History

Bribie Before The Bridge

a different way of living here...

Barry Clark

Bribie Island Historical Society

The Map heading this article is a Fun Map of Bribie in 1950’s. As we embark on 2023 it is interesting to reflect on how things were back then, when the resident population of Bribie was less than 300 people. The Map shows the Steamship Koopa coming to the Bongaree Jetty, and also a Car Ferry barge crossing from Toorbul (now Sandstone) point. In 1953 Steamship travel to Bribie from Brisbane ended as motor vehicles became popular and there was a 10-year period before a Bridge was built to Bribie in 1963.

HOW BRIBIE STARTED

In 1912 a Jetty was built at Bongaree and the Steamship Koopa opened Bribie Island as a new tourist destination. It was an immediate success, and within a few years thousands were coming to camp and fish here and a few guest houses and shops opened. By 1930 more people were camped in tents on Bribie than the entire population of Caboolture Shire. In the 1930’s a global Depression hit hard, and in 1939 World War2 was declared and most Bribie residents were soon evacuated, and it became a military base until 1945. During those years the Koopa went into military service, and when it resumed the Bribie trip motor cars had become available and popular. A military transport barge had started a car ferry service across the Passage after the War, the big steamship stopped coming and was replaced with smaller Hayles cruisers From 1953 getting to Bribie by motor vehicle involved a very rough road from Caboolture, often in a queue of cars waiting for the barge, both coming and going, on weekends and holidays.

LIFE IN THE 1950’s

In 1953 a litre of Petrol cost the equivalent of 6 cents after Petrol rationing was introduced during the War and ended in 1950. In 1953 Edmund Hillary and Tensing Norgay were the first to climb Mount Everest, in 1954 Queen Elizabeth visited Australia, Roger Bannister ran the first sub-4-minute mile, and Hula Hoops were the craze. In 1956 the Olympic Games were held in Melbourne and TV

Car Ferry 1952

started in Australia. The 1950’s were challenging times for the few residents and many visitors to Bribie Island. There had been political promises for more than a decade about building a bridge to Bribie. Eventually in 1961 the Government awarded a contract to K.D.Morris to construct Australia’s longest pre-stressed pre-cast concrete bridge to Bribie at a cost of $716,312. The contract was awarded in Pounds because Decimal currency was not introduced until 14 February 1966.The bridge was built very efficiently and opened on 19 October 1963 with an unexpected and expensive toll of 10 shillings ($1) to cross it. That is equivalent of $17 in today’s money. The toll remained in place for 12 years until the bridge had been paid for in 1975. When the bridge opened the resident population of Bribie was 700 people and 12 years later when the Toll ended the population had only grown to 1000, which was below expectations. Some readers may have vivid memories of how different life was 60 years ago when drink driving was very common, there were no seat belts, and cars stopped at the side of the road with boiling radiators was a common sight. Back then almost everyone smoked in public places, inside and out, the only coffee you could get was “instant”, and there were very few Avocados.

Premier pays first toll 1963.

in 1953 to live and paint in his isolated grass hut for 21 years until his death in 1974. Regarded as one of the world’s most significant artists of that era, his valuable works hang in galleries around the world, but he is still not well recognized on Bribie as our most famous resident. In the 10 years Bribie waited for a bridge, Russia launched the first “Sputnik” satellite, Barry Humphries created his character Edna Everage, the Contraceptive Pill became widely used, and in 1964 the Beatles toured Australia. Depending on how old you are some of these things may

trigger memories, and some may remember the “jingle” that introduced Decimal Currency on 14 February 1966. This article reminds us just how much life has changed in 60 years.

BRIBIE FUTURE

We are now waiting for an official political announcement of a new or replacement bridge and Bribie’s resident population is now 30 times more than when the original bridge was built in 1963. Where and when will the new bridge be constructed, and what impact will it have during construction? Will the new bridge announcement attract more residents, or possibly the opposite? Could there be a Toll on a new bridge? It is hard to see a substantial improvement in future traffic flow and vehicle numbers without much better roads and appropriate public transport on Bribie. Where will Bribie residents want to travel to 20 years from now? …… Brisbane City, Airport, Cruise terminal, Shopping Centers, Hospitals, Medical Services? Perhaps even a high-speed hydrofoil boat and a fleet of small electric shuttle busses. Small, cheap, and frequent public transport on Bribie needs immediate consideration to reduce all our short car

journeys. There seems to have has been little consideration or plan to accommodate this inevitable future, or to recognise the benefits that make this island unique.

MORE BRIBIE HISTORY

Historical Society monthly meetings are on the second Wednesday of each month at 6;30 pm at the RSL Club but there is no meeting in January. See more stories and photos of Bribie history on our Web Site Bribiehistoricalsociety. org.au and Blog Site http:// bribieislandhistory.blogspot. com or contact us on bribiehistoricalsociety@gmail. com