Pineapple Farming and other Crops

Pineapples as far as the eye could see

The early residents of Moggill undertook varied occupations, the majority in primary industries. Moggill’s rich soil enabled farmers to engage in dairying, and pig and poultry-raising, and to grow a variety of crops including bananas, pineapples, and grains.

Westaway Farm 1995: The Westaway family was one prominent pineapple grower, their farm pictured here in 1995 (courtesy of Mark Todd)
Harvesting pineapples on the Westway Farm (courtesy of Joan Westaway)

Pineapples proved to be a successful crop and were grown here until the early 2000s.

Many locals and visitors remember the expansive pineapple fields which dominated the Moggill landscape.

Other Crops

There were also short-lived experiments such as John Doyle’s attempts at tobacco growing in 1862. The Brisbane Courier of 18 December 1862 reported:

"We have more than once noted in our columns the efforts made by Mr Doyle, of Moggill, to introduce tobacco cultivation … We regret to state, however, that the long drought has completely destroyed the crop planted and Mr Doyle is almost without seed for the next".

In 1845, the Reverend John Dunmore Lang advocated Moggill as being suitable place for a cotton industry.

Difficulties in marketing caused a loss of interest which was revived in the 1860s when the American Civil War cut off supplies of cotton from the southern states of the USA to the Manchester Mills.

Cotton continued to be grown in the area up to the beginning of World War II.