business

The Fig Tree, located on the corner of Roseberry and Auckland Streets, Gladstone, is a mature Ficus benjamina planted c1903 by local businessman James Friend in what was at the time, the horse paddock in the grounds of his Roseberry Street home, Elonera House. Gladstone township was established in April 1854, and the Friend family [Henry and Mary Ann Friend and their two small sons Harry (Henry jnr) aged 3 and James aged 1] were amongst its earliest settlers, arriving in 1855. Henry Friend snr was employed on the construction of Gladstone's first water supply. When this work was completed he established a general store in Toolooa Street, at the Barney Point end of town. As settlement gradually focussed further north, on Auckland Creek and the shipping trade, Friend established a shipping and forwarding agency, with his own wharf and warehouse, on the banks of the creek. He was a foundation alderman on Gladstone's first municipal council in 1863, and served as Mayor in 1866 and again in 1869-70. In 1875 his sons Henry and James took over the family general merchandising business as H & J Friend, with considerable success. In 1900 they moved from Auckland Creek to Goondoon Street, and in 1939 the business became a limited liability company known as Friends Pty Ltd. In 1954 the company celebrated 97 years of service to Gladstone during the centenary of the establishment of Gladstone in 1854. Source: apps.des.qld.gov.au/heritage-register/detail/?id=602385

Thomas Charles Beirne was born in Ballymacurly, Ireland in 1860. After completing his schooling in 1880 he was employed as a draper with the Gallagher Brothers until he was persuaded by a friend to migrate to Australia. So, in 1884 Beirne set off for Melbourne, Australia on the ‘Lusitania’, where he was promptly employed by draper Eyre and Sheppard. In 1886 T. C. Beirne took up a partnership with a Mr Piggot in Brisbane, coming together to form a drapery store in Stanley Street. However, after a fire ripped through the store in 1889 the partnership was dissolved and Beirne went on to bigger and better things. After establishing a small store in Fortitude Valley, Beirne was once again offered the opportunity to join in a partnership this time with a Scottish gentleman by the name of James McWirther. Together they operated a business in the Valley, a major shopping precinct in the 1890s. After three years, however, James McWirther decided to open a rival store prompting serious competition for Beirne, who at this point in time had just opened his first small T. C. Beirne’s store in the town of Ipswich. Source: www.ipswichlibraries.com.au/the-beirne-family-irish-retai...

Beloved bottle trees are risky BOTTLE trees can be found far and wide across the Western Downs, but experts are reminding people to ensure the Queensland icons are in good health. Two bottle trees have had to be removed from Dalby properties in recent weeks after they fell over due to rotting. Toowoomba-based arborist Russell Clark said while the trees are Queensland natives they are not endemic to Dalby and often rot because their trunks are soft and fleshy or their roots don't take to the soil. You'll see them in Chinchilla and other places around the Western Downs but the soil type is different here - they're not native to the area, you won't see them growing in a paddock,” he said. "Normally trees that fall over have some sort of problem with the roots. "If the wind is strong and there is plenty of rain, that's when there is most likely movement in a tree. "They are an amazing tree and an Australian icon and I hate people cutting them down. "If you have a bottle tree in the wrong spot, try and find someone like me to remove it to take it to a tree orphanage.” "They live to a fair age so sometimes they can be rotten on the inside but still standing up,” he said. Interesting story about bottle trees from Courrier Mail. www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/dalby/beloved-bott...