Black's Camp, Wynnum facts for kids
Black's Camp (also called Wynnum Camp) was a large, long-lasting Aboriginal campsite. It was located on the coast of Moreton Bay in Queensland, Australia. Today, this area is known as Wynnum. Black's Camp was like a settled village for Aboriginal people. It was one of several important campsites in the Wynnum area during the mid to late 1800s.
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Discovering Black's Camp History
The first records of an Aboriginal camp in the Wynnum area date back to the 1840s. A man named Thomas Petrie described it. He noted that people living there would travel to St Helena Island. They went there to hunt flying foxes. They also gathered 'cotton bush' from the Wynnum foreshore. This plant was used to make dilly-bags, which are traditional woven bags.
Where Was Black's Camp Located?
European settlers started moving into the Wynnum area in the late 1850s. They settled near the mouth of Wynnum Creek. Black's Camp was found on a flat, salty area north of Wynnum Creek. Today, parts of this land are covered by Greene Park and Elanora Park. 27°25′59″S 153°10′19″E / 27.433°S 153.172°E
Other Campsites in the Wynnum Area
Black's Camp was not the only permanent Aboriginal campsite. Other important camps were also in the Wynnum area. One was called Lindum Camp. It was located in Wynnum West. 27°26′31″S 153°08′53″E / 27.442°S 153.148°E Lindum Camp was special because it became the only Aboriginal fishing reserve. This reserve was created in the southern Brisbane region. Another camp was Manly Camp. It was located where the Manly Hotel stands today in Manly. 27°27′14″S 153°11′06″E / 27.454°S 153.185°E
Life at Black's Camp
In the 1880s, people living at Black's Camp led fishing and hunting trips. These trips were advertised in Brisbane newspapers. Both Aboriginal people and European settlers worked together. They helped build the local fishing industry around Wynnum Creek.
However, there were sometimes disagreements between the original residents and the new settlers. For example, in 1884, a group of "roughs" attacked Black's Camp. This attack was described as "serious and unprovoked."
A well-known person from Black's Camp was 'King Sandy' Kerwalli. He was also known as Gairballie. He passed away in Wynnum in May 1900.
What Happened to Black's Camp?
In the early 1900s, Wynnum grew into a busy seaside town. Many people from Black's Camp moved into houses in the town. They found jobs there. Others moved to Stradbroke Island.
By 1908, Black's Camp was mostly empty. The Wynnum Town Council bought the land. They turned it into a rubbish dump and a rifle range. Later, in the 1930s, the land was filled in and made into a park.
Greene Park was even used again as a campsite between 1945 and 1948. This was for families who lost their homes after World War II. Elanora Park continued to be called 'Black's Camp' by some people until at least the 1980s.
