History of Whites Hill Reserve
The indigenous clans of the Yuggera and Turrbal people lived in or traversed parts of the Bulimba Creek catchment for at least twenty thousand years. It is believed that a locality on the creek was called boolimbah, meaning a place of the magpie-lark and thought to refer specifically to what we now know as Whites Hill. The first recorded use of the name Bulimba Creek was in 1888.
The Whites Hill Reserve owes its name to one Robert (Bob) White, who emigrated to Australia from England in 1863. After an initial time in Maryborough, he came to Brisbane seeking a hilltop property. He was forced to look further from the city as such locations were in high demand. He eventually purchased, in 1873, some 43 acres for £5, 7s 6d surrounding the 120 metres (390 ft.) elevation at Camp Hill.
The hilltop that would bear his name was the last remaining hill in the south of Brisbane, probably because it was too steep for grazing and too poor for farming AND as it was also outside of the Police District, the boundary delineated by Boundary Rd, there was concern the family would have no police protection. Though it lacked water and the soil was rocky, White was impressed by the view it afforded, but more importantly its potential for his ambitious plans
By 1879 he had built a slab hut and was growing maize plus a piggery and a milking yard for his cows. He erected a small steam driven sawmill in what is now Eric Sivell Park, now located on Boundary Rd across from Indus street (named after the ship her arrived on).
White dug out a road to the top of the hill where he constructed a large house with wide verandas. It was built for the views with a round living room that afforded dramatic views to Ipswich, out over the City and across to the sandhills of Moreton Island. The dining room could seat 50 to 60 people and was warmed by a large stove imported from England.
The house was opened to the public with tea and meals available. The house proved popular with the locals and was frequently used for group outings, such as church groups, sporting groups, and scientific conventions. During the 1920’s Whites Hill, with it’s tearooms, telescope and camera obscura, was more popular than Mt Coo-tha, hosting picnics, school excursions and weddings.
A very popular drawcard was the Camera Obscura, a telescope installed on the verandah in 1886 which could pick out sailing crews racing boats on the bay, but the main drawcard was the camera obscura. The camera obscura was a periscope like device mounted at the top of the building and by use of mirrors and lenses it projected views down onto a circular table about 9 feet in diameter. People were able to look down onto this table from a mezzanine floor.
Brisbane City Council were keen to acquire the land for development in 1924, offering Bob White £22000 for its sale. He declined but upon his death, in January 1927, the land was sold to the council for less than half the original offer. It was an ideal observation post during the World War II and the army used the hill for training.
After World War II ended, there were some significant changes to the reserve. A resumption in 1960 extended the White’s Hill Reserve holdings, but four years later Brisbane City Council subdivided 125 acres around the lower slopes, selling the land for residential development.
Part of the reserve was then transformed into the Whites Hill Landfill & Recycling Facility, which continued in operation until it was replaced in 1994 by a larger facility at Chandler. Other portions of the reserve near Pine Mountain have also been used as a quarry and although that part of the property still houses commercial activity, quarrying has long since ceased. Older residents can still remember as children back in the 1960's the excitement of hearing the sirens sounding prior to blasting in the quarry.
In 1968-69 the Reserve saw the development of sports fields and the establishment of the community-based organizations that run them. Additionally, land was set aside for a public park, which included a playground, picnic & barbecue areas and in 1997 a bandstand was constructed down on the flat south of White’s Hill about 300m from the site of the White’s former enterprise. And whatever happened to that original complex of buildings? Well, sadly, while the house remained for many years, repeated acts of vandalism forced the council to condemn the residence and tear it down in 1964. However, the Whites family do hold reunions to recall those former times
And what of the Pine Mountain Quarry . Well as of 2024 it is earmarked for future development which has created concern for our group and local residents as it covers a large area of the reserve close to rare and endangers plants. What will it become? Will it be a considered development and will the local community be involved in the process? Checkout our page on this site for more information about our campaign to ensure the local community has a say.
