Cribb Island, Queensland

Remnants of Cribb Island foreshore structure, 2014

Cribb Island is a former suburb of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, which is now part of the site of Brisbane Airport.^[1] The suburb is perhaps best known for being the childhood home of the Gibb brothers who later became famous as The Bee Gees.

'Cribbie' as it was known by the locals consisted of two areas which were made up of Cribb Island and Jackson's Estate. The entire area of Cribb Island which was about 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) 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.

History

The original area of Cribb Island was populated in 1884 by a tribe of approximately 50 Indigenous Australian people, who bartered their locally caught fish and mud crabs for bread and potatoes from the early European settlers.

Cribb Island received its name from John George Cribb (1830—1905). He was the son of Robert Cribb, an alderman of the Town of Brisbane and member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly. John George Cribb bought 150 acres (0.61 km²) of land from the Queensland Government 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.^[2]

There was only one road into Cribb Island. At first, 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 through the 1920s, the Cribb Island and Jackson's Estate areas became a tourist destination and a seaside resort area due to their close proximity to Brisbane's town centre. Cribb Island Post Office opened in November 1920 and closed in 1980.^[3] 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 essential services including a school, general store, cafes etc. The resident population fluctuated around 400.

The 1930s however saw a change in the area's fortunes as it was at the mercy of a severe economic downturn. House owners were forced 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 for 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.

Cribb Island was the childhood home of Bee Gees pop stars Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb

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.

Many former residents are keeping memories of Cribb Island alive on various websites and writer Tracy Burton has written a book "On the Flats: On the Road to Cribb Island", about childhood experiences growing up in this remote peaceful community.^[4]

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Cribb Island, Queensland.

• Images of Cribb Island from Picture Queensland

Coordinates: 27°21′25″S 153°07′42″E / 27.35694°S 153.12833°E / -27.35694; 153.12833