A brief history of Redcliffe

Redcliffe, Queensland’s first European settlement, has a rich and varied history. Prior to the 19th century, the area was inhabited by Aborigines who took full advantage the foods that could be easily found in and around its waters.

Redcliffe gained its current name due to the distinctive red cliff faces visible from ships sailing Moreton bay. While today Redcliffe is a popular destination for day-trippers and holidaying families, it's first European visitors were not so cheerful. In the early 1800s, the area was chosen by southern authorities as the location a new northern penal settlement.

On September 1, 1824, the brig Amity set sail for Redcliffe from Sydney. Aboard were the new settlement's commandant, Lieutenant Miller, explorer John Oxley, the ship's crew, guards and convicts. The party landed at Redcliffe on September 13, 1824.

The original settlement was built on the banks of Humpybong Creek, around the area of the current Redcliffe shopping precinct. Typical of early Australian penal garrisons, it consisted of the basic facilities to house prisoners and their attendant guards.

Within a year, it was apparent that there was insufficient fresh-water supplies in the area to support a large settlement and the decision was made to relocate the colony to the banks of the Brisbane River in 1825. The settlement at Redcliffe was deserted and remained so until the 1860s when the area was declared an agricultural reserve. The land was then used for grazing cattle and growing crops such as sugarcane, wheat, cotton, cattle feed, oranges and potatoes.

Redcliffe underwent a major land boom in the 1880s and quickly gained a reputation as an ideal seaside resort - offering an experience similar to many of the holiday destinations in England. The names of some Redcliffe beaches and suburbs reflect this English association, for example: Margate, Clontarf and Scarborough.

During this period, day bathers typically travelled to the peninsula by steamer - the most celebrated being the Koopa. The Koopa delivered its first passengers to the Redcliffe Jetty in 1911 and continued in this role until World War II, when it was requisitioned by the Royal Australian Navy.

Road access to Redcliffe remained less than ideal, until the construction of the 2.8 kilometre Hornibrook Highway, which officially opened on Friday, October 4, 1935. The viaduct, at he time the longest in the southern hemisphere, meant Redcliffe was no longer considered isolated - and this resulted in significant population increases across the city.

Today, Redcliffe is a modern city that still possesses the charm and beauty of a small seaside holiday town. The mix of old and new continues to make the city so inviting to locals and visitors alike.