'R' is for Reitano and Rupp...'V' is for Vella

 

Back to why the streets of Halifax were named. We will continue down the alphabet!

Beginning with:

R

REITANOS ROAD

Reitanos Road is named for Felice Filippo Carlo Gennaro Reitano (known also as Felix Reitano). He was married to Scottish born Sarah (née Livingstone) in 1911. Felice's grandson conducts Felix Reitano Real Estate, Ingham today.

Logo (Source: reitanofurniture.com.au)

RIFLE RANGE ROAD

Rifle Range Road is named because Halifax once had a very active rifle club: the Halifax Rifle Club established in 1894. This was a paramilitary organization, functioning as a reservist army corps when supplemented by the formation in 1901 of a force of the Queensland Mounted Infantry Corps.

Some of the members of the Halifax Rifle Club 1905. A.W. Carr, Captain (Source: North Queensland Register, October 30 1905, 33.

RIVER AVENUE

River Avenue runs parallel to the Herbert River, hence its name.

RIVERDOWNS DRIVE

The Drive is named for Riverdowns Estate - 2 stages of a housing development behind Halifax township.

ROSENDAHL STREET

Rosendahl Street is named for Niels Christian Rosedahl, Danish immigrant to Australia. He was amongst the first of the small farmers to acquire land in the Lower Herbert. His property, acquired in 1878 was named Gumby (sold to A.W. Carr in 1907 by  J. Rosendahl). Niels was also a founding member of the Herbert River Farmers' Association. He was married to Ane (née Mortensen). Son Christian Rosendahl, president of the Halifax Planters’ Club owned the farm Hornsby. Rosendahl Bros and Schnepel purchased a store in Halifax in 1907 on land including the Q.N. Bank.

The Rosendahl family, Halifax 1914 (Source: North Queensland Register, October 2 1914, 26)

RUPP STREET

Rupp Street is named for Franz Xaver (Xavier) Rupp who immigrated to Australia from Germany in 1928. He was married to Italian born Sylvia (née Tardiani) in 1937. Franz established the Frank X Rupp & Sons plumbing business in 1930, a business which is still conducted under the same name today. Franz, Sylvia and Oreste, all died tragically on the same day 9 January 1961. They were survived by Oreste's brothers Frank and Joey.

SCOTT STREET

Scott Street is named for David Greenhill Scott and Elizabeth (née Eddleston) and eight children who came to the district in 1887 when David was transferred by CSR from Chatsworth Island (Clarence River) to Victoria Mill as sugar boiler. Later, around 1915 he acquired a farm in the Halifax area. David died in 1935. When Elizabeth died in 1951 it was claimed that she was the oldest living resident of the district. She had 189 descendants at the time of her death. Their first child born in Ingham was Minnie Alice and she married into the Alm family. Her husband was Johannes Protorious Alm.

Alm family which Minnie Alice Scott married into (Source: Hinchinbrook Shhire Library photograph collection)

SHAWS AVENUE

Shaws Avenue is named for English immigrant Albert Arthur Shaw who was married to Sarah (née Abraham). Albert opened a shop at the northern end of Macrossan Street in 1910.  At the southern end was a store which had opened in 1884 and was conducted by Eugenio Regazzoli and Fredrickson Redman. When the Shaw store burnt down Albert bought the Regazzoli building and ran that store. Albert’s three sons took over the business which was known as 'Shaw's' - General Storekeepers. They built a larger concrete fronted building in 1936. There were also Shaw stores in Macknade, Cordelia and Lucinda. The brothers’ partnership dissolved in 1950 and the building was sold. Today the building houses the Herbert River Museum.

A.A. Shaw Merchant store, Halifax (Source: hinchinbrookchamber.com.au)

SKENE AVENUE

Skene Avenue is named for James Skene, boatman, who was hired by the Divisional Board in 1881 to conduct a public ferry and passenger river crossing service. Later in 1888 he would continue this service as Skene and Emanuel between Macknade and Halifax. He was married to Margaret (née Jensen).

STEPHENSEN AVENUE

Stephensen Avenue is named for Soren and Christian Stephensen, immigrants to Australia from Denmark. Soren married Prudence (née Dudley) in 1915. He died in 1963 aged 82. She died in 1974 aged 81. They had three children. Christian married Elsie Marie Pensine (née Nielsen) in 1908. Elsie was also born in Denmark. Christian died in 1968 aged 83. Elsie died in 1962 aged 79. They had six children. Christian and his family lived in Cordelia. One of his sons Ted married Adelaide (née Ellems), another old Ingham district family.

VELLAS ROAD

Vellas Road is named for Francesco Vella or Carmelo Vella, Maltese immigrants. The latter married to Zilpah Carolina (née Borello). Francesco married Mary Margaret (née Groves). Francesco is buried in Halifax Cemetery and Carmelo in the New Ingham Cemetery. Antonio (Tony) was the last Vella to own the farm.

HALIFAX/LUCINDA

LUCINDA ROAD

Lucinda Road leads to the  Lucinda township. Lucinda Road is named for the township Lucinda. Lucinda was named for either Jeannie Lucinda (née Field), of New York, wife of Queensland Governor, Sir Anthony Musgrave, 1884-9 after whom the Queensland Government named the Government steamer Lucinda OR for the steamer Lucinda itself which visited Dungeness twice.

Lucinda Steamer (Source: StateLibQld 1 109320 Lucinda (ship).jpg)

HALIFAX/MACKNADE

FARRELL DRIVE

According to HSC document Future Road Names - Hinchinbrook Shire Council the drive is named for WW2 casuality, Mannix Farrell, son of John and Margaret Farrell. L/CPL Mannix James Farrell was killed in action in New Guinea, 1942. He was the grandson of Thomas Joseph Farrell who immigrated to Australia from Ireland. He died in 1912 at the age of 56.  Thomas was married to Agnes (née May) in 1886. She died in 1931. They had seven children.  Their son John Patrick Farrell died in 1938 aged 49. He was married to Margaret Ellen O'Brien of Townsville. They had eight children some of whom attended St Theresa's Convent School, Halifax. 

Lance Corporal Mannix James Farrell (Source: Virtual War Memorial Australia)

 HALIFAX/TAYLORS BEACH

TAYLORS BEACH ROAD

This road leads to Taylors Beach. William Henry Taylor was an English immigrant and first European settler of Victoria Creek, later called Taylors Beach in recognition of his contribution to the Lower Herbert district. He cut a road through to Halifax from the area he had cleared at the beach. Hence the road's name. William married Bessy Gertrude (née Stoyel). When William first arrived in the district he worked for the Neame Bros. punting their sugar down the river. He also worked for butchers, Rosendahl and Regazzoli

And that is HALFAX and why its streets were named as they were.

Source: 

Street Naming Project, Bianka Vidonja Balanzategui for Hinchinbrook Shire Coucil

Felix Reitano Furniture and Real Estate History