Russell Island (Moreton Bay)

Russell Island in Redland City is the biggest of the Southern Moreton Bay Islands, sandwiched between the mainland and North Stradbroke Island in the state of Queensland, Australia. The island is eight kilometres long (north-to-south) and nearly three kilometres wide.

History

Many people remember Russell Island for the infamous land scams of the early 1970s, when many of the islands farms were divided into over 20,000 blocks.Ref|russell_island_fraud At the time, the area, with a population of less than 500, did not have a local authority enforcing planning regulations. Heavily advertised and sold off by unscrupulous vendors, these blocks were often not where the unwary customers thought they were buying. It all rode on the vague promise of a bridge from the National Party government at the time.

Media reports exposing the scam pointed to blocks that were underwater at high tide and the lack of public land. Thousands were duped and still smart today when rates notices arrive. Privately owned properties have reduced to about 15,000 as many owners have forfeited their land back to the council. It is bitter and unwanted heritage that the islanders and the Redland Council, who were appointed to take over the island, have tried to untangle ever since.

The history of the island, however, goes back much further than the scams. The island was first settled by Europeans in 1866, when John Campbell was granted a lease on the northern end of the island closely followed by John Willes and his family. Farmers and oystermen were the first full-time inhabitants, but with the arrival of the Jackson family in 1906, a small village was created on the western side of the island called Jacksonville, that had a sawmill, pineapple canning factory, jetty and even a picture theatre.Ref|russell_island_history

Island life

According to the 2006 Census Russell has just under 2000 permanent residents. However, this changes dramatically on weekends and holidays when many of the 30% of dwellings on the island which are classified as unoccupied are visited by their owners. In the last five years new dwellings grown by one a day--and more. The blocks, while still the second cheapest in Australia, no longer "go for a song". Spots for small boat moorings around the island are running out. Fast ferries and scheduled barges straddle the distance to Redland Bay quickly for most of the day.

Locals describe living on the island as quiet and laid back, with the advantage of being close to the facilities of a major city just across water and being fringed by the Moreton Bay Marine Park. Certainly, the rate of reported crime is well below that of equivalent suburbs on the mainland. Contrary to current beliefs, the possibility of a bridge being built to connect Russell Island to Redland Bay is slim.

Facilities

Russell Island has a police station, IGA supermarket, butcher, post office, garage, service station, grocery/take away foodstore, bottle shop, pet shop, part-time doctor, chemist, hairdresser, bakery, landscape/hire center, storage sheds, video hire, lawyer, library, RSL, bowls club, pool and restaurant.newer business to come soon inc news agent and sea food shop to open in the next 2 mths. Adding to the mix are two mobile businesses: a fishmonger and ice cream vendor.

In the middle of 2007 the Canaipa Shops which housed the takeaway, hardware store, hairdresser and bakery was torn down to make way for a large new supermarket and six smaller retail stores--including the most of the former tenantsRef|russell_island_business due to open on 28 July 2008. With so many blocks still available, three real estate offices trade well. Two licensed clubs anRSL, bowls club provide entertainment and bistro facilities. A generously sized Council-built hall is available. Some church denominations meet there but others use the historic St Peters Church Hall just up High Street. Electricians, builders and plumbers are resident on the Island, making the island somewhat self-supportive. Services include power, phone, broadband, water and garbage collection but sewerage and tarring of the vast majority of streets is still some time away. Garbage is trucked to the mainland for disposal. Both the Rural Fire Brigade and the Ambulance service receive strong volunteer support. On 12 April 2008, a public 50 metre swimming pool jointly funded by the Redland City Council, the Queensland State Government, a rates levy and nearly 20 years of donations from residents was completed. Management has been contracted to the YMCA. The first bathers hit the water during that weekend but, lacking any heating, it was closed for the winter.Ref|russell_island_pool A small primary school for around 180 students has an active Parents and Citizens club.Another big event for the island on Wednesday, May 7, 2008 when the $1.2m Police Station was opened by the Queensland Police Minister, [Judy Spence] , bringing Senior Constable Michael Verry to the island as its first Community Policeman. However,Queensland Police make frequent visits to the island with a high-speed barge [Stewart Kerlin] carrying two police vehicles.

Features

Russell Island has few beaches; the foreshore is mostly mud and mangrove, there is little public land along the foreshore which is a pity because the views along the Canaipa Passage looking over to Stradbroke Island are some of the best in South East Queensland. Both the Lions Park at the southern end of the island and the small park and tidal swimming enclosure close to the barge ramp and jetty at the northern end, have barbecue and toilet facilities close by. The outstanding feature of the island is its vast wetlands areas, but there are no established walking tracks or nature trails to view them. These wetlands also mean that the island has a big warm season population of mosquitoes and midges. However, they are a part of a rich food chain that attracts thousands of migratory birds and crowds the waters with fish and crabs.It is no surprise then than the most popular way of seeing Russell is from the water. At weekends and holidays the waters about the islands abound with every type of boat imaginable from superyacht to venturesome kayakers.

Getting around

The islanders mostly use their own vehicles to get around the island island roads. While some of the arterial roads are tarred most are without kerb and guttering and many are no better than a grassy way. Some are only dotted lines on the map. With only one petrol station prices are always at a premium compared to the mainland. While cyclists can take their bikes on the fast ferries for free they will find the hilly nature of the terrain and the limited number of tarred surfaces a trial. At night, the lack of adequate street lighting make bike travel dangerous.On the other hand, the advent of a full-time police presence on the island means that few drunks will be met on the road--both clubs have good bus services and the local taxi is quite efficient.

ee also

* Redland City Council
* South East Queensland

References

#Note|russell_island_fraud"The Russell Island Land Fraud" in Grabosky, Peter (ed.) Sutton, Adam (ed.): Stains on a white collar, The Federation Press, 1989, Annandale, NSW, ISBN 1-86287-009-8.
#Note|russell_island_historyDorrington, Wendy: The Pioneers of Russell Island, self-published, 2003, Russell Island, QLD, ISBN 1 876780 39 8.
#Note|russell_island_business [http://www.russellisland.biz Business Directory for Russell Island]
#Note|russell_island_pool [http://bayjournal.com.au/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1699&Itemid=100 BayJournal story on opening of pool]
#Note|russell_island_police [http://bayjournal.com.au/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1731&Itemid=1 BayJournal story on opening of police station]

External links

* [http://www.russellisland.biz Business Directory for Russell Island]
* [http://www.redland.qld.gov.au/corp/ Redland City Council Homepage]
* [http://www.redlandstourism.com/ Redlands Tourism]
* [http://www.russellisland.com.au Russell Island on the bay]
* [http://www.nup.info/redland/russellisland.htm Russell Island]
* [http://bayjournal.com.au News about Russell Island and the Bay in general]
* [http://www.trading-post.net.au Russell Island Trading Post]