The Origins of Morton Bay: A Penal Experiment

In September 1824, under the command of Colonel John Murray of the 40th Regiment, the first penal settlement at Morton Bay (now Moreton Bay) was established. This remote outpost in Australia’s northeast was designed to house convicts who had reoffended after their initial transportation. Governor Thomas Brisbane envisioned the colony as more than just a prison—he saw it as a foundation for future free settlement. By using convict labor to clear land and build infrastructure, he hoped to create arable farmland that would eventually attract settlers.

However, skepticism surrounded the project. Critics argued that the costs outweighed the benefits, and early agricultural experiments—such as attempts to grow rice with store-bought grain—were largely unsuccessful due to a lack of expertise and unsuitable climate. Despite thousands of convicts laboring and significant government investment, the colony struggled. By 1832, Governor Richard Bourke recommended its abandonment, and by 1839, all convicts had been withdrawn. The original site of Brisbane, at Redcliffe (called Oompiebong by Indigenous locals, meaning “death of huts”), was abandoned due to water shortages, leaving behind only remnants of a failed venture.

The Rise and Fall of Gladstone Colony

In the 1840s, British Colonial Secretary William Ewart Gladstone sought to revive transportation policies. His plan included establishing a new penal colony at Curtis Port (later Gladstone Colony), 350 miles north of Brisbane. Surveyed by Colonel George Barney, the site was deemed unsuitable, but Governor Charles FitzRoy overruled these concerns, founding the colony in January 1847. Gladstone’s vision included sending impoverished British women to marry former convicts, aiming to “promote moral health.”

Yet, Gladstone’s tenure as Colonial Secretary was brief. His successor, George Grey, dismissed the colony as “unnecessary and politically unwise.” By August 1847, the settlement was abandoned, leaving behind only bricks, markers, and empty bottles—a subject of satire in Robert Lowe’s Atlas. This failure marked the end of New South Wales’ penal expansions but intensified debates about northern Australia’s governance.

The Push for Separation: Queensland’s Independence

By the 1850s, northern settlers—inspired by Victoria’s secession from New South Wales—demanded self-rule. The Australian Colonies Government Act 1850 allowed for new colonies north of 30°S, but political maneuvering by New South Wales retained fertile lands like the Clarence and Richmond valleys. When Queensland was officially proclaimed on June 6, 1859, its southern border was set at 28°8’S (Danger Point), sparking outrage among separatists like John Dunmore Lang, who called the boundary adjustment “disgraceful.”

Unlike other Australian colonies, Queensland’s independence required no additional British legislation. Queen Victoria’s letters patent granted full constitutional authority, bypassing a transitional government phase—a unique feature in Australia’s colonial history.

Governor George Bowen and the Foundations of Government

Queensland’s first governor, Sir George Bowen, arrived in December 1859 to a colony with no treasury, police, or administrative systems. With humor, he later wrote of “stealing” 7.5 pence to fund initial operations. His appointment of 28-year-old Robert Herbert as premier—a former private secretary to Gladstone—raised eyebrows but proved astute. Herbert’s political acumen helped establish Queensland’s parliamentary systems, and he served successfully until 1866 before returning to Britain as a long-serving colonial administrator.

Legacy: Queensland’s Enduring Identity

Queensland’s birth reflected the tensions between penal history and democratic aspirations. Its rapid development—from a failed penal outpost to a self-governing colony—showcased the resilience of settlers and the complexities of colonial politics. Today, the state’s distinct borders and institutions remain a testament to this turbulent yet transformative era. The debates over land, autonomy, and governance that shaped Queensland’s founding continue to echo in Australia’s federal structure.

From convict labor to independence, Queensland’s story is a microcosm of Australia’s colonial past—a narrative of ambition, conflict, and eventual self-determination.