AS the town of Beaudesert marks 150 years since the first town lot was sold, a mystery remains: who bought the first town lot, and how much did it sell for?
In the year 2024 property prices are a hot topic, with a quick Google search showing the median house price in Beaudesert currently sits at $620,000, according to realestate.com.au.
But as is often the case with matters of history, finding that sort of data from the year 1874 is not quite so straightforward.
The Bulletin caught up with Beaudesert Historical Society Treasurer and fifth generation local, Tom Plunkett, about the mystery of Beaudesert’s first town lot.
A significant site
A very old map, believed to be from a book the post office created, shows lots 1-23 as they were in 1874, on Brisbane Street between Albert Street and William Street.
It is where Beaudesert’s fire station now stands and, from what we understand, it’s a key site in the town’s 150-year milestone.
“I read somewhere it had been a dry time or something and Ernest White (of Beaudesert Station) decided to sell some lots there to make some money,” Mr Plunkett said.
“But because it was a private sale I don’t know if they had the records there might have been if it was run by an auctioneer or developer.”
Rapid growth
Mr Plunkett said while it was difficult to find specific information about the sale of Beaudesert’s first town lot, the rapid growth around that time was unmistakeable.
“It looks like everything happened very, very quickly, even with population growth from 25 people according to the 1881 Census to 450 people in 1891,” he said.
“Let’s say in 1874 there was nothing in the township, town lots not even sold, by 1880 you’ve got hotels and all sorts of things, St Mary’s presbytery was built in 1885. So, if we think there’s disruption in the main street now, the changes that happened in that short period of time would have been immense.”
A longer timeline
Beaudesert’s 2024 ‘B150’ sesquicentenary milestone fits into a much bigger picture.
Mr Plunkett summarises it well when he talks about the timeline of Beaudesert.
“First there were the Mununjali, then they allowed squatters from around the 1850s, then there was the cutting up of larger blocks into smaller selections in Beaudesert and surrounds, then there was the mystery sale of the first town lot in 1874, then eventually the town came about to service that population,” he said.
“Also, a lot of people who came 150 years ago to properties surrounding Beaudesert were Irish Catholics, so they came on the Erin-go-Bragh ship.
“There is an element of mystery surrounding who purchased that first town lot, but the one thing we know is the growth of the town then happened very quickly.”
If you have information about the sale of Beaudesert’s first town lot, contact the Beaudesert Historical Society on 5541 3740.
