Meeting the locals!

Monday July 8: 1929

Did some cleaning up and reading this morning. His afternoon went to the school and had a talk to the children, after which went and called at a couple of places I missed yesterday. Went up and had a look at the hospital. Just a small place but very nice. Had some tennis there until teatime and found some very good players amongst the folk up here. Had a full and varied program for this evening. Commenced in the hall at 7.30, a Church service. A good muster. Practically all who could come, did come. About 30 present. After the service I plunged the hall into darkness and gave the kiddies some pictures which they enjoyed very much. Following on that one finished the evening with games for young and old, an all voted it the best evening in Burketown for a long time. I do not know whether the service was in mind when that statement was made. After such a strenuous time, ‘Postie’ and I for supper cleaned up a packet of biscuits, a tin of peaches and several lemons in lemon drinks.

Tuesday July 9: 1929

Left Burketown at about 9 am and had Miss Morson again on board on her way back.

Missed the turnoff to come back a different road and went about 20 miles further than necessary. Cam back on to the right road and all went well. If anything the road this way is a little better. Arrived at Oliver Smith’s for dinner and again was made to feel quite welcome. Had a yarn to all of them and played some nursery rhyme records for the kids. Wandered in after dinner and saw thousands of wallabies, mostly very small, until the sight of them annoyed me. One chap even had the cheek to run into the side of the car. A few of the folk through here have taken up sheep farming and saw some of those animals. Sheep farmong has brought with it numerous fences which have made necessary numerous gates and I here appreciated the company of my fellow passenger. She was able to open all the gates, I am not too sure whether she appreciated the gates though. The stations here are quite small compared with out in the territory and the homes of the people are by no means elaborate. Called in at several places along the route and found all the folk very nice with a welcome and an invitation to stay if possible. Arrived at Gregory Downs station at sundown and pulled up for the night. The station homestead is one side of the river and on the other there is an hotel and police quarters. They have a picnic race meeting here once a year and it is to come off for this year in about a fortnight. Mrs Reece, the manager’s wife, is a great hostess and looked after us well. The owners of the station are also staying here. Elderly men. Watson brothers. Both decent chaps. After tea we went with Mrs Reece across to the hotel, met Mrs Barrett, the owner and also Mr Lowe the police constable. Mrs Barrett is one of the earliest settlers in this district and a real hard case. I am looking forward to getting her talking one of these days.

Wednesday July 10: 1929

Left Gregory Downs about 9 am en route for Riversleigh and arrived there at dinner time. The road for the first 30 miles is good and only about 2 gates, but from the turn off the main road into the homestead a distance of 25 miles is about the roughest I have ever been over. Rocky, hilly and dense scrub to get through. The crossing over the O’Shannessy, while rather pretty, is a beaut. It is heavy because of the sand. The bus ties herself in a knot around the trees, pushes her way through scrub and nearly falls backwards going up the opposite bank. Saw some decent sized kangaroos coming along too. After dinner had a lazy time for a while reading and then went out and played tennis with the boys. After tea played the gramaphone outside for the children then inside for the others. Talked for a while and retired.

Thursday July 11: 1929

Left Riversleigh again, this time on my own, back over yesterday’s road. Got through onto the main road alright and continued on my way back to Camooweal. For 60 miles it was a terribly rough road, nearly as bad as from Riversleigh to the main road. Rocky and hilly. Arrived at Finlay’s, just in time for dinner, and sat down to oxtail pie. Did not stay long but pushed on and eventually reached Millers at Undilla. Only stopped for a few moments and then left for Camooweal. Practically everyone is away all along this route, all out mustering, so although I thought I might stay at Miller’s did not do so. Darkness overtook me, 30 miles out but eventually reached here at about 7.30 pm. Was feeling rather tired, so after getting my things in and making a cup of tea, went to bed and slept soundly. Had a good trip and enjoyed it. At the same time the bigness of the work and the difficulty of finding a suitable opening for doing the real job, has again impressed me.

Out and about among all sorts.

Friday July 5: 1929

Was going to get up and go for a swim but as it as so nice in bed I did not. After breakfast had a morning with the children. The three eldest boys and a little black boy and myself went for walk along the creek. Things of interest were pointed out to me by the boys, such as, where a bullock had fallen into the water, where the wild bulls had been fighting the night before, where a dingo had been around the camp. Reggies, the black boy, was especially interesting in reading the signs on the ground as to what had been along, which way it had gone etc. Visited a blacks’ camp and was met first of all by numerous dogs, all mongrels. Several pigs , great and small shared the wretched hut, inhabited by a black and his gin. Their hut is a 3-sided low structure, made mostly of boughs, with a roof. The old gin was sitting outside in front of the small fire. George the black was in a good humour and I got from him a couple of boomerangs and a spear. Another black, Charlie, a little firther on had his camp, one the same, but he was sick and was going in for sun? treatment. He was lying on the ground with a blanket over him. There are quite a number of blacks on Riversleigh and are all home today as the mustering camp is in. They will be gone tomorrow though except for a couple to do the work about the place. The gins help with the housework but Mrs Foster does the cooking. Since being here I have seen a native ‘bear’ and a native ‘bare’. The blacks here are rather a fine type, both men and gins being tall and well built. After leaving the blacks we came back along the creek and before reaching home the boys went in for a swim. While in swimming they saw a crockodile further down and so they did not go too near it. The crocks here though are harmless, although down near the sea no swimming is done. After the boys came out we sat for a while and had ‘Sunday School’. An ideal spot for a quiet talk too. Took a snap while there and hope it come out alright. After dinner loaded up again and set out for Lawn Hill station 37 miles away. Miss Morson, the governess, wanting some teeth extracted, is coming to Burketown with me for that purpose. Came back to ‘The Springs’ and left some meat with Walker and went on. Pulled up at a Chinaman’s garden, Sam Ah Bow, 12 miles from ‘Springs’ and he told us he had 53 picaninnies. I asked no further questions. He has a decent garden although not much fruit now, but I got a kerosene tin of bananas from him for 5 shillings. I ate quite a number while I was there too but he did not charge me for those. Arrived at Lawn Hill homestead in time for tea. I am getting quite used now to arriving at strange places and expecting their hospitality. Noone thinks anything about it out here, you just go along and stay with folk as if you knew them all your life. The station folk very seldom ask you will you stay. They take it for granted and simply tell you to bring in your bag and show you to your room. So it was here. Mr and Mrs Grayden welcomed us and we were shown to our separate rooms. I do not know whether they thought at first it was Mr and Mrs. Lawn Hill home is situated on the top of a hill, commanding a wonderful view of the valley and surrounding country. They have a very nice home too, with a nice lawn and garden. Out in these parts there is no water shortage as there are sufficient creeks and rivers continually running to keep all around the homestead well supplied. After tea, in the cool, we all sat out on the lawn and talked until bed time. The weather at present is rather warm, more so than it has been of late, but delightful for all that.

Saturday July 6: 1929

Left after breakfast for Burketown and arrived here at 3 pm. Had a good run through, although the road was rather rough in places. Had no trouble though apart from a few bolts having nuts shaken off. Pulled up the crossing of the Gregory River and boiled the billy and had a bit of lunch and then on again. Burketown like Camooweal gives one the idea that it is very sorry for itself. The one redeeming feature is that it is on a good river, the Gregory. It boasts of an hotel, store, post office, bank, shire hall and 5 or 6 houses, also a school with about 2 children attending. As I know the people of the Postmaster, who live in Cloncurry, I found him and the result was I dumped my swag in the back room and made it my temporary abode and went to the hotel for my tea. After tea went to the hall for a while where a chap from the bank was being farewelled. They had quite a happy time among the 30 or 40 that were there indulging mostly in old time dances.

Sunday July 7: 1929

Miss Shadford up here has been holding Sunday School with the half a dozen children , so this morning I relieved her of her duties and had a talk to them for a while. In the afternoon I went around to the different homes, met the people and intended to arrange a service in the evening. A cricket match being played today, about 50 miles out at a station, having taken all the young men and women pit of town, I have put off the service until tomorrow night. After tea this evening went for a little tour of the surrounding district.

Out and about....

Wednesday July 3 : 1929

Up at 5.30 am and Mr Johnson and I had a cup of tea and a biscuit and he left for home at 6.45 and I left for somewhere on the Burketown road at 7 am. A nice morning. Passed Rocklands homestead 4 miles out and crossed the course of the Georgina River. The country out this road is different to the territory, more bush, mostly gidgee trees. Eleven miles out disturbed numerous ‘roos feeding, some decent big ones among them. Tried to get a snap but unable. Gave them some hurry up with the tooting of the horn and it was better watching them than the horses at Rankine. 18 miles out met a camp of musterers, 2 white men and 3 blacks, having breakfast, stayed for a while. 30 miles out came to a bore where a couple live, Francis by name. Pulled up and had a cup of tea and a yarn. While there the Burketown mail arrived, returning to Camooweal, well loaded up too with passengers and goods. 15 miles past here crossed the border into N.T and now again the country is flat with no trees. Better feed here than further in the territory. 50 miles from Camooweal came to No 5 bore where they are pumping on Gallipoli station. One pumper here, stopped and gave him some books. Arrived at Gallipoli station, 60 miles from Camooweal, and stayed there for lunch. Most of the men were away mustering but the cook and a couple of others were there. Leaving Gallipoli wandered on and passed back again into Queensland, where about 12 miles from the border came to Herbertvale station homestead. The manager with his wife and family were away and the only chap about was the ‘boss’ of the section of the rabbit proof fence from Burketown to Wandangi (?) Had a yarn and cup of tea with him. Leaving there about 3 pm, made for ‘The Springs’ about 50 miles away. The country now changes from flat and open to hilly, rough, stony country. Passed over numerous dry watercourses but which in the wet season are mighty rivers. Although traveling is much rougher, with plenty of bumps, it is more interesting. Arrived at sundown at ‘The Springs’ where one of the men working on the rabbit fence has his camp. There is a spring here. Walker, the chap in residence, is an old timer and has been here for quite a number of years. Has worked also at the mines in the district, a good talker and knows the history of quite a number around. Had tea with him and afterwards we talked and then sat on the verandah of his domicile and played all my records. Do not know hat time it was when we retired as noone has a timepiece. Unrolled my swag on the floor and was soon lost in slumber.

Thursday July 4: 1929

Got up to fried eggs for breakfast which my hopst had waiting for me. Very nice too. Walker has quite a number of butcher birds which are never absent at meal times. They will not let you catch them though. Left during the morning to go into ‘Riversleigh’, about 15 miles in off the main road. A nice run in too. Plenty of feed in here. 12 miles in came to, and crossed, the Gregory River, a great stream and very pretty. Tropical vegetation on abundance. Do not know as yet the names of all I see. Stayed here a while and had a good wash and paddle, not deep enough for a swim, although up to the running board of the car. Three miles further on came to the station homestead on the bank of a small creek , joining the Gregory and the O’Shannessy, an ideal spot for a home. Mr Foster, the station manager was away, but Mrs Foster, the 5 children and governess were home. Made very welcome here and prepared to stay until the morrow. After dinner we all got on the bus and went back to the Gregory, to the Falls. They are very pretty too with an abundance of water pouring over. Came back and had a look around the place. A couple of good swimming holes are just handy but the water looks cold, although I may go in. There are crocodiles in the water up here, but a small variety and not dangerous. Have a tennis court here too, where the children amuse themselves. There are 4 boys and 1 girl in the family, the eldest being a boy about 14. After tea I showed the children some pictures on the screen and after listening to some of their gramophone records, played on a very nice instrument, retired.

Frustrations of outback life.

Monday July 1: 1929

Today I have been under, over and through, inside and outside of my bus, tightening, greasing, oiling, and bluffing myself that I am an expert mechanic. She is now in good running order but the lights won’t light and the tooter won’t toot so that’s a job in the morning. I am a good mechanic though as regards to getting grease all over myself. Tonight I have been getting into going order the Brange? Projector and endeavouring to understand its mechanism and at 11 p m was able to throw a picture on the screen. Had just got into bed just after 11.30 when a car pulled up and people came ,looking for the Dr who was not home. One gets an idea of some of the disagvantages of the station folk in the territory at times like this, who have no means of getting in touch with others. A little girls wandered into the wash house where a gin had left some caustic soda and took a handful and put it in her mouth. Of course she was badly burned and having no means of calling in a Dr they had to get in the car and rush in, 160 miles to the Dr here in Camooweal. The little girl, daughter of the station manager is not quite as bad as they feared. She did not swallow much, if any, and was made sick as soon as it happened, but she has a bad mouth and face. Mrs Johnson stayed at the hospital. Mr Johnson stayed the night here with us.

Tuesday July 2^nd:

A rotten day as far as I am concerned. I intended to leave for Burketown this afternoon but the bus taking longer to fix than I expected. I am still here and will not get away until the morning. A wire from the battery was burnt right out and I could not find it, so in the end had to get a young chap to assist me. Then I could not find the key of the bus and spent an hour looking for it and all the time it was in my pocket. To calm me down a bit I went and ‘afternoontead’ at the hospital with several others. Have been writing tonight anf loading up for the journey tomorrow. Went in next door at 11 pm and had supper of fried macaroni and cheese.