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Capo di Monte, Tamborine Mountain ca. 1914 (8\' cour1cs\' of the author)

Page Eigliteen Heritage A Land of Hills and Valleys Tamborine Mountain - 1875 to 1914 by Mrs. E. Curtis

Tamborine Mountain lies about sixty kilometres south east sold their land to a syndicate formed to buy up these small holdings. of the centre of , halfway between Southport to the east Of the men who took up land in the last century, the descendants and Beaudesert to the west. Although forming part of the Darlington of only one family still live on Tamborine Mountain, and Portion Range (itself a northward running spur of the McPherson Range, 103, Parish of Tamborine, selected by Sydney Curtis, comprises itself a spur of the Main Divide) it stands as a semi-isolated block the only area lived on by his descendants. His two daughters-in-law, with an average height of five hundred and fifty metres. Farming ~ and his niece, live on this land today. ~ avocadoes, rhubarb, small crops, and flowers are grown continues In 1875, late in August and early in September, a number of on the Mountain, although some recent subdivision has taken place. landholders living near the Mountain decided to apply for leases The Mountain is frequently visited by day trippers from Brisbs.ne on it. These men could never have regarded Mountain land as and the nearby Gold Coast. There are three small centres, North either a home or a livelihood. At the time of making application Tamborine, Eagle Heights and Mount Tamborine. The landscape for leases, the six men between them already held twenty-two in 1975 contrasts strongly with that of 1875, as much of the leases, amounting to 4,820 acres, and later took out a further original rainforest in the higher rainfall area on the east has been fifteen leases, these totalling 3,604 acres. 5 Thomas Plunkett cleared, although some areas have survived in National Parks. The applied for Brisbane selection 2532 on 30 August 1875, and one eucalypt forest of the western aspect still contains many of the week later four other men went to Brisbane from the Tamborine original species, including bloodwood (E intermedia), grey gum district to apply for leases ~ John Ryan, Anthony Flanagan, (E proprinqua)) spotted gum (E maculata)) blue gum (E Michael Yore, and William Walsh in partnership with his uncle, teriticornis)) red gum (E salina), box (E tristania) and grey iron John Callaghan. 6 Of the four leases applied for on that day, 6 bark (E drepanophylla). September 1875, two were forfeited for non-payment of rent, and The settlement of Tamborine Mountain was not a logical not lived on. Michael Yore lived on freehold land within fifteen extension of the settlement of the surrounding lands. The miles of his new lease (Portion 80, Parish of Tamborine) and so did 2 Tamborine Run was taken up in about 1843 , but it was not until not need to live there to fulfil residence requirements. Similarly, thirty years later that men began to live on Tamborine Mountain. Arthur Binstead applied in 1875 to lease Portion 43, Parish of Even then, the Mountain was settled almost as an island, and bred Cedar, on the eastern edge of the Mountain. 7 (This is now the in its inhabitants an interdependence and spirit of co-operation site of the Golf Club.) Tohn Callaghan was different from the that showed itself for many years. Access roads were built by other men; he owned no land, and was prepared to spend his community effort, and as recently as 1958, Mountain residents money, time and effort to fulfill the homestead conditions necessary surveyed and built a road down McDonnell Ridge to the Coomera for the attainment of the deeds. He was not a young man, and Valley, to link up with a road over the Wonga Wallan range, and walked with a limp and a stick, but slowly and methodically he thence to Oxenford and the coast. worked to clear fifteen acres,' plant maize and built a slab house The early isolation and the slow settlement of the Mountain with a shingle roof. 8 Thomas Plunkett (who applied for Portion were caused not only by the difficulty of access, but also bv the 83, Parish of Tamborine) had other more important leases 9 and onerous task of clearing the rainforest, said to be some of the never lived on this land, but his bailiff Callaghan Callaghan, resided densest in . That the rainforest, or scrub, there from 10 May 1878 until 29 June 1882, when a deed was was difficult to fell, and slow to burn is shown by the improvements issued to Plunkett. 10 listed by early settlers. In Selection files of the Lands Department On 15 September 1875, James Henderson applied to lease ~ appear such entries as '5 acres scrub land cleared', '10 acres Portion 85A, Parish of Tamborine, now known as the Beacon. 11 cleared', and '12 acres cleared', and this over a period of several Like Michael Yore, Henderson lived on freehold land within years. 3 Even when the land was cleared it was extremely difficult fifteen miles of this Portion, so residence there was not necessary, to make a living, for all its fertility. Small clearings in high timber and a bailiff later effected his improvements. So, after the arrival received little sunlight, and crops were poor. of John Callaghan in September 1875, for eighteen months he was The accounts left by the first settlers confirm that the the only man living on Tamborine Mountain. Letters in the Queens­ Aborigines did not live on the Mountain, but used it regularly land State Archives written by his wife, Margaret Callaghan, tell as a hunting ground. Edmund Ford Curtis told of finding wild of her living there with him at various times, but whether together ginger that had been chewed and spat out, and many artefacts or alone, it must have been a lonely life, and their eldest daughter have been found. 4 Stones foreign to this Mountain have been worked in Brisbane to help support the family. 12 discovered under black bean trees, indicating that they could have Taking advantage of the Homestead provisions contained in the been used for crushing the beans, while stone axes and cutting Crown Lands Alienation Act of 1876, Edmund Ford Curtis selected flints, not of Mountain stone, have also been found. Portion 100, Parish of Tamborine, on 20 April 1877. '3 In 1870, Before settlement, timber was taken from the Mountain, when only 16 years old, he and his younger brother Sydney had both cedar (Cedrela australis) and beech (Gmelina leichardtia) , walked up the Mountain via Sandy Creek, from their father's land through in many instances trees were cut and the logs left to rot, on the Albert River (Caleb Curtis). Both young men were im­ owing to the lack of easy access. When Edmund Ford Curtis pressed with the untouched beauty of the Mountain, and both selected land in 1877 he found beech stumps and logs on his decided to live there when they were old enough. Accordingly, selection, and other settlers had the same experience. Any cedar early in 1877 Edmund returned to the Mountain, to find Tohn logs left would have rotted away. After settlement, timber­ Callaghan living there. Edmund Ford Curtis always said how 'kind getting was tried as a means of earning a living and numerous Callaghan was to him, and to later settlers, and how he helped him varieties of crops were grown with differing success, but it was choose an area for selection. Edmund Curtis cleared a small area not until orchards came to maturity and dairying was begun early deep in the rainforest, and two years later brought to the Mountain in this century that a real living was possible for farmers on the his bride, Mary Curtis. In 1866, as Mary Pollock, aged eight, she Mountain. In the meantime, many had tried and failed, and had had travelled from England in the Maryborough) the same ship as

Queensland Heritage Page Nineteen did Edmund, aged eleven, and his father Caleb, and later the two and to have used the proceeds of the sale for the first of three families had lived on adjoining properties on the Albert River. 14 trips to Ireland. 24 It was on Portion 83 that the steam sawmill, Before his marriage, Edmund Ford Curtis had found the Mountain known as Carter's Mill, was built, but it was not an economic a lonely place, and late one afternoon, finding he could endure proposition, mainly due to the problem of freighting timber. During the solitude no longer, he had grabbed his coat and returned to the short time it was in operation a road was opened to the his family's home on the Albert River. He spent the night there, Coomera, to enable timber to be shipped from there. This road, and returned the next morning. From his clearing he had followed now known as Long Road, divided the properties of four settlers, the survey line until he met the ridge that led to the Knoll, and and caused a certain amount of inconvenience to James McDonnell, the track that went down beside and to the north west of the who claimed that the road went through his south eastern boundary. Knoll, and to the foot of the Mountain. This became the approx­ His efforts to have it closed were of no avail. 25 imate route of the old road. At a meeting called to discuss the road Another settler of 1879 was Cornelius Brady, who applied some years later, an official gave it as his considered opinion that for Portion 113 on the eastern side of the Mountain. 26 On 6 Tamborine Mountain would never be served by anything but October 1910 James Bryce bought a section of this Portion and bullock teams, and for that reason the road should be as straight in 1911 sold it to Henry Day and his wife. They held it until as possible, with no cuttings made. But this road was still in the October 1920 when it was sold to Theodore Colquhoun Witherby future, and the Mountain was still a lonely place. One day Mary who subdivided the area and named it Eagle Heights. A daughter, Curtis left their hut for a walk, but soon became lost, and Anne Day, married William Kidd, and their son, Alec Kidd, farms eventually panicked as she tried to make her way through the at North Tamborine today. Alec's father and Sam Chapelow bought lawyer-vine scrub which tore at her hands and clothes. Coming Portion 80, originally Michael Yore's, in 1911 or 1912. The two at last to a clearing, she was surprised to see a strange house; she cleared the area and dairy farmed there; William Kidd's house knew that no one else lived there, As she became calm again she was on the site of Max Baker's home, while Chapelow lived realized that she must have gone around in a circle - and was at the corner of Main and Beacon roads, and kept a store there looking at her own home. To read of settlers who had come by 1880 - when John Progressively, more people applied to select land on Tamborine and Robert Pindar settled on Portions 82 and 82A 27 - would Mountain. On 1 June 1877, Theresa Ryan applied to lease Portion give one the impression that the Mountain was becoming a busy, 102, Parish of Tamborine, below the knoll. 15 This became known though sparsely populated community. This picture is far from to later residents as 'Tizzie Ryan's Pocket'. On 13 June, Daniel the truth. Some settlers did not live on their land, others came and Kelso, uncle of Mary Curtis, selected Portion 101, adjoining the land went - and one bailiff had an almost permanent sign on his hut of his niece and her husband. 16 In the same month, Sydney Curtis saying 'Gone to the creek for water. Back in half an hour.' At any applied to lease the present Portions 103 and 118 17, on the one time there would have been only a handful of people living on northern side of Edmund Curtis's block, and it was on a section of the Mountain, and these were not in frequent contact with each this, near the Falls, that the Curtis brothers in the next decade other, but living in 'small holes in the scrub', where they had made built the Water Wheel. their clearings. However, at no time was the Mountain deserted. In September 1877, Timothy Callaghan, sometimes known as In the early 1880s, when a good price could be obtained for O'Callaghan, applied to select Portion 91, the north end of arrowroot, Albert, Sydney, Edgar and Clifford Curtis erected a Tamborine Mountain east of Main Street. This was Anthony small steam mill on the Mountain and grew arrowroot, but the Flanagan's forfeited lease. It is uncertain whether or not John price dropped, and the project was abandoned. However, this was Callaghan, Timothy Callaghan or Callaghan Callaghan (Thomas not the only mill they built. In 1888 Sydney and Edgar Curtis, Plunkett's bailiff) were related. Timothy Callaghan lived with help from their brother Clifford, erected a water-powered on his block from 1878 to 1881. 18 Later in September, sawmill on Cedar Creek. None was an engineer, but they followed 1877, James McDonnell applied to select a homestead principles laid down in a book on Mills and Millwork, and built area, 150 acres (Portion 106) and iOJ 1884 he applied a mill with a 24 foot wheel two or three chains upstream from to lease an adjoining 160 acres (Portion 130).'9 Like Curtis Falls. The creek was dammed about ten chains above the many settlers on Tamborine Mountain, McDonnell experienced Falls each night, and released in the morning to power the wheel, great difficulty in making a living, and because of his daughter's which developed about ten horse power. The water was directed poor health, he was obliged to take his family to Brisbane to be onto the wheel through a flume which consisted of split hollow near medical care, He could not therefore live permanently on his logs placed end to end to form a trough. After the water flowed Selection, and an inspection by a member of the Department of into the buckets on the side of the wheel it ran back into Cedar Public Lands on 21 July 1884, revealed that the residence was Creek through a channel in the rock, which had been blasted not occupied, there were no improvements, and the property originally to accommodate the underside of the wheel. (In the appeared to be abandoned. McDonnell was asked to show cause illustration a gate has been opened to divert the flow and stop the why the lease should not be forfeited. His letter in reply stated wheel while the photograph was taken). (See page twenty-two). that he had paid eight years' rent on the Selection; after about Cedar and beech were milled, also bollygum, pine and hard­ four years' continuous residence, his daughter had become wood. In February 1898 W. H. Davidson wrote to William Felix seriously ill, and he had found it necessary to move his family to Geissmann, who had enquired as to the price of timber and building Brisbane. However, he himself had remained on the Selection on the Mountain. The prices then were as follows: hardwood 9/-, except for short periods of absence. Selectors Michael Cusack, bollygum and pine 10/- and beech 11 /- per hundred superficial feet, who held five leases on the north and west of J. McDonnell 20, John rough. The dressing was done by hand, and cost about 2/- per 100 Cusack and Henry Massie appeared on his behalf before the Lands superficial feet extra. The Curtis brothers were always anxious to Commissioner. McDonnell's appeal was successful, on the con­ obtain orders during the summer, when there was plenty of water dition that he reside permanently on the land until 1886, when his in Cedar Creek to work the sawmill. At times orders received deed was granted. 21 during the dry winter months were delayed until spring and There have been six sawmills on Tamborine Mountain in the summer . 28 The Curtis brothers and Cornelius Brady built the past 100 years, and the first of them was built by Gustave Murray Wonga Wallan road from Eagle Heights down to the loading Carter, who on 26 August 1879 applied to lease Portion 112. 22 He point for Siganto's boats on the Coomera River. Eventually poor lived on this property for over a year, and then installed a bailiff. prices for timber forced the mill to close down, but even today However, the sawmill was not on this land. Carter and Cecil Peary traces of the old water wheel may be found deep in the rainforest. formed a syndicate to buy up small holdings. 23 One of these was Efforts to earn a living on the Mountain continued. Although Portion 83, owned by Thomas Plunkett, who received his deed a few women lived there, it was not a place for children. The first on 29 June 1882. He is reported to have sold almost straight away, baby of European extraction was born to Mrs. John Price, whose

Page TlI'clZtv Queensland Heritage S1. Bernard's Hotel, ca. 1914. From left Frank Curtis, Barney Geissman, Ernest Curtis, (unidentified), Elsie Geissman, (subsequent four unidentified), William Curtis, Nancy Kerr, Violet Curtis, (subsequent two unidentified), John Siganto (By courtesy of author)

husband had applied to purchase Portion 107 in 1883. The second for a flood, a boom in land prices, - and a financial crisis, with a baby was William G. Curtis, born to Mary Curtis in 1885, and lot of unemployment. The Village Settlement Scheme was devised at the time of writing still living on the Mountain in his ninetieth to provide land and work for unemployed men. The settlers were year. In 1888 Edmund Ford Curtis realized that he could not to take up various areas from about six to twenty eight acres, and support his family on his cultivation, and after eleven years' for every acre they cleared they would get one acre in fee simple continuous residence on the Mountain he took a position as school for themselves. They were also given tools and rations free for two teacher at Maudsland in the Coomera Valley. Each weekend he years. To protect themselves the Company covered the whole returned to the Mountain to work on his land, and every school property with a mortgage. All the settlers failed and left. The vacation he brought his wife and family with him. As soon as holdings were too small to support them, and access was difficult. William Curtis could sit on a horse he accompanied his father The first of the settlers came in 1891, the last one left in 1900. and in 1900 the family left the Coomera for the last time and Parbury, of Parbury, Lamb and Company, sold the land to John returned to their Mountain home. On his weekly visits, Edmund Siganto in 1905 at 30/- an acre. 32 Curtis rode up from the Coomera Valley past Bourne's Knob, reaching the Mountain near Guy Ashburner's residence. When Bv this time there were a number of children at the south the family returned, bringing with them their furniture and piano end of the Mountain, and accordingly an application for the they came up the St. Bernard's Road. establishment of a provisional school at South Tamborine was made to the Department of Public Instruction in 1892. A public meeting During these years settlement had been taking place on the had been held on 9 April 1892 at John Pindar's house at which south end of the Mountain. On 3 September 1878, William Villiers members of a building committee had been elected for promoting Brown had selected 733 acres in the Parish of Cedar, Portion 59. 29 the establishment of a provisional school at St. Bernard's, Tamborine This he sold to Robert Muir, who planned to plant sugar and build Mountain. In the letter accompanying the application it was stated a sugar mill there; but Muir was drowned in the Albert River that E. B. Forrest would provide the freehold site on the St. in January 1887 3 °, and his plans came to nought. It was Muir who Bernard Estate for the school. The committee hoped to secure built St. Bernard's Hotel, which after his death was taken over by about two acres at £25 per acre. This application was refused on Parbury, Lamb and Company, and managed by John Pindar in 1889. the grounds that the numbers were not sufficient to warrant the Pindar's daughter Alice, was born at St. Bernard's in 1891, and establishment of an ordinary provisional school, and it was not about two years later he left the Mountain, worked in Brisbane felt that a special provisional was possible either. An application for some time, then left Australia for Cosme Colony, Paraguay. was made again on 15 August 1892 and the Inspector's report Before he left Tamborine Mountain, Pindar sold his land (Portions stated that: 82 and 82A) to John Cameron 31 who intended to start a boarding nearly all the applicants live on lands leased from E. B. house. Forrest on what is known as the St. Bernard Estate. The With Robert Muir's land, Parbury, Lamb and Company tried school site is on open forest country, a title for which will to form the Village Settlement Scheme. The year 1888 was notable be given by Forrest.

Queensland Heritage Page 1'I\'cllty-one The Inspector recommended that in view of the isolated position Late in 1898 their 'Capo di Monte' was completed at North a special provisional school should be established, This school was Tamborine - the third boarding house on the Mountain. William opened on 16 March 189', Norman Ball being appointed teacher. Felix Geissmann was a Swiss, a kindly man of great strength, and The school was closed on 20 October 1893. 33 his wife was of German descent. Their boarding house was widely known throughout the state, and was very popular, until it was It was at this time that the second of the many boarding destroyed by fire in 1932. houses which were to provide accommodation for visitors to Tamborine Mountain was built, John Pindar had sold his land to With the closure of the school at St. Bernard's in 1893, no John Cameron in October 1893, and here, at the north end of the schooling was available for the Geissmann children, and further Mountain Cameron built his boarding house - Yuulong, which was efforts were made to establish a school. W. F. Geissmann offered managed for a short time by Grace Rosser, a cottage in his grounds for use as a school on 11 March 1899. He wrote on 1 January 1900 and 15 January, again offering the In 1893 Hugh Montgomerie Davidson came to the Mountain cottage, stating that Edmund Ford Curtis was now permanently to plant an orchard at '\X'ilmont', where he was joined by his resident again on the Mountain, had two children of school age, brother, William Henry Davidson in 1895. W. H. Davidson was and that he, Geissmann, would board the teacher for only 10/­ a surveyor - his father was Surveyor General of Queensland per week instead of the usual 25/-. The teacher, Alice Maud 1889-91 - and he was advised to leave Brisbane for the sake of O'Connor, was to receive only £50 per annum instead of the his health. He came to the Mountain, where he lived for another customary £70, as it was a very small school. The Department thirty years. His was a most valuable contribution to Mountain was influenced by these inducements, and Alice Maud O'Connor history. He established the first Post Office on Tamborine accepted appointment as Head Teacher, Provisional School, Mountain 34, and kept the meteorological records for the Mountain, Tamborine Mountain No. 913 on 2 February 1900. On 23 June, commencing in 1898 or 1899. He helped to pioneer the growing Mrs. Geissmann, who had been a teacher before her marriage, of citrus and stone fruits on the Mountain. He married Mrs. Grace applied for re-admission to the service as a teacher to take Miss Rosser, and their three children - Tack, Stan and Dorothy - lived O'Connor's place if she should leave. Mrs. Geissmann stated in her at 'Wilmont'. ' application that the extra money would be a great help to her, and At about the same time that Davidson began to keep would enable her husband to continue with his cultivation. The meteorological records, the Geissmann family came to the Mountain. Department reinstated her, and recommended that she replace Miss

Water wheel, Cedar Creek (By courtesy of the author)

Page T\I't!llt)'-/II'o Queensland Heritage O'Connor, as the latter would then be able to teach at a school South Wales, and left there in 1895. They went to the Northern with the higher remuneration to which she was entitled. Miss Rivers District of New South Wales where they gained experience O'Connor therefore resigned on 2 September, and Mrs. Geissmann in cutting scrub. John bought his land (Portion 110, Parish of succeeded her on 3 September 1900. Mrs. Geissmann, as well as Cedar) at £2 an acre freehold, the property extending to the Goat teaching, ran the Post Office and store at North Tamborine, as Track, not then in existence. Andrew bought Portion 43, Parish well as the boarding house. On 6 November 1905 an official of Tamborine, originally selected by Arthur Binstead. The two memorandum informed Mrs. Geissmann that the school would brothers had several advantages in their task of clearing the close on 30 November 1905. The school was once again opened rainforest - their years of experience in the Big Scrub in northern on 14 March 1907, Mrs. Geissmann being re-instated. In the New South Wales, the spring board method which they brought middle of 1914 Mrs. Geissmann told the Department that she with them, and the fact that they worked together. Living in tents, would be resigning at the end of that year, and that the room in they cleared Andrew's farm first, then John's, and built a house which the school was being conducted was to be demolished. The for each family. They planted grass which in one good season School Committee decided to build a room 20 feet by 14 feet and covered the farms, and then brought dairy cattle and later horses the District Inspector reported that the local parents had met and to their farms. The milk was separated, and taken two or three had agreed to erect school premises at their own expense. On 1 times a week to the Coomera to Siganto's Store. This road was March 1915 the building was ready, and Beatrice Curtis, second the one the people at the south end knew best. They bought the daughter of Edmund Curtis, was appointed teacher. 3S bulk of their stores at Siganto's, buying only small quantities from Geissmann's store as needed. Mail also came to them from the The building was first located at the corner of Main and Coomera, while those at the north end received theirs from Beacon Roads, on land belonging to John Coleman, but by 1917 Tamborine Village. 39 it had been moved to the corner of Long and Curtis Roads, on land belonging to Edmund Ford Curtis (Portion 100.). (This site In about 1909, Abraham Hartley and his wife came to live is directly opposite the present school). Shortly after, the school on Tamborine Mountain, and in partnership with Benjamin Unwin, was moved across the road to Portion 100A (diagonally opposite bought Portion 107. At their house, and at the home of Henry the present school). In 1922 Sydney Curtis donated two acres of Day, Anglican services were held, the first being on 31 May 1915. land and a new school was erected. The old building became the The officiating Minister was the Reverend George Hunt. After School of Arts and Library, and after World War II was moved this, Reverend Heath and Reverend Flint visited the Mountain at once more, to Eagle Heights, where it still serves as a library. irregular intervals of approximately six weeks. Prior to this, Reverend Thomas Ashburner visited the Mountain two or perhaps When Edmund Ford Curtis first brought his wife to Tamborine three times, between 1902 and 1907, mainly for baptisms. 40 Mountain, she had brought with her a stock of orange seeds. Before he taught at Maudsland, and during his regular visits to his farm while teaching, he cleared some of his block and planted more fruit, The earliest services of a religious nature on Tamborine so that by 1900 he had one and a half acres of apples, an acre each Mountain were Sunday School meetings led by a member of the of mandarins, lemons and citrons, the seedling orange trees and Theosophical Society, Alice Leech. These meetings were held mainly some Valencia late oranges, the latter being particularly successful. outdoors, and made such an impression on some of the young On his return he began to market his fruit in Brisbane. His sons people that they remained Theosophists until the end of their William, Frank and Ernest planted orchards of Valencia late lives. The Sunday School was begun in 1900 and continued until oranges as soon as they were old enough. By this time Edmund about 1903. Curtis's home was not big enough for his family - it contained only three rooms. Clifford Curtis, who had helped his brothers The larger population living on the south end of the Mountain Sydney and Edgar in the building of the water wheel, had built a led to the establishment of a school there. Provisional School 1425 house with a hip roof on Sydney's land, and when Clifford left the was opened at the beginning of 1914, and at the first meeting of Mountain to become a teacher, Edmund bought the house from him. the school committee on Tuesday, 27 January 1914, nominations Their younger brothers, Walter and Albert moved the house, were as follows: shingles and all, to a position near the Creek where it stood for Chairman Andrew Wilson many years. Secretary Philip Young In April 1906 Philip Henry Young applied to lease Portion Treasurer Alfred Thomas Bignall Members Herbert John Jenyns and John Wilson. 49 of 143 acres at the south end of the Mountain. 36 Later, Young set up the fourth Mountain boarding house. In these days tourists The first teacher was Edith May Walker. 4' drive to the Mountain in the morning, spend the day there and return home at night. Seventy or eighty years ago people came for a holiday, and boarding houses were necessary to provide ac­ The most important news of 1914 was the outbreak of the commodation. One of the attractions of the Mountain was the war, but the Beaudesert Times found space for two items about surviving rainforest. In June 1907, Councillors Sydney Curtis and Tamborine Mountain. J. H. Delpratt moved in the Tamborine Shire Council for the Tamborine Mountain is a different place from what it was establishment of National Parks on the Mountain. 37 As a direct result, the Proclamation of the first National Park in Queensland a few years ago. About five years ago there were only five families on the Northern end of Tamborine Mountain. Now was made on 28 March 1908. 38 (Witches Falls). Some idea of the communication difficulties on the Mountain may be gained from there are enough people here to start a dancing club and a noting that Jack Bartle, P. H. Young's stepson, went to school at tennis club. A picnic was arranged for the opening day, the north end and had to board there because it was too far for Saturday 11 October. There was a good attendance, not him to return to his home at the south end each night. At the age less than forty eight people being present. Mrs. W. Bryce of 12, he left the Mountain to work in the Coomera Valley and struck the first ball over the net at the request of the later in the timber industry around Canungra. He first visited Eagle captain (Mr. e. Fehlberg). The first game was played by Heights (near North Tamborine) when he was 17, when he Mr. and Miss Day v. Miss Violet Curtis and Mr. Fehlberg. undertook to deliver a telegram there, by walking up from In the evening all of the young people gathered in Curtis's Canungra. barn, where dancing was indulged in until nearly midnight. The music was supplied by the Curtis brothers - William The Wilson brothers began the dairying industry on the Frank and Edmund, and Mr. e. Fehlberg. Mr. W. Kidd Mountain. John and his brother Andrew were born in Bega, New acted as M.e. 42

Queensland Heritage Page TII'entv-three f' .,. / t, ;>

Timber falling, Tamborine Mountain, date unknown (B\' courtcs\' of the author)

Page Tll'I:IIl;.. -{our Queensland Heritage The second article about Tamborine Mountain is headed these letters Mrs. Callaghan claims that she gave her nephew, "Concert at Tamborine Mountain" - William Walsh, £110 to go to Brisbane in September 1875 to apply for a lease for her and her husband on Tamborine Mountain. The first concert ever organized on Tamborine Mountain William Walsh applied for Brisbane selection 2544, Portion 79 took place last Friday night (November 1914), and proved on 6 September, and John Callaghan fulfilled the homestead re­ a great success, over seventy being present. The concert quirements and the improvements by residing there continuously was a patriotic one, and was organized by Mr. A. Hartley. from 1 November 1875 to 10 February 1882, a hard task for a Over £5 was taken at the door and this will be sent to Mr. man no longer young, and with a family to support. When the Plunkett (Tamborine) to forward to the Patriotic Fund. 43 deed was issued in 1882, it was in the name of William Walsh. Margaret Callaghan's letters were asking for justice for herself By this time, Tamborine Mountain had progressed to the and her family. Nothing could be done, as the Minister for Lands extent of having a population sufficiently large to support social declared it a family matter. 44 gatherings. Many young men went to the war, to take up land and farming later. However, at this point it is as well to remember In 1975, it is impossible to judge the matter. Whatever the the first man to live on the Mountain, John Callaghan. Two rights or wrongs of the case, there is no question of the debt owed significant letters have been found in the Queensland State Archives. to James Callaghan by the settlers who followed him, for his These are from Margaret Callaghan, John Callaghan's wife, one to pioneering effort and his unfailing kindness, which proved to be no the Minister for Lands and one to the Minister for Justice. In mean contribution to the settlement of the Mountain.

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George Ernest and Lena Davidson, with children Cyril and twins Daphne and William, ca. 1914, near Cedar Cottage (By courtesy of the author)

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Edmund Ford and Mary Curtis

Page Twenty-six 0.'ueensland Heritage ENDNOTES

1. Deuteronomy, II, 11. 'But the land, w~ither ye go to possess 21. Brisbane Land Agent, Selection file 3032. (LAN/AG 114). it, is a land of hills and valleys, and drmketh of the water 0 f the of heaven'. (Authorised Version). 22. Brisbane Land Agent, Selection file 3301. (Q.S.A. LAN/AG 122) . 2. R. B. Joyce, 'Canungra timber', Queensland Heritage 1, 3 (1966), p. 3. 23. Eve Keene, Gold Coast· the story of the Gold Coast of Queensland and the Hrntr:rlclIId (Sydney, 1958), p. 55. 3. Selection files for Thomas Plunkett (Q.S.A. LAN/AG56, 61, 78, 95, 100, 107, 132); John Ryan (Q.S.A. LAN/AG 60, 24. Personal communication, Paul Plunkett to author. 100); William Walsh (Q.S.A. LAN/AG 59, 78, 87, 100, 107, 113, 161); Michael Yore (Q.S.A. LAN/AG 59, 63, 25. Brisbane Land Agent, Selection file 3032. (Q.S.A. LAN/AG 78, 80, 100, 108); Anthony Flanagan (Q.S.A. LAN/AG 63, 114). When Edmund Ford Curtis received the title to his 79, 100, 140, 150, 151, 152); Tames Henderson (Q.S.A. Selection, in 1886, the Selection was divided by the road into LAN/AG 59,64,74,75,87,100). Portions 100 and 100A. (Refer Selection file 2935).

4. Personal communications to the author by other local residents, 26. Brisbane Land Agent, Selection file 3312. (Q.S.A. LAN/AG especially William G. Curtis. 122 ).

5. As for endnote 3. 27. Brisbane Land Agent, Selection files 3459 and 3460. (Q.S.A. LAN/AG 126). 6. Register of applications for Conditional and Homestead Selections, Brisbane Land Agent's District, 1875-85. (Q.S.A. 28. Eve Curtis, 'Tamborine Mountain Water Wheel', Moreton LAN/P7, pp. 318-320). Bay Sesqui-Centenary (Brisbane, 1974).

7. Beenleigh Land Agent, Selection file 838. (Q.S.A. LAN/AG 29. Brisbane Land Agent, Selection file 3177. (Q.S.A. LAN/AG 20 ). 117) .

8. Brisbane Land Agent, Selection file 2544. (Q.S.A. LAN/AG 30. Register of Coroners Inquest Depositions 1886-1889 (Book 100) . 4). (Q.S.A. JUS/R3, p. 44-5).

9. Brisbane Land Agent, Selection file 2532. (Q.S.A. LAN/AG 31. Personal communication to William G. Curtis on Tamborine 100) and refer endnote 3. Mountain in 1945, recorded by him at that time.

10. As for endnote 9 (Selection 2532). 32. James Devaney, Daily Mail, 27 December 1928.

11. Brisbane Land Agent, Selection file 2553. (Q.S.A. U\N/AG 33. School file, Tamborine Mountain 913, 1893-1922. (Q.S.A. 100) . EDU/Z 2594).

12. As for endnote 8. 34. At Beaudesert Road, Mount Tamborine.

13. Brisbane Land Agent Selection file 2935. (Q.S.A. LAN/AG 35. As for endnote 33. 110). Also refer Crown Lands Alienation Act, s. 39 and 40, Q.G.G.) XIX, 68, 2 December 1876, and Supplement p. 1233 36. Brisbane Land Agent, Selection file 5099. (Q.S.A. LAN/AG and for relevant Proclamation, see Q.G.G. XX, 24, 1 March 1877, p. 488. 1445).

14. Passenger list, Maryborough, voyage Glasgow to Brisbane 5 37. Minutes of Tamborine Shire Council, 15 June 1907. (Beau­ May - 17 August 1866. (Q.S.A. IMM/112, p. 256-8). desert Shire Council). 38. Q.G.G.) XC, 63, 28 March 1908, p. 735. See also The National 15. Brisbane Land Agent, Selection file 2959. (Q.S.A. LAN/AG 111) . Paries of Queensland (Brisbane, 1964), p. 5.

16. Brisbane Land Agent, Selection file 2961. (Q.S.A. LAN/AG 39. Personal communication T. B. Wilson, son of John Wilson, to 112) . author.

17. Brisbane Land Agent, Selection file 2973. (Q.S.A. LAN/AG 40. Refer Beaudesert Parish Register, Church of England. 112 ). 41. School file, S1. Bernard 1425, 1913-36. (Q.S.A. EDU/Z 18. Brisbane Land Agent, Selection file 3024. (Q.S.A. LAN/AG 2424) . 113) . 42. Beaudesert Times, 17 October 1914. 19. Brisbane Land Agent, Selection files 3032 and 4409. (Q.S.A. LAN/AG 114 and 154). 43. Beaudesert Times, 11 November 1914. 20. Brisbane Land Agent, Selection files 2664, 3557, 3806, 4410, and 4619. (Q.S.A. LAN/AG 103, 129, 136, 154 and 160). 44. As for endnote 8.

Queensland Heritage Page Twenty-seven