PIONEERING WORK IN QUEENSLAND.
The narrative of the pastoral industry in Queensland is almost the
history of North Queensland itself. The outward flow of that restless
and progressive industry can be traced from its infancy, when Mr.
Patrick Leslie, of Collaroi, in the district of Cassilis, New South
Wales, moved his stock northwards, and after first exploring the country
by himself and a man named Peter Murphy, placed his sheep in June, 1840,
and formed the first station in Queensland on the Darling Downs
(discovered by Allan Cunningham 13 years before). He called this first
station Toolburra, and afterwards selected Canning Downs station also.
The stock consisted of nearly 6,000 sheep, two teams of bullocks and
drays, one team of horses and dray, ten saddle horses, and twenty-two
men, all ticket-of-leave men, pronounced by Mr. Leslie to be the best
men he ever had in his life. The town of Warwick is built near this
classic spot, where first the pioneers of the squatting industry pitched
their original camp. The next to reach the Darling Downs were Hodgson
and Elliott, who occupied Etonvale in September, 1840. No white man had
settled on Darling Downs previous to Patrick Leslie in 1840. After
Hodgson, King and Sibley were next to hold Gowrie, and these were
followed by others, until in 1844, there were thirty stations formed and
occupied in that district, the stock mostly coming from the Hunter River
district of New South Wales.
In 1843, the first station on the Burnett River was formed by Russell
and Glover who took up Burrandowan, and they were soon followed by other
settlers, occupying all the beautiful country on the Upper Burnett and
Mary Rivers. Here the soil is rich, the surface water abundant, the
climate equal to any in Australia; and thus a rich territory was added
to the young colony.
The names of the early settlers and pioneers of this country are as well
known as the stations they formed. The Healeys of Tabinga were settled
not far from Burrandowan. Over the Brisbane Range, John Eales, from the
Hunter, was the first settler with stock in the Wide Bay District. The
Jones', of merchant fame in Sydney, were also among the first over the
range at or near Nanango. The course they followed took them down
Barambah Creek to Boonara station.
All the centre of the Burnett district was occupied by squatters coming
by this line, while the upper, or Auburn portion, from lower down by
Burrandowan. Lawless Bros. took up Boobijan; Anderson and Leslie
occupied Gigoomgan; whilst McTaggart, H. C. Corfield, Perrier, Forster,
Herbert W. H. Walsh, Dr. Ramsay, E. B. Uhr, and others followed soon
after.
Following on this, came the occupation of the runs on the Dawson River,
a tributary of the Fitzroy, and onwards to the north and far out to the
great west, where the downs rolled towards the setting sun. The Fitzroy
River, draining an enormous territory, equal to any river in Queensland,
and surpassed by but few in Australia, was gradually and successfully
occupied. Through the brigalow and mulga scrubs, dense and forbidding,
over mountain ranges, stony and steep, across flooded rivers, and over
or around all obstacles, the pioneers still moved on and took up and
occupied runs. Westward to the Maranoa and Warrego, and northward by the
Fitzroy to the Burdekin and Flinders River, and even over the South
Australian borders to Port Darwin, their mission was carried on, to fill
the land with the outposts of civilisation.
Before 1853, the Archer family were squatting on the Burnett River, and
in that year Charles and William Archer went northward on an exploring
trip during which they discovered and named the Fitzroy River, and rode
over the spot where now stands the city of Rockhampton, with all its
wealth, civilisation, and promise of prosperity. They started from
Eidsvold, on the Burnett, simply with pack horses and two men, passed
from Dalgangal to Rawbelle, and at the foot of Mount Rannes found the
establishment of the brothers Leith Hay, then the farthest out station.
They had some very troublesome country to penetrate. Besides hilly
mountainous ranges, brigalow and vine scrubs surrounded the base of
Mount Spencer, whose thousand feet of height they climbed, and gave to
it its name. They crossed the Dee, and passed close to the site of the
famous Mount Morgan gold mine. And so on they journeyed to the top of a
range, where the most astounding view lay beneath them.
Through a large and apparently open valley, bounded by table-topped,
pyramidal and dominant mountains, with here and there
fantastically-shaped sandstone peaks, a large river wound its way
towards the sea.
They supposed this river to be the confluence of the Dawson and
Mackenzie, and the sea before them to be Keppel Bay. They explored the
valley of the Fitzroy, which they named after Sir Charles Fitzroy, they
being the first to discover it, and then went on to Gracemere Lake, a
magnificent sheet of fresh water, about two miles long and three
quarters of a mile wide. They rode on till they came to tidal water in
the Fitzroy, and found it a fine navigable stream, with the tide running
strongly up it. Near here they came upon a large lagoon covered over
with a beautiful pink water-lily (nymphoea), which they called the
Pink Lily Lagoon. In the account of their journey, they described the
cycas palm growing with clusters of round smooth nuts encircling the
top as a crown, under the leaves. After inspecting the country from
opposite Yaamba to what is now known as Archer's cattle station, and
laying it out in blocks, they returned to the Burnett. These pioneers
were looking for new country, and being perfectly satisfied with the
Fitzroy and its promise of future prosperity, they returned with stock
two years later, in 1855, and took legal possession. It was on August
10th of that year that they brought the first stock on to Gracemere and
occupied it as a run.
In the same year, 1855, the site of the future town of Rockhampton was
examined. The name of the town was chosen by Mr. Wiseman, Commissioner
of Crown Lands for New South Wales, who had been sent up from Sydney to
confirm the Messrs. Archer in the possession of their discovery. The
rocks crossing the river situated above the present suspension bridge
and forming the limit of navigation, helped to the choice of a name for
the new northern town. Gracemere head station is on the south side of
the Fitzroy River, and is distant seven miles from Rockhampton. Till
then, Rannes had been the outer limit of occupation towards the north,
in which direction settlement was extending. The Archers were a family
of pioneer settlers, several brothers assisting in the enterprise of
opening up country and forming new stations. They were extremely popular
men of high character and attainments; and the name of Archer will be
known as long as Rockhampton exists. Archibald Archer represented the
town and district for many years in the Queensland Assembly, and acted
as Colonial Treasurer in the first McIlwraith Ministry with credit to
himself and much benefit to the young colony.[B] The Archers may justly
be said to be the original discoverers and actual founders of
Rockhampton, for although the town took its great start on the road to
importance from the time of the Canoona rush in 1858, called in those
days the Port Curtis rush, the site of the town had been made known five
years previously by the Archer Brothers.
Amongst the early settlers in the country about Gladstone were the
Landsboroughs, at Raglan Station, James Landsborough, a brother of the
explorer William, living there after taking it up. They held a run in
the Wide Bay district, called Monduran, on the banks of the Kolan River,
a beautiful and picturesque stream of clear flowing water, with varied
patches of dark pine scrubs growing down to the water's edge.
William Young, a sturdy self-reliant old pioneer, took up a run called
Mount Larcombe, and held it with sheep. Mount Larcombe can be seen from
the deck of passing steamers close to Gladstone. Mr. Young was foremost
in opening the country between Gladstone and Rockhampton. He obtained a
rough sketch from Mr. Charles Archer of country they had tendered for,
and on going out came across a large branch of the Calliope which had
not been so taken up. This he chose for his new run, and Mount Larcombe
being at the head of the creek, he named the station after it. He took
his sheep from the Burnett, and settled on his new country on May 29th,
1855. The reason for those of the advance guard pushing out so far was
on account of the tendering system for runs then in force. By this
system, those who marked out country could hold it unstocked, and unless
a few hundred pounds were paid by them for the right of actual
occupation, the pioneers in search of land had to go out further.
Prospecting thus for new country without any intention of stocking it,
but merely of selling the information and the claim to the country to
any one in search of a run for their stock, became a regular
speculation.
[Footnote B: Mr. Archibald Archer died early in 1902, in London, at the
age of 82. Mr. Alexander Archer and his wife (a daughter of the late Sir
R. R. Mackenzie) were both lost in the "Quetta," which foundered near
Cape York.]
The Wide Bay district only extended as far as Little's station at
Baffle's Creek, and on to Blackman's. When separation took place, and a
new district was declared, those who had tendered for new country for
the purpose of reselling, had nine months allowed them to stock their
country in. Otherwise they were called upon to forfeit it. Mr. Young had
a great deal of trouble from the blacks; they made a raid on his
shepherds, killing several, but afterwards he found them very useful for
minding sheep, etc. At that time, two small trading vessels handled the
trade to Sydney, and from this port Mr. Young had to get his rations, as
well as shepherds. Many of the latter sent to him were found useless for
bush life.[C]
[Sidenote: Rockhill, No. 3.]
[Sidenote: Bugulban, No. 1.]
[Sidenote: Gunyah, No. 2.]
[Sidenote: Borroran, No. 4.]
No. 55117.
Crown Lands Office, Sydney, 29th January, 1855.
Nos. 2, 5, 11 and 12 of December.
Gentlemen,
I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your
tenders (opened on the 4th ultimo), for new runs of Crown
Lands in the district of Port Curtis, named in the
margin, and I beg to inform you, that the same now await
the report of the Commissioner of the district, in
accordance with the Regulations of the 1st January, 1848.
I have the honor to be, Gentlemen,
Your most obedient servant,
GEO. BARNEY.
Chief Commissioner of Crown Lands.
Messrs. R. & F. BLACKMAN,
Maryborough, Wide Bay.
This copy of the letter from Colonel Barney to the Messrs. Blackman
regarding the tenders of their runs shows that they were early in the
Port Curtis district, and occupied a run called Warrah, still held by
Mr. F. A. Blackman in 1897. The whole of the Wide Bay district had
become settled with stations, and the necessity for an outlet for
produce and receipt of supplies led to the port of Gladstone being
opened. Among the first to establish a business there was Richard E.
Palmer, who built a wharf and a large wool shed, so that the wool from
Rannes and other stations lately formed could be shipped away. He then
took up Targieni station, near Mount Larcombe, and lived there for many
years. Among the early settlers in the district about Gladstone were the
Bells of Stowe, father and sons, Mrs. Graham on the Calliope; and
Charles Clarke, James Landsborough, John Forsyth. Edwin Bloomfield held
Miriam Vale; Robinson and Wood had taken up Caliungal; William Elliott
passed Gracemere with sheep, and took up Tilpal in 1857. Ramsay and
Gaden held Canoona run when the gold rush took place in 1858. Mr. A. J.
Callan, for some years member of the Legislative Assembly for Fitzroy,
took up Columbra run. All the surrounding country became parcelled out
among the early arrivals, and settlement began to spread itself into
far-away districts to the north and north-west. Civilisation was
pronounced enough when ladies followed their husbands on many of the new
stations. Raglan was famous for its hospitality as early as 1860, when
Mrs. James Landsborough presided, and her numerous family grew up there.
[Footnote C: Mr. Young ended his days peacefully in Sandgate in 1899, at
an advanced age.]
From Marlborough, a small village on the outward stock route, the track
led out west towards Peak Downs, a beautiful tableland discovered by
Leichhardt. Mr. Stuart, known as Peak Downs Stuart, took up one of the
first runs in 1861 with sheep brought from Victoria. These sheep were
destroyed by order on account of scab breaking out among them. Mr. P. F.
Macdonald and Sydney Davis were among the earliest settlers on Peak
Downs. Mr. William Kilman, whose name is so well known in the central
districts, was one of the enterprising pioneers of the north. In 1854,
when he was twenty-five years old, he set out on an exploring trip along
the Queensland coast. On that journey, he came to the river on which
Rockhampton now stands, and, passing up the coast, went as far as
Cleveland Bay, where Townsville was founded some years later. He
returned to New South Wales from Cleveland Bay, and in 1856 took up a
large tract of country on the upper waters of the Dawson. It would thus
appear that Mr. Kilman visited the locality of Townsville ten years
before Mr. Andrew Ball came down from Woodstock station to explore the
country.
Captain John Mackay, explorer and pioneer settler, as well as navigator,
discovered Port Mackay in 1860. The history of the discovery and
settlement of the district and town of Mackay is of interest, showing
what individual effort in conjunction with large experience and great
physical fortitude and endurance can accomplish. Captain Mackay left
Armidale on January 16th, 1860, with a party of seven men and
twenty-eight horses, to explore the north country for runs for stocking
purposes; they travelled by Tenterfield, Darling Downs, Gayndah, and
Rockhampton. After recruiting and refitting here, they started again on
March 16th, passed Yaamba and Princhester, on to Marlborough, where Mr.
Henning was forming a station. They left civilisation behind them when
leaving this place, and bearing to the north-west over the range, which
was very rugged and broken, followed the Isaacs and travelled on towards
the Burdekin. Returning towards the coast, they found a river they
called the Mackay, traced it to the coast, and having marked trees along
its course, they decided to return south, having been successful in the
object of their expedition.
The party now fell sick of fever and ague, a most prostrating malady,
and were reduced to the utmost extremity for want of provisions, for the
sick men were for some time unable to travel. In suffering and pain,
hungry and thirsty, and utterly weary, they started again for civilised
parts. The blackboy, their faithful companion, died on the journey,
while some of the others could scarcely manage to ride. On returning,
they met Mr. Connor, who was forming Collaroy station; here they
remained a few days recruiting, then crossing the Broadsound Range, they
camped with Mr. John Allingham, who was travelling with stock looking
for country, passed Mr. Macartney at Waverley, and arrived at
Rockhampton after an absence of four months. They tendered for the
country discovered in accordance with the Crown Lands Regulations, and
the tenders were accepted by the Queensland Government, from which date
they were allowed nine months for stocking, failing which, any person
putting stock in, could legally claim the country. In order to obtain
some compensation for the discovery they had made, Captain Mackay got
cattle on terms, and started from Armidale on July 26th, 1861, with
1,200 cattle, fifty horses and two teams of bullocks. The stock
travelled by Dalby to the Burnett and Dawson, passing Banana and Rannes,
and thence to Rockhampton on October 27th, where supplies were waiting
for them from Sydney. They then passed northwards through the Broadsound
country, where several stations were then forming, and arrived at the
foot of the coast range, when by double-banking the teams, that is,
putting two teams on to one dray with only a part of a load on, they
managed, after several days' hard work, to get the loads and stock
across the terrible barrier. After great trouble in forcing a way
through ranges, scrubs, and other obstacles, the stock arrived at the
spot selected for the head station on the Mackay River, now called the
Pioneer, on January 11th, 1862. The station was named Green Mount, and
having turned their weary stock loose on the well-grassed plains, the
party set to work to form a station hut and yards. All their stores were
exhausted, and after waiting long months for the vessel that was to have
come from Rockhampton, they at last discovered that she was below Cape
Palmerston at anchor; she was brought up the river four miles west of
where the town now stands, and landed the stores on the south bank.
Captain Mackay then chartered the vessel at the rate of L8 per day, and
spent a few days in taking soundings, bearings, etc.; having made a
rough chart of the river and adjacent coast line, it was sent with the
correct latitude and longitude to the Crown Lands Office, Brisbane, on
which report the Mackay River was declared a port of entry. The name of
the river was changed to the Pioneer, as Commodore Burnett (afterwards
lost in H.M.S. "Orpheus" on the Manakau Bar in New Zealand), had, in
1863, named a stream flowing into Rockingham Bay, the Mackay, and
recommended the new discovery should be called after H.M.S. "Pioneer,"
which he commanded. The Queensland Government not wishing to detract
from the merit of discovery, named the town Mackay. There can be no
manner of doubt but that the honor of discovering the Pioneer River and
the Port of Mackay, and making that discovery public information, so as
to be of service in opening up the district, rests entirely with Captain
John Mackay.[D]
The discovery of the fine pastoral country in the Barcoo by the Mitchell
expedition was soon followed by occupation. On October 12th, 1862, the
first mob of cattle arrived on the Thomson River, for Mount Cornish and
Bowen Downs. The Thomson River was at that time supposed to be the
Barcoo, but Mr. N. Buchanan found out that it was the same river that
had been named the Thomson by Kennedy in 1847. The first station was
named Bowen Downs, and the first stock to arrive on these waters were
the cattle started from Fort Cooper, where they had been depasturing for
some time. The mob consisted of five thousand head, and the route
followed was by Lake Elphinstone on to Suttor Creek, down that creek to
the Belyando, following that river up a short distance, then across by
Bully Creek, crossing the range at the Tanks by Lake Buchanan on to
Cornish Creek, and down that creek to their destination.
[Footnote D: Captain Mackay, in 1902, succeeded the late Captain Almond
as Harbour Master at Brisbane.]
Suttor Creek station then belonged to Kirk and Sutherland, and was the
farthest out station in that direction. On arriving at Bully Creek, a
dry stage ahead of forty-five miles, caused the leader to leave 1,500
head behind him, the balance arriving at their destination on October
12th, 1862. Mr. R. Kerr was in charge, with four white stockmen, one
blackboy, three gins, and a white man named Maurice Donohue, who died
before he had been there very long, and was doubtless the first white
man buried in the district. In the following year, 1863, a drought
occurred on the Thomson, the plains were left destitute of grass, and
the waterhole, on the banks of which the station was formed, was reduced
to two feet in depth. When full there would be about eighteen feet of
water in it, and it was afterwards found that it took eighteen months
without rain to bring it down to that level. In about March of this
year, Messrs. Rule and Lacy, as also Mr. Raven, arrived on Aramac Creek
with sheep, the former taking up and stocking the country now known as
Aramac station. Mr. Raven first settling down higher up the creek,
afterwards returned to Stainburne, taking up and stocking the present
Stainburne Downs. At the same time that these sheep arrived at the
Aramac, three thousand cows from the Narran (N.S.W.) arrived on Bowen
Downs, Messrs. Hill and Bloxham in charge; all these stock went out by
the Barcoo, and the cattle suffered severely from the effects of the
drought, one thousand head being lost en route. Four of the party,
Messrs. Hill, Bloxham, Burkett, and Best, who took out these cows to
Bowen Downs, decided to go upon an exploring trip on their own account.
They went up Landsborough Creek, and on to the Flinders River, intending
to go to Bowen; after getting over the Range on the east side of the
Flinders, it commenced to rain, and continued an incessant downpour for
four days, making the country so boggy that they could not travel; some
of their horses died, and some got crippled by getting bogged among the
rocks; so they decided to return to Bowen Downs. They got down from the
ranges into one of the gorges, and then Mr. Best was laid up with
rheumatic fever, and was unable to travel. Their supplies ran short, and
they had to kill some of their horses for food; by the time Mr. Best
was able to move, they had only three horses left; so they decided to
kill one of these, take a portion of the flesh with them, and walk to
Bowen Downs for assistance, leaving Mr. Best behind, as he was still
unfit to travel. They left the two horses with him, and the remainder of
the horse they had killed, jerking the meat for him before they started.
The three then began their tramp, Mr. Bloxham being leader and guide;
they promised to be back in twenty-eight days, and urged Mr. Best to
remain where they were leaving him, but if he did move to be sure to
follow their tracks. They also gave him directions as to the route to
follow to reach Bowen Downs. They got to Bowen Downs in due course,
after surmounting innumerable difficulties. Mr. Bloxham, who was the
oldest of the party, was very weak on arrival, and suffering severely
from the consequences of subsisting on jerked horse flesh; they were all
wearing horse hide sandals, their boots being worn out. After several
days spell, Mr. Bloxham made up a party and went to the rescue of the
man left behind. The other two left for civilisation. The rescue party
met Mr. Best on the twenty-ninth day from leaving him, a few miles from
his camp. He had stayed the twenty-eight days as agreed, and started in
on the twenty-ninth. They, of course, were very glad to find him, and
the meeting was mutually satisfactory. During his sojourn in the gorge,
Mr. Best only saw the blacks once; and then he fired his gun off to
attract their attention, but they took no notice of him. Another report
said that as he had been using his gun as a crutch, the muzzle had got
blocked up with mud, and when he fired it off to scare the blacks away
the gun burst with such a terrible roar that they never ventured near
him again.
The first pioneer to stock country on the Flinders was James Gibson, who
took up a run called the Prairie, in 1861. He also stocked several runs
in the neighbourhood and on the Clarke River. He started two lots of
cattle from the Barwon (N.S.W.), one in charge of Mr. E. R. Edkins, now
of Mount Cornish, the other mob in charge of Mr. George Sautelle, now
long settled at Byrimine station, near Cloncurry. These cattle passed by
Goondiwindi, through the Downs country, by Yandilla, to the Dawson, by
Rockhampton, and then by Fort Cooper and Bowen on to the Clarke River.
These, according to the Land Office records, were the first runs taken
up in the pastoral district of Burke. Their cattle were supplemented by
other large mobs, all destined to form new stations in the far north, in
connection with Mr. W. Glen Walker, of Sydney, an enterprising and
speculative merchant. In 1864 the country first taken up by this firm
was sold or transferred, and the cattle (as many as ten thousand head),
were removed to the Lower Flinders then quite unoccupied. They travelled
through Betts' Gorge, a creek forcing its way through the basalt to join
the Flinders. A large stretch of well-watered country on the Saxby
Creek, known as Taldora and Millungerra was taken up by James Gibson in
1864.
The first man to open the way to the Albert at Burketown was Mr. N.
Buchanan, with cattle from Mount Cornish and Bowen Downs on the Thomson
River; he selected Beame's Brook station on the Albert, eighteen miles
above the present site of Burketown, and also occupied another run on
the Landsborough River, a tributary of the Leichhardt, on a waterhole
about twelve miles long. Following him in order of succession came Mr.
J. G. Macdonald's cattle from the Burdekin. These travelled by a
different route via the Einasleigh and Etheridge Rivers, the latter
called after Mr. D. O. Etheridge, one of the overlanders, a man long
resident there afterwards, and well known. They followed the route
opened up by Mr. J. G. Macdonald when on his private exploring
expedition to the Gulf country a year or two before. The country this
stock occupied was on the Leichhardt River, at a place called
Floraville, situated where a great bar of rocks crosses the river above
all tidal waters, the falls being about twenty feet in height. Another
run this firm took up at the same time was situated on the Gregory
River, and called Gregory Downs; but this country was abandoned later
on, and is now held by Watson Bros.; it is an excellent piece of
well-grassed cattle country, watered by the finest perennial river in
North Queensland, a clear, flowing stream of water, shaded by palms,
pandanus, and ti-trees. The Gregory River, named by the late Mr. W.
Landsborough in honor of the Honorable A. C. Gregory, M.L.C., C.M.G.,
the well-known explorer and scientist, has never been known to go dry.
In March, 1896, Mr. G. Phillips, C.E., estimated the flow of the
river--which was then low--at 133 millions of gallons per day at Gregory
Downs. There can be no doubt that the discharge is due to a leak from
the great artesian beds underlying the Barkly Tableland, on which the
town of Camooweal is situated, on the head waters of the Georgina River.
The Barkly Tableland was also named by Mr. Landsborough in honor of Sir
Henry Barkly, Governor of Victoria, 1856-1863.
Donor's Hills station was settled by the Brodie Bros., who came from
Murrurundi, in New South Wales early in 1865. They travelled by Bowen
River and along the Cape River route, and took up the country about the
junction of the Cloncurry and the Flinders Rivers, near some peculiar
isolated ironstone hills, which were named Donor's Hills. It was
considered a good run and well watered, and is now held by Mr.
Chirnside, of Victoria, being still stocked with sheep. Among the last
wave of pioneers was Mr. Atticus Tooth, who brought cattle from the
Broken River, near Bowen, and took up a run on the lower Cloncurry,
which he called Seaward Downs; the stock belonged to a business firm in
Bowen called Seaward, Marsh and Co. It now forms part of Conobie run,
taken up by Messrs. Palmer and Shewring, who brought sheep and cattle
from Pelican Creek, in 1864. The cattle were driven from Eureka, in the
Wide Bay district, by Edward Palmer, one of the firm who from that time
resided on the station, and who is the author of these notes. The stock
followed the route up the Cape River, and were detained in the desert at
Billy Webb's Lake nearly two months waiting for rain to take them
through. After the usual vicissitudes of travelling stock down the
Flinders, and searching for country all round the Gulf it was decided to
occupy Conobie, where the Dugald, Corella, and Cloncurry Rivers form a
junction. The sheep were placed on the run in May, 1865, and then the
trip back to Brisbane had to be undertaken in order to apply for the
lease of the country.
One of the partners, Mr. W. Shewring, died about a year afterwards from
the effects of the Gulf fever, and also several of the men. They were
all buried on the bank of the large lagoon, near which the head station
was formed.
Supplies to this place were carried from Port Denison by bullock dray,
but the first wool was shipped for Sydney from the new port, Burketown.
The price of everything was extremely high, flour and sugar often
selling at one shilling per pound, while wages for ordinary hands ranged
from thirty-five shillings to fifty shillings a week, and men were
scarce even at that.
Pioneers as well as explorers, the settlement of Cape York Peninsula
will always be associated with the names of the Jardines. The account of
their trip from Bowen with cattle and horses through the most
troublesome country ever traversed by stock, will stand as a lasting
monument to their superior bushmanship and hardihood. The narrative of
the journey adds a most interesting page to the records of Australian
exploration, as it was conducted throughout without any mishap, although
surrounded with many dangers, through a country almost unknown and
during a season when the risks were much increased by reason of the
advent of the annual heavy rains. The uncommon task of taking a mob of
cattle such a distance with success, reflects the highest credit on the
Jardine Brothers.
The origin of the trip was a report made by the first governor, Sir G.
Bowen, in 1862, to the Imperial Government recommending Somerset, Cape
York, as a harbour of refuge, coaling station and entrepot for the trade
of Torres Straits and islands of the North Pacific. The task of
establishing the new settlement was confided to Mr. Jardine, Police
Magistrate at Rockhampton, who was qualified by experience and judgment
to carry out the work. Mr. Jardine proposed to establish a cattle
station there, by sending cattle in charge of his two sons through the
Peninsula, in order to supply the requirements of trade with fresh
beef. Frank and Alick Jardine, aged respectively 22 and 20, carried out
the task of overlanding very creditably, being strong, active, and hardy
young men, full of resource and inured to bush work and discomforts.
Those who know by experience what a wet season means in the Peninsula,
with flooded creeks and rivers, poison plants killing the horses and
cattle, and hostile blacks always on the alert to damage anything in
their way, will understand the full meaning of the successful issue of
such a trip. The writer settled a cattle station on the Mitchell River
in 1879, and can thus enter fully into all the troubles of these young
overlanders, and appreciate the magnitude of their task.
The party, consisting of ten persons and twenty-one horses, left
Rockhampton in May, 1864; they travelled overland to Bowen, where they
obtained cattle from Mr. William Stenhouse, of the Clarke River. The
furthest out station then was Carpentaria Downs, to the north-west, held
by J. G. Macdonald, supposed to be on the Lynd River, but afterwards
proved to be on the Einasleigh, a branch of the Gilbert River. On
October 10th they were ready for a final start with the cattle from
Carpentaria Downs. The party were composed of the following:--F. L.
Jardine, leader; A. Jardine; A. J. Richardson, surveyor; C. Scrutton; R.
N. Binney; A. Cowderoy; and four blackboys, Eulah, Peter, Sambo, and
Barney, natives of Wide Bay and Rockhampton; also forty-one horses, one
mule, and 250 cattle, with provisions to last for four months. They
started under the impression they were following down the Lynd of
Leichhardt, that led to the Mitchell River, hence the troubles and
doubts about their journey were much increased, and it was a
considerable time before the mistake was discovered. Not long after
getting into the wilderness, a fire burnt one half of their camp gear
and rations, which was a loss they felt throughout their journey.
Travelling through poor, flat ti-tree country, covered with spinifex and
wire grass that no stock would look at, they encountered the further
misfortunes of the loss of horses and cattle by poison and delay owing
to their being hunted by blacks. In addition to the loss of cattle,
travelling was excessively heavy in consequence of the rains. But the
journey was prosecuted in spite of all troubles and risks. The blacks
soon commenced to attack them, and had to be checked, although they
never ceased all through the journey to harass them. The party struck
salt water when following down the Staaten, and then knew that they were
out of their course, and not near the Mitchell River of Leichhardt. They
saw the marine plains extending along the coast, and finally, about
December 18th, crossed the long-looked for Mitchell River, covered here
with dense vine scrubs, and having numerous wide channels. They lost
some horses that went mad through drinking salt water, and at the
crossing had a severe contest with the blacks, who had been daring and
mischievous all the time. After crossing the Mitchell, they followed a
course along the coast line of the Gulf, meeting with disasters all the
way, their cattle being poisoned, their horses failing, their rations
exhausted, and hardships accumulating. They finally left the Mitchell
and made straight running for Cape York on December 22nd; the wet season
came on them then, and nothing but rain was recorded while going through
a most dismal, miserable country, poor in grass, and full of obstacles,
such as scrub, etc. Heavy storms of rain and wind passed over them
frequently, from which they had no shelter, the tents being blown to
pieces. They had no salt, and the weather was too muggy to dry or jerk
the meat when a beast was killed. In this way they crept along the coast
line, crossing all the rivers and creeks in full flood, and by the time
they reached the Batavia River they had to do most of the travelling on
foot, so many horses having died from the fatal effects of the poison
plants common in this despicable country. As all the creeks were lined
with vine scrubs, they were compelled to cut tracks through every one of
them for the cattle and to swim creeks every day, while the prickles of
the pandanus leaves gave them special discomfort.
Several attempts were made to search for the settlement at Cape York by
advance parties, but it was not until March 2nd that the brothers,
having met some friendly natives, were piloted into the settlement, and
thus this most wonderful trip was concluded, having taken over five
months to get through about 1,600 miles, the last two or three hundred
being done on foot, and without even boots to their feet. The country
passed through was mostly of a forbidding and sterile character, except
on the Einasleigh River banks, and in consequence of their report, no
occupation of runs followed. As the Peninsula became more explored,
better country was discovered near the heads of the rivers flowing into
the Gulf; and in after years a few stations were stocked with cattle.
Frank Jardine, the elder brother, has lived at Somerset ever since, and
his house is seen when passing through the beautiful Albany Pass. Alick
Jardine became a surveyor and engineer, and for many years was employed
by the Government of Queensland. He attained the position of Engineer
for Harbours and Rivers, but was among the officers retrenched in 1893.