ALBANY CREEK AND EATONS HILL
HISTORY

    The earliest reports of South Pine land was by Dr John Dunmore Lang who journeyed through the area in December 1845. He wrote “On crossing the South Pine, the country improves rapidly. On the banks of the South Pine ... we gathered a number of wild raspberries ... wild strawberries ... a species of native currant ...”

    The Albany Creek area was first referred to as the Pine, and later the South Pine. The South Pine was then restricted to the northern section of the South Pine River, while the southern side was known as Chinaman’s Creek, and this is how it appeared on the survey map prepared in 1859. In 1885, this name was changed to Albany Creek. It was not until recent years that the suburbs of Eaton’s Hill, now Eatons Hill, and Brendale were defined.

    Eatons Hill was originally part of portion 207 in the parish of Warner. The prominent hill on the Eaton property became known as Eaton’s Hill and it was gazetted 4 March 1972. The exact boundaries were officially defined in 1979 by the Pine Rivers Shire Council. Similarly Brendale, was named after the property name of the land, and also defined in 1979.

    The Pine Rivers area was possibly overlooked due to the difficulty in crossing the river. However, Old Northern Road was used as the main route to the north, and in the 1840s and 50s many miners travelled on this road on their way to the goldfields. This road was also the link to the cattle farms in the north. Still, the Albany Creek area was perhaps more populated than other Pine Rivers areas, as it was located on the main road to the north, as well as being of a distance from Brisbane, that travellers would stop by the river crossing for refreshments before continuing their journey north.

TIME LINE
Prior to settlement aboriginal use of land.
September 1824 official settlement of Moreton Bay (Queensland).
October 1846 North Pine Settler Gregor & Mrs Shannon murdered by aborigines.
September 1847 Two Pine River sawyers murdered by aborigines.
June 1852 A shepherd named Halloran murdered by aborigines. Surveyor James Warner’s camp was raided.
October 1869 James Cash, the first settler in the area, took up land where Eatons Hill is today, next to the crossing that now bears his name.
May 1874 John Eaton purchased 200 acres of South Pine including land forfeited after the death of James Cash.
April 1885 Petition to rename Chinaman’s Creek to Albany Creek.
June 1885 Department of Public Lands advised “It is hearby notified for general information that Chinaman’s Creek, near Bald Hills, in the parish of Bunya, Nundah, and Kedron is in future to be called Albany Creek.”
1960s   Development of Albany Creek Estate
March 1961 Albany Creek Progress Association formed. They pressed for a foot bridge over Sandy Creek, and street lighting
1970 John Eaton’s property subdivided.
March 1972 Eatons Hill officially gazetted
1979 Albany Creek and Eatons Hill officially defined as suburbs by the Pine Rivers Shire Council.
September 1998 - Eatons Hill State School officially opened

POPULATION
    The population was always small until the 1970s. The Albany Creek area, included Eatons Hill and parts of Bridgeman Downs.
   1850     2

   1871     67

   1881     86

   1891     60

   1911     90

   1921     133

   1933     145

   1947     163

   1954     195
                            Eatons Hill
   1961     280      1961     48

   1966     450      1966     45

   1971     1523      1971     92

   1976     4552      1976     648