BrisBane Daily Mail 24

March 1924

BRIBIE ISLAND (By Phoebe Kirwan).

For years I intended going to Bribie and always put off the visit, but recently seeing the charming island, I confess that for years I have deprived myself of a very pleasurable visit. I have sworn allegiance to Redcliffe, queen of our Bay resorts, and her twin sisters, Woody Point and Scarborough, and now knowing Bribie, the delightful quaintness, the wild beauty of her bush, and the charm of her long whitesanded beach, I have taken her unto my affection for all time, it was like coming to a scene from an old world novel to see Bribie, white and glistening under the warm sunshine of a cloudless sky.

of the fine fish, vegetables, fruit, meat, etc., plied their trade. The sparkling waters of the bay lapped gently against the white creaking sands, bringing to remembrance the peculiar creak of Coolangatta's beach, as we trod o'er the firm whiteness. Behind us lay the thick, fragrant treed bush, and the long road in course of construction, leading to the main beach three miles from the wharf, a road which will give access to the finest beach in Australia, so report says, facing Cape Moreton, and which for surfing and pleasurable facilities is unexcelled.

A row of boats, motor boats, sailing boats, and rowing punts, tied up at the wharf, upon the decks of which a heterogeneous but interesting collection of food stuffs invited attention from would-be purchasers. Numbers of folk of all shades and colours from the pure aboriginal to the scarlet sunburnt holidaying towns folk, added variety to the scene whilst the vendors across to the mainland and Toorbul Island, from which had come the numerous craft with their multi-coloured folks and commodities to tempt town visitors, and far away the peaks of the Glasshouse Mountains and the long line of ranges whispered of adventure beyond.

For 30 miles the island offers delightful possibilities, and in her virgin wildness for as yet there are few houses erected, there is an atmosphere of peace and quiet, very grateful to those seeking tranquillity. The undeniable charm and interest of sea and bush thick with tall giants, from the security of whose screening branches sounded paeans of song and whistling cries from the feathered inhabitants, whilst close to the swamp patches grow the gorgeous scarlet and gold Christmas bells. Sleepy dream coaxing, quaint and beautiful, Bribie awaits development into a popular pleasure-giving, health resort, a rival to all, and excelled by none. May she come into her heritage.

A slow, plodding team of bullocks ploughed through the heavy, broken tracks, bearing the materials for the road-making, adding their quota to picturesque interest to the scene. At the wharf lay the graceful Doomba, and close to her the Porpoise discharged her freight of road-making materials. Before us sparkled the water, with alluring temptation to skim

100 Years Later

The above article written by Phoebe 101 years ago is a stark reminder of a time gone by, when there was very little on Bribie, but the charm and simplicity of it was enthralling. Her final words were “may she come into her heritage”. Do we think that Bribie has come into her heritage now? Is the future ever likely to be more attractive than ever it was. We can’t stop the march of socalled progress, but we do seem committed to destroy what is left of the charm of Bribie Island. We will soon have a new and bigger Bridge to enable more people. What will more people do? More people will destroy the very things people actually come here for. What then?

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. More stories and photos of Bribie on our Web Site Bribiehistoricalsociety.org.au and Blog Site http://bribieislandhistory. blogspot.com or if you have a question contact us on bribiehistoricalsociety@gmail.com