Teneriffe



Originally a farming area and later an industrial hub with boat moorings and commercial wool stores, neighbouring Teneriffe has undergone an urban resurgence and where apartments have sprung up, restaurants, cafes and boutiques have followed. Defined as a separate suburb until the early twentieth century, Teneriffe Park (44m) is the locality's most prominent hill, from which numerous minor streams ran down into Newstead or to the river.

The hill was probably named after Teneriffe in the Canary Islands, off north-west Africa, in the 1850s. Bulimba ferry and Hawthorne ferry crossed the river's Bulimba Reach, along which Brisbane's main commercial wharves were built. Important facilities included the Bulimba Wharf (1906). As wool exports from Queensland increased in the early 20th century, the economic importance of Teneriffe to the state also increased.

The first wool store was built in 1909, with another three stores opening by 1915. During the early 1930s, when wool contributed 50 percent of Queensland's total exports, Brisbane averaged ten wool sales a year, and more stores were built. The last two were constructed during the 1950s in response to a worldwide boom in wool useage at that time.

Wool was sent to the woolstores by rail to be safely stored for prospective buyers. Sales were conducted at the Wool Exchange in the Brisbane central business district. The top floors of each woolstore was occupied by a single large showroom, where buyers could examine the wool at leisure under suffusive natural lighting. After it was sold, the wool was pressed and baled, trolleyed to the wharves, and loaded onto ships. With the introduction of container shipping in the 1960s, this method of wool handling was phased out.

The importance of the Teneriffe facilities to the Queensland wool industry slowly declined, and the Teneriffe wharves, having failed to keep pace with technological changes, and lacking sufficient depth for container vessels, were supplanted in 1977-78 by the Port of Brisbane Authority's new river-mouth facilities at Fisherman's Island. Many of the former woolstores at Teneriffe were recycled for office, storage and retail purposes.

In 1990, in recognition of the downscaling of industry in the area, the Bulimba branch of the railway was closed, by which time most of the riverfront was unused or in a state of decay. The Brisbane City Council declared Teneriffe an urban renewal precinct. By 2000 many of the woolstores had been converted to apartments, and the State fruit cannery at Commercial Road/Vernon Terrace had yielded 205 loft-style units.In recent years, Teneriffe has seen an influx of gay and lesbian residents who are part of the continuing gentrification of the neighbourhood. The Council completed a riverside boardwalk in 2000. A particularly notable 'enclave of exclusive homes' was built at the Catalina development, adjacent to the Capricorn wharf where American submarines were based during the World War II.



The Teneriffe Woolstore Precinct on the Brisbane River is one of the most cohesive groupings of mercantile buildings in Queensland. The Teneriffe area was attractive for the development of woolstores because wharf facilities could be built or extended from existing wharves and the area was linked to the Sandgate Railway Line via the Bulimba Branch. This enabled wool to be brought in by rail and shipped out for export.



One example is Mactaggart's Woolstore erected in 1926. It was one of 16 woolstores built in the first half of the 20th century along the river at Teneriffe. Wool was sent to Mactaggarts Woolstore by rail to be safely stored for prospective buyers. After it was sold, the wool was pressed and baled, trolleyed to the wharves, and loaded onto ships. With the introduction of container shipping in the 1960s, this method of wool handling was phased out and the stores were no longer used -most being sold as development sites. In 1990, in recognition of the downscaling of industry in the area, the Bulimba branch of the railway was closed.

Redeveloped into residential apartments in 1995, some of the building s original wool baling equipment is displayed throughout the apartment s corridors as a reminder of the building s history. This new use conserves this familiar Brisbane River landmark while allowing residents to enjoy a little bit of heritage. Location: Mactaggart s Woolstore, 53 Vernon Terrace, Teneriffe.



Teneriffe Boardwalk

Most of Teneriffe river front is completely built out, which makes the Teneriffe Boardwalk even more special. The Boardwalk stretches from the Powerhouse all the way to the Teneriffe Ferry Terminal and makes for the most relaxing walking/running/cycling path in Brisbane. On a sunny day, it's not uncommon to see families, people with their dogs and couples taking a leisurely stroll or going for a run along the river. You won't catch me saying this often, but it is so beautiful that it actually makes exercise fun. Make sure you take a hat or wear sunscreen as there's not a lot of shade out there and the glare from the water can leave you with a nasty sun burn.

Mostly on paved paths, in one section there is a bush track with a steep non-railed section that can be a challenge for the non-sure-footed as well as stairs and a small hill to climb. This bushland reserve fringes Teneriffe Park, the area s highest point. Plenty of history plaques are spaced along the deck.



Submariners Walk Heritage Trail

A memorial to the Australian and US submariners who were based at the Capricorn Wharf at Teneriffe during World War II marks the beginning of the Submariners' Walk Heritage Trail along the Brisbane River where the submarines used to dock. Along the trail, between Hastings and Beetson Streets, are plaques and seats commemorating the men, the ships and their service during WWII.

Five of the US submarines that left Teneriffe to go on patrol never came back - lost with all their crew. USS Growler, part of the US sub fleet based here, was involved in action against a Japanese convoy when it collided with the convoy's escort Hayasaki, almost sinking the sub. After the collision the Japanese ship opened fire on Growler, wounding her commanding officer Howard W Gilmore and killing two others. Selflessly Gilmore gave the order for the submarine to dive, even though he was unable to get off the bridge into the vessel. The boat submerged and Gilmore perished, but Growler was able to return to Brisbane for repair.Gilmore was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor, becoming the first submariner to receive that award.

About seventy US submarines used the Capricorn Wharf for maintenance and repairs during the war, and for the last three months of 1942 there were as many US submarines operating from Brisbane as from Pearl Harbour. About 800 US service personnel were involved at Capricorn Wharf and there were further men and women at the store depot at Windsor. In addition, Archbishop Duhig's Benedict Stone factory was acquired for torpedo maintenance and storage. The walkway along the river is now a beautiful and peaceful place, used by cyclists, runners, walkers and sightseers alike.

Capricorn wharf was built between 1907 - 1909. After WW2 it changed names a number of times as it changed owners. It was called Capricorn-New Wharf in 1965 when Capricorn Stevedores leased the wharves. It was purchased by Dalgety Wharves in 1968. The Royal Australian Navy purchased the wharves in 1982 and it became known as HMAS Moreton North. The area was purchased by the Brisbane City Council in 1988 and was then renamed as Capricorn Wharf to avoid confusion with the nearby HMAS Moreton.



HMAS Moreton Naval Base

HMAS Moreton naval base was opened in 1932 as HMAS Penguin IV and on 1 August 1940 it was renamed as HMAS Brisbane. The base was again renamed HMAS Moreton in 1942. The base was located at the corner of Merthyr Road and Gray Street, in New Farm, Brisbane and had its own wharves, warehouse buildings and assembly areas. The site of the former base has been transformed into the Freshwater Apartments.

Post Vietnam the base was home to the Royal Australian Navy's amphibious forces including HMAS Tobruk and the Balikpapan class landing craft. For much of this time much of the army's amphibious capacity was based locally. Gallipoli Barracks based 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment was Australia's lead amphibious assault unit whilst 35 Water Transport Squadron was based at Bulimba Barracks, Brisbane, Queensland with LCM.

HMAS Moreton was decommissioned in 1994 and many of its services relocated to Bulimba Barracks under the authority of Naval Headquarters Southern Queensland. Naval amphibious forces are currently based at HMAS Kuttabul.