There’s a track winding back … The journey from CannonValley to Proserpine 87 years ago

In 1937, Ivan A Hughes wrote a book entitled “In the Wake of the ‘Cheerio’: The Narrative of a Memorable Cruise in Great Barrier Reef Waters” During a fourteen-day cruise on the “Cheerio” between Bowen and Mackay, Hughes and a group of tourists from Sydney visited most islands of the Whitsunday and Cumberland Groups and enjoyed trips to the outer Barrier Reef. The account of their experiences, of the beauty of the area, and the references to relics of early history is both comprehensive and entertaining.
 
A particularly memorable account is Hughes’s vivid description of the track between Cannon Valley (the author was referring to what is now known as Cannonvale) and Proserpine, which the tourists traversed on their first mainland stop. Hughes described how the twenty excited travellers were “full of pleasure at the novelty of the coming jaunt in an open motor truck” for the fourteen-mile trip on the main railway line, and the reaction of locals to their arrival.
 
“We went bouncing and bumping hilariously along the narrow tortuous track. Careering down steep inclines, we slowed up at the creek beds to drop into low gear in time to lurch and roll through the boulder strewn shallows and struggle up the opposite rises. The names Whiskey and Brandy (were) proudly borne by two of the five little waterways we negotiated.”  At Myrtle Creek “stretches of lily pad covered the water and the banks drooped tropic vines.”
 
“Farm succeeded farm in monotonous succession, until we came to wonder how so much sugar cane could be used.” Hughes told how the crew “shamelessly entered a canefield (to) secure cane stalks. All and sundry indulged in the sweet pastime of chewing sugar cane.”
 
“Gazes were turned aloft to scan the branches of each of the tall grey gums … Native Bears had been promised as a special attraction and at last someone … discovered one …”
 
Their arrival in Proserpine – “The very orderly and quiet inhabitants of this little north Queensland town were interested and slightly scandalised at our advent.” Many of the travellers “sported shorts and shirts and displayed limbs already burned a deep shade of tan. There were hats limp and water-stained, and ornamented with fresh garlands of greenery gathered along the way.”
 
“The reader can well imagine the … anticipation of a party of city dwellers who have been denied the luxury of shops for a whole week. Thus, the business people did a roaring trade in refreshments, photo materials, chocolates, fruit, cigarettes, balloons, and beauty aids.”
 
The author portrayed scenes of “trailing children … who accompanied them from shop to shop. One traveller “arranged a scramble amongst the children coming out of school by getting a great crowd together and throwing a couple of handfuls of pennies into the air. With a shouted invitation of “come on, children, … free ice creams for everyone this afternoon, (soon) 70 – 80 little heads were counted in from the milling crowd packed around the door.” More antics followed and “the unusual treat for the children had a fitting ending with one final ‘all in’ scramble for dozens of pennies … tossed into the air in the middle of the street.”

There is much more to this unforgettable account including a visit to the sugar mill, dinner in a local restaurant and an eventful trip back to the beach. But that’s for another time.
 
Postscript: Perhaps some of our readers would be able to enlighten as to where Whiskey Creek may have been.
 
Story and photo courtesy Proserpine Historical Museum.

Photo caption: The Cheerio

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