William Gibson, a stonemason, and Elizabeth Peters grew up and married in Scotland. They emigrated to Gympie in the 1880s. Their four children were born in Gympie: Alexander; Minnie; Geordie and Elizabeth. They were among the earliest to build a holiday house on Gympie Terrace on the banks of the Noosa River.
Around 1888 they decided to make their house on the corner of Gympie Terrace and Thomas Street the family home. William, and later Alexander, continued to commute to Gympie for work as stonemasons.
Elizabeth Gibson (nee Peters), 1932. Image courtesy of The Queenslander.
Alexander took over the ice works in Blakesley Street in Tewantin in 1917, installing a 9 horsepower Hornsby engine in 1917. This machine was capable of producing ice and changed the fishing industry in Noosa as the locals could now deliver fresh fish to Gympie and even as far as Brisbane. Alex Gibson went on to become a professional fisherman..
Pelicans out the front of the Iceworks in Tewantin, 1930s
Alex Gibson and Howard Parkyn showing off their record grouper catch, 1935
Gibson Road is named after the Gibson family. The bridge that crosses the canal of Noosa Waters along this road is named after William Gibson.