For people like me who don't know about Fraser Island's history. Interesting.

**4bee** · 12th December 2020, 12:37 PM

'Catastrophic' bushfire burns half of Queensland's Fraser Island and threatens ecological disaster | Australia news | The Guardian

**PhilipA** · 12th December 2020, 03:42 PM

My mother used to holiday there in the 20s and 30s, and get the train to Central Station. That is why it is called Central Station. The line was used mainly to shift logs to the West coast.

When I first visited in 1978 there were lots of brumbies which were descendants of the horses on the Eliza Fraser and probably horses used in the timber getting, but they were moved/shot out by the government.

I can clearly remember a couple of stallions streaking through my campsite , fighting over a bevy of beauties. You had to be careful of your tent ropes and when you left your tent.
Another is 4 brumbies pacing my FJ40 along the beach one early morning, two each side.

We used to camp on the south bank of Ely Creek about where the toilets are now!

Regards PhilipA

**4bee** · 12th December 2020, 04:06 PM

Originally Posted by PhilipA

My mother used to holiday there in the 20s and 30s, and get the train to Central Station. That is why it is called Central Station. The line was used mainly to shift logs to the West coast.

When I first visited in 1978 there were lots of brumbies which were descendants of the horses on the Eliza Fraser and probably horses used in the timber getting, but they were moved/shot out by the government.

I can clearly remember a couple of stallions streaking through my campsite , fighting over a bevy of beauties. You had to be careful of your tent ropes and when you left your tent.
Another is 4 brumbies pacing my FJ40 along the beach one early morning, two each side.

We used to camp on the south bank of Ely Creek about where the toilets are now!

Regards PhilipA

Recalling that I did have the chance to visit Fraser in the 1950's for a Scout Jamboree but unfortunately the 'rents weren't flash for cash, so I missed out. Can't locate a URL for Fraser Jamboree just references.

Ah yes, times were tough alright, but of course they improved, & I did get to one in Victoria some years later at Clifford Park/Wonga Park in the NE of Melbourne. Ringwood way. Google Maps indicates it is all built over these days.

http://images.heritage.vic.gov.au/attachment/3681

**Saitch** · 12th December 2020, 04:56 PM

My brother's mother-in-law was born at Central Station. Her dad was a timber cutter there and he's in one of the photo displays there.
I did some work up there, in the mid 70s, when tide gauges were being established in certain areas, along the East coast of Qld and again in the early 00s with unit development at Eurong.

Have been there a fair bit for 'Hunting & Gathering', too.

**bob10** · 12th December 2020, 05:50 PM

The Satinay tree , or Fraser Island turpentine.

Satinay | WoodSolutions

trees in pile valley, Fraser .

**bob10** · 12th December 2020, 06:06 PM

In 1925 the satinay became the major timber logged on the island

after it was found to be resistant to marine borers and became popular for use in marine conditions around the world. Satinays, logged heavily in the Pile Valley area, were used in the construction of the Suez Canal and to rebuild the London Docks after World War II.

The Butchulla people were governed by standards established by the Council of Elders and generations of tradition. A Council of Elders comprised a number of mature men with only the eldest being afforded voting rights. The Council of Elders oversaw visitors to the tribal lands, giving travellers permission to enter and telling them when to leave.

Aboriginal History - fraserisland.net

European involvement on Fraser Island may go back as far as a voyage by Portuguese explorer de Menonca around 1521. Clay pipes found in middens at Indian Head are thought to be evidence of undocumented visits by Dutch navigators in the 17 Century.

European History - fraserisland.net

23 wrecks have been recorded in Fraser Island waters .

Shipwrecks - fraserisland.net

**4bee** · 12th December 2020, 08:03 PM

[QUOTE=bob10;3048987]

, giving travellers permission to enter and telling them when to leave.

Thanks Admiral Bob.

That'd be good for those late night visitors that can't take the hint.

Picture this scenario if you will.

Midnight in one's sitting room. A tall aboriginal geezer with a bone through his nose & painted up, a handful of leaves over his do dah, silently creeps in holding a handful of assorted spears & a nulla nulla.

Says to Guests, "Right mates, I'm Benny from over the track by the lake I'm here at the behest of INSERT NAME HERE who wants me to tell you it's time you were on your bikes, so 'op it".

Room clears like stink. (Remember Benny is holding a hardwood club.)

Insert name here person. "Thanks Benny that's one I owe you"

"How are you fixed for next Saturday I've probably got some more freeloaders over from the mainland OK?"

"Ok see you then, watch out for the garden hoses on yer way out Niiiight. Oh,say hi to the missus & kids for me, take care"

Front Door at last gets slammed.

The Timber getting appears to have bee a serious Business going by the sophisticated wharf facilities but moving those trees around would have required serious equipment.

Re. Bull Roarers. We used to make Bull Roarers in the classroom A 12" (30CM)wooden Ruler hole in the end to which one tied a maybe a 6' (2 Metre) length of strong cord. Out in the schoolyard & whirl these things in a circle as fast as possible. They certainly roared. No idea who showed us this, possibly an Aboriginal kid in the class of which there were a couple.

In 1925 the satinay became the major timber logged on the island

after it was found to be resistant to marine borers and became popular for use in marine conditions around the world. Satinays, logged heavily in the Pile Valley area, were used in the construction of the Suez Canal and to rebuild the London Docks after World War II.

The Butchulla people were governed by standards established by the Council of Elders and generations of tradition. A Council of Elders comprised a number of mature men with only the eldest being afforded voting rights. The Council of Elders oversaw visitors to the tribal lands, giving travellers permission to enter and telling them when to leave.

Aboriginal History - fraserisland.net

European involvement on Fraser Island may go back as far as a voyage by Portuguese explorer de Menonca around 1521. Clay pipes found in middens at Indian Head are thought to be evidence of undocumented visits by Dutch navigators in the 17 Century.

European History - fraserisland.net

23 wrecks have been recorded in Fraser Island waters .

Shipwrecks - fraserisland.net

**bob10** · 12th December 2020, 09:06 PM

[QUOTE=4bee;3049012]

Originally Posted by bob10

Thanks Admiral Bob.

That'd be good for those late night visitors that can't take the hint.

Funny you should say that. There was a young bloke that grew up with our sons, Dale Backo was his name. The nephew of Sam Backo, a well known Qld rugby league player. I think he was Torress Strait Islander extraction. When our daughter turned 18, she and her friends went into the Valley nightclubbing [ unknown to mum & I] and turns out Backo [ as he was known] and a couple of our sons went in to keep an eye on them. Our daughter told us [ when we eventually found out] that her and her friends were very nervous, first time out , when Backo came over from somewhere , tapped her on the shoulder, and said " don't worry K , I got your back". Then he slipped back in to the night. They didn't see Backo or the boys again until they left, where they made sure the girls got safely away home.
A really nice young man Dale, but never get on the wrong side of him. He was selected in an indigenous Rugby League side that went to Canada, for some carnival. Always quiet, and respectful, welcome in our home any time.

**4bee** · 12th December 2020, 09:16 PM

[QUOTE=bob10;3049019]

Originally Posted by 4bee

Funny you should say that. There was a young bloke that grew up with our sons, Dale Backo was his name. The nephew of Sam Backo, a well known Qld rugby league player. I think he was Torress Strait Islander extraction. When our daughter turned 18, she and her friends went into the Valley nightclubbing [ unknown to mum & I] and turns out Backo [ as he was known] and a couple of our sons went in to keep an eye on them. Our daughter told us [ when we eventually found out] that her and her friends were very nervous, first time out , when Backo came over from somewhere , tapped her on the shoulder, and said " don't worry K , I got your back". Then he slipped back in to the night. They didn't see Backo or the boys again until they left, where they made sure the girls got safely away home.
A really nice young man Dale, but never get on the wrong side of him. He was selected in an indigenous Rugby League side that went to Canada, for some carnival. Always quiet, and respectful, welcome in our home any time.

That is a good story. Bob you seem to know a lot of Rugby guys. Did you play yourself?

Just curious.

**scarry** · 12th December 2020, 09:37 PM

We were there a lot between '68 and '74.My father worked on the island, doing research for QIT,as it was called in those days, and for the QLd museum, and the ANU,Australian National University.Students came over as well, learning about whatever.He also did some of the very first of the environmental impact statements, for Dilinghams(spelling),who were doing the sand mining.
A lot of bird research was also done with Don Vernon,who was the curator of birds at the Qld Museum,and bird lists were published.Trapping for native rats was also done as was recording of plants in many areas.Reptile research also done with Janette Covachovich,curater of reptiles,Qld Museum.We used to also set up mist nets for bats, which were also recorded.
Many Brumbies were on the island in those days, and dingos, but they stayed well away, although they came around the camp after dark,as we could see their tracks in the sand in the morning.
We generally stayed at the forestry huts, at Coomboo lake.That was the base camp, with trips made all over the island from there,generally working with Ariel photographs as there were no maps.Supplies came in by air, there was a landing strip near the camp.Hard going as well,tracks were very rough, there was no one around if we needed help while away from camp.Dragging trailers was tuff going, for the Land Rovers.Even getting around, say, middle rocks was a hard slog, winching,etc.Trips to the top of the island were impossible some years due to the state of the tracks.I remember some days, being bogged most of the day.The LWB vehicles were not much fun in the sand, the SWB ones being much better.Mechanical repairs and servicing was done on the vehicles, at the camp, parts flown in.
Many loggers on the island as well, most of the logs went to the Puthoo logging dump, on the Western side of the island, from memory.They used huge all wheel drive prime movers pulling trailers to move the logs around.
We used to go to quite a few beautiful lakes that are now in accessible to the public.Yankee Jack lake comes to mind, crystal clear water, and very deep.We used to snorkel in them and catch the turtles for fun,just let them go again.
One year the young ones were hatching at Coomboo lake, hundreds of them making their way down to the water.We caught lots of them and took them to the water,as the crows and dingos were after them.
Fishing in the surf on the eastern beach was fantastic, used pipis as bait, were easily found in those days.They were also good eating in fried rice.Worralee Ck estuary was another great fishing area we used to go to a lotion the western beach.
We used to catch lobby's as we called them around some of the lakes, nice eating.We used to get a stick,tie a pice of string on the end, then a bit of meat on it as bait, dangle it over a lobby hole, and out they would come.Then into the billy of boiling water.
In those days, we often didnt see a tourists vehicle for two or three weeks,unlike today.

Anyway,enough rambling about a great place.We have a few pics, i will try to find them and post them up.

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