About Russell Island, QLD

Russell Island is an island, a town and a locality in the City of Redland, Queensland, Australia. The island is also known by its traditional Aboriginal name of Canaipa. In the 2021 census, Russell Island had a population of 3,698 people. == Geography == Russell Island in Redland City is the biggest of the Southern Moreton Bay Islands, situated between the mainland and North Stradbroke Island. The island is eight kilometres long (north-to-south) and nearly three kilometres wide. The channel separating it from the mainland is known as Main Channel and the channel separating it from North Stradbroke Island is known as Canaipa Passage. Russell Island has the following headlands (from north to south): Canaipa Point, on the north-east of the island (27.6417°S 153.4159°E / -27.6417; 153.4159 (Canaipa Point)) Kibbinkibbinwa Point, on the north of the island (27.6421°S 153.3905°E / -27.6421; 153.3905 (Kibbinkibbinwa Point)) Rocky Point, on the south-east of the island (27.6962°S 153.3657°E / -27.6962; 153.3657 (Rocky Point))Russell Island has the following passages (from north to south): Krummel Passage, to the north of the island (27.6436°S 153.3759°E / -27.6436; 153.3759 (Krummel Passage)) Main Channel, to the west of the island (27.6863°S 153.3639°E / -27.6863; 153.3639 (Main Channel)) Fishermans Channel, to the south of the island (27.7092°S 153.3771°E / -27.7092; 153.3771 (Fishermans Channel)) == History == A basic survey of the island was conducted by Robert Dixon in 1839. He named the island after Lord John Russell the Secretary of State for the Colonies in the 1840s.The island was first settled by Europeans in 1866, when John Campbell was granted a lease on the northern end of the island closely followed by John Willes and his family. Land auctions commenced in 1870. Farmers and oystermen were the first full-time inhabitants, but with the arrival of the Jackson family in 1906, a small village was created on the western side of the island called Jacksonville, that had a sawmill, pineapple canning factory, jetty and even a picture theatre.Russell Island State School was officially opened on Thursday 20 January 1916 by James Stodart, member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly for Logan.