timber getters arrived in the 1850s but the maroochy river bar wasn't navigable so mooloolah river bar was used instead with cotton tree used as a timber depot in 1856 by william pettigrew and purchased 1864. he ran steamer ships in both rivers and to brisbane and thus opened a post office receiving office in 1891 as the first shop in cotton tree. the headland at alexandra headland was used as a bullock paddock and for his own home which was also part of his 330-acre landholding.