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.

Event

Cooper Plains History Group Monthly Meeting
April 20^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 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.

Items on tomorrow’s agenda include:

• Origins Project grant auspicing and application
• Marketing materials for two up-coming outdoor events:
• Commonwealth Day Saturday May 11th and OCCA Peaks to Point Family Day Sunday 21st July
• Bicentennial petition to state government

Coopers Plains Origin Project Update
Heritage & Environment

Origin Project – incorporating the Dutch Houses

We are waiting on word from St David’s Neighbourhood Centre as to whether we will be auspiced for an application to Brisbane City Council’s Lord Mayor’s Better Suburb Grants. This is essential because our group is not a legal entity as such with a bank account. Once that assurance is given, the grant will apply for funds to cover expenses incurred by our plans to promote the area as the First Crossroad of Moreton Bay Penal Colony as part of this year’s Bicentenary of Queensland’s conception. That will include authoring the investigation into the ‘Cowper’s Convict Government Camp’ or ‘Hut’, its publication and presentation for education to the wider community, a cairn monument to be erected in the vicinity of the Hut, plaques around the suburb at historically significant locations (aided by our local Ward representative) and marketing material for our group. We need marketing material to, for example, hold an information stall at Oxley Creek Catchment Association’s Peaks to Point Family Day opening event this year on Sunday 21 July at the Oxley Creek Common.

As mentioned in last month’s newsletter, we identified 4 McKoy Street, Coopers Plains as a much better Dutch House to set aside for public access in the form of a history cafe. Better, that is, than 9 Macdevitt Street where OCCA is currently housed. in the Cornerstone Living area. However, it is privately owned by small-time investors, which makes any possibility of public access very difficult. Therefore our strategy now is to call on City Council to place an information plaque in front of both Dutch Houses (at Macdevitt and McKoy Streets) describing their unique place in Brisbane’s public housing and migrant history. This will be pursued by the Coopers Plains History Group as part of the Origin Project.

Heritage and Environment

At our March meeting, my call to add Heritage and Environment as a subtitle to our group was approved. It now appears on our homepage.  It states that “We include heritage and environmental concerns in our critique of the past, present and future.” This brings our group’s interests and concerns into the modern era. It is fitting, also, that our first public information stall with proper marketing material will be at OCCA’s Family Day, which “invites catchment, bushcare, community, history and wildlife groups as well as local businesses that have a focus on environment to host an activity or have a stall.”

Neighbour Day

Sunday, March 31st saw our group attempt to host an information stall at Beryl Roberts Park as part of Relationships Australia’s Neighbour Day of Action. Local realtor, Smith & Li has promised us a banner and flyers, but unfortunately their printing machine ran out of ink. Mr Smith has promised to send out a promotional flyer throughout the suburb to give our group exposure. He has also promised to provide us with a pull-up banner showing our logo:

Events

Cooper Plains History Group Monthly Meeting
April 20^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 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.

Changed Start Time – 10AM

Neighbour Day Sunday – 31st of March at Beryl Roberts Park

Apologies for the late notice, but our stall at the Neighbour Day tomorrow will begin at 10 am with Easter celebrations. It will go until 11am or longer, depending on numbers.

There will be a free sausage sizzle, Easter Egg bags for the kids and a prize for the best Bunny Ears on the day (a template was letterbox-dropped last week you can use if you want).

Coopers Plains History Group will have an exciting display and Fruitful Suburb will be there with produce to share. Please feel free to bring along your won and share it with the community.

The late notice is a result of the rain disrupting our plans. We look forward to see you tomorrow.

Neighbour Day Stall

We will meet at the usual time and place this month.

March 23^rd 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 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.

Neighbour Day Stall – Sunday March 31st from 11am Beryl Roberts Park

Relationships Australia‘s big annual event is Neighbour Day which I have been hosting annually in Coopers Plains for about 6 years.  This year, local realtor Smith & Li is supporting the event to make it bigger than ever in Beryl Roberts Park.  They are very kindly providing our history group with marketing material – a poster and flyers – for us to promote our group at our own stall.  We need volunteers to mind the stall and answer inquiries.  Very simple really and a fun way to meet locals.  If you can help please either comment below, come to our meeting this Saturday.  Smith & Li are providing advertising, equipment and refreshments on the day.  There will be an Easter Egg Hunt for the kiddies, sausage sizzle, drinks and a Fruitful Suburbs sharing market where you can bring your excess garden produce or crafts to give away and take a morsel of what might suit your needs, for free. Bring a generous spirit (:>).

Our DL flyer:

Our Poster:

Letter to the Premier & Opposition Leader

The following letter was sent yesterday and 27 Brisbane history and cultural groups were included:

While a positive response is anticipated, a state government ePetition and paper petition will be launched, coordinated and promoted to give added impetus to the campaign. The petitions will close in November, after the state election in October.