Ipswich City Council

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Land Sales

Free Settlement

Limestone Station, as well as Brisbane, was in the District of Moreton Bay and a part of the Colony of New South Wales. During the days of the penal settlement, there was a regulation, which prohibited free settlers and even casual visitors to be within 50 miles radius of Brisbane. Although Limestone Station was within that radius, the commandant of the penal settlement sometimes allowed a breach of the regulation in Limestone Station. The penal settlement was closed officially on May 5, 1839. However, sufficent numbers of convicts with guards remained to do maintenance work and to assist surveyors. It was not until February 10, 1842 that the District of Moreton Bay was proclaimed open for free settlers.

Soon after that date, the Governor of New South Wales, Sir George Gipps, came to Moreton Bay District, to make inspections before planning the two towns of Brisbane and Limestone.

Because conveyence by river to Limestone, was much easier than by overland, Governor Gipps decided on a site for an inland town. It was on a site on the Bremer River near a large basin, 'The Basin' is almost in the centre of the present City of Ipswich.

Special instructions were given by the Governor that the then existing road from Brisbane to the Darling Downs, should be properly laid out and errors of direction corrected. That 'road' was merely a winding bullockdray track. Notwithstanding the Governor's instructions, the district surveyor surved the township on another and not so suitable site, for those days. Nor did he do anything to improve the road.
First Survey of Ipswich Land

Henry Wade came to the Bremer River early in 1842, to survey 'Garden Allotments at Limestone'. The site was one mile from the 'site of the proposed town' of Limestone. The 'garden alotments' are now in Little Ipswich (West Ipswich). On his map, Wade indicated the site of Dr. Dorsey's residence, as in the roadway of the newly surveyed Moore's Lane (now Hooper Street).

Second Survey

Later in that year, Wade surveyed the site of the 'Township of Limestone'. His first map of the site included the names of the streets. They were East, Bell, Nicholas, Bremer and Brisbane. The survey of both places was completed on December 21.
First Land Sale

The proclamation of the first land sale of Ipswich allotments was made on August 24, 1843. The auction sale was in Sydney on October 11, 1843. The land for sale was bounded by East, Bell, Brisbane and Bremer Streets. The first purchaser was George Thorn, who bought two allotments on the south east corner of East and Brisbane Streets; both allotments fronted the latter street. The adjoining allotment was bought by Robert Edmund Dix.

The allotment on the south east corner of Brisbane and Bell Street was not sold. The two adjoining allotments in Bell Street were sold to Thomas Adams. The next six allotments along Bell Street were not sold; but the next after them was purchased by Robert Edmund Dix. The adjoining allotment went to the bid of Henry Wade and the two on the corner of Bell and Bremer Streets and fronting the latter street to William Holman Berry. The next two allotments in Bremer Street to the corner of East Street were knocked down to Evan McKenzie.

The first allotment past the corner in East Street, was sold to George Foster Wise and William Pickering as partners. The adjoining allotment in East Street became the property of Patrick Nichol. All the other allotments in East Street were not sold. That was all the land which was sold in Ipswich township at the first sale. The owners of the land were therefore the first pioneers of what is now the City of Ipswich.

Last Updated 27 May 2008 |

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