel in his soccer career. Thank you for believing in Kaiden!

A word from Kaiden…

Hi, my name is Kaiden Paterson, and I have the life changing opportunity to travel to the UK & attend the West Ham United Development Tour in April 2025.

Those who know me know I’m very passionate about Soccer. I have been playing my whole life but have especially improved my skills whilst playing the past 4 years with my home club at Narangba.

Recently I attended 2x separate ID camps which included travelling to the Gold Coast for a 4 day “try out” & was lucky enough to be hand picked out of over 200+ people for this invitation. With your help in fundraising, I will be able to;

  • Play games & have several coaching sessions with West Ham United & other academies
  • Spend 11x nights in the UK visiting London, Manchester & Edinburgh – 3x amazing cities!
  • Attend 4x professional football matches including an EPL football match at London Stadium
  • Attend Guided tours of London + the Stadium! (Built for the 2012 Olympic games)

This once in a lifetime experience does come at a cost & it isn’t cheap! $10,000 will allow me to go & my mum to supervise me. Pricing mostly includes Flights, UK transfers (luxury coach), 11x nights’ accommodation in excellent hotels, cooked breakfast & dinner, all playing accessories tracksuit, training top, playing shirt, shorts & socks, polo shirts & travel kit bag.

Whether it’s $5 or $50 – Your donation means the absolute world to me & please know YOU are helping turn my dream into my reality.

Thank-you so much! Kaido.

The Hungry Mil By A Finegan

They tramp there in their legions on the morning dark and cold.
To beg the right to slave for bread from Sydney’s lords of gold.
They toil and sweat in slavery, ’twould make the devil smile,
To see the Sydney wharfies, tramping down the Hungry Mile.

This is just one stanza of a poem written in 1930, by a wharfie poet Ernest Antony, a poem that became an inspiration for the Waterside Workers’ Federation. The 13th of April 1943 signified the burial of the hideous, brutal “bull system” on the Sydney waterfront. In the early days of the twentieth century, a worker needed a “starting docket” to enter the wharves for a day’s labour to earn 23 shillings ($2.30). It was a degradingly cruel system.

The name, “The Hungry Mile,” designates a section of Sussex Street, on the Sydney waterfront, along which, from the 1920s to 1943, unemployed wharf-labourers trudged, waiting to be handpicked for the few jobs that were available. For many years, the men who had suffered the “bull gang” days, who had tramped the Hungry Mile of Sussex Street to search for work but failed, could only speak of it in a tremulous quaver, as though of extreme terror. The Hungry Mile is now dead, buried, but not forgotten.

The process started each morning early, at the gates of the wharves. Men seeking employment gathered and waited, desperately hoping to be allocated work. The employers had the whip hand in this situation and gave or withheld work on a whim. Because of the entrenched hostility between the employers and the Water Side Workers Federation, dating back to the great maritime strikes of the 1890s, it was expected that this “pickup” procedure at the dock gates would often be used to even up a few old scores, and to deny work to well-known union activists. Employers’ blacklists did exist and men on that list were often denied work, except when there was some urgency to clear up a backlog on the wharves. The State Government passed legislation giving preference to returned servicemen after WW1. It played into the hands of the employers, permitting them to play off the veterans against the unionists, effectively dividing the workforce and weakening the Union. Occasionally the pickup ended in a violent riot resulting in some serious injuries as too many men fought for too few jobs. At other times, gangs of Union thugs would charge into the hopeful workers, bashing randomly to drive the nonunion workers away. Those who had suffered the attack stayed away for a few days, but then hunger would drive them back to the gate, looking for work. It was a highly combustible situation. All this fighting was simply to pick up a piece of paper, to entitle them to a day’s hard work on the wharves.

The hundreds of men who had missed out on a ticket in the shipowners’ slave market style pickup, walked disappointedly and dispiritedly back up Sussex Street. Lines of fear, pain and anguish were etched in their tired faces, their fingers clutching and toying with the few pence in their pockets. Mumbles echoed about, “They only pick up the big blokes, but I’ve got a wife and kids. Gee what’s a man gunner do?”

Walsh. After the Deportation Board found against him, he was arrested and held at Garden Island, pending an appeal. The appeal was upheld. Meanwhile, the Bull system continued on without interruption, as the veterans and unionists battled on.

The Hungry Mile

In the years after WW1 bitter confrontations on the Fremantle Wharfs gradually escalated, resulting in the State Government organising an armed force of police to break the power of the union. All around Australia, the employers orchestrated a concerted campaign to retain control of the waterfront and to keep the workforce subservient and dependent on the bull system. In the 1930s, in Melbourne, a wharf labourer was shot by police in a riot on the waterfront, and several other members of the union were gaoled for 11 years.

As the 1930s began, and Australia descended into the Great Depression, the workers’ desperation intensified. The numbers searching for work at the pickup gate each morning skyrocketed. Water-side worker bulls were still given first preference, and those who were outsiders fought harder for the remaining few, if there were any. The stevedoring companies, as the employers, kept blacklists of those wharfies and unionists to be shut out as agitators. These lists were also used to warn other employers about union activities. More and more men decided to join the union. Employers resisted any union proposal, fighting them tooth and nail which resulted in widespread riots and gang fighting,

The industrial unrest on Australia’s waterfront had given rise to anger in the wider community. But there have been a number of occasions when Australia has had good cause to be grateful for the radicalism and preparedness of the wharfies to challenge the hegemony of conservative governments. Perhaps the best known of these incidents occurred in 1937 and 1938, when the wharf labourers refused to load ships carrying scrap iron to Japan. The wharfies argued that this pig iron would be used to augment the Japanese munitions and armaments industries, and that Australian soldiers would soon find themselves facing bullets and shells made from Australia’s own scrap iron. The Conservative government in Canberra, spurred on by its ambitious Attorney General, Robert Gordon Menzies, attempted to bring the union to heel with the Crimes Act, and to force the men to continue loading the pig iron destined for Japan. Menzies failed in this endeavour, and history has shown that the union was right and the government was wrong on this issue. One byproduct of the confrontation was the hated nickname of “Pig Iron Bob” that was conferred on Menzies by the wharfies, and which he carried for the rest of his political career.

In April 1942, the Stevedoring Industry Commission was established, charged with making the selection process fairer. It commenced registration of all waterside workers by its local body, the Sydney Ports Committee. Their staff manned the turnstiles at the pick-up centres. They had clerks with shirt sleeves rolled up waiting to register all attendees and noted those who soon left without gaining a ticket, and thus, not to be paid. But the bull system continued.

In April 1943, it all came to a head. The wharfies went on a general strike. They demanded meetings at the Leichhardt Stadium with all workers to come to an agreement on how to eradicate the bull system. Neither the employers nor the union executive saw it coming. It was to be a historic waterfront struggle. Many reported vivid memories of wild scenes as members fought to throw the bull system into the gutter where it belonged. At one of the Leichhardt Stadium hot meetings, the speaker quoted Karl Marx’s wise viewpoint: “Capital is concentrated social power while the worker has only his individual labour power at his disposal. The only social force possessed by the workers is their numerical strength. This force, however, is impaired by the absence of unity.” At this time, my father was on war service in PNG. He along with his unit were informed that the ships bringing the rations and ammunition were held up in Sydney. He and his mates were suddenly on limited rations. The powers that be decided to fly in rations. On medical advice the most available, and that with best nutrition, was baked beans. Accordingly, plane loads of cartons of tinned baked beans began to arrive. He ate baked beans for a few weeks … for breakfast, lunch and dinner. When a visiting general arrived and spoke to the troops, he said he was glad they were all cheerful and full of beans. A loud cry went up, “Yeah, baked bloody beans!” He never ate baked beans again.

Following the first four meetings the union officials negotiated a solution to the hated bull system. It was to be replaced by a rotating gang system. The rank-andfile wharfies at first resisted. Members who did not on that day in April 1943 agree with the Union bosses, voted for the strike to continue. The wharfies were flooded with leaflets. Gradually the support for the rotation system increased, and after the fifth meeting the voting was close. There were near riots at the sixth Leichhardt Stadium strike meeting when the chairman called a vote for a motion for return to work under the rotation system. The chairman said it had been carried by a show of hands. It caused an uproar of dissention with dire threats being flung at the chairman. The Committee, wisely, decided to test the outcome by a secret ballot. This was taken and counted that night. Crowds had assembled outside the stadium to hear the result. When the result turned out to be a majority of 110 in favour of work under the Rotation Scheme, it started a massive riot. So, the 16- day strike by the Waterside Workers’ Federation protesting the new system continued. The Curtin Government ordered troops to keep ships moving.

Following heated arguments, the workers finally agreed to the new system, eventually realizing that their strike was having no effect, and the new system improved conditions by imposing minimum wages, smoke-oh breaks, and overtime pay for weekend work. And most importantly, the new system scrapped the bull system. Men formed teams, or gangs, to work together. A gang was employed for blocks of four hours. Work was duly resumed, but the heat of the feelings cooled only slowly. The new system brought organisation to the supply and control of labour during the critical stages of the war. It therefore served a cause primary to all.

By 1944 labour shortages on the waterfront were critical. Responding to these shortages the Government ‘released’ 700 men from the Army to undertake waterfront work. However, numbers still proved insufficient, and the need to use military personnel on military cargo continued. The memory of the unfairness and the wrongs experienced in these early years has become part of the mythology of today’s Wharf Labourers and helps to explain their reputation for intransience and radicalism. The battle to end the bull system is unsurpassed in the history of Australian unionism.

It created a conflict of such heat that only those who participated in it will remember, and there was enough drama and activity for a dozen sensational films. Wild and dangerous rumours dominated commonsense discussions. It is little wonder that members got into such a state of apprehension at the suggestion of this great reform.

Fishing Report – March 21, 2025

There is no denying that many sharks make great tucker. Good ol’ “flake” has been a fish-and chip shop staple for as long as I can remember.

“Shark depredation” is the fancy term for having your prize catch “taxed” by the men in grey overcoats before you can get it into the boat. This is becoming a big issue in local waters, and I hear all the way along the East Coast. This growing shark problem is no doubt the result of a combination of factors. Many sharks have clearly “learnt” to follow boats and key in on fishing activities. There’s clear evidence that populations of certain species (bull sharks and black tip reef sharks), in particular, have increased in numbers due to changes in bag limits, keeping sharks only under 1.5 meters and a bag limit of one per angler, with a boat limit of 2 sharks. On the one hand, this is a sign of good management of fisheries regulations and can also be due to the lack of interest of anglers enjoying a fillet of locally caught shark. For those who haven’t tried shark, I encourage you to give one a try, as always, bleed and ice after capture for best results. Maybe with a bit more interest from anglers, we may be able to balance the system.

Sarkis and I enjoyed a day on the bay with a mixed bag of fish, responding well to good fishing habits, Early start, burly, light lines, fresh assortment of bait and keeping noise to a minimum. Baits used were school prawns, squid, pilchards, yabbies, and a couple of live herrings for the Mackerel. Most fish were landed with a 7-foot rod 2 – 4kg with 6lb fluorocarbon main line, Mackerel 30lb braid with a 30lb leader with gang hooks. An afternoon session casting lures found an early school of tailor, by far one of my favorite fish to catch and eat. With explosive runs and leaps, many tailor were lost in the battle. So, if you find yourself being bitten off, you may have crossed paths with a school of tailor. Floating pilchards, trolling and casting metal lures are the three main styles used to find and catch tailor. All signs point to a good season ahead.

 

On Becoming a Grandmother

On Christmas Eve, 2024, my only child, my daughter, gave birth – quickly, gloriously, astonishingly – to my first grandchild, a beautiful boy we know as Reuben. Reuben Jack to be precise (his second name belonged to my beloved dad).

Welcome, Reubs!

Now that you’re here, I can’t imagine a world without you. What a darling boy you are! When I look into those eyes, I feel like I’ve known you forever. Somehow you were Reuben from the very start – from those first blurry black and white photos from within your mother’s womb. You were just an indistinct smudge back then (Is that an arm? Oooh, look – that’s his spine!) and even though you were sometimes called ‘Beansprout’ or occasionally ‘Temu’, we came to know you as Reuben. (To explain, your conception coincided with me buying an ancient campervan which I proceeded to ‘fit out’ obsessively with bibs and bobs from Temu, so for a while there, it seemed like a great nickname.)

The months went by, and with your mum, Katie and dad, Jarred, pretty much living with me while you were busy doing your thing – diligently dividing cells, conscientiously growing arms and legs, a brain and all those other bits and pieces – we three often sat around talking to you via your mum’s belly, waiting for your kicks, hiccups and writhing’s which all seemed rather miraculous to us. The longer this went on, the more you became part of our family and our relationship, yours and mine, developed apace. Reuben Jack … I know you. And when I look into your mother’s eyes, I see you. And I remember.

You were there in Katie’s toothless baby smiles, her excited toddler babblings, her trusting hand in mine at the shops. You were there in her baby tears, rare and fleeting, her delighted laugh, her childhood triumphs, and her fierce intelligence as she grew into a strong, kind, talented and thoughtful adult. Reuben, when we hang out, and our eyes lock, I know you see me.

Being a grandmother is very different from being a mum. I don’t like it when you cry, but, unlike your mother, it doesn’t cause me physical pain. You don’t need me to keep you safe, like your mum needed me at your age.

I get to enjoy the sheer ‘babyness’ of you without the worry and stress. Not for me, the concern about the next feed, sore breasts and stupid growth percentiles! I can simply revel in getting to know and love you.

I love the smell of you. I love to kiss your soft head and your growing belly. And that smile!

Reuben – you have my blood. We are family.

I still wonder how it is that I feel I know you so very well, and you’re only seven weeks old. Now, your mum and dad and I (instead of talking to your mum’s belly) sit and stare at you for hours, in awe of your absolute perfection.

Welcome to the world, Rueben Jack!

The Bribie Islander Gloss Magazine March 21, 2025 Issue 235

Issue 235 OUT NOW. Get all your community news and information. Bribie Islands only community gloss magazine NOW EVERY TWO WEEKS! – Articles on boating, camping, fishing, life, drama, travel destinations, sports, and what to see and do on Bribie Island. Covering charities, organizations, places, children’s activities, arts and crafts, tourist destinations, heritage parks, technology, science, music, gardening, and much more.

Download latest digital edition here.

World of Human Body Hair: A Closer Look

Have you ever thought of grooming your body hair as akin to mowing the lawn in the summer? You spend hours getting everything just right, only for the grass (or in this case, your hair) to grow back quicker than you can say “razor.” For many, managing body hair is a daily routine that feels never-ending. Just think about it: men can spend over a month of their lives shaving their beards, while women may dedicate hundreds of hours to meticulously removing hair from their legs.

But what’s really going on beneath our skin? The magic happens deep within our hair follicles, where cells are in a constant state of division and growth. As these cells multiply and fill up space, they push older cells out, forming what we recognize as hair shafts. Interestingly, these shafts consist mainly of dead cells reinforced by a tough protein called keratin.

Despite the continuous appearance of hair growth, each strand has its own life cycle. Hair goes through active and resting phases; the active phase is known as the anagen phase, where the real growth happens thanks to cellular division. Depending on what type of body hair we’re talking about, the anagen phase can last just a few months (as with body hair) or several years (like the hair on your head). When a hair enters the resting phase, or telogen phase, it eventually sheds, which explains why scalp hair becomes much longer than hair on your arms. In total, the average person boasts about 5 million hairs! Can you imagine how much easier it would be if we were all completely hairless? When you compare humans to other mammals, we come out on the less-hairy side of the spectrum. Among primates, we are the least furry species. While elephants and rhinoceroses also sport minimal body hair, they have adapted to their environments differently, developing thicker skin to maintain body heat, especially since they often wade through water to keep cool.

Picture this: side by side with a chimpanzee, our closest genetic relative, and you’ll notice just how exposed our bodies look. But the difference isn’t in the number of hairs. In fact, the density of hair follicles on humans is quite similar to that of our primate cousins. Sure, we both have hairless patches— lips, palms, and soles—but humans f launt finer, shorter hair than our chimpanzee friends.

So, what caused us to lose our thicker, primate-style fur as we evolved? Some intriguing theories abound. One posits that early humans were aquatic apes, where less hair made swimming easier. Another suggests that reduced body hair helped limit the spread of pesky parasites that like to infest dense fur. And let’s not forget the amazing leap to bipedalism about two million years ago; standing upright meant only a third of the body was exposed to sunlight, diminishing the need for a full coat of fur to shield us.

No matter what drove these shifts in our evolution, we ended up with a unique pattern of body hair. The thicker patches grace our heads, underarms, and genitals, while areas like our backs are significantly less populated. At first glance, this may appear random, but there’s a fascinating logic behind our hair distribution.

So, the next time you pick up a razor or a pair of scissors, remember that your body hair tells a story—a tale woven into the fabric of our evolutionary journey!

Unlock Radiant Skin with the Power of Mint!

Imagine inhaling the invigorating aroma of mint—it’s like a refreshing breeze for your senses! Now, picture your skin being pampered with this delightful herb. How fabulous would that feel? Mint isn’t just a flavour for your favourite gum or tea; it’s a hidden gem in the world of health and beauty!

For centuries, mint has been revered for its remarkable properties. From the ancient Egyptians to the Romans, this herb was valued not just for its scent but for its incredible benefits. Fast-forward to today, and you’ll find mint featured in a plethora of beauty products, from shampoos to luxurious moisturizers. Dive into the rich history of mint and discover how it connects us to a potent force for enhancing health and beauty.

When browsing beauty product labels, keep an eye out for “Mentha piperita” or “Mentha spicata”—the scientific names for peppermint and spearmint, respectively. These varieties are among the stars of the mint family, and their benefits are nothing short of amazing. With over 30 species in this family, choosing the right skincare with mint is like picking the best treasure in a bounty!

Mint is not just a pretty face in skincare; it’s a powerhouse! You’ll find it in creams, toners, body lotions, and invigorating face masks. From mint juice to mint oil, this herb can be transformed into various beauty treatments when combined with other natural wonders like lavender, chamomile, and aloe vera.

But wait, there’s more! Mint’s refreshing properties make it a favourite ingredient in shampoos, lip balms, and mouth rinses, giving you that exhilarating burst of freshness.
Yet, its true magic unfolds when it comes to skincare. Mint acts as a soothing anti-pruritic agent, calming itchy or irritated skin. Do you have pesky mosquito bites? Mint can help
heal those, too! Just remember, as with any ingredient, always perform a patch test since some may be allergic.

Did you know that mint oil is another secret weapon against bothersome blemishes? With its natural astringent qualities and high salicylic acid content, it helps fend off acne by unclogging pores and allowing your skin to breathe. Imagine a world with fewer pimples and clearer skin—mint could be your ticket!

The benefits don’t stop there—mint may even have cancer-fighting properties! Rich in perillyl alcohol, studies suggest it could help prevent skin cancer cells from forming. Talk about an amazing ally for your skin and health!

MINTY FRESH SKIN TREATMENTS YOU CAN’T MISS!

Not only does mint smell delightful, but its versatility in skincare is absolutely
captivating! Whether you prefer commercial products or the DIY route, incorporating mint into your routine is a game-changer. There are a variety of skin cleanser products that contain mint, or you can make your own using fresh mint leaves.
Why not whip up your own mint facial mask at home? They’re especially great for oily skin and can be made by mixing two tablespoons of fresh mint with oatmeal and yogurt.

Slather it on your face, relax for 10 minutes, and rinse off with warm water to unveil a revitalised complexion.

Cleanser products infused with mint are also a fantastic choice. They work wonders as astringents, shrinking skin tissue and reducing oiliness. The options are endless, and the benefits are undeniable!

If you visit a spa, you’ll likely find that many treatments include mint. Despite its health benefits, spas mostly use mint for its scent, which many people find relaxing and soothing. It’s often combined with other natural scents, such as lemon or lavender, for body and face treatments.

So go ahead! Dive into the wonderful world of mint and let it transform your skincare routine into an exciting adventure toward healthy, glowing skin!

Congratulations Ron Lett unwavering service to others!

Ron’s remarkable compassion and unwavering commitment to our community have earned him the distinguished honour of Life Membership, celebrating his two decades of dedicated service to the Probus Club of Bribie Island. Over the years, he has gracefully taken on a variety of pivotal roles, including his esteemed tenure as President during the 2015/2016 term, along with serving as Secretary in both 2006 and 2008, and as Tours Catering Officer.

His leadership has been vital in the planning and execution of numerous club events, from cheerful BBQs that bring members together to delightful morning teas filled with camaraderie and laughter. With an impressive 19 years spent honing his catering skills and 16 years devoted to organizing morning tea gatherings, Ron’s contributions have become a cherished tradition within our club.

Beyond the organizational aspects, Ron has demonstrated profound care and concern for our club’s oldest members. He has tirelessly provided essential hospital transfers and warmly hosted birthday celebrations, showcasing his genuine commitment to fostering a supportive environment. His steadfast dedication and heartfelt service undoubtedly make him a truly deserving recipient of the Life Membership, a testament to the lasting impact he has made on all of us.

Vegie Pizza Roll Ups

Prep Time:
5 mins. Cook Time: 15 mins. Yield: 8 1x

Description
Super easy to make and packed with mixed vegetables, these Veggie Pizza Puff Pastry Roll Ups are sure to go down a treat with the whole family!

Ingredients
150g / 5oz mixed frozen veg
320g puff pastry (1 sheet)
75g / 2.5oz tomato pizza sauce
100g / 1.5 cups grated cheddar cheese
1 egg, beaten
1/2 tsp dried oregano

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 200c / 400f and line two baking trays with parchment paper.
Place the frozen veg into a large bowl or jug, cover with boiling water and cook for 1 minute in the microwave. Drain completely and allow it to dry on some kitchen roll to absorb as much water as possible.
Roll out the pastry and spread the tomato pizza sauce on top. Sprinkle on the cheese and finally add the vegetables.
Starting with the shorter side of the pastry, start to roll the pastry up, keeping it as tight and compact as possible. Once it has all been rolled up, cut it into 8 and divide them between the trays.
Brush with a little egg wash

Why That Bribie Street Name?

Most readers know the major street names on Bribie but may not know how or when they were named. Everyone knows FIRST AVENUE, which was built in 1923 as a sand track for basic visitor transport from the Jetty to Ocean Beach 110 years ago. Bribie was developed as a Company Town, and the first road was originally named Campbell Avenue after the Director who paid for a Toll Road to be built. It was later renamed First Avenue.

WELSBY PARADE
This Bongaree foreshore street is named after Moreton Bay historian, politician, sportsman, and author who had a long association with Bribie and a holiday home here in his later years. He was a renowned fisherman, President of the Amateur Fisherman’s Association, and author of seven books on Fish and History. His last book, written in 1934, was about a fictitious character, “Bribie the Basket Maker”, a convict who he said lived with an Indigenous woman on Bribie …..but he later agreed it was not true.

AVON AVENUE
The main road at Banksia Beach is named after an old coal-carrying hulk named AVON, which was deliberately scuttled in Pumicestone Passage opposite Dux Creek in 1915 to protect Oyster leases from southerly weather. Many Oyster leases in the passage belonged to James Clark, who owned the whole of what is now Sandstone Point. Mud worms wiped out the Oyster industry, but the rusted Avon wreck is still visible at low tide as a reminder.

BANYA STREET
When the new settlement of Bongaree was surveyed in 1912, it was suggested that it be named BANYA after a nearby aboriginal Oyster Camp. The Lands Dept. did not adopt this name, but it decided to call it Bongaree to honour the Sydney aboriginal who first came to Bribie with Matthew Flinders in 1799.

FOSTER STREET
It was named in the first Bongaree subdivision for Fred Foster, a Dugong fisherman who camped on the nearby creek in the 1880s. There, he processed Turtles and Dugong for oil and blubber.

GOODWIN DRIVE
The road from the main shopping centre to the new Satellite Hospital. After the Bongaree Jetty was built in 1912, it was twelve years before the first road was built to Woorim. The only place to buy alcohol for the first 27 years was at the restricted Bowls Club license or on the Steamship Koopa when it came to Bribie. The Hotel Bribie was built by brothers John & Patrick Goodwin in 1939, which is where Goodwin Drive comes from. The architect designed a modern Hotel with its own Powerhouse and water supply. When Bribie became a military base in World War 2, the Hotel was occupied by the Women’s Army Service, and the liquor license was moved to a small cottage named ASCOT on the corner of Banya and Foster Streets, which is no longer there. John Goodwin was later appointed Caboolture Councilor and worked hard to get town water and electricity to the island. When the Tug Co. stopped running the Koopa to Bribie in 1952, John formed the Moreton Bay Development Co. to keep the Koopa operational, but it soon failed. The Hotel was later renamed Blue Pacific.

RICKMAN PARADE
This runs behind the sand dunes north of Woorim and was named after Joe and Doreen Rickman, who bought land in 1957 and came to live in 1960.

Joe Rickman was an airman who had flown the skies over Bribie calibrating aircraft instruments and went on to tun an electrical contracting business in Melbourne. In 1960, the Rickman’s moved to what was then “The Esplanade” at Woorim. In those days, there were major problems with shifting sand dunes blocking the road and the house. The Rickman family home was raised up to escape the encroaching sand using salvaged telegraph poles after the phone line had been put underground. Doreen sponsored many aboriginal children to enjoy a holiday with them and spent 15 years on the School Committee and the Ratepayers Association campaigning to stop sand mining on Bribie. Joe Rickman became a member of the Shire Council, and the Esplanade was renamed Rickman Parade to honour their service and achievements.

SOLANDER ESPLANADE
Several streets at Banksia Beach foreshore relate to the voyage of James Cook on the Endeavour in 1770. However, Cook did not come anywhere near Bribie Island and was way out to sea when he sailed past here. A developer chose the street names, and Daniel Solander was an assistant botanist working for Joseph Banks, who had many things named after him. Daniel Solander was born in 1733 in Sweden, the son of Rev. Carl and Magdelena Solander.

COTTERILL AVENUE
Lilly Cotterill was Alfred Hall’s niece, a Grocer in Brisbane who opened the first shop at Bongaree in 1918 with Artie Bestman. Hall and Bestman both have streets named for them. Wilfred and Lilly Cotterill and their daughter Muriel, aged 8, came from Nottingham, England, in 1924 and initially set up a small shop at Woorim. Wilf then managed Hall and Bestman’s farm on what is now Cotterill Avenue. He was known as the Melon King, growing vegetables and raising fowls and ducks for sale and eggs.

The family turned to dairy and pig farming, which proved very successful. They thrived and supplied the island with milk, meat, fruit and vegetables. A lot of produce helped stock the Hall & Bestman store. Wilfred eventually purchased Hall’s share of the land and ran the property with up to 50 cows, but Dingoes were a big problem, and calves had to be penned when firstborn. Wilfred delivered fresh milk by horse and cart. By 1930, Hall and Cotterill held the lease, and Wilf cleared more land and erected buildings. During World War 2, he supplied fresh milk to the military forces stationed on Bribie Island and Toorbul Point. By 1950, the lease was converted to freehold, and Wilf Cotterill became the sole owner. The remaining land was subdivided and became the Cotterill Estate. The original Cotterill farmhouse remained on a block of land between Cotterill Avenue and Hall Avenue until 2008, when it was demolished to make way for units.

BOYD STREET
Boyd Street at Woorim is named for Geoff Boyd, a shareholder in the Brisbane Tug & Steamship Co., a prominent citizen and owner of Motel Bribie. The new Motel idea involved several small houses on land bordered by First Avenue, Blaik Street, Oxley Way and Boyd Street. A large weatherboard house and several fibro huts, with typical prewar cladding. Geoff Boyd was active in the Ratepayers Association, Chamber of Commerce, Bribie Succession Movement and Chairman of the Appeals Committee. Television transmission started in Brisbane in 1959, and Bribie got excellent reception, so Geoff Boyd bought two TV sets to hire for his Motel guests. Soon after, he was summoned to appear in Caboolture court for not having TV viewing licenses. Boyd, with the support of Shire Chairman Frank Unwin, fought and won the case on the basis that the Federal Government had no such rights, and soon after, the Government discontinued TV viewers’ licenses.

MORE BRIBIE HISTORY
Historical Society meetings are on the second Wednesday of each month at 6:30 pm at the RSL Club, and visitors are always welcome. The first meeting for 2025 will be on Wednesday, 12 February. See more stories & photos of Bribie’s history on the website Bribiehistoricalsociety. org.au and Blog http://bribieislandhistory.blogspot. com. or contact us at bribiehistoricalsociety@gmail. com

The Bribie Islander Gloss Magazine February 21, 2025 Issue 233

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Issue 233 OUT NOW. Get all your community news and information. Bribie Islands only community gloss magazine NOW EVERY TWO WEEKS! – Articles on boating, camping, fishing, life, drama, travel destinations, sports, and what to see and do on Bribie Island. Covering charities, organizations, places, children’s activities, arts and crafts, tourist destinations, heritage parks, technology, science, music, gardening, and much more.

Download latest digital edition here.

The Bribie Islander Gloss Magazine February 6, 2025 Issue 232

Issue 232 OUT NOW. Get all your community news and information. Bribie Islands only community gloss magazine NOW EVERY TWO WEEKS! – Articles on boating, camping, fishing, life, drama, travel destinations, sports, and what to see and do on Bribie Island. Covering charities, organizations, places, children’s activities, arts and crafts, tourist destinations, heritage parks, technology, science, music, gardening, and much more.

Download latest digital edition here.

Fishing Report – January 24, 2025

We’ve seen fairly standard summer fishing so far this year. There has been a big variety of fish caught, lots of them just a little too small to keep but enough really nice ones to keep us interested. Great for families on school holidays, when it’s all about the fishing and everything is going back in anyway.

The weather bureau is still talking about the “possible onset of La Nina,” which brings frequent rains and stormy weather. Well, it looks like La Nina weather already—only six days of the first twenty in January have been rain-free, almost all have been fairly overcast, and most of our strongest winds are coming from the north.

The rains have been regular but not often heavy enough to flush out the creeks, so the flathead has gone off the radar a little. We have still been getting the very occasional biggie, but they’ve been hard to find lately, although there has been some luck using lures. The water being very warm (more than 27 degrees), fishing for flathead on the sandflats hasn’t always been successful, although that’s where you’ll find them on the cloudy days. It was a miserable, wet, windy day when Dave and Charlie caught a 60cm flathead just north of Turner’s Camp. They also brought in three 30+cm bream. Further up the Passage, there have been some good flathead catches around the mouths of both Elimbah and Bullock Creeks, but there haven’t been many reports from further north. Reggie and Levi had a couple of trips to Bribie over January and spent most of their time fishing. They’d scoot up to Mission Point to get a bucket of yabbies, but they weren’t having much fun up there, so they’d then come down south of the bridge for a better time of it. The best baits for flathead have been small prawns, squid and pilchards. Try to buy small bait prawns – the quality of the larger prawns hasn’t been great, and small ones are definitely working better. A word of warning – it is illegal to use supermarket prawns as bait. You must buy prawns from a bait shop (or cast for them yourself) and use them locally – to protect our wild crustaceans from introduced diseases.

There have been good catches of bream near the oyster leases at the mouth of Ningi Creek as well as up among the mangroves – silver bream, grunters and tarwhine all tend to hang around there. Jeff and a mate had a few bream to take home recently after spending an afternoon between the Avon wreck and Ningi Creek. Jeff said that prawns were the only bait that was working for them.

Squid has probably been the most reliable bait through the summer – perhaps because there are so many youngsters flinging the rods around and squid stays on the longest! Guy and his family caught six very big bream (and lots of undersized ones too) up at White Patch, as well as a 70cm longtom and an 80cm shovelnose – all on squid.

White Patch is nicely protected from the north/easterly winds and there’s been plenty of undersized fish there, as well as keeper snapper, bream, grassy sweetlip and the occasional trevally, but be wary – the Wright’s Creek marker is still missing, and you can find yourselves sitting out the low tide if you go in too far.

The deeper water in the middle of the Passage and around the bridge is holding lots of grassy sweetlip and moses perch, as is usual over the summer. The tidal run through that part of the Passage is strong, so try to choose a period of time over the change of tide if you want to anchor up. There has also been some good snapper around the bridge, as well as around the ripples at Pacific Harbour.

Try drifting from the bridge on a falling tide towards IGA supermarket, about 100 metres off the shore of Bribie, or use the rising tide to sneak over the weed beds west of the second green marker. Evan and Tamara found a spot they liked – “on the line between the second green and the IGA, in 34 ft of water”. Tamara said pilchards were the only bait working for them – mullet, prawns and even fresh yabbies failed to bring in the fish. They had a great time with a variety of fish – most of them undersized but enough keepers to feed the family; then “the catfish came in, slimed up our gear, ruined the fishing”, so they gave it up. Richard, too, was at the second green marker earlier in the month, during a spot of lovely weather and just after the high tide, when he hooked up an 85cm cobia! If you’re land-based, Airforce Park on a falling tide and Buckley’s Hole on a rising tide – always worth a try!