By Guest Contributor, Costas “Con” Constantinides, historian from Mt Isa.
In the Gulf Country around Gregory Downs and along the road from Camooweal to Burketown there were a number of Wayside Inns and Shanties. All are now long gone except the Gregory Hotel.
The Gregory Hotel
The Gregory Hotel on the Camooweal to Burketown Road sits alongside of the picturesque flowing waters of the Gregory River and is well known to travellers.
In 1882 the Watson’s moved the goods out of their store at Burketown to Gregory Downs to the present site of the Hotel and started a pub and store. This was the spot that they had at first settled and built on when they arrived on the Gregory River but they found that travellers became a nuisance so they moved the homestead across the river to the present site.
The Watson’s had put the German, Baedertcher, in charge of the Gregory Pub and store and he did a good trade – as did the Watson Bros. They sold the business to a Mr Clark who took in a partner Mr Campbell before eventually selling on to Bill and Emily Barrett in 1889. When Bill died in 1892, Mrs Emily Barrett took over the licence and ran the business until her death in 1934. (Bill Barrett is buried on the ridge behind the hotel)
The O’Shaughnessy Hotel
30 miles north of Camooweal on the Burketown Rd on the property Morestone Downs. The building was later dismantled and sent to Avon Downs for a managers residence.
Hotel Licensees – J. H. Mansfield 1883; James Henry Kennedy 1883/1884 Transferred James Fitzgerald 1884/1886; John Booth 1887/1888 Transferred to William Hewitt 1888/1890; William Jones and Stephen McCann 1891/ 1893 J. Y. Black 1893; John Booth 1894/1896 transferred Annie Booth 1896/1899.
“I once saw a duel, it happened in the bar of the O’Shaughnessy Hotel, 30 miles out from Camooweal on the Burketown Road, on a hot day in 1894. The O’Shaughnessy was kept by two brothers named Heslop, and they were the seconds. The Principals were Dick Letts and a man named Latouche, a descendent of one of the Huguenot families that settled in England. Latouche had served in the British Army and he would not tolerate disrespectful allusions to the Royal Family. Dick Letts, well knowing this, made a jest at the expense of the then Prince of Wales (afterwards Edward VII). This brough Latouche to his feet. “Letts,” he said, “I am too old to fight you with my fists, but I will fight you a duel”. “Right you are” said Dick; “a duel it is. Anyway you like.” As swords were not available, firearms it had to be. One of the Heslops had a pair of Colt revolvers of the same calibre. These were loaded by the two brothers, after a consultation with Dick, who carefully inspected both weapons. Latouche left everything to his second. Ten paces were stepped off and the principals took up their positions. Latouche was in deadly earnest. When the word was given he fired as quick as a flash. “Missed by God!” he ejaculated. “Now, Latouche.” said Dick, raising his revolver, “is there anything you want done or any last message before you leave this world?” “No,” said Latouche, “shoot and be damned to you.” Bang! went Dick’s revolver, but it was pointing to the sky. Latouche, who had stood as steady as though on parade, came unstuck at this. He staggered up to Dick and fell on his shoulders. “A noble action; a most magnanimous action The action of a gentleman!” exclaimed the old chap. He had to be steadied to the bar, where his glass also had to be steadied to his mouth, whilst the health of the Royal Family was drunk to the tune of the National Anthem. Latouche is dead these many years, so it is safe now to reveal my deep suspicion (knowing Letts and the Heslops) that neither revolver contained a bullet” (Bulletin 1934)
The Wooden Duck Hotel (Mended Hill/Mendip)
George Watson, a prospector and miner, who was no relation to the Watsons of Gregory Downs, had partnered with Ben Coughlan and went to Lawn Hills area in 1907 to exploit silver and lead deposits there. They also established a store and hotel – in reality a ‘pub’ – and the management was left in the hands of Ben Coughlan. The rendezvous became famous as the ‘Wooden Duck’ following the joke of a miner who discovered a child’s broken toy amongst other debris, and nailed it to the front of the hotel.
With the decline of the mining field they took their stock in trade to Burketown and disposed of it there. George Watson then went to the Rankin River NT and established a store there which he conducted for 25 years before selling out.
The Thornton Hotel
Situated on the Thornton River about 30 miles northeast of Camooweal on the Burketown Road. Also possibly called the Ethelglen at different times under different owners. We are not entirely sure that the Thornton and Ethelglen are one and the same, however, we suspect they are.
Jack Kennedy in partnership with Harry Hughes had set up the Ethelglen Hotel on the Thornton River in 1883, although the list of Licensees does not include this hotel until 1889. Harry Hughes is then shown as Licensee of the Thornton prior to John Webber. In 1898 the Licensee of the Thornton is shown as Ellen Webber. In 1904 the Licensee is shown as Donald Bryce and in 1905 Mary Ann Jones. From 1906 to 1910 the Licence was held by John (and Kate) Day
John Webber had bought the licence for the Thornton in 1891 for 1,200 pounds, with the previous owner intending to start in Burketown. John and his wife Ellen arrived at the settlement and sold their wagon full of stores and opened their own store. In 1903 John is listed as a carrier at Ethelglen. They also ran the Thornton Hotel and purchased land. The hotel was sold in 1904 and Elen moved to Burketown where she again ran a store. The children all returned after finishing school and Ellen is listed back at Thornton Vale, Seymour River in 1905 and John Scholes then ran the Burketown store.
Information from the early days from Mr Frank Webber(1910-1984) of “Nardoo”, son of Frank Webber and grandson of John Webber. Also photos by Mrs Helen Donaldson (1886-1978) wife of Willie, who used to pass by the hotel on her way from Cloncurry to Riversleigh Station
The Pioneer Hotel
In general it has been very difficult to find any info on the Pioneer Hotel or its location. It is supposed to be slightly to the west of Thornton. See Map below.
Pioneer Hotel Licensees – 1889 James Kennedy Hotel and Storekeeper. Stephen McCann Hotelkeeper, Thomas Berry 1889/1898
The Brook Hotel
The Brook Hotel was just a wayside inn on its own, it was about 17 miles west of Burketown on the Beames Brook.
James Cashman was the builder and first owner. This little hotel on the bank of Beames Brook had a lot of history. Cashman later became very well off because of gold in Croydon, the Booth family were popular owners and descendants are still in area. Another family that owned it were the Davidsons. A grave of Victoria Booth (Dolly) is nearby and 2 unmarked graves, Hoosan babies at the same location.
Isabella Victoria Booth was a 22 year old domestic working for her parents William Booth and Elizabeth (Bennet). Seen by Doctor on 21st January, 1906 and died from Malaria on 28th January, buried 29th January at the Brook Hotel Camooweal Road, burial witnessed by Robert Shadforth and Frank Rendall.
It was the Outlaw Joe Flick that shot at James Cashman the then Proprietor of the Brook Hotel , because of an alleged insult. Fortunately the bullet missed.
Flick was courting an Aboriginal woman who worked as a housemaid at the Brook Wayside Hotel, south of Burketown. She broke off the relationship with Flick and he believed that the proprietors of the Hotel had turned her against him. On 7 May 1889 Flick attempted to kill them but they fought him off. Flick later died in a shootout with Frank Hann and Constable Alfred Wavell at Lawn Hill Station. Constable Wavell as well as a local native by the name of Nym, were also killed.
Cashman. James and Margaret Cashman (nee McDonald) were William Booth’s Uncle and Aunt. William (Bill) and Elizabeth (Caroline) Booth had 12 Children. William Booth ran the Hotel for his Uncle James Cashman. William must of held the Licence for the Hotel , even if he didn’t actually own it, Booth was the Landlord. It was only about 2 years after this, in 1907, that Caroline died. William Booth didn’t die until 1932.
John and Mary Ann Davidson took over the Brook Hotel in 1912 with Mary-Ann as Licensee. From 1914 to 1917, John Davidson was Licensee. In 1918, John died at age 64 from a horrific accident when a wagon wheels ran over both his legs. He died from loss of blood and shock. In 1927, Mary Ann took up a pastoral lease to the north called Adina and lived on an adjoining special lease which is now all part of Escott Station. Mary-Ann was also a midwife. After a busy life, Mary-Ann met her untimely end in 1930 at only 53 years of age. They had 10 children with one dying at birth.
There is a Grave at the site of the Brook Hotel, believed to be of a ‘Molly Booth” who managed the Brook wayside inn, apparently she was one of the last hotel operators before it closed, there supposed to be also the grave of a child closeby.
The Turn Off Lagoon Shanty
Hotel Licensee – Thos. Anderson 1887
At a settlement south west of Burketown with a Police Station that had previously been established at Corinda Station (now an outstation of Lawn Hill) and then moved to Turn Off Lagoon.
Turn-off Lagoon was so named because this was where the Territory stock routes began. The inland path, across the Border Ranges to the Barkly Tableland was called Hedley’s Track, and the more northerly alternative was the Coast Track, known for its fever, humidity and mud.
Remote areas of the Calvert and upper Nicholson Rivers were favourite haunts of criminals and they used a shanty at Turn Off lagoon owned by a man named Anderson, as their headquarters. Police Sub Inspector Lamond described the shanty as being of the lowest class he had seen for years and recommended the cancellation of Anderson’s Licence.
Despite representations from residents of he district, it was not until 1886 that a Native Police station was opened on the Nicholson at old Corinda Station, 40 kms east of Turn Off Lagoon. It was closed the following year due to the drying up of traffic along the Coast Track but reopened in 1888 after further complaints from the stations. In 1889 it was moved to Turn Off Lagoon.
In 1885, a Mr. A. G. Makenzie, of Corinda Station, was drowned, in the Turn-off Lagoon, on the 22nd of April. He went in for swim, and got entangled among the weeds.
Kennedy’s Rocklands
This wayside inn may have only existed for a year as the Licensee is shown as James Henry Kennedy for the year 1885 to 1886.
Bumboat Runners or Grog Sellers
Shanties were very plentiful out here, in north west Qld and the NT, and it was no trouble to get a drink. There were also a number of “Bum Boats”. These were wagonettes which carried liquor, and of course, you had to pay stiff prices if you wanted a drink. Men were fleeced right and left at these shanties. You met all sorts and condition of men out there and there was a lot of lawlessness. Horse a cattle stealing was rampant. Shots have even been fired by those fired up on rum from the “Bum Boats”.
Area Maps
An Interesting Post Script – Hotels on the Cloncurry to Normanton Road
Sources and Acknowledgements
Most of this material has been researched and collected by historian Costas “Con” Constantinides over many years. Information has come from the Webber family; The Donaldson family; Historian Bob Forsyth; Russell Carrington, originally from Planet Downs; Members of the Facebook group, “Tales from the Top Rail”; Many local families that have lived in the area, as well as, information readily available on the internet. (Cover Painting by Bob Pelchen)
Any corrections, additional information and anecdotal stories are welcome in Comments or by Message and we will add them in to the stories here.
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