View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by University of Queensland eSpace Father Hayes and the Carnarvons FATHER HAYES WAS A MEMBER OF THREE EXPEDITIONS ORGANISED BY THE QUEENSLAND BRANCH OF THE ROYAL GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY OF AUSTRALASIA TO THE CARNARVON RANGE IN 1937, 1938 AND 1940. ROSLYN FOLLETT RECOUNTS FATHER HAYES’ CONTRIBUTION TO THESE TRIPS. Following his ordination in 1918, Father British Museum scientific excursion Hayes’ first appointment was as Assistant- to the area, was appointed botanist. Priest at Ipswich. His interest in geology Theodore Culman and Al Burne were the originated there. photographers. “I was always going home with stones “When the party was chosen they were in my pocket. I told the priest in charge short of an ethnologist. Mr Culman that I was going to become a geologist asked Archbishop Duhig, whom he knew and he asked what the deuce that would through their association on various be”, Father Hayes recalled.1 charitable organisations, if he knew of anyone willing to join the expedition and Father Hayes’ chance to work as a Above: share the hardships of an arduous journey. Main: The Royal geologist began when he was invited to Archbishop Duhig at once suggested and Geographical Society of participate in a number of scientific trips released Father Leo Hayes”2 Australasia Expedition to the to the Carnarvons. In 1932, a section of Carnarvon Ranges in 1937. the Carnarvon Gorge had been declared a Father Hayes joined the party as geologist Father Hayes is fourth from national park, following lobbying from the and ethnologist. the left. Hayes Collection, UQFL2, Box 96, Folder 13, Royal Geographical Society of Australasia. The party of nine men departed Brisbane Item 634 In 1937, the Society began selecting a party with a civic farewell from Brisbane Lord to travel to the Carnarvons. Secretary Mayor, A. J. Jones. They travelled by car Small: The 1937 Expedition. of the Society Dan O’Brien was leader. J. to Roma and Injune. From Injune they Edgar Young, who had been on an earlier Father Hayes and Mr. E. D. transferred to horseback, riding about Wells, a guide from Early 1 Sunday Mail, 29 October 1967. When the Hayes twenty miles a day with packhorses. Storms station, examine a Collection was donated to the University in 1967, a few specimen. Hayes Collection, stones in his pocket had grown to a collection of over 2 Shirley Bell, Material on Edward Leo Hayes collected by 4,000 geological specimens. These are located in The Shirley Bell, (Jondaryan, Qld., 1972), Fryer manuscript UQFL2, Box 96, Folder 13, University of Queensland Geology Museum. F2621 Item 628 December 2007 13 Above left: “We camped the first night after black-and-white film of the Gorge, the A 1937 flyer for an illustrated arrival at the Range around the zamia party’s camp site and the Aboriginal rock lecture by D. A. O’Brien at palm trees – these were inhabited by art. This is believed to be the first moving the Brisbane City Hall on the opossums who promptly chased us out picture taken in the Carnarvon Ranges.5 A Carnarvon Range Expedition. by throwing zamia palm nuts at us”.3 copy of this film is in the Hayes Collection.6 Hayes Collection, Carnarvon Range Association Letters, The party wondered at the diversity of The second expedition in 1938 went by Item 2/540. the flora – macrozamia palms, maiden car via Rockhampton and Springsure. The hair fern, elkhorns, Moreton Bay figs, Bauhinia Shire constructed nine miles of Above middle: cabbage-tree palms and orchids. new road from Early Storms Station for the Camping and cooking a meal party to reach the Carnarvon National Park. on the 1937 expedition. We travelled through huge forests of Father Hayes is the second bottle trees – the largest I have ever Many of the Aboriginal stone implements in man from the right. Hayes seen, standing up in defiance as if the Hayes Collection were obtained during Collection, UQFL2, Box 96, saying, “This is our land. What are you these trips to the Carnarvon Ranges. Folder 13, Item 630 doing here”.4 Father Hayes was elected a Fellow of the Above lower: Father Hayes remembered the teeming Royal Geographical Society of Australasia The 1937 expedition arrives bird life – all kinds of ducks, jabiru, in 1942, the same year that he was at Injune. Hayes Collection, pelicans, kingfishers, orange-backed awarded the Society’s Thomson Medal UQFL2, Box 96, Folder 13, wrens, tawny frogmouth owls, white- for his contribution as a geologist and Item 639 headed stilt and cockatoos. ethnologist. He loved the Carnarvons and They saw the sandstone waves of the excitement of the expeditions. In later big canyons and gorges. The caves years, he often spoke on radio and at public contained spectacular examples of lectures about the Carnarvon Ranges. indigenous rock art. Hundreds of small ROSLYN FOLLETT is Executive Manager and large handprints adorned the walls. of the Social Science and Humanities There were stencils and engravings of Library Service. She was Manager of the boomerangs, axes and cross-hatchings in Fryer Library between 1995 and 2001. ochre and ash. 5 Royal Geographical Society of Australasia, Queensland, Carnarvon pictorial (Brisbane, 1942), p.7 The party’s photographers took a 35mm 6 The original nitrate film was converted to video by the National Film & Sound Archive. Since then, the Library 3 Father Leo Hayes, Notes in Ibid has digitised this film. A DVD copy is available in the 4 Father Leo Hayes, Notes in Ibid Hayes Collection (UQFL 2, Box 96) 14 Fryer Folios.