Question for Australians: Moreton Bay?

Subject: Question for Australians: Moreton Bay?
From: Liam's Brother
Date: 28 Jan 99 - 11:46 AM

Hello below!

Did the penal colony of Moreton Bay evolve into the City of Brisbane or was Brisbane founded separately?

Many thanks.

All the best,
Dan

Subject: RE: Question for Australians: Moreton Bay?
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 28 Jan 99 - 04:49 PM

G'day Dan,

I think that the first suggestion is correct. The official settlement of the Poms in Australia was the convict colony Botany Bay/New South Wales. Initially the whole east coast was New South Wales and the various states (or separate colonies, as they were before federation in 1901) split off over the years ... mostly in the 1850's when gold brought a huge influx of free (and speculative) settlers.

The organisation of the convict colonies directly became that of the cities because the Governors were the military commanders of the convict settlements. It was not until the confrontations of the goldfields - particularly the rebellion at Eureka Stockade - that the authorities started to behave like more governments than warders.

Regards,

Bob Bolton

Subject: RE: Question for Australians: Moreton Bay?
From: Liam's Brother
Date: 28 Jan 99 - 09:37 PM

Thank you, Bob.

On another matter, I can tell you that Frank McNamara was seen in Co. Donegal today much to the delight of the man in whose home he's now staying. I look forward to his arrival here soon. Keep in touch.

All the best,
Dan

Subject: RE: Question for Australians: Moreton Bay?
From: Michael Emory
Date: 28 Jan 99 - 09:54 PM

I cannot imagine a better book on the subject than,"The Fatal Shore", by Robert Hughes. Fascinating and sad - yet it contains one laugh; Old Bill attempts an escape in a kangaroo suit.

Subject: RE: Question for Australians: Moreton Bay?
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 29 Jan 99 - 12:54 AM

G'day agian Dan,

Michael Emory's suggestion of "The Fatal Shore is a mighty read ... in more senses than one. It helps to read a few more broad histories as well - Hughes runs close to persuading that everywhere in early Australia was like an antipodean Gulag and that is a little too simple.

That may well have been what the authorities had in mind, but the Australian larrikin streak developed early and what came to a head at Eureka Lead was no local phenomenon.

A lot of (sometimes well-off) free settlers fought against the Military attitusde of the government. I recommend that you look at the song called The Commissioner in the Penguin Australian Song Book ... when it arrives. Robert Lowe was no convict ... or Chartist ... but he gave Governor Gipps hell - then went back to Britain to deal more of the same to the House of Lords!

The mock obituary, quoted in the notes, is almost worth the piddling price of the book.

Regards,

Bob Bolton

Subject: RE: Question for Australians: Moreton Bay?
From:
Date: 10 Feb 99 - 03:28 PM

To-day, Moreton Bay is the area of water off the coast of Queensland near Brisbane, the capital of Queensland. It's not really a bay but the area between two island and the mainland. The name "Moreton Bay" was used for the first settlement there in 1824. Later it was given its modern name "Brisbane" (pronounced "brisbin"- don't say bris-BANE).

In 1849-50, 500 convicts were transported to "Moreton Bay". It was a penal colony.

For Californians, the Moreton Bay Fig Tree as a large and spreading tree. There is a big, old and prominent one in Santa Barbara