Backward Glance - Behind the Latte

In The Queenslander in 1907, it was noted that “in the days when the world was young and Australia was spluttering like boiling porridge with volcanoes, and shivering like a jelly with earthquakes, much was done which the present generations should be thankful for.”

The rich ridge of volcanic soil known as the Blackall Range was thrown up and at the same time a splatter of the red mixture hurled down a dozen miles near the sea to form what is now known as Buderim Mountain – a picturesque, prosperous area where coffee flourishes.

Born in Hungary, Gustav Riebe wasa pioneer farmer in Maroochy and the first to grow coffee commercially on Buderim Mountain.

He grew sugarcane at Quaker's Pocket on Meridan Plains and then in 1879 selected land on the northern slopes of Buderim.

During the 1880s he planted coffee between rows of banana suckers on his property and designed his own machinery to prepare the dried coffee beans for market.

Ernest Burnett and Harry Board also planted coffee during the 1890s. The steep or sloping frost-free land and friable soil made ideal conditions for coffee trees to flourish.

Coffee was a very productive crop for small landholdings. The recommended plantings in the 1890s was as high as 1,000 bushes to the acre.

Buderim soon became known Australia-wide for its coffee.

The system adopted at Buderim was to rear the young plants in a nursery and when they old enough they were planted in permanent positions among the bananas.

The bananas sheltered the coffee plants for a few years and then as they began to decline the bananas were pulled out and the coffee plants were large enough to shelter each other.

At this time, there was a tax of one tuppence per pound of coffee imported – which placed the local industry in a very good position, together with the fact that the imported product was inferior to the high-class Buderim coffee.

In order to send the coffee to market, it had to be processed. When berries had ripened to a deep red, they were picked and dried in trays out in the sun for three weeks.

The berries were then husked and the bean inside roasted. Machinery was imported by Harry Board to process his crop and to pack the roasted coffee for market.

Welsh engineer Price Jones, who was a sugar mill engineer, invented a machine which doubled the output of Gustav Riebe’s. He also constructed a huge water wheel which harnessed the power of mountain streams to operate a variety of agricultural machinery.

In a letter to the editor in the Brisbane Courier on August 27, 1898, when responding to criticism of Queensland produced coffee, Gustav Riebe lamented that coffee produced in Buderim enjoyed seven years of good reputation in Brisbane’s retail trade, so it didn’t make sense to have all Queensland grown coffee publicly run down.

He further wrote, the duty levied on imported coffee should be distributed to assist the pioneers of the industry as they had no chance of competing against the cheap labour of other countries.

In 1907, Mr Newport, Director of Tropical Agriculture, who had a long experience in coffee culture pronounced that Buderim coffee was the best produced in Australia.

At the usual meeting of the Indian and Colonial Exhibition Commissioners in Brisbane in 1885, it was noted that coffee from Buderim Mountain would be part of the representation at the Indian and Colonial Exhibition in London.

It is also worthy to note that the representative of the Cairns district promised to forward an alligator and some cassowaries for the exhibition.

This coffee sample sent by Mr J K Burnett to the Colonial and Indian Exhibition in London in 1886, received a certificate of merit and a bronze medal.

At the Centennial Exhibition in Melbourne in 1888 his coffee also received a first order of merit and another bronze medal.

A coffee sample sent by Mr E J Burnett to the Earl’s Court Exhibition in London in 1899 received a gold medal diploma. This diploma is proudly displayed today by the Buderim Historical Society at the Pioneer Cottage in Buderim.

Although the coffee produced at Buderim was pronounced on the world stage as being equal to or better than that produced in any other part of world, economic conditions dictated that Australian coffee must be sold at the same price as the inexpensive product from South America.

As with most crops, labour costs to pick the crop was exorbitant.

In 1924, it cost one shilling and three pence for a kerosene tin and constant work was needed to fill 10 tins per day.

The small margin for profit left little hope for the industry, unless the government assisted, which had not materialised.

As a consequence many growers turned to other more profitable crops, but some who were optimistic continued.

In 1934, the Duke of Gloucester made a surprise visit to two farms owned by Mr George Burnett and Mr J J Simpson.

Mr Simpson said it was only by good fortune that he was at home, as he had intended to go out. He was pleasantly surprised when the Duke arrived with his staff.

His Highness showed keen interest in the various stages of coffee production and mentioned that he had seen the berries growing during his visit to Africa.

Mr Simpson regretted that his wife was not at home, which prevented him from providing a cup of coffee for the visitors, but he supplied them with samples of the locally grown product.

In 1954 coffee growing was seen as an industry that belonged to the past.

After World War II, farmers found strawberry and bean growing more profitable and the beautiful dark green, glossy leaved bushes were taken out.

Some residents retained a few bushes and found it worthwhile to make their own delicious brew from home-grown coffee beans.

Thanks to Sunshine Coast Council’s Heritage Library Officers for the words and Picture Sunshine Coast for the images.

Image details

Hero image: Original residence of Gustav A. Riebe, Orme Road, Buderim, 1920.

Image 1: Ernest J. Burnett and family in front of their house in Burnett Street, Buderim, 1920s [picture]

Image 2: Ernest J. Burnett's residence, Buderim, ca 1905

Image 3: Gustav Adolf Riebe, pioneer farmer on the Buderim plateau, with machinery he constructed for the manufacture of coffee, ca 1899

Image 4: Mr & Mrs Board with son Percy and Harry Collard, Buderim, ca 1907

Image 5: Price Jones picnicking with his family in the front garden of their residence on Horse Shoe Bend, Buderim, ca 1900.

Image 6: Residence of Gustav Adolf Riebe, built in Buderim in 1882

Image 7: Riebe family, Buderim, ca 1910