Local history

The Inala/Richlands district – Early history

Inala is Aboriginal for resting place.
Aborigines did not frequent these rocky heights, but preferred the sandy areas along Oxley and Woogaroo Creeks. They roamed throughout the area though, from Goodna to Oxley to Archerfield. .

In the early 1800s, the Land Commissioner for the NSW Government, Dr. Stephen Simpson, leased a huge area south of Brisbane town, calling it "Woogaroo." He built "Wolston House," about 1852 and named "Mt. Ommaney" after his nephew and heir who died there in a fall from his horse.

When Queensland became separated from NSW in 1859, part of "Woogaroo" was bought by a Mr Farleigh, who built the "Archerfield" homestead (at the end of Archerfield Road, near the Water tower).

1881 until 1888 - the Durack family ran Archerfield station (14,000 acres, bought for $30,000). First sugar cane farms were tried (unsuccessfully). The station proved a valuable base for fattening their stock from inland droving, and for horse breeding.
Cobb and Co. stopped at Archerfield homestead on the way to Ipswich, from 1865 until the railway from Ipswich to Brisbane was completed (in 1895).

1900 - The area was dotted with small holdings in the early 20th century, with bush tracks, horse and buggies, tank water, kerosene lamps, brumbies and swaggies. The closest schools were Oxley (1860?) and Darra (1916).

1934 - June 11 - Richlands SS opened, to service the scattered community.

1942-45 - The 636 US Army Ordnance Department built the Darra Ordnance Depot - the largest depot in the South Pacific - storing millions of tons of bombs, ammunition and spare parts for the South Pacific Allied Forces. They commandeered the Dyne's home, rebuilt Archerfield homestead (burned down in the 1930s) and sealed Archerfield Road - the first road in the area to be made. See The Battle of Brisbane
"Camp Columbia" closed, but the Australian Army Camp stayed at Wacol until 2000.
(18-year-old boys were conscripted into the Army during the Vietnam War, and many were trained at Wacol).

The Americans - and the Australians - left much ammunition in the area - and dumped noxious wastes in what became Willawong dump. They also left many army huts, which were then used as housing for refugees and migrants, and bought as shops and meeting places by the locals of Inala.

1945 - Resources had been concentrated on the war effort, and the Returned Soldiers - promised land and housing - returned to rationed food and goods, and a housing shortage across Australia.