Joanna Hackett
Bay Islands History Books
Macleay Island resident, Joanna Hackett, has revised her six local history books. The new editions now have much more information and many more images.
These books will be of significance to anyone interested in the history of the Bay Islands, especially newcomers and visitors. These books will be of significance to anyone interested in the history of the Bay Islands, especially newcomers and visitors. You will find answers to questions such as, “What does Perulpa mean? Who were the first white settlers on the Islands? What happened to the oyster industry?”
You may want to know more about the Islands’ floating rum distillery, or the great wheelie bin protest. Perhaps you’d like to know what year Jumpinpin was formed, or how a group of Islanders almost managed to have the Bay Islands secede from the Redland Shire Council. If so, these are the books for you!
The books are:
1 A Short History of the Bay Islands, Eighth Edition, Part One, Early History to 1989, 48 pages
2 A Short History of the Bay Islands, Eighth Edition, Part Two, 1900 to 2014, 44 pages
These are chronological lists of major events in the history of the Bay Islands with a brief description of each event.
3 Early Farmers of the Bay Islands, Second edition, 60 pages
This book has a general introduction to farming on all the Bay Islands under headings such as Clearing Land, Pests and Problems, Home and Hearth, Marketing and Social Life. The remainder of the book considers farming and some of the farming families of each of the four islands.
4 The Oyster Industry of Moreton Bay, Third Edition, 44 pages
This book describes the oyster industry in Moreton Bay from pre-settlement days to the present time. Several of the better known oyster families are described, and the reasons for the demise of this once thriving industry.
5 The Campbell Family of Moreton Bay, Third Edition, 68 pages
John Campbell was a remarkable early settler, a pioneer and adventurer with great energy and initiative. He arrived in Australia in 1834, and his colourful career included being one of the first settlers on the Darling Downs, owning much of what is now inner-city Brisbane, constructing a meat works at Kangaroo Point and being an early exporter of meat to England. He had property in Ipswich and was involved with a meat works there, and also with the coal industry at Redbank. He moved to the Bay Islands in 1865, and took up land on Russell Island. His children leased all of Macleay Island, and the family lived there in a fine house, farmed and tried various money-making ventures. Campbell’s Salt Works on Macleay is one of the most important heritage sites of state significance on the Bay Islands, and is listed on the Queensland State Heritage Register.
6 The Queensland Acclimatisation Society and the Bay Islands, Second Edition, 35 pages
This book describes the early days of this Society, from its beginnings in Bowen Park, and the reasoning behind such societies. The Society established trees and some animals and birds on the Bay Islands, which are detailed separately. John Campbell was an early member.
These books are available from the Macleay Island Post Office, Angus and Robertson in Victoria Point Shopping Centre, the Redland Museum in Cleveland, or from the author on (07) 3409 5522.
The barge Ilana (above) grounded when a water pipe burst on a run to Russell Island in 1990. Despite the skipper’s efforts, thousands of dollars worth of building mterial was lost before the barge was refloated.
