Redcliffe Peninsula facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Redcliffe PeninsulaQueensland |
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Woody Point jetty and Moreton Bay at Woody Point
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| Population | 59,469 (2016 census) |
| • Density | 2,523/km2 (6,530/sq mi) |
| Established | 1824 |
| Area | 38.1 km2 (14.7 sq mi) |
| Time zone | AEST (UTC+10) |
| Location | 23 km (14 mi) NNE of Brisbane CBD |
| LGA(s) | City of Moreton Bay |
| Region | South East Queensland |
| State electorate(s) |
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| Federal Division(s) | Petrie |
The Redcliffe Peninsula is a beautiful area of land almost surrounded by water. It's located in the City of Moreton Bay, just northeast of Brisbane in Queensland, Australia. This peninsula is home to several suburbs like Clontarf, Kippa-Ring, Margate, Newport, Redcliffe, Rothwell, Scarborough, and Woody Point.
Redcliffe holds a special place in history. It was the very first European settlement in Queensland. It used to be its own local government area, called the City of Redcliffe. Now, it's part of the larger City of Moreton Bay.
With its lovely beaches, great fishing spots, and fun activities, the Redcliffe Peninsula is a popular place to visit. Many people from the Brisbane area come here to relax and enjoy the coast. Over 55,000 people live on the peninsula, which covers about 38.1 km2 (14.7 sq mi). The land is mostly flat, with few areas rising more than 20 m (66 ft) above sea level.
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Exploring Redcliffe's Past
The Redcliffe Peninsula was originally home to the Ningy Ningy Indigenous people. They called the area Kau-in-Kau-in, which means "Blood-Blood" because of its red-colored cliffs.
The first Europeans to visit arrived on July 17, 1799. They were on a British ship called the Norfolk, led by Matthew Flinders. Flinders explored Moreton Bay and landed at a spot he named "Red Cliff Point." He chose this name because of the red cliffs he could see from the bay. Today, this spot is known as Woody Point.
In 1823, the Governor of New South Wales, Thomas Brisbane, wanted a new prison settlement in the north. John Oxley led a group to explore the Moreton Bay area further. Oxley thought Red Cliff Point would be a good place for the new colony. He said ships could easily land there, even at low tide.
The settlement was built along what is now Humpybong Creek in Redcliffe. It had small, temporary homes and gardens. However, there were problems. There wasn't enough fresh water, Aboriginal people sometimes attacked, and there were many mosquitoes. Also, the harbor wasn't safe for ships. Because of these issues, the settlement had to move after only eight months. It relocated to the Brisbane River, about 28 kilometres (17.4 mi) south. Redcliffe was then left mostly empty, with only a few buildings remaining. The local Aboriginal people called these empty buildings "oompie bongs," which meant 'dead house.' This name was later used for the entire Redcliffe peninsula.
In the 1860s, the area became a farming reserve. People started building homes there in the 1880s. The population grew a lot after 1935 when the Hornibrook Bridge opened. This bridge was 2.8 kilometres (1.7 mi) long and connected the peninsula more directly to Brisbane. A new, wider bridge, the Houghton Highway, opened in 1979. Then, on July 11, 2010, the Ted Smout Memorial Bridge opened. At 2.7 kilometres (1.7 mi), it's one of Australia's longest bridges. It was named after Ted Smout, a World War I veteran. This new bridge carries traffic heading south, and also has paths for walking and cycling. The Houghton Highway now carries traffic heading north.
The Redcliffe Library opened in 2000, providing a great resource for the community. In 2007, the Queensland Government decided to combine Redcliffe with nearby areas. This created the Moreton Bay Region, which was renamed the City of Moreton Bay in July 2023.
Redcliffe's Weather
Redcliffe has a humid subtropical climate. This means it has hot, humid summers and mild, dry winters. Thunderstorms are common from late spring to early autumn, usually in the late afternoon or early evening. Stronger storms can bring hail, heavy rain, and strong winds. However, many storms lose strength before they reach Redcliffe.
| Climate data for Redcliffe | |||||||||||||
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 29.0 (84.2) |
28.5 (83.3) |
27.7 (81.9) |
25.6 (78.1) |
23.3 (73.9) |
21.2 (70.2) |
20.6 (69.1) |
21.4 (70.5) |
24.1 (75.4) |
25.3 (77.5) |
26.6 (79.9) |
28.0 (82.4) |
25.1 (77.2) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 21.9 (71.4) |
21.6 (70.9) |
20.2 (68.4) |
17.7 (63.9) |
14.9 (58.8) |
11.6 (52.9) |
10.6 (51.1) |
11.1 (52.0) |
14.1 (57.4) |
16.5 (61.7) |
18.7 (65.7) |
20.7 (69.3) |
16.6 (61.9) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 111.6 (4.39) |
160.9 (6.33) |
126.8 (4.99) |
124.4 (4.90) |
89.0 (3.50) |
59.9 (2.36) |
51.3 (2.02) |
39.7 (1.56) |
30.2 (1.19) |
70.5 (2.78) |
101.6 (4.00) |
117.8 (4.64) |
1,064.1 (41.89) |
| Source: Bureau of Meteorology | |||||||||||||
Famous Places to See
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Redcliffe has many interesting landmarks. These include the Redcliffe Jetty, the Settlement Cove Lagoon, and popular beaches like Suttons and Margate. Scarborough Beach Park is known for its large Cottonwood trees.
You can also visit the Redcliffe Museum to learn about the area's history. The Woody Point Jetty and the HMQS Gayundah shipwreck are also popular spots. The Houghton Highway and Ted Smout Memorial Bridge are important bridges that connect Redcliffe to Brisbane.
Many buildings in Redcliffe were designed by the famous local builder Alex Smith. On February 14, 2013, the Bee Gees Way opened in Redcliffe. It features a statue of the famous band, the Bee Gees, who lived in Redcliffe when they were young. This area used to be a pathway for weekend markets.
The City of Moreton Bay also runs a public library at 476 Oxley Avenue, Redcliffe.
Moreton Bay Connection
Redcliffe is a hub for the islands in Moreton Bay. It's a popular tourist spot and a base for local fishing and seafood businesses. From Redcliffe, you can take a passenger ferry to Moreton Island. You can also explore the waters of Deception Bay, Bramble Bay, Hays Inlet, and the Pine River.
The main marina in Redcliffe is Scarborough Marina, located at the northern tip of the peninsula. Newport Waterways Marina is also nearby.
Redcliffe's Economy
The main jobs in Redcliffe are in retail (shops), construction, medical and community services, and property and business services. Other important areas include car services, manufacturing, and food places like cafés and restaurants. The Redcliffe Hospital, with 250 beds, is a major employer.
Fishing and prawning are the main primary industries. There are also light industries in Clontarf and Kippa-Ring.
Tourism is very important to Redcliffe. About 1.2 million tourists visit each year. People have been coming here since the late 1800s to enjoy its safe, sandy beaches.
The main shopping areas include the Redcliffe Seaside Village, which has shops, restaurants, and cafes. The Bluewater Square Shopping Centre has a Woolworths supermarket. The Peninsula Fair and Kippa-Ring Shopping Centres are next to each other in Kippa-Ring. They are the biggest shopping centers in the area, with over 120 specialty stores, including K-Mart, Target, Woolworths, and Coles. They also have Hoyt's Cinemas.
Smaller shopping centers can be found in Margate, Scarborough, Woody Point, Clontarf, and Rothwell. A new shopping and town center is planned for the Newport area.
Sports, Fun, and Events
With 22 kilometres (14 mi) of coastline, Redcliffe is a great place for sports and recreation. There are over 35 kilometres (22 mi) of dedicated bikeways around the peninsula. Local sports clubs offer activities like baseball, golf, hockey, netball, tennis, rugby, soccer, and Australian rules football. There are also Scouting and Guiding groups.
On most weekends, you can see tandem skydivers jumping from 14,000 feet (4,300 m) and landing on Suttons Beach. They take off from the local Redcliffe Airport.
The Queensland Kite Flyers Society holds kite flying events twice a month at Pelican Park in Clontarf. Every May, the council hosts a big kite-flying event called Kitefest.
The Redcliffe Dolphins are a popular rugby league club that plays in the Queensland Cup. Their home ground, Dolphin Oval, is in Kippa-Ring. The Dolphins will even join the NRL premiership competition in 2023!
Peninsula Power Football Club is a football (soccer) club in Redcliffe. It was formed in 2000 and plays in the Brisbane Premier League. The Redcliffe Padres baseball team is located at Talobilla Park in Kippa-Ring.
Scuba divers often explore Queens Reef in Scarborough and the Redcliffe jetty. Boats also depart from Redcliffe for diving in the wider Moreton Bay area.
To celebrate the start of the Brisbane to Gladstone yacht race, the Festival of Sails event is held every year on Good Friday. In September, Redcliffe celebrates its history as Queensland's first European settlement with an annual First Settlement Festival.
The Redcliffe Clay Target Club hosts events on the third Sunday of each month and is open to visitors every Saturday.
Getting Around Redcliffe
Bus services are provided by Hornibrook Bus Lines. They offer local routes, services to the Brisbane city center, and connections to train stations like Petrie and Sandgate. Kangaroo Bus Lines connects Redcliffe to Caboolture.
Road taxi services are available from Redcliffe Taxi Service.
A heavy rail train service to Kippa-Ring opened in October 2016, making it easier to travel by train.
The Redcliffe Airport is located between Kippa-Ring and Rothwell. It has an 853 metres (2,799 ft) runway. The Redcliffe Aero Club is based here and offers pilot training and aircraft services.
Roads for Travel
A network of roads provides access to the Redcliffe Peninsula and helps people travel between its communities. These roads are important for ensuring travel continues even during floods or maintenance.
Local News and Radio
Redcliffe has a weekly local newspaper called the Redcliffe and Bayside Herald. Another local news source is the community website redcliffecity.com.au.
Community radio station 99 Seven is based in Redcliffe. It broadcasts on 99.7 MHz FM and offers a variety of music and programs. The station started in 1986.
Famous People from Redcliffe
Many well-known people have connections to Redcliffe:
- Barry, Maurice, and Robin Gibb (the Bee Gees) moved to Redcliffe in the late 1950s and formed their famous band here.
- Actors William McInnes and Nikki Osborne grew up in Redcliffe. The movie Swimming Upstream used the Redcliffe War Memorial Pool as a filming location.
- Redcliffe has produced many Olympic Games athletes, especially swimmers like Leisel Jones, Geoff Huegill, Jessicah Schipper, and Tarnee White. They trained in Scarborough under coach Ken Wood. Chelsea Forkin played for the national softball team in the 2020 Olympic Games.
- Graham Reid, the current coach of the Kookaburras (Australian Men's Hockey Team), played his junior hockey in Redcliffe in the 1970s.
- Many rugby league players either were born in Redcliffe or started their careers here. These include Arthur Beetson, Petero Civoniceva, Michael Crocker, Adam Mogg, Travis Norton, Tom Opacic, Brent Tate, and Daly Cherry-Evans.
- Author Kim Wilkins also grew up in Redcliffe.
Sister Cities
The City of Redcliffe has two Sister City agreements:
