Dunwich, Queensland

Originally known as Goompi and then renamed Green Point by European settlers,[5] the first settlement at Dunwich was established in 1827 as pilot station and military post.[6] It was supposed to be a good place to discharge cargo from visiting ships that traveled through the South Passage. However cargo was lost in bad weather and local Aboriginals were hostile so the post was disbanded in 1831.[6] Dunwich was named after the Suffolk village of Dunwich near to the Stradbroke Estate by Sir Ralph Darling on 16 July 1827, in honour of the family title (Viscount Dunwich) of the Earl of Stradbroke, father of Captain Henry John Rous RN, commander of HMS Rainbow, which carried Governor Darling to Moreton Bay and surveyed the immediate Dunwich area.[2]

Dunwich Provisional School opened on 21 January 1889 as a school for aboriginal children.In 1890-1 it was moved to Bribie Island. In November 1892, it was moved to Peel Island. It was later moved to the new Myora Mission on North Stradbrook Island.[7]

In 1892, a leper colony was established at Dunwich; later this facility was closed and the lepers moved to the Peel Island lazaret.[8] A quarantine station opened in 1850, although this was eventually moved to the more isolated St Helena Island in Moreton Bay. The station was converted into a nursing home for the elderly and infirmed, one of Queensland's first such facilities. The home was moved to Sandgate in 1946. The main cemetery on the island (Dunwich Cemetery) is found in this small town and contains the graves of over 10,000 people, most of which are unmarked. Other small cemeteries were established for the indigenous community and the leper colony.

Dunwich Post Office opened on 22 October 1896 (a receiving office had been open from 1885).[9]

A second Dunwich Provisional School opened on 18 August 1904. On 1 May 1915, it became Dunwich State School.[7]

In 1943, after the closure of the Myora Mission, some of the residents were moved to Dunwich; others went to One Milein Ipswich.[10]

Some of the remaining buildings from the Dunwich Benevolent Asylum now form part of the North Stradbroke Island Historical Museum, located in Welsby Street, Dunwich. The Dunwich Convict Causeway also remains, although it has been expanded to accommodate modern ships.[6]

The 'Aboriginal Gang' that worked the Dunwich Benevolent Asylum were the first Aboriginal people in Australia to receive equal wages. In 1944, after a 25 year campaign, the Aboriginal workers gained equal wages almost 20 years before anywhere else in Australia. The Asylum closed shortly after with the Aboriginal Gang only getting equal wages for one and a half years.[11]

In the 2011 census, Dunwich recorded a population of 883 people, 48.1% female and 51.9% male.[12] The median age of the Dunwich population was 39 years, 2 years above the national median of 37. 86.2% of people living in Dunwich were born in Australia. The other top responses for country of birth were New Zealand 3.8%, England 2.4%, India 0.7%, France 0.6%, Germany 0.6%. 90.8% of people spoke only English at home; the next most common languages were 0.6% Indonesian, 0.5% Other Australian Indigenous Languages, nec, 0.5% German, 0.5% Yumplatok (Torres Strait Creole).[12]

In the 2016 census, Dunwich had a population of 864 people.[1]

St Mark's Anglican Church and Dunwich Public Hall, 2009

Dunwich has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:

• Dunwich Cemetery, Bingle Road (27.4945°S 153.404°E / -27.4945; 153.404 (Dunwich Cemetery))[13][14]
• Dunwich Convict Causeway: Junner Street (27.5026°S 153.4011°E / -27.5026; 153.4011 (Dunwich Convict Causeway))[13][15]
• Dunwich Public Reserve, Junner Street (27.501°S 153.4019°E / -27.501; 153.4019 (Dunwich Public Reserve))[13][16]
• St Mark's Anglican Church and Dunwich Public Hall: Junner Street (27.5005°S 153.4037°E / -27.5005; 153.4037 (St Mark's Anglican Church & Dunwich Public Hall))[13][17]

The Redland City Council operates a public library in Ballow Road.[18]

Dunwich State School is a government primary (Prep-6) school for boys and girls at Bingle Road (27.4960°S 153.4041°E / -27.4960; 153.4041 (Dunwich State School)).[19][20] In 2017, the school had an enrolment of 172 students with 14 teachers (11 full-time equivalent) and 14 non-teaching staff (9 full-time equivalent).[21] In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 177 students with 15 teachers (12 full-time equivalent) and 15 non-teaching staff (10 full-time equivalent).[22] The school includes a special education program.[19]

There is no secondary school in Dunwich. The nearest government secondary school is Cleveland District State High School in Cleveland on mainland to the south-west.[4]

There is no bridge to North Stradbroke Island. Vehicular ferries which cross Moreton Bay link the mainland with North Stradbroke Island dock at Dunwich. Mining companies have also extensive barge docking and loading facilities at Dunwich.

Despite its name, Dunwich Aerodrome is approx 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) south-east of the town of Dunwich in the locality of North Stradbroke Island (27.5189°S 153.4276°E / -27.5189; 153.4276 (Dunwich Aerodrome)).[23]

• Redland City
• South East Queensland

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Dunwich, Queensland.

• "Stradbroke Island". Queensland Places. University of Queensland.
• Redlands Tourism

• North Stradbroke Island page
• State Library of Qld image of Stradbroke Island Benevolent Asylum ca. 1885
• Getting Equal: Australia's first successful Aboriginal wages case. John Oxley Library Blog, State Library of Queensland.