BOATS IN THE BUSH

THE YAAMBA  FERRY

In the early days of settlement in the Livingstone region, as we have already noted, transport was the main problem. The roads were somewhat rudimentary and followed a different logic to our roads today. The fact that the primary means of transport was the bullock or horse drawn wagon meant the road followed the line of least resistance and the easiest gradient, regardless of distance. It could take up to a week for a heavily laden "sugar wagon" to reach Rockhampton from Yeppoon.

Before the bridges over the Fitzroy were built a lot of traffic to the coast and north-east of the Shire went via the Yaamba Crossing, a ford on the Fitzroy that in normal seasons allowed heavy loads to be taken across the river.

This Crossing on the Fitzroy was serviced by a ferry boat complete with its own ferryman. He was employed at first by the old Gogango Divisional Board and then, as a joint venture by the Fitzroy and the Livingstone Councils. A Yaamba resident called James Moore is recorded as being in charge of the ferry in 1898, a year that big floods caused havoc and apparently damaged a second boat sent to relieve the situation.

The following series of letters gives us a glimpse of the early days of the Shire when just getting around was still a challenge and the "wet season" really was wet.

By the end of 1905 the ferry boat at Yaamba needed to be replaced, and on the 14^th January 1906, the two Councils reached agreement on a specification. It ran as follows:

"…an 18 foot Clinker boat, 5 foot beam, 3feet 3 inches deep, of New Zealand Kauri pine, copper fastened, 2 ring bolts, 3 coats of paint, for nineteen pounds sixteen shillings. Also one pair of 9 foot 6 inch paddles and one pair of 13 foot oars and one pair of rowlocks (£2)".

Tenders were called and a Mr. C. Norris of Rockhampton, who had built the previous boat some 15 years earlier in 1891, was successful. He undertook to supply a 20 foot long clinker built boat with a beam of 5 feet 3 inches and a depth of 2 foot 3 inches, together with fittings for a total of £24. The deviation from the original specification apparently went unnoticed and Mr. Norris subsequently informed the Councils by letter dated 27^th February 1906 that he had forwarded the completed and equipped boat to Yaamba.

On its arrival at Yaamba, the ferry man, James Moore, found it to be unsuitable, being too shallow in draft, too long and at the mercy of the currents when in the hands of one man. He wrote to the Council on 1^st March 1906, telling them so in the following manner, quoted verbatim below.

"The new boat that youre Board sent to Yaamba is of no use heer (sic) as She is altogether to large for this place. I would not cross the river in myself for five pounds without another man. The boat was bilt for too men not for one man. So you can send a man or give order to get one. No lady can step in or out of her. She is to deep for any woman to get in or out.

Mr. Chairman, the new boat must be 20 foot and when only one man is in a boat that length and then a Pair of ores in his hands what Powr has he none. 10 foot paddles is to long for anney one man – do not take the old boat away as I can cross the river and on this day the river is 24 feet over Summer’s level. Mr. Norris’s son and the other man had to tow her with a rope in some places on the river. Yours respectfully, James Moore".

After this was sent the river must have experienced a further flooding, for in his next letter, dated 29^th March 1906, Mr. Moore refers to a flood peak of 41 feet. He also requests a raise in salary to compensate him "for my trouble to look after her [the new boat] since the boat came to Yaamba".

The matter of the new boat’s unsuitability came before the Council in April 1906 and it was decided to refuse to accept it on the grounds that it did not meet the specification. Mr. Norris replied by letter dated 12^th May 1906 that, provided he was paid for the first boat and providing he could then sell it on, he would replace it with one built to the correct dimensions. He was duly paid for the first boat in May 1906 but then the record goes silent. There is no record of another replacement boat being built or forwarded to Yaamba.

Some two years later, on the 2^nd April 1908, Mr. Moore wrote to the Council again, reminding them that he still had two boats in his care. Did Mr. Norris simply pocket his cheque and forget about the matter, leaving the rejected boat up at Yaamba? It certainly seems that way from James Moore’s letter shown below.

"For the past two years or more I have had the caretaking of two ferry boats, the old boat in addition to the newer one. You will please note that my contract stipulates only for the caretaking of one boat. I respectfully submit that I am deserving of some reward for looking after the old boat and trust you will favourably consider the matter and grant my request. I beg to be, Gentlemen, Your obedient servant, James Moore".

The rather more correct grammar of this letter reflects the fact that Mr. Moore often had a better hand scribe his correspondence, his own hand being a very basic scrawl. On the 5^th April 1906, Mr. Moore writes to the Council again to add details to support his previous request for extra remuneration, citing the dangers he faced during the recent floods.

"When the flood in the river reached forty feet the water was running too strong for me to pull the boat across myself and as I had to be crossing every day I asked Mr. A.S. MacDonald to let me get assistance to cross. (He) told me I could get my son Charley and I could use him 8 days. Every day we had to cross over, either with Mails or passengers. The Council has usually allowed a man 8 shillings a day for this work. I remain yours truly, James Moore".

Whether Mr. Moore received his remuneration for caretaking the extra boat or indeed whether his son Charley got his 8 shillings per day for 8 days we do not know. The fact that no further letters of complaint appear argues that he did receive satisfaction.

His last letter to the Council, dated 1^st July 1910, is in fact a letter of resignation, in which he asks to be relieved of his post after at least 13 years as ferry man at Yaamba.

"Dear Sir, would you read this letter for the Chairman and Gentlemen of the Board that I would be glad if they would get a man to take the ferry boat over from me by the first of October as I am getting too old – the last flood the toll was knocked off and I had to keep the pass opened. [?] Yours Respectfully, James Moore".

It seems Mr. Moore’s request was granted and he was relieved of his duties in due course, being replaced by a Mr. H. W. Smith who was still employed as the ferry man in mid-1914. The boat at Yaamba was replaced at least twice more, in 1930 and again as late as 1947 when the Fitzroy Council renewed the joint agreement.

THE MACKENZIE RIVER FERRY

The far north-western border between the Livingstone Shire and the Shire Of Duaringa is formed by a stretch of the Mackenzie River and at a point called the Balcombah Crossing, another jointly owned ferry boat plied the stream between two Shires, Livingstone and Duaringa. A series of letters from the Duaringa Council recounts the dramatic events of April-May 1906 when the floods that gave James Moore problems with a 41 foot flood peak at Yaamba also swept down the Mackenzie River.

An "Electric Telegraph" sent from Duaringa to the Livingstone Council office at North Rockhampton on the 29^th May 1906 conveyed the news of an accident to the joint ferry boat.

"Accident our joint boat Upset swept down Mackenzie Saturday look out notify Yaamba. White".

A letter followed giving further details of the accident.

"From information received it appears that Mr. Bradley of Leura Station was crossing his buggy on the boat when it struck a tree and capsized the boat to which it was apparently tied. Mr. F. Beattie of Sorrel Hill was in the boat at the time and brought the news to me on Saturday night that the stern of the boat was visible above the water, its bow being held down by the buggy. Early Sunday morning I procured men, ropes and a buggy only to find on my arrival that the boat had evidently broken away and was swept down the river.

I sent men into the river to see whether there was any sign of the boat, thinking she might be under the water as the river had risen considerably during the night but could find no trace of it there. A search for some miles down the river was also made without result. She may be lodged amongst the trees somewhere and when the river falls a further search will be made. I think when she got away from the buggy she would right herself but being filled with water would float along level with the water and might easily escape detection.

I have not yet seen Mr. Bradley. He got out on the northern side of the river (Livingstone Shire) after losing most of his clothes and other things and I presume has made for "home". A strong current was flowing at the time and the river was pretty high. (Signed) Ernest E. White. Clerk".

The mystery of the disappearing boat was solved a week or so later when it was found only a short way downstream from the crossing. The Shire Clerk wrote to the Livingstone Council again on the 4^th June 1906 telling them the news.

"I beg to inform you that the boat belonging to the Balcombah Crossing was discovered about a mile and a half below the crossing and has been brought back. The bottom of the boat is rusted through and before it can be used again will require to be re-bottomed. This was only found after being turned over for examination, it taking four or five men to turn it over on the sand.

If it is decided to re-bottom it, I think that galvanised or some non-rusting iron or steel should be used for the purpose. The cost of searching for and having the boat returned to the crossing place was £2. (Signed) Ernest E. White Clerk".

It seems from these letters that the Mackenzie River ferry was of metal construction rather than timber like the one at Yaamba. The archive contains a quote from Burns and Twigg, an old firm of ironmongers and boilermakers in Rockhampton, to supply just such an iron boat for £50.

The matter of a replacement for the damaged boat was canvassed in a letter from the Duaringa Council of 23^rd August 1906.

"The matter of providing a suitable replacement … has been considered … and the conclusion arrived at was, that a flat-bottomed wooden one of about 12 feet by 4 feet 8 inches would perhaps be the most serviceable description. My Council were of the opinion that it should only be used for the conveyance of passengers and luggage and rations and be limited to a certain weight which we could fix by regulation.

It has since been suggested to me that a flat-bottomed boat of the foregoing dimensions would not be so manageable in a current as a larger one, say 15 by 5. Should you consider likewise I may say that my Council will agree and be guided by your decision. We have had an offer of £1 for the old boat and I would recommend the sale of it if no better offer can be obtained. I have the honour to be, Sir, your obedient Servant, (signed) Ernest. E. White. Clerk".

In the interim a new boat was ordered and forwarded to Duaringa by rail. Its dimensions were 13 feet long with a beam of 5 feet and constructed with an oval bottom rather than flat.

After being repaired in 1913, it seems this boat lasted a total of almost 25 years at the Balcombah Crossing as the next call for a replacement came in 1930 in a letter from a Mr. Wilson of Calliope Station. His plea for a replacement found favour with the two Shire Councils and tenders were called for its construction in 1930. This time it was to be a clinker-built timber boat, 14 feet long with a beam of 4 feet 6 inches, costing £37 and was built by Mr. Thomas K. Walsham of Rockhampton.