Deebing Creek Mission facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Deebing Creek Mission |
|
|---|---|
_(2004).jpg)
Former Deebing Creek Mission, 2004
|
|
| Location | Grampian Drive, Deebing Heights, City of Ipswich, Queensland, Australia |
| Design period | 1870s - 1890s (late 19th century) |
| Built | c. 1887 - c. 1915 |
| Official name: Deebing Creek Mission (former), Deebing Creek Aboriginal Home, Deebing Creek Aboriginal Mission, Deebing Creek Aboriginal Reserve | |
| Type | state heritage (archaeological, landscape) |
| Designated | 24 September 2004 |
| Reference no. | 602251 |
| Significant period | 1880s-1915 (historical) |
| Significant components | tank - water, trees/plantings, terracing, cemetery |
| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
Deebing Creek Mission was once an important place for Aboriginal people in Queensland, Australia. It is located in Deebing Heights, near Ipswich. This site is very special and sacred to the Yuggera and Jagera Aboriginal tribes. The mission operated from around 1887 until 1915. It was also known by other names, like Deebing Creek Aboriginal Home or Reserve. Today, it is recognized as a heritage site, added to the Queensland Heritage Register on September 24, 2004.
Contents
Deebing Creek Mission: A Historical Place
Early Days of the Mission
How the Mission Started
Around 1887, a group called the Aboriginal Protection Association in Ipswich began setting up the mission. Reverend Peter Robertson, a Presbyterian minister, led this group. Local business people also joined, hoping to help Aboriginal people and manage the mission's finances. This committee was in charge of the mission from 1892 to 1897.
The first people to live at Deebing Creek Mission likely came from two Aboriginal groups living nearby. Reverend Edward Fuller was the first manager. He lived in a tent at first, then in a house overlooking the Aboriginal residents' bark huts. The government provided supplies and money to the mission for several years. In 1892, the mission committee asked for more land. An additional 41 acres near Deebing Creek became an Aboriginal Reserve. This area included what is now a cemetery for Aboriginal people.
Life at the Mission School
The Deebing Creek Mission was set up on land officially reserved for Aboriginal people. These land areas were used for different purposes between 1892 and 1948. One part of the land became a farm around 1900, helping to provide food for the mission. Other areas along Deebing Creek became the main living and working place for both missionaries and Aboriginal residents.
The mission had a school, Deebing Creek School No. 612. In 1900, records showed that all the children attending were linked to the Salvation Army. This might have been because the mission's leader, Thomas Ivins, was a Salvation Army member. The Aboriginal Protection Association managed the mission. They often needed financial help from the government. The mission also became an "Industrial School" in 1896. This meant that, under a law from 1865, children needing care could be placed in special schools or homes like Deebing Creek Mission.
When Myora Mission closed its school around 1896, some children were moved to Deebing Creek Mission. They were given a small amount of money each day for food. In 1893, about 33 Aboriginal people lived at the mission. This number changed often, as some people left for work and later returned. Before a new law in 1897, Aboriginal people at Deebing Creek Mission could move freely.
By 1894, 62 Aboriginal people lived at the mission, and 27 children attended the school. A tent was used as the classroom. Adult men were expected to work four hours daily. Families were encouraged to build their own homes. By 1897, the mission land was fenced, and 13 cottages had been built. In 1895, a new building replaced the tent schoolroom, able to hold 80 people. Cricket was also played at the mission.
New Laws and Their Impact
Changes for Aboriginal People
In 1897, a new law called the Aboriginal Protection Act was passed. This law greatly changed the lives of Aboriginal people. It gave the government much more control over where they lived, worked, and traveled. The Act created "Protectors of Aborigines" who oversaw missions and settlements. It also allowed for Aboriginal people to be moved to reserves and required special agreements for their employment. This meant that many decisions about an Aboriginal person's life were made by authorities, not by the individuals themselves. This new control also affected the people living at Deebing Creek Mission.
Children and adults were sent to Deebing Creek Mission from many different parts of Queensland. This meant they were often moved far away from their traditional lands and families. These people are sometimes called "historical people." Moving people to lands that belonged to other Aboriginal groups caused many challenges and difficulties. Even so, places like Deebing Creek Mission became a new "home" for those who were sent there.
Growing the Mission Community
In 1896, a report suggested that Deebing Creek Mission provided a home and food for up to 150 people. Children at the mission received a basic school education. Aboriginal residents worked on the land, clearing it, building fences, and farming. The mission had a main house, other buildings, and housing for Aboriginal people.
In 1896, the government also officially established the Deebing Creek Industrial School. Thomas Ivins and Charlotte Emily Ivins were appointed as the Superintendent and Matron. The mission received funding to help build rooms for children needing care. By 1902, there were 23 such children living at the mission. The number of residents at Deebing Creek Mission changed over time, from a high of 150 in 1896 to about 54 in 1913. This was often because Aboriginal people traveled for work outside the mission.
The mission committee bought more land in 1896 to prevent houses from being built too close together. This additional land was given to the government. Some people, including Archibald Meston, thought the mission's location was not ideal. They noted the land was not very fertile. There was also a disagreement in 1901 about using the Nine Mile Reserve for farming. Local residents used it for camping and watering their animals. This led to strong disagreements in the community.
Improving the Mission Site
Over time, improvements were made to the mission's buildings and land. In 1904, over £250 was spent on upgrades. In 1907, a large underground water tank was planned to improve the water supply. A photograph from 1907 shows about eight homes and many people at the mission. Aboriginal people from the mission were interested in attending and competing in a footrace in Ipswich. For this event, the law controlling their movement was temporarily paused. In 1909, a new home was built next to the school for children who had been placed in care. Farming also improved, providing meat, milk, and vegetables for the mission, with some produce sold to earn money. By 1910, reports suggested that the homes and lives of long-term residents had greatly improved, and they considered the mission a true home. In 1912, two new homes were built, and others were improved. The mission controlled about 2,072 acres of land, including 200 acres at Deebing Creek.
Moving to Purga Mission
In 1914, the Deebing Creek Mission moved to Purga. Reverend Robertson requested payment to help with moving the buildings. He mentioned that the Aboriginal Protection Association had managed the mission for 25 years. After this move, the Aboriginal Protection Association of Ipswich likely stopped managing the mission.
What Happened to the Land Later?
Remembering the Past
By 1929, the Deebing Creek Mission land was no longer occupied, but it was managed by the Salvation Army and the Chief Protector, John Bleakley. In 1931, a report mentioned that a school building had been on the southwest corner of the land. In 1934, the mission farm was divided, and work was done to clear trees.
Protecting Sacred Burial Grounds
In 1967, some Aboriginal people from Ipswich, led by Les Davidson, asked the Queensland Premier to protect their burial grounds, sacred sites, and cemeteries. They wanted these places to be preserved, just like European burial grounds. This request identified two burial grounds, one at Deebing Creek Mission and one at Purga.
From 1974 to 1975, newspaper articles highlighted the request of Aboriginal people to have their ancestral land at Deebing Creek Mission returned. Mr. Davidson also sought help from Senator Jim Cavanagh for this cause. He noted that Aboriginal people born at Deebing Creek Mission came from various areas, including Ipswich, Cherbourg, Brisbane, and Beaudesert.
On February 21, 1976, an area of land was officially set aside for an Aboriginal Cemetery. This cemetery is located on the west bank of Deebing Creek, which was part of the original Aboriginal Reserve. Discussions about fair payment for the land and access for visitors to the cemetery took place from 1977 to 1980. The Department of Aboriginal and Islander Advancement researched the names and burial places of the original residents.
Exploring the Mission Site Today
.jpg)
The former Deebing Creek Mission site is about 8 kilometers south of Ipswich City. You can reach it from the Cunningham Highway at the end of Grampian Drive.
Special Trees and Water Tank
Today, you can still see some historic trees at the site. These include a large bunya pine tree, two big Fig Trees, a Mango Tree, and a Date Palm. The large underground brick water tank, built in 1907 to improve water supply, is also still there. It is now surrounded by thick plants and an old fence.
The Mission Cemetery
The cemetery at the mission site has one headstone for Mrs. Julia Ford, who died in 1896. However, local Aboriginal elders and reports suggest there were at least 13 other burials there. Newspaper articles from 1892 also confirm that two people died at the mission that year and were buried nearby. You can also see the remains of several stone piles that are thought to mark other grave locations.
Clues from the Past
There are two old huts on the land that date back to the Second World War, not the mission period. Local Indigenous families lived in these huts during the 1950s and 1960s. The Deebing Creek Mission site has a high chance of holding important archaeological finds. Experts and traditional owners have found ceramics, old bottles, glass, and a harmonica. These items might show where the school and the Superintendent's house once stood. It is also known that Aboriginal residents built their homes along the banks of Deebing Creek. These houses were made of timber, often with dirt floors and concrete steps leading to the creek.
Why Deebing Creek Mission is Important
The former Deebing Creek Mission was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on September 24, 2004, because it meets several important criteria.
- Deebing Creek Mission shows us how Queensland's history unfolded. It was a place created to house, employ, and control the movement of Aboriginal people from the late 1800s until it closed in 1915.
- The well-preserved underground water tank, historic trees, and cemetery at Deebing Creek Mission can teach us more about daily life and burial customs at missions in the 19th and 20th centuries.
- Deebing Creek Mission is very important to the Indigenous community. It shows the lasting impact of a major historical period. The mission holds great significance for the traditional Aboriginal people of that area. It is also important to "historical people" who were sent to live there between 1892 and 1915. The cemetery is a significant burial ground for Aboriginal people from the mission era.
