St Helena Island - Aboriginal name: Noogoon
 
   
720BC to 1840 (Approx) Used by Aboriginal tribe, the Nooghies
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1799 Island described as one of the 'Green Isles' by Matthew Flinders
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1826 Named St Helena after Aboriginal exiled on Island
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1850s Fledgling dugong industry
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1866 Quarantine Station built
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1867 (14th May) Declared Penal Establishment
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1875 Construction started on stone causeway
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1885 Tramway commences operation (first passenger tramcar in Qld)
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1890 Warder's families removed from Island
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1891 Leaders of Great Shearer's Strike imprisoned on Island *
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1905 Sisal Hemp growing started
   
1907 Lash last used
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1921 Announcement of intended prison closure
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1921 (to 1932) Became prison farm for low security prisoners
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1922 Dismantling of buildings commenced (cont'd to 1932)
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1925 Electric light installed
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1932 (Dec) Official Prison closure
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1933 (1st Dec) Opened to the public (under responsibility of Brisbane City Council) First passenger ferry service established from Wynnum Pier (Closed 1934)
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1939 BCC handed Island back to State Gov't. Leased as dairy farm to 1973
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1973 Charles Carroll acquires 2 leases on Island (tourism and pasture)
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1974 Part of North Point leased to 4IP Radio to build radio station
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1979 (4th Oct) Gazetted National Park
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1980 (11th Sept) Gazetted Historic Area (First in Qld)
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1981 First Park Ranger appointed to Island
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1983 Coral dredging commenced Eastern side of Island (finished 1988)
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1984 Carroll's leases requisitioned
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1985 Education Qld involved in guide training and collating archival material
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1986 (Oct) New jetty opened. First scripted play, St Helena by Night staged on Island 1987 Horse-drawn wagon transport introduced to Island (until 1996)
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1996 Diesel powered train commenced operation (until 2002)
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1997 Dramatised 1st person interpretation introduced to day tours
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2000 Establishment of Museum completed