thequeenslander

The Quilpie Shire has a long railway history with Quilpie being at the end of the Western railway line. The line was destined for the township of Adavale, but this did not eventuate instead, it was redirected to the settlement now know as Quilpie. Construction on the new railway line commenced 1911 and reached the site of Quilpie in 1917. The first passenger service commenced in 1935 and by 1951 two passenger trains per week ran between Charleville and Quilpie. In the late 1950’s “The Flying Flea” as they called it, was an engine and a couple of coaches, to Quilpie. It was supposed to be the fastest timed passenger train in Queensland. Older residents have told stories of how they used to catch this train for sporting events in Charleville. Prior to 1930, Quilpie was within the Shire of Adavale, headquartered at Adavale. However, the decision to route the railway line through Quilpie rather than Adavale had led to a population drift away from Adavale making Quilpie the larger town. On 17 July 1930, there was a re-organisation of local government in the district, resulting in the abolition of the Shire of Adavale and the creation of the Shire of Quilpie with Quilpie as its headquarters. Source: www.outbackqueensland.com.au/attractions/quilpie-shire-ra...

It is not only about cricket, but also about the artistic expression of a young cricketer, illustrated by Esther Paterson. Esther Paterson Gill (5 February 1892 – 8 August 1971) was an Australian artist, book-illustrator, and cartoonist. Paterson was publishing her illustrations while still at school with work featured in The Woman in 1908 and cartoons appearing in the Sydney Bulletin throughout 1912. This led to regular appearances in Melbourne Punch, the Argus, and other papers and journals. Her work saw her labeled by the Sun as "Melbourne's Poster Girl." Her first book of sketches "Aussie Girls" was published in 1918 by Melbourne Publishing Company. Her portraits of soldiers both uniformed and civilian are shown at the Australian War Memorial Canberra. The National Gallery of Victoria and Geelong Art Gallery also hold some of her work. Paterson posed in her wedding dress for the 1926 Archibald Prize-winning painting Silk and lace by William Beckwith McInnes, acquired by the Art Gallery of New South Wales. Paterson was the longest serving female office bearer in the Victorian Artists' Society and a significant presence within the Melbourne Society of Women Painters and Sculptors. In 1950 Paterson was awarded the honor of Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, London (FRSA), showing her reach went beyond Australia to be known in England. Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Esther_Paterson

About 40 km east of Dimbulah, Mareeba had its first tobacco crop in 1930. Within a few years tobacco was planted at Dimbulah, coinciding with the arrival of Italian migrant farmers. A local tobacco growers association was formed in 1935, later joining with Mareeba growers to lobby for an irrigation scheme. The war delayed the scheme, as well as leading to the internment of some Italian men. Some families left behind suffered considerable hardship. Source: queenslandplaces.com.au/dimbulah

Located 64 km west of Cairns and 450 metres above sea-level, Mareeba is the centre for a number of agricultural activities including coffee plantations, mango farms, avocado farms, and, most importantly, tobacco growing. In fact, the town is the centre of the Atherton Tablelands tobacco industry and consequently is home to the Tobacco Leaf Marketing Board. Tobacco was first grown in the area in 1928 and did much to bring prosperity to a town which had previously been little more than a stopping point. Today there are over 400 tobacco farms around the town. The Tinaroo Falls dam supplies the tobacco industry with most of its water requirements. Source: www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/mareeba-20040208-gdkqfr.html