Courtesy of TROVE Northern Star, Saturday 8 March 1947
SAGAS OF THE EARLY DAYS by WINDSOR LANG.
Opening Up the By-Ways of the Richmond
BEFORE the 60’s communication roads within the district were practically non-existent. In the more open country about Casino, cross-country travel was not unduly difficult in fine weather, but it was bad in wet weather – and wet weather most often prevailed. Where overland traffic was at all feasible saddle horse, pack horse, and the slow-moving bullock-dray were the only mediums of transport. On the squattages, the ordinary routine provided that all heavy goods be taken by bullock-dray, and the teams would visit the centers of settlement about once in six months for supplies, on the forward trip taking hides and tallow to the settlement for shipment.
Casino had established regular bullock-dray communication with Grafton and Lawrence by the 60’s. A regular weekly mail service along this route was provided in September, 1861, but right, down to the “70’s” the “Big Scrub” presented an impassable barrier against communication between the centers of settlement in the Richmond River district. Certainly the roughly brushed bullock-dray tracks used by the timber getters did not provide the desired lines of communication.
A track communication between Lismore and Ballina had been established. This track ran along the base of the foothills at Gundurimba, skirted the edge of Tuckian Swamp, led through Meerschaum Vale, and thence, over the low country to Ballina. But the track was so indifferent, and the roughly-constructed bridges so dangerous that most people preferred to use the river.
On the South side of the river a track was brushed during the 60’s, and cattle destined for Mr. John Peate, butcher, were driven from Mr. Clark Irving’s station, through Woodburn as far as South Beach. Here they were slaughtered at convenience, and the carcasses brought by rowing-boat from South Beach to the wharf at the foot of Martin Street.
During the early 60’s Mr. Charles Hugh Fawcett, of Fairymount Station, had a track brushed between Lismore and Tallow Beach, by way of Wollongbar and Newrybar. This he utilised for the passage of beef-cattle and working bullocks needed in the districts nearer the coast.
Mr. Edmund Ross opened up a good road from Ballina via Tintenbar, Teven, and the locality where Alstonville stands today, to Lismore, during the years 1863 and 1864.
In 1866 a new track cut through the scrub between Lismore and Ballina gave a shorter and more direct route.
This track was not adapted to pleasure jaunts, unless the parties were extraordinarily venturesome, and business had to be urgent that influenced others to use this route. Razor-backed ridges and steep slippery pinches provided too many opportunities for both thrills and spills.
During the 70’s the grade had been so improved that the “Northern Star”, of January, 1878, proudly announced that Mr. J. C. Vesper, coach proprietor, had driven a two-horse coach from Lismore to Ballina, and had found the road to be practical for vehicular traffic. Users of today’s highway between the two towns could scarcely form an idea of the first roadway there. Riverside dwellers preferred and used the waterway, and each family had its own row-boat.
Early last year I used the “Northern Star” columns to give some indication how universal had become the practice of rowing on the river to meet social and business obligations. The punt performed similar services to those undertaken by motor-car and utility truck today.
In the 60’s my father had the misfortune to have his leg broken whilst scrub felling on his selection, at Woodburn. His brother and another strapped-up the leg, improvising the splints from the plentiful scrub timber, lowered him into a row-boat, and rowed him over 40 miles to Ballina for medical attention. This having been received, he was rowed back to Woodburn next day.
In December, 1857 the Rev. W. Ridley, B.A., a Presbyterian Minister on a tour from Moreton Bay, set out to ride from Tunstall to the mouth of the Richmond. But swamps and creeks were so bad that the row-boat journey of 90 miles would be easier, safer, and far more comfortable. Accordingly, he accepted the invitation of Dr. Gunst, of Casino, to accompany him by boat. The party rowed from Tunstall down Back Creek to Leycester Creek and North Arm as far as Mr. Yabsley’s home at Coraki on the first stage of their journey.
The next day they rowed down the river to Blackwell (Wardell), where there was the nucleus of a settlement. The following morning (the third) they again set out, calling at Emigrant Creek, and finally reached Deptford, as Ballina was then called, and the minister preached under the shade of two trees.
In the same year Mrs. Thompson of Bald Hill (Bexhill), in order to visit her daughter on the Brunswick, was compelled to engage a boatman, make a two days’ boat trip to Ballina, cross the bar out to sea, then proceed up the coast, and over the Brunswick entrance to her daughter’s place of residence.
It was in the mid 70’s of last century that the progressive mind of Mr. James Webber, a member of one of the pioneer families, recognised the mutual benefits that could accrue for the river-side folk and himself by the establishment of a regular passenger and cargo river-way steam-boat service between Lismore and Ballina to replace that provided by rowing boats.
Accordingly he brought the s.s.”Victoria” from Sydney under her own power and under his personal command and initiated such a service. His traffic schedule provided for the “Victoria” to leave Lismore each Monday morning, and proceed to Ballina. Next day the return trip was made from Ballina to Lismore, and a similar arrangement was to continue over the remaining days of the week. By this arrangement the boat would be enabled to make three trips each way during the week.
This developed into a regular and dependable service, very much appreciated by the river-side dwellers. Much use was made of the “Victoria” for organising moonlight and Sunday excursions for picnic parties. From this one can gauge that both skipper and crew were far from leading idle lives.
Eventually, the “Victoria” was taken over by Captain Thomas Fenwick, who was operating tug-boats at Ballina. The Ballina-Lismore passenger service was continued by this firm, and later was augmented by the addition of another steamer, the s.s.”Sarah L. Hixon”. The firm was thus enabled to supply a daily service each way. The “Sarah L. Hixon” was a fast and well-appointed passenger boat.
One innovation Captain Thomas Fenwick introduced was the setting up of a refreshment bar on board, for the use of the passengers. Later additions made to the fleet were “Emma Pyers,” “Florrie,” “Ballina,” and “Captain Thomas Fenwick”.
In 1885 Messrs John and Alex Lang, of Woodburn, started a daily passenger-boat service between Woodburn and Lismore. For this service they had the s.s.”Messenger” built by Conroy Brothers at Woodburn. Soon after Captain Richard Sheather, father of Mr. A. E. Sheather, of Ballina, commenced a rival service between Woodburn and Lismore, with the s.s.”Magnet”. This boat had been built at Wardell by Mr. Robert Armstrong. On occasions this boat was skippered by Captain Ted Sheather, son of the owner. At a later stage this latter run was taken over by Mr. Fred Allen, of Wyrallah. About the same time Messrs. Fred Davis and Sons, of Woodburn, commenced a daily service between Woodburn and Ballina, using the s.s.”Florence”. Later they acquired the “Magnet” for this run.
As dairy farming became established in the district these services were also used for the carriage of cream for the butter factories, and pigs for the bacon factories. Messrs. Fred Davis and Sons at a later period took over the Woodburn-Lismore run from Messrs. J. and A. Lang.
Other boats used on either the Lismore or Ballina runs from Woodburn were the s.s.”Mabel”, built at Woodburn by Mr. Thomas King, “Alert”, and “Ethel”. The s.s.”Lurline” was another boat that Davis Brother used on their Woodburn-Lismore run, as were these boats built by Mr. O. R. Jones – s.s.”Britannia”, built at Woodburn, “Australasia” and “Araucaria” each built at Oakland, and s.s.”Frederick Davis”, built at Coraki by Messrs. Conroy and Turner.
Another boat engaged in the passenger service between Woodburn and Lismore was the trim and fast-moving “Mystery” built for Mr. John Robinson, of Bungawalbyn, by Mr. O. R. Jones, and skippered by Captain Os. Hann. During the early years of this century several lower-river farmers formed themselves into a co-operative shipping company, operating between Woodburn and Ballina. Their service boat s.s.”Wardell” (Captain W. Cook) continued in that service until motor-traction over the well-maintained road ways gradually supplanted the whole of the water way services.
The river passenger boat interests of the Thomas Fenwick Line during the early years of this century were absorbed into the Davis Brothers and Burgess firm, the whole undertaking being re-organised under the title of Richmond River Shipping Company.
For most of this information covering the passenger boat service on this river I am most indebted to Mr. William Mallett, of The Risk. Mr. Mallett was most solicitous that full credit be given to Mr. James Webster for his enterprise in initiating a service, the benefits of which were sincerely appreciated by the folk who for so long had been obliged to depend upon row-boat service.
Last year’s April and May issues of the “Northern Star” contained a series of five articles describing the river-way traffic as I had known it half a century ago. At that period water-way traffic had reached its heyday. Ocean boat visits were numerous, whilst passenger and tug-boat services were fully employed.
(To be continued.)