Ever wondered about a place that was almost Brisbane’s main hub? That place is Basin Pocket. Today, Basin Pocket is a quiet suburb in Ipswich. The Bremer River borders it on three sides.
Basin Pocket got its name from “The Basin”. Explorer Allan Cunningham saw this natural widening of the river in 1828. River steamers often used it to turn around. They did this before docking at Ipswich. Now, it is mostly homes. No shops exist here. But its history whispers tales of a different destiny.
Basin Pocket had churches. The Primitive Methodist Church opened in 1867. St John’s Anglican Church opened in 1921. Archbishop Gerald Sharp dedicated it. He led The Royal Geographical Society of Queensland. St Philomene’s Catholic Church was dedicated in 1940. St John’s Anglican Church closed around 2018. It stood at 82 Blackall Street.
Let me tell you about Arthur and Abigail Simpson. They lived near St John’s. Arthur lost his brother in World War I. He later worked at the Queensland Railway workshops. He took the Basin Pocket ferry to work. Both Arthur and Abigail spent their lives in Basin Pocket.
Ten men from Basin Pocket joined the military in World War II. George Simpson was one of them. He was Arthur and Abigail’s son. George joined the Royal Australian Air Force in 1940. He attended the little Anglican church.
George met Mavis Coonerty in Melbourne. She worked in a munitions factory. George brought her to Basin Pocket. They married in 1942 in Ipswich.
During his time in Basin Pocket, George lost his RAAF badge. It was from his air force cap. Someone found it near his church with coins from the 1940s. George was the only RAAF man from Basin Pocket who went to that church.
After the war, George and Mavis moved back to Melbourne. He worked as a tram employee. Later, he became a fitter’s assistant. They lived in Moe for thirty years. Their only child died in 1989.
The lost badge reminds us of George and Mavis. It is a relic of their wartime romance. Without it, history might have forgotten them. Just like it almost forgot Basin Pocket.
Today, Basin Pocket is home to about 931 people. The Bremer River still shapes the suburb. There are parks along the riverbank. These include J Perrett Memorial Park. There is also McLeod Street Park. The Horace J Harper Band Hall resides here. It is home to the Ipswich Model Band. This band is the oldest brass band in Ipswich.
Basin Pocket offers a glimpse into Queensland’s past. It is a reminder of dreams and quiet lives. It shows a place that history nearly overlooked.