Redcliffe’s red cliffs. A blood-red hue. They witnessed history unfold.
This is Redcliffe Queensland’s first European settlement. It stands proudly on the Moreton Bay coast. Its history is rich and complex.
Long before Europeans arrived the Ningy Ningy people called this place Kau-in-Kau-in. This means Blood-Blood. It refers to the striking red colour of the cliffs. They hunted and fished here for centuries. Their traditions thrived. Then Matthew Flinders arrived. He explored the area in 1799. John Oxley later named it Red Cliff Point. He noted the ships could easily approach the shore. A penal colony was established in 1824. It lasted only a year. The colony then moved to Brisbane. Redcliffe’s destiny however was far from over.
In the 1860s Redcliffe became a pastoral district. By the 1880s it was a popular seaside resort. The Portwood Estate was subdivided. Lots were sold. A railway line was planned. It was a visionary idea. The train only arrived 138 years later in 2016. Ramsgate Estate was also sold in 1881. Redcliffe grew quickly. The Redcliffe State School opened. It catered to the new families.
Passenger steamers started visiting Redcliffe Jetty in 1911. This ended in 1935 with the Hornibrook Bridge. The bridge connected Redcliffe to Brisbane. It spurred more growth. Our Lady Help of Christians School opened in 1922. Redcliffe State High School followed in 1958.
The famous Gibb family moved to Redcliffe in 1958. Barry Robin and Maurice Gibb formed the Bee Gees here. Their first paid performance was at Redcliffe Speedway in 1959. They played from a truck. People threw money onto the track.
Redcliffe’s first high-rise apartment building was built in 1974. Development continued slowly until the 2000s. The seaside lifestyle attracted more people and buildings.
Today Redcliffe is a bustling seaside town. It has the amenities of a city. It retains its charm. The Redcliffe Museum and library tell its stories. There are heritage trails. This is Redcliffe. A place of history and beauty. A vibrant community.