 Cairns was established in late 1876 as a port to service the Hodgkinson goldfield.In the mid-1880s the Cairns to Herberton railway line was surveyed through the Mt Whitfield range and in 1885 the low swamp lands south of Mt Islay were surveyed into large suburban sections.In December 1886 four of these were gazetted as a temporary recreation reserve of over 71 acres (about 29 hectares).