Myrtletown, Queensland
Myrtletown is a former town and now industrial neighbourhood within the suburb of Pinkenba, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
Geography
In the north of Pinkenba, it is situated near the northern bank of the mouth of the Brisbane River. The north-easternmost point of Myrtletown at the mouth of the Brisbane River is Luggage Point at.Boggy Creek enters the Brisbane River at.
History
The area was originally known as Boggy Creek after the creek of the same name. The name Myrtletown derives from a prominent grove of myrtle trees, which had disappeared by 1928.Luggage Point
Luggage Point was named Uniacke Point by John Oxley during his exploration of the Brisbane River in the HM Colonial Cutter Mermaid in December 1823. The point was named after John Fitzgerald Uniacke who was a naturalist and ornithologist on the expedition. However, by 1839, it was known both as Luggage Point and Uniacke Point. The name Luggage Point derives from the practice of off-loading luggage at the point to enable ships to cross the bar at the mouth of the Brisbane River. The luggage would be transferred up river separately.Luggage Point Wastewater Treatment Plant is the site for the main sewerage outfall for Brisbane.
Land use and development
Initially used only for fishing and gathering oysters, John Chapman established a farm in the area circa 1881. By 1928 it had developed within a town centre surrounded by about of farmland, with approximately 250 people living in the area. The layout of the town can be seen in an 1889 map. Many of the residents were descended from the early settler families of Chapman, Allnutt, Wenzel and Naumann. The farming consisted of orchards, banana plantations, vineyards and market gardens. Prawns and fish were obtained from Boggy Creek.Residents began lobbying for a local school in 1922. Myrtletown State School opened in 1924 and closed on 19 February 1971. It occupied the northern part of the block bounded by Main Beach Road, School Road and Sandmere Street.
As at 1928, the town had a Methodist church but no post office. There were 3 or 4 omnibus services to Brisbane each day.