MACKAY FAIR AND FERTILE
By J.T.S. Bird
EMERGING FROM ADOLESCENCE
As the writer spent more than two years in Mackay at a period when it was beginning to emerge from the state of dullness inactivity into which it had fallen, mainly through the financial troubles which affected the whole state some special reference must be made to its enterprising people and their hopes for the then future.
The Pioneer River and the site of the present town of Mackay was discovered by Captain John Mackay, a master mariner, in 1860. The Pioneer is only a short river having its source in the coast range, and its length was always said to be less than forty miles. It is somewhat strange, but its discovery was made from the land, like Rockhampton. Captain Mackay and others were said to be looking for “country,” which in those days really meant exploring. The fine width of the Pioneer near its outlet, and the grand expanse of splendid level fertile land, much of its treeless, would appeal to any person as a fine site for a town, hence Captain Mackay named the placed after himself, Port Mackay. As the Pioneer River approached the sea it swung round to the south, forming a bend that quite hid it, the land also being scrubby, with big trees intermingled, helped to hide the stream. Thus from a few miles off the coast there was no appearance of a river at all, and for that reason, probably was not sooner found. The news of the discovery soon spread, and the attractive appearance of the site and the adjacent splendid sugar lands soon drew a lot of people, and a connection was opened up with the hinterland and the west.
Nebo, which was also quickly soaring into importance, was seventy miles from Mackay, but when Bird’s party passed through it had lost its previous prosperous appearance and was falling into decay. There were still two hotels, Mrs. Reynolds (Afterwards Mrs. Ronald) owned one and Dan Nolan, a well-known identity the other, but the business done was apparently birthing. There were two bends on the road from Nebo to Mackay, Hill’s at Retreat Creek, and Bagley** Sandy Creek. Both these hotelkeepers added pastoral pursuits to hotel keeping, the business being of a spasmodic character, though no doubt a cheque came along occasionally. Miss Hill, the daughter of the former hotelkeeper, was a noted horsewoman.
MACKAY AND DISTRICT
What was meant by Mackay and district in 1868 was largely composed of the township and country lands that extended from Scrubby Creek (Walkerston), the same creek on the south, and Green mount (now Green knoll) and the Pioneer River on the north, an area of practically level land consisting approximately of 20,000 acres, much of which was treeless and ready for the plough. Somewhere about the center of this area were narrow lagoons of fresh water, with waving palm trees in places. Scrubby Creek had its banks lined with noble trees and thousands of palms, and in places was the home of the scrub turkey, pigeons and other game. There was no Mirani, Eton, Kungurri, or other well-known centers of the present day nor any though of a railway. It is true that a lot land outside of this area was being taken up constantly – north and south – under another Land Act, which was more liberal in its provisions than the old one. There had also been some land taken up on the north bank of the Pioneer, particularly near the town of Mackay. Practically all the rest of the country was leasehold pastoral.
The Pioneer had two crossings, the lower not far from the cemetery, near Simeon’s tobacco plantation, where it could only be crossed at low tide and the other at Balnagowan, near John Cook’s residence, and just above Pleystowe Plantation. The tide did not reach this upper crossing, but in places there were big stretches of water holes, on the banks of which the gentle alligator would bask seeking such prey as was available. All the land further up the river, and the writer believes to the north also was held as cattle stations, a good deal of it being timbered and devil-devil country. No doubt most of this country has since become sugar land, particularly to the north of the Pioneer. The Pioneer was a very picturesque river, the banks lined with palm and other trees, whilst its waters were well stocked with fish. Ducks were at times plentiful, giving the sportsman an opportunity of securing a heavy bag.
PLANTATIONS AND FARMS
The bulk of the 20,000 acres referred to in the immediate reach of Mackay had all been taken up in plantation areas of considerable bulk or in farm plots of twenty and forty acres, suitable for men of small means. Some of these small holdings needed a little tree- grubbing to clear the land, but most of them only had to be fenced and the land could at once be ploughed and planted, maize being the usual initial crop, and fine returns many got. The customary plan with these farmers was to erect a two-room or four-room cottage, according to the family, fence the land, and plant, put up a milking yard, and fence off a patch for a garden. A few months would see a marvelous change, particularly with those who hand a little money to start with, for such was the fertility of the land, and the usual frequent showers of rain, that everything grew with great rapidity, and the open land was seemingly all of a sudden transferred into a lovely little home, with cows, pigs, fowls and growing crops. The plantations, of course, required much greater, preliminary preparations, and required many hands to plough, plant came, and erect the required buildings and crushing plant.
THE FIRST SUGAR
The Alexander Plantation – of which John Ewan Davidson, a sugar boiler with experience from Barbados, was either the owner or manger – about eight miles from Mackay, was the principle plantation. A start had been made to crush cane about the time the writer arrived, and the boiling juice caused an apple pie scent to pervade the air for considerable distance. Naturally a crushing mill being actually at work raised the hopes of all those who had been waiting for a few years, and as Pleystowe, Meadowlands, Pioneer, and other plantations either had cane growing or were busy planting and making preparations for erecting mills, it was easy to guess that in a few years there would be an activity in sugar cultivation that would astonish people.
The sleek Kanaka supplied the chief labour on all the plantations at this period, though there was such an amount of building and mechanical work going on that artisans were in fair demand. The gold digger had no one who favoured him, simply because it was feared a gold rush during the crushing season would cause him to throw up his jog and be off.
It took time of course to get these plantations going, but the fact that sugar was actually being made was very cheering. The news soon spread throughout Australia, for though sugar had been produced in Maryborough and further south, the climate and fertility of the Mackay district, not to mention the large quantity of suitable land, were all in its favour against districts where frosts were likely to do damage. At all events people with capital, or who represented capital, began to put in an appearance in greater numbers, and all of these seemed to recognize the great future that would ensue from cane growing as compared with other agricultural or pastoral efforts.
KANAKA LABOUR
With plantations increasing the demand for Kanakas became greater and recruiting from the South Sea Island became brisker every year. Either the man from the different Island were very unlike in stamina or working ability or else some of them were not managed properly, for there was a great difference in the work done. J. Spinder, owner of the Pioneer Plantation, worked the place entirely with Kanakas, with once white man to look after them. On the Pleystowe Plantation, some of the Kanakas would not work unless their white overseen took a hoe also. At this period there were Kanakas employed on many of the stations with in a hundred miles or more of Mackay. As a rule they were not a success, being too indolent and careless. On one station, either Cardowan or the next holding, it took four of them to work a crosscut saw. In traveling north the party came across a Kanaka shepherding and to an in inquiry he offered to sell a sheep for a shilling. As they were lambing the offer was declined, if for no other reason. At the boiling down at Scrubby Creek a lot of pigs were introduced to eat the refuse, and the Kanakas employed enjoyed roast sucking pig that cost them nothing. Sometimes a Kanaka would tell his boss, “Me seek” or “Me die,” and die he would, though apparently there was nothing wrong, or in spite of care and medicine.
At Smith’s Station on Suttor Creek in going north Bird’s party lost a couple of sheath knives at their camp which they had to leave hurriedly in the night through a storm. An aboriginal employed at the station knew a certain Kanaka had been there by his tracks. A complaint was made at the station, and the boss went to the Kanaka house, but they had all gone out with their sheep. A lot of strongly corded bundles were some opened, and inside were all kinds of knives and other things that had been stolen from the station, and also the two knives belonging to the travelers. It appears that every knife had been lost from the station at one time. This was an experience most people who employed Kanakas had to put up with knives, tomahawks and axes disappearing mysteriously.
It was a bit startling to newcomers particularly of the fair sex who lived outside the town to meet Kanakas in the road stark naked except for a loin cloth, or a little basket affair like the wicker baskets they used to sell a quart of strawberries in the old land. At that period they never molested women that the writer remembers, and people remembers, and people soon got used to lack of apparel.
It was when the recruiting vessels went back to the islands with the time expired laborers that the excitement took place in Mackay. The men returning had money to spend and spent it buying all manner of fancy drapery, blankets, cutlery, and other things to take back as presents to their chiefs and relations. No drinking was permitted and so everything went off swimmingly and the shopkeepers whished recruiting vessels were returning everyday.
There was a riot of sorts on the racecourse a year or two after the writer left, between the Kanakas and whites, but it is almost certain it was through giving them intoxicating drink. All things considered it is doubtful whether the majority of planter and station owners were not well pleased when the Kanakas had to return to their island homes for good. Some of the laborers had become skilful and were industrious and wished to make Queensland their homes. These were the men hard to part with but in many ways, so far as the majority of the labourers were concerned, there was a good deal of expense and anxiety for the medicam of work indifferently performed. That was certainly the station-owners experience.
FORMING A MUNICIPALITY
The streets of Mackay after a few days rain were in a deplorable condition for no attempt had been made to form and drain any of them except just the business portion of Sydney Street. It was in 1869 that it was found the population was big enough to form a municipality, and after the usual requisition this was accordingly done and aldermen elected with D. H. Dalrymple or Arthur Kemmis as Mayor, the writer forgets which. There was no great improvement for a while, but the severe typhoid epidemic of early 1870 woke every one up to the necessity of forming and metalling the streets and draining off the horrible pools of stagnant water that there were in places. There were a good many deaths from typhoid, what seemed all the more deplorable because all were well known. There was a low fever at the same time, which seemed to attack most of those who had not the more severe complaint, and altogether Mackay for a few weeks was a good place to be away from.
RELIGIOUS AND SOCIAL MATTERS
To a stranger Mackay and district appeared a very irreligious community. The Churches of England, with the Rev. Mr. Tanner as the minister, held services in Keeley’s Hall, but there was no Protestant Church. There was a small Roman Catholic Church in River Street, but whilst Mr. Thomas Fitzgerald, M.L.A., was absent on his parliamentary duties there was no priest stationed there. Father Lonergan, a brother of the late Mrs. M. Lanigan was sent there for a while, subsequently giving place to Father Bucas, a French priest of broad views, who so endeared himself to the people that he was beloved by all creeds. Governor Blackall laid the foundation stone of the present Church of England and with fair speed one of the prettiest little churches in the state was erected. The writer hold left before the building was completed, and before any other dissenting denomination had started to build.
In one respect Mackay held its own with almost any small community that was in its number of hotels. How they managed to exist was a mystery. It is always a saying – or was at that period – that boarders do not pay, and yet boarders must have furnished the bulk of the incomes of hotelkeepers. With a population of 400 or 500 at most there were five hotels, and M’Clusky’s Hotel four miles out on the Nebo road. As the population increased others hotels went up so as to keep pace with the advancement. The writer has not seen Mackay since 1881, but is informed that the town still holds its reputation for numerous licensed hostelries. William Sheehy now of Rockhampton, temporarily held the Queen’s Hotel, but James Robb soon became the landlord. Mr. Cook was one of the pioneers in this branch of industry, and was succeeded at the corner of Sydney and Victoria streets, by Korah Wills, a well–known hotelkeeper from the north, who changed the name to Wills’s Hotel, which it still retains. Mrs. Cook shifted further towards River street. At the corner of Wood and River streets, was Charles Keeley’s Golden Feece Hotel. He was one of those who took up great quantities of sugar land and must have made a lot of money when the boom was on. Another two-storey hotel was further up Wood-street.
Though Mackay was so admirably situated for bathing, there were not facilities for doing so. In those days a woman arrayed in a bathing suit would either have had half the population following her, or perhaps been arrested by the police. Some ladies got underneath the mangroves that fringed the banks in places and so had a safe and private spot when the tide suited. The men who indulged in such a luxury walked about 600 yards below the present wharf and went in at all hours naked. There was certainly no one about. It was quite easy to cross the river at low tides, just walk across. A few would go to the beach to bath, but there was the risk of having to go out half a mile if the tide was low. When the tides began to come in the water rose with considerable speed. The channel of the Pioneer had more twistings and turnings than a wriggling snake. Flat-top island was then known as Champion’s Island, after the captain of the Diamantina. There was a good bathing beach facing the island on the outside, but the undertow was very strong at times.
THE “MACKAY MERCURY”
It is not generally know, but a large majority of the newspapers in Queensland, and probably the other states also were started by practical printers, or else in partnership with a practical man. The reason is obvious, because but few who launched out with newspapers had much capital, and the most essential part of a newspaper is that the matter it contains should be set up and printed. A mechanic could of course be employed, but in starting a paper sometimes every effort has to be made ensure success – long hours and hard work. Charles Hardie Buzacott who started the “Peak Downs grab,” used frequently to setup his leading articles, and other matter without writing them at all. This of course was saving of effort, though not many could do it. In his case the putting of the type together would be done almost mechanically. In fact some compositors are able to set up “copy” correctly whilst thinking of something else.
The first originator of the “Mackay Mercury” was not a printer, he was an educated and trained journalist of experience, W.O. Hodgkinson, who in London before coming to Australia was a confrere of Augustus Sala. It was started in 1866, and Edward Wright was the printer. MacKay? did not advance rapidly enough for Hodgkinson, in fact was rather going back than forward, as already stated for a time. Quite a large number of practical printers in Australia have become distinguished journalists, but very few journalists have ever become practical printers. When Wright was induced to become the proprietor of the “Mercury” he had also to become the editor and reporter as well, for far too many people at least in the old days, think any time will do to pay the newspaper. He had a hard a struggle of it and it was bad luck to have to follow such a capable writer as Hodgkinson, for readers not unnaturally made comparisons that were not flattering to the new proprietor. These explanations are made in fairness to Wright, who was a good fellow, but whose greatest failing was endeavoring to please every body or perhaps it should be said his advertisers. Let an advertiser know his advertisement is of great importance *** a newspaper and he is to show his resentment if something is said he does not like. The writer remembers in Rockhampton when an irate advertiser, who was a political opponent, sent round to “Take my advertisement out of the Bulletin at once”. The next morning there was a paragraph announcing that in spite of the withdrawal of Mr. Blank’s advertisement it was intended to continue publishing the Bulletin. To prevent mistakes, the incident referred to occurred in the early seventies.
Wright made the mistakes of thinking the public wished to know his opinions on current events, but they had a much greater desire to get news or amusement, and one week it was a weekly paper--they got the letter with a vengeance-- the “Mercury” had published what was construed to be frightful libel. Not since the days in Hodgkinson’s time, when there was an amusing skit in rhyme of a famous fishing excursion, when all expect to be drowned, was there such a demand for the paper. A certain itinerant be true named bridges had come into verbal conflict with David Hay Dalrymple, chemist, and Dalrymple had written something which Wright was induced to publish in the reading columns, entitled “Maxims on Bridges.” There were ten or a dozen of these “maxims,” and as they were applied and as explained by Bridges himself before the magistrate in court, they were calculated to annoy. The first was “Monkeys originated Bridges.” The next “Old and rotten Bridges should be knocked down.” Another was “Bridges go from bank to bank seeking support, but if they are rotten and cannot support themselves they will not be supported by the banks.” Wright was quickly charged with criminal libel, but when the case come on he had some friends among townsmen who declared they though it was just a skit on a proposed bridge over the Pioneer, and the case was dismissed. The point, if the writer remembers correctly, was the Bridges was unable to prove any charge to his character.
The thought and care Wright gave to his leader every week recalls an amusing incident of the opposite description. When Charlie Govett was editor of the “Townsville Bulletin” for a time, he was pushed for a subject for an article, and he scissored a leader from a southern paper and introduced it thus: - Our contemporary, the “Dally Squash” has the following able article on the political situation with which we agree in every particular. It was leader writing made easy, but Charlie next move was southerly.
The Mercury now considered once of the best *** papers in Queensland and in the capable hand of the Mr. W. L. Manning and his staff to become a power in the district. Quite recently the paper and place have been removed into more commercial and premise and the writer regards that Edward Wright is not here to see how the ***struggled so hard with his ground and ***.
The “Mackay Standard” owned by Mr. H. Black, did not ever come existence till Mackay had grown considerably, some years after the writer left. It was a well-managed paper, and deserved the success it attained.
TRADE AND COMMERCE
Only a few of those connected with the trade and commerce of Mackay are now alive, but some of them have been succeeded by members of their families. The early merchants, Kemmis and Borey, John Allen, Warry and Marsh, M’ Bryde Brothers, George Smith, and a few others stood the brunt of the different days, and the writer is given to understand that Warry and Marsh of which Webster was then the manger, are new the leading merchant of the district, but all the others mentioned seem to have sold out. A branch of the Australian Joint Stock bank was early established with Goldes and Green as manger and accountant respectively. These are the two who were subsequently “stuck up” by a couple of robbers in the middle of the day and several hundred pounds stolen. D. H. Dalrymple, formerly with Payuter Brothers, Denham street. Rockhampton was the first and only chemist, subsequently becoming the member for the town and Ministry. There were two doctors, Tymous and M’Burney, the latter of whom acquired wealth and returned to the old land. Baker was the first police magistrate, and was succeeded by Dalrymple Hay, who proved an admirable man for the position. Mr. Wilson was the Post and Telegraph Master when the writer arrived, and was soon followed by Mr. Brown, who remained for a long period, and was held in high esteemed by all classes. P. M’Kenny and John Murtagh was saddlers, and W. Pearce and J .H. Sharp draper. Stains, still living, the writer hears, was the cabinet maker, and infact almost every avocation was represented down to Miles, the fruitier, who sold apples by weights.
Sugar making like most other industries, did not develop quite so rapidly as many hoped, but every season saw an improvement got only in methods *** in the quantity crushed the yield per acre. During the seventies the population of the town and district advanced rapidly and sugar plantations started in all directions north, south, and west covering a radius of many miles.
MACKAY MINERAL FIELDS
So much attention was given to sugar growing that very little effort was made to prospect the rangy country for metals, and it was not till about 1880 that gold was found at Nebo, followed by discoveries at Mount Britton, Gungella and other places.
ELECTION OF MEMBER
It was about 1870 that the election took place, when L. O. M’Devitt came out in the Liberal cause, and as the diehards could not get a suitable man to espouse their cause they nominated the Right Hon. John Bright, the British Parliamentarian, who was elected, but as he had no place on any Queensland roll, M’Devitt secured the seat.
RETURN SOUTH
The fever the writer got in the beginning of 1870, left him in poor health, and as smart young fellow had been trained up in the office, it was suggested that the writer should go back to Rockhampton. Wright saw the wisdom of the proposal, and they parted early in November with regrets on both sides. Things began to move along faster soon after the writer left, and an offer came to go back to Mackay, but was declined with thanks, promise having been made not to go north of Rockhampton again with the idea of living there.