USC295_0008

[left column]
bullocks hauled the timber to the tramline and it
was transported to the mouth of the creek and
rolled on skids (placed so as to hold many logs,
and on a pitch to make it easy to roll logs to where
the winches on the barge could be attached). Then
the logs would be lifted by crane, and lowered to
the hold on the barges and punts.

The forestry operation at Depuying was formed
near the edge of the rainforest scrub. Clearing for
the nursery in the carol scrub and on the bank of
Bogimbah Creek. Trees of many varieties were
raised in the nursery and planted in areas cleared
for the purpose. The remains of the nursery are still
to be seen with interesting results of growth
caused by varying shade conditions over sixty
years.

Some forty years or more earlier a forestry venture
further up Bogimbah Creek was made by the
Mitchell Brothers but with little success. There
were some very fine natural stands, and the timber
cutting and culling was in progress in the 1860's.
Patric Seery took bullocks to the island in 1868,
and O'Hara sometime later took over a horseteam.
O'Hara paid black labour at the rate of one hand
full of maize (horsefeed) per man per day. They
were satisfied but of course Bob Hawke was not
born then.

A small camp of blacks was at Bogimbah at that
time. The blacks were moved from Fraser Island in
1905. However some few managed to remain and I
can remember calling at their camp in the
company of Fred Epps on one occasion when he
took me to meet a boat. On the boat there was a
billy goat especially for me. Our party of three had
only one horse so I was allowed to ride and Fred
led the goat. The goat was killed by dingoes some
nights later, so the effort was wasted.

When we called at the camp there was a very large
gin called Lucy, who offered me some food, I can't
remember what it was I ate, although it was
probably fish. Lucy laughed a lot, showing large
white teeth and shaking bodily.

Several blacks were employed by Dad in later
years.

One Sunday while we were still at Bogimbah, Mum
had gone for a ride, leaving my brother and I in the
care of our Father. My brother Tom decapitated my
finger. He half carried me and my finger down to
where dad was. Dad sent Fred for horses,
and as Fred went towards the horse paddock Mum
came home. She asked Fred what was doing and
receiving no reply (Fred just pointed to the camp),
she went up to where Dad was and called out to
him to find out what was wrong. Dad came to the
door and held up one very small, and I guess
bloody finger. Of course this was a story without
words. I was double backed to the mouth of
Bogimbah Creek. Alf Jarvis had the only motor
boat at that time and he was in the habit of going up
to Maryborough on weekends.

Just as we arrived he arrived back and prompty
turned around and took me back to the mainland
so that my finger could be trimmed by a doctor.

[right column]
Not without humour was the accident Buch
Cassells had with an axe. He had a frightful gash,
across his instep through a pair of blutcher
boots which where brand new. As Mum was
sewing up the wound after cleansing etc, and
using a large bent needle and sterilized white
cotton, he would groan at every puncture of the
skin. Then would follow the agonized words "My
new bloody boots ruined."

Of course there were many stitches and this was
repeated many times.

They were certainly rough times and exciting
times spent at the settlement at Bogimbah.

[Photograph]
PHOTO CAPTIONS
TENT TOWN. Above: A typical forestry camp of
tents. Below: "Bark Gunyahs" were still in vogue
on Fraser Island in 1940. Both photos by courtesy
of Blue Austin.
[Photograph]

EDITORS NOTE
Although it had been hoped to feature the history
of Bogimbah in this MOONBI together with Rollo's
recollections space and lack of time for research
prevented this from happening.

MOONBI is interested in receiving old
photographs of Fraser Island for publication or any
historical data which can help in research for
articles in this quarterly journal.

MOONBI 42 Pa