By Phil Jarratt
So is 150 or 151 this year?
We all know that Tewantin is the oldest real town in Noosa Shire, but was it proclaimed in 1870 or 1871? This is the question that has been burning away since the Tewantin Heritage and Historical Society had to cancel its annual pioneers’ luncheon last year because of Covid-19. It was felt the pioneers had missed out on an important celebration of their town’s rich history.
But then along came historian Jonathan Richards whose attention to detail in tracking down obscure pieces of Queensland history is legend. Jonathan, who last year was one of two historians-in-residence at Noosa Library, shared some juicy nuggets of information with Noosa Heritage coordinator Jane Harding, and soon found himself with a commission to investigate further.
As was revealed by Jonathan himself at the 2021 pioneers’ luncheon, held at Tewantin RSL last Monday, the township of Tewantin was proclaimed not once but twice, and the second one, in 1871, was the one that mattered. There was an audible gasp from the pioneers as the truth was revealed, followed by a huge sigh of relief. Let the celebrations begin!
It turns out, as the learned Richards revealed during an entertaining talk, the August 1870 proclamation was a bit premature, the work of the esteemed but perpetually broke government surveyor Clarendon Stuart, who was touting for the job of surveying the town site. In fact, although the movers and shakers of goldrush Gympie very much wanted a port they could call their own, they were at the time embroiled in a nasty stoush with the burghers of Maryborough, who saw such a move as damaging to the future of their own river port.
While the fight dragged on, no land at the Tewantin site was offered for sale and Clarendon Stuart’s proclamation was widely ignored. However, Gympie was not a town of quitters, and by early 1871, they had the numbers to force the issue. On 15 July 1871 the amended Town Reserve of Tewantin – it had to be moved slightly to exclude the selection of Grainger Ward – was gazetted.
So the pioneers missed out again, but only by a few weeks, and that was a cause for celebration in itself. And next month will mark the 150th anniversary of the first land sale, so keep your party hats at the ready.
