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Captain Patrick LoganPrint Page Print this page

Captain Logan
Captain Logan

Photographs supplied by Diane Watson / Russell Byers

The monument commemorates Captain Patrick Logan, who was an explorer in Southern Queensland.  He was also the Commandant of the settlement at Moreton Bay.

He died in 1830, after setting out on 9 October to explore and chart the headwaters of the Brisbane River with a small party of one private (his servant), and three convicts. The party was several times confronted by large armed groups of Aborigines. The first meeting was when they were making a river crossing.  A large group of Aboriginal men brandished weapons, rolled boulders down a hill at the group, and shouted 'Commidy Water' which was thought to mean that Logan should go back across the water.

There were other confrontations and sightings. Logan had the habit of riding ahead of the group and during the return journey, on 17 October, they lost track of him, although they thought they could hear him shout.  Searches eventually led to first his saddle, then his dead horse, hidden by boughs in a stream bed, then his body, buried in a shallow grave.  As the horse had evidently failed to leap over the creek resulting in its death, it has been conjectured that the injuries and death of Captain Logan may have been accidental. However, contemporary news reports were emphatic that he was killed by native weapons, which was proved by the settlement's surgeon, Mr Cowper, at an inquest.

Captain Logan is regarded by many as the true founder of Queensland, as he was an important explorer and the first to make any practical development. During Logan's term as commandant of the convict settlement he showed a fine sense of duty, and no thought of personal gain in any of his activities. He was, however, reputed to be cruelly harsh to the convicts, and the settlement was in continuous unrest and uprisings were frequent under his command.

Location

Address:Highland Street & Brisbane Valley Highway, Esk Memorial Park, Esk, 4312
State:QLD
Area:AUS
GPS Coordinates:Lat: -27.239942
Long: 152.421291
Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate.
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Details

Monument Type:Monument
Monument Theme:People
Sub-Theme:Exploration
Link:http://adbonline.anu.edu.au/adbonli…

Dedication

Actual Monument Dedication Date:Sunday 28th October, 1984
Front Inscription

Captain Patrick Logan

This plaque was erected in remembrance of Captain Logan, an enthusiastic and energetic explorer of Southern Queensland.

Captain Logan made two expeditions up the Brisbane and Stanley Rivers, and visited the group of hills located to the east of this plaque naming them "Irwin`s Range". This range includes the high rocky outcrop of `Glen Rock` located north-east from Glen Rock.

It is said that Captain Logan may have climbed Glen Rock the afternoon before he was attacked and murdered by Aborigines whilst camped at Logan Creek on 18 October 1830.

The erection of this cairn and plaque was proposed and funded by Mr Douglas Jolly, a person keenly interested in the history of Queensland and a member of the Royal Historical Society of Queensland. He unveiled this plaque on 28 October 1984.

Source: MA,ADB
Monument details supplied by Monument Australia - www.monumentaustralia.org.au