New Year's Day at the seaside, 1907

New Year's Day crowds at Sandgate 1907. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Image 48274

This photograph from our collection was purportedly taken on New Year's Day in 1907 and depicts crowds of people enjoying the beach near Moora Park at Sandgate, which today is part of the Brisbane suburb of Shorncliffe.

The Brisbane Courier newspaper reported on the popularity and special events held at Sandgate on the first day of the new year.

"Sandgate on the sea, often gay and bright, and always pretty, was yesterday bubbling with life and movement. Thousands of trippers from the city hurried down at an early hour to enjoy to the full New Year's Day, 1907, forgetful of business cares and household worries. Thousands more followed during the day, until it was estimated there were fully 10,000 visitors gathered at the favourite seaside resort. The wide sweep of the Bay, the narrow strip of gleaming sand, the dancing wavelets, the green-clad slopes of Moora Park running down to the beach, dotted with thousands of picknickers , the women and children in dresses of white or pretty tints, made up a picture full pleasing to the eye..."

The full article is available on Trove Newspapers.

The photograph belongs to APE-64 Rev Higlett Photograph Album, which contains images of Higlett's family and friends involved in the Baptist Church and views of many towns including Warwick, Yangan, Redcliffe, Killarney, Toowoomba, Murwillumbah, Tweed Heads and Albion.