FREE! Click here to Join FunTrivia. Thousands of games, quizzes, and lots more!
Quiz about The History of Brisbane
Quiz about The History of Brisbane

The History of Brisbane Trivia Quiz


In 1820, New South Wales free settlers demanded, "send the bad convicts someplace else", but where were they to go? They'd already been sent to a living hell! "We shall settle a worse hell, and it will be called Brisbane."

A multiple-choice quiz by bertho. Estimated time: 6 mins.
  1. Home
  2. »
  3. Quizzes
  4. »
  5. History Trivia
  6. »
  7. Oceania
  8. »
  9. Australian History

Author
bertho
Time
6 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
176,159
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Tough
Avg Score
6 / 10
Plays
875
Awards
Top 20% Quiz
- -
Question 1 of 10
1. When Lieutenant John Oxley set off north in the cutter Mermaid from Sydney Town, his goal was to find land suitable for a new convict settlement. Ideally this new settlement would be set on a large freshwater river. As Oxley entered Moreton Bay he came across two men who told a tale of such a river. It proved true, and an ideal site for a settlement, with its broad banks, towering cliffs and fertile land was found. Who were the two men Oxley encountered? Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. Oxley named the new settlement 'Brisbane' out of respect for his uncle Vice Admiral Sir Thomas Brisbane. Brisbane had served as Lord Nelson's second in command at Trafalgar twenty years earlier.


Question 3 of 10
3. The convicts arrived in 1824 and were put to work clearing pastoral land along the reaches of the river - not an easy task since regulations forbade them from using ploughs. One particular crop excelled and led to the construction of what still stands today as Brisbane's oldest building. What is this construction? Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. To rule a nasty settlement, Brisbane needed a nasty man and had one in the person of this commandant. Convicts often murdered each other to be executed themselves and escape his harsh punishments. Through his early exploration and naming of many southern areas, his name lives on in modern Brisbane. Who was this man? Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. The convicts toiled away clearing land, planting crops and establishing sources of coal and limestone. By 1842, the convicts had played their role and the Moreton Bay region was opened as a free settlement. The first settlers were mostly storekeepers and service providers who were catering to the needs of farmers who had settled the fertile flatland to Brisbane's West. What's the name of this rich agricultural area? Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. The free settlement of Brisbane needed a population and generous schemes were introduced to attract immigrants. In fact, if a family could afford their own passage they could buy 18 acres for just 18 pounds. Passengers on the first three immigrant ships - the 'Fortitude', 'Chaseley' and 'Lima' settled the valley just to the east of town. What did the new Brisbanites name the valley? Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. Brisbane started to sprawl on both sides of the river. With a population of 6000 the town was thriving. However, the absence of a river crossing, infrastructure and distance created problems between Brisbane and the government in NSW. In 1859, Queen Victoria gave the thumbs up, and the new colony of Queensland was established. Brisbane finally got its bridge. What was the name of Brisbane's first river crossing? Hint


Question 8 of 10
8. A new state, a new government, and seven pence in the treasury. Queensland was flat broke. Money was borrowed from English banks to continue the building program, but when these banks collapsed Brisbane came to a standstill. Things moved ahead again when another bank was found, this time a riverbank full of gold! Where was this large gold deposit discovered? Hint


Question 9 of 10
9. During the late 19th century and early 20th century, Brisbane attracted more immigrants than anywhere else in Australia. Rich agriculture, gold, fish stocks, thriving industry and not to mention a beautiful climate, why wouldn't it, though it wasn't all roses. In 1893 local aborigines warned "big fella comin' to take Brisbane away." Big fella did come and destroyed large parts of Brisbane. Which disaster occurred? Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. Nowadays, Brisbane centers a metropolis that sprawls for hundreds of kilometres. Golden beaches on the Pacific Ocean line each end, and a picturesque bay full of islands protects the middle. It's no wonder Brisbane continues to attract so many people. What was Brisbane's population at the end of the 20th century? Hint



(Optional) Create a Free FunTrivia ID to save the points you are about to earn:

arrow Select a User ID:
arrow Choose a Password:
arrow Your Email:




Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. When Lieutenant John Oxley set off north in the cutter Mermaid from Sydney Town, his goal was to find land suitable for a new convict settlement. Ideally this new settlement would be set on a large freshwater river. As Oxley entered Moreton Bay he came across two men who told a tale of such a river. It proved true, and an ideal site for a settlement, with its broad banks, towering cliffs and fertile land was found. Who were the two men Oxley encountered?

Answer: Castaway convicts

Two convicts, Thomas Pamphlett and his companion Finnegan had been stranded in Moreton Bay after their timber collecting voyage was blown off course in a fierce storm and wrecked their boat. They had been living with island aboriginals for seven months. They were the first white men to walk the banks of what is now the Brisbane River.
2. Oxley named the new settlement 'Brisbane' out of respect for his uncle Vice Admiral Sir Thomas Brisbane. Brisbane had served as Lord Nelson's second in command at Trafalgar twenty years earlier.

Answer: False

Sir Thomas Makdougall Brisbane, while not a sailor, served in the British Army from 1789 to 1841. He was appointed Governor of New South Wales in 1821, and it was on his orders that Oxley had located this territory for the harsh new settlement. The name 'Brisbane' was given to the River Brisbane and the town was named after the river.
3. The convicts arrived in 1824 and were put to work clearing pastoral land along the reaches of the river - not an easy task since regulations forbade them from using ploughs. One particular crop excelled and led to the construction of what still stands today as Brisbane's oldest building. What is this construction?

Answer: Windmill

Built in 1828 on Wickham Terrace, the Windmill was first used to grind corn and has found many uses over the years including a communication tower, fire station and a television and radio research station. When the windmill was built, the sails were put on backwards but it mattered not.

The cruel Captain Logan had a treadmill installed so the convicts could turn the grinder. As punishment, Logan used fewer men so they had to work harder, many collapsed from fatigue, some even died.
4. To rule a nasty settlement, Brisbane needed a nasty man and had one in the person of this commandant. Convicts often murdered each other to be executed themselves and escape his harsh punishments. Through his early exploration and naming of many southern areas, his name lives on in modern Brisbane. Who was this man?

Answer: Captain Patrick Logan

Captain Logan has been described as the most brutal man in Australian history. 100 lashes with cat o' nine-tails was his preferred punishment. Logan was bludgeoned to death from behind in 1830 either by convicts or aborigines. As a keen explorer, his name will live on in South East Queensland forever. Logan discovered Limestone (now Ipswich), Logan River, Loganholme, Logan City and Loganlea to name a few local sites.

The southern highway through Brisbane is also called the Logan Motorway.
5. The convicts toiled away clearing land, planting crops and establishing sources of coal and limestone. By 1842, the convicts had played their role and the Moreton Bay region was opened as a free settlement. The first settlers were mostly storekeepers and service providers who were catering to the needs of farmers who had settled the fertile flatland to Brisbane's West. What's the name of this rich agricultural area?

Answer: Darling Downs

Supplying pastoralists on the Downs and exporting their crop was the basis for commerce in Brisbane for many years. As more and more ships sailed up the river to buy crops, more businesses blossomed. Slipways, wharves and ship repair yards were another obvious growth industry.
6. The free settlement of Brisbane needed a population and generous schemes were introduced to attract immigrants. In fact, if a family could afford their own passage they could buy 18 acres for just 18 pounds. Passengers on the first three immigrant ships - the 'Fortitude', 'Chaseley' and 'Lima' settled the valley just to the east of town. What did the new Brisbanites name the valley?

Answer: Fortitude Valley

The Reverend Dr John Dunmore Lang (famous Lang Park) created several immigration schemes and was extremely successful in promoting Brisbane to the British Isles as well as European countries such as Germany. It was thought the immigrants would clear land for farming on Brisbane's outer reaches, but many elected to stay close to town and built homes on generous quarter acre blocks. Without the high density building of other cities, Brisbane quickly spread out, a feature that remains today. Only in the 2000's has there been any significant compressing of residential land to apartment blocks and high-density living.
7. Brisbane started to sprawl on both sides of the river. With a population of 6000 the town was thriving. However, the absence of a river crossing, infrastructure and distance created problems between Brisbane and the government in NSW. In 1859, Queen Victoria gave the thumbs up, and the new colony of Queensland was established. Brisbane finally got its bridge. What was the name of Brisbane's first river crossing?

Answer: Victoria Bridge

Quite incredibly, up until 1860 there was no way of crossing the river by foot or carriage. Goods and travellers had to be brought across the river by small boat. The docks were on the south bank and the market district (now Brisbane CBD) was on the north.

It was infrastructure problems like the bridge, sanitation, dredging and water supply and New South Wales' reluctance to spent money in the Moreton Bay area, that led to Brisbane breaking away from its colonial government. The bridge that was eventually built was called 'Victoria Bridge' but washed away in the 1893 floods.

It was rebuilt in 1897 and again in 1969 and still stands today, on the same site and with the same name.
8. A new state, a new government, and seven pence in the treasury. Queensland was flat broke. Money was borrowed from English banks to continue the building program, but when these banks collapsed Brisbane came to a standstill. Things moved ahead again when another bank was found, this time a riverbank full of gold! Where was this large gold deposit discovered?

Answer: Gympie

Gold rush! English immigrant and prospector James Nash mined 75 ounces in only six days. It wasn't long before people were flocking to the site and state authorities issued over 15,000 miner rights. The town that sprang up was called Nashville and later renamed to Gympie. Gold is still mined there to this day. For Queensland, it was a saviour, bolstering the empty treasury and allowing Brisbane to go ahead once more.
9. During the late 19th century and early 20th century, Brisbane attracted more immigrants than anywhere else in Australia. Rich agriculture, gold, fish stocks, thriving industry and not to mention a beautiful climate, why wouldn't it, though it wasn't all roses. In 1893 local aborigines warned "big fella comin' to take Brisbane away." Big fella did come and destroyed large parts of Brisbane. Which disaster occurred?

Answer: Flood

The floods of 1893 were devastating. Brisbane River had broken its banks before but nothing like this. Houses were picked up off their stumps and washed away down the river. The debris piled up behind Victoria Bridge, which soon broke and washed down river as well. Ships were torn off their moorings and deposited in the town. Eleven people were drowned and many more were injured.

Another major flood hit the town in 1974.
10. Nowadays, Brisbane centers a metropolis that sprawls for hundreds of kilometres. Golden beaches on the Pacific Ocean line each end, and a picturesque bay full of islands protects the middle. It's no wonder Brisbane continues to attract so many people. What was Brisbane's population at the end of the 20th century?

Answer: 1.6 Million

Brisbane is Australia's third largest city behind Sydney and Melbourne. It is also a very youthful city with an average age of only 33. The cultural diversity is also testament to the lifestyle the city has to offer. In 2000, over 26% of Brisbane's population was born in another country.

In less then 200 years, Brisbane has gone from the harshest penal settlement under British rule, to one of the most advanced cities in the world. The secret's out.
Source: Author bertho

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor bloomsby before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.
3/28/2024, Copyright 2024 FunTrivia, Inc. - Report an Error / Contact Us