Redcliffe, Queensland

This article is about the suburb of Redcliffe. For the metropolis of Redcliffe, see Redcliffe City, Queensland. For the former municipality, see City of Redcliffe. For the electorate, see Electoral district of Redcliffe.
Redcliffe
Queensland
Population 9,201 (2011 census)[1]
Established 13 September 1824
Postcode(s) 4020
Location 28 km (17 mi) NNE of Brisbane CBD
LGA(s) Moreton Bay Region
State electorate(s) Redcliffe
Federal Division(s) Petrie
Suburbs around Redcliffe:
Newport Scarborough Moreton Bay
Kippa-Ring Redcliffe Moreton Bay
Clontarf Margate Moreton Bay

Redcliffe is a residential suburb of the Brisbane metropolitan area located within Moreton Bay Region LGA in the north-east of the Redcliffe peninsula, approximately 28 kilometres (17 mi) north-north-east of the Brisbane CBD. It serves as the Central Business District for the Redcliffe Peninsula and its surrounding suburbs.

Redcliffe is part of the statistical division of Brisbane. The town's name originates from "Red Cliff Point" named by the explorer John Oxley. Redcliffe became Queensland's first colony in 1824; however, it was soon abandoned for Brisbane. Since the 1880s, Redcliffe has been a popular seaside resort location due to its proximity to Brisbane. It is served by a small general aviation airfield, Redcliffe Airport (ICAO: YRED), located 2.5 nautical miles (4.6 km; 2.9 mi) northwest of Redcliffe in the suburb of Rothwell.

Demographics

In the 2011 census, the population of Redcliffe was 9,201; 52% female and 48% male.[1] The median age of the Redcliffe population was 44 years of age, 7 years above the Australian median. Children aged under 15 years made up 15.5% of the population and people aged 65 years and over made up 20.7% of the population. 68.4% of people living in Redcliffe were born in Australia, compared to the national average of 69.8%; the next most common countries of birth were England 7%, New Zealand 6.3%, Scotland 1%, Philippines 0.8%, Netherlands 0.7%. 86.8% of people spoke only English at home; the next most popular languages were 0.5% Italian, 0.4% Tagalog, 0.4% German, 0.3% Dutch, 0.3% Samoan.[1]

History

Further information: History of Queensland
Beachside path, 1906

Before European settlement, the Redcliffe Peninsula was occupied by the indigenous Ningy Ningy people. The native name is Kau-in-Kau-in, which means Blood-Blood (red-like blood).[2]

Redcliffe holds the distinction of being the first European settlement in Queensland, first visited by Matthew Flinders on 17 July 1799.[3] Explorer John Oxley recommended "Red Cliff Point" – named after the red-coloured cliffs visible from Moreton Bay – to the Governor Thomas Brisbane for the new colony, reporting that ships could land at any tide and easily get close to the shore.[4] The party settled in Redcliffe on 13 September 1824, under the command of Lieutenant Henry Miller with 14 soldiers, some with wives and children, and 29 convicts. However, this settlement was abandoned after one year and the colony was moved south to a site on the Brisbane River at North Quay, 28 km (17 mi) south, that offered a more reliable water supply.

Crowds at the beach, 1937

Redcliffe became a pastoral district in the 1860s and in the 1880s boomed as a seaside resort town with the twin screw excursion steamer Koopa making regular trips to its jetty from 1911. The principal route fro passengers was a steamer from Sandgate pier to Woody Point Pier. The Hornibrook Bridge connecting Clontarf in the Town of Redcliffe to Brighton in City of Brisbane was completed in 1935 and allowed easy access to and from Brisbane by motor car leading the way to rapid suburban development.[5] That led to the cessation of the Sandgate to Woody Point steamers.

In 1958, The Gibb family from Manchester, England emigrated to this area and called it home for a period. Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb went on to form the highly successful music group, The Bee Gees. In 1959, Brisbane based Speedcar driver Bill Goode, the promoter of the Redcliffe Speedway (located at the Redcliffe Showgrounds) hired the brothers to entertain the crowds at the speedway from the back of a truck during the interval. This was the first ever public performance by the trio.[6] In a letter to the Redcliffe Museum in 1999, Barry Gibb wrote "The smell of the oil, the noise and the atmosphere was incredible. This was the first public appearance Robin, Maurice and I ever made in Australia. We sang through the PA system and people threw money onto the track, and we met Brisbane's leading DJ and racing car driver Bill Gates, who suggested we call ourselves the BG's and even played our songs on his radio show, "Swinging' Gates' Platter Chatter". Hence Redcliffe became the birthplace of the Bee Gees."

The former Redcliffe Town Council Chambers, 2016

The first high-rise apartment building was "Redcliffe Towers" at 89 Marine Parade which were finished in 1974.[7] The following year, "Warwick Tower" at 51 Marine Parade was then constructed allowing for a new building height limit of eight storeys in the area. Currently, Redcliffe has a height restriction of twelve storeys along its main strip and new development is continually in the pipeline, just like everywhere else within a 100 km radius, as the current roads, housing, healthcare and basic services necessary are no where near equipt or adequate for the constantly growing population. Also in 1975, the toll on the Hornibrook Highway was removed.[7]

Heritage listings

Redcliffe has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:

Attractions and features

Redcliffe Lagoon, 2016
Redcliffe Jetty

Attractions such as Suttons Beach, Redcliffe Jetty, Settlement Cove Lagoon, Redcliffe Museum, Redcliffe Botanic Gardens and Redcliffe Showgrounds are all within the suburb of Redcliffe. Well established restaurants including Sails On Suttons, The Redcliffe Town Icecreamery, Mon Komo Hotel and The Jetty Cafe are all found along the foreshore. Every Sunday morning the Jetty Markets are held along Redcliffe Parade.

In September each year, Redcliffe celebrates its history as Queensland's first European settlement location with the 'Redcliffe Remembers' festival event. This festival is chiefly held in the Redcliffe CBD with Redcliffe Parade being closed off to traffic for most of the day. Other events as part of this festival include the Redcliffe KiteFest, The Jetty Fiesta, KiteFest Live and Spring Break Beach Party.

A statue and walkway in honour of the Bee Gees, which was unveiled by Barry Gibb on 14 February 2013. Barry returned to open the second stage of the walkway on 9 September 2015.[12]

Education

Sport and recreation

A number of well-known sporting teams represent the local area. Some of them are the well known Sandgate-Redcliffe Gators, Redcliffe Dolphins, Redcliffe Tigers and Redcliffe Padres. Redcliffe hosts the only harness racing in Queensland that is North of Brisbane at the Redcliffe Harness Racing & Sporting Club.[13]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "Redcliffe (Qld) (State Suburb)". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 26 October 2014.
  2. ↑ Petrie, Constance Campbell; Petrie, Tom, 1831–1910 (1992). Tom Petrie's reminiscences of early Queensland (4th ed.). University of Queensland Press. p. 317. ISBN 978-0-7022-2383-9.
  3. ↑ "Redcliffe". Travel. The Sydney Morning Herald. 8 February 2004. Retrieved 17 May 2008.
  4. ↑ Potter, Ron. "Place Names of South East Queensland". Piula Publications. Retrieved 17 May 2008.
  5. ↑ "HORNIBROOK HIGHWAY OPENED.". The Courier-Mail (Brisbane, Qld. : 1933 - 1954). Brisbane, Qld.: National Library of Australia. 5 October 1935. p. 15. Retrieved 28 June 2015.
  6. ↑ Van Extel, Cathy (13 February 2013). "Bee Gees first promoter tells about band's early days in Australia". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 14 February 2014.
  7. 1 2 "Buildings, Structures and Memorials" (PDF). Redcliffe Historical Timeline. Moreton Bay Regional Council. 2008. Retrieved 7 September 2016.
  8. ↑ "Anzac Memorial Avenue (former) (entry 602693)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 11 July 2013.
  9. ↑ "Redcliffe Fire Station (entry 602548)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 11 July 2013.
  10. ↑ "Comino's Arcade (entry 602692)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 11 July 2013.
  11. ↑ "Redcliffe Town Council Chambers (former) (entry 601567)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 11 July 2013.
  12. ↑ "Barry Gibb returns to Redcliffe to unveil stage two of Moreton Bay Regional Council's Bee Gees Way". www.couriermail.com.au. News Corp. 11 September 2015. Retrieved 12 September 2015.
  13. ↑ "Redcliffe Harness Racing & Sporting Club Inc". Retrieved 21 July 2015.
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Coordinates: 27°13′33″S 153°06′23″E / 27.2258°S 153.1063°E / -27.2258; 153.1063

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