Prior to European settlement in 1824, Brisbane was home to the Jagera and Turrbal Aboriginal clans. The first settlement in the Brisbane region was founded in Redcliff, Moreton Bay, and north of where the city of Brisbane is today. This was the initial preference of Surveyor General John Oxley when he was surveying the area aboard his ship the 'Mermaid' in late 1823. The vessel was anchored off Bribie Island when the crew saw a group of Aborigines and one who seemed larger than the rest on the shore. This was an ex-convict called Thomas Pamphlett, one of four men who had fled Sydney earlier that year on an ill-fated journey to sail south in order to acquire Cedar wood. Pamphlett and another comrade survivor, Finnegan, had been living with the Aboriginals for quite a few months until they were discovered. They informed Oxley that there was a sizeable river in the area and intrigued Oxley set off in a whaleboat to examine, with a small crew and Finnegan as a guide. He discovered the river the next day and named it in honor of the Governor of New South Wales in that period, Sir Thomas Brisbane. He felt the red cliffs at the north of the river appeared to be the most desirable spot for a new penal settlement, but in 1825, less than a year after the convicts arrived the Redcliffe site was abandoned mostly because Brisbane had a more reliable water supply and was surrounded by a bend in the river, suggesting escape was more troublesome.
The penal colony in Brisbane operated for the next seventeen years taking merely the most difficult prisoners from Sydney. The site was abandoned in 1839 after suffering at the hands of crooked wardens.
In 1842 the Moreton Bay area was thrown open to free settlers, marking the onset of Brisbane's climb to eminence. Huge wealth flowed into the area from the new agricultural and gold mining experiences in Darling Downs and grand homes, including, Palma Rosa at Hamilton (Brisbane's oldest surviving residence) were manufactured and the population grew from 829 in 1846 to more than 6,000 by 1859, when Queensland officially separated from New South Wales.
By 1888, evidence of most prisoner occupation in the city had gone and in its place stood buildings like Government House and Customs House, opulent buildings that still stand proudly today and illuminate the strength of Brisbane's growing economy.
The danger of Japanese invasion, during World War II, changed a lot of areas of Brisbane into military camps and thousands of American servicemen were stationed here elevating the population to over 750,000. City services strained to meet the requirements of the surplus population and tensions mounted between Australians and American soldiers, erupting famously on 26th November 1942 in the street fight known as 'Battle of Brisbane'.
After the war Brisbane benefited by the boom years having elevated industrial activity and population levels. There was a primary focus on progressing infrastructure around the city, including roads and sewerage systems. In 1974, floods distressed Brisbane with an estimated $300 million worth of damage, but Brisbane recovered enough to host the 1982 Commonwealth Games and the World Expo in 1988. These events brought new sports and cultural facilities to the city and a renewed identity.
The penal colony in Brisbane operated for the next seventeen years taking merely the most difficult prisoners from Sydney. The site was abandoned in 1839 after suffering at the hands of crooked wardens.
In 1842 the Moreton Bay area was thrown open to free settlers, marking the onset of Brisbane's climb to eminence. Huge wealth flowed into the area from the new agricultural and gold mining experiences in Darling Downs and grand homes, including, Palma Rosa at Hamilton (Brisbane's oldest surviving residence) were manufactured and the population grew from 829 in 1846 to more than 6,000 by 1859, when Queensland officially separated from New South Wales.
By 1888, evidence of most prisoner occupation in the city had gone and in its place stood buildings like Government House and Customs House, opulent buildings that still stand proudly today and illuminate the strength of Brisbane's growing economy.
The danger of Japanese invasion, during World War II, changed a lot of areas of Brisbane into military camps and thousands of American servicemen were stationed here elevating the population to over 750,000. City services strained to meet the requirements of the surplus population and tensions mounted between Australians and American soldiers, erupting famously on 26th November 1942 in the street fight known as 'Battle of Brisbane'.
After the war Brisbane benefited by the boom years having elevated industrial activity and population levels. There was a primary focus on progressing infrastructure around the city, including roads and sewerage systems. In 1974, floods distressed Brisbane with an estimated $300 million worth of damage, but Brisbane recovered enough to host the 1982 Commonwealth Games and the World Expo in 1988. These events brought new sports and cultural facilities to the city and a renewed identity.
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