Sunnybank/Cooper Plains Heritage Trail
Dutch Park at Cornerstone Living
Naming Quarry Park, Lillian Avenue, Salisbury
Soden Homestead

Sunnybank/Coopers Plains Heritage Trail

We submitted to Council via Cr Kim Marx’s office, a draft description for Council’s Heritage Trails in Sunnybank and Coopers Plains. We have confirmed that brochures about the Heritage Trails should be available at the Library and Local Ward Offices. We continue to advocate for QR codes in public places such as parks and active transport routes (bicycle paths, etc.). The Heritage Trails can be found on the BCC website.  It’s a great resource – a veritable treasure trove of information!

Dutch Park & History Board

The park in the centre of Cornerstone Living on McKoy Street

We are urged Cr Marx’s, Runcorn Ward, to name the central park in Cornerstone Living development “Dutch Houses Park” as it is central to the original Dutch Housing Project. We asked that a board be erected in the park with its name, two photos and a basic history with a QR code. A draft of the history reads:

After the war, the ten hectares between Banoon and Coopers Plains Railway Stations this side of the line was the site of a significant public housing project in the early 1950s. Three-hundred concrete ‘Dutch Houses’ were constructed by the joint Australian-Dutch company, Concrete Developments Pty. Ltd. under contract to the Queensland Housing Commission. These houses were built from designs produced in The Netherlands during their post WWII recovery to address their housing shortage. Most of the materials and the machinery to make the concrete building blocks onsite were brought over from the Netherlands as were many of the labourers. The houses illustrate how QHC, established in 1945, sought to alleviate the housing shortage arising from Brisbane’s post-Second World War population growth and contributed to the City’s suburban development in the 1950s through collaboration with international contractors. Several examples remain nearby and a number of protected public houses are located on Lawford Street, Sunnybank, behind St Thomas Moore College.

The good news is that Cr Marx is all in favour of it and, with a petition signed by numerous local residents, it will go to Council’s first Committee meeting next year, on February 4th, for approval.

Naming Lillian Avenue Park

After receiving our research, Cr Steve Griffiths’ office created a petition to name the park at 313 Lillian Avenue, Salisbury “Quarry Park”. A history board is requested with this text:

In the 1930s, Beaudesert Road and Boundary Road in Coopers Plains were the only sealed bitumen roads in these outer communities. Salisbury expanded east along Lillian Avenue. At the time, all roads were constructed by hand with picks and shovels. Archie Hastie and Bob Cordingley were dray men who used drays to cart gravel from a quarry on this site to where the road gangs were working. It was slow and somewhat tedious work but eventually, due to their efforts, basic roads connected the small communities of Salisbury, Coopers Plains and Rocklea.

The ePetition will end on 13^th December. It can be signed here: in person at Steve’s office at 2/122 Beaudesert Road, Moorooka or online a https://www.epetitions.brisbane.qld.gov.au/petition/view/pid/1390

Soden Homestead, Hungry Jacks, Salisbury

In 1869, the Soden family built a homestead on the site where Hungry Jacks, Salisbury now stands. The Sodens, who ran an Omnibus business, were significant contributors to the development of southern Brisbane. The homestead was dismantled in 1982 when Raiwena Road was put through for the Commonwealth Games (Roberts, B. 2005. A Closer Look at Coopers Plains, p. 29 – 30) CPHG has written to Hungry Jacks management to inquire as to whether they would be amenable to placing a memorial plaque at their entrance.

Newstead House renovations are complete! It’s a great time to visit!

Ongoing projects:

• Composition of a publication of the Origins of Coopers Plains from before British settlement (Moreton Bay Penal Colony) to promote Coopers Plains as the first crossroads of Brisbane.
• Plaques in Salisbury about the WWII Munitions Works, specifically the corner of Evans Road and Project Street in front of the still extant South Guard House. Also, recognition of the nearby Art Deco Rocklea Munitions Works Laboratory (former). Cr Griffiths’ support to be procured.

Events

Coopers Plains History Group Monthly Meeting

Saturday 21st of December at 4pm
Coopers Plains Library Meeting Room (at the back)

All welcome. Please RSVP by commenting on this post below (if you can’t see the comment field, click the heading above).  Thanks to the friendly and helpful staff of the Coopers Plains Library for printing out these newsletters and offering them to anyone who wants to keep in touch without going online. The Coopers Plains Library Meeting Room is booked every 3rd Saturday at 4pm for us to meet. https://coopersplainshistory.bshn.org/

Brisbane City Council Centenary
Naming Lillian Avenue Park
Sunnybank/Cooper Plains Heritage Trail and History Board
A History of Coopers Plains transport routes
Collaborations with Moorooka History Group

Brisbane City Council Centenary

A coalition of local history groups have come together and formed the “100 Years of Greater Brisbane Coordinating Committee” to commemorate The Centenary of the Amalgamation of the Towns and Councils of Greater Brisbane into what we now know as the Brisbane City Council. An exciting line-up of events have been scheduled for 2025, culminating in a Community History Commemoration Day at the Brisbane Town Hall on October 1^st. See their Calendar of Events at
https://linktr.ee/GreaterBrisbaneCentenary
For more information: https://www.greaterbrisbanecentenary.com.au/

The much ignored Bicentenary of Queensland and Brisbane got a mention last month by the Brisbane History Group at its seminar on October 27th.

Next month is 200 years since Governor Brisbane arrived to inspect the Moreton Bay Penal Colony: More information is available at https://equanimity.blog/2024/06/19/the-bicentenary-few-seem-to-care-about/

Naming Lillian Avenue Park

Cr Steve Griffiths’ office asked Moorooka History Group Chair, Barbara Ravenswood to find a park name for the old quarry site at what is currently listed as Lillian Avenue Park, next to the Baptist Church, Salisbury. She asked me (Simon, Chair of CPHG) to do it and I have done further research into a name proposed at last month’s meeting; “Quarry Park”.

Sunnybank/Cooper Plains Heritage Trail and History Board

The Dutch Housing Project Plaque proposal has progressed with a response via Cr Kim Marx’s office from Cr Tracy Davis, Civic Cabinet Chair, Environment, Parks and Sustainability Committee. The proposed protection of six Dutch Houses behind St Thomas School, Sunnybank “will proceed to full Council by the end of the year to seek approval for the Minister to adopt”. In the meantime, our request for a plaque at McKoy Park, Coopers Plains was rejected, citing a) the Heritage Trails program online and b) the location from the Dutch Houses proposed for protection being too far from the park. We responded with gratitude for the information about the Heritage Trails, which we were not aware of. They can be found on the BCC website at https://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/things-to-see-and-do/experiences-and-culture/heritage-trails. We expressed concern for those who don’t use the Internet. We also pointed out that McKoy Park is central to the original Dutch Housing Project. We proposed that an alternative site for a more general history of Coopers Plains and Sunnybank, including information about the Dutch Houses could appear on a History Board at the new shopping area on the corner of Boundary and Troughton Roads. This information can be expanded upon online at the Heritage Trails site which could accessed via a QR code on the board.

A History of Coopers Plains transport routes

I wrote a summary of transport across Coopers Plains from pre-colonial days to the present, presenting the Boundary Road level crossing as a kind of crucifix for our neighbourhood: https://equanimity.blog/coopers-plains-our-neighbourhood/

Collaborations with Moorooka History Group

The Chair of MHG, Barbara Ravenswood and I (Simon) are working more closely than ever. We attend each others’ meeting. See below in Events.

Ongoing projects:

• Composition of a publication of the Origins of Coopers Plains from before British settlement (Moreton Bay Penal Colony) to promote Coopers Plains as the first crossroads of Brisbane.
• Plaques in Salisbury about the WWII Munitions Works, specifically the corner of Evans Road and Project Street in front of the still extant South Guard House. Also, recognition of the nearby Art Deco Rocklea Munitions Works Laboratory (former). Cr Griffiths’ support to be procured.

Events

Moorooka History Group December Christmas Meeting

Saturday 7^th at 10 am, venue TBC in Moorooka. Call Barbara on 042 287 425

Coopers Plains History Group Monthly Meetings

Saturday 16^th of November at 4pm
Coopers Plains Library Meeting Room (at the back)

All welcome. Please RSVP by commenting on this post below (if you can’t see the comment field, click the heading above).  Thanks to the friendly and helpful staff of the Coopers Plains Library for printing out these newsletters and offering them to anyone who wants to keep in touch without going online. The Coopers Plains Library Meeting Room is booked every 3^rd Saturday at 4pm for us to meet.

Vale Allan J Waller

Allan J Waller on the left

We note the passing of Allan Waller in August, a regular at our history group and an original resident of Salisbury.  After school, Allan did an apprenticeship in electro-plating at Rocklea Plating Works and did sheet-metal working at Handiworks on Evan (then Compo) Road, Salisbury.  He then worked at Frigrite Air Conditioning where he met his wife Margaret, whom he leaves behind.  They both worked hard and had lots of overseas trips and also saw a lot of Australia.  Allan was a good husband, honest and fair and was always willing to lend a hand to all whenever he could.  They fostered a six year old girl who is now 48 years old.  Allan had a keen interest in history.  He was a member of the Austin Car Club and researched and wrote publications for the Coopers Plains Local History Group.  They include Salisbury Heritage Trails (2005) and vital assistance in compiling A Closer Look at Coopers Plains (2005).  Allan moved to Sunnybank and lived there until his passing.  Allan was always ready with a joke.  He will be greatly missed.

Ongoing projects:

• Cr Kim Marx support for a plaque at McKoy Park about the Dutch Houses –  still awaiting response from her office.
• Write up of the Origins of Coopers Plains from British settlement (Moreton Bay Penal Colony circa 1824).
• Plagues in Salisbury about the WWII Munitions Works, specifically the corner of Evans Road and Project Street in front of the still extant South Guard House. Cr Griffiths support to be procured.

Salisbury Munitions Administration building

Coopers Plains History Group Monthly Meetings

Saturday 19th of October at 4 pm
Coopers Plains Library Meeting Room (at the back)

All welcome. Please RSVP by commenting on this post below (if you can’t see the comment field, click the heading above).  Thanks to the friendly and helpful staff of the Coopers Plains Library for printing out these newsletters and offering them to anyone who wants to keep in touch without going online. The Coopers Plains Library Meeting Room is booked every 3^rd Saturday at 4pm for us to meet.

Moreton Bay Bicentennial Event this month

Wednesday 11 – 12 September – Representations of Meanjin and Moreton Bay 1824-2024: A Bicentennial Symposium.

Discount offer to members

The Harry Gentle Research Centre is offering members of our history group a 50% discount on tickets to their two-day Bicentennial Symposium at the Ship Inn, South Bank on September 11^th and 12^th (see below). To take this offer up, please contact the Chair (Simon Cole) by commenting in the field below.

Ongoing projects:

• Cr Kim Marx support for a plaque at McKoy Park about the Dutch Houses – waiting response from her office.
• Write up of the Origins of Coopers Plains from British settlement (Moreton Bay Penal Colony circa 1824).
• Plagues in Salisbury about the WWII Munitions Works, specifically the corner of Evans Road and Project Street in front of the still extant South Guard House. Cr Griffiths support to be procured.

Coopers Plains History Group Monthly Meetings

Saturday 21^st of September at 4 – 5pm
Coopers Plains Library Meeting Room (at the back)

All welcome. Please RSVP by commenting on this post below (if you can’t see the comment field, click the heading above).  Thanks to the friendly and helpful staff of the Coopers Plains Library for printing out these newsletters and offering them to anyone who wants to keep in touch without going online. The Coopers Plains Library Meeting Room is booked every 3^rd Saturday at 4pm for us to meet.

Peaks to Point Salisbury History Walk
Member discount offer to Bicentennial Symposium

Salisbury History Walk – Peaks to Point Festival

On Saturday 27^th the history group led an enjoyable walk through Salisbury’s WWII ‘Rocklea Munitions Works’ and war workers’ cottages. The event was sponsored by Oxley Creek Catchment Association’s two-week Peaks to Point Festival. Although a small contingent, the participants were able to offer valuable contributions. A suggestion for at least one plaque at a central location (there are none there) seems very much in order. Below is an image of the administration building.

Discount offer to members

The Harry Gentle Research Centre is offering members of our history group a 50% discount on tickets to their two-day Bicentennial Symposium at the Ship Inn, South Bank on September 11^th and 12^th (see below). To take this offer up, please contact the Chair (Simon Cole) by commenting in the field below (see below).

Events

Saturday 7^th September – Wunya Ngulum Welcome Everyone: The Moreton Bay Bicentennial Commemoration. History Redcliffe is working with the Royal Historical Society of Queensland and Bribie Island Historical Society to present a one day conference. The cost is $65 and includes lunch and loads of wonderful presentations and loads of inclusions in the conference satchel. PO Box 370 Redcliffe Qld 4020

Wednesday 11 – 12 September – Representations of Meanjin and Moreton Bay 1824-2024: A Bicentennial Symposium.

Coopers Plains History Group Monthly Meeting
No meeting in August
Next Meeting: Saturday September 21st at 4pm
Coopers Plains Library Meeting Room (at the back)

All welcome. Please RSVP by commenting below this post on the website (if you can’t see the comment field, click the heading above).  Thanks to the friendly and helpful staff of the Coopers Plains Library for printing out these newsletters and offering them to anyone who wants to keep in touch without going online. The Coopers Plains Library Meeting Room is booked every 3^rd Saturday at 4pm for us to meet.

Dutch Houses Plaque
Origins Project

Welcome to email delivery of the CPHG’s eNewsletter.  It is most likely the first one you have received in your Inbox and as a subscriber, it will appear once a month (except for next month as I will be away) on Monday morning following the 1st Saturday of each month.

Dutch Houses Plaque

Text for a plaque to be placed in McKoy Park has been drafted with the help of the Dutch Australia Cultural Centre and is now under review by Cr Kim Marx’s office.

Origins Project

The three main components of the Origins Project to be pursued are 1) Writing up the early history of the Coopers Plains area 2) Signposting at suburban entrances signalling ‘The First Crossroad of Moreton Bay Penal Colony’ 3) Erecting a monument to the Convict Hut station.

Bicentenary Petition

Due to insufficient interest, the petition will not go ahead. (See previous News posts for more information.)

Events

Peaks to Point Sunday 21^st July – Peaks to Point Family Day. This Festival kicks off a fortnight of activities in the Oxley Creek Catchment area. CPHG will have an information stall on the day (at Oxley Creek Common, Sherwood Road). See www.peakstopoints.com.au
On Saturday 27th, our group leads a history walk around parts of Salisbury focusing on WWII heritage. For tickets, please go to https://events.humanitix.com/salisbury-history-walk

Saturday 7^th September – Wunya Ngulum Welcome Everyone: The Moreton Bay Bicentennial Commemoration. History Redcliffe is working with the Royal Historical Society of Queensland and Bribie Island Historical Society to present a one day conference. The cost is $65 and includes lunch and loads of wonderful presentations and loads of inclusions in the conference satchel. PO Box 370 Redcliffe Qld 4020

Wednesday 11 – 12 September – Representations of Meanjin and Moreton Bay 1824-2024: A Bicentennial Symposium.

Coopers Plains History Group Monthly Meeting
No meeting in August
Next Meeting: Saturday September 21st at 4pm
Coopers Plains Library Meeting Room (at the back)

All welcome. Please RSVP by commenting below this post on the website (if you can’t see the comment field, click the heading above).  Thanks to the friendly and helpful staff of the Coopers Plains Library for printing out these newsletters and offering them to anyone who wants to keep in touch without going online. The Coopers Plains Library Meeting Room is booked every 3^rd Saturday at 4pm for us to meet.

Origins Project
City Plan Heritage Amendments
Moorooka History Group
Bicentenary Update

Our Origins Project funding has taken a different trajectory. A submission supporting heritage protection is prepared. The Bicentenary campaign received a reply from the Premier. Coordinating with the Moorooka History Group.

Origins Project

We have some progress with local Councillors supporting the placement of plaques in the area, but funding for the publication of our research and the building of a monument to the Convict ‘Hut’ requires further work.

Heritage Protection Proposals

The Brisbane City Council is proposing to amend its Plan to protect a number of historic structures in our area. Among them are six of the Dutch Houses in Sunnybank – a significant win after many years of awareness-raising by our group. There are a number of other homes in Salisbury and the saw-tooth factory on Engineering Street that are also included. CPHG’s submission – due by the 16^th of June – will support these proposals, whilst pointing out that better outcomes (in terms of originality and location) would be achieved if heritage were properly embedded in planning procedures. (To see the proposals and submit your own feedback, search the BCC’s website for ‘Qualified state interest amendment local heritage’.

Moorooka History Group

Barbara Ravenswood runs our neighbouring history group and has attended our meetings regularly. In return, I have been attending their meetings held on the first Saturday of the month at St Brendan’s Church, Hawktree St., Moorooka.

Bicentenary Update

CPGH received a response from the Premier’s Office to our letter sent in March. It informed us of funding for community groups for Queensland Day, but did not mention the bicentenary. I met with Shadow Environment and Heritage Minister Mr Sam O’Connor, who expressed his support for our petition which will be launched soon. The images above are fact sheets we produced.

Commonwealth Day in the Park

Despite a small turnout, our commemoration of the first opening of Parliament (May 9^th) in Beryl Roberts Park was most engaging. The Quiz was won in a tie by two of the younger attendees, Jonathan Streeton and Samuel Hall. They will be contacted by email directly.

Events

Sunday 21^st July – Peaks to Point Family Day. Look out for this Festival which kicks off a fortnight of activities in and around the Oxley Creek Catchment area. CPHG may have an information stall at Oxley Creek Common at the Family Day. See www.peakstopoints.com.au

Saturday 7^th September – Wunya Ngulum Welcome Everyone: The Moreton Bay Bicentennial Commemoration. History Redcliffe is working with the Royal Historical Society of Queensland and Bribie Island Historical Society to present a one day conference. The cost is $65 and includes lunch and loads of wonderful presentations and loads of inclusions in the conference satchel. PO Box 370 Redcliffe Qld 4020

Wednesday 11 – 12 September – Representations of Meanjin and Moreton Bay 1824-2024: A Bicentennial Symposium.

Coopers Plains History Group Monthly Meeting

Saturday 15^th of June at 4pm
Coopers Plains Library Meeting Room (at the back)

All welcome. Please RSVP by commenting below (if you can’t see the comment field, click the top heading above).  Thanks to the friendly and helpful staff of the Coopers Plains Library for printing out these newsletters and offering them to anyone who wants to keep in touch without going online. The Coopers Plains Library Meeting Room is booked every 3^rd Saturday at 4pm for us to meet.

Event

Cooper Plains History Group Monthly Meeting
May 18^th Saturday at 4pm
Coopers Plains Library Meeting Room (at the back)

All welcome. Please RSVP by commenting below (if the field isn’t there, click on this post’s heading and try again). Thanks to the friendly and helpful staff of the Coopers Plains Library and St David’s Neighbourhood Centre for printing out our newsletters and offering them to anyone who wants to keep in touch without going online. The Coopers Plains Library Meeting Room is booked every 3^rd Saturday at 4pm for us to meet.

Items on tomorrow’s agenda include:

• Marketing materials acquired & expenses
• Origins Project grant auspicing and application
• Bicentennial petition to state government
• State & Local Government heritage amendment proposals – submissions
• Events: Reconciliation Week, Chrome St Feista, OCCA P2P Family Day
• Moorooka History Group collaboration possibilities

Recognizing Queensland’s Bicentenary
Origins Project
Events

History groups around Brisbane (including ours) are marking the very beginnings of our state with events and conferences. We are building up our ability to hold information stalls at events. Our efforts to engage local and state government is bearing some fruit.

Recognizing Queensland’s Bicentenary

The CPHG-led letter to the Premier and Opposition Leader calling for action to commemorate the founding of the Moreton Bay Penal Colony in 1824 got no reply – until this week. Just as I was beginning to draft and submit the petition to parliament, I was invited to speak with the opposition spokesperson for heritage, Mr Sam O’Connor. The Shadow Minister for the Environment is a member of the Royal Historical Society of Queensland. I will report back on our meeting in the next newsletter. So far, no word from the Premier, so the petition will go ahead.

I attended a Wednesday lunchtime presentation at the RHSQ’s home, the Commissariat Store on William Street by Professor John Pearn. “The Moreton Bay Settlement 1824 Bicentenary”. Last week at the New Farm Historical Society, Tamsin O’Connor gave a very eloquent presentation describing how the Brisbane (Moreton Bay Settlement) centenary was celebrated in 1924.

Origins Project

The Origins Project is now on our website. It will also be in print form at our information stalls.

I spoke to Cr Griffiths (Moorooka Ward) about marking significant sites with informative plaques and he is supportive. We have his office to thank for printing some of the material for our event on Saturday 11th. Cr Marx (Runcorn Ward) is also receptive to the idea of placing plaques in front of two of the best examples of the Dutch Houses. We missed the deadline for the Lord Mayor’s history grant so we’ll now have to wait until July. Annerley Stephens History Group has offered to auspice our application. In the spirit of Reconciliation Week (May 27 – June 3), I will visit kuril dahgun, the Aboriginal meeting place at the State Library Queensland, to connect with any knowledge-bearers of the Coopers Plains area.

Events

Bicentenary Events happening around Brisbane:

Saturday 7th September – Wunya Ngulum Welcome Everyone: The Moreton Bay Bicentennial Commemoration. History Redcliffe is working with the Royal Historical Society of Queensland and Bribie Island Historical Society to present a one day conference. The cost is $65 and includes lunch and loads of wonderful presentations and loads of inclusions in the conference satchel. PO Box 370 Redcliffe Qld 4020

Wednesday 11th and Thursday 12th September – Representations of Meanjin and Moreton Bay 1824-2024: A Bicentennial Symposium. Griffith University and the Harry Gentle Resource Centre will be hosting a two-day symposium at the Ship Inn, South Bank. See harrygentle.griffith.edu.au

State Library Queensland blog series commemorating the 200th anniversary of John Oxley first entering Maiwar, the Brisbane River.

Commonwealth Day in the Park

Our biggest event to date – coinciding with the first opening of Federal Parliament – an opportunity to introduce our group to the community and provide fun, educational material for all ages. Saturday 11^th of May 12 – 3pm, Beryl Roberts Park. We’ll also have an information stall at St David’s Autumn Festival from 8:30 – 11:45. Volunteers needed. Thank you to Peter Russo MP and Graham Perrett MP for assistance.

Coopers Plains History Group Monthly Meeting

Saturday 18^th of May at 4pm
Coopers Plains Library Meeting Room (at the back)

All welcome. Please RSVP by commenting below. Thanks to the friendly and helpful staff of the Coopers Plains Library for printing out these newsletters and offering them to anyone who wants to keep in touch without going online. The Coopers Plains Library Meeting Room is booked every 3^rd Saturday at 4pm for us to meet.

Saturday May 11th from 12 noon

Marking a significant day in the calendar – the anniversary of the First Opening of Federal Parliament.

Do come along and enjoy a day out at Beryl Roberts Park, Barham St., Coopers Plains.

Volunteers needed on the day – please contact us.

We’ll also be at St David’s Neighbourhood Centre in the morning.