Catching Island Fishing Stories - North Stradbroke Island Historical

North Stradbroke Island
Historical Museum
Museum: 15-17 Welsby Street, Dunwich, 4183
If not delivered, return to PO Box 80, Dunwich 4183
www.stradbrokemuseum.com.au
Ph: 3409 9699
Newsletter
NSI Historical Museum gratefully
acknowledges the assistance of
Sibelco Australia in the production of
this Newsletter.
Catching Island Fishing Stories
The fishing industry is an
important part of the
history of North
Stradbroke Island. For
generations, the Quandamooka people cared for
the land and sea, and
maintained a sustainable
and abundant fishery.
Colonisation saw the
commercial exploitation
of these marine resources.
City Council Project
Support Grant to
research and record
the Island commercial
fishing industry.
The Museum would
like to record stories,
video and photographs from the old
Moreton Bay and
Stradbroke Island
fishing families, as
well as the contemporary fishing industry,
including the bay
fishery, ocean beach
fishery, oyster
growers, prawning
and crabbing and the
local retail businesses.
Fishing is one of the
earliest industries in
Queensland. The dugong
industry operated in
Moreton Bay from the
1850’s. The Oyster Act
1871 made provision for
the licensing of oyster
banks. From the late
One of Moreton Bay’s first commercial
1870’s until the 1920’s
fisherman, George Shillington Smith.
On January Friday
the biggest operating
Photo courtesy Ailsa Perry.
17, 2014 the
entity in Queensland was
Museum will host a wine and cheese night
the Moreton Bay Oyster Company.
with John Parke, the author of the newly
For almost the whole of the 20th century, the published book Against the Tide,
Island-based Levinge family managed the
Queensland’s Moreton Bay Fishing Industry
Moreton Bay Oyster Company. The ocean
since 1824. There will be a display of old
beach and inshore fisheries have operated since photographs and contemporary footage from
the late 1800’s and prior to the Queensland
Wynnum Creek based fishing families. Come
Fisheries Act 1877.
along to the Museum from 5pm—7pm.
The prawn fishery commenced in 1849. In
the 1950’s the whaling industry commenced
at Tangalooma on Moreton Island until the
decline of the whale population forced closure
in the early 1960’s.
The Museum has been awarded a Redland
If you can contribute to this rich heritage and
help enhance our understanding of this
valuable commercial industry, call the
Museum on 3409 9699, email
[email protected],
or just pop in.
Volume 21 No 4
Summer Edition
December 2013
Inside this issue:
AGM Report
2
Marie Rose 50th
Anniversary
3
Museum Musings
4
Memberships
4
STOP PRESS
The Amity Shop Benefit
was rather damp.
However, the Amity
Point v Lockyer Valley
cricket game was played
with great gusto, the
refreshments were
plentiful and the music
kept people bopping
from 10am—10pm!
Island people rallied
around and supplied
items for the raffle, with
the Museum donating a
basket of goodies.
All up, over $27,000 was
raised to help rebuild the
shop, which burnt down
in November. Well done!
Become a
Fan of the NSIHM
on Facebook for
updates and news!
From the President’s AGM Report …
an edited skip through the past year
“The most rewarding developments during the year were the
interactive programs with
Dunwich State School and other
schools. It was particularly gratifying to see Dunwich Year 1 class in
the Museum on a weekly basis for
a whole term. Other classes from
many regional schools have
enjoyed interesting visits using
educational materials prepared to
comply with the new National
History Curriculum.
The Museum formed an ongoing
relationship with the Moreton Bay
Environmental Education Centre,
which will involve many visits
from SEQ State and High Schools.
History and another on the history
of beach mining on NSI was
published in a Royal Society of
Queensland journal. Two
presentations and many tours were
given on the historically
significant Dunwich Cemetery,
and I am pleased to tell you Althea
Vickers now conducts regular
tours of the cemetery on the first
Saturday of each month.
The Museum continued to provide
community service placements for
local youth.
A highlight during the year was a “road show” display and
presentation at Amity Point. It was the first in a planned
series of community displays, and was very successful with 80
people attending and the collection of over 500 photos and
documents.
To celebrate 170 years since the Passionists established the
first Catholic Mission to the Aborigines in Australia, the
“Growing up Catholic” exhibition was held, curated by
Michael Aird. The exhibition was opened by the Archbishop
of Brisbane, Mark Coleridge, with over 200 people attending.
A new Online Heritage Trail was created, winning an
international Google Outreach Award.
A lot of functions were held during the year and the highlights
were; the Australian Languages Workshop, the annual field
workshop for the UQ Museum Studies program, two functions
for the Lines in the Sand Festival and the Stradbroke Chamber
Music Festival. The annual Museums Alight celebration had
the theme of “Social Change”, and we prepared a display
featuring the Bridge Protests of 1987/1988. As in past years,
we had an open morning tea and Anzac biscuits for Anzac
Day. The annual Seniors Week function last year had a minimarket and morning tea, and this year the function was an
entertaining concert by James Lergessner and his musical
partner Cliff, celebrating the history of Cloudland ballroom.
The annual Straddie Shorts film festival was again held in the
Museum grounds.
The Museum hosted historical walking tours around the
heritage sites of Dunwich as part of the “A Taste of Straddie”
event.
Three Committee members attended a successful Small
Museums Conference in Toowoomba. The volunteers also
visited several museums in the Brisbane area including
Miegunyah historic house at Newstead, and the Canning Stock
Route exhibition at Queensland Museum.
An article was published in the Queensland Journal of Labour
2
We won a “Your Community
Grant” from the Federal Government for a project based on the
Dunwich Hall Centenary and the Benevolent Asylum.
Staff from the Moreton Bay Environment Education
Centre bringing primary school students to the Museum.
Redland City Council maintained their financial support of
almost $60,000 for the Museum, which represents 25-30% of
our operating costs. We appreciate this continued recognition
from the Council in a time of economic constraint at all levels
of government. The funding is a significant help in maintaining the Museum and its services to the Island communities.
The Marmalade Makers Judy and Mike Hines, Bruce Martin,
and a new maker Elizabeth Butterworth, continued their
labours. With the good crop this year and other sources of fruit
the revenue was $4500, 25% more than last year- a
commendable and valuable service for the Museum and for
our satisfied customers.
A working bee was very well attended by volunteers to
thoroughly clean the buildings and the galleries and artefacts.
This was followed by a sausage and fresh mullet sizzle.
Heather Way who produces the hand towels is also a
significant contributor to our earnings. We are grateful for the
generous time and effort volunteered by many people,
particularly Mike Ricks, Bill Rhodes, Richard Smith from the
Marie Rose Medical Centre, Jonathan and Kate Hodge, and
Jalum Fishery and Rick Perry who donated fresh mullet to
give a little class to our sausage sizzles.
We appreciate the help from Sibelco Mining who generously
print our newsletter and help out in other ways, and Dunwich
State School who give us the newspapers from which we
extract Island-related clippings to add to our collection.
2013/2014 has started just as busy as last year, and we will
continue to strive to be an active member of our local and
cultural communities, and to keep the Museum as a vibrant
and welcoming place to be.
Geoff Moore
President, North Stradbroke Historical Museum Inc.
The complete text of this speech is at
www.stradbrokemuseum.com.au
50 Years of Nursing Care in Dunwich
The Marie Rose Health Clinic Aunty Rose Borey
celebrated its 50th anniversary worked from 1964—
in November.
1966 as a domestic and
The Dunwich Nursing Centre- cleaner for Sister
as it was called in 1963—was Panda. “I had to help
with medical treatment
established to replace the
as well. It was a full-on
weekly visits by the doctors
job, but the money was
who visited from Cleveland,
holding clinics in the Dunwich good.”
“The day the Nursing Centre was
officially opened, the weather was
very wild. The Bay was extremely
rough. It was so bad in fact that the
Water Police launch, the
“Vendetta”, could not land at the
Dunwich Jetty.
The launch went round into the One
Mile Anchorage and the official
“Sister Panda was as
party had to wade ashore. The
good as a doctor and
Sister Georgette Panda was
opening was delayed for about an
always
really
busy.
She
the first sister, and she ran the
hour and a half.
would not approve any
clinic until Dr Frank Carroll
medication until she had A marquee which was to be used as
arrived in 1975.
rung through to the
a refreshment centre was blown
The Courier Mail reported in
doctors in the Cleveland
over and torn.
1987: “When she arrived in
Clinic for approval.
After the opening ceremony was
1963 there were no roads,
Either Dr Foxton, Dr
over, and everyone had inspected
infrequent barges and no
Brown or Dr Ryan used
the very, very nice building,
doctor. Emergency cases were to come over on
afternoon tea was served by the
taken by boat to the mainland, Tuesday and Thursday.
local ladies in the Hall.”
often with Sister Panda
You were in trouble if
accompanying a patient. She you got sick on a
Gladys Rahnsleben,
was not only an ambulance
Rahnsleben Scrap Book”, Fryer Library,
Friday!”
University of Queensland
bearer and surrogate doctor,
“Aunty
Bethal
Murray
but also the cleaning lady,
was the reason that they
state emergency service
got the clinic. Aunty Bethal
threatened the Dunwich
volunteer and occasionally
used
to
go
with
the
pregnant
Hospital with closure. There
the island veterinarian.”
women to the mainland
were many ‘letters to the ediIn 1996, the current building
hospital when they needed
tor’ published in the local
was opened, and named after medical treatment. Harold
newspaper, and a protest
local woman, Marie Rose.
Walker would take them over meeting was held in Dunwich.
in his boat and she would stay The Hospital was kept open
“Marie Rose was a tireless
worker for the Ambulance. She at his house near the jetty. An because of the strong support
shown by Island residents.
was to be seen each Saturday, Aboriginal man from Cherbourg,
Len,
came
to
Dunwich
setting up her stall of prizes
The original building of the
and her little table and chair, in and went to see Aunty Bethal Dunwich Hospital is today
Murray and learnt of the need
all weathers, on the corner
for an island-based clinic. This used as a residence for Marie
near St Marks’s Church.
Rose Centre staff.
Sometimes her raffles were for Len knew the health minister
at the time and told him of the
prizes from the stall, and
INK DROPS
community’s need. When they
sometimes she donated
The Museum has partnered with
opened it, all of the Aunties
crocheted items she made
Planet Ark to receive used ink carherself. It was a rare thing for were invited as special guests:
tridges for recycling. Drop your old
Aunty Mabel Brown, Aunty
ink cartridges into the box in our reany resident to walk past
Lucy
Ruska,
Aunty
Bethal
ception area, and we will send them
Marie without buying a ticket
off to Planet Ark. To see how the
Murray
and
Aunty
Chrissy
or stopping for a social chat
cartridges are recycled, check out
Sofin.
with her.” (From an interview
http://cartridges.planetark.org/
with Judy Madden, 2008)
In 1989, the State Government
Hall.
3
Museum Musings
We have an interesting selection of prizes
in this year’s Christmas Raffle - tickets
available at the Museum and the Markets
First Prize: Barge return voucher from
Stradbroke Holidays
Second Prize: Beach Shelter from
Dunwich Super Sports
Third Prize: Basket of Museum Goodies
Tickets $2 each or three for $5 and drawn
at the last Point Lookout Market before
Christmas – Sunday December 22.
The Museum was recently visited by the
great-grand-daughter of the Earl of
Stradbroke. Lesley Hamer and her partner
were on the Island and felt they should at
least visit our Museum to see what we
have on the famous family. Apparently her
ancestor was disinherited and she knows
nothing about the elusive, current Earl.
However she has a great aunt in
Melbourne who could know more. As we
still display the Stradbroke crest in our
Museum logo, could this be an opportunity
to do some catching up?
The second Amity Point Open Day was
another great success with approximately
70 people attending. The screening of
photographs given to the Museum at the
earlier Amity Day this year was very
popular. It is intended to visit Point
Lookout in the first half of 2014. Get your
photos ready!
Are there any enthusiastic gardeners out
there who would like to give one day a
month (or more) to the Museum gardens
and grounds? Straddie Garden Care does
the mowing and the jam makers tend the
cumquat trees, so it would just be a case of
weeding and keeping the few gardens
spruce. You might even have some ideas
of your own to beautify the place. Love to
hear from you.
We would also like to thank some local
businesses for their support. Bill Rhodes
recently donated several hours of his time
checking power points in our building. And
long-time Museum supporters John &
Christine Tonkin have sold their pharmacy
and are leaving the Island...we have always
appreciated their support and wish them
all the very best.
Barbara Smith
4
Membership clarification
Ok. It seems we confused everybody with our
announcement about memberships in the last
newsletter. So, here is a clarification.
We are now offering all permanent residents of
North Stradbroke Island free entry to the
Museum.
We want all Islanders to feel they can pop in
anytime, and bring their visitors and be part
of the Museum community.
BUT...we love our Museum members, so if you
are a Straddie resident, we welcome you to
continue your Museum subscription and to
keep enjoying the benefits of membership, such
as the newsletter and the discounts on
Museum publications.
Membership forms are enclosed for those who
haven’t renewed for this year.
If you are still confused, give Lisa a ring at the
Museum! Hope to see you in the Museum soon.
CEMETERY TOURS
Our resident cemetery expert Althea Vickers conducts
tours of the Dunwich Cemetery on the first
Saturday of every month.
Meet Althea at the
cemetery entrance in
Flinders Avenue at 10am.
Welcome to all of our
new members
Ann Baillie
Elizabeth Butterworth
Cathy Corbett
Patrick & Fiona Cowell
Gordon Davidson
Ruth Ernst
Kaye Evans
Carol Fuhrmeister
John Goodman
Lois Litherland
Ann Mohun
Andrew Newman
Joan Norris
Elizabeth Ord Burns
Evelyn Parkin
Lester & Kay Postans
Angela Puata
Jeff Rickertt
Don & Marie Scott
Colin Small
Fiona Stager & Kevin Guy
Rick Thomason
Jean Walton
Trevor & Ann Weston
Rhonda & Frank Wruck