Redcliffe was first inhabited by Indigenous Australians and was established as a convict settlement in 1824 but was abandoned two years later due to a lack of fresh water. In the 1880s, Redcliffe became a seaside resort as people sought to holiday on its safe, sandy beaches. Access to Redcliffe improved with the opening of the Hornibrook Bridge in 1935, connecting it to the mainland and allowing the population to grow.

1. Redcliffe
What happened in the
past?

2. Redcliffe, Queensland’s
first city, has a wonderful
history.
Before settlement in 1824,
the area now known as
Redcliffe was inhabited by
Indigenous Australians
who took full advantage
of the foods that could be
easily found in and around
its waters.

4. Redcliffe was named because of its beautiful
red cliffs. Redcliffe started as a place for
convicts. The brig Amity set sail for Redcliffe
from Sydney on September 1, 1824 carrying
Lieutenant Miller, explorer John Oxley, a crew
and convicts. The party landed at Redcliffe on
September 13, 1824.

5. In 1826 it was decided that
Redcliffe was not a good
place for settlement after
all. There was not enough
fresh water to drink. The
convicts deserted Redcliffe
and moved to Brisbane.
The land was used for
farming, sugarcane,
wheat, cotton, beef,
honey, cattle feed,
oranges and potatoes.

6. Seaside resort
In the 1880 Redcliffe became a seaside resort.
People wanted to come here to holiday by the
seaside. Many people came to Redcliffe to enjoy
its safe, sheltered sandy beaches.

7. In these days there was no
bridge in Redcliffe. Day
visitors travelled to the
peninsula by steamer - the
most celebrated being the
Koopa. The Koopa
delivered its first passengers
to the Redcliffe Jetty in 1911
and continued to transport
tourists to the city until 1914.

8. The bridge opens
The Hornibrook bridge opened
on Friday, October 4, 1935. It
allowed more and more
people to experience the
magic of Redcliffe. The bridge
meant Redcliffe was easier to
travel to and more people
began living in Redcliffe.