Fact sheet 02 From Mangroves to Mountaintop

From Mangroves to Mountain Top 

A research into the reason for the building of the Cairns range Railway

By R.G. Robinson

Assistant Station Master

Cairns

Queenslandis the most fortunate of the eastern states of Australiain that she has been blessed with people keen enough to record those happenings, which go to make history.

When historians keep in mind the dictum of Cicero wherein he declaims, “Who does not know that it is the first law of history that it shall not dare to state anything which is false, and consequently that it shall not shrink from stating anything that is true, then history is indeed the witness of the times; the light of truth”.

It is with the dictum of Ciceroin mind that this short journal has been compiled from various checked, authentic sources, so that those people who are interested, may have a clear insight into one of the most fascinatingly beautiful and awe inspiring facets of your northern history – The Cairns Range Railway.

Before examining the facts and statistics of the Cairns Range Railway it may be pertinent to ask the questions – “Why was it built?”, also “Why was it built from Cairnsto the Atherton Tableland? Why not from Cardwell, or Innisfail, or Gordonvale, or from Port Douglas?”, Surely in the 1880’s the Government of the day did not build it as a scenic attraction for the thousands of tourists who travel its lengths each year in this modern time?

To uncover the complete story of the decision to build the Railway via the Barron Gorge one must travel back in time to 1871.

Although inland pastoral and mining settlements were being pioneered, pushing northward from Charters Towers, until 1871 only sketchy information had been provided of the area of the coastline form Cardwell north. Some Naval ships had casually inspected GreenIslandand TrinityBay, and in particular the Rattlesnake under Captain Owen Stanley reported a wide creek at TrinityBay. However, the first definite knowledge of that strip of coast from Cardwell northward was gained when the paddle steamer cruiser H.M.S. “basilisk” used FitzroyIslandas its base to search for the survivors of the wrecked brig “Maria”. Again in 1873, the same vessel captured two schooners from alleged breaches of the Imperial Pacific Islanders Protection Act and took them to FitzroyIsland. It was thus whilst engaged in all these occurrences that the vessel was able to make fairly substantial surveys of the coastline and in particular Trinity Bay which in part was described as “a low lying shore with mud and mangrove”.

The discovery of the Palmer Goldfields in 1873 and James Venture Mulligan’s report of payable gold on the field led to the desirability of an easy access to the sea.

G.E. Dalrymple was appointed to take charge of an expedition from Cardwell in September, 1873, He made ascents of the Johnstone, Russell and MulgraveRiversand viewed and inspected TrinityBayinlet. He pushed on and reached the EndeavourRiveron October 24th, one day ahead of the S.S. “Leichhardt” with a Government Party on board.

Cooktown thus became established as the port and base of the Palmer Goldfields.

West of Cardwell lay the Etheridge Goldfields and access by road was from Cardwell via the SeaviewRange. Thus it was that there were two goldfields with two very slow dray roads giving access to the sea.

In the meantime, beeche-de-mer fishers, using Cooktown as their base were working further south, and camping on Green Island and Fitzroy Island, they added to the knowledge of Trinity Bay. Included amongst them was a man with the common name of Bill Smith. Timber-getters were also moving south from Cooktown, first to the Bloomfield and Daintree Rivers and later to exploit the rich forests of cedar on the Mossman, Barron and Mulgrave Rivers.

Then, in 1876, J.V. Mulligan added further laurels to an amazing prospecting life by discovering the Hodgkinson Goldfield, directly west of the then almost unknown TrinityBay, and men flocked to it. Until this time, although the coast between Cardwell and Cooktown had become known to beeche-de-mer and timber-getters, its dense scrub and uncivilised natives prevented anything like complete exploration and settlement.

Access to the new Hodgkinson Field was from Cooktown via the PalmerRiver– indeed a very rough and slow route – or by a track from the field, which linked up with the Cardwell – Etheridge road. That distance being some 139 miles and therefore costs of transport were indeed heavy.

On 15th June 1876, rumours were rife on the Hodgkinson Field following the belated publication of G.E. Dalrymple’s report of a fine new harbour at TrinityBay. Bill Smith, now on the field, journeyed with a party to find a short route to the sea and was stopped by dense scrub country. However, from the heights they had obtained a view of the sea and Smith definitely recognised TrinityBay. He waxed enthusiastically on the advantages of the inlet and the fine depth of water.

Meanwhile, the Government sent Mr. Sheridan, P.M. at Cardwell to TrinityBayto fully inspect the harbour and this he did. He selected a site for settlement, which he named “Thornton”.

Bill Smith was sent by a Thornborough Committee on the Hodgkinson Field to Cooktown, thence by boat to TrinityBayfrom where he tackled the ranges. He ascended them on September 19th, 1876, but not via the unknown Barron River Gorge. Returning to TrinityBay, he took with him two mates, and, ascending the range again, he pushed through on foot to Thornborough; doing the 70 mile journey in about 4 days.

However, Sub-Inspector Douglas, the Warner Bros, and W. Williams left Thornborough on September 17th and taking new route followed the divide of the Surprise and Stoney Creeks, came down at the foot of Glacier Rock and arrived at the Inlet on 23rd September, about the same time that Smith arrived at Thornborough. They met at the Inlet with Sub-Inspector Johnstone and Sub-Inspector Townsend in the pilot boat from Cardwell. Thus it was that whilst Smith found a route up the range, the other party found a different route down the range.

Johnstone and Townsend patrolled the area and discovered the river northward of the inlet, naming it the Barron, after the Chief Clerk of Police.

So it was seen that Trinity Bay could be used as a port for the Hodgkinson Goldfields and, following a series of rapid events which occurred within six days from October 3rd, 1876, 300 persons had settled in at Trinity Bay; minters and others at Smiths Landing and the official party at the end of the beach at the mouth of the inlet. Although Sheridanhad named the place “Thornton”, Commissioner Sharkey was sent from Townsville on the “Porpoise” to survey the place for a town and to name it after the new Governor – Cairns.

The official party landed front he “Porpoise on the 6th day of October, 1876, and comprised Mr. Sharkey, Mr. Spence, Mr. Hartley, Captain Mylechrist and crew and 40 passengers. The commencing peg of the new town was placed at the corner of Wharf and Abbott Streets.

A dray road in place of the tracks found by Smith and Douglaswas needed as both routes were reported on as bad by leading men. Thus it came that, following successive trials and tribulations by various hardy and adventurous pioneers, during this time Messers. Dole and Evans found a mighty cataract on the BarronRiver, Frederick Warner plotted and found a way from the goldfields, which could be used as a practical dray road. This route crossed the Barron at Biboohra, crossed near Kuranda, then came down a spur three miles north of the BarronFallsand at the bottom recrossed the Barron again at the top of the tidal waters – Kamerunga (Lake Placidto the tourists).

During the early part of 1877, £9,979 was spent on the road but it proved unsatisfactory finally, being very steep and needed a “double banking” to the top; even then there were numerous sharp pinches to the top and until the scrub country was passed.

One or the most colourful personages to appear in the North emerged at this time in history and no history of the north would be complete without a reference to this most extraordinary personality who roamed the jungle in the infant years of the north. It is asserted that he assisted Bill Smith in his exploration from TrinityBay, that he was with Mulligan on the Palmer; but what is true is that his exploits became legendary.

His name was Christie Palmerston.

In 1877 he was concentrating on prospecting at the head of the Daintree River and those who have seen this wild jungle mountainous country, even in this modern time, will be first to give his some acknowledgement for his bushcraft.

Palmerston made friends with the natives wherever he went and acquired the knowledge from them with regard to edible roots, nuts, yams, fruits and fisheries. In return he was able to furnish the natives with gams from his firearms. This enabled him to roam country no other white man could penetrate.

In April of 1877, Palmerston and his mate Layton Discovered a track suitable for a good road from Port Douglas to the Hodgkinson Goldfield. The way was much shorter and less precipitous than the route from Cairnsand, as Port Douglas had a fine but shallow harbour, with the establishment of a road to the Port, made it bloom and so trade consequently turned away from Cairnsto Port Douglas.

So much so, that most of the business people of Cairnsand Smithfield, which had grown at the foot of Warners Road, shifted their business premises from there to Port Douglas.

It is pertinent here to state that Palmerston’s find really led to the establishment of Port Douglas, Cairnssuffered a serious blow to its importance and a decline in this prosperity. The Police Magistrate was transferred from Cairnsto Port Douglas in 1878 and early in 1879 the Land Office and then the District Court was transferred from Cairnsto Port. The gold escort from the Hodgkinson had in 1878 already been diverted to the new port.

In June 1875, J.V. Mulligan had found good prospects of tin on the WildRiver, and shortly after his Hodgkinson gold find, tin was also found near where Mareeba now stands at Tinaroo. Thus the road from Port Douglas began to serve both Hodgkinson and Tinaroo fields.

In May, 1880, about 8 miles below Mulligan’s find on the WildRiver, a rich discovery of tin lead to the Herberton Tinfields Rush. The Port Douglas Roadwas hastily pushed through to Herberton and Port Douglas boomed afresh; and Cairnsbegan to die.

Horse pack teams became the only users of the Cairns Road and the years 1880 and 1881 were the years of the greatest depression in Cairns, relieved only mildly by the short lived Goldsborough Gold find (near Gordonvale) and timber getting. A devastating cyclone in 1879 brought total disaster to Smithfield and serious loss to Cairns and over the years 1878 to 1881, many speeches were made in Parliament fearing the total annihilation of Cairns, and one member even stated that the town was doomed and that the money paid for land on the grounds that the buyers had been misled by glaring advertisements.

However, those people who stayed on in Cairnshad faith and they continued to eke out a small existence believing that providence would provide and see them through their various calamities.

Meantime a shorter route from Herberton to the coast was being explored and firstly John Atherton and then James Robson (later murdered by the Aboriginal Darkie at Myola) penetrated from Herberton through to and down the MulgraveValley, Allowing tin to be packed direct from Herberton to load onto small steamers at the far reaches of Trinity Inlet. The distance was much shorter than the Herberton to Port Douglas road but was still only a track and drays could not travel it.

Then came misery for thousands on the Herberton field. The road from Port Douglas to Herberton was proving difficult in the wet season and in 1882 the north had a very prolonged wet season so that Herberton, being unable to obtain supplies, was on the verge of famine. It was not until June of that year that supplies reached the field, and then carried in at a cost of £18 to £24 a ton, because of having to be weeks and weeks on the road.

And so the people of Herberton raised loud and angry voices and began agitation for a railway to the coast.

Mr. Stubley, M.L.A. for ChartersTowers, visiting Herberton in January of 1882, had made the first public utterance of the need of a railway and the famine, which followed, made up the minds of the sensible folk that it was a dire necessity.

Mr F.A. Cooper, M.L.A. for Cook promised a railway from Herberton to Port Douglas. Coming general elections, and cold weather in the south, saw visits of leading politicians all with the promise of a railway and most with definite ideas on the subject, until in March, 1882, Mr Macrossan, Minister for Works and Mines, announced, in consequence to a promise both to the people of Port Douglas and of Cairns that he had commissioned Christie Palmerston to search for a railway route from Herberton to the coast.

In February 1882, both Port Douglas and Cairnshad formed a Railway League and engaged in a long and bitter fight for the Railway.

Palmerston commenced his journeys at the MossmanRiverand tried in turn the Mossman and MowbrayValleysand spurs for a route. During the year, he worked along the coast form Mossman to Cairnsand then he tried the BarronValleyand the MulgraveValley.

Geraldton – later to be renamed Innisfail – then came into the competition for the line, considering the claims of MourilyanHarbourto be sound, and formed a Railway League. Failing to get the Government to send Palmerston to find a route, the local Divisional Board engaged him.

In February 1882, Mr. G.W. Monk, Surveyor, was appointed to investigate and report on the routes being found by Palmerston. Mr. Monk was a experienced bushman, as well as surveyor, but was the first to acclaim Palmerston’s marvellous superiority in the jungle clad mountainous environment.

In November of 1882, Palmerston mad the trip form Mourilyan to Herberton in 9 days and repeatedly came across the track made by Inspector Douglas in May of that year during the long heavy wet. Douglashad travelled from Herberton to Mourilyan and had wired the Colonial Secretary – “Arrived Mourilyan 18th May. Fearful trip. No chance of road. 20 days without rations, living on roots principally. 19 days rain without intermission. Brought party safe but suffering from sores. Track marked and cut.”

In good weather, Palmerston was able to see where Douglascould have avoided the precipitous country over which he travelled and he was very enthusiastic about the route he had himself found, but – the Divisional Board at Geraldton defaulted in paying him and he alienated his support. Palmerston only submitted his reports on the routes he had found under Government Commission.

In January 1883 – in heavy rain- following pressure from Geraldton, Mr. Monk, accompanied by Palmerston, made the trip from Herberton to Mourilyan, but following Christie Palmerston’s alienation of affections with the Divisional Board at Mourilyan one is left to ponder as to just which way Mr Monk was travelled.

In March 1994, Mr. Monk’s surveys and reports were submitted and culminated in being in favour of the route found by Palmerston via the BarronValleygorge.

The storm of indignation which followed from Port Douglas and Geraldton was and enormous as the jubilation expressed by the people of Cairns. The protests were so enormous that Mr. O.L. Amos carried out several trial surveys from Port Douglas, but, nevertheless, by February 1885, Mr Monk and Mr Amos completed working plans for the Cairns– Herberton route and on 19th September 1885, Cabinet approved on the plans.

The controversy which raged thereafter over the selection of Cairnscould cover several large volumes, but should anyone’s interest in the matter be sufficiently aroused it is recommended the pamphlet written by Swannick, which is now in the Oxley Memorial Library, be read.

The later opening of the line made a gateway to the rich mining belt, to the huge timber reserves and opened up immense and enduring grazing and agricultural lands. By bringing inland trade to Cairnsthe port was enlarges, industry established and the town prospered.

The passing of the years is adding to the romance of Australian exploration and discovery, more particularly as the genesis of many settlements of the interior true to a marked degree in North Queensland, where the coast towns from Mackay to Cooktown with the exception of Innisfail, were founded as a result of either pastoral or mineral development inland.

An enthralling chapter in the history of the development of the Great Northern Lands was the construction of the Range Railway – an engineering feat of tremendous magnitude achieved when North Queenslandwas still young. For all time the Range Railway will stand as a monument to the splendid ambitions, fortitude and suffering of the hundreds of men who engaged in its construction, and of those who lost their lives among the perils which this marvellous work involved.

On May 10th 1886, the then Premier of Queensland, Sir Samuel Walker Griffiths, used a silver spade to turn the first sod. The ceremony was performed on Railway property almo9st directly behind where the Queens Hotel now stands and celebrations embracing almost the entire population of Cairnslasted all that day and night.

It was decided to build the line in sections and construction was to be placed in the hands of private contractors with Government Surveyor, G.W. Monk and Engineer in Chief, Mr. Hannam being in charge of construction. Assisting with the planning and supervision of the enterprise were Mr. M. Ballard, Chief Engineer, and Surveyor O.L. Amos.

The first section of the line was of a length of 8 ¼ miles from Cairnsto a little4 beyond Redlynch and the contract for this portion was won by P.C.Smith at the price of £20,000. However, the section was dogged by bad luck and a possible lack of firm supervision. It may be of interest that to secure a job as a navvie on the project, one had to supply ones own shovel.

On the 7th July 1886, the “LowtherCastle” arrived with the first shipment of 2,600 tons of rails and material. The railway wharf had been built by Louis Severin but due to the heavy weight of the freight, the “LowtherCastle” was drawing 21ft. and had to be lightened at the fairway buoy so that it could enter port. The lightering alone cost £2,000.

Delay prolonged the work well into the wet season. Sickness was prevalent amongst the navvies, the working conditions in the swamps and jungle being so appalling that a Magisterial Enquiry was ordered into the deaths of two men who died through lack of medical attention. Horses used in the swamps became so hopelessly bogged that they had to be shot and left to sink in the mud.

On the 21st January 1997, Jon Robb’s tender of £290,094 of the second section to Myola was accepted. By June 1887, on the first section, the rails had been laid to only a little beyond Stratford and yet by that time John Robb, in preparing of the building of the second section had established his offices at Barronville (later Kamerunga), had erected a sawmill there, opened a ballast pit in the Barron there, and had started gangs on clearing and the cuttings of the second section.

P.C. Smith had thrown up the contract for the first section in November 1886 and it was taken over by McBride & Coy but they too ceased operations in January 1997. The Queensland Government then took over the completion of the first section.

On 2nd January 1887the “Silver Wave” schooner landed two composite carriages on the railway wharf and in March 1997, the brig “Mabel White” landed the first consignment of plant and material for John Robb’s contract together with the first locomotive.

In October 8th, the first section being complete it was officially opened from Cairnsto Redlynch and shortly after to Kamerunga ballast pit and sawmill.

The first Railway Station in Cairnswas build by Reid Brothers and when the line was opened for public traffic on 26th September 1997the train crew was Driver Henry Fuelling, Fireman William Bell and Guard H.Harris.

The work on the second section to Myola had been commenced on 28th April by gangs working on clearing cuttings etc. by sub-contract. It was thus that the first fatal accident occurred at Beard’s cutting when a man named Gavin Hamilton got on the wrong side of a log being rolled into a fire and was knocked over and incinerated.

In an excerpt from “The Cairns Post” Jubilee Supplement of November1926, an old resident of Cairns, recalls that he recollected the building of the Range Railway over its various escarpments and makes mention of seeing men, slung by ropes between Red Bluff and Camp Oven Creek as they cleared the formations, At one place there was a rough track leading above the escarpment and he states that many men fell to their deaths when traversing it.

On that second section, there were 98 curves over its 15-mile length and 15 tunnels with bridges over every ravine and creek coming down the mountain side with some of the bridges hanging dizzily over depths of hundreds of feet.

Robb and his men tackled the jungles and mountains, not with bulldozers, jack hammers and modern day equipment, but with brains, fortitude, hand tools and hand drills, dynamite, buckets and bare hands.

Great escarpments were taken from the mountain above the line and every loose rock and overhanging tree carefully removed. It was thus that the famous Red Bluff and the Glacier Rock became exposed and became landmarks as the line was build around the spur leading from Stoney Creekto the Barron Gorge.

During the Construction the navvies’ camps were formed at the cutting and tunnel and even comparatively narrow ledges became the site of stores – not wholly catering for the needs of the men in the way of groceries and drapery.

At number-3 tunnel, Stoney Creek, the Springs at the foot of Glacier Rock, Camp Oven Creek, Surprise Creek and Gray’s Pocket (Rainbow Creek) just above the falls, were in their day busy and thriving mushroom towns. Kamerunga at the foot of the range and the site of John Robb’s main office and sawmill boasted no fewer than five hotels.

At one stage of the construction, 1,500 men in all were engaged in various activities associated in the building of the line.

The second section of the Cairns-Herberton link was completed at Myola, just beyond Kuranda, and opened for traffic on 15th June 1891, five years after the first sod was turned in Cairnsand this opened up the hinterland to the portof Cairns.

The building of the line beyond Myola is another story; suffice to mention that there was some bad trouble experienced at the ClohesyRiverand BarronRiverbridges. However, there is much more to relate on the building of the range Railway.

Doctor Queely was the first doctor on the project and he was succeeded by Dr. Dobbie at Kamerunga.

It is necessary to state, and I exemplify this, that many vague and inaccurate statements have been made regarding the loss of life in the building of the Range portion of the Railway. At the end of this journal I have tabulated those deaths and accidents which I have been able to unveil, however, hundreds of accidents and some deaths have been left unrecorded, but many, many deaths did occur through sickness and it is enough to state that in all the colossal sum for those times of £1,400 in wages was unclaimed.

The men employed on the construction were of various nationalities, with the majority being either Italian or Irish; the Italians coming under a special treaty between Italyand Queensland. Mention must be made of the Italian flag that for years flew unmolested during and after the construction from Robb’s Monument.

During the construction, in the years 1888 and 1889, a great transformation took place in the streets of Cairns. Until then, from Abbott Streetto McLeod Streetwas only a sandy boggy track; that area being mostly swampy mangrove. The town Council made arrangements with the railway contractors and special ballast lines were laid from the railway station down Shields Street and into Abbott Street, and railway trucks unloaded rocks and spoilt from the Range construction into the streets, thus commencing the first large scale reclamation of the swamps and mangroves of Cairns.

On 28th April 1870, His Excellency, General Sir Henry Wylee Norman made the second vice-regal visit to Cairnsand he and his party made an inspection of the construction.

John Robb tendered a reception to His Excellency and his party in a most unusual manner – to the unbounded astonishment of the Governor – on the Stoney CreekBridge, then in the course of construction and nearly completed. Described as a bridge on a full curve, with four by 50ft. and three by 30ft. spans and piers of concrete and iron, planks had been laid over the sleepers on the finished portion a had rail erected, roofed over and a long table built along the middle part where the rails were to be laid. No speeches due to the noise of the falls – one toast only – to the Governor. One could almost say a perfect combination – the pretty falls on one side, dizzy depths on the other, splendid company, wonderful food and drink and – no speeches. The Governor’s train arrived at the falls made up with the Governor’s carriage pushed by the engine and behind the engine, trucks fitted with seas for the journalists and others. Later several of the pressmen made a trip on horseback to view the mighty cataract found by Doyle and Evens – the BarronFalls. Among them were R.W. Bates (The Cairns Post), E.J. Banfield (The Townsville Bulletin) and G. Gates. They were accompanied by Professor Shelton and Captain Baden – Powell.

At a meeting held at Kamerunga on 20th April 1888, the Irish workers were predominate in the formation of the Victorian Labour League, but there was little labour trouble between workers and contractors as all realised the magnitude of the task before them and industrial relations could be described, especially in comparison to this day and age, as very harmonious.

In September 1888, intimation was communicated to John Robb from the Government declining to take over the temporary line from Redlynch to Kamerunga and the gravel pits of the BarronRiver. Sand from the BarronRiverwas used for all of the concrete work on the second section. Trucks were sent up the permanent way as far as the construction allowed, sand and cement was then bagged and packed on mules along the ledges cut in the mountain side to the different jobs. Cement that came in casks from aborad was also packed in bags and taken on mules up the mountainside from the junction of Stoney Creekand the BarronRiverto the springs at the Bluff.

The building of number 15 tunnel, the longest tunnel on the line, proved difficult and in 1889 led to a temporary hold up in construction. However, on 11th December 1889, the ten Chief Engineer of Railways, Mr. Stanley and one of the three Railway Commissioners, arrived and authorised the necessary deviation from the original plans, and work recommenced on the seventeen-chain tunnel. To make up for loss of time, drives were made so that men could work on eight faces of the tunnel at once.

On 11th January 1890, the dredge “Platypus” arrived at Cairnsto commence work on the deepening of the harbour and this was so successful that in November of that year the barque “Comrade” from Englandentered the port with 5,000 barrels of cement for the Range Railway.

In August 1890, the great maritime strike spread to the Railway workers and they formed a Union, the United Sons of Toil. They made a demand of nine shillings per day. By September the difference between contractors and navvies had been resolved so that the navvies received eight shillings and sixpence per day – the previous rate being eight shillings, with a proportionate scale for classified skilled workers. Some further friction developed in November over the dismissal of two of the strike committee but the men were not reinstated. The Sons of Til decided to affiliate with the Australian Labour Federation and Mr. Lowry, the A.L.F. Delegate addressed meetings in Cairnson alien immigration, Italian labour and generally organised labour activities.

By the end of 1890 the cementing of all the tunnels was completed, plate laying was well to the top of the range and men were leaving as the work on the several bridges was finished.

The year 1891 commenced with an early, heavy and prolonged wet season and a heavy landslide occurred on the Railway. Seventy-five inches of rain fell in six weeks but the work on the Railway continued and on 9th February the last iron bridge was completed. On 12th March 1891, the first ballast train reached BarronFallsand a month later on 12th April, reached Kuranda. By 13th May 1891, the rail was laid to the end of the second section of Myola.

John Robb was refused the right to carry goods or passengers but a month later the railway was formerly opened by Mr. Johnston, one of the three Railway Commissioners, for good traffic.

On 25th June 1891, passenger traffic was commenced and John Robb entertained a large official party at luncheon at the BarronFalls. The people of Cairnswere annoyed that no excursion was arranged or public holiday proclaimed or any fuss made at the opening of the line.

Mr John Robb is said to have made a profit of£125,000 on the contract but I exemplify that I am unable to substantiate this statement and I cast grave doubts on his profit being so large. In 1892 he filed a claim with the Queensland Government for the sum of £262,311 but was only later awarded the amount of £20,000 after arbitration. John Robb did not settle in the North but returned to Melbourne.

The third stage of the Cairnsto Herberton link was under contract to Messrs. Sutherland and McKenzie, but the building of the line to Myloa opened up an easy access by road and rail from the various centre of the hinterland to the portof Cairns. One of the first to use the new railhead at Myola was the famous firm of Cobb and Co.

The opening of the line spelt disaster to the town of Port Douglasand it now rests snugly and lonely as a tourist’s delight with its pioneer buildings and other glorious points of interest.

With Cardwell no longer needed as a jumping off place to the backcountry, it too faded into solemnity although recently aroused to a feverish state through tourism.

Geraldton, later Innisfail, prospered and enlarged in its own right caused by the establishment of the sugar industry.

This journal has been compiled and condensed by me from historical works of J.W. Collinson Dr. R.I. Jack, Gilbert Parker, Edward Palmer, Fred T. Winble, Inspector Robert Johnstone and from various old files, following the asking of a history of the Railway over the Range by many tourist and others. However, I personally, have been always, since childhood fascinated by the range Railway and through association there are many anecdotes I could relate, however, I prefer to leave this as a factual history only.

My own close relationship with the Range Railway is shared by many northerners through their grandfathers working of the construction. My mother’s father, John Elliott, was an early settler, on the DaintreeRiverwhere he engaged in timber getting and teamsters work. He followed Christie Palmerston’s steps with his team and was one of the first to take hauls from Port Douglas to Herberton. Indeed it was that, whilst so engaged on one of these long hauls, my grandmother then a young bride, was attacked, battered and robbed in her home by an aboriginal who had been outlawed from his own tribe. Upon his return, my grandfather hunted the outlaw and a few days later he spied him at the far end of Four-mile beach. Instead of taking him into custody he despatched the pool soul with his rifle and buried his body deep in the sand. He was not arrested for his act of vengeance but, partly because of the furore the incident occasioned, he later left the are and worked as a packer, and alter a tunneller, for John Robb on the Range Railway. He and my grandmother later settled in Herberton where he became a miner, eventually dying from the dreaded miner’s phythis. My Grandmother, a close relative of Inspector Johnston and accomplished nurse, became the town midwife and helped deliver most of the early pioneer’s children into the world.

My own father was attracted to the north early in the present century and worked for many years rebuilding many of the range railway bridges. It was during school holidays that I camped with him and his mates on the range and learnt the close comradeship of men in isolated association. They showed me all the creeks, gullies and crags and related stories of nearly every one. They were happy times for me and therefore, if this journal has been able to, not only cover your curiosity, but to further your interest in the Range Railway, then my own personal purpose has proved fruitful.

Most books on the building of the railway are out of print, however, through libraries, you may be able to find the following which recommend to you because of the strict authenticity of detail:-

Early Days of CairnsJ.W. Collinson

More about CairnsJ.W. Collinson

TropicCoastand TablelandsJ.W. Collinson

Northmost AustraliaR.I. Jack

Round the compass in AustraliaGilbert Parker

Early days in North QueenslandEdward Palmer

Climbing the LadderFred T Winble

Spinafex and WattleInspector Robert Johnstone

If ever the works of North Queensland’s beloved historian, Mr. Hugh M Borland, formerly of Mareeba, are published – I especially recommend them to you.

Known Accidents on the Cairns Range Railway Construction. 

May1887Gavin HamiltonBurnt to death, Beards Gutting

16th July1887John WilloughbyWas charging a hole with explosives

at No.7 tunnel, a stone fell into the drill

hole, he tried to scrape it out and the charge

exploded. He died within ten minutes

31st March1888Thomas HughesKilled – Crushed by a railway truck

13th June1888Daykin PeberbyManager of Robbs Sawmill – seriously injured.

7th August 1888David TafflesFell from the Red Bluff – 400 feet and was

killed instantly

24th September1888Ralph AntoniaFall of earth, No. 13 tunnel

James Bull All three were killed

Lisidine Conoma

Seven others injuredPremature explosive n the same tunnel.

Explosive was called “Rock-a-Rock”.

26th September1888John ZappaAn Italian fell five hundred feel into the bed

of the BarronRiverand was killed.

29th September1888William Rose

Armego Citronifell twenty feet Rose badly hurt, but Citroni 

only slightly.

April1889Newberry and six othersin a fall in the Cairnsend of No.15 tunnel

July1889Martin HanlyKilled through a trolley capsizing on him.

August1889Willaim Smith Killed instantly while examining a charge of

Sullivandynamite that had misfired. William Smith was not the Bill Smith of road exploration fame. Bill Smith met his death in a shooting tragedy At Smithfield

Date UnknownAn un-named Italian crushed to death by a 

falling tree. Citroni Giovanni struck by falling 

stone and killed instantly.

December1889John KehoneKilled in a fall over a cutting onto the line

18th January1890WatersKilled in a fall of earth in a high cutting

September1890PalestroFell into Stoney Creekand was drowned.

October1890Bridge Inspector J.W. MartinSlipped on rocks above the BarronFalls. His

body was recovered at the foot of the falls,

frightfully crushed.

1st June1891John Robb Were capsized from a Railway tricycle and John

Mr. Buchanan (Engineer)Robb was injured, but not seriously.

There were many other accidents, mainly through carelessness with explosives, but these were unrecorded.

However the greatest killer of men employed on the railway construction was sickness caused through malaria, scrub typhus, dysentery, snakebite, and by scrub ticks. Kamerunga even recorded two cases of leprosy.

Robb’s Monument was left as a memorial to John Robb, but the whole line from Cairns to Kuranda stands as a permanent memorial, used by tens of thousands every year, to the men who lived, worked and sometimes died in its making.

May it be preserved for all time.

R.G. Robinson

Assistant Station Master

Cairns