in the early 1930s during the great depression, the upper mudgeeraba creek banks were the location of unemployment relief camps set up under the "income (unemployment relief) tax acts, 1930". the creek water helped sustain vegetable gardens for the residents, housed in timber and corrugated iron huts. one aspect of the relief scheme put in place by the queensland government was to establish small banana plantations. in upper mudgeeraba, divided into 50 blocks were made available to successful applicants to farm.