Early land sales
Allotments in the Hayes Inlet Estate at Humpy Bong were offered to buyers, on land that is now part of Clontarf. On 26 September 1882, the Clontarf estate was auctioned. The sale was advertised widely, with a coloured lithograph showing the subdivision of a sugar plantation. Newspaper advertisements described Redcliffe as a city "in the near future" and spoke of a steam ferry from Sandgate to Clontarf starting within months.
The first sale went well, and a second sale at Clontarf North followed in December 1882.
“On 26 September 1882, the Clontarf estate was auctioned.”
Schools and churches
In the 1990s, the congregations at St Barnabas' and at St Mark's in Woody Point were combined in a new church at Clontarf, St Peter the Fisherman's. The combining of the congregations led to St Mark's closing on 24 April 1993, and St Barnabas closed around 1992. The dedication of St Peter the Fisherman's came in 1993, and its consecration in 1996.
Clontarf Beach State High School began on 28 January 1964. Grace Lutheran Primary School began on 26 January 1971.
Bridges and heritage
The Houghton Highway is a causeway 2.7 kilometres long that crosses Bramble Bay and links Clontarf to Brisbane City. The Houghton Highway and its twin, the Ted Smout Memorial Bridge, are the current pair of bridges, having replaced the original Hornibrook Bridge. The old Hornibrook Bridge is closed and most of it has been removed.
A short span of the old bridge remains on the north, along with two entrance towers that were kept and now serve as a fishing pier at the north and south ends of Bramble Bay. The Hornibrook Bridge, the first of the three bridges, is heritage-listed.
Living in Clontarf
Clontarf is a coastal suburb, and the land within it is used for a mix of housing and light industry. Clontarf's west has the biggest industrial zone in the Redcliffe area, and it provides significant employment for the region.
Many residents travel to Brisbane each day for work, and a train line connects to the peninsula. Two adjacent medium-sized shopping centres sit at the suburb's southern tip. Most retail trade is in small business, and corner stores and other small shops remain in the suburb.
Timeline
One thread, knotted at each year: the distance between knots is the time between events.
Questions
What is the postcode for Clontarf?
Clontarf's postcode is 4019. The suburb is in the City of Moreton Bay.
What is the history of Clontarf?
Land at Clontarf was auctioned in September 1882, with a second sale at Clontarf North that December. Clontarf Beach State School opened in 1950, and a new Anglican church followed in the 1990s.
What is living in Clontarf like?
The suburb mixes housing with light industry, and much of its retail trade is in small businesses. Two medium-sized shopping centres sit next to each other at its southern tip.
How far is Clontarf from Brisbane?
Clontarf is approximately 34.4 kilometres by road from Brisbane. The Houghton Highway carries the road across Bramble Bay to Brisbane City.