LAva., 1902.] QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 87 
Mount Coot-tha Reserve. 
By THE LATE W. H. TRAILL. 
{Read before the Royal Geographical Society of Queensland by the Right Hon. Sir 
Hugh Muir Nelson, P.C., K.C.M.G., D.C.L., President of the Legislative Council 
of Queensland.) ; 
_ From any part of the city of Brisbane, whence a view not interrupted by 
buildings is Open towards the west, the prospect is seen to be bounded, in that 
direction, by a range of hills not of great height. These are known to-day as Taylor's 
ange, and while northerly they stretch unbroken till out of sight, they terminate 
abruptly towards the south in a bare knoll. This is Mount Coot-tha, formerly called 
ne Tree Hill. As far back as anyone now living can remember it, that knoll was a 
prominent object in the Jandscape on account of its showing bare, while all the rest of 
€ range was covered, as now, with forest. But there used, not so many years ago, 
to be one lofty tree on the very crown of the otherwise bare patch, and from that 
Solitary tree the older naine of the spot was derived. No one can now state with 
certainty when One Tree Hill was first so called. It is believed, however, that its’ 
obviousness dates back to the very early times when the site of Brisbane was occupied 
Y a penal establishment, the furthest north on the east coast of Australia. The very 
Toad by which excursionists on a trip to Mount Coot-tha usuaily start, known, near 
the Victoria Bridge, as North Quay, and a little further on as Milton road, which 
skirts the Brisbane River for over a mile, was, the story goes, cleared and formed by 
the prisoners for the enjoyment of the officials, who were in the habit of taking their 
tives along that way, in the cool of evening, inhaling the freshened-air wafted up the 
Stream from the bay. ‘ 
. . When, in the year 1880, the place was put in charge of trustees, it was not 
Indeed a bare knoll such as it is at present. But, as compared with the rest of the 
Tange, it then carried but a young growth of saplings, so that it is probable that it 
Was stripped of the original forest about the same time that the road mentioned was 
cleared and by the same class of labourers. This probability is supported by the fact 
that when the present clearing was being carried out on behalf of the trustees, some 
Tons, such as were worn by the road gangs of convict establishments, were found on the 
Place. Anyhow, it has been a favourite, though not a very commonly visited, place 
or picnicking excursions as long as Brisbane has been a town, and probably during 
Many years before. ‘There is no place within an equal distance of the city from which 
Views so widely reaching and so far extending can becommanded. The height is just 
about right for affording a really interesting view. Great elevations are disappointin 
im that respect. The country and even lower hills beneath them appear flattened, an 
Such objects as houses and other adjuncts are too distant to show any interesting 
details.. From some of the lower buttresses of the Alps, for instance, 6,000 feet or so 
above sea-level, the extent of view is magnificent, and the snow-clad peaks and ranges 
at a distance very beautiful. But the valleys, with the towns, lakes, villages, roads, 
Tailways, and so on, show little except dots and streaks. Now, from Mount Coot-tha, 
Ohe can distinguish almost every feature of the near landscape, which makes the view 
much more interesting, while there is no lack of beauty in the distant prospect, varying 
as it does from the seascape in the east to the bold outlines of the Main Range in the 
“ NY and detached peaks with a melting background of mountains far in the south- 
ard. 
“ Qoot-tha ” isa word in the aboriginal tongue, and means “honey.” When in 
1880 “ One Tree Hill” was, together with a surrounding area of 1,500 acres, placed in 
charge of a body of trustees, as a reserve for public recreation, the: question of an 
8ppropriate name arose. “One Tree Hill” had its antiquity and traditions to 
Commend it. But the antiquity was slight, and the traditions few. Besides, the single 
me whence the name was derived, was seen to be doomed to speedy disappearance. 
houghtless and selfish people, among those who visited the place and enjoyed its 
Attractions, were in the habit of lighting their picnic fire at the foot of the tree, thus 
Slowly burning the life cut of it. ‘The process was complete years ago, and the notable 
Tee, so long a landmark from the city of Brisbane, and for places much more distant 
or miles around, decayed, fell, and its fragments had to be cleared away. buick “s 
| Mr. W.H. Radford, Clerk of the Parliaments, who had, during many years 
jimired and oft-times enjoyed the charms of. the knoll, had been fitly appointed 
ONorary secretary to the trustees of the reserve. He’ took trouble to cast about fora 
Suitable name, and questioned, among others, an aged aboriginal: of the tribe, 
