Brisbane Valley - Queensland
Brisbane Valley is also known as the "Valley of the Lakes", and is situated inland about 90km to the west of Brisbane , with its southern limit being just north of Ipswich. Brisbane Valley is bounded on the eastern side by the D'Aguilar Range and Conondale Range, and on the west by the Blackbutt Range. There are many places of interest to visit in the Brisbane Valley, friendly and scenic towns like Esk, Toogoolawah and Fernvale; There are the lakes, Lake Somerset, Atkinson Dam and Lake Wivenhoe with fishing boating and camping; And scenic areas like Ravensbourne National Park and Brisbane Forest Park.
Brisbane Valley is perhaps best known for Lake Somerset and Lake Wivenhoe. These man made lakes are the result of damming the Stanley River and Brisbane River respectively. Construction of Somerset Dam commenced in 1934 and was completed by 1959. When full the dam holds back 380,000 megalitres of water and also acts as flood mitigation. Construction of Lake Wivenhoe commenced in 1976 and was completed in 1985. When full the dam wall holds back 1,165,000 megalitres of water and acts as flood mitigation for the Brisbane River downstream to Brisbane. Both Lakes have camping and fishing spots, Lake Wivenhoe is open to non-fuel powered boats but Lake Somerset allows power boats and waterskiing.
There are plenty of ways to spend Your time around the Brisbane Valley, as well as the scenery of the Lakes, there is plenty of mountain scenery to keep You gazing in wonder, there are the historic homesteads, Bellevue at Coominya , and Caboonbah at Somerset . Throughout the Valley there are lookouts and parks a plenty. The towns offer plenty of shopping opportunities, especially for antiques, and most weekends there are markets at one of the towns along the valley.
The Brisbane Valley Rail Trail has sections open to walk or cycle along between Linville and Blackbutt , Linville and Moore, and Fernvale and Lowood. The whole 148km length of the Brisbane Valley rail Trail is planned to be open by 2012, and will stretch from Ipswich to Blackbutt . For the adventurous there are horse and camel rides, skydiving and plenty more to experience in the Brisbane Valley.
There are many types of accommodation in the Brisbane Valley, from Bed & Breakfast, Resorts, Retreats, Hotels, Motels, Guesthouses, Self Catered, Camping, Cabins and Caravan Parks are all available.
Whatever your style, you'll find a great place to stay in the Brisbane Valley
Whether its visiting the wineries, the lakes and forest, or an adventure experience You're after, there are many Tours in, to and around the Brisbane Valley on offer, opportunity knocks at every turn to experience new and wonderful things.
Local Tour Operators have a great knowledge of their area, So why not experience it with people who know all the best spots.
Whatever your style, you'll find a great Tour on Brisbane Valley.
There are so many Things To See and Do on Brisbane Valley.
Start with a visit to one the Information Centres in the area, where they can help you with your holiday plans.
Start with a visit to the Fernvale Visitor Information Centre at Fernvale.
Fernvale Visitor Information Centre
1483 Brisbane Valley Highway
Fernvale
Queensland, 4306
Phone 07 54270200
Fax 07 54270211
Email: fernvalefutures@esk.qld.gov.au
www.esk.qld.gov.au
Or visit the
Ipswich Visitor Information Centre
14 Queen Victoria Parade,
PO Box 243
Ipswich
Queensland, 4305
Phone 07 3281 0555
Fax 07 3281 0199
Email: info@ipswichtourism.com.au
www.ipswichtourism.com.au
Brisbane Valley is very popular, and with so much to do and plenty of space it is a holiday paradise.
# Visit one of the historic Homesteads in the Valley:
- Bellevue Historic Homestead, built in the 1870's on the banks of the Brisbane River and moved to its present site in Coominya in the late 1970's, the homestead is now run by the National Trust.
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# Make sure You get a copy of the Heritage Trail Brochures from the Info Centre, there is one for each town in the Brisbane Valley.
# Have a round of Golf at the Lowood & District Golf Club - Ph(07) 5426 1365 - at Main St, Lowood.
# Sample some wines at Warrego Wines Winery at nearby Marburg.
# Have a roll at the Lowood & District Bowls Club - Ph(07) 5426 1860 - at 157 Main St, Lowood.
# Take a walk or a cycle along a section of the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail.
# Visit the Australian Motorcycle Museum at Haigslea. The Museum is ideally located on 35 acres at Haigslea, 50km west of Brisbane on the Warrego Highway.
# The Brisbane Valley Lakes include Lake Wivenhoe, Atkinson Dam, and Lake Somerset . Fishing and Sailing are popular at all three, water skiing is allowed at Atkinson Dam and Lake Somerset.
There are many Great Restaurants, Cafes, Hotels and other Dining Options throughout Brisbane Valley giving so many dining possibilities, often the hardest thing is deciding where to eat. Whatever your favourite foods, you'll find plenty of options on Brisbane Valley.
Ravensbourne National Park is the only National Park in the Brisbane Valley, but there are plenty of other natural areas run by the Queensland EPA. These include Brisbane Forest Park and Mount Mee State Forest and Forest Reserve. Also the Lakes, Lake Wivenhoe, Atkinson Dam, and Lake Somerset are excellent for nature lovers visiting the Brisbane Valley. There are plenty of opportunities for walking, picnicing and relaxing.
The Brisbane Valley has been inhabited for over 6000 years by the Jagara people. They occupied the area from Brisbane to Gatton and north along the Valley of the Brisbane River to Esk. Captain Patrick Logan journeyed up the Brisbane and Bremer Rivers in December 1826, discovering a limestone hill. In 1827 he established a quarry and kiln to produce lime to use as mortar for Brisbane's stone buildings. Before long coal was discovered in the area and the penal outpost named "Limestone Station" grew. In 1843, Sir George Gipps, Governor of the Territory of New South Wales decided a town should be established. It was named after the town of Ipswich on the river in Orwell in Suffolk, England. In 1904 it was declared a city. With an economy based on agriculture and coal mining, and a busy river port serving the Lockyer Valley and Darling Downs, the city was a prominent contender for Queensland's Capital City.
John Oxley discovered and named the Brisbane Riverby on December 2 1823, whilst exploring from the Moreton Bay Settlement. Further explorations of the Brisbane Valley followed with Oxley and Alan Cunningham travelling upstream to Pine Mountain in late September 1824, John Gray explored as far as Fernvale in 1825, and in the same year Edmund Lockyer reached Cressbrook. In 1829 Alan Cunningham, on his last expedition, arrived at the future site of Esk on July 5, and Cressbrook Creek on July 7 where one aborigine approached Cunningham's horse with a spear but did no harm. Cunningham's party explored as far north as Moore and Linville.
Several families took up land in the Brisbane Valley shortly after the area was first explored. These first pastoralists included Evan and Colin Mackenzie, John and David McConnel, Fredrick and Francis Bigge, and the Balfour Brothers.
In 1830, Captain Patrick Logan set out on another exploration trip into the Brisbane Valley. Logan proceeded to Mt Irwin and Mt Brisbane on October 9, accompanied by five prisoners. Near Pine Range they were attacked by Aborigines, after which they continued with their exploration. Logan separated from the party planning on meeting up later, however he was surprised by another attack in which he was speared as he galloped away. He fell from his horse in an attempt to jump across a gully. He was discovered afterwards in the creek, later named Logan Creek.
The early settlers came to the Brisbane Valley either from the south across Brisbane River at Wivenhoe, or from over the D'Aguilar Ranges from the South Pine area in the east . They mostly followed the Aboriginal routes to the Bunya Mountains ceremonial grounds, which caused a resentment between the two groups. The timber and dairying industries, as well as pastoralism brought about major environmental and social changes along the Brisbane Valley by the turn of the century. For the local indigenous population this caused major upheaval, including the Government policy of removing the Aborigines to government reserves such as Cherbourg.
The mining industry has never been really big in the Brisbane Valley, although Major Lockyer discovered the first coal in Queensland in 1825 just above Kholo on the Brisbane River. Gold and copper were found in the valley soon after early settlement, but were only mined on a small scale compared to places like Gympie and Charters Towers. In 1838 Andrew Petrie sent samples of coal to Sydney from Pine Mountain, the coal industry in the region was centred more to the south and west of Ipswich. Salt was extracted in small quantities from areas in the Brisbane Valley from 1846 onward and used by the Brisbane and Redbank boiling down works.
Agriculture in the Brisbane Valley was one of the mainstay industries, and often at the forefront of new methods and products. The development of the cotton industry in the early 1850s around Ipswich and Brisbane, brought about significant changes to the landscape along the Brisbane River by the 1860s. Around Tarampa and Lowood grazing became dominant, esspecially after the construction of the railway to Esk via Fernvale. After the 1902 drought many graziers were forced to change from fattening cattle to dairying.
The timber industry in the valley developed quickly after the railway was completed as the railway could provide fast and cheap transport of the timber to Brisbane. Brisbane and Ipswich were increasing in population rapidly, requiring more timber to build houses. Lars Andersen owned and operated ten sawmills in the region located at Esk, Redbank Creek, Toogoolawah, Cressbrook Creek, Deongwah, Happy Valley, Beam Creek, Blackbutt, Wengenville and Reedy Creek. The timber for most of these mills came from Andersen's own land.
The Boer War brought the first public display of loyalty and commitment to military activity in the Brisbane Valley. Local military activities centred on the Volunteer Corps first established in Esk in 1888, followed soon after in Lowood. When WWI was declared there was an immediate expression of local patriotism. Brisbane Valley men joined the Fifth Light Horse and took their own horses overseas.
Settlement and industrial expansion resulted as rail lines connected Ipswich with Lowood and Esk in the 1880s and Toogoolawah and Linville in the early 1900s. They brought the possibility of being able to sell produce, timber and stock outside of the valley, which increased prosperity. The Saleyards at Coominya were built only because stock could be railed to other areas.
The first diesel locomotive operated on the line between Ipswich and Yarraman in 1967. Sadly the days of rail were numbered with the building of the dams, which cut the line, and the change of the late 1970's and early 1980's to road transport. By 1989 the railway was closed, although now sections of it have been turned into the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail, a walking and cycling trail.
The construction of the Somerset Dam between 1934 and 1959, and Wivenhoe Dam between 1976 and 1985, changed the Valley immensley. These man made lakes are the result of damming the Stanley River and Brisbane River respectively.
Today, beef cattle production is still the main industry. Small crop farmers, grain and fodder producers abound. This coupled with the Lockyer Valley, provide the "salad bowl" of Brisbane. Tourism is a growing industry in the Brisbane Valley with a major focus on the heritage and lakes in the region.
Whatever your favourite sport, you'll find plenty of options in the Brisbane Valley. There are Golf Clubs at Esk, Toogoolawah, Lowood , and Kilcoy . There are Bowls Clubs at Lowood , and Toogoolawah.
Brisbane Valley Events Calendar for 2008
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