Place names and their origins

Names tell a story, especially on the Sunshine Coast. Caloundra comes from the Kabi Kabi language and means ‘place of beech trees’.

The great explorer Matthew Flinders named Pumicestone Passage from the abundance of pumice lying on the beach.

The year 1868 marked the subdivision of pastoral runs following a government Act. Thomas Ballinger was the first landowner but it was Robert Bulcock who built the first house.

He also built an observation tower to detect a possible invasion by Russians because, at that time, England was at odds with Russia. The lighthouse was built next to this tower in 1896.

Place names also evolve from events and people. Dicky Beach was named for the wreck of the Dicky in 1893. Moffat and Bulcock beaches were named for early residents.

As land was further subdivided, newcomers were able to purchase house blocks in the 1920s and 1930s.

During World War II, the Australian Defence Force established a large base with restrictions to visitors. Homes and boats were commandeered for war-time use. After World War II, Caloundra became popular for holidays and permanent housing.

Retired Caloundra resident Noel Williams remembers the early days of Caloundra when his family first holidayed in 1947.

“Caloundra was a dead end at that time,” he recalls.

“Visitors came to Landsborough by train and were taken by buggy or service car to Caloundra and then returned the same way (access to other coastal resorts came in 1965 when the Nicklin Way opened).

“I remember the wreck of the Dicky when the frame was still fairly intact and safe enough to climb over.

“I also recall an army lookout tower on the headland overlooking the ocean.

“Another of my fond memories is of MacNellies’ Bakery and their signature ‘shark’s mouth’ bun loaves. They were split open at one end and filled with pink icing to make them look like a shark with its mouth open.

Two stores I remember were Tytherleighs and Rinaldis.

“On my first visit, I was only five and my brother was only a few months old.

“We first stayed in Dunrossie Flats in Leeding Terrace, built by Andrew Cobb.

“It’s a two-storey stucco building and is still there.

“Our upstairs flat had no bathroom or toilet – both were up the backyard.

“Caloundra had no reticulated water then and the toilets were the old earth closets. We soon relocated.

“My grandparents and an uncle and aunt also came to Caloundra on holidays. On Bulcock Beach Esplanade were Harmony Court Flats, which had modern septic toilets.

“All the flats in that part of Caloundra had a rowing boat allocated to them. From memory, the oars were kept in each flat – no doubt so that no one could make off with the boats.

“We always swam at Bulcock Beach where there was a diving board and, later, a second one.

“My uncle had a boat with an inboard motor and I loved going fishing in the passage with the family. At that time, the fishing was very good. We caught quite a few big flathead.

“Tom Maloney’s shallow-bottomed boat was called Waterhen, which trans-shipped goods from Brisbane in Pumicestone Passage for Caloundra from a bigger boat. It also carried away local produce such as citrus, bananas and pineapples from the hinterland, as well as shell grit.”

What remarkable changes are still occurring in Caloundra.

 Audienne Blyth is a member of the Nambour Historical Museum, open 1-4pm Wednesdays to Fridays, and 10am-3pm on Saturdays.