Cribb Island, Queensland
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Cribb Island is a former suburb of Brisbane, Queensland Australia which is currently the site of the Brisbane Airport.
'Cribbie' as it was known by the locals consited of two areas which were made up of Cribb Island and Jackson's Estate. The entire area of Cribb Island which was about 5 km long and 400 metres wide was built on essentially a mud-flat that faced Moreton Bay. In the 1970s, the land was resumed by the Federal Government to expand the Brisbane Airport's capability for the larger jets 'Heavies' used in international flights.
Cribb Island also gave its name to a local variety of marine worm (probably Onuphis sp. Fam. Eunicidae), popular with fishermen as bait.
[edit] History
The original area of Cribb Island was populated in 1884 by a tribe of approximately 50 Aboriginals where they bartered their locally caught fish and mud crab for bread and potatoes from the early settlers.
Cribb Island received its name from J.G. Cribb, the son of Brisbane Council Alderman, Robert Cribb. 150 acres of land was bought from the Commonwealth in 1863. In 1885, Cribb sold 65 of those acres to James Jackson for the purpose of growing bananas. This area became known as Jackson's Estate. The land that wasn't used by Jackson was leased out to livestock farmers.
There was only one road into Cribb Island. As this road was floated on top of logs across the mud-flat, it was susceptible to flooding and brief periods of inaccessibility. This changed in 1914 when a better road was built. The area was then accessible for standard motor vehicles.
Later on throught the 1920s, the Cribb Island and Jackson's Estate areas became a tourist destination and a sea-side resort area due to its close proximity to the Brisbane's town centre. In 1925, Cribb Island had its first bus service which was privately owned and ferried passengers to and from the city.
Going into the 1930s the town had many of its own essentials including a school, general store, cafes etc. The resident population fluctuated around 400.
The 1930s however saw a turn in the area's fortunes as it was at the mercy of a severe economic downturn. House owners were having to sell their houses in the Cribb Island area to make ends meet and sold them for next to nothing. The poor bought these homes and the area became a haven to those struggling to get by. Although more local business moved in to provide basic services, this demographic remained the status-quo until the end of the suburb's existence.
In 1970, the Commonwealth Government proceeded to resume land on the island for the purpose of upgrading the airport. The population at that time was about 900 people. Over the next decade, people slowly moved out of the area as the Government took control of the land. The last resident unwillingly left her home in 1980.
