Our Indooroopilly - Oxley and Cunningham explore in 1824

Readings from Primary Sources on Moreton Bay & Brisbane

These "Readings" from John Oxley's field books on the first settlement in Moreton Bay, September 1824, are reprinted from J.G. Steele, The Explorers of the Moreton Bay District 1770-1830, Brisbane, 1972.
Note that Footnotes are per J.G. Steele.
Note that the introductory paragraphs below show heavy quoting from and extensive reliance on J.G. Steele's The Explorers of the Moreton Bay District 1770-1830, Brisbane, 1972. There has also been some quoting from Hector Holthouse's Illustrated History of Queensland.

Governor Brisbane, in view of John Oxley's favourable report on the 1823 expedition, decided to establish a settlement in Moreton Bay. On 1 September 1824, 14 soldiers and about 30 convicts left Sydney in the brig "Amity". Oxley was placed in command of the ship and instructed to choose the location for settlement and chart the environment. Accompanying Oxley, were Allan Cunningham, the King's Botanist, and Robert Hoddle, the surveyor.
This extract is from Cunningham's journal and describes the journey from Mermaid Reach near Mt. Ommaney to past the Bremer River junction.

Make sure to look at Our Indooroopilly's Historical and Contemporary BRISBANE RIVER MAP

EXTRACT FROM CUNNINGHAM'S JOURNAL

18TH SEPTEMBER
The fog of the early morning having cleared off, we proceeded on our voyage at an early hour against the ebb tide, which however was not of a strength to impede our progress. Our first reach trended from the westward about two miles bounded by banks alternately concealed by a thick brush wood and open forest land, occasionally showing the prevailing rock formation which is quartzose with a breccia in which quartz is chiefly imbedded. Again the River takes a bend from the Southward, the banks become lower, which abound in Hibiscus heterophyllus and a Casuarina, the Crinum observed in the lower Reaches of the River, being here very general on the mud flats on each side which at the present low level of this water are partially dry.

It was at this particular stage of our ascent on the stream that it first definitely assumed the character of a fresh water River nearly uncontaminated by any admixture of salt water, although it is certainly influenced by the tide forcing back at the flood the fresh bodies, and occasioning a rise of about 4½ feet; which height shown us on the rocks; being the same as at the Vessel, afforded us the proof that the bed of the River is continued horizontal and it is equally worthy of remark that whatever this stream may eventually prove to be, its banks have not yet offered us any proof of its being a mountain stream, having a near rise or origin but the rather that it flows quietly from a level or very slightly declining country at a slow rate not sufficient to carry off the loose vegetation observed growing at some distance from its banks.

In further proof of the inactive disposition of this Stream (at least at the present Season), I could not but notice the quiet repose on the surface of certain acquatics usually found in those of our Colonial fresh waters not liable to frequent or much agitation viz. Potamogeton natans L. Triglochin procerum [sic] - Vallisneria spiralis - Damasonium ovalifolium.

Continuing upwards Southerly about 5 miles, we reached the extreme point of the River to which Mr. Oxley had, on the former occasion, extended his Research when having landed on the right or eastern bank, ¹ the tents were pitched for the day and I accompanied Mr. Oxley to the highest point of a ridge of forest land near our Encampment to take bearings of the Country to the Southward and Westward of us. Upon ascending this Ridge which immediately overhangs the River, we found we were not sufficiently elevated to overlook the Timbered lands around us. We however resched a slight rise of the back Hills and thence Mr. Oxley took a few bearings that might prove useful to him in the Survey.

In the progress of the Day, I had an opportunity of landing on a brushy Bank of the River and on entering a dark wood of great density and novel appearance, I gathered the following plants, the features of the vegetation generally being tropical.
Capparis sp.
Asclepiadeae.
Gymnema sp? - Secamone sp.
Amaranthaceae Pentandria, a shrubby plant allied to Deeringia and Lestibudesia.
Sida sp.
Dioecia. a broad leaved shrub (frequent) flowers unexpanded anthers 6-8.
Capparis sp. (without fructification) spines erect; branches flexuose, leaves oval and obtuse.
Parsonsia velutina Br. -
Carissa ovata Br. very frequent within the Tropic never seen with fructification. Alyxia ruscifolia Br. without fructification.
Acacia sp. leaves elliptically lanceolate alternately pinnate, peduncle elongated flowers in an open capitulum. A tree 25 feet high.
Tilliaceae. A genus allied to Apeiba and Sloanea. . . . a tree of moderate height and spreading habit.
Urticeae. Acalypha sp. - Clematis stenosepala. Br. a specimen of female flowers.

Several other plants were also observed in the recesses of these forests, but without fructification, and therefore their genera could alone be presumed from their respective habits viz. -
Grewia sp. leaves elliptical 3-nerved - Acanthus ebracteatus - -
A slender tree of the Proteaceae like some Equinoctial Grevilleae, leaves pinnatifid.
Rubiaceae. Cephaelis or Psychotria - Verbenaceae. a square stalked few leaved shrubby plant, of which another specimen was gathered in the Interior in 1817, fruit a dry, orange small drupe.
Hiraea alata [sic] of King's Voyage - Zanthoxyloides - a tree 12-16 feet high - stem thorny - wood hard and yellow.

In these interesting shades I was forcibly struck with the rambling habit of Hoya carnosa which had (with a Dolichos) reached the summits of the loftiest trees, of which we noticed several distinct kinds, producing timbers of large dimensions which ere long will be found of importance to the young Colony just planted on the Shores of Moreton Bay. Of the several timbers of these forests investing this interesting River, only two can be here spoken of, exclusive of Pine, which although its fruit has not yet been examined, it is nevertheless probable, will prove to be an Araucaria.

The first of these timbers is Flindersia of Mr. Brown who discovered it on the shores of Broad Sound just within the Tropic where he observed it to rise to a moderately size Tree, producing flowers and fruit in the month of September. Notwithstanding the gigantic stature of Flindersia on this River (the specimen cut down from which I had gathered flowering specimens measuring about 100 feet), it nevertheless did not appear to be specifically distinct from Flindersia australis as described by that eminent Botanist above referred to. The second timber is of a Genus of Rhamneae allied to Ceanothus, of which there is a species frequent on the sea coasts of the Colony of Port Jackson, whose flowers I have not yet seen, the fruit is trilocular resting on a persistent calyx -the particular species of this River is of straight growth, from 60-80 feet in height, and whose timber is of a close compact grain. Of parasitical Orchideae I remarked Cymbidium suave and canaliculatum of Mr. Brown on the Eucalypts skirting these shaded woods, within which on the timber were filiformed leaved plants, probably Dendrobium teretifolium, with an unpublished plant, growing in large mattes, producing a single lanceolate leaf to each bulb.

19TH SEPTEMBER
Sunday. Foggy as usual. As the River upwards was perfectly unknown, some alterations in the storage of the boats became necessary to afford Mr. Oxley as much room in the larger or whale boat and with a view towards enabling him to re-commence and carry on his Survey from the point at which he had left off last December, without any interruption that might arise from our continuance in the same boat with him as we had done during our passage to this resting spot.

Mr. Butler and myself quitted the whale boat for the smaller or jolly boat. About 10 o'clock, it being about the top of High Water, we launched forth upon a new Voyage of Examination with much expectation of a long Course, and distant inland origin of the stream, now engaging our serious attentions. Passing up a Western Reach about 250 yds wide, and whose lower or secondary banks were clothed with Hibiscus heterophyllus, the several lengths whose waters were constantly fresh wind from the N.W. and occasionally expand to 300 yards, the almost stagnant stillness of the River whose surface was covered with pond weeds of Potamogeton, Triglochin, Damasonium, and Vallisneria giving it the appearance of a spacious fish pond or canal, showing moreover that no floods had taken place for a considerable period. The River continued to bend from the Westward (N.W. and S.W.). as also to preserve a fine open width of 350-400 yards having a - brushy secondary banks and open forest land, clothed in many instances with that indication of good soil, the Angophora or Apple Tree.

Shoal water and a gravelly bottom were observed in the centre of the Reach, these however we passed by a Deep water channel without suffering ourselves to receive an ill impression of our River. However, upon ascending about 4 miles of our morning's advance, we passed a dry gravelly bank evidently the deposit of floods and on bending North entered a beautiful Reach cxtending an estimated distance of 2 miles, having a range of Forest Hills ² at its head or upper Extremity, the breadth of the River at this part being expanded to 400 yards, its lower bank rising gradually to an interesting back forest Country appearing to furnish abundance of grass and heavy Eucalyptine timber, these particular parts occupied by the usual density of brush, having the new. Pine and a Ficus (rubiginosa) of vast magnitude.

At length a Branch 150 yards wide runs into the River from about West ³ being probably the channel by which the waters of neighbouring rising country to the S.W. are conveyed to the River. Pursuing the main trunk northerly, we passed a low Sandy Island, about a mile in length and occupying the Centre of the Channel, a sufficient depth of water to float our boats being found under the left bank. Upon passing this Island, which is clothed with the vegetation of the neighbouring banks, the breadth of the River is immediately perceived to contract to 150 yards, and on the Channel taking a bend from the NW., several sandbanks appeared and in one spot some naked rocks extend from the right bank half the distance across the River which after winding from the South, S.E. to E. in the space of a mile and varying in breadth from 150 to 250 yards, we were brought to a low point proceeding from the right bank, over which, when the River is flooded, heavy and impetuous Torrents have evidently passed, leaving a considerable deposit of sand and pebbles which had formed a short distance above, an extensive Bank, 20 feet high, occupying ¾ths of the Channel, and thus confining the Stream which was contracted to 50 yards and very shoal, to flow over a lower bed under the left bank.

On this gravel bank we pitched our Tents, ⁴ our boat people being exhausted with the day's exertion, ourselves being much disappointed in our hopes of this River, by these indications of an origin by no means distant. Upon laying down on the Chart our Day's progress, we found that although we had made a diversion Course of about 11½ miles, our direct route Westerly was not above 6 miles The right bank of the River opposite to our Encampment being 70-80 feet high and apparently likely to afford us a view of the Country to the Westward, I ascended it in company with Mr. Oxley but had again to regret that a series of wooded ridges of equal and at some points of bearing of higher elevation, prevented our sight being extended far. We, however, could perceive a very distant blue Range ⁵ bearing S.W. by S. and from its appearance there can be no doubt of much lofty land being situated in the Country to the Westward of Mt. Warning (an eminence on the Coast) especially as their bearings intersected the parallel of that remarkable Landmark to the Mariner at a distance of about a degree of Longitude to the Westward.

Of the few plants gathered in this Day's advance, a species of Aeschynomene related to A. picta Cav. Ic. very general on the gravel bank, afforded me seeds. A species of Polygonum, an Indigofera gathered formerly within the Tropic and an Acacia with tortuous pods scarcely distinct from the species gathered on Sims' Island. ⁶

The pebbles that have been brought down and deposited by heavy floods in this part of the River, of which our encamping ground was entirely formed, were chiefly of quartz, jasper and agate but no portions of calcareous rock was discovered to infer that any Limestone formation exists in the distant western mountainous regions whence Torrents in wet seasons had brought them.

1.	Near the Wolston Park Hospital, Goodna.
2.	The D'Aguilar Range.
3.	Bremer River.
4.	Opposite Fairy Bower.
5.	Oxley's bearings (Field Books, 19 September 1824) indicate that this range included Cunningham's Gap.
6.	This island near Arnhern Land was presumably visited by Cunningham during the voyages of Captain P.P. King.