Colin Monks Oral History

DETAILS

Overview
In this interview, conducted in 1996, Colin Monks reflects on the early pioneering history of Tewantin, Noosa, and Lake Weyba as preserved through his family’s photographs, stories, and written recollections. Monks describes rare images captured by his father, including one of the region’s earliest dwellings—a bark clad “humpy” built by his great uncle John Monks in the early 1900s. He details the lifestyle of early settlers, their interaction with local Indigenous people such as “King Tommy,” and the abundance of fish and natural resources that sustained them.

Monks recounts the origins of a family fish smoking enterprise at Weyba, which supplied the Gympie goldfields via wheelbarrow and later by horse and cart. He also recalls various family boats—including The Comet, a former lifeboat washed ashore—and describes widespread fishing along Weyba Creek, Noosa, and Kin Kin Creek. His stories encompass significant local events, such as wartime artillery practice at Sunshine Beach, historic floods, and the evolution of industries like tea tree oil distillation and salt production undertaken by relatives.

Throughout the interview, Monks emphasises his decades long effort to document this history in writing, expressing hope that future generations will value these accounts of early life, industry, and community in the Noosa region.

Photograph

Colin Monks, Tewantin, 17 January 1996

Oral History Transcript

Colin Monks Oral History - Transcript

Audio

Colin Monks Oral History - Audio

IDENTIFIERS

Subject (Keywords)BoatsRiversFishing

CONNECTIONS

LocalityTewantinNoosa HeadsPlaceLake WeybaPersonColin MonksFamilyMonks FamilyBoatJannettMenuDecade | 1990-1999Location | Tewantin