Zilmere History

History of Brisbane’s Zillmere

Zillmere’s history has been compiled as a part of BRISbites community history project.

Aboriginal history

The Jagera and Turrbal groups occupied land in the Brisbane and Ipswich areas. The exact boundaries are not known, however, the Turrbal generally occupied the area north of the Brisbane River. Both groups had closely related languages, which are classified as belonging to the larger Yaggera language group.

The Zillmere area has a rich indigenous history. Evidence of Aboriginal occupation can be found in a bora ring at Nudgee Waterhole and in sites of special importance at Dinah Island, near Boondall Wetlands. Aboriginal tribes from as far as Northern NSW travelled to the Bunya Mountains stopping at Zillmann’s Waterholes on their way.

Urban development

Johann Leopold Zillmann was an unsuccessful Lutheran missionary who arrived in 1838 with the purpose of ministering to the Aborigines. He later settled in the area originally called Zillman’s Water Holes.

In 1876 land was cleared for a school. Farmers were involved in dairying, pig raising and small crops and several slaughter houses and tanneries operated.

In 1888 the railway station altered the name to Zillmere and the suburb became known under that name.

Huttons Pty Ltd established Australia’s first meat processing plant.

In 1897 blocks in the Zillmere Station Estate were offered for sale and in 1917 the Showground Estate was created which was described as the ‘Garden Suburb of Brisbane’.

Notable residents

Victor Grenning was born in Zillmere in 1899. He went to Zillmere State School. He later won the Lilley Medal in 1912 when he completed his high school years at Brisbane Central (Boys). Grenning later won a Rhodes Scholarship to Oxford University in England.

He joined the Queensland Forest Service as a working plans officer in 1924 and, within eight years, became the Director of the Department, a position he kept until his retirement in 1964. He died at the age of 85 in 1984. The Victor Grenning Park in Zillmere was named in his honour.

Landmarks

Joseph Walsh Lee came to Zillmere in the 1860s. He bought land and built a significant home of brick, which still stands, at 470 Zillmere Road. He lobbied the government for the train to stop at the suburb and Joseph Lee Park on Holberton, Keyatta and Tedman Streets commemorates his achievements.

O’Callaghan Park is the largest park in Zillmere. It is named after Father John O’Callaghan who came to St Dympna’s around 1928. He was closely associated with the sporting life of Nudgee College and the Christian Brothers. He died on 26 May 1963 just three weeks after arriving in Ireland on a visit.

Reference: BRISbites, 2000