The Redcliffe Historical Society Inc was formed at a public meeting on the 23rd of February,1967 for the purpose of preserving and documenting the history of Redcliffe and the surrounding areas. Mr James Houghton was elected Foundation President.

 

The Redcliffe Historical Society acts to preserve this special place in Queensland history.

 

For over 4000 years, this area was inhabited by the Ningy Ningy; the Aboriginal people who roamed from the North Pine River to Toorbul Point. They also had camps on Moreton and Bribie Islands.

 

Captain James Cook sailed past the area while charting the east coast in 1770. On July 17, 1799, Matthew Flinders saw the strong impregnated iron stone on the cliff face (on what is now Woody Point) and actually wrote on his chart 'Red cliff Point'.

 

John Oxley recommended the site of Redcliffe to Governor Brisbane as suitable for a convict settlement. On September 14, 1824, Lieutenant Henry Miller led a group of about 70 people including soldiers of the 40^th Foot Regiment, convicts,  explorers and their families to establish the 1^st European Settlement in Queensland. They arrived on the brig 'Amity' - a replica was built at Albany W.A. as shown below.

 

While the settlement lasted only until May,1825, it saw the birth of the first white child in the colony, its first death, the construction of the first brick kiln, the erection of the first pre-fabricated house (for the commandant) and it is said the first weir in Queensland.

 

With the passage of time, Redcliffe has passed through phases of land sub-division and development, farming being a favourite place and has now grown into a city of around 50,000 people. Redcliffe is entering into a new phase of its history as it becomes a part of the newly amalgamated Moreton Bay Regional Council.