History
Burpengary known as the ‘place of the wattle trees’ holds deep significance for the Aboriginal communities that lived along the creek area. They found it valuable for camping, fishing, making canoes from the trees and for access to the coastline. The last male of the local tribe, Menvil Wanmurarn, was buried alongside the Creek when he died in 1900.
In 1842 Robert Dixon developed the first map of the area and marked Burpengary Creek on it as Cuthbertson Creek. By 1851 the area around Burpengary Creek was well settled and used for grazing cattle and growing sugar cane and bananas. The dairy industry had a quick demise and farmers were selling their land to Australian Paper Manufacturing (APM) Forests for the plantation of Pine Trees within the catchment. Within a short space of time, around 1958, APM eventually planted over 20,000 hectares of pine forests. Exotic conifers accounted for almost one-third of these forests. APM made a proposal to the Queensland State Government to build a large pulp mill nearby, but these were rejected and APM abandoned the land and sold it to a South Australian property developer. However, this land was marked by the former Caboolture Shire’s draft strategic plan to remain for basic rural activities and the development of urban and rural residential properties would not be permitted.
This strategic plan did not withstand the widespread population growth within the Burpengary catchment area as it is now primarily used for suburban development. Continuously more bush land and plantations are being cleared for this progressive development. What this means for residential flora and fauna remains to be seen.
Read more about this topic: Burpengary Creek
Famous quotes containing the word history:
“My good friends, this is the second time in our history that there has come back from Germany to Downing Street peace with honour. I believe it is peace for our time. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts. And now I recommend you to go home and sleep quietly in your beds.”
—Neville Chamberlain (1869–1940)
“It may be well to remember that the highest level of moral aspiration recorded in history was reached by a few ancient Jews—Micah, Isaiah, and the rest—who took no count whatever of what might not happen to them after death. It is not obvious to me why the same point should not by and by be reached by the Gentiles.”
—Thomas Henry Huxley (1825–95)
“Culture, the acquainting ourselves with the best that has been known and said in the world, and thus with the history of the human spirit.”
—Matthew Arnold (1822–1888)