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Milton

History of Brisbane's Milton

Milton's history has been compiled by local historian, Lesley Jenkins, as a part of the BRISbites community history project.

Aboriginal history

The Turrbal clan occupied the northern side of the Brisbane River. The clan was often referred to by the whites as the 'Duke of York's' clan and their leader was called the Duke of York.

The Brisbane River and the creeks running from the River were major sources of food for the Aborigines. Life for the Turrbal depended on an intimate knowledge of the ecosystem, including the changing patterns of food availability in the area. The Turrbal people manipulated the available resources to suit their clan's physical and spiritual needs.

Urban development

Henry Wade had prepared a survey plan in 1842. In 1851 Ambrose Eldridge purchased Western Suburban Allotments 4 to 11. This land extended beyond the town boundary and totalled about 30 acres. Milton took its name from Milton House, which was constructed for Ambrose Eldridge in 1852 or 1853.

Eldridge's property was sold to JF McDougall MLA, who farmed the Milton Estate and added large leaseholds to his property. The McDougall property was sold to the Queensland Investment and Land Mortgage Co. Ltd in 1885 and subdivided.

The train line was constructed from Brisbane to Ipswich in 1875 and Milton Station was in operation by 1877. To meet the needs of a growing population, the main drains for Milton were constructed between 1885 and 1887.

Notable residents

Queen Street chemist Ambrose Eldridge arrived in Moreton Bay in 1847 and used his lands, which included Milton House, as a base for experimental farming. His farming pursuits included developing cotton growing. Eldridge was also very active in the development of Brisbane and in supporting moves towards the separation of Queensland.

Several of the one time occupiers of Milton House have their names perpetuated in nearby streets, including JF McDougall, a member of the first Queensland Legislative Council, Arthur Manning, the Colonial Under-Secretary and James Crombie.

William Siemon arrived in Australia in 1850 and became a grain merchant. In 1904 William Siemon and his family bought Milton House and renovated it. They later gave the house to the Presbyterian Church.

Landmarks

Lang Park Football Grounds is the beloved home of Queensland Rugby League. In 1994 it was renamed Suncorp Stadium because of a $5million dollar interest free loan. Prior to becoming a football ground it was on land occupied by the North Brisbane burial grounds also called the Paddington/Milton cemeteries.

The Milton Brewery was completed in 1878 and the first brew was made to the same formula as the beer brewed by Castlemaine Brewery in Victoria. The first trade mark four x's was applied for in the 1890s. The 'x' (the sign of the cross) was a standard symbol for the purity of alcoholic beverages with the number of x's representing the beer's strength.

Reference: Lesley Jenkins, BRISbites, 2000

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