Today, the Osprey Pole at Wellington Point is a highlight of the local view, but did you know there was a time when something very different- a 60 foot high oil well- was a dominant feature of the suburb’s skyline?
In 1930 a prospectus was issued for shares in Wellington Point Oil Wells Ltd, which planned to drill for oil on a line from Thorneside to Birkdale, and through to Ormiston.
Many residents bought shares in the venture. Drilling began in 1931 and continued for the next few years. Although it never became commercially viable, the venture brought workers and money to the area.
In 1955, a second attempt was made on Mr France’s property about 200 yards from Main road, Wellington Point.
You can hear a personal account of the Wellington Point well as part of Redland Libraries ‘Redland Voices’ oral history series available on HistoryPin
