Brisbane

USC11_0001
[Image of a man]
F. J. WATSON, F.R.G.S.A.

No.....2315

ADULT EDUCATION CENTRE

Corner EDWARD and ANN STREETS, BRISBANE

LENDING LIBRARY.

USC11_0002
Editress: Miss May Dunn.

All correspondence to be addressed to
D. A. O'Brien, F.R.G.S.A.,
217 North Quay, Brisbane.

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CAPTAIN H. C. KENT to THE SECRETARY FOR PUBLIC LANDS.

"Menzies," Brisbane, 25th September, 1905 (sic).
Sir,-I have the honour to request the favour of your kindly granting me, on behalf of a syndicate, to be known as the " Fraser Island Produce Company," two blocks of land on Fraser Island as timber leases.

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EXTRACT FR0M THE "SYDNEY MAIL."

THE DEVELOPMENT OF FRASER ISLAND.

Captain Kent is now in Brisbane pressing on the Government a scheme for the development of Fraser Island and the establishment of several industries. Primarily, the proposal is to develop the timber industry, but along with this will be the establishment of the pearl and edible oyster business; the growth of sisal hemp and canning of fish. Captain Kent is acting -on behalf of a New South Wales syndicate, which is prepared to make a large expenditure carrying out their proposals. The application made to the Government is that a large portion of Fraser Island not otherwise taken up should be handed over by the Government, in return for which the syndicate will take all the aboriginals in the district, not only maintain them free of expense to the Government, but pay them well for all work done.

USC21_0010
In an interview with the Secretary for Lands, Kent tried to bluff his way by stating he had been promised timber leases and should not have to tender for them at public auction. When he saw he was not getting what he wanted he left threatening to write to the Courier, which he did, casting reflections on the Administration of the Lands Department. This brought a prompt response from Brown of Brown and Broad, timber merchants of Brisbane, stating that Kent had approached him with an offer to sell timber concessions on Fraser Is. which he was just about to secure from the Government.
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There were more letters, then finally the C.I.B. came into it and revealed that Herbert Kent, alias Kenneth Graeme, alias J. K. Graham, alias Henry Grant had had four criminal convictions in the following places, Broken Hill, Parramatta, Sydney and Brisbane for forgery and uttering (2 charges), false pretences, stealing in a dwelling and illegally on premises.

USC21_0004
COPY, SUPPLIED BY MR. GEORGE BROWN TO THE SECRETARY FOR PUBLIC LANDS, OF LETTER
ADDRESSED BY MR. BROWN TO THE EDITOR OF THE " BRISBANE COURIER."

Brisbane, 31st October, 1907.
The Editor, Brisbane Courier, Queen street, City.

DEAR SIR,- I shall be glad be glad if you will publish the letter; attached, dealing with the paragraph in the morning's Courier relative to Lands Administration.
Yours truly,
GEORGE BROWN,
Managing Director, Brown and Broad, Limited.
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GEORGE BROWN,
Brisbane, 31st October, 1907.
Managing Director, Brown and Broad, Limited.
Price ls. 3d.]

By Authority: GEORGE ARTHUR VAUGHAN, Government Printer, William street, Brisbane.

USC22_0003
Fraser Island is named from Captain Fraser of the ship "Stirling Castle," wrecked on Elizabeth Reef, 300 miles to the south-east on 21st May, 1836.
Fraser Island , Mrs. Fraser, the mate Brown, and some of the crew finally landed on Fraser Island, were received in a friendly manner by the blacks, and passed on in canoes t the mainland at Inskip Point, to be forwarded to the white people at the Brisbane Convict Settlement, which no one reached except Mrs. Fraser, the others, according to her three different and very contradictory stories, being killed by the blacks at or near the present Noosa River.

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By Authority: GEORGE ARTHUR VAUGHAN, Government Printer, William street, Brisbane.

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While Captain Fraser said that he would try to repair the lifeboat, others said that they would rather walk to the Moreton Bay Settlement because the lifeboat was totally unsafe and unseaworthy.
They said that they had been betrayed by the men who had manned the Stirling Castle's other lifeboat and which was more seaworthy. The other party had been towing them but failed to return for them after taking off on an excursion to obtain water and it is feared that they headed for Brisbane without them.
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She said that then half of their party had then mutinied and walked off leaving her husband, Captain James Fraser, four other surviviors and herself on the beach without enough manpower to get the boat off.
"The poor diet, our weakened condition and and urgency of getting medical help for my husband forced us to try to walk to Brisbane under the cover of darkness but we were overtaken by blacks.
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The committee would like to acknowledge the use of the Mitchell Library, Brisbane.
Text is from "Discovering Fraser Island and Cooloola" by John Sinclair.
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USC185_0002
Brisbane. 10th August. 1836:Three mariners from the brig Stirling Castle which was wrecked 10 weeks ago arrived in Brisbane today after an horrific ordeal at sea and living with blacks.
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Brisbane, 1842: Explorer Henry Stuart Russell claimed that former convict and bunda, William Bracefell, who returned to Brisbane with him from Wide Bay should be given credit for rescuing Mrs. Fraser six years ago.

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Approximately one hundred miles due north of Brisbane, Fraser Island is separated from the mainland by the relatively shallow Sandy Straits, which vary in width from three to five miles.

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Now for the first time you have easy access to all parts of the Island form the Southern End by the 40ft. Landing Barge "Fraser Dawn". It is now possible for Brisbane people to be on Fraser Island in five hours.

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THE PETRIES AND FRASER ISLAND
The pioneering Petrie family headed by Andrew Petrie first came to Queensland during the early days of the penal settlement, where Andrew was superintendent of Works. During the time the Petrie family played a prominent part in pioneering Queensland, leaving the Petrie names in several parts of Brisbane and suburbs and Queensland.

In 1842 when the penal settlement closed and Queensland was being opened up for free settlement, Andrew Petrie led a party to explore and discover the Moonaboola River (The Mary) which they had heard aborigines talk about in Brisbane.

USC295_0003
While this chap lived on the Island. Jerry Jerome came to live there. He was an aboriginal boxer who went to Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne. They pensioned him off and he settled on Fraser Island.

USC295_0011
MOONBI is indebted to Gerrald Patterson of Brisbane who has provided F.I.D.O. with copies of the papers of this remarkable character. Most of the biographical background in MOONBI is drawn from "Reminiscences of a Queensland Pioneer" - a 32 page biography by the "Skipper" published in 1926.

USC295_0017
N.W.Jolly was Director of Forests, Brisbane in 1913 and must have handed over to McSwain in 1918 or '19, and was still there at the end of 1917.