Peninsula's Past: Lost farming landscape

SOURCE: History Redcliffe

Images: Courtesy of City of Moreton Bay, and History Redcliffe

Looking at the Redcliffe Peninsula today, it’s difficult to imagine the flourishing farms that were once scattered across the landscape.

Agriculture was first recorded at the time of the penal settlement at Redcliffe Point in 1824 with botanist Alan Cunningham noting that soldiers sewed seeds of cabbage, lettuce, turnips, beans and pumpkins.

An Agricultural Reserve with the name ‘Redcliff’ was defined by government proclamation in March 1861. A survey of the Peninsula section of the reserve was completed in 1864 but only one portion sold by December that year. By the end of 1865 only six would-be settlers had bought freehold blocks.

Ballots were conducted for those hoping to secure land. Those who succeeded were subject to regular inspections, for five years, to ensure they were ‘working the land’ at the required standard.

A report in the Brisbane Courier on July 20, 1867, described some of the first farms on the Peninsula – at Clontarf and on the eastern and northern sides.

These included Joseph Green Tyson’s land overlooking Hays Inlet which was growing oats, lucerne and Tasmanian wheat at the time; Dr William John Ward’s land which adjoined the Tyson property and land farmed by Joseph Borrie, John Warburton, James Mitchell, Henry Arthur Bailey and George Wolfe.

Mr Tyson unsuccessfully tried to grow sugarcane and transferred his leases in 1869 to Charles Kislingbury who sold some of them to other farmers including John Anderton.

In 1869, Thomas Job Ham leased 73 acres of land at Clontarf from Dr Ward and 37 acres from Charles Kislingbury to grow sugarcane but died the following year.

Following her husband’s death, Mary Ham bought two portions of land and continued to lease Dr Ward’s land. She and her sons, John Collings and Alfred Westbrook Ham, continued to grow sugarcane for several years before surrendering the lease in 1873. They continued to farm on the Peninsula with a further seven lots of land purchased in the late 1870s.

Initially sugar and cotton were grown in the Hays Inlet area. Poor seasons in the mid-1870s affected production and the plantations were gradually sold to be replaced by small crop farms.

By 1895, there were more than 100 farms on the Peninsula, with mixed farming a feature of this era – combining agriculture with dairy farming.

Farmers grew maize and oats as well as potatoes, cucumbers, tomatoes, peas, oranges, pineapples, bananas, grapes and mangoes.

The Great Depression in the late 1920s made it difficult for farmers to sell their produce for a decent price. Some left the industry and others sought alternative uses for their land including large-scale poultry farming.

During WWII, many farmers were also involved in small crop production of fruit and vegetables.

After the war, the poultry industry became unviable due to the high cost of feed and low egg prices. Farmers turned to small crop farming, with the industry reaching its peak in the 1960s. Popular crops included pumpkins, potatoes, tomatoes and watermelons. There were also dairy farms and piggeries.

A land boom, after WWII, prompted many owners to subdivide their properties and sell up.

The McKillop, Morris and Hungerford families continued until farming became unsustainable towards the end of the 20th century.

By the 1970s, small crop farms were being sold to developers and transformed into housing estates, shopping centres and industrial estates.

The last farm was sold in the mid-1980s.

Farming snapshot

Sugarcane era 1864-1880

Mixed farming 1880-1930

Poultry era 1930-1945

Small crop era 1945-1985

Family endeavours

John Hindmarsh Dodds bought four lots of land (242 acres) in the Kippa-Ring area for 10 shillings in 1869. He established a sugarcane plantation and mill, but it was not successful. The land was sold in 1876.

The Higham family had a 495-acre farm was where Newport is today and was also home to the Peninsula’s first Olympian – boxer Graham Higham. The family had dairy cattle and milk run, for 18 years, before shifting to poultry and small crops.

Jack Boardman had a piggery and his wife raised poultry.

The Hubner family had a banana plantation and also grew potatoes.

PT Haskins had a piggery and grew sweet potatoes.

The Hungerford family had small crops for 20 years from the 1950s.

The McGaheys bought 267 acres of land at Rothwell in 1919, between Anzac Ave and Gynther Rd. It was used as a dairy farm and piggery. The property was divided up in the late 1940s among family members and some used for small crops and poultry.

The Hutchinson family grew cauliflowers, beans, tomatoes and cabbages on their farm at Anzac Avenue. They also raised dairy cows and chickens.

The Morris family had a poultry farm, in the area now known as Rothwell, from 1938. They were also well known for growing pumpkins and the first to have an honesty box system at the corner of Morris and Deception Bay roads.

Florence and Charles Kroll grew custard apple, orange, lemon, mango, banana and fig trees on their 20-acre property in the 1920s. They also grew pineapples, cucumber, strawberries, watermelons and tomatoes.