Curio

State Library of New South Wales
Map of Brisbane Town, Moreton Bay

Map of Brisbane Town, Moreton Bay

1839
Manuscript map
Bequest of Sir William Dixson, 1952
DL Z/Cc 83/2

This is the earliest known map of Brisbane. It was drawn by colonial engineer George Barney to accompany a report sent to Governor Gipps in May 1839, less than a year after the settlement had been opened up to free settlers. By the beginning of July, all convicts except those considered essential for assisting with surveying and other government work had been removed.*

The Brisbane area was first settled by the British in 1824, when a penal colony for repeat offenders was established there under the direction of Sir Thomas Brisbane, then governor of NSW. Along with Norfolk Island, it gained a reputation as one of the harshest penal settlements in the colony.

Brisbane was part of NSW until 1859, when Queensland was established as a self-governing British colony, separate from NSW.

One of Barney’s major projects in Sydney was the construction of Circular Quay, originally called Semi-Circular Quay, built using convict labour between 1837 and 1844. The name Semi-Circular Quay was in popular usage until the 1850s, when the gap caused by the Tank Stream was closed in.

George Barney was chairman of the Australian Gas Light Company when the first night lighting commenced on 24 May 1841 – Queen Victoria's birthday.

Captain Cook named Moreton Bay on 17 May 1770, in honour of the Earl of Moreton, who was president of the Royal Society.

From 1855 to 1859, George Barney served as surveyor-general, following the death of Sir Thomas Livingstone Mitchell.

Sir Thomas Brisbane was the first governor to visit Moreton Bay and the town was named after him on 10 November 1825.