Popular for hosting a number of ghost tours annually, the historic Nundah Cemetery remains to be an important landmark in the suburb. In fact, it is one of the stops at the Nundah Heritage Trail.
Serving the suburb for more than 170 years, Nundah Historic Cemetery is currently Queensland’s oldest surviving cemetery and the first to be associated with free settlement in Queensland.
A small group of German Lutheran missionaries founded Queensland’s first free settlement, at Zion’s Hill above Kedron Brook in 1838. They named the settlement area German Station which was later changed to Nundah after the Aboriginal name for ‘water holes’.
German grave in Nundah Historic Cemetery. Photo credit: Kerry Raymond/Wikimedia Commons
The missionaries later established the German Station Cemetery (former name of Nundah Cemetery) in the 1840s. By 1845, only one death had been recorded on site. Unfortunately, several children died the following year, and the cemetery is indicated on an 1846 sketch by missionary Carl Gerler.
None of the wooden crosses marking the earliest graves has survived, but the oldest headstone dates to March 1855. Some of the earlier gravestones in the cemetery have German inscription.
Photo credit: Heritage Branch staff
In 1914, J MacDonald built a small shelter pavilion designed by architect John Henry Burley at the cemetery.
In the 1930s, Brisbane City Council took over the management of the cemetery from the local trustees. Council closed the cemetery by 1963.
Formed in 1982, the Nundah Historic Cemetery Preservation Association helped tend and restore the site in 1982. Following the restoration of the cemetery, it was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992.
Notable People Buried in Nundah Cemetery
Modern plaque for George and Mary Bridges, founders of the Nundah township, 2005. Photo credit: Kerry Raymond/Wikimedia Commons
Here is a list of the notable residents buried in Nundah Cemetery:
George Bridges and wife Mary (née Brightman) – they are the pioneers who developed the Nundah township.
Thomas Bridges, Member of the Legislative Assembly for the electorate of Nundah
James Dickson, Premier of Queensland and Commonwealth Minister for Defence
John McMaster, the “Father of Brisbane”, four-time mayor of Brisbane, member of both the Queensland Legislative Assembly and Queensland Legislative Council
Cycling enthusiasts are once again gathering to race from Queens Garden to Albert Bishop Park in Nundah as part of the annual advocacy to end the cycle of domestic violence.
Participants will sign-on at Queens Garden from 6:30 a.m and will ride 15 km to the Nundah Criterium Track at Albert Bishop Park starting 7:00 a.m.
This huge annual event is open to all and is open free for spectators. Last year, more than 150 riders joined the race.
This year, there will be several timed races for participants, who will have the chance to have their bike’s serial number recorded in QPS records, in case the bike gets stolen or lost.
White Ribbon is the largest male-led movement in the world pushing for the end of men’s violence against women.
The campaign emphasises the positive role of men in preventing violence against women. Through the movement, the group encourages men to lead in preventing violence against women.
It is rooted in the core belief that most men are not violent and that they can influence positive behaviour in other men.
To many members of the White Ribbon movement, the race has a personal significance. For White Ribbon Ambassador Tim Classuliff, this race is close to his heart.
“I became a white ribbon ambassador when unfortunately my family were devastated by the loss of my sister-in-law to Domestic Violence, 10 years ago,” Mr Classuliff said.
For more information, contact the following people:
Brisbane City Council’s Nostalgic Stroll Through Nundah Heritage Trail helps locals and visitors discover the rich history of one of Brisbane’s most historic suburbs.
With its 18 points of interest, Nundah Heritage Trail takes its guests back in time and shares the stories of the events that helped in shaping the suburb.
The Nostalgic Stroll starts at Toombul Shire Hall and heads along Sandgate Road to the Royal Hotel, then to the Nundah Baby Clinic, and passing Nundah State School. It also includes a visit to the Nundah Cemetery and concludes at the Toombul shopping centre.
Highlighting significant heritage trails and historic sites, the Nundah Heritage Trail travels through the following spots:
Toombul Shire Hall
Toombul Shire Hall is combination brick and wooden building with polished floors. Photo credit: Brisbane City Council/Wikimedia Commons
Located at 1141 Sandgate Road, this iconic building dates back to 1891. John Hall and Son designed the Toombul Shire Hall that served as a municipal office for the Toombul Divisional Board as well as a public hall.
Sandgate Road
Sandgate Road played an important role in the business of the famous Australian coach company, Cobb and Co. carriages. From 1875 Cobb and Co. began running their coaches from Brisbane to Sandgate. The route they have chosen was along Sandgate Road and through German Station.
Royal Hotel
Royal Hotel, Nundah, ca. 1929. Photo credit: John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland Negative number: 1868
The Royal Hotel was built in 1888 for John North when Nundah was a flourishing town. Gerald Maloney, an Anzac veteran who had fought at Gallipoli later owned the license of the hotel.
Imperial Picture Pavilion
Opened in 1918, the Imperial Picture Pavilion originally showed silent films and served as a social centre in Nundah. The establishment, however, was demolished in 1965.
First Free Settlers Monument
First Free Settlers Monument, 1938 Photo credit: University of Queensland, UQFL256, Image number 698
Located at the Corner of Sandgate Road and Nundah Bypass Tunnel, the stone cairn honours the first free European settlers of Queensland at Nundah’s Zion Hill.
Nundah Air Raid Shelter
Photo of the Nundah Air Raid Shelter at Nundah, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. The structure is now a public toilet. Photo credit: Shiftchange/Wikimedia Commons
Built in 1942, this air raid shelter is a preparation for the possibility of Japanese bombing raids. Nundah was a potential target because the United States Army Petroleum Warehouse was just one kilometre away from the Nundah Railway Station.
Built in 1934, the Nundah Baby Clinic played a big role in the lives of many families in Nundah. The clinic provided new mothers with free advice on the care of babies as well as education on maternal and children’s health.
The Salvation Army Hall
This is the Salvation Army’s second hall in Nundah. The new hall was constructed in 1952 to replace the previous hall that was destroyed in a cyclone in 1948.
Nundah State School
Nundah State School Additional accommodation, April 1951 Photo credit: Queensland State Archives, Digital Image ID 1610 ID label: 108442
This state school is one of Queensland’s oldest schools. It was established in 1865 as the German Station National School. The school was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 15 July 2016.
The Anglican Church established the home in 1901 under the care of the Sisters of the Sacred Advent, as a memorial to Brisbane’s first Anglican bishop, Edward Tufnell. The orphanage operated from 1901 to 1970s.
Corpus Christi Catholic Church
Photo credit: Shiftchange/Wikimedia Commons
The Corpus Christi Catholic Church is one of the best examples of Romanesque Revival architecture in Queensland and remains to be one of Brisbane’s most distinctive church buildings.
Nundah Memorial Park
German Krupp 108mm field gun captured by AIF forces, now at Nundah Memorial Park. Photo credit: Orderinchaos/Wikimedia Commons
Governor of Queensland, Sir Matthew Nathan officially unveiled this war memorial on 12 November 1921 and dedicated it to all the men and women from the district who fought in World War I.
Nundah Fire Station
Fire observation tower at Nundah. Photo credit: John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland Negative number: 83896
In 1914, the Nundah Volunteer Fire Brigade was formed and its equipment was purchased with community donations. Lacking a fire station, the brigade stored their equipment in the coach house at the Royal Hotel.
Three years later, the first fire station in Nundah was built on a property along Buckland Road.
Pineapples
Crop of pineapples in Nundah, Brisbane, Queensland ca.1895. Photo credit: John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland Image number: APO-029-0001-0002
Interestingly, pineapples played a major role in Queensland’s agricultural history. Nundah was the first site where German missionaries began to cultivate the fruit as early as 1838.
Zion Hill
One of the most historic places in Nundah, Zion Hill is the site of the first free European settlement located several kilometres away from the penal settlement at Moreton Bay.
Aboriginal History
The word ‘Nundah’ comes from an Aboriginal word meaning ‘a chain of waterholes’. Nundah has been home for many Aboriginal people as the creek and nearby waterholes provided them with a fresh supply of food and water.
Nundah Cemetery
Photo credit: Rocketrod1960/Wikimedia Commons
Another iconic landmark in the suburb, Nundah Cemetery is Queensland’s oldest surviving cemetery. The Zion Hill missionaries established the cemetery in the 1840s.
In recognition of her contribution to environmental efforts, Boomerang Bags Nundah co-coordinator Rachel Long was awarded the Councillors’ Clean Green Choice Award at the 2018 Cleaner Suburbs Awards.
Rachel was part of the group that established Boomerang Bags Nundah, a local branch of the Queensland-based group Boomerang Bags.
Photo credit: Rachel Long/Facebook
Boomerang Bags Nundah is made up of volunteers who sew reusable bags from recycled materials. They meet regularly every 2nd and 4th Thursday evening each month at Nundah Neighbourhood Centre.
Aside from the Nundah-based group, Rachel also created the first ‘Burbs to the Bay’ Kedron Brook Bikeway litter clean-up event. This event followed Kedron Brook across six council wards to clean up the waterways.
Aside from Rachel, this year’s Cleaner Suburbs Awards also hailed the efforts of schools, community groups and individuals. The event recognised groups and individuals for their efforts in litter prevention, waste innovation, and clean-up efforts.
“The Cleaner Suburb Awards champion the achievements of residents and groups who are working together for a clean and green city and today we have recognised 14 individuals, groups and businesses for their dedication to sustainability,” Lord Mayor Graham Quirk said.
This year’s winners share in a prize pool of $4,000.
Plans to upgrade Widdop Street, Nundah at Walkers Way intersection and at the Toombul Shopping Centre have been announced by the Brisbane City Council.
“Brisbane City Council is pleased to announce plans to upgrade Widdop Street, Nundah, at the Walkers Way intersection and at the Toombul Shopping Centre. The upgrades aim to improve safety in the area for all road users, and ensure the intersection can cater to future demands,” the Brisbane City Council announcement said.
Councillor Adam Allan said that the new signalised intersection will include a signalised pedestrian and cyclist crossing to make the junction safer for all users, including motorists, cyclists and pedestrians. Once the intersection is signalised, he said, cyclists can safely cross the road while vehicle traffic is stopped at the lights. Cyclists will only need to wait for about 80 seconds during peak time or even less during off-peak hours.
Photo credit: Google Maps/google.com/maps
The project is part of Brisbane City Council’s $1.3 billion commitment to more than 90 road improvement projects. The road improvement projects aim to solve congestion through upgrades on the existing road network.
“Brisbane City Council has identified the intersection at Widdop Street and the Toombul Shopping Centre at Nundah as a location that requires upgrading to improve safety for all road users. The intersection currently experiences a variety of cyclist, pedestrian, motorist and heavy vehicle movements,” the Council’s announcementstated.
The Council said that the intersection has become increasingly dangerous for pedestrians and cyclists and signalising will help make it safer. The new signalised intersection along with the signalised pedestrian/cycle crossing ensures “continued safety and efficient operation of the local transport network.”
Photo credit: Brisbane City Council/brisbane.qld.gov.au
Key features:
Installation of new traffic signals at the intersection of Widdop Street and the Toombul Shopping Centre, including a signalised pedestrian/cycle crossing
Constructing an additional northbound lane
Bridge widening
Reconfiguring loading dock access via a new driveway off Widdop Street
Re-configuring access to Walkers Way to left-in left-out from Widdop Street
Minor relocation of the adjacent northbound bus stop
New line marking
“The Widdop Street Bridge is proposed to be widened with an additional through lane, and Walkers Way, off Widdop Street is also proposed to be reconfigured to left-turn in and left-turn out only to ensure safety.” concludes the announcement..
Over 2,000 residents responded to a petition to deny approval of a proposal for development of multiple dwellings and shopfronts on Sandgate Road at Nundah.
Petitioners requested for the denial of the development application “based on the negative impact to the aesthetic and economic value to Nundah and its residents.”
“This development does not fulfill a need for our suburb as there are already hundreds of unoccupied/unsold units in the area. Furthermore, it will negatively impact the Nundah community and its ‘village lifestyle’. This lifestyle is a large part of what makes this suburb so unique – including residents supporting local businesses.
The increase of units in the suburb and its saturation may also negatively impact the value of property in the area as has occurred in surrounding suburbs such as Chermside. While there may be a need in the future for increased housing or a change in commercial properties, this is not the case at the present time. We must protect and preserve our suburb and continue to support small businesses,” the petition said.
Photo credit: Brisbane City Council/pdonline.brisbane.qld.gov.au
The development application was lodged in January and is currently under assessment. The proposed development at the corner of Chapel Street and 1180-1192 Sandgate Road at Nundah is for a multiple dwelling consisting of 72 residential units above 12 retail tenancies. Designed by Mondo Architects, the proposal also includes the partial demolition of the former Henry Thomas Chemist Building, a local heritage place and a commercial character building.
Artist Impression North elevation
Photo credit: Brisbane City Council/pdonline.brisbane.qld.gov.au
Artist impression North East elevation
Photo credit: Brisbane City Council/pdonline.brisbane.qld.gov.au
“An Information Request was issued by Council on 6 March 2018 stating that the proposal is not supported in its current form. The Information Request asks the applicant to respond to the matters raised including heritage impacts, building height, architectural design, streetscape interface, traffic impacts, parking, air quality, amenity impacts, landscaping, unit sizes and land use mix. The applicant has not yet responded to the Information Request,” says the Council’s response on the petition.
There have been 31 submissions as of 11 September. Most of the concerns raised were about the impact of the proposed development has on the character of the Nundah Village area and volume of traffic.
For updates regarding this development application DA004831430, click here.
Disability Action Week is running from 9-15 September in Queensland. The week’s theme is “An All Abilities Queensland: Everybody Has A Role To Play.” It will see a variety of events all over the state including in Nundah.
The Community Living Association has received a share of $150,000 by the government amongst the 38 not-for-profit organisations for their musical production event “All Aboard! A Musical Production by the Nundah All Stars in conjunction with Mary Mackillop College.”
The not-for-profit organisation is established by a group of young people with disabilities with the help of their families and supporters. They provide support to people with intellectual and cognitive disabilities through several programs.
The funds will help with the event costs and is part of the Disability Community Event Grants Program. This is part of the government’s commitment to the All Abilities Queensland: Opportunities for All state disability plan. This plan allows every person. including the 1 in 5 Queenslanders who have disability, to thrive and reach their full potential as equal citizens.
Coral O’Rourke, the Queensland’s Minister for Disability Services is happy with the number of events is being held throughout Queensland, “I’m pleased to see a number of events in regional Queensland are receiving this funding, including a Charleville arts festival and a picnic day on Thursday Island, providing a great boost for people with disability in these regions,” he said.
The Disability Action Week is held every year in September. Aside from empowering individuals with disability, this also helps raise awareness of disability issues and improve access and inclusion throughout a wider community.
A new microbrewery proposed for Northgate is set to expand beer choices in the suburb. This follows the lodgement of a new development application for Fick Brewing Company.
The proposed development seeks the council’s approval for a microbrewery with a food and drink outlet at 108 Old Toombul Rd, Northgate.
Other Microbrewery Proposed for Northgate
Prior to this application, Aether Brewing submitted a development application for a microbrewery in Northgate. The proposed development would be located at 340 Melton Rd, Northgate.
Apart from the brewery that can produce up to 20,000 litres per annum, plans for Aether Brewing’s proposed development also includes a small taste-testing facility. Their development application is still subject to Council’s approval.
Photo credit: Brisbane Planning and Development Online
The current proposal for Fick Brewing Company aims to convert an existing building into a microbrewery site. The building’s ground level warehouse will be modified to include a microbrewery, seating area, and a kitchen with a cool room.
Photo credit: Brisbane Planning and Development Online
Plans for the development also includes the retention of the caretaker’s accommodation at the upper level of the existing building.
The development will also have an outdoor seating area. This will be located in the existing covered courtyard area between the two existing warehouse spaces on site.
Similar to Aether Brewing’s plan, the proposed microbrewery facility also has a capacity of processing less than 200 tonnes per annum.
Northgate will have a vast number of beer options once the two development applications earn the Council’s approval. This adds to the growing brewery industry in Brisbane.
Flour & Chocolate is finally coming to Northgate, and works are already underway. The rustic little shop in Morningside that makes delicious bread and pastries is now expanding to reach a wider market.
One of the bestsellers here are their croissants, so make sure not to miss one. Their sourdough organic loaves and ciabatta also scream of freshness that you will absolutely love.
The shop is also known for its olive and get focaccia and quiches. And if you’re in need of some sweets, they will also be offering a wide range of cakes, brownies, meringues, and many more.
For the bakers in you, Flour & Chocolate will have some pantry stuff that you can get from the store for your baking needs.
Flour & Chocolate in Northgate will open in November this year.
It’s that time of the year again! The annual Kerbside collection is coming to Nundah on 20 August 2018. A time to tidy-up and declutter our homes of old, broken, and unusable items like televisions, computers, fridge, carpets, sporting equipment, etc.
household waste that normally goes into your waste or recycling bin
You may be fined for illegal dumping if you do place ineligible items on the kerb and fail to remove them within seven days of BCC’s notified collection period.
Repurposing Ideas
You don’t need to throw away all your pre-loved items though. You may still find some worn-out or even broken items that can still be repurposed or turned into something creative.
Take this beautiful planter, for example, adorned with colourful pieces of broken glass. A perfect way to bring some personality to your garden.
Photo credit: Pinterest/hobbylesson.com
This exquisite dressing mirror is made from a repurposed vintage door. Elegant, isn’t it?
Photo credit: Pinterest/thisoldhouse.com
Now, these picture frames is another creative way of upcycling old mirror frames.
Photo credit: Pinterest/Vanessa
How about turning an old mirror frame into a cork board? It’s a cute old-fashioned way of posting reminders and short messages for your loved ones.
Having some old items in your house is a great opportunity to explore your creative side and do some DIY repurposing projects. It’s a fun and creative way of reusing things that would otherwise be just mountain of wastes in our landfills.
