Background of Wilhelm Heinrich Bruckner

Heinrich was a pioneer sawmill owner in the Fassifern District. He was born 1849 in Dresden, Saxony, Germany. He emigrated first to England where he married Eliza Spohr in 1873 and by 1874 they travelled to Australia on the Zoroaster where, when fresh water ran out, Heinrich helped to fix the ship’s condensers, subsequently receiving a grant of land and 20 pounds.

On arrival in Australia, Heinrich and Eliza moved to Ipswich where he was employed as an engineer in the locomotive section of the Ipswich Rail Workshops. His experience at the Railway Workshops stood him in good stead when he founded the sawmill business at Dugundan, outside of Boonah. The first six children were born in Ipswich and by 1883 the family had moved to Dugandan and Heinrich started 'Bruckner’s Mill'. A further nine children were born in the Boonah/Dugandan area which made a family of thirteen girls and two boys. Heinrich died in 1934 at Boonah aged 85. The Mill was sold out of the Bruckner family in 1971.

Building the Holiday House

Heinrich Bruckner purchased Lot 8 (57) in Banya Street and Lots 11 and 12 in Nulu Street, Bongaree around 1922. The first leaseholder of Lot 8 was Albert J. Davis.  Albert's wife Elizabeth was the leaseholder of four other blocks in Banya street on which they built Carlton House, which they ran as a boarding house from the early days of Bribie becoming a holiday destination. The house was called after Albert's hometown of Carlton in Melbourne. Perhaps the Bruckner family stayed at Carlton House prior to buying the land as the family recollects that they came to Bribie from the early days and this is borne out by the photos featured.

Heinrich brought timber from his mill on the SS Koopa to build his holiday house which he called Rencurb ie Bruckner backwards.

Marilyn Yarrow (nee Bruckner) wrote in 2021: the family gathered with plenty of beds and a large tub for a bath placed near the stove. The walls were lined with tongue and groove boards - a later edition in the 1950s. We came on the Barge and often played on the Defence relics at Woorim in the mid-1950s. Our holiday house was at Bongaree and my brother would run from one side of the island to the other in preparation for the Boonah School Sports Day. We remember the Bribie State School having an annual picnic in the park near the jetty. There were all sorts of races like eating a bun with golden syrup on top, with your hands behind your back.

The house was sold when the Bribie Bridge was built in 1963.

Written by Lynne Hooper with information and photos from the Bruckner family.