Dunwich Public Reserve facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Dunwich Public Reserve |
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Convict Privy Pit, 1999
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| Location | Junner Street, Dunwich, North Stradbroke Island, City of Redland, Queensland, Australia |
| Design period | 1824 - 1841 (convict settlement) |
| Built | 1827 - 1828 |
| Official name: Public Reserve incorporating the Privy Pit and Site of Convict Barracks and Store | |
| Type | state heritage (archaeological) |
| Designated | 25 February 2000 |
| Reference no. | 602139 |
| Significant period | 1820s-1837 (historical) |
| Significant components | cess pit |
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The Dunwich Public Reserve is a special historical place on North Stradbroke Island in Queensland, Australia. It's an archaeological site where old buildings from a convict settlement once stood. These buildings included a toilet pit, barracks (where soldiers and convicts lived), and a store. They were built between 1827 and 1828. Today, this site is part of the Queensland Heritage Register, which means it's protected because of its important history.
History of Dunwich Reserve
This area was once a military and supply base for the Moreton Bay penal settlement. A penal settlement was a place where convicts (people who had committed crimes) were sent to live and work. This base was built in 1827.
Early Settlement in Moreton Bay
In 1823, explorer John Oxley found the Brisbane River. He suggested that a new settlement should be built there. The Governor of New South Wales, Thomas Brisbane, decided to create a penal settlement at Moreton Bay. This was one of four such settlements started in Australia in the 1820s.
On September 1, 1824, a ship called the "Amity" left Sydney for Moreton Bay. On board were soldiers, a botanist, and 29 convicts. Many convicts volunteered, hoping to earn their freedom early. They had different skills, like bricklaying and stone cutting.
The "Amity" arrived on September 10, 1824. At first, Redcliffe was chosen for the settlement. But it wasn't a safe place for ships to anchor. So, the settlement soon moved to Brisbane.
Dunwich as a Supply Hub
Large ships couldn't easily enter the Brisbane River because of a sandbar. So, a pilot station was set up at Amity Point on Stradbroke Island. Here, big ships would unload their goods onto smaller boats. These smaller boats could then take the cargo into Brisbane.
In 1827, Governor Ralph Darling visited the settlement. He was unhappy that large ships couldn't get into the river. Captain Patrick Logan, who was in charge of Brisbane, suggested moving the supply base.
So, on November 29, 1827, Governor Darling ordered Captain Logan to build a military post and store depot at Dunwich. Plans and materials were sent from Sydney. By May 1828, the buildings were finished and in use. These included a warehouse, barracks for convicts and soldiers, and a privy (toilet). The privy had a shaft that went down to the shoreline.
Changes and Closure
The Dunwich outstation only operated for a few years. In 1830, Captain Logan died. His replacement, Captain James Oliphant Clunie, asked for the settlement to be closed. He reported that cargo was still being lost in bad weather. Also, local Aboriginal people were hostile, and smuggling was a problem.
After it closed, a small guard stayed to protect the buildings. Timber was still loaded from there until about 1837.
From 1843 to 1847, the settlement was briefly used as a Catholic mission for local Aboriginal people. However, the buildings were in bad shape. The mission was not successful, and the priests had to leave.
Quarantine Station and Asylum
In 1849, Brisbane's penal colony closed. A new need arose for a quarantine station. This was a place to keep new arrivals who might have diseases, to protect the settlers. In 1850, Dunwich was chosen as a good spot because it was isolated.
Dunwich was a quarantine station until 1864. It received all immigrants coming to Brisbane. One sad event was the arrival of the ship "Emigrant". Many people on board had died from illness. More people died at Dunwich, including doctors. The quarantine station was new, so it didn't have enough buildings or staff.
From 1864, the Queensland government tried to open a Benevolent Asylum at the old quarantine station. In 1866, the Dunwich Benevolent Asylum officially opened. It was a home for elderly, sick, or disabled people.
A map from 1913 shows how much the asylum grew. It had many buildings around a large open space, which is now the public reserve. This area was used as a community green space for the asylum residents.
In 1947, the asylum closed due to overcrowding and poor health conditions. The institution moved, and Dunwich land was sold for development and mining. The community green space became a public reserve in 1949.
Today, the Dunwich Public Reserve is still a central green space. It reminds us of the town's long history, from convict times to the asylum.
What You Can See Today
The Public Reserve is located between Junner Street, Ballow Road, and Cunningham Street in Dunwich. If you arrive at Dunwich, you'll see Junner Street cutting through a raised area of land. The lower, tree-covered part of this land, north of Junner Street, is where the old military post and store depot were.
You can't see the barracks and store buildings anymore. The only visible remains of the convict settlement are the privy pit and the causeway. The privy pit is at the bottom of the south-western bank of the headland.
Today, the site is a public park with a children's playground. It's shaded by a huge fig tree. Experts believe that the foundations of the old buildings might still be found through careful digging.
The privy pit itself is not very big. You might see a slight dip in the ground where it is. From there, the pit drops down about 2.2 meters (about 7 feet). It then connects to a horizontal tunnel that runs about 3 to 3.5 meters (about 10 to 11.5 feet) to an opening in the bank.
The pit is lined with sandstone blocks. It's thought that the pit was designed to be cleaned by the high tide each day. This is harder to see now because the shoreline has changed over time. The Redland Shire Council has added a stone apron (a protective layer) to the front of the pit and a metal grille that once covered the entrance.
Near the outstation site is the tourist information center and a car park. The public reserve also includes a rugby league field and a picnic area near the beach. Some of the trees in the park might even date back to the time of the quarantine station or benevolent asylum.
From Ballow Road, which is higher up, you can get a great view back towards Brisbane. This shows how important the reserve is as a central point and a memorable entrance to Dunwich and North Stradbroke Island.
Why This Place is Important
The Dunwich Public Reserve, including the Privy Pit and the site of the Convict Barracks and Store, is listed on the Queensland Heritage Register. This means it's very important for several reasons:
Queensland's History
This site was the main landing spot for all ships coming into Moreton Bay and Brisbane in the early days. It played a key role in the first European settlement of Queensland.
Rare Historical Site
The Privy Pit and the site of the Convict Barracks and Store are very rare historical remains in Queensland. Along with the Dunwich Convict Causeway, the Old Windmill in Brisbane, the Commissariat Store in Brisbane, and the Women's Prison at Eagle Farm, it's one of only a few convict structures still existing in southeast Queensland.
Learning About the Past
Even though only the privy pit and causeway are visible, digging and studying the site of the convict barracks and store could teach us a lot. It could help us understand more about Queensland's early convict history.
Building Techniques
The privy pit shows us how buildings were constructed by convicts in the early 1800s. It gives us clues about the building methods used back then.
Community and Beauty
The public reserve is a beautiful and important central space for the Dunwich township today. It was also a community green space for the Benevolent Asylum residents. It's a reminder of how the town has grown over the last 173 years. The views and the trees add to the beauty of the place.
Clever Design
The design of the privy pit was quite clever. It was built so that the high tide could clean it every day. This shows a good example of engineering from that time.
Special Community Connection
The public reserve has a strong connection to the community. It's a central gathering place for the people of Dunwich. It represents the town's development and history.
