Once called Eden for its natural beauty, the North Pine River has shaped local activities and development throughout history. Named the Pine by John Oxley in 1823, due to the abundant hoop pines growing along its banks, this river stretches 54 kilometres from the D’Aguilar Range, near Mount Mee, to Moreton Bay.
In 1859, Dalaipi, Elder of the North Pine Clan of the Turrbal People, guided pioneer Tom Petrie to the North Pine River, suggesting a site on which to establish a cattle run. Petrie wrote how Dalaipi dived into the river with a tomahawk one day, in search of a sacred stone that might invoke rain.
In years gone by, the river provided an abundance of mullet, jewfish, crabs and prawns. West of the present railway bridge at Petrie, the First Nations People built a natural ‘Mandin,’ or fishing net, with which to catch mullet when the fish teemed upstream to freshwater.
Many Murrumba Downs farming families spent weekends fishing on the river in rowboats, with woven fishing creels to secure their catch. Author Julie Lewis (nee Blatchford) writes how Fred Dohle remembered the day he caught a six-foot shark “right up the Pine River under the old wooden traffic bridge.” The Blatchford family rowboat, built by Fred Dohle in the 1900s, forms part of the collection at the Pine Rivers Heritage Museum.
Swimming, rowing and boating were popular recreational activities in the early twentieth century. Bands performed on Sundays at Sweeney’s Reserve, attracting up to 1000 visitors at Christmastime in the 1920s.
Floods, Dams, and the River’s Legacy
But life beside the North Pine meant dealing with major flooding events. During heavy rain or high tides, the river crossing at Petrie became impassable. A bridge, built in 1877, was so damaged by floodwaters that a new bridge was needed. Remnants of the original support posts are visible from Sweeney’s Reserve at low tide. Historical records show that Alan Gainford leapt into the river to save a man who had tried to walk through the floodwaters in 1930. Both men were swept downstream and eventually rescued by boat.
To mitigate flooding and provide water for both residents and the Petrie Paper Mill, Sideling Creek (a tributary of the North Pine River) was dammed in 1955, creating Lake Kurwongbah. The construction of North Pine Dam in 1976 supplemented our region’s growing water needs.
Read more stories from The North Lakes Guide print magazine here:
- In the North Lakes Loop: Updates from the Community
- What’s Hot Around Town
- Eco Eve: Living a More Environmentally Friendly Life!
- Podcast Review: The Imperfects
- British Cinema Comes to Brisbane
- Grass Emperor – Lethrinus laticaudis
- Organic Gardening in November
- Art of Banksy Chapter 2 Premieres in Brisbane
- New Stage Comedy Redefines the Aussie Bloke
- Brendale VIEW Club Hosts Festive Christmas Dinner Event
- North Lakes’ Dads Building Connection Through Futsal
- Smart Meal Prep Tips for the Busy Season
- Eco Fest Returns
- North Lakes Set for New Resort Dubbed ‘Mini James Street’
- North Lakes Christmas Carols
- Stylish Exhibition Wears Its History on Its Sleeve
- Pine Rivers Municipal Brass Band: Three Decades of Community Music
- Empowering the Next Generation
- Plan Your Next Chapter at Retirement Living and Senior Lifestyle Expo
- Set Sail for a Fun Family Day at Lake Samsonvale
