beard

On Dixon Road in central Buderim is a timber homestead built by the pioneer Joseph Dixon who first selected land in the Mooloolah area in 1869. He was initially in partnership with a friend in a sugar plantation that flooded. He then selected land on Buderim plateau in June 1870 and erected a slab hut, which he occupied with his bride Elizabeth Fielding following their 1873 marriage. In 1875, Dixon and his father-in-law John Fielding established the first sugar mill on the mountain, using equipment purchased from Fountain's Burpengary mill. Between them, Fielding and Dixon owned numerous adjoining properties so the exact date of construction of this house is difficult to confirm. Dating to the early 1880s, it remains one of the oldest surviving sawn timber residences on the plateau. Its exposed-frame construction is typical of the era. Local beech timber has been used in the floors, wall lining and ceilings, with cedar joinery and hardwood framing. As the sugar industry declined from the early 1890s, farmers diversified into banana and orange cultivation and later dairying. Dixon moved to Flaxton, while his Buderim property was transferred to John Burnett. ‘Canambie’ remains a private home and is not publically accessible. Source: apps.des.qld.gov.au/heritage-register/explorer/detail/?id...

MR. EDMUND BIGNELL. This gentleman, one of our pastoral pioneers who have made the western wastelands of the colony teem with productive- ness, if not blossom like the rose, took up country in the Warrego district about thirty years ago, the greater portion of which the period he owned Widgeegoara station, between Cunnamulla and the New South Wales border. Here he displayed much enterprise and energy in improvements, both in country and stock. He was the first to introduce a boring plant into that part of the colony. About 15 years ago boring for surface water was carried out with much success on Widgeegoara, and more recently several fine flows of artesian water have been struck. Mr. Bignell was a constant attendant at the big sheep sales in Sydney, where he purchased largely the best merino blood obtainable, with the result that the Widgeegoara clip has been wonderfully improved. Immediately on the passing of the Land-grant Railways Act last year, Mr. Bignell exerted himself to form a syndicate to construct the proposed line from Charleville to Cunnamulla, and as the lands available for the purpose were extremely limited, most of the country being locked up in leases, his idea was that the lessees should form the syndicate and surrender the required area of land. The determination of the present Government not to proceed with any lines adjacent, to which there is no sufficiency of land open, blocked the project, otherwise, judging from the projector's enterprise and energy in other directions, there is no doubt it would have been brought to a successful issue, in which case the cause for such measures as the Railway Bolder Tax would have been largely, if not wholly, done away with. Mr. Bignell, who was respected and esteemed, no less by his servants than his neighbors, died on the 23rd of last month. Source: 10 Jul 1893, Darling Dawons Gazette trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/171208328?searchTerm=%...

Aboriginal breastplates (also called king plates or aboriginal gorgets) were a form of regalia used in pre-Federation Australia by white colonial authorities to recognise those they perceived to be local Aboriginal leaders. The breastplates were usually metallic crescent-shaped plaques worn around the neck by wearer. Aboriginal people did not traditionally have kings or chiefs. They lived in small clan groups with several elders—certain older men and women—who consulted with each other on decisions for the group. By appointing kings of tribes, and granting them king plates, the white colonial powers went against the more collegiate grain of traditional Aboriginal culture. In the 19th century, king plates were given by numerous communities in various Australian States to esteemed Aboriginal men and women, who were usually elders of their particular tribal or kinship group. The plates were presented to perceived 'chiefs', courageous men and to faithful servants.[1] There have been suggestions that the presentation of breastplates also had a great deal to do with whether or not the recipient was seen as useful or respected by the white Australian community of the area in question. While some Aboriginal people wore their breastplates with pride, others saw them as yet another insult to their culture from the white European settlers.[2] Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aboriginal_breastplate