At the turn of the 20th century, Buderim became known not for the typical tea but for its burgeoning coffee cultivation, pioneered by Hungarian-born farmer Gustav Riebe, who was the first to produce coffee commercially on the mountain’s rich volcanic slopes.
Buderim’s coffee history dates back to the 1880s when Gustav Riebe, initially a tea merchant, acquired 300 acres in Maroochy. Venturing beyond the predominant sugar cane and banana crops, Riebe’s interest in diverse agricultural pursuits led him to plant coffee amid rows of bananas, leveraging the protective shade of the banana suckers to nurture the coffee plants.
Photo Credit: Sunshine Coast Library
The coffee produced during this era was so revered that a sample sent by Mr. E.J. Burnett to the Earl’s Court Exhibition in London in 1899 won a gold medal diploma. The Queensland Department of Agriculture recognised the potential of this crop and employed Mr. H. Newport as an expert in coffee cultivation.
Photo Credit: State Library of Queensland
Newport’s comprehensive guide, “Coffee Cultivation in Queensland,” detailed the optimal conditions on Buderim’s coffee-growing slopes, citing the ideal frost-free land and porous basalt soil. His prediction of the plantation yields influenced many local farmers to switch from sugar to coffee, given the steep increase in labour costs in the sugar industry due to legislative changes.
Transport and Trade
The logistical challenge of transporting goods was partially mitigated by the Buderim Steam Tramway, opened in 1891. This tramway facilitated the movement of coffee and other crops to Palmwoods Station and onwards to larger markets in Brisbane and beyond. This accessibility and the protective tariffs that made imported South American coffee more expensive positioned Buderim to capitalise on the coffee market.
However, by 1911, despite the area becoming the largest coffee-growing region in Queensland, global market pressures and the high cost of labour began to erode profits.
Local journalist accounts from the time glorified the coffee plantations, comparing them favourably with those in Java and Ceylon, yet economic realities eventually prompted a shift towards other crops, like ginger, which began to dominate during and after the First World War.
Cultural Impact and Decline
The coffee cultivation on Buderim provided an economic backbone for the region and established a cultural heritage, with coffee mills like the one started by Mr. Harry Board becoming community focal points. Despite the initial success, the coffee industry in Buderim was not immune to the challenges faced by agricultural ventures reliant on intensive labour and fluctuating market support.
By the 1950s, the industry had largely faded, replaced by crops that demanded less labour and offered higher returns, such as strawberries and beans.
Yet, the legacy of those times lives on, with some residents maintaining coffee bushes and continuing to produce their brews, keeping the memory of Buderim’s coffee era alive.
Published 13-Sept-2024