Page 5 - Heritage A5 compile

Island so named (see attachment 1). In 1842 Brisbane became a
free town and in 1859 Queensland was separated from New South
Wales so settlement and sale of land followed.

In 1885 in a memorandum (see attachment 2) from the Surveyor
General’s Office, William Davidson, for the Surveyor General, wrote
14
to Mr George Thomas McDonald at Rocklea with instructions that
established Coochiemudlo’s esplanade reserve, now known as the
Emerald Fringe.

You are requested to submit a design for the subdivision of
the Western half of Innis Island off Point Halloran, Moreton
Bay in acre allotments for auction sale. The whole of the
frontage with a depth of not less than 150 links should be
15
reserved (emphasis added).

William Davidson’s reminder to leave a reserve is in reference to the
Surveyor General’s ‘1878 General Directions: Guidance of Surveyors
under the authority of the Lands Department’ (see attachment 3). In
these Directions, under the section General Rules for the
Arrangement of Boundaries of Portions marked for Sale, Lease or
other Alienation, Authorised Surveyors were required, among many
other things, to leave a reserve or esplanade 150 links

14 A distinguished Victorian government surveyor who transferred to
Queensland in 1878.
15 W. Davidson, for the Surveyor General, memo to George Thomas
McDonald 24 November 1865, Collection of Museum of Lands, Mapping and
Surveying, Brisbane.