In the first eight months they built a number of structures, including a jail and Commandant’s House — but scarcity of food and water forced them to relocate along the river to Brisbane.

Since then many people have played an important role in transforming Redcliffe into the amazing community it is today.

REDCLIFFE’S MOST INFLUENTIAL PEOPLE

This list was put together with help from members of History Redcliffe. We acknowledge that there are many other people, not included on this list, who have helped make Redcliffe what it is today, this is just a snapshot.

We’ll highlight four Redcliffe people each day this week. Let us know who you think should be included in the comments.

Marle Juster

A WWII veteran, businessman, historian and all-round nice guy, Marle Juster was involved in many facets of the community. He was born in Brisbane in 1924. The family moved to Redcliffe in 1935. Mr Juster attended Humpybong State School and with Bryce Luarter reformed the Scout movement on the Peninsula, aged 13. Mr Juster left school in 1937 to work at Margate Cash and Carry. On his 18th birthday he enlisted in the Army, serving from 1942-46. When the war ended he returned to the Peninsula and took up his old job at Margate Cash and Carry. He went on to buy a baker’s business in 1947, despite knowing nothing about baking. Before long he had five shops on the Peninsula, called Marle Cake Shops. He attended the first meeting of the Redcliffe Chamber of Commerce in 1947 and was also a member of the Redcliffe Community Hospital Committee — working to raise money for a public hospital in Redcliffe. Mr Juster received a Medal in the Order of Australia in 1989 for service to the Pastrycooks’ Association of Queensland. As a life member of History Redcliffe, he was passionate about preserving the Peninsula’s past. Marle passed away on January 2, 2017, aged 92.

Terry White AO

When you hear the name Terry White most will think of the pharmacy chain. It was founded by Terrance White AO, who completed his pharmacy apprenticeship at Scarborough in the 1950s. He went on to own his first pharmacy in Woody Point, with his wife Rhonda, in 1958. He is well-known for helping struggling families access medication they needed. The pharmacy chain now has more than 160 franchises across Australia — employing more than 4500 people.

But while Terry’s business endeavours helped put Redcliffe on the map he also helped shape the region in another way. Mr White was the member for Redcliffe, elected at a by-election, after Jim Houghton retired in 1979. He went on to become the Minister for Welfare Services and even had a stint as Leader of the Parliamentary Liberal Party.

Mavis Filmer

The last owner of the Filmer’s Palace Hotel at Woody Point, Mavis Filmer (nee Long), moved to Redcliffe at as a 16-year-old, after her father was transferred to Redcliffe Police Station. She met Ken Filmer while working at the local telephone exchange — they married about five years later in 1943. They moved into the family hotel in 1947. Ken died suddenly from a massive heart attack in 1961, aged just 39. Mrs Filmer, who had run the Palace Hotel for 40 years after her husband’s death, finally sold the landmark in March 2001. She was known for giving the Bee Gees their first paid gigs — with Coca-Cola as the payment. She was actively involved in several clubs, including the View, mixed Probus and the Tuesday Ladies club. Mavis was also a dedicated conservationist — the Mavis Filmer award is awarded annually to a Peninsula resident or group who contributes significantly to the wellbeing and preservation of the region’s wildlife. And while the hotel no longer stands many still share fond memories from their time at The Palace. Mavis died on December 5, 2004, aged 83.

Nev Pask

Billionaire Queensland property developer Nev Pask’s career took off in Redcliffe. He left his family farm, aged 15, with just 20 pounds in his pocket. He got a job as an apprentice printer in Sydney and went on to buy a bankrupt dry-cleaning business — which quickly expanded into a chain of shops. His career as a property developer started in 1969 when he launched Pask Group, in Redcliffe. His first major projects were the purchase of a Evans Real Estate in 1965 and caravan park. He went on to develop more than 2000 housing blocks, apartments, car yards and other commercial sites across the Peninsula and eventually throughout the Moreton Bay region and Greater Brisbane. He was also a major instigator and donor to the building of the Redcliffe PCYC and a donor to the Redcliffe Museum. He passed away, aged 87, in 2018.