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Whitecliffe Cottage and Estate - Ellen and Georgina St - Scotts Point

Updated: Nov 30, 2022



Portion 110 was first purchased by Robert T. Scott on December 12th 1864. Paying 25 pounds for the 25 acres, in the Redcliff Agricultural Reserve.

Whitecliffe Cottage was one of the first houses to be built and by 1878 had 5 rooms and a 48 acre paddock. It was occupied by Edwin Da Costa Esq. and rent was 10 shillings per week. Edwin worked for the the Dalby Post and Telegraph Department, and in 1870 worked with Robert T. Scott at the Brisbane Postal Department, and purchased the cottage from Robert in the 1870s.

Applications were to Robert T. Scott at the general post office.

The word Whitecliff (later spelled Whitecliffe) was named after the Scotts Point cliffs being originally called "Banda-mardo" (white clay) by the local indigenous, after the white ocre found there.

Page 350 from Tom Petrie's book "Reminiscenses Of Early Queensland" :

An 1882 Whitecliff land sale map (note Ellen St is misspelled Helen St)

Land Sale map from our Pictorial History of Redcliffe Book 1824-1949 - available to purchase at the following link: https://www.redcliffebook.com/product-page/the-pictorial-history-of-redcliffe.

This 1882 map can also be purchased as a 20x16" framed map at:


Queenslander Newspaper April 1882 mentioning a block of 36 perches at Whitecliffe being bought for 80 pounds:

Brisbane Courier advert for Whitecliffe Estate, Humpybong in July 1883:

"This property is well known as occupying the premier position between the Main Coast Road and the beach, having been one of the first positions selected in 1863, when the selectors had all the to peninsula choose from. The natural advantages of this neighbourhood are so great that nothing but the want of ready access has prevented a very large amount of settlement, and as that ready access has now been provided, values will speedily rise in proportion to the rapid increase of population which is sure to follow. For the accommodation of visitors to this property at the Sale, arrangements have been made

for a SPECIAL TRIP from BRISBANE, by RAIL and BOATS.

A Train leaves Brisbane at 12.10 p.m. on Saturday, 28th July, reaching Sandgate at 1p.m. The Steamers REDCLIFFE and FRANCIS CADELL will start from Sandgate Jetty ay 1.10 and 1.20pm p.m., and will land passengers at the WOODY POINT JETTY at 1.40pm.

A short walk to the Estate luncheon there at 2 o'clock and the sale at 2.30pm. The Francis Cadell starts from the Woody Point jetty on the return trip to Sandgate at 4.30pm catching the 5.30 train and then going on to Brisbane."

A framed reproduction of this 1883 map is available to view and purchase at the following link

Ellen Street was named after Ellen Wright who married Robert Townley Scott in 1868, and their first born daughter Ellen Augusta Sophia Scott in 1871.

Robert Scott first purchased portion 110 on December 12th 1864. Paying 25 pounds for the 25 acres, in the Redcliff Agricultural Reserve.Named on request from the Ellensville Land Company in 1890 from the sub-division of Ellensville Estate.

Georgina Street is possibly named after Ellen's father, George Wright, and their first born son, Robert George Parkinson Scott in 1869.

1883 newspaper mentioning the Whitecliffe Estate to be sold on the 28th of July 1883:

Telegraph advert for the sale of Villa Whitecliffe, Humpybong in June 1888:

Estate of Martha Armstrong , patient, by order of the Curator of Insanity:

Early map showing the Church of England on Georgina St and Scotts Point Store on Ellen St:

Jacob Pearon's Victoria House on the corner of Victoria and Clifford St is also shown:

Scotts Point general store:

c. 1929 aerial from Thiel:

An animated colourised lithograph from 1888 Picturesque Atlas Of Australia

August 1956 aerial of Ellen and Georgina Streets:

2022 aerial:

Land Sale maps from our Pictorial History of Redcliffe Book 1824-1949 - available to purchase at the following link: https://www.redcliffebook.com/product-page/the-pictorial-history-of-redcliffe

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