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PIONEER ESTATE John Spiller of Mackay started the Pioneer Estate in 1882 named after a property that he held on the Pioneer River in the Mackay district. Henry Brandon had selected the adjoining block of land and soon joined in with Spiller. When the two partners had sufficient land planted with a cane, they placed an order in the Old Country for milling machinery. Mr. George Russell Drysdale, a Scot who reached the Burdekin in 1883 went to Mackay and negotiated with Mr. Brandon who was the manager of the Joint Stock Bank there, for the purchase of the Pioneer interests, and he acquired them for Drysdale Bros. Mr. David Donald who had been connected with Mr. MacKenzie at Seaforth joined Mr. Drysdale with whom he had traveled from Melbourne. Mr. Donald's first job was to receive the milling machinery and see it erected, and it commenced crushing in 1884. the sugar manufactured was carted to the landing at Baratta Creek by horse and bullock teams, where it was shipped by lighter to Townsville. Mr. Donald took over the management of the factory and Mr. Louis Hoey, father of Mr. L. W. J. Hoey, at present chairman of the Ayr District Canegrowers Executive tendered to the plantation work and cane cultivation. Mr. Donald later retired from the mill to become an accountant at Townsville and an agent there for Pioneer. Source: Townsville Daily Bulletin 01 Sep 1938 trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/62169472

Jack Brown was a formidable player in his day and also a great contributor to golf in Queensland. "Runner-up in -the B Grade was John Brown. John has been featured in golf notes a few times now and I think I mentioned in these notes from a week or so ago that this chap had real golf style and practice will make a stylish golfer of him." Source: Western Herald, 21 Sep 1962 trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/142369560

Capalaba, a suburb, is 20 km south-east of central Brisbane. It is situated on the eastern side of Tingalpa Creek, and it is probable that the bridging of the creek at Cleveland Road in 1874 stimulated the opening of the Capalaba Hotel a few years later. It is thought that the name was derived from an Aboriginal word referring to a place of possums. A school was opened in 1880. Until the opening of the railway along a coastal route to Cleveland in 1889, the Cleveland Road was well used and the hotel and surrounding locality attracted farm selectors and timber cutters. With its being bypassed, Capalaba's growth stagnated, and its post office was reduced to a receiving office in 1892. Its census population in 1921 was 110. Source: www.queenslandplaces.com.au/capalaba