Friday April 26^th: 1929

5 am am awakened and told that we are nearing Townsville, where we arrive at 5.30 am. An unearthly hour to arrive in a strange place. Cloaked most of my luggage and then went and had a shower and a shave. This is possible at the station and this is one of the things for which the Qld railways are to be commended. One needs a shower though after travelling in their trains. Had breakfast also at the station and then strolled up the street. Looked about until I find the G.P.O and rang up the Rev Hall who directed me to come to the Parsonage. He is the 2^nd minister in Townsville and is out at West End. Came out on the bus and missed the place and had to walk back. It was and still is warm and I arrived here fairly fed up with everything but am getting over it. Will not be sorry though when this train traveling and wandering about among strangers is finished. Rev Hall and his wife seem nice enough and have two little boys who at present are at school. This leaves me then at West End Townsville at 11 am.

From when I left off at at 11.30 until lunch time was spent in writing and also most of the afternoon. Rev Bacon from Charters Towers and Chairman of the Northern Queensland District arrived just after lunch. A bright energetic chap and always on the move and made things appear considerably brighter by his presence. He has travelled practically all over Queensland. I went into Townsville with him and then I went and saw the Shell people about petrol for out west and one or two other things and back to Hall’s for tea. After doing some writing went in again to the station and posted a letter on the 9 pm Brisbane train. Back to Hall’s and to bed.

Saturday April 27^th:

Another early rise, 4.30 am, no good at all but had to catch the train for Charters Towers at 5.30 am. Rode Mr Hall’s bike into the train and left it there for him to collect. An awfully slow uninteresting journey to the Towers. Mixed train. Arrived there at 11.30 am. Met by Rev Simons probationer and a circuit steward and brought round to Mrs Siemens. Nice family. Two young chaps and girl. Have a wholesale fruit vegetable shop etc. Nice home for these parts. Before dinner Simons and I went down and had a look at the Central Church where tomorrow I have been booked for 2 services. Did not expect this either and so have no sermon notes in MSS, so faith morrow. Went also and had a look at the smaller church in York St. Both nice churches but too big now for the present population . Charters Towers in the mining days boasted a population of 34000, now only 9000. No mining now done at all. Now it is an educational centre, 4 colleges, a big boarding school, a state high, comprising over 1000 students in all. The Methodists and Presbyterians have joint control of two, called Thornburgh for the boys and Blackheath for the girls. Thornburgh has 120 boarders and Blackheath 92. After dinner in company with Rev Simons I had the pleasure of being shown over both of these and they are splendid colleges. Wonderfully equipped and all conveniences and have only been in existence 9 years this June. Students come here from all over Queensland. Both colleges were once big private homes. After looking over them and talking to the matron and head master, on arriving back home was ready for tea, which soon appeared on the scene. Since tea have been engaged in writing and preparation for tomorrow.

Sunday April 28^th:

Had a rather full day and not altogether a very pleasant one as have contracted a cold and sore throat and was rather a drawback in trying to speak. Took the services in the Central Church in Charters Towers morning and night. Had a gathering of about 150 in the morning with at least 120 of them from the Thornburgh college. Rather a decent spectacle to see the centre of the Church so filled.

In the evening there was the usual congregation of about 100. Very poor for the size of the town. The choir rendered 2 anthems at night and a young lady gave a solo. In the afternoon after having had a bit of a lie down Mrs Siemens took me for a run in the car to have a look at the town and what it boasts of. Colleges belonging to other denominations and an old folks home in course of erection, knitting mills without wool to work on, owing to the drought, a cemetery etc. It was a nice run and gave me a genuine idea of the size etc of the town. A great place for pubs here. I counted about 15 in two blocks, must be a thirsty population. After service at night had a yarn and supper at Siemens and then was taken to the station where at 10.30 pm I boarded the Great Western Mail which on arrival at Cloncurry will end just on 3000 miles of train journey. Turned into my bunk as soon as the train left and remained there until 8 am Monday morning.

Monday April 29^th: