Introduction

Sub-tropical Redland Bay forms part of larger Moreton Bay, 40 kilometers East of Brisbane, capital city of the Australian State of Queensland. See Macro map | Micro map

Since the first settlers arrived in the mid-1800’s, Redland Bay has remained a farming and fishing-based area until the mid 20th century when some of the farms were subdivided and improved transport infrastructure made it possible for residents to commute to Brisbane, 40 kilometers West.

The township has long been the port for vessels plying the bay islands. These islands include Russell, Macleay, Karragarra, Lamb and North Stradbroke, home to several thousand residents enjoying an idyllic, sub-tropical lifestyle 'far from the madding crowd'.

The pictorial is intended as a record of old Redland Bay, a place of farms, abundant peace and quiet. The area is rapidly developing into a dormitory suburb of greater Brisbane. One-by-one, farms and market gardens growing strawberries, tomatoes and cabbage in some of the richest red volcanic soil anywhere in the world is giving way to paving and the detached dwellings of suburbanites drawn to the cool breezes, relaxed lifestyle and bay views. Much as I deplore the transition, I have to admit that the land our house stands on was once an Orchard.

David Tuffley
Redland Bay,
5 March 2002.

Redland Bay township was established in the 19th century by settlers attracted to the fertile volcanic soil and pleasant climate. The rich soil contrasts with the relatively poor soil of much of the rest of Australia, particularly in the arid central regions (the outback). The redness of Redland Bay soil derives from iron oxides present in lava from a volcano that erupted (millions of years ago) in northern New South Wales, some 100 kilometres to the south.

In Barry Kidd’s 1979 Redland Illustrated History he writes ‘Redland Bay is arguably the most unchanged and fertile land within the entire Redlands area. The suburban sprawl has managed only scant inroads to a few pockets of land, but the remaining farmers have stubbornly resisted even the juiciest of offers from land developers, preferring a continuation of their inherited lifestyle.’

In the two decades that followed, the decision was made by the Redland Shire Council to permit suburban development in and around Redland Bay. With land zoning changing from Rural to Residential, and the corresponding steep rise in Rates (local government land tax), Redland Bay’s farmers found they could no longer compete with other farming areas not as close to a major metropolitan area. One by one the farms were sold to land development companies, and Redland Bay, by the year 2002 farming had all but ceased.

The changes in Redland Bay are emblematic of the continuing demographic trend in Australia for poeple to move from the colder southern regions to the warmer north. The Brisbane metropolitan area is the fastest growing region of Australia.