Rare maps of Burrum River and Fraser Island found

Innovator and researcher Doug Waters with the Buxton Map

Researcher Doug Waters spent three years in the airforce which gave him a taste for engineering; he has been busy using his innovative abilities to create anything from custom cars to buildings. He bought a property some 28 years ago and his curiosity was roused  by the presence of three very old mango trees “These are the oldest mango trees you will find, they are about 120 years old” Doug said.  He learnt a lot from Clive Steley, a knowledgeable and respected local.  Before he passed away, at the age of ninety, he shared a lot of Burrum’s history with Doug. “Clive was born and lived through the depression years with two other families on the property. He told me they lived better than most with what they grew in vegetables supplemented with plenty of fish, crabs and oysters” Clive reflects. “If I do not tell somebody the stories Clive shared, then all this history will be lost” Doug explained.



The mango trees that piqued Doug's interest on the border of two properties



As well as this information from Clive, Doug decided to see what he could find in the archives. He did not know that the time he spent searching this history at the Queensland State Archives would reveal interesting details not only about his property but about Burrum Heads and Buxton.

Doug owns two of four freehold properties that are completely surrounded by the Burrum Coast National Park at Burrum Heads. He wanted to know why those properties remained freehold and who owned them. He discovered that a man named Netterfield selected two fifty acre properties. After he had completed improvements that satisfied the requirements of the Government he was given freehold status of this land. This was granted on both properties as the house was built overlapping them.

He discovered that a man named Boyce repossessed the two properties not long after when Mr Netterfield went bankrupt. Further exploration located shares Boyce had in gold. “There are large numbers of papers on Boyce on the property as he was wealthy and owned a lot of land” said Doug.



Shares owned by Boyce. Doug found these in the hand hewn shed built in the 1800's. It is still standing on the property. 

Doug has found a map showing the proposed National Park dating from 1955 that leaves these four properties freehold.

Map of the Proposed National Park from 1955

There is a rich heritage of activities from different eras all evident at Doug's property. Oyster leases were granted by the Harbour Master in Maryborough and oysters were cultivated directly out the front of the property. One such lease was granted in 1908. There is a small hill close to the Burrum River bank. Doug claims “This is where they dumped the oyster shells and it built up the land”.



The small rise near the Mangrove trees is the hill where the oyster farmers left the shells.

In the river there are more clues to the past. Ballast stones, round stones of approximately the same size, line the Burrum River. “The Sailing Ships heading up from Sydney use to dump the stones in the water here on the way through Burrum Heads to get coal. The stones kept the empty boats balanced. Once they were filled up with coal, they headed back to Sydney” Doug clarified. "To be able to navigate this river with a sailing boat would have required very good boating skills!” he laughed. 

Have you ever sailed up this river? Do you agree?

The archives revealed maps that many people were not aware existed. Doug found a map of Buxton dating from 1886. “Buxton was to be the main port for this area before they decided to locate the port in Maryborough. It was called New Port among other names” Doug said. He has found a map which has a full plan of a developed city. “The map shows that they planned to have a bridge from Buxton to Burrum, as the only gazetted roads on opposite sides of the Burrum River are drawn at this point” Doug claims.

Do you think he is right?

Newport Map from 1886

Very little was known about two other maps that Doug has found. The first is an orginal map of Burrum River to Gregory Islet from February 1988.

Map of Burrum River Bar to Gregory Islet from February 1888.

The second map is one of Fraser Island. “It has always been thought that Captain Flinders discovered Fraser Island was an Island, this map shows that is was Captain Edwardson that discovered this. He drew this map in 1822 using the maps of Captains Flinders and Cook and expanded the drawing to fill in the western side of Fraser Island showing it was an Island” Doug said. Doug donated a copy of this map which is now framed and hanging at the Hervey Bay Library.

 

The Map of Fraser Island  - Edwardson captained the NV Snapper and used this map to navigate the water of the Fraser Coast.

Another treasure that Doug found was a letter from the Maryborough Council dating from 1918 explaining that the kerosene for the street lights in Howard would not be supplied anymore as this area had its own council. “I donated it so it can be hung in the town hall and everybody can see it” said Doug.

Luckily for us Doug is still spending time delving through the archives at Queensland State Archives.

So it will be interesting to see what other clues to our past he can share.



 Published with consent from Doug Waters.

Tags  #Burrumheads #Herveybay #Frasercoastlibraries #Qldheritagetourism #Herveybaylibrary