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Tags: Black-fronted Dotterel. Wildlife. Birds. Native. Australian. Queensland. Moreton Bay. Bribie Island. Elseyornis melanops
I have seen Black-fronted Dotterels a few times on Bribie Island. When the water is low at Buckley’s Hole, I have seen them at the edge on the mud on the ocean side of the hole and once at the very north of Sylvan Beach walking on the sand.
They have been known to breed here but have not been recorded very often. When water levels drop, they are likely to turn up at the edge of any of our waterholes to feed along the edge. Black-fronted Dotterels belong to the plover family and are sometimes called Black-fronted Plovers.
They are usually in pairs or alone but sometimes when there is abundant food, they form into groups to feed along the edges of waterholes. Being just 16-18 cm long and weighing only 26-39 g they are indeed small birds.
With red-ringed eyes in a black face mask, red bills with a black tip, deep black Y shaped breast band, chestnut on the shoulder, brown wings, pinkish legs and white below they are not hard to identify. They maintain their colouring throughout the year and do not change into breeding plumage.
Males and females are of similar appearance. Flight distances are mainly short and rather slow. When in flight wings appear broad and tails look short. Black-fronted Dotterels are nearly always found along the edges of freshwater wetlands and swamps and manmade dams.
They are only sometimes seen near saltwater shorelines. Usually sedentary, Dotterels are dependent on water and become nomadic if their waterholes dry up and food becomes scarce. They are scattered throughout mainland Australia and Tasmania where conditions are suitable.
During the 1950s they self introduced into NZ where their population is still quite small. Food such as molluscs, crustaceans, aquatic insects and small creatures is mostly foraged for along the edges of muddy waterholes and in water no deeper than a few mm. While feeding in the mud they perform and interesting procedure with bodies held straight running quickly with bobbing heads, stopping, picking up their prey and running on again.
August to February in the right conditions is the favoured time to breed. Nests are just a small scrape on the ground usually in the open and very near water. Mostly they nest in solitary pairs with the female laying 2-3 speckled brownish eggs. Both parents incubate the eggs for 25-26 days and the babies when hatched spend less than a day in the nest before they leave to find shelter from predators in nearby vegetation.
During one good breeding season, the parents may produce two broods. The development of breeding sites may be affecting their numbers. Predators such as cats, dogs, raptors and reptiles are the main threats during the breeding season to chicks and parent birds. There are some losses due to flooding during heavy rains.
Throughout Australia Black-fronted Dotterels are common and widespread. At this time, they are considered secure in Australia.
Nearly two and a half thousand years ago, the Greek philosopher Aristotle wrote ‘What is the essence of life? To serve others and to do good.’ This is the oldest quote I know regarding volunteering and to me, it proves that giving back to the community is a long-held tradition. Rotary’s motto of ‘Service above Self’ and mission of ‘Doing Good in the World’ are befitting adaptations of Aristotle’s long-ago words.
In the modern world we live such busy lives it is hard to find the time to volunteer; however, research has shown that the benefits of volunteering are enormous. It not only helps others, but it also builds better communities and provides numerous benefits to the mental and physical health of the volunteer.
What we might call it a win/win situation! Volunteering helps counteract the effects of depression, stress, anxiety, and anger. The social contact of helping and working with others has a very positive effect on your overall psychological wellbeing. Nothing relieves stress better than a connection with a likeminded person or someone in need. Also, using pets for therapy has demonstrated what a positive impact an animal has on people’s moods.
One of my friends takes her beautiful dog to hospitals and nursing homes. She talks so positively not only about the benefits provided to the receivers of the dog’s attention but of the happiness, it brings to her. Volunteering does make you happy. By measuring hormones and brain activity, researchers have discovered that being helpful to others brings great pleasure. Human beings are hard-wired to give to others.
The more we give, the happier we feel. A good example can be found in our current Christmas season where many get more satisfaction out of giving a gift than in receiving one. To see the pleasure on another’s face is all the gratitude we need. It has also been proven that volunteering improves self-confidence, provides a sense of purpose and helps volunteers stay physically healthy – thus, volunteering themselves to health!
A recent worldwide study on the ‘The Scope and Scale of Rotary Volunteering’, conducted by the ‘John Hopkins Centre for Civil Society Studies’ found that:
2. Rotary annually mobilises volunteer effort equivalent to nearly 27,000 full-time paid workers;
3. Rotary volunteers save communities an estimated US$850 million in service costs per year;
4. Our members are responsible for 47 million hours of volunteer effort per year; and
5. Average volunteer hours per month varied by region with the average hours in Australia and New Zealand being 6 (see graph).
These statistics do not even include the more than 1 million friends and relatives of members who frequently help out at Rotaryorganised volunteering events. Nor do they include the volunteering contributed by the more than 700,000 members of Rotary’s Rotaract, Interact, or Community Corp affiliates.
The study concludes that ‘Rotary is annually generating a scale of social and economic problem-solving effort that is worth nearly nine times more than it costs the organisation to produce. Here is a powerful demonstration of the enormous leveraging possibilities available from mobilising the unique renewable resource represented by volunteer work.
For a world challenged to meet a demanding set of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the face of withering environmental catastrophes and limited governmental and philanthropic resources, the lesson is clear: volunteer service is not only a feel-good calling—it may provide one of the more promising, and one of the more fulfilling, avenues through which to achieve the ambitious goals that the international community has set for itself.
By putting itself through the demanding inquiry described here, Rotary may thus have done a special service by opening this avenue for all to see. If so, this work will have more than met its objectives’. As someone who majored in Sociology and Psychology at ANU and received Distinctions in units such as Methods of Social Research, I found the methodology used in the John Hopkins study ground-breaking.
Previously it was not possible to gain a meaningful grasp on the actual scale or economic value of volunteer efforts. But now, thanks to a recent internationally recognised methodology for measuring volunteer work, it has become possible to answer this question.
Oscar Wilde sums up volunteering in this quote ‘The smallest act of kindness is worth more than the grandest intention.’ Bribie Rotary has 27 members with only a few still working. They all bring a wealth of skills and knowledge to our Club. Giving to, and helping others, not only connects you to people, but it can also advance your career and it brings fun and fulfillment to your life.
Whatever your age or life situation, volunteering can help take your mind off your worries, keep you mentally stimulated, and add more spark to your life. For me, volunteering with Rotary has brought new meaning and direction to my life and I find it very rewarding to help others. Mahatma Gandhi observed ‘The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.’
Therefore, my fellow Bribarians, remember that volunteering is good for your mind and body and it also gives you a sense of accomplishment. Always remember, the better you feel about yourself, the more likely you are to be happy and have a positive view of your life. So, make your new year’s resolutions as you normally do, but perhaps include one whereby you vow to try to help others and do good in the world.
Also, feel free to come and join us and help build better communities. If you would like to volunteer yourself to health and happiness, or just get more information on Rotary, give me a call on 0409 244 005. I hope all readers had a wonderful Christmas, and I wish you all a very Happy New Year!
Its funny pet pic time, humourous, intelligent, funny, gorgeous pet pics.
Tags: SE Queensland weather forecast. Severe storms Brisbane. Moreton Bay. Bribie Island
Severe thunderstorms are developing over the ranges to the west of Bribie Island and are moving in an easterly direction. They contain damaging winds, heavy rainfall, and large hailstones.
These thunderstorms will continue to strengthen as they approach the coast. Please be prepared for impact in the next few hours as these thunderstorms could be very dangerous.
“What tea would you like, English Breakfast?” asks your friend, who clearly doesn’t know you.
You gasp, horrified at the thought of a watery English breakfast tea this early in the day, “What do you take me for, a savage? Assam for goodness sake please!”
“Er, what’s that? Is that like English Breakfast?” queries your soon to be ex-friend.
No, no it is not. Let me learn you a couple of things about black tea.
Note – I’m only talking about good loose-leaf teas here. Teabags have no place in this article, or anywhere for that matter including the entire surface of planet earth.
Let me start off by clarifying that all tea comes from the same plant: Camellia Sinensis. That’s right, your green, white, black, yellow, oolong, and pu’erh tea is all from the same magical bush. It’s simply the different growing conditions, localities, and processing of the leaves that gives us our different types of tea. I know – blew my mind when I first found out too – green tea is the same as black tea WHAT?
Black teas are fully oxidised during their processing. Very simply, this means the leaves are damaged (i.e. lightly crushed, tumbled around in a basket, flung over a rainbow, etc) and exposed to the air which sets off a chemical reaction – i.e. the leaves go brown.
There is a lot more to it of course and a lot of science-y terms involved such as polyphenols, catechins, and chlorophylls, but that’s the gist of it. Oxidisation = black tea. Green tea, on the other hand, isn’t oxidised at all – that’s why the leaves are still green. Science!
I’m asked all the time about what the difference is between the handful of black teas that people are familiar with. They want to know why I turn my nose up at some and not others. We don’t need to touch on all of them, but there are some major players that are useful to know about (that make up the majority of blends) so you aren’t totally lost next time you walk into a tea shop.
Oh, you’ll still be lost, for sure, but not totally.
The Single Malts of the Black TeasThese fellas are your single-origin teas, akin to a single malt whiskey.
The Cousins These aren’t technically ‘black teas’ but they still make a blackish brew, so I’ll mention them anyway for interest’s sake.
The Blends These teas are all differing blends of the single malts & cousins. They are the Chivas Regal to your Lagavulin.
And what the heck is Orange Pekoe, is it some sort of Earl Grey? That’s what I thought when I first heard the term, but no, nothing of the sort. Despite having the word ‘orange’ in it, Orange Pekoe is a term used when talking about the different grades of tea: Orange Pekoe (OP) = whole leaves, Broken Orange Pekoe (BOP) = broken leaves, etc. There are lots of them. The point is, Orange Pekoe isn’t a type of tea, it’s a grade.
So next time someone asks if you’d like a tea, you can confidently respond with, “Look it’s a little late in the day for Assam but I could go a nice Irish Breakfast, or perhaps a Darjeeling if you’ve got one? Broken Orange Pekoe is suitable, thanks.”
Kerrie Goodwin
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Labor’s Candidate for Pumicestone Ali King has called on our community to have their say and help shape a Bribie Island Road Action Plan. “I received positive feedback from locals on the news that works will start later this year on the intersection of Old Toorbul Point Road and Bribie Island Road. But there’s still so much more to do.
That’s why I’m calling on the Minister for Transport & Main Roads to work with me on a Bribie Island Road Action Plan.” Ms. King, who uses Bribie Island Road every day to commute to work, says she understands the frustration of our community that time spent sitting in traffic means less time spent with loved ones.
In her letter to the Minister, Ms. King states that she is also concerned traffic congestion will discourage visitors to the Island, with flow-on impacts for local businesses. “Our community needs a long term plan for Bribie Island Road that prioritises upgrades for the most congested and dangerous sections.”
“I am also seeking an urgent briefing from the Minister’s office or department representatives on what work TMR has done or is doing to plan for long term upgrades for Bribie Island Road.”
Ms. King is urging residents of Pumicestone to share their opinions and have their say on the Bribie Island Road Action Plan by visiting https://actionnetwork.org/forms/have-your-say-bribie-island-road-action-plan
Media enquiries: [email protected]
SE Queensland, the Sunshine Coast, and Gold Coast have been hit by extreme rainfall overnight. (18/01/2020) There is widespread flash flooding over most of the region.
The sunshine coast has reports of over 150mm total and further south the Bribie Island and Moreton Bay areas have been hit by over 200mm in some areas falling in less than 3 hours.
Featured Video(above): Brisbane Radar taken overnight.
The Gold Coast and surrounding areas have been hit as well with reports of over 250mm + in some areas.
Flash flooding leading to dangerous waterways and roads have been cut off over most of the SE Queensland Coast.
SIGNIFICANT WEATHER VIDEO UPDATE & FORECAST: Current situation and forecast for SEQD & NENSW. ~ Jeff ~ * Click on HD * Image from Weatherzone and BSCH Detailed HSC forecasts available on our website here > https://higginsstormchasing.com/higgins-storm-chasing-membership/
Posted by Higgins Storm Chasing on Friday, 17 January 2020
Video from Higgins Storm Chasing Facebook Page
We should continue to get some lighter patchy rain with some scattered thunderstorms for the rest of the day and Sunday, but there is the possibility of heavy rainfall later on this afternoon and evening around the ranges and coastal areas.
Remember, if it’s flooded, forget it!
When my children were teenagers, many years ago, this was Bribie. Perhaps Bribie has not changed that much. Suddenly the Island is sinking! Or you well might imagine that it would, considering the increase in the number of people here. Yes, it is the Christmas holidays, and at this time of the year the population of Bribie doubles or even trebles. Day-trippers come from Brisbane, the motels are fully booked, and there is not a vacant unit to be found.
The caravan and camping parks are packed, the flapping beach towels proclaiming the enthusiasm of our temporary residents. Whilst this alters the atmosphere of our usually sleepy Island, I am not averse to sharing; it would be churlish to frown in the face of the obvious enjoyment of our holidaymakers. For many families, this is the week or fortnight that they have looked forward to all year, two weeks of sun, sand, and sea, and what better place than Bribie for that laidback family holiday.
From early in the morning small children are busy digging in the sand or paddling in the usually calm waters of the Passage side, the fluorescent colours of their protective sunsuits making them appear to be a cross between little lorikeets and miniature Edwardian bathers.
At high tide, their parents and grandparents venture into the sea for a little gentle swimming, nothing too vigorous, more bobbing than anything else. Small boys and old men try out their Christmas rods from the beach or the jetty with enough fish caught to keep everyone happy. Perhaps fresh whiting for tea; at least sometimes.
If that fails, one of the numerous fish and chip shops can fill the gap, giving Mum a well-earned rest. The bikeways ring to the sound of bicycle bells from new bikes and the thunder of roller-blades from their proud new owners. It would seem that Santa has not failed to deliver. Around dusk, happy laughing families, in their best smart-casual clothes, pass us on their way to the Pubs, RSL or Bowling Clubs for an inexpensive meal, a beer for Mum and Dad, perhaps Coke or pink lemonade for the kids.
Maybe tonight is the night to win the raffle in the meat or fish tray or the big win on the Pokies. If all this seems a little too quiet, dare I suggest boring, then one can leave the Passage or Bongaree side of Bribie and head for the surf at Woorim. This side of the Island is where the testosterone loaded young men with their boogieboards and surfboards hang out, attracting their young nubile maiden camp followers.
Or is it the other way round? Whatever, this is where the action is. Throwdown your beach towel, claim your patch, anoint yourself with whatever turns you, and hopefully them, on, and there is no need to move for the rest of the day except to alternatively head for the ocean, bake in the sun, or maybe catch a quick burger at the café near the Surf Life Savers Club. Not what the dermatologists of Wickham Terrace might recommend, but when you are sixteen or so, skin damage at sixty is eons of time away.
Later in the evening the “catch of the day” may be entertained in the small cinema in the centre of the Island, or further “fishing” take place whilst dancing to one of the live bands performing at the Surf Club or Pub. Of course, all good things must come to an end, and holidays are no exception. Around the end of January, the locals find they can once again find parking at the supermarket and opposite the Post Office. This was summed up nicely by a sign that appeared in a shop window that read, “You can come out now. They’ve all gone home!”
The Australia Day Barbeque is an Aussie classic, and while it might be a tradition to indulge, the food you pop on the grill doesn’t have to put you at risk. Here are five fast tips to a healthier Australia Day barbeque.
1. Swap processed meats for lean cuts Opt for leaner meat options by grilling up a few kebabs, skinless chicken, or a few lean mince patties.
2. Swap salts and sauces for herbs and spices Try swapping tomato and barbeque sauce bottles from the table so your guests can taste the extra flavour from healthier herbs and spices. You can lower your kilojoule intake by swapping out these sugar-laden sauces for chopped up chives or spring onions or spreading on some avocado or hummus to wholemeal bread.
3. Swap your side of fries for a serve of veggies Increase the amount of colour on your barbeque by grilling some vegetables or serve your meat with a fresh summer salad. Grilled veggies make for a great flavour addition to your meal and are easy to pop in between your meat for a balanced kebab.
4. Swap red meat for fresh fish Cancer Council recommends Queenslanders limit their red meat consumption to a weekly intake of 455g (cooked weight), and with a few days of feasting on the calendar, this could easily be overtaken. Swap some of the red meat options out for a fresh serving of fish to balance it out. Stocked full of protein, zinc, and iodine, vitamins, and omega 3, fish is a nutritious option for your Australia Day barbeque.
5. Swap your deli spread for a veggie and dip platter Instead of chewing on a sliver of salami, switch to a platter of sliced veggies and dips such as hummus or guacamole. More information about Cancer Council Queensland and healthy living is available at cancerqld.org.au
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2019 health and wellness resolution list – let’s make them stick!
1. Preheat oven to 120 degrees Celsius.
2. Prep a piece of baking paper by placing a dinner plate on it and tracing around it. Flip the paper over. Put it on a baking tray.
3. Whip the egg whites in an electric mixer until thick.
4. Add the sugar a tablespoon at a time, ensuring to whip it in completely before adding the next.
5. Add the cornflour, vinegar, and vanilla and continue to whip for a further 5 minutes.
6. At this stage the mixture should hold stiff peaks and be able to be turned upside in the bowl, if it can’t, whip it for a few minutes more.
7. Fill in the centre of the circle on the baking paper then move to the outer edges, trying to create a crown. Lift up the peaks with a fork to make them high.
8. Bake at 120 degrees for 1 hour then allow to cool in the oven with the door ajar for another hour.
9. Dress just before serving.
The live music scene on Bribie Island has been invigorated with a shot of Celtic music with the CELTIC MINSTRELS who have quickly developed a strong following as they offer something “different” to the live music scene on Bribie.
Like a single malt whiskey to a Scot or Irishman, music lovers are now being exposed to the smooth style of the Celtic Minstrel who put the Tart in Tartan and the Fling in the Highlands. The Celtic Minstrels were born following members of a local Celtic Fiddle Group taking up the challenge of performing live at the Medieval Festival in 2019.
A great challenge that was accepted and conquered and we’ve been booked again for 2020. The magnificent seven are: Mike Watts and Beth Sowter have been playing Celtic music, mostly in Tasmania for more than 30 years in bands, session music and especially “bush bands”.
They are the proud owners of “Celtic Southern Cross” culminating in the production of 4 CDs to accompany the iconic tune book, “Begged, Borrowed and Stolen” which is the unofficial “Bible” of those entering the world of Celtic Music. For 17 years they ran the Celtic Summer School “Music under the Mountains”. This was a weeklong program dedicated to the improvement of technique in Irish, Scottish, Australian and Canadian fiddling, harp, concertina, mandolin, guitar, and vocals.
Mike plays mandolin and English Concertina, and Beth plays fiddle, guitar and occasionally sings. Sarah Harris (guitar, tin whistle, vocals): Growing up in a musical family, music has always been a major influence on Sarah’s early life, from High School productions to choir ensembles. Her Irish heritage shaped later projects, including performing as a duo – The Dalys – with her brother Matt Harris. Session work introduced Sarah to fellow musicians who would later collaborate to form Celtic Fusion.
Now, as a member of the Celtic Minstrels, Sarah contributes to lead vocals and harmonies and is the principal guitarist. She also plays tin whistle and enjoys helping interpret traditional and progressive Celtic songs and tunes. Ted Burton (Irish banjo, mandolin, 5-string banjo, guitar, u bass, vocals): Ted started out as a teen rock guitarist in Ireland but soon came under the influence of The Dubliners, Chieftans, Fureys, etc. at informal pub sessions.
Upon arrival in Sydney, he founded The Irish Drovers and turned professional shortly after, appearing each week morning on Channel Nine’s Super Flying Fun Show. A one-year tour of Canada followed, and he returned to live in Adelaide where he founded the group Rafterai. Ted dropped music for a number of years while working in the Middle East and returned to Brisbane to continue his Ph.D. at UQ. He started playing at local sessions and joined Sarah Harris as a founding member of Celtic Fusion.
Now, as part of the Celtic Minstrels, Ted brings all his years of experience to the fore and is a driving linchpin of the Minstrel’s exciting brand of Celtic-inspired entertainment. Laura Campbell. Laura is also a classically trained violinist but soaked up the Celtic feel from her father and other family members and local musicians. She rediscovered Celtic Music when her young daughter joined the Moreton Celtic Fiddle Club and it has become a family affair with her husband and three children being members joining in.
She is now a lead fiddler with this high energy group which plays at many music festivals and not much can be said about Laura other than, “hang onto your hats as this lass will rock your tartan socks off” when she picks up the fiddle. Laura is also the fiddler for Celtic Fusion, winner of 2019 Celtic Album of the Year at the Australian Celtic Music Awards She’s also a keen guitarist and loves nothing more than a campfire singalong with her family. Being born in Edinburgh she has Celtic music flowing through her veins.
Maria Boland is a classically trained violinist who picked up the violin after a 40- year break. Now the lead violinist with the Bribie Island Orchestra she has taken up the challenge of Celtic Fiddle after being asked to be part of the Bribie Celtic Fiddlers. Music also flows through her veins as most members of her large family are also accomplished musicians with her father being a fiddler in bush bands on the Monaro in Southern NSW. No challenge is too great for this highly talented fiddler who is revelling in retirement after 50 years of nursing as she can now spend more time “fiddling”. John Boland.
Better known as a former Australian Paralympic Swim Coach and his musical background can be written on the back of a postage stamp with room for footnotes. He could be described as Autodidactic as he has the ability to teach himself to play most musical instruments.
As the Bodhran player in the group, he also enjoys vocals. He has sung locally with the Gleemen and sang in many musical comedies (primarily Gilbert and Sullivan) and had vocal training at the Red Music School for a number of years. His highlight was to be asked to audition as a soloist for the Lord Mayors Christmas Concert Audition which he saw as a major experience performing at the Queens Street Mall.
Come and enjoy our first performance for the new decade on January 17 at Serenity Restaurant, Bongaree from 6:00 pm. Book a table early and enjoy a few hours of great music. To book our band for further gigs, call John on 0422 770 252.
Tags: Timber Industry History. Bribie Island. Moreton Bay. Queensland. Australia
A few Aborigines were still on Bribie Island in 1881, before white settlers were residents, when a large Timber Mill operated on Coochin Creek, up Pumicestone Passage opposite Bribie Island.
Pioneers were embarking on new commercial ventures at that time with Oyster dredging in Pumicestone Passage, and Sugar plantations on Caboolture River and “Morayfield”. Brisbane was growing rapidly and lots of wood was required for construction, so securing, and cutting large hardwood trees provided major opportunities.
This was very challenging, tough, lonely and demanding work for those pioneers who ventured into the Blackall Range in search of big Cedar trees.
Massive trees were difficult to access and cut down. They required large bullock teams to drag them to dangerous “Chutes” down the mountain, and then rafts of logs floated down creeks and towed to Brisbane. Records show in 1877 the first white man ventured up to a place known as “McCarthy’s Chute”, near the present Mary Cairncross Park at the southern end of the Blackall range.
Some timber getters took wives and family with them to these remote locations where they were often left alone in bush camps for weeks at a time. These early pioneers and white settlers observed large groups of aborigines gathering every third year, in February and March to enjoy their Bunya Nut feast and festival.
One of the early timber pioneers was James Campbell who arrived in Brisbane from Scotland in 1853 at the age of 23 and set up a building supply business, which became one of the largest in the Commonwealth. Campbell initially bought timber from the “Getters” in the Blackall Ranges and in 1881 set up his own large Sawmill on Coochin Creek off Pumicestone Passage.
This was at its junction with Mellum Creek, a navigable waterway in those days, above the tidal point, where fresh water was available for the Mill boilers. The Mill settlement of “Campbellville” was a thriving business for the next 10 years. As well as the hinterland, hardwood logs were obtained from creeks along Pumicestone Passage and on Bribie Island. There are still some huge old tree stumps on Bribie if you know where to look.
One huge Red Cedar log required a team of 60 Bullocks to haul it up “Walkers Pinch” near Maleny. Another log over 4 metres long and 5 metres girth, containing over 4000 super feet of timber, was towed to Brisbane and shipped to London to be exhibited at the “Indian & Colonial Exhibition” in 1886.
After the Exhibition, the log was offered for sale but there were no buyers as it was beyond the capacity of any equipment in England. Eventually, explosives had to be used to reduce it to manageable pieces.
This was a costly lesson for James Campbell & Sons. James Campbell & Sons went on to control eleven Sawmills, owned and operated 28 shipping vessels, the Landsboro Hotel and Buderim Mountain Sugar Mill, and supplied pre-fabricated kit homes. Campbellville became a bustling Mill, trading centre and township of over 100 people.
The Campbell family was well represented at Campbellville. As well as the founder James Campbell, there were his three sons John Dunmore, George Peter and Charles William holding various positions of authority at the mill.
The second manager was George Campbell who was just 17 when he first held that office. John Campbell, the first son of the founder, was elected to the Caboolture Divisional Board in 1883 and was instrumental in having the North Coast Railway line built-in 1886. He later became Minister for Railways and represented the Electorate of Moreton.
The building of that Railway line led to the demise of Campbellville as a Mill and water transport hub in 1890, and the equipment was relocated to Albion. Money was scarce for the early settlers and a delayed bartering system developed whereby the settlers forwarded timber down to the Mill, after which they received their food supplies and other necessities, often months later.
Various sailing cutters carted timber down Pumicestone Passage to Brisbane before the paddle wheeler “Mavis” was built in 1883 to transport timber from Campbellville. A double-ended paddlewheel steamer named “Bribie” was built at Coochin Creek, to run between Brisbane and Caloundra, and tow pontoons of logs and sawn timber to the steamer “Mavis”.
At the height of its industry, an article published in “The Queenslander” in 1885, describes it as follows… “The large Millhouse, the many houses, sheds the noise from the engines, the wharf, and huge cranes caused a scene of bustle and industry. Messrs Campbell has done much for this district in developing its timber resources.
One hundred men are on the pay list besides contracts for various purposes, indeed the population of the little Mill Township including wives and youngsters is about 100 souls. A School has been erected by the proprietors, the average attendance at which is 20.” Apart from this brief description, little is known of the location of buildings and houses, which once formed the township of Campbellville.
The School was in fact a Provisional School, not being large enough to be classified as a State School. We do know there was a Post Office, which opened in January 1883 for which the postal official received 6 Pounds a year ($12) until it closed in 1891.
The construction of the north coast Railway enabled wider and more efficient transport of Timber. In 1893 the great floods which devastated Brisbane and surroundings, also destroyed what remained of Campbellville, causing creeks to flood and the Pumicestone Passage to silt up to the difficult shallow waterway it is today.
A few people did stay on at Campbellville for about three years after the equipment was moved to Albion, and the firm continued logging in the area until about 1910.
In April 1966 Forestry workers were clearing a road and firebreak in the area and found some old wooden posts that marked the site of the little cemetery of Campbellville, more than 80 years after the first burial had taken place. Research has revealed the names of 4 of the possible 9 pioneer residents who were buried there.
Mrs. Harry Blake – wife of the saw sharpener and Mill Engineer.W.Petersen – all we know is that he was a biggish man.
Frank Lovesey – who died suddenly while step dancing
Baby Assen – child of Frank Assen, yardman at the mill and owner of 80 acres of land adjoining Coochin creek.
It is believed that the headstones marking the graves were wooden and disintegrated long ago, and the only evidence of a burial site was the hardwood posts bordering the graves found in 1966.
Today all that gives any indication of this once thriving operation at Campbellville is a small sign telling about CAMPBELLVILLE CEMETERY 1880-1893. I took some members of the Historical Society for a visit a few years ago.
It is not an easy place to find, but drive down “Roys Road” you will see the sign. Also scattered in the bush are a few bricks bearing the name “Campbellville” which would have been made in the Ipswich area.
I made a brief mention of Campbellville in one of my recent articles in this newspaper. Several people with interesting connections to Cambellville contacted me. One was Mrs. Val Widt of Delaney’s Creek, who is the granddaughter of Frank Assen who worked and had land there in the mid 1880s.
One of his daughters was one of those identified as buried at the cemetery site. There is only one known photo taken at Campbellville showing a group of about ten Mill workers at an unknown date. Only one person in this photo has so far been identified and that is John Robins, a Mill Sawyer, who is marked with a white arrow in the photo.
John Robins worked at Campbellville with his brother William. William also worked with Frank Assen, (Val Widt’s grandfather) who had a farm nearby, where he met and married his daughter Florence Assen.
They married in Caboolture and went to work for James Campbell & Son at Albion. In 1912 William built a holiday cottage on Bribie Island when the island was first opened up to residents, which was later inherited by his son Charles (Chick).
When Charles eventually retired from work, it ended over 100 years of service by the Robins family with James Campbell & Sons.
The cottage at 49 Toorbul Street, Bongaree is still there today, and still in the family. Charles Robins left the cottage to his two daughters Joan and Rita. Joan still lives on Bribie Island with her husband Jeff Barber, and Sister Rita owns the holiday cottage.
It is fascinating to uncover this 139-year family connection to the old Campbellville site, with three generations of the Robins family working for almost 100 years for James Campbell & Sons, and their cottage at 49 Toorbul Street still in the family after 107 years.
It is quite rewarding when I write something about a piece of history close to Bribie, and little known by anyone results in what I have been able to write for you in this article. Thanks to Val Widt and Joan (nee Robins) Barber for their photos and information provided for this article.
James Campbell & Sons business went on to manufacture various designs of prefabricated houses, one of which was named “The Bribie”, examples of which can still be seen on Bribie island today. The Campbell family also built their holiday homes on Bribie in 1913.
The Historical Society have monthly public meetings at the RSL Club on the second Wednesday of each month commencing at 6:30 pm with interesting guest speakers on a wide range of topics. Come along. You can see many more photos and articles on our Blog Site at http://bribieislandhistory.blogspot.com or contact us on [email protected]