From Proserpine To Mackay - Via Bowen!

For those of us who think little of jumping into a car at a moment’s notice and scooting off to Mackay in an hour and a half, day or night, it’s hard to imagine a time when Mackay was reached via Bowen per boat! Such was the case in 1908 when Mrs Eliza Fuller, her husband and very young daughter and son decided to visit friends there.
This is her story reported in the “Proserpine Guardian”.
Friends from Proserpine, the Velongs, had sold their farm and moved to a hotel in Mackay and invited the Fullers to visit. As Mrs Fuller previously had seen only Bowen and Proserpine, the invitation was accepted.
Travelling anywhere in those times was an undertaking of considerable dimensions. In addition to intense preparation days beforehand, it meant catching a 6 am coach to Bowen (after coming to Proserpine from their Strathdickie farm) and sitting in the sun in an open coach until they arrived in Bowen at 5pm then to bed in one of the hotels.
Room service was poor in those days. The proprietor forgot to call the family early next morning in time for breakfast before embarkation and, after a frenzied late call of “Boat’s in!” they just had time to throw clothes in a basket after quickly dressing and running for it.
They were allocated a tiny cabin for the day’s run to Mackay, but nothing to eat, except an ice cream, until Midday.
More troubles in Mackay when the primitive landing arrangements had to be foregone owing to rough seas. Disembarkation was managed by slinging several people (the Fullers and their very young children in one lift) in a tarpaulin over the side of the ship’s winch, into a waiting row boat.
As it was too rough for the ship to land, one can imagine what it was like in a small row boat. Wet and tired, passengers were taken up the river and arrived at the hotel at dusk. But not their luggage basket which did not come ashore until ten o’clock the following morning.
Although it took two long days to reach Mackay, the visit was enjoyed however Mrs Fuller was not impressed with that town at that time, as there were so many swamps around in the low-lying areas.
They were enjoying the unusual break from the farm when late one day Mr Fuller heard a sugar boat returning direct to Proserpine that night. There was a wild rush to pack and say goodbye and they managed to board the vessel at 7 pm. Mrs Fuller and her two children were shown to a small shelter to spend the night.
It was rough and uncomfortable, lying on bare boards but they were too seasick to care. Mr Fuller spent the night on the open deck, talking and dozing, with the boat eventually running up the Proserpine River and reaching the old Glen Isla landing at six o’clock the next morning. In those days, much cargo was landed at this spot in the river which was serviced by a mill loco tramway pulling cane trucks equipped with a low cross rail on which passengers could sit.
Mr Fuller had left his horse and buggy at the family’s farm out towards Breadalbane, and after a quick breakfast and some shopping in town, they harnessed the horses and were back home by noon.
Eliza Fuller certainly never had another trip quite like that again. And whilst it was a primitive journey, it was far preferable to going to Bowen via Proserpine – another a day’s journey by coach.

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Story and photo courtesy Proserpine Historical Museum
The landing at Glen Isla

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