The moreton bay marine park was officially established in 1993, 3 decades after tangaloomas whaling stations closure. The whaling station, tangalooma, situated on moreton island, is a. Tangalooma resort is a popular resort for lovers of outdoor life situated on the western side of moreton island in queensland, australia. Explore an intact whale processing factory and whale chasing ship fully restored and ready for you to discover. Tangalooma was selected as the site because of its relative protection, access to fresh water and proximity to brisbane and the migration path of the humpback whales just off cape moreton. The indigenous people of moorgumpin are known as the ngugi. Tangalooma accommodation top tangalooma hotels 2020 wotif. Explore the station as it used to be when operational.
Tangalooma offers a range of accommodations styles, each set amid the landscaped gardens and natural bushland, most with water views. Historic whaling station discovery bay tourism experience. Cruises visiting tangalooma 20202021 tangalooma cruises. The resort can arrange many day tours and activities, including desert safari tours, snorkeling experiences, quad bike tours and helicopter joy flights. No matter what your holiday goals, you are always ensured of quality service and commitment to your comfort and safety whilst enjoying all that plettenberg bay has. From whaling to whale watching queensland historical atlas. Step back in time and take a journey through whale world, the site of the last operating whaling station in australia.
Find out how tangalooma evolved from the devastating exploitation of whales into a sustainable whale watching tourist industry supporting of their conservation. In june 1963 the tangalooma whaling station was sold to a syndicate of gold coast businessmen. In 1980 the resort was purchased by a local brisbane family, the osbornes. The site of the whaling station is now the tangalooma wild dolphin resort. Moreton bay people the complete collection moreton bay. In 1950 an australian company was formed and tangalooma was chosen as a site for the largest land based whaling station in the southern hemisphere. Each season up to 600 whales were processed with a maximum of 11 whales per day. Book set at moreton island whaling station nominated for. In 1963 the tangalooma whaling station was sold to a syndicate of gold coast businessmen and in 1980 the resort was purchased by the osborne family, who still currently own and operate the resort. The tangalooma wrecks comprise 15 vessels deliberately sunk to create a breakaway and artificial reef, and is the pick for snorkelling on moreton island large image deliberately sunk in 1963 to form a breakwall for small boats and to encourage marine life and the tourism that it would bring, the 15 vessels in varying states of ruin offering a.
Approximately 150 people worked at the station during the austral summer, producing over 140,000 barrels of whale oil. Old moreton island whaling station tour tangalooma activities. The story opens in 1961 at the funeral of thirteenyearold sams mother. Larsen established the modern whaling industry on south georgia. From 1935, protection was extended to the muchreduced southern right whale.
Slides by richard hopkins, collection of the centre for the government of queensland. The islands history also includes the largest landbased whaling station in the southern hemisphere, established in 1950. By the end of the nineteenth, intensive commercial whaling had caused whale numbers to fall precipitously. Whaling station tour learn about the history and operations of the tangalooma whaling station with one of the eco rangers. Tangaloomas history dates back to the mid20th century when it was originally set up as a whaling station. We operate a very informative tour of this facility and you can also obtain more information on the history of the whaling station at the tangalooma marine education and information centre entry is free. Whaling was a huge industry of the town for many years but in 1978 albanys whaling station ceased its operations. To become a whale is the debut novel of ben hobson, an australian author from brisbane, queensland. Whaling was one of the first viable industries established in the swan river colony following the 1829 arrival of british settlers to western australia.
In world war i, cowan cowan point provided the main defence base. The site of tangalooma island resort also has a fascinating and sad maritime history. Day cruise to moreton island brisbane weekendnotes. The ship wrecks of tangalooma are located on the western side of moreton island near the township of tangalooma, a former whaling station. Originally a whaling station, tangalooma island resort is a resort on the west side of moreton. It lies on the eastern shore of moreton bay and is known for its resort accommodation, dolphinfeeding program, sand dunes and wreck diving. See moreton island history the flensing deck at queenslands tangalooma resort was once the southern hemispheres largest land based whaling station. With 25,000 whales going by, youre bound to see a few. The workforce was cosmopolitan, with expert norwegian whalers flown in to captain the boats and manage the guns, as well as aboriginal, australianborn and migrant workers. Queenslands only whaling station operated at tangalooma from 1952 to 1962.
The bar at the whaling station steakhouse has its own menu and its own local following, with drink specials and lively conversation served nightly. To help satisfy this demand, a whaling station was opened at tangalooma in 1952. Brisbane to moreton island and back the sydney morning. Smashwords moreton island tourism, queensland australia. Learn about the historical moreton island whaling station at tangalooma.
Major coastal defence bases were located on moreton island during the world wars. A number of prominent identities associated with moreton bay history appear throughout a number of these papers. The tangalooma wrecks of moreton island amusing planet. History moreton island visitor information and tourism website. Take a look back at byrons whaling jetty 24th oct 2017 9. Welcome to moreton bay marine park learn why its unique.
This afternoon we explore the island on a guided tour. During the 1950s, a whaling station was set up and thousands of humpback whales were harvested for their oil. Each season the tangalooma whaling station employed over 150 men, working seven days a week for the five months of the season. Albanys historic whaling station is the only experience of its kind in the world. A big chunk of the novel takes place on tangalooma whaling station. A coming of age novel set in the brutal world of a whaling station at tangalooma on moreton island sounds historical but its more contemporary than you think. In the past, particularly in the 1950s it was a thriving whaling station, but when whaling was banned in australian waters. Collected throughout the last decade of the twentieth century, these reminiscences of. Whaling station tangalooma queenslands only whaling station was also built on moreton island and the remains of the station can still be found at tangalooma resort. The site of the whaling station is now the tangalooma island resort. The ghetto you have referred to is the historic tangalooma whaling station flensing deck, and is a heritage listed building. In its first year, it killed and processed 600 whales.
Snorkelling tangalooma wrecks moreton island, queensland. Moreton bay people the complete collection has now been reprinted in hard copy by boolarong press. Today, tangalooma island resort is still owned and operated by the osborne family, brian and betty, along with sons jeff and glenn. Rhsq administration, author at the royal historical. The history of moreton island and tangalooma island resort. It was the invention of the explosive harpoon that made whaling possible in antarctic waters. Attitude change ended tangalooma whaling stations days. Today, you will find a place that is truly flourishing. Moreton island was originally a whaling station between 19521962, it was soon after developed for tourism. As a result of the whaling program, humpback whales were placed on the protected species list in 1965. Moorgumpin meaning place of sandhills is the aboriginal name for moreton island. Tangalooma meeting report to the meat whales stockholder.
How to travel from gold coast airport to tangalooma. Tangalooma was chosen as the site for the largest landbased whaling station in the southern hemisphere. Tangalooma boat for the 75min transfer to tangalooma. Tangaloomas free environmental education fact sheets. With the relocation of the ngugi to stradbroke island and some time spent as a whaling station, moreton island and tangalooma wrecks have a rugged past.
To become a whale tells the story of yearold sam keogh, whose. The first two humpback whales were harpooned in june 1952 near cape moreton marking the beginning of operation. Between 1952 and 1962, tangalooma, on the western side of the island, was the site of queenslands only whaling station, with humpback whales being harvested on their annual migration north. Learn how the town of tangalooma on moreton island evolved from the devastating exploitation of whales, to becoming the home of sustainable whale watch tourism and conservation. The tangalooma whaling station on moreton island was quite a tourist attraction during its heyday from 1952 to 1962, with plenty of people happy to pay a bob for day cruises to the island, where. Old moreton island whaling station tour tangalooma. The first two humpback whales were harpooned in june 1952 near cape moreton. Tangalooma and moreton island, have a rich history dating back to the native aboriginals and early european settlement. Sams father, walter keogh, is a traditional aussie bloke, in keeping with the men of the time and with his job at the tangalooma whaling station on moreton island, off the. You can see remnants of the station and read about its history at the resort today. An awardwinning wine list and full spirits bar compliment your dining experience. Flensing deck, tangalooma whaling station, 1960 queensland. In 1952, the australian company whale products pty ltd.
After whaling ceased and moreton bay marine park was designated as a wildlife reserve, the humpback whale population has gradually been reestablished. The tangalooma whaling station had an annual quota of 600 humpback whales. The industry had numerous ups and downs until the last whaling station closed in albany in 1978 there are two main species of whales order cetacea which form aggregations along the western australian coastline. Just a 75 minute ferry trip from brisbane, tangalooma island resort provides brisbanes closest access to the beautiful moreton island, home to. While the culling of humpbacks that occurred here put the whales on the endangered species list in 1965, tangalooma has since turned into an ecotourism destination where animals of all kinds including whales are actively. Old whaling station flensing deck moreton island tangalooma. The whaling industry supplied oil that was used worldwide in foodstuffs, cosmetics, and in the production of nitroglycerine. The tangalooma wrecks were dumped in 1963 to create a break wall safe harbour for smaller crafts visiting the tangalooma tourist area. The cheynes beach whaling company was the last whaling company to cease operations in australia, closing in 1978. Originally a whaling station, tangalooma is a resort township on the west side of moreton island, just a 70 minute catamaran trip from brisbane, in queensland. History moreton island visitor information and tourism.
Originally a whaling station, tangalooma island resort formerly known as tangalooma wild dolphin resort is a resort on the west side of moreton island in queensland, australia. In 1912 the hektor whaling company was issued with a license to establish a shorebased whaling station. Remains of the whaling station are now part of the tangalooma resort facilities. Whaling station in 1950 the australian company whale products pty ltd was formed. If youre not going further north in queensland than brisbane but want a fix of tropical bliss, sail over to moreton island. Tangalooma is known for its resort accommodation and white glistening beach sands. The whaling station steakhouse restaurant monterey, ca. Like fraser island, moreton bay was subject to sand mining on a smaller scale, which ended in 1992 when the mining leases were added to the moreton island national park. Set in 1961, the book tells the story of yearold sam keogh. Moreton island is a large sand island the third largest in the world located on the coast of southeast queensland, australia, which together with. Tangalooma is most famous for being the southern hemispheres largest land based whaling station in the 1950s.