Queensland Art Gallery Presscuttings Book 10 : Record of press coverage, March 1982 - May 1984

THIS Is an artist's Impression of the birth of Br isbane. That was around Christmas 1824, nearly 160 years ago. on a spot where North Quay Is now. The Inset ph otograph shows how tre– mendous the change has been . although the mountain and hill backd rop remains the same. The ph otograph was taken last week from about the same spot . Courier-Mall photographer Ji m Fenwick got the angle . . ' l , ~· . if/{• . from the top floor of the Treasury Building . The city's birth really began in December 1823 , when John Oxley d iscovered the Brisbane River wh ile exp loring the coast for a suitable site for a penal settlement . At first , he recommended Redcl iffe Poi nt but the 30 " thr ice- convict ed felons " and the detachment of guards wh o pitched the ir tents there were plagued by unfr iendly Aboriginals and a shortage of water. So Oxley and the officer in charge. Lieu– tenan t MIiier, decided to move to a place on r