EXPLORERS IN NORTH QUEENSLAND.
The second journey of Edmund Kennedy, in 1848, was confined to the east
coast of North Queensland, and is one of the most mournful narratives of
disaster and death; only three of the party returning out of the
thirteen that started.
The party was hampered with an unsuitable outfit of drays, as well as
some undesirable men, unused to the bush and out of accord with the
objects of an exploring expedition.
The members of a party going into an unknown country have to depend on
the fidelity of each to all, and according to the devotion displayed by
each, so will success or failure attend the expedition. Kennedy had men
in his party he had better have left behind.
His troubles and trials commenced after landing at Rockingham Bay, near
the site of the present town of Cardwell, in trying to pass over swamps,
and then cutting his way through tangled, dark, vine-scrubs to the
summit of the steepest ranges in North Queensland. They were obliged to
leave their carts and harness behind, and wasted much time in looking
for a place to ascend the ranges. They quarrelled with the blacks soon
after starting, and some of the men took fever. They reached the
Herbert, and went into the heads of the Mitchell and Palmer Rivers,
passing over the site of the Palmer goldfield. Here the strength of the
party began to fail, and horse flesh was their main dependence for food.
At Weymouth Bay, Carron and seven men were left, all sick with
disappointment and hardship, and in a low state of health. Kennedy and
Jacky, with three men, pushed on along the coast northwards to Cape
York. One man was wounded by a gun accident, and he and the other two
were left at Pudding Pan Hill, and were never heard of again. The leader
and Jacky went on, intending to return to the scattered party. They were
followed by hostile blacks, who speared the horses, and afterwards
mortally wounded Kennedy himself, who died in Jacky's arms. Jacky
himself was also speared, but he buried his leader in a grave dug with a
tomahawk, and after many hairbreadth escapes and much privation, he
reached the northern shore, where the "Ariel" was waiting for the
arrival of the party. Only one man, and he an aboriginal, endured to the
end, and but for his keen bush knowledge, courage, and splendid
devotion, neither of the two other survivors would have been rescued,
nor any tidings of the mournful fate of the party have been made known
to the world. The "Ariel" sailed to Weymouth Bay, and found the two
men, Carron and Goddard, barely alive, the only survivors of the eight
left there by Kennedy.
Kennedy's papers planted in a tree by Jacky, were afterwards recovered
by him. When the nature of the country through which Kennedy travelled
is understood and its difficulties known, it is no wonder that mishaps
occurred to him. Stony mountainous country, thick dark scrubs, long
dense grass, with tribes of fierce blacks ready to throw a spear on
every occasion, were enough to tax the capacity of any leader, without
the accompaniment of sickness, want of rations and disorganisation.
E. KENNEDY.
His task is ended, his journeying o'er.
He rests in the scrub, by that far northern shore;
By the long wash of the Coral Sea,
Brave Kennedy sleeps now quietly.
Not lonely he lies in his last bed,
For loving memories o'erbrood his head;
Kindly to him, the tall ferns lean,
In love, their fellowship of green.
Sweetly for him, the bird's deep song,
Is sung when summer days are long;
Soft drips the dew in the morning sun,
Rest harassed one, thy task is done.
His native friend, faithful to death,
Stayed by him to his latest breath;
Nor thought he had himself to save,
Till he had made his leader's grave.
Mr. W. Landsborough left Brisbane in the brig "Firefly" on August 24th,
1861, in company with the colonial warship "Victoria," taking the outer
passage. Rough weather on the voyage caused distress and a loss of seven
horses out of thirty, and they were compelled to seek refuge inside the
Barrier Reef at Hardy's Island. The brig grounded broadside on the reef;
the masts had to be cut away to save the vessel; and the horses were
landed through a large hole cut in the side of the ship. After some
delay, the "Victoria" appeared in sight, towed the crippled craft off,
and proceeded with her in tow in order to carry out the objects of the
expedition. Passing through Torres Straits, they called at Bountiful
Island and obtained a good supply of turtles, anchoring in Investigator
Roads, situated between Bentinck and Sweer's Islands. Landing on Sweer's
Island, they found the wells left by Flinders in 1802, also the
"Investigator" tree. After clearing the sand out of the wells, the water
was found fresh and good. Mr. Landsborough made a preliminary survey of
the Albert River to find a site for landing his horses and for starting
on his overland journey.
The Albert had not been surveyed since Captain Stokes had ascended it as
far as Beame's Brook in 1842, but being known, it was appointed a
rendezvous for exploring parties. They found no traces of Burke having
visited this spot. The hulk of the "Firefly" was towed up the Albert,
and used as a depot for the expedition, and this was her last voyage.
The writer saw her early in 1865; she was then in an upright position,
close to the left bank of the river, with the tide flowing in and out
where the side had been cut open for the horses to land on the reef. The
horses soon recruited after landing, the grass round the depot being
excellent. They now got ready for a start to Central Mount Stuart,
leaving the "Victoria" to wait ninety days for their return. The party
consisted of Mr. Landsborough, Messrs. Campbell and Allison, and two
blackboys, Jimmy and Fisherman. Their horses had improved so much that
they gave a lot of trouble at first, throwing their packs and scattering
the gear over the plains, but they soon quietened down to work. The
little expedition followed mainly the Gregory River towards its source,
and were much surprised to find a beautiful river with a strongly
flowing stream and long reaches of deep water, overhung by pandanus,
cabbage-palm, and much tropical foliage. They soon discovered the use of
the heart of the palm as a vegetable, though it can only be obtained by
the destruction of the tree. Blacks were frequently seen, observing
their movements, looking on at a distance, as they usually do at the
first sight of a white man; but they did not attempt to interfere with
them. The Gregory River is distinct from most of the Gulf rivers. The
luxuriant foliage along its banks, cabbage-palms, Leichhardt trees,
cedar and pandanus, denote the permanency of the running water, while
level plains, covered with fine pasture grasses, extend on either side
for scores of miles. They named the Macdam, an anabranch of the Gregory,
and observing a river joining on the right side of the Gregory, called
it the O'Shannassey; the source of the flowing stream that made the
river so useful and picturesque was shortly afterwards found, where a
large body of clear water fell over some basaltic rocks, showing that
springs caused the flow, and not summer rains in the interior as was
thought at first. This is not the only instance in North Queensland
where running streams flow from springs bursting forth from the basaltic
table lands. Above the source of the water, the Gregory partook of the
character of other Gulf rivers, dry sandy channels, dependent for their
supply of water on tropical rains. They followed up the now dry river,
and reached a fine tableland over 1,000 feet above sea level, which was
called Barkly's Tableland, after Sir Henry Barkly, late Governor of
Victoria. Open basaltic plains, covered with the very finest pastures
now met them everywhere, though water was scarce. After journeying
across the open country southwards, a river was found, which was called
the Herbert; it flowed in the opposite direction to the tributaries of
the Gregory. Following down the Herbert, they spent Christmas Day on a
sheet of water called Many's Lake, and lower down Francis Lake was seen;
still lower down grass and water both became so scarce as to induce the
leader, much against his will, to abandon the project of reaching
Central Mount Stuart. In latitude 20 deg. 17 min., and longitude 138
deg. 20 min., he was compelled to retrace his steps. It was a season of
drought, no water having come down the Herbert, and being limited to
time to meet Captain Norman at the Gulf in ninety days, forty-three of
which had already passed, no resource was left but to return by the
route they had come. They followed the right bank of the Gregory River,
and met a large number of natives, who threatened them on several
occasions, but the little party of five passed through without any
mishap, owing in a great measure to the care taken by the leader, who
was well aware of the good old bush maxim of always being prepared and
never giving a chance away. In following the Gregory, they ran Beame's
Brook, which forms the head of the Albert, down on the right bank. This
is an effluent from the Gregory, and is one of the most remarkable
streams in Queensland. It is very little below the level of the
adjoining plains, and is a clear stream of pure water, overshadowed by
cabbage-palms, pandanus, and ti-trees; it traverses the plains some
fifty or sixty miles before it flows into the Albert. It is said the
blacks can turn the water out of this channel by blocking up the exit
from the main stream with stiff mud, and thus catch fish that may be
left in the holes. The little channel is boggy in its course, and the
country is subject to great floods in the wet season. The party came to
the depot, and found all well, and there learnt that Mr. F. Walker,
another explorer, had been there and reported finding Burke's tracks on
the Flinders, about seventy miles distant; and having restocked himself
with some provisions, had left to follow up the traces. After three
weeks' detention, and arranging matters with Captain Norman,
Landsborough took his departure with his party, intending to go right
through to Melbourne. Their supply of rations was of the most miserable
kind, not even as good as prison fare. The stores provided for the
expedition were ample for all requirements, but they were refused tea,
sugar, and rum. Starting on a long hazardous overland journey of unknown
duration, the inadequate outfit accorded to these enterprising men from
a steam vessel within a fortnight's sail of a commercial port, was
unjustifiable, and must be condemned.
The expedition left the Albert on February 8th, 1862, a party of six,
Mr. Landsborough, Mr. Bourne, and Mr. Gleeson, with three blackboys,
Jimmy, Fisherman, and Jacky, and twenty-one horses, whilst there was a
continent to cross before they could reach their destination. The tracks
of Walker's party were just discernible, as they followed a course that
took them to the Leichhardt River, over level plains covered with
flooded box and excaecaria, commonly called "gutta percha," one of the
Euphorbia family; these plains are subject to floods, and are very much
water-logged during the rainy seasons on account of their being so
level. The grass grows in great tussocks, showing only the tops above
the water for many miles, and these were the "Plains of Promise" of
which so much was expected from the reports of the early explorers! They
crossed at the bar of rocks at what is now Floraville, and directed
their course to the Flinders River, eastward through Newmayer Valley,
and on past Donor's Hills, so named in honor of an anonymous
contributor, a Melbourne gentleman, who gave L1,000 to the exploration
fund. In following the right bank of the Flinders, they passed Fort
Bowen, a small mount rising abruptly from the plains near the right bank
of the river, which was called after the first Governor of Queensland.
Many springs were met with surrounding the base of the little mountain
forming mounds on the top of which water may be found. The nature of the
ground in places is very treacherous; the water has a strong taste of
soda, and is quite undrinkable in some of the springs. About twenty
miles south-east from Fort Bowen are two similar small mountains, Mount
Browne, and Mount Little (now forming part of Taldora run), at which
springs similar to those at Fort Bowen are also to be met with. These
small mountains, the highest of which is only seventy-five feet above
the surrounding plain, were named by Mr. Landsborough after a firm of
solicitors in Brisbane, the Hon. E. I. C. Browne, and Robert Little. The
latter subsequently became the first Crown Solicitor of Queensland, but
both gentlemen are now dead. The ground in places is dangerous, for
under the light crust, that shakes and bends beneath the weight of a
horse, are depths of soft mud, sometimes of a bluish colour, that would
engulf both horse and rider. One spring is hot, the water at the surface
being 120 deg., evidently a natural artesian well. Heavy tall ti-trees
surround all these mud springs, and also innumerable small mounds that
are the result of the pressure of water from the great depths below. The
whole extent of country travelled through consists of open treeless
plains, covered with good pasture grass, and occasionally some small
white wood trees (atalaya hemiglauca). As the river ran in the direction
they were travelling, they followed it up, and about where Richmond now
stands, they saw the fresh tracks of a steer or cow making south,
supposed to have wandered from some of the newly-formed stations towards
the Burdekin. After this, the river trending too much to the east, they
crossed the divide, thus leaving the Gulf waters behind them. The change
occurs in an open downs country without any ranges to cross. A
watercourse called Cornish Creek took them to the Landsborough, and
following it down to the Thomson River, they passed Tower Hill, where
Mr. Landsborough had been exploring before, and had left his marked
trees. Travelling southwards, they made for the Barcoo, and thence to
the Warrego, and on May 21st they came to a station of the Messrs.
Williams where they were received in a most cordial manner. They were
now about eight hundred miles from Melbourne, and seven hundred from
Brisbane, and it was decided to make for Melbourne by following the
Darling.
McKinlay and Landsborough on their return were the recipients of a
public demonstration by three thousand people in the Melbourne
Exhibition Building, and had a splendid reception.
Landsborough died on March 16th, 1886, from an accident caused by his
horse falling with him, and he is buried close to the north end of
Bribie Passage at Caloundra, where he had resided with his family for
some years previously. Landsborough was a very honorable and lovable
man, of simple tastes, fond of reading and indefatigable in his love for
travelling about the country.
* * * * *
F. Walker led a party from Rockhampton in search of Burke and Wills in
1861. He was a bushman of varied experience, and he has the credit of
originating the system of native police in Queensland. He performed the
task of exploration with which he was entrusted creditably and ably.
Starting from C. B. Dutton's station, Bauhinia Downs, on the Dawson
River, he and his small party went through the Nogoa country to the
Barcoo, where he saw traces of Gregory and Leichhardt. They then went
north-west to the Alice and on to the Thomson River, and from there on
to the head of the Flinders, which was called the Barkly. A marked tree
of Walker's exists near the town of Hughenden. Instead of following down
the river, he struck across the basaltic ranges and tableland northwards
till he came to the heads of a river which he called the Norman, but
which is more likely the head of the Saxby River; however, he followed
it down to its junction with the Flinders, where he saw the tracks of
Burke and Wills going down with four camels and one horse; crossing the
river he found the same traces returning. Walker now went to the Albert
River, where he met Captain Norman of the colonial warship "Victoria" at
the depot there, and obtaining fresh supplies, he returned to the
Flinders. And now commenced a painful march through the ranges and
tableland, so hard on the horses' feet that they could be traced along
the stones by the tracks of blood from their hoofs. The men suffered
from the seeds of the speargrass, which penetrated the skin and caused
irritation. The Burdekin was reached, and some fresh supplies were
obtained at Bowen; and then passing through the settled districts to the
south of that town, Walker arrived at Rockhampton early in June, having
been absent about nine months.
He had several encounters with the blacks during his journey--attacks
and reprisals. About 1865, Walker was sent out by the Queensland
Government to report on the best route for an overland telegraph line
to connect the Gulf with Brisbane. On his recommendation, the line was
taken up the Carron Creek by way of the Etheridge to the east coast at
Cardwell, through some very poor country. He selected this route on
account of there being timber suitable for poles; but as the white ants
soon destroyed them, the line had to be rebuilt with iron poles.
Poor Walker died of Gulf fever in 1866 at a miserable shanty on the
Leichhardt River, close to Floraville, and is buried there. His second
in command on the telegraph expedition was a Mr. Young, who was
subsequently telegraph master at Townsville in 1870. Young was a fine
honorable man, but, unfortunately, he received an injury whilst in the
execution of his duty repairing the telegraph line between Bowen and
Townsville, from the effects of which he subsequently died, only a few
days after his marriage.
* * * * *
A small private expedition, under the charge of J. G. Macdonald, started
from Bowen, on the east coast of North Queensland, in 1864, for the
purpose of discovering a practicable route for several mobs of cattle
then being sent towards the Flinders or westward for the occupation of
new country. The party consisted of Mr. Macdonald, G. Robertson, Robert
Bowman, and Charlie, a native of Brisbane, with seventeen horses, and
two months rations. The starting point was from Carpentaria Downs, on
the Einasleigh River, then the farthest out settlement, the latitude
being 18 deg. 37 min. 10 sec. S., long. 144 deg. 3 min. 30 sec. E. The
course generally was westward, following down the Gilbert River, and
thence to the Flinders and Leichhardt Rivers. These they crossed, and
then travelled on to the Gregory, which was followed down to the Albert.
The object of the expedition having been achieved, and the country
deemed suitable for stocking, the party commenced their return journey,
crossing the Leichhardt River at a rocky ford, where the scenery was
beautiful and the site admirably adapted for a head station. Eventually
one was formed there, but was swept away in the disastrous flood of
1870, when the waters covered all the surrounding country to a great
depth. The journey home was uneventful, the only occurrence being the
finding of the skeleton of a horse they had left on their outward
journey at the Gilbert River, and which had been killed by the blacks
and eaten. The stages made were somewhat astonishing for an exploring
party. The time taken by the journey outwards and the return was
fifty-three days to Carpentaria Downs, and to Bowen seventy-one days in
all; this trip proves what can be done with a lightly-equipped party, in
contrast to many of the unwieldy expeditions fitted out in the south.
Mr. Macdonald's favourable report of the country was the direct means of
a good deal of settlement on the Gulf. Mr. Macdonald, in conjunction
with Mr., afterwards Sir, John Robertson, and Captain Towns, of Sydney,
took up many stations on the Gulf waters and expended large sums of
money in stocking them. They also despatched the first vessel with
loading to the Albert, bringing consigned goods to settlers, as well as
supplies for their own consumption. This vessel was the "Jacmel Packet,"
which arrived in the Albert River from Sydney in 1865, thus leading to
the establishment of Burketown. Sir John Robertson personally visited
the Gulf in 1868, travelling overland from the east coast as far as
Normanton and Burketown, and returning the same way.
* * * * *
Mr. Hann, one of the pioneers of the Burdekin country, was the leader of
a small expedition sent out by the Queensland Government for exploring
and prospecting purposes through the peninsula to Cape York. The party
started from Fossilbrook station, in 1872; they named the Tate and Walsh
Rivers, and then went on to the Palmer River, after crossing the
Mitchell, which they found a strong running stream. On the Palmer gold
was discovered, and the place was called Warner's Gully, after Frederick
Warner, the surveyor to the party; this being the first discovery of
gold in that country. Travelling still north, they reached the Coleman
River, and visited Princess Charlotte Bay. They discovered the Kennedy
and Normanby Rivers, taking a few sheep with them as far as this. They
then travelled to the present site of Cooktown, and followed up the
Endeavour River for thirty miles, striking south to the Bloomfield
River, where the dense vine scrubs greatly impeded their progress. On
their way back they passed through some very rough country. So
successful an expedition, made in so short a time, reflects credit on
the leader of the party, who was a thorough bushman, and well acquainted
with the dangers from hostile blacks in such a country. This expedition
resulted in the development of one of the richest goldfields in
Australia; bands of prospectors soon followed on their tracks and opened
up the great alluvial diggings of the famous Palmer Goldfields, from
which nearly L5,000,000 worth of alluvial gold was won.
* * * * *
W. O. Hodgkinson had been a member of the Burke and Wills expedition in
1860, and crossed Australia as second in command of McKinlay's party in
1862.
In 1876, he led an expedition sent out by the Queensland Government to
explore the north-west country from the Cloncurry to the South
Australian boundary. The party was only a small one, but the work was
well carried out, and the results were satisfactory and justified the
expenditure incurred. They started from Cloncurry, which at that time,
1876, was already a settled mining township, but the country west and
south was not well mapped out. They crossed the rolling plains on the
Diamantina River, and in their reports describe life in the far west in
its natural aspect, the game of the country, the vegetation, the
spinifex, the awful sand ridges, and all the details of a journey made
at the cold time of the year. The country, according to the vicissitudes
of the season, may be either a desert or a meadow, for the rainfall is
very uncertain. They followed up the Mulligan River in well-watered
country, reaching Mary Lake, on the Georgina, and then on to Lake Coongi
in South Australia. Mr. Hodgkinson's expedition was described in a
diction not much used by the old explorers, whose records were made in a
matter-of-fact style, with little attention to effect. Nevertheless, his
descriptions are eminently interesting and life-like, and have a charm
for all who like to read a traveller's report of an unknown land.
Hodgkinson's name is commemorated by the goldfield named after him, as
well as the river upon which it is situated.
* * * * *
G. E. Dalrymple led the north-east coast expedition fitted out by the
Queensland Government in 1872. This was altogether a coasting trip by
boats, and led to much information about the high values of the rich
alluvial lands fringing the banks of the rivers which run into the sea
on the east coast of the northern part of Queensland. The Johnstone, the
Russell, and Mulgrave Rivers were named by him, as well as the Mossman
and Daintree. Here was found most magnificent scenery, and on the
Johnstone they discovered some fine cedar (one tree measuring ten feet
in diameter), besides a vast extent of rich land fit for sugar growing.
All these rivers have since been opened up for cultivation, and
sugar-cane, with other tropical products, has taken the place of dense
scrubs that then lined the banks of these comparatively unknown
rivers--although the boats of the "Rattlesnake" had been into the
Russell and Mulgrave Rivers in 1848. The country appeared to Dalrymple
to be inhabited by very large numbers of blacks, and game was to be
found in abundance. The name of Dalrymple is perpetuated in many places
on the map of Queensland. A township on the Burdekin River, as well as
several mountains and other remarkable features, have been named after
George Elphinstone Dalrymple, who was a splendid type of man in every
sense of the word. He was at one time treasurer of the Colony.
* * * * *
A search expedition for Leichhardt was promoted by the ladies of
Melbourne, and although very little is recorded of its work, it has a
melancholy interest from the fact that the leader, a man of great
promise and energy, lost his life in endeavouring to carry out the task
entrusted to him, and he now lies in an unmarked grave on the bank of a
lonely billabong near the Cloncurry River, a few miles from his
brother's station, Dalgonally.
The expedition was entrusted to Duncan McIntyre, who had found on the
Dugald River, during a private expedition in 1861, two horses that
belonged to Leichhardt's last expedition. Mr. McIntyre went out with
camels and horses, and formed a depot camp at Dalgonally station on
Julia Creek in 1865. He went on to Burketown, then just opened, for the
purpose of buying stores; at the time of his visit the Gulf fever was at
its worst, and he took ill and died on his return to the camp. He is
spoken of as a man of high attainments and of large experience in
bushmanship, and his untimely death was fatal to the objects of the
expedition, the leadership of which was assumed by Mr. W. F. Barnett. A
short trip was undertaken by him, in company with J. McCalman as second
in charge, Dr. White, a medical man, Colin MacIntyre, G. Widish, and
Myola, a blackboy. They started with nine camels, six of which were
young ones, ten horses, and stores for five months. They travelled
westward over the Cloncurry to the Dugald to the camp, marked XLV. of
Duncan McIntyre on his first expedition to the Gulf, the camp where he
found the two horses that Leichhardt lost on his last trip. Near here is
the grave of Davy, one of their blackboys, who died from fever. After
travelling over the country in the neighbourhood for a few weeks, and
not having any fixed plan or instructions, they returned to the depot
camp. The expedition, which was well equipped, was eventually given up
and the party dispersed. In consequence of the death of the leader, no
notes of his journey were obtainable. The camels remained on Dalgonally,
the property of Mr. Donald McIntyre, for years, and increased to quite a
herd. The ladies of Melbourne sent a handsome gravestone suitably
inscribed to be erected over the lonely grave of the explorer, but for
many years it lay unnoticed on the beach at Thursday Island, and is
probably still there.
* * * * *
The trip of Major-General Fielding to Point Parker is in no sense of the
term an exploring trip through new country, but rather an exploratory
survey for railway purposes through a fairly well settled tract.
Nevertheless, some notes of the journey may be found of interest.
In 1881, negotiations were entered into between the late Mr. (afterwards
Sir) Thomas McIlwraith, then Premier of Queensland, and a syndicate
called Henry Kimber and Co., to construct a railway on the land grant
principle, between Roma and Point Parker, on the Gulf of Carpentaria.
These negotiations resulted in the formation of a larger syndicate
called the Australian Transcontinental Railway Syndicate, Limited, which
initiated their scheme by making certain proposals to the Government of
Queensland, and sending out General Fielding to traverse the proposed
route in 1882.
The party, under General Fielding's leadership, started from Roma, and
went by way of Victoria Downs and Yo Yo to Biddenham, on the Nive,
thence by Lansdowne and Barcaldine Downs to the Aramac, and on to Mount
Cornish, delays occurring along the route for repairs to waggonettes and
harness, and for the purpose of exchanging horses or buying new ones.
Following down the Upper McKinlay, they reached the Cloncurry on October
7th, and were joined there by the Government Geologist, Mr. R. L. Jack.
More delays occurred here for the want of stores, and it was not until
November 1st that all the members of the expedition reached Kamilaroi
station, on the Leichhardt River; Gregory Downs was reached on the 7th,
and Point Parker on November 15th; the expedition having camped
sixty-seven times. On the night of their arrival at Point Parker, the
natives surrounded the camp at midnight. There were about a hundred of
them, but they left when three shots were fired over their heads; no one
was hurt on either side, and this was the only demonstration made by the
aboriginals.
Point Parker is described as having a very limited area for settlement,
only about 7,000 acres being available. The Government schooner "Pearl"
was waiting here, and after a careful survey of Point Parker and Point
Bayley, they visited Bentinck and Sweer's Islands and Kimberley (now
called Karumba), at the mouth of the Norman River. Finally, on November
13th, they sailed up the Batavia River in the "Pearl" for about forty
miles, and explored it still further in the boats, thence on to Thursday
Island on December 4th, 1882. In General Fielding's opinion, the
country traversed on his route may be divided into sections; the first
part between Mitchell and Malvern was neither fitted for pastoral
purposes nor for agricultural settlement; thick scrub, bad soil, and
poor timber prevailing. Between the Ward and the Nive, and thence to the
Barcoo, Thomson, and Diamantina Rivers was first-class sheep country,
requiring a good deal to be done in the way of providing water to enable
the country to be fully stocked. The country between the McKinlay and
Fullerton Rivers is subject to flood. Approaching the mining district of
Cloncurry, the country is not so favourable for sheep, and is better
adapted for raising cattle and horses. From the Cloncurry through the
Gregory to the Nicholson River is all good cattle country, but the grass
seed along the banks of the watercourses, and the flooded nature of
parts of the country in the rainy seasons, render it unfit for
profitable sheep-farming. From the Nicholson to the Gulf at Point
Parker, the country is described as particularly useless. The formation
is desert sandstone overlaid with nodular ironstone conglomerate; the
vegetation dense, chiefly ti-tree scrubs growing upon spuey or rotten
ground, together with spinifex, saltpans, and marshes. Such was General
Fielding's estimate of the country through which the line was to pass.
Captain Pennefather of the "Pearl" schooner had been surveying the
waters between Allan Island and Point Parker. He was very reticent as to
the qualifications of the place as a port; but looking at the
soundings, and the open nature of the anchorage, coupled with the
utterly valueless nature of the soil surrounding the place for over one
hundred miles, the less said about it as a shipping port the better.
The whole scheme was condemned by Parliament, and the general election
of 1883 returned a majority against the principle of land grant
railways. One of the first reform acts of the new Parliament was to
repeal the Railway Companies' Preliminary Act. No doubt, had the scheme
been favoured by the people of Queensland, a great impetus would have
been given to settlement by the introduction of so much private capital
into the colony, while the large annual payment of interest on borrowed
money would have been avoided to a great extent. At all events, there is
no transcontinental railway as yet, and when it does arrive, Point
Parker will not be chosen as the terminus. Mr. Frank Hann, a brother of
William Hann, the discoverer of the Palmer Goldfield, accompanied
General Fielding as pilot. Hann is a first-class bushman, as hard as
nails and full of energy. He was for many years the owner of Lawn Hill,
situated on a western tributary of the Gregory River, but ticks ruined
his herd. He is now in Western Australia.
* * * * *
The first surveyor appointed by the Queensland Government in the Gulf
was Mr. George Phillips, lately the member for Carpentaria. He surveyed
and laid out Burketown, Carnarvon, on Sweer's Island, and Normanton, on
the Norman River. In company with W. Landsborough, in 1866, he explored
and named the Diamantina and other western rivers. The former was named
after Lady Bowen, the Governor's wife, whose Christian name was
Diamantina Roma. The party passed close by the spot where Winton now
stands, and by Kynuna, and from the head waters of the Diamantina they
struck across via the heads of Rupert's and Alick's Creeks to Minamere
(then Sheaffe's), thence to the Flinders, and on to Burketown. There
were no signs of settlement between the Thomson River at Mount Cornish,
and where they struck the Flinders River. Mr. Phillips and Mr.
Landsborough were the first to navigate the Norman River, and they chose
the site for the township.
The writer met this party coming down the Flinders on their way to
Burketown, in which place he had been laid up for several weeks with the
Gulf fever; he was then on his way back to Conobie, more dead than
alive. This was in the early part of 1866.