This is a precis of the family history given by each family to Wamuran Historical and Visitors Centre – The complete versions with each families individual items of interest and other history can be obtained on a USB at P.O. Box 98 Wamuran or Phone 54298108 or 54966560 or email whvc2007@gmail.com
Childs
Childs-Syd Childs left England and arrived in 338- 382 R Williams Road, Wamuran Basin in 1929 where he set up a passionfruit farm and became the first commercial producer in Qld.
After an accident, Syd had to move to flatter ground and on Jan 18th 1945 he moved to his property near Mt Miketee which was on what is now Childs Road. Eventually, Syd planted citrus trees of many varieties, plus pecan and Queensland nuts, custard apples, and lady finger bananas; but while they were growing, he planted tomatoes, beans and cabbages between the rows. 30 acres only were under cultivation, the rest bush and lagoons. The lagoons provided irrigation .In 1942 Syd Childs bought ¾ acre next to the Wamuran Hall where he sorted and packed his produce and set up a mail order business where he sent his products anywhere in Australia.
In the mid 40s Syd set up a roadside stall selling his produce on a serve yourself basis. Syd sent to the markets and the Cannery as well as his stall. In the 60s he began growing and selling gerberas on his stall.
Community-Syd was an artist and set up an art gallery beside his stall. Syd was a singer and yodeller and set up his own entertainment group that went round the area. Syd and his wife Marg were on the Hall committee, were members of the Red Cross, and were involved in the Wamuran P& C and Caboolture High school P& C. Marg was the first President of Wamuran CWA. Syd Childs was president of the Wamuran Rural Fire Brigade from 1942 till his death in 1981. Marg died in 1985.
Their daughter Hilary Berger lives in the family home and she and her husband continue on the family’s work in the community.
Clews
Clews-The Clews family of Bill and Maria and their children George, Margaret, William, James and Robert settled in Bracalba at what was left of the “Paddy’s Pinch Hotel “after the main hotel was removed to DÁguilar in 1910. Bill and his family had a dairy and pigs and grew sorghum for feed and grew citrus for market. They then went into bullock teams. Bob married Annie Jackson and had three daughters –Melba married Dudley Waldron, Peggy married Neville Sellin, Phyllis married Les Embrey and Maggie married August Felschow of Woodford and Wamuran and there are many descendents locally.
Bill died in 1930 and George stayed till his death
Bob and his brother bought land off the original deed of grant owner, Crotty in 1918 in the Basin and became a dairy, banana, pineapple and small crop grower as well as owning a bullock team.
Community: – Bill and his boys joined the Wamuran Progress and Fruitgrowers Association soon after they settled. (The Association began in 1917). Bob and Annie joined in the social life of Wamuran Basin and played tennis on Moles Court and Annie played the piano and Bob played the accordion for the local people. Bob became active in the Albert Hall committee and was their M.C. for many years. Bob was actively involved at Wamuran in many sports days, school functions, Odd Fellows and Masonic Lodges. Bob enjoyed sport, dancing and being active in community affairs e.g. Fruitgrowers association, schools and the Wamuran Church of England.
Craig
Craig:- The family settled on 42 acres of land on Wararba Creek ( which had originally been granted to Crotty)- later sold to McCosker and then “Park Forge”. They later bought another property and half another property next door. They also leased land for bananas. The farm was scrub and had to be felled by hand and they eked out a living with a dairy , pigs, small crops, sugar cane for cow feed, felling timber and cutting posts and bananas. After the war the family started a guernsey stud and the farm flourished. They stayed in the district from 1922-1962
View of the property in the late 1950s
Community: – Lorna worked at the Post Office and then joined the Air Force during the War. Les went to Gatton College. The family joined in local dances for the Red Cross which they supported.
| Stud Guernsey Bull |
| Stud Guernsey Cow |
Dellit Family at Wamuran
Johann (listed as John) Dellit bought portion 33 V in what was later Pope and Milfull Property in Old North Road in 1895 and sold it in circa 1910. Johann bought his land at Bracalba between circa 1897 and 1900.
The Bracalba property- over 700 acres including the house and herd was sold to Fred Gamgee in 1931. The remaining acreage was subdivided in 1932Johann Dellit was involved in building the Albert Hall and was a timbergetter
DELLITS SHOP AT WAMURAN
Walter Dellit (who was one of 13 Dellitt children) brought the land in June 1923 between the Hall and the Baptist church which Thomas Brown and sons had subdivided in 1918. The Brown family were sawmillers who bought the land off the original owner Nicholas bell in 1909.
Walter set up a store and delivered for miles around. In 1927 Walter, sold his store to his parents John Frederick and Fredericka Charlotte Dellit. The family continued working the shop till February 1936 when they sold to Florence Eveline Irons and it was sold again in 1938 to Julian Harry Saville and this shop later burned down and the estate was resumed for road purposes in 1944 and became what is now Wise Street.
Photo taken 1924 from railway station showing Dellits shop, the Baptist Church and Wise Shop. The IGA store is currently (2021) on the Baptist church site and Wise Street takes the place of Dellits store.
Embrey- Les & Perc
Embrey Family:- Arthur and Eliza Embrey and their children- Olive (Alice), Arthur, Leonard, Leslie born 1920, Roy Percival ( Perc) born 1923 and Dulcie came to live in Green Road Wamuran in 1928 and grew pineapples and citrus. After school at Wamuran, Les and Perc went to work for Russell Grigg where they learnt their trade of growing pineapples. Les left and joined the Army in World War 11 and Perc stayed till 1951.
Les Embrey:- After the war, Les Bought land in Gamgee road and then a second block. He grew 60 acres of pineapples and 5-10 acres of bananas. Les is believed to be the first farmer in Wamuran to hill up his pineapples. He also followed the latest technology and bought a harvester in the early stages.
Community:- Les and Phyllis Embrey were heavily involved in the community being active members in sports, school and Fruitgrowers association. Les and Phyllis were heavily involved in the Wamuran School- fundraising, fetes, sports days etc and later the tuckshop, plus the building of the school oval in the late 60’s by the Wamuran community. The family was heavily involved in the Wamuran Hall Committee with Les being a doorkeeper for many long years. Les and Phyllis were involved in Neighbourhood Watch since 1990, plus other local functions and fun times. This included Guy Fawkes Night which was run by the Junior Farmers in the 50s and 60s and most of the local families attended. Phyllis was Chief Steward in the Poultry section of Caboolture Show and a local historian
Perc Embrey (front left) picking on his first farm-note baskets, blitz & paper bag covers on pineapples
Perc Embrey:- Perc bought a property beside the Post Office (current school site and continued to expand.
“Then I bought 2-3, 14 acre blocks behind the fruit growers and another 14 acre block that was Javes’ property in Central Avenue next to my farm.
In 1956, I bought 160 acres on Childs Road. In 1964, I bought a farm at Elimbah which I later sold to my son Ron.
In 1959, I sold my farm near the Post Office to Roy Dobson’s family for £3000.00 and moved to the farm house in Central Avenue and in 1974 I built a new brick house at Central Avenue. Perc built up a thriving farm through very hard work. He was an authority on pineapple growing and was a leader who held field days on his property to show other growers.”
The Embrey family formed a company called “Merbye” which grew over the years into a large producer and employer in the Wamuran District. Sadly the company went into receivership in 2016
Community:- Perc Embrey was a stalwart of the community being a long time chairman and member of the Hall Committee, being chairman and active in the Fruitgrowers Association of Wamuran and was there during the establishment of bulk loading at Wamuran. Perc was heavily involved in the Wamuran indoor bowls, cricket club and tennis club. Perc played and represented the Wamuran District in tennis, cricket and indoor bowls. Perc and Edna loved their outdoor bowls and they only retired when age caught up with them. Perc was a Steward in the pineapple section of Caboolture Show.
Franks
Franks:-Harry Franks left England and settled in Wamuran in 1922. He married in 1928 and had 3 children. Harry lived on his property with its eastern boundary on what is now Franks Lane. Harry set about becoming a chiefly a pineapple grower and used best practice introducing fertilisers on his crops. He also grew small crops and sold all these products at his farm stall located about where the current fruit stall is opposite the mill.
Harry set up a mill on Bye’s property in 1949 and moved it to the current mill site on the other side of the road from his house in 1951. His son Bill took it over and sold it in 1982.
Community:- Harry Franks was a leader in the pineapple industry. Harry was one of the instigators of setting up the Golden Circle Cannery in his capacity as Chairman of the Pineapple Sectional Group committee. In his capacity of Chairman of the Pineapple Sectional group Committee, Harry had many meetings with Allan Morby from Woombye to get the Cannery started in 1947. The Cannery seemed a necessity to growers to stabilise the market. Harry Franks was the first Chairman of Directors of the cannery; He held this position for many years.
At a gathering if his peers at Wamuran, Harry received an award for 23 years of service to the pineapple industry by the Honourable Frank Nicklin M.L.A.
Harry was involved in the local community and was knowledgeable about local history
The First Cannery Directors in 1947
The Wamuran mill undergoing renovation in 2011
Grigg Family
Grigg Family:- Edwin Grigg bought land in Wamuran in the 1920s and joined with Charles Wise to subdivide this land in Station Road.
Original Sale Poster- donated by the Grigg family
Edwin and his Family started growing citrus on their property. Edwin’s son, Russell, wanted to be a farmer so went to Gatton College and bought block 49 and 50 to establish the “Bethonga” farm. Russell expanded his farm up to 90 acres. He had to develop his farm so he did contract ploughing for the local farmers with the first tractor in the area. Russell joined the RAAF in 1939 and was killed in New Guinea in 1942.
Russell’s widow continued the farm with the help of farm hands. After going to Gatton College, her son John joined her in the business. In 1956 John and his mother purchased another 70 acres of land (at D’Aguilar) and in 1964 the family added two blocks of 160 acres (from Ron Meurant) and 35 acres (from original Dave Meurant’s property) to the aggregation and had 100 acres under pineapples.
The Golden Circle Cannery had employed Rudy Wassman who was one of the 3 best experts on pineapples in the world. Because of his worldwide fame he was able to introduce the Grigg family to David Williams at the Pineapple Research Institute in Hawaii. He had rescued about 100 hybrid varieties from an abandoned research farm at Del Monte in Hawaii. He wanted to develop a superior strain and made 3 of these plants available to the Grigg family. This material and further breeding lead to the development of a superior pineapple called Bethonga Gold released in 1995. John sent his Bethonga gold products all around Australia and New Zealand.
John and his wife Betty set up a Braford Stud at DÁguilar. “We bred some good bulls and Bethonga Regal brought an Australian Braford Record Price of $9 750 in 1973 when sold at Dalby,” Betty said. At Gympie Show in 1973, “Bethonga Princess” was named champion of all breeds at the Show. She had been sired by “Bethonga Regal”. From 1976 – 1984 John was on the Executive Council of the Braford Society. In 2003, the stud was sold to Gavin Robinson and it was disbanded in 2012.
Community:- John was one for innovation, and after seeing pineapple pickers at work in Hawaii in 1959, he asked his brother Frank (a mechanical engineer) to design him a mechanical harvester and so he had the first mechanical harvester to operate in Australia, in 1962. **
In 1998 John was awarded the Jaguar award for innovation in primary industry after developing the Bethonga Gold Pineapple.
In the early 1950’s John joined the Junior Farmers (now known as Rural Youth) and rose to become Zone Chairman and State Vice President and learnt great skills that helped him in public life. In 1954 John was awarded the prize as A.B.C. Australasian Young Farmer of the Year. From 1955-58 John was a member of the Rural Youth State Advisory Council.
He served as a councillor on Caboolture Shire Council from 1967-70. John served four years on Caboolture Parish Council for the Anglican Church in Caboolture.
He was a member of the Wamuran Fruitgrowers executive between 1965 an1972, being Chairman from 1973-1990. John’s father was involved in the Fruitgrowers in its beginning days
He was awarded Cannery Producer of the Year in 1974. He was a member of the Queensland Horticultural Exporters Council and from 1993-1997 he was on the Quarantine Inspection Advisory Council advising the Federal Minister for Agriculture
John was a Councillor of the Royal National Association and was in charge of the Agricultural Pavilion from 1978 -2004 and Council Steward 1975-1978. During this time he was in charge of the Agricultural Pavilion, Sugar and Cotton industries. He was also a member of the Executive Council of the RNA from 1994 to 2003. John represented the Association at Royal Agricultural Societies of the Commonwealth Conferences in Edinburgh, Melbourne, Nairobi and Calgary. In 1974, John was awarded RNA Commonwealth Bank Producer of the Year for his farming expertise.
John was a long time steward in the pineapple section of the local Caboolture Show Society.
John joined Caboolture Rotary Club in 1958 and was Secretary from 1965-66. He was President 1972/73 and Zone Chairman for a term. He was awarded the Paul Harris Fellowship in 1992.
Tennis has been a family interest. John’s mother, Chrissie, played and enjoyed tennis in the Caboolture Association as did John who also served as President of the Caboolture Tennis Association (1956-58). Betty had forsaken a promising tennis career (she had been State Junior Champion) to study but her talents were admired both in the local Association and in the world of Veterans Tennis.
Jackson Family- John, Fred & Jim
Jackson Family: – The Jackson’s of Wamuran included Archie and Kate who later lived on land with their son John in the Basin and later Jim and Fred settled in the Lower Basin area. Also descended from the Jackson girls was the Hall and Clews family of the Basin. Jackson descendants are well spread throughout the local shires around Kilcoy and Moreton Bay areas.
John, Jim and Fred Jackson moved to the Wamuran District. John bought land in 1910 but had lived there circa 1906 and Jim and Fred came soon after him. As in history reported by the Chapple family, Jacksons were settled before 1910. John Jackson married a local girl, Lillian Jensen, in 1909. In any event, they were well settled in the district before 1920.
John Alexander Jackson:-Pearl, John (JAJ) daughter, recalls that her father had over 400 acres in Wamuran Basin. Pearl thinks he could have had up to 1000 acres so the extra may have been leased. He had 150 dairy cows, 3-400 pigs, 200 hives of bees and a large banana plantation. He marketed his fruit in Brisbane and mostly took them by an old truck to the markets. John Jackson’s original farm in the Basin was sold in 1973.
Community: – *John Jackson donated the land for The Basin School in 1920
*John Jackson, Herman Behrens and Jensen family bought land for the Baptist Church at Wamuran and John also contributed to the fundraising to build the church along with other church members. The Baptist church at Wamuran opened 6th August 1921 with John Jackson being Chairman.
*J.A.Jackson had convened a meeting, raised funds for the bridge over Wararba Creek and met with Council in 1924.
Taken at John Jackson’s farm 1933 – All 5 of his children present. Note cases of bananas on truck
L-R Frances Behrens (later Davis), Pearl Jackson (later Maxwell), Beryl Jackson (later Beasley), Herman Behrens kneeling, John (JA) Jackson, Irene Jackson (later Dau), holding Douglas son of JEA (Everard) Jackson, unknown, Everard (JEA) Jackson kneeling, Arthur Johnson, Malcolm Chalmers, Arthur Jackson.
Fred Jackson L: – Fred married Jessie Nicholson and built a slab hut on the Nicholson farm on what is now Glenarba Court. He grew bananas and shared dairy cows with Ham Clews at Bracalba.
- Fred Started a milk run in the Wamuran Basin and it ran from 1939-1941 and then he sold to Len Crowther.
Fred Jackson’s plantation circa 1930 on W Lindsay Road
Jim Jackson:- Jim grew bananas like most farmers in the area and also carted other farmer’s bananas as well as his own with four horses and a German wagon. In 1917 he bought the first property on the left as you go up Campbells Pocket road after the Basin Road. In 1919 he bought Portion 3v and 52v between Jackson Road and W Lindsay Road that he called “Cherry Vale”
In 1928, he decided to dairy at “Cherry Vale “but sadly this was before the Depression and it did not go well. He had to lease some of his land to other banana growers. In 1943 the land was auctioned and bought by Bill Lindsay.
Jim Lindsay -Senior & Junior
Jim Lindsay Senior and Junior: – Jim Lindsay senior came to Bracalba in 1948. He bought his land off Malcolm Newman who bought it off Chadwick & Noon. He was a successful banana farmer and from 1960 had a dairy bought from Carmody.
Community: – Jim Senior was a cricket lover excelling as an opening batsman, a good fieldsman and part-time bowler in the Stanley River District Cricket Association. He played a good game of tennis in the Caboolture Tennis Association and in later years played golf off a handicap of 24. Ilma also enjoyed golf.
Jim loved district shows and was 10 years as a Banana Steward followed by 20 years as President of Caboolture Show Society of which he was granted Life Membership. Jim was Assistant Steward at the R.N.A. Show banana exhibit for some years.
Jim Lindsay Junior(1940 – 2011):- After leaving school Jim Junior worked with his father at Bracalba and grew some bananas of his own. He then moved to Wamuran Basin with his wife and family and bought a banana farm from Arthur Small. Jim stopped growing bananas in 1997 as he had found the returns too poor and labour was not available.
Community:- Jim was secretary of the Stanley River Cricket Association for 10 years and a selector for 6 years. Jim got his Cricket umpires ticket and spent summer afternoons umpiring cricket. He enjoyed umpiring and the pay was a bonus.
Jim played Football for Caboolture in his youth and made the Rep team.
Jim played tennis for Caboolture Association and won many titles
Jim was also active in the Show Society and with bananas in the RNA show.
Jensen
Jensen Family :- Soren and Dorothea Jensen from Denmark settled in Wamuran in 1882 on 320 acres of land from Wararba Creek (over the sports field and Mountain Track Drive today) They were traditional farmers of the time.
Community :- The Jensens had eight children and they arranged with the education department to start a school at Wamuran from their home called “Ferndale” The first school at Wamuran was called Ferndale.
This gave Soren contact with other families and soon he was conducting “Baptist Church Services and had 25 Sunday school children every Sunday in his home. While the railway line was under construction from Caboolture to Woodford, Soren and his sons walked along the line, meeting the camp workers, bringing then the Word, as far as the top of the range. Soren also arranged for lay preachers to come to the outlying areas as far away as Mt. Mee. After his death in 1919 services continued at the home of his son-in-law John Jackson in the Wamuran Basin.
Soon after the death of Soren, a number of Wamuran Baptists yearned to have a church building they could call their own. The typical country wooden church was opened on 6 August 1921, the Chairman being J.A.Jackson, the Secretary H.A. Behrens, and the Treasurer, Otto Jensen.
FERNDALE SCHOOL- circa 1881/1882
Back l-r: Mr Fritz , Mrs Harry Fritz& baby, Agnes Pearce, Anna Jensen, Alice Pearce, Florence Tweedle, Bert Pearce, Second Row l-r: Mrs S Jensen, Lillian Pearce, Grace Mitchell, Mrs Moody -teacher, Soren , Lily & Chris Jensen, Joseph Tweedle Sara & Dora Jensen, Appo & Walter Sami, Front :Jack Pearce, Frank Sami, George Fritz, Frank Pearce, Enoch & Otto Jensen Absent : Emma & Carl Fritz, Stephen, Hannah & Ruby Hansen & their parents.
Kirkwood
This property was first bought by the Howie family when the land was originally subdivided by Thomas Brown in 1918.It was then bought by Henry and Carl Eden in 1930 and transferred to Harry (Henry) in 1931- Harry had married Marcella Whiting. William Kirkwood and his wife, Elsie, came from Gympie to Wamuran. William and John Kirkwood bought the land in 1938 from Edens and it was transferred to William in 1947. At Wamuran, Bill began growing pineapples and took an active interest in the Cannery and the C.O.D.
Bill began growing Ginger in the mid 1950s and Kevin joined him after he left school in around 1957 on their 25 acre farm on Old North Road. Kevin married Lorraine Whiting from Wamuran Basin in 1970 and together they built up a thriving ginger production at Wamuran. However, water was an issue and they decided to move to Mooloo near Gympie After suffering drought they exited the industry for several yeas, growing small amounts for the green ginger market and grew beans. Scott, Kevin and Lorraines younger son, after leaving school joined his Dad in developing the ginger farm growing up to 30 acres. Drought and disease has always been a major problem, so they decided to relocate to Bundaberg with guaranteed water from Monduran Dam.
Community-Bill was also active in the community being in the local Masonic Lodge and Chairman of The Jubilee Celebrations in 1951, a long time member of the Progress Association and Memorial Fund who contributed to a memorial entrance to the Old Albert Hall, Chairman of the servicemen’s send off committee formed in 1942 at a meeting called by Wamuran Fruitgrowers Assn, Bill was Auditor of the Wamuran War savings group and on the Hall committee.
Koppen
Koppen :- George and Vera bought the land off Karl Eden for £820 and came here on 29/01/1939 from Beenleigh. At first they milked cows and sent cream to Caboolture Dairy Factory. However, they moved into pineapples which they sent by rail to the cannery. Koppen also grew vegetables – lettuce, beans, caulies, cabbages, carrots, sweet potatoes, peas, English potatoes, turnips- almost any vegetables. We grew “Top Weight” carrots that only fit 50-60 in a sugar bag. George and Vera’s son, Doug, worked on the farm after leaving school and took it over till he sold in 1998.
Community:- From 1946 -48 church services were held at the Koppen house. The Lutheran Minister who married them came up at first and stayed with them each week-end. He was a missionary and he contacted the people at Nambour who sent down a Lutheran Minister once a month. The parishioners built a Lutheran church on the corner of Arthur Street and King Street Caboolture which is now in Caboolture Historical Village.
Milfull
Milfull: – The family owned 700 acres stretching from Bellmere Road to Schrodter Road and facing Old North Road and settled in 1940. They had a dairy farm of about 50 cows. They also grew a large area of pineapples. Sam sold everything from the farm-cream, eggs, dressed poultry (chickens, turkeys, ducks etc), pineapples, potatoes, carrots, watermelons and anything that was in season and growing on the farm in a fruit run starting on the western end of Caboolture and round Caboolture town down about as far as Dux Street. In 1962 Sam Milfull sold to the Paper Mill and bought land on the corner of Scurr Road and Newlands Road where he grew pineapples. Sam retired in 1971.
Community:- Sam took over from Fred Gamgee as Chairman of the school Parents and Citizens Association after Mostyn started school circa 1943 and continued till circa 1960.. Sam was active in the Red Cross and he took over as President when Mrs. Grigg left the District in the 1960s. . He maintained his interest till he moved to Caboolture in 1971
Once he moved to Caboolture, Sam started raising funds for the Endeavour Foundation and had the honour of having a home for children who cannot look after themselves built at Charles Street, named after him. This home no longer exists.
During the war, Sam was a member of the Voluntary Defence Corps (VDC).
Sam was Master of Ceremonies at dances held at Wamuran once a month
Sam Milfull MC at Local Drama Performance in the Albert Hall
MOLLENHAGEN
Fred Mollenhagen and family left Germany in 1861 on the “Beausite” carrying many German families to Australia. They settled in the Logan area on the south of Brisbane and set up a dairy farm on the Logan River. Circa 1910, August’s older brother, Fred, (Fred seniors sons) was already settled in Kilcoy. One can presume that August found the land on one of his trips to Kilcoy by rail motor (which opened to Woodford in 06/12/1909 and opened to Kilcoy on 22/12/1913). The land was owned by Felschow and 305 acres was sold to August Mollenhagen in 1915. The land stretched from the railway opposite Franks Lane to Waraba Creek and across to Old North Road.
So in 1916, with a wagon, buckboard and sulky with Frederick senior and 3 brothers and some cows, goods and chattels they walked and rode till they arrived at Old North Road Wamuran to begin a new life. A small abode was erected similar to other settlers and a mango tree was planted near the house and is still there today. Next to the mango tree was a lagoon about 100foot (30m approx) by 10 foot (3m approx) and 4-5 feet (1.5m approx) deep. This was their water supply but in the dry it dried up. There was a waterhole beside the creek and it was a distance from the house but extra water could be obtained there. When the Mollenhagens arrived, there was one post remaining beside this waterhole which was evidence left of an original police outpost from earlier years. At this time nobody lived across the road at (approx 230) Old North Road and there were four large trees in the open paddock approximately 20 metres apart which were fenced around the trees to form a stable for the police horses (according to Mrs Dora (Herman) Behrens (nee Jensen). The bails were built at the top of the hill and a few years later a new farmhouse was built by Walter Bishop the builder from Caboolture. All the framing timbers were cut from logs out of the paddock and sawn at Wamuran Sawmill (Frampton’s paddock in Rangeview).
August and Agnes raised their children ( Roy, Ruth, Eric and Doug) and ran a dairy farm- milking by hand and separating the cream by hand in a large separator. At first the cream (usually, 3 -4 cans daily) was taken in the sulky to the Wamuran railway station to go to the Caboolture butter factory. Once motor vehicles became in bigger use, the cream that was stored in the cream shed was picked up by carriers
Meanwhile as the boys, Roy, Doug, and Eric, left Wamuran school at around fourteen and they helped on the dairy till 1946 and they worked for local farmers. They started pineapple farming on the northern section of the property as their parents continued dairying on the southern section. The boys sent their fruit to the Brisbane markets by train at first and then later on to private canneries .Roy J and Colin (Augusts grandsons) continued farming till 2020 when they retired as pineapple returns were not as high as they had been. For 75years (1946- 2020) the farm had been a productive pineapple farm.
Doug joined the army and went to Eungalla to dairy farm, Eric joined the police force and retired from that in 1955 and continued on the family dairy farm till 1975 and then it was sold and Ruth married Arthur Jackson from the Wamuran Basin and was active in the Baptist church.
Nicholson
Nicholson:-In 1920/21, Frederick and Louisa moved to Wamuran with 3 of their nine children (Dick, Jessie, and Henry) to a property of 199 acres including what is now called “Glenarba” Estate on what is now called Campbells Pocket Road. They called their property “Glenarba”. Their land stretched on both sides of the road. They ran a dairy of about 35 cows. Frederick and his sons, Richard (Dick) and Henry also grew pineapples, bananas, small crops e.g. beans and also had beehives. Henry took over the family dairy farm and Henry also grew pineapples and small crops e.g. beans and sent them to market in Brisbane. Henry was able to supplement his income by contract ploughing for local farmers. When Henry’s son Greg married, the farm was not able to support two families so the farm was sold for subdivision in 1980/81 (Glenarba Court). Dick Nicholson moved to Old North Road where he raised chickens for eggs and grew pineapples.
Painting of original slab family home of the 1920s
Community: – Frederick Nicholson was on the Wamuran school Committee e in the 1920s
Henry was in the VDC during World War 11.
The locals used the flat area on Nicholson’s farm to play social cricket and cricket competitions in the Stanley River Cricket Association and a concrete pitch stayed there for many years till the 1970s. The teams would bring mats to cover the concrete pitch and pick up the cow pats before they played each day.
Pates
Harry Pates Horse Team with a load of Sawn Timber circa 1920
Pates: – Harry Pates purchased 320acres (known as Portion 21V) on Newlands Road, Wamuran in January 1921. Harry purchased the land from Ray Whiting. Ray had lived on the property for twelve months before selling the land to Harry and had been carting timber to the mill in the mill paddock. Harry Pates continued carting to the mill. The mill was owned by Woodrow.
Harry Pates also carried timber from Mt. Mee (1928-30), Landsborough and Mt Mellum. He took the timber to Attewell’s at Caboolture, Elimbah Mill and Svenson’s Mill at Wamuran.
In the early days the Pates family had a small dairy.
Pineapples and bananas were already established when Harry bought the land. He also grew citrus and small crops e.g. beans, cabbages cauliflowers etc. He took his farm produce by truck to Roma Street market. He became a local fruit vendor in the district from 1940-1959
The land was subdivided and sold in 1958 except for family blocks.
Harry and Lucy Pates two sons Phil and Bob first worked at Toorbul after leaving school but joined the Army during the War. After the war they returned to the farm. Phil and Bob worked on the farm and also worked as a team in the timber industry. After the timber industry finished Bob returned to full time pineapple farming and Phil took up share farming. Bob had two sons- Elm and Bill. Bill is still on the farm
Community: – Harry Pates helped take sawn timber for the Hall construction and other local buildings.
Bob’s son Bill has not been able to access all his father’s service records. However, he knows Bob was in Borneo and Mao-tai, and he served in the occupation forces in Japan from 1945-1950. Bob then met his future wife Kimi in Japan. After Japan, Bob went to Korea and enlisted from 1950-1952. Phil also served in the same regions.
Reibelt
Reibelt:- In 1947, Jack, Joan, Trevor and Lurline Reibelt moved to Central Avenue, Wamuran where Joan’s parents (Wolfenden Family) were running a poultry farm and eventually, Jack and Joan took the farm over. Apart from poultry, Joan’s parents (the Wolfendens) were growing strawberries and small crops and then moved onto pineapples. They continued with pineapples only till they retired.
Community:- Joan kept herself fit and enjoyed tennis playing for Wamuran in the Caboolture Association, playing bowls, Yoga and daily swims in the pool (even in winter). Joan also was involved in local school and Hall activities. In her later years, Joan joined the Friendship Society and enjoyed travelling Australia and the world.
Salisbury
Salisbury: – . Albert and George Salisbury started cutting timber on Mt. Mee (1909-1919) forming roads up the mountain. They became well known as they delivered their timber to Wamuran Station or the mills at Wamuran. Albert and George bought a property at Lot 55 and 54 Newlands Road and George called his home “Granville” in 1915. Lew Salisbury joined them at Wamuran and went to school at Bracalba and later to Moodlu and Caboolture. Both Albert and George Salisbury on Newlands Road were recognised as early pineapple growers along with Charles Wise.
Salisbury’s team – circa 1910-20 – photo MBRC historical photo collection
August 1918: George and Albert were hauling timber from Mt. Mee when a branch broke and hit Albert on the head. He died in Kilcoy Hospital. 1925-Woodrow, the mill owner on Newlands Road, asked George to take a load to Wamuran Railway station for him. At the station one of the logs slipped and he was trapped underneath the logs in October 1925. He died in Caboolture Hospital.
Community:- All three brothers made a big contribution to Wamuran. George was the first J.P in Wamuran and was Vice President of the Wamuran Fruitgrowers Co-operative, a member of the Lodge,Chairman of the Albert Tennis Club,a member of the school committee, a Trustee of the Fruitgrowers Hall and was interested in anything that tended to the welfare and progress of the district.
Albert was Treasurer of the Albert Hall Committee. He was the founder and first President of the Albert Tennis Club, lodge member and an active member of any committee formed in the community. The Hall and Tennis court were named in his honour.
On the death of Albert & George Salisbury a ceremony was held to place a plaque on the wall of the Albert Hall in their honour.
Lew was also an active member of all committees at Wamuran.
Schiffke
Schiffke:- Adolf and Elsie Schiffke and their eight children- George, Ted, Reuben, Hans, Doreen, Audrey, Mervyn, and Shirley came to Wamuran on Campbells Pocket Road in 1949. The house was not far from where the tennis courts are today.
They had a 640 acre dairy farm and the herd were Jersey and Guernsey cattle but circa 1957 the family used A. I. (Artificial Insemination) to cross these cattle with Australian Illawarra cattle. The family supplemented their income with small crops. The farm sold in 1965.
Many of the Schiffke children and their families live locally.
Reuben lived in a house about 1.9kms on the left up the Campbell’s Pocket Road from the Basin turn-off. The land was very steep at about a 10% grade. Reuben grew bananas on both sides of the road circa 1955-60. He also grew tomatoes. Later Reuben started the timber Mill on Markwell Road. Ted was given approx 150 acres of land from the farm that adjoined the nut farm (now Murphy Court). Here he grew pineapples. Later he moved to Caboolture and began truck driving
Audrey married Chris Derrick and at first lived on a soldier settlement house down Stern Road and Chris worked in pineapples first at Wamuran then Elimbah and back to Wamuran where they built a house where the doctor’s surgery is now (1100 DÁguilar Highway). Audrey also worked in the tobacco.
Doreen married and lives in Caboolture.
Shirley married Ivan Organ Moore and at first lived in Caboolture and Ivan ran a contract ploughing/planting business. Later Ivan moved to Franks Lane where he grew pineapples and continued his contracting work for many local farmers. Shirley also worked in the tobacco industry.
Mervyn left school at 13 ½ (1957) after his father, Adolf, became ill and needed Mervyn on the farm. Mervyn also worked for other farmers at the same time Jim Gilmore on Ruckers Road and farms like John Meurants and Murray Sharrocks who all grew pineapples. In about 1960, Merv joined Reuben and his father in clearing the scrub. From 1965-67 Mervyn and Marilyn worked for Roy Ziviani on his tobacco farm. Then from 1970-75, Merv and Marilyn lived in a small house on the Ziviani farm as share farmers. In 1976, Mervyn bought 8 ½ acres on 39 Old North Road and set up on his own and this was the nucleus of his strawberry growing and the beginning of the strawberry farming that developed into a big industry at Wamuran today. Mervyn moved to Stern Road and set up a partnership with Brain Stothart Their entire crop now is contracted to Coles. They are not one of the biggest growers but produce a quality product. Between the Schiffke and Stothart farms they employ 400 people in peak season.
Community: – Mervyn Schiffke and his business partner, Brain Stothart were leaders in the industry and are shown here at Field Day on their farm showing growers the “new” plastic laying implement
The early strawberries were sold through the “Sunland Co-op” that consisted of 30-40 small growers. Mervyn was one of the Directors of “Sunland Co-op”. Sunland no longer exist.
In about 1981, Mervyn decided that he was going to lead a Christian life (not a traditional church life) and began with a group of friends to meet at his home at Wamuran. This group grew and bought land at 20 Mountain Track Drive, Wamuran and set up Wamuran Christian Fellowship .
Community:- The strawberries were sold through the “Sunland Co-op” that consisted of 30-40 small growers. Mervyn was one of the Directors of “Sunland Co-op”. Sunland no longer exist.
In about 1981, Mervyn decided that he was going to lead a Christian life (not a traditional church life) and began with a group of friends to meet at his home at Wamuran. This group grew and bought land at 20 Mountain Track Drive, Wamuran and set up Wamuran Christian Fellowship which has a congregation that has grown to between 50-60 members.
Schrodter-
In 1871 Wilhelm Schrodter came from Prussia and selected portion 83 County of Canning Parish of Waraba of 119 acres that butted on to the south side of Waraba Creek. He obtained his Deed of Grant in 16/08/1877 as he had been certified to have made improvements- cleared and cultivated 18 acres of land, built a 4 roomed house of slab and shingle, a barn, stockyards and he was growing maize. From 1876, Wilhelm was acting as a Lutheran lay preacher to the German Community at Waraba.
Schrodter: – These are the grandchildren of Wilhelm -Reg died in Bougainville of Dysentery in WW2, Herbert (Bert), Clarrie, Daphne, Sylvia and Noela who died at 3 months from pneumonia, Wilhelm and Anna’s girl,.
Clarrie and Daphne Schrodter (nee West) were married in 1951. They leased 17 acres off Clarrie’s father in Bells Lane and formed up the road that is now Schrodter Road to take their fruit to Wamuran Station. They increased their farm size and became highly proficient pineapple farmers winning awards.
Herbert Schrodter-Known as Bert- first worked on the family dairy at Wararba Creek then wnet working in Sterns pineapples, timber cutting and finally painting. in 1969 he and his wife Franklyn (descended from the Lord family) moved to Lord Lane . Bert’s son Graham, farmed cattle and small crops on this land
Community:- In his younger days Clarrie played B Grade cricket for Morayfield but was just a hit or miss player. I also played tennis and was much better at that because we had a tennis court at home when I was young. He and his partner won the B Grade championship in Caboolture District and tried the A Grade competition but we were unsuccessful because at that time there were excellent players like Jess Hunt, Talbot Dellit and Bill Lindsay who we could not defeat. Clarrie and Daphne both played outdoor bowls and attended dances. The Schrodter Family have been stalwarts of the Lutheran Church
Waldron
Waldron:- Ellenore Waldron’s grandparents (Felschows) bought 640 acres in 1919 stretching from Old North Road across all of what is now Rangeview and 150 acres across the DÁguilar Highway. On his death in 1922, Ellenore’s Uncle Ernie and his wife Bertha (Felschow) Goeldner came and grew pineapples on the property. Ellenore’s Parents were Emma Felschow and Reggie Turnbull. Ellenore married Gordon Waldron in 1940. When Gordon came back from the war, he got a job at the quarry at Moodlu. At the same time, Gordon built up his poultry farm. He had about 2000 chooks and sent eggs to the Egg Board by carrier and made a comfortable living. In the early 1960’s they grew pineapples and sent them in cases to the cannery in Brisbane by train and later we used bins instead of cases. Later we grew smooth leafs which were planted in double rows. John Waldron and Geoffrey Schrodter grew pineapples on the Waldron land up to the early 1990’s.
Community: – Their land was sold for subdivision. The first homes were built on the Rangeview Estate in 1984. Len Fredline originally began to develop along Alexandra Parade but this was completed by Doyle and other developers did other stages.
John Waldron is a Past President of the Fruitgrowers Association.
WYMAN
Jim Wyman was born in Northamptonshire England in 1931. Jim migrated as a “10 pound Pom”, after living and working in several other countries, and after some early engineering work, his prior profession, he moved from Sydney to Queensland and on 14th February 1966, the day of decimal currency change.
He started labouring work for John Grigg on his pineapple farm in Wamuran. In a short time, Jim began clearing scrub and starting his own pineapple farm on W Lindsay Rd. Pineapples were a reasonable crop for Jim. After a family dinner where he tasted tinned lychees in 1970 , his interest was stirred and he decided to investigate growing lychees. At this time lychees were rare. Jim bought trees from Northern New South Wales and then bred his own trees from these and set up his own commercial lychee farm and became the first to do this in Wamuran.
