Storm and beer strike.

Monday Dec 2^nd 1929:

Had glorious storm here last night, with wonderful rain, registering 2 ¼ inches. The roads in a few minutes were rivers. Everyone was wildly excited and took great delight in getting wet. It left the roads and streets frightfully boggy though and the Church service had to be abandoned. Cannot get into Isa today now as the lorry would not get far on the road at present. The mail lorry left this afternoon and dug tracks a foot deep going out of the town and everyone tips he will not get far. The Georgina river ran as a result of the rain and with a long stretch of water just outside the town the place does not look so forsaken and desolate.

Tuesday Dec 3^rd 1929:

Decided to give the roads another day to dry, harden before taking the lorry over them, so am still in Camooweal. Went out to Kaiser Ck this morning and helped a chap cart some sand and the road was very soft.

Wednesday Dec 4^th 1929:

Left this morning at 7 o’clock with Les Warren on his lorry. Four of us altogether going in. Two of us, as the lorry was empty, deposited ourselves in the back and unrolling my swag stretched out to it. It was rough though and left me with many bruises. 50 miles out a car caught up to us and took my mate ‘of the back of the lorry’ with them and so I had all the lorry to myself. The sun was relentless to and had no mercy, exposed to it as I was all day. The car that passed us, a little further on became bogged and when assisting them out we were nearly bogged ourselves. 16 miles from Isa came across another lorry of the ‘firms’broken down, so after shifting 50 cases of benzine from it to our lorry, and hitching it to ours, towed it in, myself supervising the steering of the disabled lorry. One thing above all else, Mt Isa is known for, is its dust and for the 16 miles I got it all, seldom seeing any more than the hood of the lorry in front of me. Hoped to have a good sleep but a beer party on ‘black beer’ settled that and in the end took my swag up the yard and reposed on mother earth whose breast was hard and stony.

Thursday Dec 5^th 1929:

Having made enquiries about trains etc, found that having missed the ordinary, would have to take a chance on specials otherwise could not get from Cloncurry to Townsville until Tuesday. May get away from the ‘curry on Sunday night, as a train leaves

There but just not sure if connects right through. Went around the place and saw one or two. Asked G Moores to take the service Sunday but as he was not too willing did not press him, so am leaving things until I return. The beer strike is still on although a fair amount of ‘black beer’ is being ‘put down’. The ‘pubs’ had a win the other day as they managed to get one of the ‘pickets’ well drunk and had him arrested. The town is very quiet and orderly though and quite a contrast to prior to the strike.