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Readings from Primary Sources on Moreton Bay & Brisbane

These "Readings" from John Oxley's, Report of an Expedition to survey Port Curtis, Moreton Bay and Port Bowen are reprinted from J.G. Steele, The Explorers of the Moreton Bay District 1770-1830, Brisbane, 1972. This report was submitted to Governor Brisbane, dated 10 January, 1824.
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.
John Oxley's visit to Moreton Bay in 1823 paved the way for the Moreton Bay Settlement, which he helped to establish at Redcliffe in 1824. Oxley's party entered Moreton Bay on 29 November 1823, anchoring close to Point Skirmish at the entrance of Pumice-Stone River (near where Flinders had anchored 22 years earlier).

The castaways, Pamphlet and Finnegan, were picked up, and on 1 December Oxley and Stirling set out in the whaleboat to explore the Brisbane River.

The following extract is from Oxley's 'REPORT OF AN EXPEDITION TO SURVEY PORT CURTIS, MORETON BAY, AND PORT BOWEN' and focuses on the navigability, currents, winds, islands and the country surrounding Moreton Bay.

Make sure to look at Our Indooroopilly's Historical and Contemporary BRISBANE RIVER MAP
REPORT OF AN EXPEDITION TO SURVEY PORT CURTIS, MORETON BAY, AND PORT BOWEN

I feel it impossible to enter into a nautical description of so extensive an Inlet as Moreton Bay. The draft given of it by Captn. Flinders is, so far as it comprehends the Tract passed over by him, extremely correct; it does not profess to be a Survey of the whole Bay, and there are so many Sand banks separated by deep water channels of various depths and magnitudes that it would require many months to make a complete Marine Survey of it, and which after all would prove of little Service unless the different channels were buoyed. I do not think, however, that there would be any great difficulty in taking a Ship, whose draft of water does not exceed 18 feet, as high as Red Cliff Point. Above this point to the entrance into Brisbane River, the Channels would require to be well ascertained before Ships of large burthen could proceed. There is, however, no great danger, as the Shoals are of soft mud and the water quite smooth.

A narrow Bank of land appeared to me to extend across from Cape Moreton at the entrance of the Bay to the Mainland. On this bank, I did not find more than 3 fms. at low water; but, as the distance across is full 12 miles, many deeper channels may have escaped my observation. Pumice Stone River affords good anchorage for vessels not drawing more than 12 feet water, and the best Channel to enter by will be found close to the main land. There is plenty of fresh water in the Vicinity of Point Skirmish close to the beach; and although the Soil is poor and Sandy, the Country is covered with good timber. Among other Species the Cupressus Australis is the most abundant, It may be procured of considerable size, readily shipped, and appears well adapted to most of the purposes connected with building.

Should it be deemed expedient to establish a Settlement in Moreton Bay, the Country in the vicinity of Red Cliff Point offers the best Site for an Establishment in the first instance;1 it is centrical in the Bay, and there is no difficulty in effecting a landing at all times of Tide, though the Soil immediately on the Sea Shore is but indifferent. A communication can easily be opened with the Interior; it is about 10 miles to the north of the Entrance into Brisbane River, and must be passed by all Vessels intending to enter it. Red Cliff Point must, however, be viewed as being better adapted for a Military Post and Depot for Stores than as the Site of a Principal Settlement; the Brisbane River presents so many superior situations that, although a Post here may be indispensable, I think a permanent Settlement would be most advantageously formed on the West Side of the River at the termination of Sea Reach.2 The River here is not fresh, but there is plenty of fresh water. The Country is open, and no obstacles exist from Swamps or hills to prevent a ready Communication with the Interior either by the River itself or at a distance from it. From a hill3 near this last Station the entrance of the Bay can be seen; and by clearing away a few trees, a communication by Signal may be held with Red Cliff Point. The ground is dry, the Soil good, and it receives the full force of the Sea breeze.

The Bay abounds with fish of all descriptions common to this part of the Coast. The Natives, in the intercourse we had with them, appeared to possess a most friendly disposition. They are very numerous, and are to a certain extent Superior in their domestic habits to the Savages inhabiting the more Southern coasts. For a more detailed description of these people, I beg to refer you to my Journal.

There are Several Islands in the upper part of Moreton Bay, to the Southward of the Entrance into the Brisbane River, two of which are formed of good dry Soil with water on them;4 The others are mere mangrove Swamps. We had little opportunity of making any nautical additions to the Charts of Captain Flinders. We however discovered that the land of Point Lookout is an Island, and that Moreton Bay extends as far South as Lat. 28 S., where it communicates with the Sea by a Shoal Channel through a Sandy beach navigable for Boats.5 We had also the Satisfaction to ascertain that the waters having their Source in the high lands of Mt. Warning, formed a considerable Stream,6 the entrance into which is close to Point Danger; Across which there is a Bar having 12 feet on it at half tide, there may be probably 14 feet at high water. I had not time to proceed up this River beyond a few miles,7 Sufficiently far, however, to perceive that the River had its source to the Westward of Mt. Warning. The Country on the Banks appeared to be good and abounded with useful timber. I consider the Knowledge of this River useful in establishing the point that the Brisbane River does not receive its waters from the lofty ranges of the Sea coast, and as the course of that River had been already traced beyond the N.W. extreme of the Coast ranges, it appeared still more probable that it derived its supply from some part of the S.W. Interior.

From the observations of others, joined to my own limited experience of the winds and weather on this Coast, I think that considerable difficulty will be experienced by vessels bound to the northward from the months of October to February. To the North of Break Sea Spit, the N.E. Wind (varying occasionally to the S.E.) prevails during those months, blowing in Strong Gales; to the Southward of Break Sea Spit the Winds are more variable, being much influenced by the direction of the Coast which to that Point trends nearly North and South. The currents to the South of Break Sea Spit, at a distance of 15 or 20 miles from the Shore, Set Strong to the South; near the Shore there is little current, and I have then found it occasionally setting to the North. In order to make a good passage to the North ward during the Summer Season, I would recommend Vessels to keep the land close on board. There are no hidden dangers, and besides being out of the Strength of the Current, considerable advantage is obtained by being within the influence of the Land Winds, which commonly blow off it during the night. During the Winter and Spring months the winds will be found variable, but blowing more frequently from the West and N.W. than any other quarter.

As an example of the general tendency and Set of the Currents, the following facts may be adduced. A log of Cedar with a Staple in it was found on the Sea Shore of Moreton Island, which must have floated either from Newcastle or Port Macquarie; and on the same Island a cask and part of a New Zealand Canoe8 were recognised as having belonged to the Echo Whaler, which ship was cast away on Wreck Reef about three years ago. Those Articles must have come from an opposite direction to the log of Cedar. On my return from Moreton Bay, keeping at a distance of 12 or 14 miles from the Coast, the Vessel was set 58 miles to the South in 22 hours, and a current of nearly equal strength accelerated our return from Port Macquarie to Sydney. The existence of a strong Southerly current at this Season of the year, and the situation of its greatest strength with respect to the Coast, are points tolerably well known to the Masters of Vessels sailing out of this Port.

I have the honor to transmit herewith a daily Journal of my proceedings, together with a corrected map of Moreton Bay, including Brisbane River, and also some alterations in the Coast line about Point Danger; the alterations and additions are coloured Red; detached drafts of the Inlets in the Vicinity of Port Curtis also accompany this Report.

From Lieut. Stirling of the Buffs, who accompanied me by direction of His Excellency, I derived the greatest assistance, and it is principally owing to his skill in the rapid and accurate delineation of the surface of the portions of Country we examined, that we were enabled to complete the Service described in this Report, in so short a space of time.9

1. This was carried out in 1824.
2. The place Oxley recommended was near the mouth of Breakfast Creek. Field's version adds, "The water is deep close to the shore, and vessels of considerable burthen could load or unload close to the bank.".
3. Toorak Hill (200 feet) at Hamilton.
4. Probably St. Helena and Coochie Mudlo. Oxley did not explore these himself, so is relying here on information gathered by another boat party, led perhaps by the mate of the "Mermaid", who had been similarly active at Port Curtis.
5. The boat exploring the bay went as far south as the Southport bar. Oxley later forgot that "the land of Point Lookout is an island", and on 9 October 1824 he referred to Amity Point on Stradbroke Island as the mainland. The name of Stradbroke Island was bestowed by Governor Darling on 16 July 1827, in honour of the visit of Captain J.H. Rous, son of the Earl of Stradbroke.
6. The Tweed River.
7. According to Uniacke, 4 miles.
8. These were observed by Finnegan, Pamphlet, and Parsons.
9. Oxley's map of the Brisbane River, submitted with his report, was drawn by Stirling.