SWEERS ISLAND CHRONOLOGY 2

Pre 1600s:

The use of Sweers Island by the Kaiadilt (Bentinck Islanders) is well documented.1 As Tindale suggested, historical evidence indicates some occupation of Bentinck, Allens and Sweers Island with primary use focused on Bentinck Island. The nomadic trips to Allens and Sweers Islands were largely dependent on whim, freshwater supply and specific hunting and gathering expeditions; all largely controlled by weather. The Kaiadilt people were basically gatherers of sea food, and the wave platform areas and associated shorelands were probably utilised on Sweers Island. Women gathered 'tjilangind' (small rock oysters), 'kulpanda' (Arca mud cockles) and crabs during low tide periods, while the men explored the wider littoral areas spearing fish, turtle, sharks and dugong. On the other hand, the Aboriginal fish-traps on Sweers Island2 suggest a more sedentary use of the Island in the recent past.

The Aboriginal terms describing these places indicate that Bentinck Island was the 'land of all' (Dulkawalnged) while Allens, Horseshoe and Sweers Islands were 'men absent lands' (Dangkawaridulk). These primary indicators, plus observations during visits by Flinders and Stokes and other visitors to the area, including anthropologists Roth, Beazley and, more recently, Tindale, indicate that prehistoric use was sporadic and ecologically insignificant.

1580-1650:

This was the earliest period of exploration in northern Australia and Indonesian waters by Dutch explorers associated with the Dutch East India Company.

1606:

The first written record of exploration in the Gulf of Carpentaria by Willem Jansz date from this time. In March and April, he sailed down the west coast of Cape York, landing at Albatross Bay and then continued as far as 14°S (Cape Keer-Weer) in the DUYFKEN. Jansz's report was not encouraging.3

1623:

Jan Carstensz in command of Dutch East India Company's vessels PERA and ARNHEM, took ships' boats into the mouth of the Staaten River on 25 April. Carstensz named the Gulf of Carpentaria after Pieter de Carpentier, Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies from 1622-28. Carstensz was to investigate the possibility of trade with the natives and inquire for gold metals and find Torres Strait. However, he failed to find Torres Strait and saw only 'naked savages' and a few rivers.4

1644:

The first European likely to have seen Sweers Island in June or July 1644 was Abel Janzoon Tasman. He had been sent by the Dutch Governor-General to determine whether a strait existed between New Guinea and the 'Southland' (Australia) as shown on Franco-Portuguese maps.5 Tasman failed to find Torres Strait, probably because he sailed too far offshore6 and he did not recognise that Sweers Island was an island rather than a promontory. The dissatisfaction with Tasman's voyage is best reflected in that a further exploratory expedition was sent to the area with almost identical orders in 1756.7 Although rebuked by the directors of the Dutch East India Company for unremunerative exploration - 'Why bother about barren and remote countries inhabited by wild and unprofitable savages?'8 - Tasman's rank of commander was confirmed and, in November 1644, he was appointed to the Council of Justice in Batavia.9 Tasman retired from the Company in 1651, becoming a wealthy merchant until his death in 1659.10

The composite map of this journey is in the Mitchell Library and places a headland and a supposed river entrance ('The Maet Suyker') in the vicinity of what are now called the South Wellesley Islands; it seems clear that Tasman, who did not name the Island,11 thought it part of a large promontory.

Pre 1800's:

Sporadic visits to the northern Australian coastline by Maccassarese-Buginese fishermen lost and/or seeking trepang and other marine biota did occur, although rarely were the Wellesley Islands included in these visits.12

Some evidence of these visits, however, is gleaned from the tamarind trees (Tamarindus indicus) found on Fowler Island13 and from trees cut with axes, teak remains of worked timbers, earthenware jugs and skeletons reported during Flinders' visit to the island in 1802.14

1756:

Two ships, the RIJDER and BUIJS, under the command of Jean Etienne Gonzal were dispatched by the Dutch East India Company to '... survey the coasts of the Gulf of Carpentaria, the north coast of Arnhem Land and to sail westwards ...'15 These ships were separated by storms and failed to carry out their orders so that virtually no useful information resulted.

1802:

16 - On his last voyage in the INVESTIGATOR, Matthew Flinders sighted Sweers Island while exploring the Gulf's southern coastline. He deduced that the opening west of the prominent height of land (Inspection Hill) was the river entrance suggested on earlier Dutch charts ('Maets Suyker's River'). According to Robert Brown,16 the botanist aboard the INVESTIGATOR, '... in the evening anchored under a low Island about a mile from the shore & abreast of the only rising ground on the Island'.

17 - Flinders anchored the INVESTIGATOR approximately two miles due south of Sweers Island in 4.5 fathoms. Taking a boat ashore he climbed Inspection Hill, describing it as '... a mass of calcareous rock, whose surface was cut and honey-combed'17.

'... a Native was seen on the beach near us but on the boats approaching the Shore he disappeared we ranged this island till 4 PM when we returned on board with a tolerable harvest. This island appears very recently formed, chiefly of Coral, Sand & Ironstone & a mixture of Sandstone & Ironstone - there is no luxuriant vegetation or soil capable of producing such on the Island however there is considerable variety of vegetables.'18

Although the area had been called Maet Suyker's River on earlier Dutch charts, Flinders renamed the island 'Sweers Island' after Salomon Sweers,19 one of the Councillors of Batavia who had authorised Tasman's journey of 1644. He also named Inspection Hill from '... its obvious nature as a vantage point'.

18 - 'Early two boats went to draw the Seine in a bay between this and another large Island. Mr. Allen and I were landed on the large Island where we saw 11 Natives who fled from us. here we found the Stumps of several Cassuarina Trees which had been neat cut with sharp edged tools ... returned on Board about 3 PM with fishing party which had been tolerable successful and had fish served out to the Crew.'20

19 & 20 - The INVESTIGATOR sailed west below Bentinck Island and north-west towards Allens Island. Boat parties went ashore for botanical observations on Allen and Horseshoe Islands. Flinders' party met Aboriginals on Horseshoe Island, exchanging caps, a hatchet and an adze for spears and woomeras. Flinders made detailed observations as to the height, hair style, and physical features of the Aboriginals and the construction styles of their rafts, nets, beds and implements.

Flinders named Bentinck Island after Lord William Bentinck, former Governor of Madras; Allens Island 'after the practical miner of the expedition' and Horseshoe Island 'from its form'.

21 - The INVESTIGATOR made its way back to the anchorage between Bentinck and Sweers Islands in order to facilitate further repairs (caulking). Flinders was quite impressed with this anchorage off 'the west sandy point of Sweers Island'. He wrote 'though it may not be called a port, (the anchorage) is yet almost equally well sheltered, and I named it Investigator's Road'.

22 - The crew began repairs on the INVESTIGATOR while Flinders took boat parties to Sweers Island to take fixes from Inspection Hill and dig out a native well on the beach not far from Inscription Point '... near to where human bones were found'.21 Other boat crews were employed fishing and exploring, finding the small freshwater lake on the south shore of Bentinck Island. 'During the crisis, the scientists had been busy on Bentinck's and Sweers' Islands. They had found several new plants, noted the dominance of eucalyptus, dwarf casuarinas, and pandanus in the tropical vegetation, and observed many birds, including bustards, pelicans, gulls, 'sea-pies', 'ox-birds', and sand-larks.'22

'During our stay at this anchorage I went several times on the Islands & scarce ever without finding additional plants so that before we left it I had made out a Florule comprehending 190 species of perfect plants ..... The rise of the spring tides was found to be about 11 or 12 feet & a circumstance very remarkable was that while we remained the low of floods was commenced in the morning continued for 12 hours & the ebb during an equal time in the night. During our stay the ship was supplied with fish & the Island where we watered a Bustard was shot perhaps not essentially different from Charadrius, it weighed 121/2 lb & the flesh was well tasted that of the legs was much whiter than the breast ...'23

Collections of geological specimens were also made by Robert Brown and these were later described by A.W. Fitton in 1827 as an appendix24 to Captain Phillip Parker King's account of the voyages of the MERMAID and BATHURST. Fitton records that '[i]n Sweers Island ... a hill of about fifty or sixty feet in height was covered with a sandy calcareous stone, having the appearance of concretions rising irregularly about a foot above the general surface, without any distinct ramifications. The specimens from this place have evidently the structure of stalactites, which seem to have been formed in sand ...'25 In addition, '... the shore, in various parts of the Island, was found to consist of red ferruginous matter, (bog-iron-ore?) sometimes unmixed, but not infrequently mingled with a sandy calcareous stone; and in some places rounded portions of the ferruginous matter were enveloped in a calcareous cement.'26

23 - A camp was established on Sweers Island under the control of Lt. Fowler. This group supplied fish and freshwater to the INVESTIGATOR. Flinders received reports of extensive repairs required due to rotting timbers.

24 - Peter Goode, the ship's gardener '[l]anded with Mr Brown on the Spot where we had landed on the 17 & crossed the Island to the watering place & collected a few things we found some large roots like Potatoes probably the roots of Convolvulus longiflorus laying by the fire place of Natives & in the holes dug among the sand near Trees where the Convolvulus grows ...'27

25 - 'Employed preserving former Collections & all hands watering Ship in afternoon went ashore & strolled to the North East point of the Island where I fell in with a large marsh & plenty of freshwater & collected several new plants ... This day Mr Bawer [Bauer] shot a large bustard.'28

26 - Flinders decided to complete the survey of the Gulf, hoping to be able to return to Sydney via the west and south coast in the winter or retreat to the East Indies if required.

27 - While repairs and watering of the INVESTIGATOR were nearly completed, Peter Goode, the gardener '[w]ent ashore in the morning with Mr Brown & walked towards the North East point of the Island & collected several new plants.'29

28 - Watering and repairs were completed and '... took some wood on board Struck tents hoisted in boats & made everything ready for Sea.'30

29 & 30 - Flinders tried to sail out of Investigator Road against south easterly winds but experienced difficulty getting around Locust Rock so he anchored south of Sweers Island. During this anchorage, Flinders wrote an extensive summary of the fortnight spent in the vicinity of Sweers and Bentinck Islands: 'The stone most commonly seen on the shore is an iron-ore, in some places so strongly impregnated that I conceive it would be a great acquisition to a colony fixed on the neighbourhood. Above this is a concreted mass of coral, shells, coral sand and grains of iron ore ... The soil, even in the best parts, is far behind fertility; but the small trees and bushes which grow there, and the grass in some of the less covered places, save the larger islands from the reproach of being absolutely sterile. The principal woods are Eucalyptus and Casuarina, of a size too small in general, to be fit for other purposes than the fire; the Pandanus grows almost everywhere, but most abundantly in the sandy parts; and the botanists made out a long list of plants, several of which were quite new to them.' For example, Ferdinand Bauer prepared a beautiful illustration of Eucalyptus pruinosa, described from Sweers Island by Robert Brown, and Peter Goode commented that 'on these islands we made a tolerable harvest of plants - this island contained near 200 species many of which were new.'

Flinders reported that turtles abound around the island and '... indians were repeatedly seen but they always avoided us and sometimes disappeared in a manner which seemed extraordinary. It is probable that they hid themselves in caves dug in the ground, for we discovered in one instance a large hole containing two compartments, so to call them, in each of which a man might lie down. Fireplaces under the shade of the trees with dried grass spread around were often met with and these I apprehended to be their fine-weather and the caves their foul-weather residences.'

Flinders also introduced a mystery surrounding the island: 'On Sweers Island seven human skulls and many bones were found lying together near three extinguished fires, and a square piece of timber, seven feet long which was of teak wood, and according to the judgement of the carpenter had been a quarter deck carling of a ship, was thrown up on a western beach. On Bentinck Island, I saw the stumps of at least twenty trees which had been felled with an axe or some sharp instrument of iron, and not far from the same place were scattered the remains of a broken earthen jar. Putting these circumstances together it seemed probable that some ship from the East Indies had been wrecked here two or three years back and part of the crew had been killed by the indians and that others had gone away, perhaps to the mainland upon rafts constructed upon the manner of the natives.'

According to Captain William Cambell Thomson,31 near Inspection Hill a wreck was found 'which was afterwards identified by a Malay, whom he [Flinders] met near the Wessel Islands, as part of a prau belonging to the Rajah of Boni, in the Celebes Islands, which was wrecked the year before. Chinese coins have since been found near the scene of the wreck - several of which are now in my possession - which, no doubt, belonged to that vessel, as annual visits were made in search of trepang, or bêche-de-mer, to supply the Chinese markets.'

1 - The INVESTIGATOR sailed south from Sweers Island, rounded Locust Rock, then headed north-west to an anchorage south-west of Sydney Island on the southern side of Mornington Island.

1841:

July 7 & 8 - Sweers Island and the Albert-Flinders Rivers region of the Gulf coastline were visited by Stokes in the famous BEAGLE on her third voyage in Australian waters. Stokes, who had been mate during the BEAGLE's world voyage with Charles Darwin in 1831-36, was charting the shores of Australia not investigated by Flinders or King.

The BEAGLE sailed into Investigator Road from the Cape Van Diemens area. Twelve Aboriginals were observed '... under Mount Inspection, a hill 105 feet high, and a most remarkable feature hereabouts, on the S.E. extreme of Sweers Island'32 but Stokes was unable to make contact with them on landing.

'Sweers Island appeared to be very woody, and bounded by low dark cliffs on the north-east side. We found a long extent of foul ground, with a dry reef near its outer end, extending off two miles in a S. 33°E. direction from the S.E. extreme ... A party was immediately dispatched in search of the INVESTIGATOR's well.'33 Stokes also recorded a cloud of locusts which enveloped Sweers but which later moved to Bentinck Island.

Fowler Island was named after Flinders' lieutenant and '... the INVESTIGATOR's old well was discovered half a mile eastwards of the point to which I gave the name of Point Inscription from a very interesting discovery we made of the name of Flinders' ship cut on a tree near the well and still perfectly legible although nearly forty years old ... On the opposite side of the trunk the BEAGLE's name and the date of our visit were cut'.34 In his log, Stokes summarised his feeling on finding this reminder of Flinders: 'It was thus our good fortune to find at last some traces of the INVESTIGATOR's voyage, which at once invested the place with all the charms of association, and gave it an interest in our eyes that words can ill express ... I forthwith determined accordingly that the first river we discovered in the Gulf should be named the Flinders ...'35

This tree (Celtis paniculata) was photographed in 1871 by Captain Samuel Sweet of the GULNARE, who visited the island 'in conection with his role as Captain of the Government Schhooner GULNARE, support vessel for the 1869 Goyder expedition and the early settlement of Darwin. He had been surveying the Roper River to help establish a depot for the Overland Telegraph Construction Party and stopped at the island for supplies en route back to Darwin'.36

After being blown down during a cyclone 5 March 1887, the tree stump was procured by the Queensland Museum via Captain J.W. Jones, in the VIGILANT to Normanton, 'and forwarded to the Portmaster at Brisbane as Government property'.37 The tree arrived at the Museum on 13/2/1889, officially 'donated by the Port Office' via Captain Heath, R.N., and has been on display since 1964. The following letter from Captain Jones to Captain Heath accompanied the tree: 'Karumba, 10th December 1888 - Sir - I have the honour to forward to you the 'INVESTIGATOR tree' memento from Sweer's Island. This tree has been noted by different old navigators - namely, by the Dutch in 1798: by Captain Flinders of the INVESTIGATOR, 1802: by Captain Stokes of the BEAGLE in 1841: by Lieutenant Chimmo in 1856, and by Captain Norman of the VICTORIA in 1861. The cyclone which occurred on 5th March 1887, injured the tree so much that it has been ever since gradually decaying and falling and would no doubt have soon disappeared. I took it on board the VIGILANT on 1st December 1888, and send it to you as Government property. If you think proper send it to the museum. I also send you the butt end of a mast of a Chinese junk which was wrecked on Sweer's Island in 1798. Trusting you will receive all safe, I have the honour to be, sir, your obedient servant, J.W. Jones, Gulf pilot.'38

The tree trunk is now located in the Surveying Museum of the SunMap Centre in Brisbane.39 According to Captain Thomson,40 'the top of the tree with the branches lopped off, which can be easily identified by the sketch made by Captain Stokes, is now in my collection.'

[It seems that Ernestine Hill sought out the tree during a visit to the island but failed to find it. In her 1951 book (p. 55), she wrote: 'A precious explorers' tree, on Sweers I could not find it, and feared the lightning had taken it long ago, but I hear the historic slab is safe in Queensland Museum.']

Inscriptions visible41 on the stump in 1887 include the following:

Lowy 1781 - Palmer42 suggested that this was the name of Abel Tasman's ship; however, the three ships under Tasman's command however were the LIMMEN, ZEEMEEUW and the BRACQ. Perhaps it is the name and year of birth of Sherrard Philip Lound, midshipman, who Flinders described as '... a fine lad, but he does not grow...'43

INVESTIGATOR 1802 - Flinders' ship; inscribed by Flinder's crew

INVESTIGATOR - Lowermost inscription made by Thomas Baines of the NAE in November 1856. The photograph of the tree in the Queensland Museum shown in Austin (1974)44 shows both inscriptions.

Robert Devine45 - Palmer46 and Reed47 erroneously suggested that this was the first lieutenant of the INVESTIGATOR; however, during the Gulf survey, Lt. Robert Fowler filled this position and no Robert Devine was aboard.48 In any case, it refers to Captain Devine of the MESSENGER and was inscribed on 20 Nov. 1856.

BEAGLE 1841 - Stokes' ship

Chimmo - Lt. W. Chimmo who, with the TORCH, tried to contact Gregory's expedition on July 31, 1856

Nov. 20th 1856 - Member of North Australian Expedition aboard MESSENGER; most probably inscribed by Thomas Baines

Karl Teats 1856 - Possibly a crew member of MESSENGER or TORCH

The Expedition 1861 - Burke & Wills Search Expedition

Martin 1861 - Possibly 'Mr. Martin (son of the owner of the FIREFLY)'49

1861 - Possibly Scott, Chief Officer on FIREFLY

Austin 1861 - ?

Landsborough 1866 - Police Magistrate based in Burketown from May 1866.

1866 - ?

Clouston 1866 - ?

Hay - ?

Miles - Possibly the MLA for Maranoa 1864-187350 who would have known Landsborough who, in turn, had served as an MLC from December 1862 to May 1865.

Howell - Possibly a misreading for W. Shewell, stockman with the NAE who was aboard MESSENGER.

Solby - Possibly a misreading for W. Selby, stockman with the NAE who was aboard MESSENGER.

According to B.J. Gulliver51 the following were legible in 1867:

Flinders

INVESTIGATOR 1802

BEAGLE 1841

NAE, Nov 20, 1856

The Expedition, 1861

Karl Teats 1856

Landsborough 1866

L.H***S 1861

Solby (with two triangles)

Hay

Miles

Howell

1866

Clouston 1866

Martin 1861

Austin 1861

According to Palmer the following inscriptions were also present:

1798 - This date seems to be associated with 'some Chinese characters'

Stokes - Captain Stokes of the BEAGLE

Norman - Captain Norman of the VICTORIA.

Whether Palmer actually saw the tree is not known; however the inscriptions of 'Stokes' and 'Norman' are not mentioned by anyone else, nor are they still visible on the tree. The Chinese characters are more puzzling and have led to various suggestions of early Chinese navigators in this region. However, it seems likely that the 'Chinese' characters (if they existed at all52) are one of the Macassan scripts used by the early trepangers. Presumably Palmer's claim is the basis for those of 'G.P.'53 and Reed54, although 'G.P.' claims that 'Flinders found evidence of the visit of Chinese to Sweer's Island. He found a tree on which were carved some Chinese characters, and the date, 1798 ..... Flinders carved the date and name of his ship on the same gnarled old tree on which he found the Chinese characters.'55 However, no mention of Chinese or Macassan characters, nor of a 1798 date, is made in Flinders' account of the visit to the Island.

Walter E. Roth, the Northern Protector of Aborigines, makes the following observations56 regarding the remains of the tree during his visit to Sweers Island in 1901. '... the limb bearing the actual inscription was removed some years back ... What remains of this very interesting historical landmark has been mutilated by subsequent visitors, and of the fence which once surrounded it, only a corner post now remains. So as to identify it for the future, I purposely took note of the more legible incisions. On the eastern aspect of the butt appears EXPEDITION and 1861, while above it is J. SWAN: along the western side is to be seen P. W. ARMSTRONG Dec 1885: upon the main branch is BN written within a square border.'

Stokes described finding a new water supply closer to Point Inscription: 'Being desirous of ascertaining if now, in the dry season, water could be obtained in other parts of the island, I ordered a well to be dug on the extreme of Point Inscription, a more convenient spot for watering a ship, and at a depth of 25 feet met excellent water, pouring through a rock of concreted sand, pebbles, and shells.

Our success may be attributed, as Flinders says, to the clayey consistence of the stratum immediately under the sand, and to the gravelly rock upon which the stratum rests; the one preventing the evaporation of the rains, and the other obstructing their further infiltration.

This was a very important discovery, as Investigator Road is the only anchorage for vessels of all sizes at the head of the Gulf in either monsoon, and possesses an equal supply of wood, fish, and birds, with turtles close at hand on Bountiful Islands. Moreover, should an expedition be formed for the purpose of exploring the interior from the head of the Gulf, it is, as Flinders remarks, 'particularly well adapted for a ship during the absence of the travellers.' In addition to this, it is a point at which an expedition would first arrive to arrange plans for the future; and lastly, I should observe that in case of our being fortunate enough to find rivers or fertile country on the southern shores of the Gulf, we at once saw that we might look forward to the time when Investigator Road should be the port from which all the produce of the neighbouring parts of the continent must be shipped, and when it should bear on its shores the habitations of civilized man, and the heaven-ward pointing spires of the Christian Church ... On duly weighing these considerations in my mind I determined to make an accurate survey of this anchorage, including Sweers and the eastern portion of Bentinck Island; and to dispatch two boats to examine the group of islands to the north-west, and the main land from thence to abreast of the south-west end of Bentinck Island. On the morning of the 9th, accordingly, Messr. Forsyth and Parker proceeded with the whale boats on this service.'57

Stokes also reported that '... near Point Inscription, I found a native skull on the shore ... they must have been exposed some time, as they were very nearly destroyed by the action of air. How they could have come in this situation was a mystery, as there was nothing indicating a place of burial.'58

From Mount Inspection, '... the north-eastern end of the Island, also, could be seen, fronted with rocky ledges extending three quarters of a mile off. This hill is a mass of calcareous rock, similar to the high parts of Bountiful Island, with the same honeycombed surface, as if it had been exposed to the action of the sea. In other parts of the island there is a great quantity of ironstone; and the cliffs on the eastern side are mixed with this and pipe-clay; on the northern extreme are some lakes and swamps.

The soil is chiefly a mixture of sand and decomposed vegetable matter; but it cannot boast of fertility. The wood on the island, which consisted for the most part of gums, wattles, a few acacias, palms, and, near the beach, a straggling casuarina or two, bespoke this by its stunted appearance; but as cotton grows well at Port Essington, there can be little doubt that it will thrive here. Several of the bustards spoken of by Flinders, were noticed; but too wary to be killed. They were as large as those seen in the neighbourhood of Port Phillip, but much browner. The other birds, most common, will be found in an extract from the game book, given in a future page. We saw no animals, except some large iguanas.'59

The extract from the game book60 gives the following details: 'Sweers Island (July), 151 quails, 87 doves, 20 pigeons, 3 pheasants, 8 white and 2 black cockatoos, 5 spur-wing plovers'.

July 9-13 - Forsyth and Parker charted much of the Wellesley Island Group and nearby shoreline, landing at Bayley Point, Point Barker, Allens and Forsyth Islands from the ship's boats.

July 14-24 - BEAGLE took soundings and recorded data between Sweers Island and the Gulf coast, departing Sweers Island on 21 July.

July 29 - Stokes fulfilled his undertaking to name a river after Flinders while in an inlet where he '... was delighted to find our progress rendered hazardous by sunken trees'. This river he named the Flinders.

2-6 - Stokes discovered another river further west. He travelled up this stream about 50 miles searching for fresh water, calling this river the Albert, after the Queen's consort. He also named the nearby alluvial lands the 'plains of promise' after a day's land exploration on August 4 at the terminus of his boats progress upriver.

7-18 - Numerous other inlets and bays (e.g. Disaster and Bynoe Inlets) along the coastline were charted prior to sailing for Port Essington.

1855:

May 12 - The North Australia Expedition under A.C. Gregory departed Brisbane for the Victoria River in the schooner TOM TOUGH (Captain Gourlay) and barque MONARCH. The MONARCH was holed near Melville Island and after delivering supplies, sailed for Singapore. The TOM TOUGH, in turn, was holed in the Victoria River.

1856:

The Transportation Committee of the House of Lords sought and received advice from Captain Stokes regarding the suitability of the area at the head of the Gulf for a penal settlement:

'Earl Stanhope: Considering the objections now entertained to convict labour along the whole of the eastern coast of Australia, are you of opinion that it would be desirable to form a new settlement for the reception of convicts? - Most certainly. There is a great extent of fine country in Australia, in the head of the Gulf of Carpentaria; settlers are already approaching from Moreton Bay, and they are now about 500 miles from it; but it will take them some time before they reach here, and then you would have a town ready to receive them...

Viscount Dungannon: What distance is Sweer's Island from the mainland? Fifteen miles from the mainland; here is my survey of the gulf (producing the same).

Earl Stanhope: What is the distance of that spot across the country from Moreton Bay? - Nearly 1000 miles. I am enabled to say, from personal observations, that there is no part of Australia with greater inducements for settlement that the southern shore of the Gulf of Carpentaria.

Lord Colchester: Is Sweer's Island of sufficient size for the formation of a penal settlement? - Certainly for a small depot... Is there plenty of fresh water on these islands? On Sweer's Island I found plenty of fresh water by digging for it.

Chairman: For what special purpose, with regard to the settlement, do you recommend one of those islands to be first adopted? I consider that would be the port of the settlement.

Earl Stanhope: Why do you prefer a settlement upon a small island to one upon the mainland, since you contemplate going to the mainland ultimately? - As a preliminary depot during the selection of a site on the main. What is the advantage of it? - You have an excellent harbour, and there is not another for large ships so near. Then you consider that it would be, in fact, the harbour of the mainland settlement? - Precisely.'61

June - In Sydney, there had been apprehension concerning the safety of the NAE and the British Government had dispatched Lieutenant W. Chimmo, R.N., to Sydney whence he was '... sent to render assistance to the above expedition by his Excellency, the Governor General of New South Wales'.62 The paddle steamer TORCH (owned by Mr. Watson) was chartered, loaded with 130 tons of coal and Lt. Chimmo sailed north from Newcastle on 24 June to gain news of the explorers.

Meanwhile, Gregory and a small party had left overland on June 21, 1856, arriving at the Albert River on 30 August.

July - After makeshift repairs to the TOM TOUGH, the schooner departed for Coepang, Timor on 17 July 1856. As more intricate repairs were required, the TOM TOUGH departed for Sourabaja on August 9. At Sourabaja, the TOM TOUGH's mast was found to be fractured and as the time required to repair this was too long, Thomas Baines, the artist and storekeeper for Gregory's party, discharged the TOM TOUGH and hired the brigantine MESSENGER, a slower but more robust vessel under the command of Captain Devine. Thus, the MESSENGER was dispatched to fill the role previously allotted to the TOM TOUGH.

July 30 - The TORCH arrived off Sweers Island in the evening, and immediately a party is sent ashore to find water. 'On landing we found that natives had preceded us, their tracks were plainly visible, and they had left a bundle of wood for fire or signals on the spit; they had taken a canoe with them into the wood, and had evidently come from Bentinck Island. It was too dark even to find the well, so I had to return on board ...'63

July 31 - Before dawn '... all hands were on shore looking for water. About a mile East of our anchorage we found what remained of the INVESTIGATOR's well, completely blocked up, to be distinguished only by a slight undulation in the ground: traces of natives were seen under almost every tree. Sticks for erecting tents or huts were lying about, tied up with grass-cord, and bundles of sticks ready for burning. It was not long before we all assembled beneath THE TREE64 (Chimmo's emphasis), which still plainly bore the inscriptions of the 'INVESTIGATOR and BEAGLE;' the former fifty-four years since, the latter fifteen: and here we indulged in a glass of the 'Queen's own,' .... The TORCH's name was not added,65 for if all did the same the original would soon be obliterated, which I hold to be next to sacrilegious, considering that the original and originator stand alone as long as wind and weather permit ... The remains of the BEAGLE's well was found, but full of earth, stones, and wood ... Our hearts sunk within us as we gazed on this piece of destruction, and also at the prospect of finding no water. However ... tools were brought from the ship ... and every one went to work to clear the well. By noon this was done, and the water was dripping into it through a rock of concreted lime, sand. shells, and pebbles ... By afternoon we had completed water (although somewhat brackish) to about five tons; and in return deposited pumpkin seeds and Indian corn round the well, where the soil was rich; cut our vessel's name on a log of wood across the well, and bade it adieu ...'66

On returning to the anchorage from the assembly underneath the INVESTIGATOR tree, a '... piece of a lower deck mess plate, (China,) as well as a metal inkstand of European manufacture with the lid gone ...' were found and Chimmo puzzled over how these remains came to be there. On the western side of the Island, the remains of a Malay proa with beams of teak were found at high water mark. 'We concluded she had been cast away during the N.W. monsoon; her beam was 17 feet; length could not be ascertained.'67

1 - The TORCH departed Sweers Island and headed for the Albert River mouth 'watched by the natives who were on Bentinck Island, gazing at us with astonishment to see a vessel move through the water by 'smoke.' To this we attributed their shyness.'68

2 - When he entered the Albert River Chimmo sent two boat crews upstream to the rendezvous, and for a whole evening they amused themselves inscribing names on trees. Chimmo said that they also hung from trees bottles containing notes for Gregory. 'Lieutenant Chimmo then sailed to the Victoria River, and at the base camp he found in an oven a note from Thomas Baines informing the finder that Gregory had left for the Albert.'69

31 - On approaching the Albert River, Gregory's party found a number of marked trees 'consisting of several names of seamen, who appeared to have formed the crew of a boat sent up the river by H.M. steamer TORCH'70 four weeks earlier. Gregory concluded that the visit of the TORCH had no connection with his expedition.

3 - When the TOM TOUGH failed to rendezvous with them at the Albert River, Gregory left instructions for the schooner, departing overland for Brisbane.

23 - MESSENGER's longboat was launched in order to expedite the trip to the Albert River. The MESSENGER, in contrary winds, was achieving less than a knot,71 and Baines felt that with the long delay, Gregory and his party might start for Brisbane with insufficient supplies. The longboat was manned by Messrs. Baines, Phipps and Graham.72

10 - The brigantine MESSENGER anchored off Sweers Island about 11 pm.73

11 - 'The boat ashore this morning before breakfast & got a letter from Commander Chimmo in command of the New South Wales War Steamer the TORCH found it a few feet from the BEAGLES Well. There appears to be plenty of water in the well ... water is not fit to drink, as it is ctd. Salt and bitter as well ... but we must have water from somewhere we take them aboard and then sail for the Albert.'74 The MESSENGER, reached the Albert River and the crew found the letters left by Gregory, advising that the expedition had left overland.

17 - Baines finally arrived off the Albert River with the longboat to find that the MESSENGER had arrived before him. After consultation with Captain Devine and against Gregory's instructions, it was decided that the MESSENGER would return to Brisbane via Timor and the west coast. But first, the water supply on the brigantine needed to be replenished and consequently the MESSENGER sailed for Sweers Island.

18 - '... anchored off Sweers Island ... about 10 am. Expedition men all ordered where to dig out Flinders Well that we do and get good water aboard at night.'75 Thomas Baines had 'organised a party that took every available beaker and bucket to a well on Sweers Island, filled them with fresh water, and brought them back in the longboat to MESSENGER, where Devine supervised the replenishing of her empty casks',76 an operation that took two days.

19 - 'During the day nearly all the men had carved their names on some smaller trunks of the INVESTIGATOR'S tree and one invading the main stem had made some unintelligible cuts two or three of which came across the name of the INVESTIGATOR. I gave orders that this relic of the Adventurous old Navigator should be respected and as it was now barely legible I cut the word afresh just below it. The Captain cut his own and vessels name and I carved the Expedition Mark and date.'77

Braddon78 showed the Thomas Baines sketch of the inscribed tree with the following legend: 'A tree near Flinder's Well on Sweers Island with the names of INVESTIGATOR and BEAGLE carved on it. The uppermost is the original name carved by Flinder's crew. The lower and more distinct was cut by Baines to mark the spot visited by the old navigator when his own might be effaced.'

20 - Inscription left on Sweers Island tree by MESSENGER crew members: 'N.A.E. 20th Nov. 1856'. Also inscribed was 'Karl Teats 1856'.

23 - '... land on the shore three quarters of a mile north of them [the wells] under a Cliff which seemd to be composed of a material similar to pipe clay with reddish veins. Captain Devine and I walked some miles to the North passing over plains with silverleafed iron bark, Eucalyptus and a long but shallow gully filled with green grass moist soil and clumps of pandanus but we could find no water though we saw several cockatoos. We returned along the beach ... We picked up a plank carved with rosettes and other devices ... Also the bowsprit of a Chinese junk, a square balk 6 inches thick with carved work on its lower side and ornamental cap. We kept the long boat going between the vessel and the shore with heavy loads of wood all day.'79

'One of our largest water casks being gnawed through by rats, 400 gallons of water were lost. This rendered it necessary to shoot the horses and throw them overboard. They could not have been landed at the Albert ... and on Sweers there was no surface water for them to drink. Beside this, as there were no mares, no good purpose could have been answered. I had a pair of goats which I intended to leave, but the female unfortunately died. I planted cocoa-nuts in a variety of places on Sweers Island.'80 Whether the lone surviving goat was actually left on the island is not clear from this account.

1861:

24 - Leaving Melbourne on August 4, the Victorian Colonial Warship VICTORIA81 and the FIREFLY (188 tons built in 1843) departed Brisbane for the Gulf of Carpentaria, carrying the William Landsborough search party82 for the overdue Burke and Wills Expedition and to convey supplies for the search party led by Frederick Walker which was leaving overland from Rockhampton on the 25th August 1861.

27 - The VICTORIA and FIREFLY anchored off Bountiful Island to catch turtle to make up for the provisions lost when the FIREFLY ran aground in the Sir Charles Hardy's Islands. 'Eight were put on board in less than three hours and twelve more were turned over on their backs on shore. That night the grass was set alight to assist in catching turtles. In two days 126 turtles were caught weighing between 150 and 200 lbs.'83

29 - According to Diedrich Henne, Baron von Mueller's 26-year-old botanical assistant attached to the search party, the VICTORIA (Captain W.H. Norman) arrived at Investigator Road with the FIREFLY (Captain T. Kirby) in tow. 'Our two transports the NATIVE LASS and the GRATIA with coal etc. had already arrived before us'84 In his narrative of the voyage, Captain Kirby referred to the brig GRECIAN and the schooner NATIVE LASS (Master A. Paton) as having been chartered by the Victorian Government to 'convey coals and stores for the use of the Government Steamer'85 In early July, the 105 ton schooner NATIVE LASS and the 190 ton brig GRATIA had been contracted to carry 300 tons of coal and 30 tons of provisions for the search expeditions.

'A land base for VICTORIA was formed on Sweers Island - a shed for stores and tents for one officer and three men. As coals were landed a party was employed cutting grass for the horses and another employed on building a turtle pond. It consisted of a stone wall 20 feet below low water mark to high water mark; many turtles died before the pond was completed.'86

30 - '... This morning I accompanied Captain Norman and Dr. Patterson ashore to Sweers Island. On it we found fine young grass not above a few months old ... The island is of sandstone formation and the land is very sandy. The grasses on it are good. It is lightly timbered with the pandanus palm, oak trees (casuarina), stunted white gum, black figs, red plum and other trees. The fruit on the plum and fig trees, especially the former, are very nice ...'87

'Mr. Campbell and self landed on Sweer's Island to cut grass for the horses; took our guns; grass plentiful. Saw many birds - such as bustards, pigeons, quail, pheasants, crows, native companions, etc. No surface water was found, but the dews at night are very heavy, more like rain than dew.'88

In the afternoon, Landsborough and Captain Norman also inspected the Island. Captain Norman reportedly '... found the old tree with their ship's name cut on it, looking quite healthy'.89 'MESSENGER is marked on another tree ...'90

Landsborough described Sweers Island as follows: 'Bentinck Island is about thirty miles in circumference; Sweer's, only three: both are well grassed and wooded ... In the afternoon Captain Norman and I landed on Sweer's Island to reconnoitre, and more especially to discover the well, sunk there by Flinders. We found the wells, but they were choked with sand. We also came upon a tree on which INVESTIGATOR was carved, and the word was still quite legible, though cut sofar back as 1802, probably by the hand of the unfortunate Flinders. Captain Norman determined to repair the wells, and to form near them a depot for his superfluous ship's stores. We then selected a place on the beach within the tidal line, for forming an enclosure for the turtles. Further inland we found the grass of good quality, and fit for cutting, a discovery which pleases us both, as the sheep we had on board could now have the advantage of grazing, and my horses that of fresh fodder, in which we were running short. For all practical purposes, Sweer's was preferable to Bentinck Island: on the simple ground that the latter was inhabited by hostile blacks, while the former is only visited by them at distant intervals. Their means of transit consists, not of canoes, but of rude rafts formed from logs tied together with strings of plaited bark.'91

Captain Kirby described Sweers Island as follows: 'There are no large trees, those we saw being stunted in their growth, and of small size; we saw neither plants nor fruits. The soil is a dark loam of considerable depth, and, except on the beach, there is little or no sand; no animals were seen, but birds of the cockatoo, pheasant, and parrot tribe are abundant. There can be no doubt but that tropical fruits would grow most luxuriantly; and if the Albert River become ere long an important settlement, Sweer's Island must also be a place of much consequence. Fish are to be had in the greatest abundance, more especially codfish, weighing from seven to twenty pounds, and I see no good reason why a fishery of a remunerative character might not be established there. The natives are not numerous; they are mere Australian blacks, and are disposed, so far as I can judge, to be on friendly terms with Europeans. I could not ascertain that they belong to any tribe, neither would they appear to have either king or government. I have crossed the Island and seen most of the natives, and do not believe that they would be any serious obstacle to settlement. There is no appearance of volcanic action, neither would it seem to have ever been subject to earthquakes. It is but twenty miles distant from the mouth of the Albert River, and must ere long become an important place. Parties fit for the business, with moderate capital, who would occupy Sweer's Island would eventually do well.'92

1 - 'Landed early on Sweer's Island to shoot. Killed two cockatoos and a red-bill, which we ate for breakfast. No water found ... Saw tree with 'INVESTIGATOR, 1802' cut on it, besides other names.'93

The expedition party to establish a depot on the Albert arrived at the mouth of the river. Landsborough explored the river in the barge from the VICTORIA. On the Albert near the Barkly junction, a tributary approximately twenty six miles upstream, Landsborough and Norman found trees marked by Augustus Gregory in 1856 and by Lieutenant Chimmo of the survey ship TORCH.94

2 - '... Mr. Campbell and two blacks cutting grass.'95

3 - 'Self and two black boys cutting grass on shore.'96

4 - 'Went on shore at 6 am to cut grass. 2 pm moved up to where turtle pond is being built. It is a ring, fenced with stone and timber, on the beach, including some water. The turtle are put in, and some of the seaweed on which they feed thrown in to them; they will live a long time in this way.'97

'Finished the turtle pond, and landed that were left alive, which occupied nearly the whole day. Fifty-seven is the number out into it, but two died, and two escaped.'98

9 - '... The horses eat with avidity the grass which had been cut for them on Sweers Island. Mr. Bourne and 3 troopers remained ashore where they had been cutting grass.'99

25 - 'It has been reported to me that about thirty [blacks] have been seen on this, Sweer's Island, and are at its north end, where a lake has been seen by some of the ramblers of the colliers.'100

6 - Walker's relief expedition arrived at the FIREFLY depot. 'Walker stayed fourteen days at the Albert River depot enjoying the hospitality and turtle soup of Commander Norman, together with fresh cress, onions, radishes, and sprouts which the Commander had thoughtfully planted on Sweer's Island.'101

9 - 'I took Mr. Walker on board, to procure a copy of his journal and a tracing of his route; in the meantime we proceeded to Sweer's Island to obtain from the depot the stores necessary for his further use .... and returned with Walker to the depot on the 13th of December.'102

During this time, Captain Norman maintained at least 7 sheep on Sweers Island - the first agricultural pursuits on the island. In addition, on arriving at Sweers Island, Norman built stone tanks below high water mark for 126 turtles which had been captured on Bountiful Island on arrival. Only 57 turtles survived the trip and tank construction. These early attempts at agriculture and mariculture in addition to the taking of wood for steamers and fires are likely the first European resource utilisation of Sweers Island of any consequence.

19 - 'Through careless handling of Flochfeldt's revolver, Law (midshipman) shot himself through the leg. The discharge had gone through the thick flesh and has fortunately not touched any bone. I bound it for him with water bandages. The leg is much swollen.'103 [Flochfeldt,104 also a German, was the storekeeper with Walker's party.]

25 - Christmas dinner was held aboard the VICTORIA anchored in Investigators Road. Roast mutton and pudding were served together with porter.105

26 - 'Had this night again heavy thunderstorms and rain. I went out early and had a pretty successful trip. As I came back, a new accident took place. Mr. Frost cleaned our two guns, both of which were well loaded. One of the barrels went off, and the full charge went into his right side, and, if as Doctor Patterson believes, that shot has penetrated into the intestines, he could not be saved ... Captain Norman begged of me to undertake the nursing of Frost.'106

31 - 'This morning early about 5 o'clock poor Frost died, at the age of twenty eight years. A young man loved of the Captain and all the sailors. We buried him the same evening some distance from the camp, after the rites of the Church of England.'107

1862:

30 - 'I collected lately many seeds. The necessary notes I wrote on the respective tickets. On account of the infernal mosquitoes one cannot get an hour's rest at night. A miserable country here. I compare it with a convict settlement. The VICTORIA takes in coals. Frost's grave is fenced in, and he got a neat grave stone ... A similar inscription has been cut into a tree nearby.'108 A sketch of the grave with its picket fence, drawn by a George Gordon McCrae around 1862 is in the National Library. It is annotated as 'after F.O. Handfield' - the mate of the VICTORIA.

Despite these difficulties, Henne made extensive seed, wood and plant collections on the island109 and around the Albert River,110 bringing back six cases of botanical specimens collected on the island to be deposited in the Melbourne herbarium.111

1 - 'Since the rain, we have snakes in pretty large numbers, especially the harmless carpet snake: however, also one, I believe venomous species: they are short and plump, about eighteen inches long, and are brown and yellow banded, with blunt tail; also iguanos turn up.'112

11 - 'I packed my gear and went the following day on board. A dozen men tried to catch the sheep, which were, however, so wild, that only two were got which were shot.'113

12 - 'At 7am, I started over to Bentinck Island with the Galley's crew, taking with me the FIREFLY's old boat rigged, some tomahawks ...'114

'Captain Norman made a present today to the natives of Bentinck Island, which was very valuable to them i.e. the FIREFLY with two oars, in gratitude for which these black devils tried to spear him. At two o'clock we left this lonely part of the world, and steered first to Bountiful Island, which we reached at seven in the morning.'115 This account by Henne is somewhat enigmatic - the 188 ton FIREFLY itself was abandoned in the Albert without ceremony, at a spot clearly shown in Surveyor George Phillips' field notes, and it was the FIREFLY's old boat fully rigged that was given to two male Aborigines.

16 - The Carpentaria Colonization Company, with offices at 84 Elisabeth Street, Melbourne, had been formed and prospectuses were offered.116

1863:

May 14 - The Carpentaria Colonization Company announced that an 'A 1 clipper vessel will be despatched for the Gulf of Carpentaria on or about the 21st to 28th inst. For further particulars apply to James Livingston, Secretary, 86 Flinders lane west'.117

May 25 - The Carpentaria Colonization Company, with a paid up capital of £10,000, announced that the JEANIE OSWALD, the celebrated clipper barque of '100 tons burthen, Captain Devine' would sail on or about 12th June.118 It seems likely that this Captain Devine is the same as the Captain Devine, who in charge of the MESSENGER, had visited Sweers Island in November 1856.

6 - James Livingston, the secretary of the Carpentaria Colonization Company announced under the heading 'For Sweers Island' that the JEANIE OSWALD 'now lying at the Australian wharf, will positively sail for the above place on the 15th inst. Has excellent accommodation for cabin and steerage passengers. For freight or passage apply to Young and Martin, owners, 122 Flinders-lane west. NB. has no connexion with any agent or company.'119 Perhaps Captain Devine had influenced the change from the Albert River to Sweers Island. In any case, no evidence exists that the JEANIE OSWALD had any role in colonizing Carpentaria.120

1865:

June - Burketown became established as a commercial port with the arrival of the 115 ton schooner JACMEL PACKET (Captain Dawes), chartered and loaded by R. Towns & Co. from Sydney. She carried '... a wide assortment of cargo including pigs, dogs, fowls, houses and stores, drays and rations of rum and other spirits'121 to stock the newly established stations (such as Beames Brook and Floraville) in the Gulf country.

1 - J.C. White, the police magistrate at Warwick, wrote to the Colonial Secretary,122 suggesting the establishment of a port on Sweers Island in conjunction with a convict settlement, as such a development ' ... will materially tend to advance our progress, by its occupation of the intervening country and the extensions of our Squatters operations. It must not however be forgotten that unless a Port is opened for the reception of Supplies and Shipment of Produce, the newly formed Stations cannot possibly be rendered profitable as Land carriage is totally out of the question, and that fact alone precludes the idea of attempting Sheep Farming to any extent.' Soon afterwards, William Landsborough was appointed as Police Magistrate, Government Agent and Collector of Customs for the Burke District, leaving Rockhampton on 22 December 1865.

11 - Ellis Read placed on-going advertisements on the front page of the Port Denison Times to announce that he is establishing large stores at the Albert River.

8 - POLICEMAN (Captain Till) departed for the Albert River from Bowen123 returning to Bowen with eight passengers on 8 April 1866.124

1866:

1 - Landsborough term of sub-collector of customs for Carpentaria commenced on this day, even though he only arrived in Burketown 18 April.

22 - The schooner MARGARET-AND-MARY departed Bowen for the Albert River.125 Passengers include Mrs. and Miss Cassady, Mrs. O'Connor, Miss Kelly, Mr. Kelly, and 8 in the steerage.

- The MARGARET-AND-MARY arrives in the Albert bringing with it an epidemic known as 'Gulf Fever' - now thought to be malignant tertian malaria (Plasmodium falciparum).126 Within a few days virtually the entire crew was dead and in no time, around 100 persons were recorded to have died.127 That the MARGARET-AND-MARY brought 'Gulf Fever' from Java is widely stated although the Port Denison Times of January 17 states that the MARGARET-AND-MARY (Captain Smight) arrived in Bowen from Sydney on January 16 with one passenger - Mrs. Smight. She left 'with a full general cargo for the Albert River consigned to Messr. J. O'Connor and Jas. Sutherland'.128

11 - Acting Sub-Inspector Wentworth D'arcy Uhr,129 with eight troopers from the Queensland Native Mounted Police arrived and established a base camp at Beames Brook Station, approximately 24 km south of Burketown.

18 - Landsborough, as the first Police Magistrate for Burketown, arrived in Burketown, having left Rockhampton on 22 December 1865.

22 - 'Mr. Uhr and I visited the township and learned that Mrs. Connor, the wife of one of the principal storekeepers was dead. Sixty people were sick and all who could were leaving the place'.130

23 - 'I rode to the township again, and having resolved to take as many as I could induce to go with me to Sweer's Island, I went on board the schooner MARGARET-AND-MARY to see if the captain would go there; he said that he and all his crew were sick, but if those who wished to go to Sweer's Island would assist him, he would be contented with any payment we chose to offer him; the way he was circumstanced, he said, he could not even ballast his vessel, but if the Government stores were put on board, they would be sufficient to cross to Sweer's Island. I was sorry to learn that Mr. Creight, belonging to the surveyor's staff, had died from fever.'131

26 - ELLESMERE (Captain Lake) departed Bowen with 13 passengers for the Albert, including Ellis Read.132

Ernest Henry arrived in 'Burketown and went to the only hotel, where he found six or seven men, all of whom he knew, amongst them Landsborough, the explorer, who had been appointed Government Resident, Police Magistrate, Collector of Customs, etc. Henry found that there had been a great deal of sickness, and some 25 persons had died within a very short time, and he thought there had never been more than 60 residents. Everyone who had been there any time looked pale and thin.'133

27 ­- Landsborough arranged for the removal of most residents to Sweers Island aboard the MARGARET-AND-MARY. After watching the schooner weigh anchor, he and Ernest Henry departed for Sweers Island in the pilot boat accompanied by George 'Phillips (the surveyor), Borthwick (sick) a coxswain, Spillings, a half-caste native of Canada, and a native of the west coast of Africa'.134

28 - En route down the Albert River, they camped with J.G. MacDonald,135 who was persuaded to accompany them to Sweers Island. While at anchor in the Albert River, waiting for the tide to turn, Henry 'divested himself of his clothes, and, against the advice of those who knew how infested the river was with alligators, he plunged in and cooly swam about as if there was not a saurian within a hundred miles.'136

The schooner LILY (Captain Ellis) left Bowen 'for the Albert with 15,000 feet sawn timber'.137

29 - Landsborough and his companions sailed down the river and camped on a sandy spit, the extreme of Kangaroo Point, where they saw the remains of a large whale.

30 - After an extremely rough passage, during which the surveyor lost all of his equipment, Landsborough's party arrived at Sweers Island '... about the middle of the day, at a spot where Landsborough came round in the VICTORIA ... 5 years previous to this time. There were the remains of an old turtle paddock, and a well with good water in it, though a little brackish. Here we made our camp.'138 On revisiting the Island after five years, Landsborough wrote '... it is as beautiful an island as I ever visited. It is about 6 miles long and wherever you go you cannot go far without seeing a beautiful beach, which invites a plunge - or a fine site for houses ... The country is high downs and a few fine trees with thick foliage'.139

In his published diary, Landsborough noted that '[s]oon after landing we visited the grave of Mr. Frost, gunner of the VICTORIA, one of Captain Norman's best officers, who was accidentally shot while in charge of the depot. The head-stone was in good order, but the foot-stone had fallen in, and the palings had been pulled down by the blacks; these I intend having repaired.'140

Henry described the island as '... in the centre are some nice downs extending to the east side, but at the north and south ends there is a good deal of scrubby country.'141

May 1 - '... we landed near the northern end of Sweer's Island and walked to the eastern side and found what is put down in the chart as a lake -ascertained that it was a marine plain which would make a good racecourse ... The northern end as well as the southern end of Sweer's Island is rather thickly wooded. In the course of one walk we saw several pigeons, cockatoos and bustards. Although shy Mr. Henry succeeded in shooting some cockatoos and a bustard'.142

May 2 - 'Mr. Henry walked round the southern end of the island. At a bay at the southern base of Mt. Inspection we saw 3 rafts. They were simply bundles of dry saplings ... In our absence 3 blacks paid our camp a visit ... They ran away on seeing Mr. Phillips ...'143 Henry described the rafts as '... made of mangrove stems, the thick ends placed at the stern and the thin at the bows, both ends are lashed they are shaped something like a canoe, and the bottom filled with grass, but they must be half full of water when afloat, for there is nothing to prevent it coming in, they are very small and have but one paddle each, also made of mangrove stakes.'144

May 3 - 'This morning seven blacks came towards the camp ... On the northern end of the Island we saw some fine big trees near a dry water course. I daresay there is some surface water near there for we saw a great number of birds but I should not think it was permanent, as we saw a well now filled up that had been sunk by the blacks'.145

May 6 - 'As the vessel with the sick people had not made its appearance, Landsborough determined to go back to Burketown, L. wanted to leave a camp on Sweers I. and me to stop in charge, but as I was anxious to start back overland he took all hands. Started at daylight, after we had gone some 8 miles we sighted a sail behind us close to Sweers Island, so we returned and found it to be Macdonald's boat with some of his people, and some sick, they had come over thinking we would be out of provisions. They reported the vessel still at Burketown.'146

May 7 - 'Mr. McDonald [sic] left us for the Albert River, taking with him Messrs. Phillips, Henry, and some others. As he intended soon after his arrival at the Albert River to kindly take a mail from there to Port Denison, I took the opportunity of sending some letters by him, amongst them one for His Excellency, and another for the Hon. the Minister for Lands and Works.'147

The MacDonald party camped at the mouth of the Albert at sundown. 'Henry, who had laid down in the bottom of the boat and fell asleep, got very cold and damp, which brought on an attack of fever and ague, from which he did not recover until his return to Hughenden in July.'148

Writing to the Minister for Lands and Works, Landsborough149 reported that 'I have the honor to state that as Mr. J.G. Macdonald has informed me this evening that he starts tomorrow for Port Denison and has kindly promised to take any letters thither I take the opportunity of writing a few lines to you ... By the same opportunity I send a letter to His Excellency the Governor explaining my reasons for forming a settlement at this place. And as you have no doubt heard how unhealthy the season has been on the mainland I hope you will approve of my having done so ... This place I believe will always be one of the most healthy stations as it gets a fresh seabreeze from whatever direction it blows. But under any circumstances there should be a settlement at this place as there is no place better situated for being the main sea port of Carpentaria ... The Honorable Colonial Secretary kindly promised to send me a house similar with the exception of a few improvements to that which was built for the settlement at Cape York but it has not arrived. I hope however you will send it to me as soon as an opportunity occurs. Also a watchhouse ... I will go as regularly and as often as I can to the main land. At present I have to have an extra man occasionally as I have only the pilot, the coxswain and the constable and two of the native police. These 5 men have had the fever and only one or two of them are fit for a days work. I hope however that you will give me authority to engage additional men ... I have only been a week here and the stores etc have not yet arrived, I expect them by the schooner MARGARET-AND-MARY which has left the township formed by Mr. J.G. Macdonald on the Albert River for this place ...'

May 8 - Henry, Phillips and MacDonald reached Burketown in the evening, and although ill, Henry camped 'on the opposite side of the river, where he found Mr. Campbell, of Sorgham Downs, a station on the Flinders, and his wife, who had just come down from their newly-formed station. Mrs. Campbell was confined the night she arrived. This was the first white child born at Carpentaria.'150 Henry was ill for around ten days with 'Gulf fever', during which period MacDonald visited his camp from the township virtually every day, bringing '... amongst other things, a bottle of Perry Davis' painkiller, which I made the boys rub into my head'.151

May 9 - The POLICEMAN departed Bowen for Cleveland Bay and the Albert with a general cargo.152

May 10 - Landsborough 'commenced a small garden near the well. The soil is light; it consists of sand and shells. Afterwards I made my usual walk across the island'.153

May 11 - After having established their camp on Beames Brook, Lieutenant Wentworth D'arcy Uhr, with the assistance of John ('Black Jack') Reid, the Burketown publican,154 arranged a small boat, and that evening and sailed for Sweers Island with sick men and women, including 'Messrs Blakeney, Thompson, Ellis, Hardie, Davis, two black Troopers, Mrs. Blakeney and child, and one trooper's wife. Mr. Nestron and I had to manage the working of the boat.'155 They arrived at the island the next day and Lieutenant Uhr returned to the Albert on 7 June, finding his best trooper, Tommy Curtis, had died of fever just prior to his return.

Landsborough attempted to 'sail round the island, but as there was no wind to waft our boat along, we landed three-quarters of a mile from our starting point and had dinner... In the afternoon we got a breeze that took us round the island. On the way we saw seals [dugongs], porpoises, turtles, and shoals of fish. The latter we see every day, and as the small ones take the hook we would have no great difficulty, although we have no seine, in catching enough to supply us with food; but it is useless catching more than a small supply, as we have no salt to cure them.'156

May 12 - 'In the course of one walk we observed stone enclosures made on the beach where the rocks naturally assisted their formation but yet as the dikes were two feet high and are about a hundred yards in extent they must have been raised with considerable labour and I thought it not unlikely that they were made by a more industrious people than the aborigines generally are. They might have been made by the natives of Timor if they ever come here. These enclosures would always catch some fish and sometimes with a little trouble a great number might be caught in them.'157

'It suggested itself to me that if there were a flagstaff on the top of Inspection Hill that the commander of a vessel in the offing seeing it would suppose the island, inhabitated by other people than the aborigines, and would send a boat on shore. I resolved, therefore, to put one up; Mr. Davis kindly accompanied me for that purpose.'158

May 13 - 'Mr. Uhr arrived this morning in a boat kindly lent by Mr. J.G. McDonald [sic]. He said Mr. Phillips was too sick to come; that the schooner MARGARET-AND-MARY had only got down the river from the township a couple of miles, and that the master had told the pilot to go on shore. The pilot and his wife were very sick, and at the earnest request of the pilot, Mr. Uhr had brought him, his wife and child, and other sick persons. The pilot's wife was so ill today that after walking a few yards she fainted. I was sorry to learn from those who had come down in the boat that sickness was still very prevalent at the township at the Albert ...'159

May 16 - CITY OF MELBOURNE (Captain Robinson) departed Bowen for the Albert with a general cargo including '40 doors and 38,200 shingles.'160

May 21-23 - Landsborough left Sweers Island for the Albert River, arriving at Kangaroo Point on the morning of 23 May, then anchored in the river that evening.

May 24 - 'At about nine miles from the township we found the MARGARET-AND-MARY, schooner. On boarding her we were sorry to find that all hands were sickly, and that Mrs. Williams, the constable's wife, had died on board... Her husband managed to take her to the township for burial, and had to remain there, as he was very sick... Near the MARGARET-AND-MARY, a little schooner, the LILY had just arrived from Bowen, and I went on board and got the mail.'161

May 26 - Landsborough purchased 25 sheep which were landed by the LILY onto Sweers Island on the 30-31 May.162

Landsborough 'got some stores carted down the river, and embarked on board the LILY. Mr. Phillips went up the river in the pilot boat with a view of getting his things down and on board the LILY, for Sweer's Island.'163

May 28 - The POLICEMAN arrived in the Albert River. 'She, like the LILY, had made a favourable passage from Bowen.'164

May 29 - Landsborough departed for Sweers Island in the afternoon, camping six miles downstream. Prior to departure, Landsborough had provided a general report on the Sweers Island settlement to the Colonial Secretary in Brisbane.165 He reported that '... almost everyone was sick in this region and that I had (a month ago), employed the schooner the MARGARET-AND-MARY that was leaving here for Sydney to transport on her way hither the pilot, the constable and their wives with Government stores to Sweer's Island. Such however, was the sickness on board the schooner that although drawing but six feet of water she has only now succeeded in reaching the landing that is situated six miles from this place. The pilot having remained on board several weeks and finding no probability of shifting and in addition being unable to render any assistance from sickness availed himself ... of the kind offer of Mr Macdonalds boat to transport himself and a number of other sick people to Sweer's Island. I regret to say that some of them were very weak. The pilots wife, Mrs Blakeney had to be carried on shore. Shortly after the arrival of the boat on the island, there was a squally night (a very unusual circumstance I believe for that region) and as it was not sufficiently moored it was driven on shore and received damage amounting to about ten pounds. It is my painful duty to report the death of Mrs Williams the wife of the Constable. She died on board the MARGARET-AND-MARY under very distressing circumstances having none but sick people to attend upon her. Her death struck people more as from her healthy blooming appearance a short time previously she was the last person of whom anyone would entertained any misgivings. She was much respected as she had kindly tended on many sick people. Her husband buried her at this place and is now very sick himself and cannot at present go with me to Sweer's Island.

From the pilot the coxswain and constable not having sent in their vouchers they have been without pay since leaving Brisbane. I have been unable to assist them in this matter since I came for in the hurry of leaving for Sweer's Island the package of stationery (and other things as well) was put on board the schooner unbroken. The flour that was sent by the schooner the POLICEMAN, for the constabulary and native police force was very much damaged on board. This is very unfortunate especially as the constabulary and native police are compelled to use it.

I believe that I am correct in stating that the whole of the surveyors party, the constabulary and the native police force without exception each have suffered more or less from the new settlement fever or from fever and ague. I however hope that although many of them are incapable for duty that none of them are dangerously ill. Among the residents on the Albert, sickness is still prevalent. Up to the present time as many as 27 cases have terminated fatally, which is calculated by one of the oldest residents to be one in every five! The people are still dying but there is every probability that there will be few fresh cases likely to terminate fatally. It is said that people are not now apt to catch any worse disorder than fever and ague but that I believe even is a horrible complaint more especially when there is no quinine or any other equally potent medicine to stay its progress. One would suppose that the country would be healthy now. The nights are delightfully cool, apparently more so than I have felt them at this season as far south as Rockhampton. The country is very dry, without hardly a wet swamp anywhere and hardly any mosquitoes have been seen for some months. Any residents that have spoken to me on the subject of the settlement of Sweer's Island approve of it as the depot for the supplying of the future townships of the mainland and speak of it as likely to be a great place eventually as it presents the only anchorage for vessel of any size in the Gulf.

I should therefore recommend that a township be at once surveyed there.

The people are also anxious that sites for townships should be fixed on the mainland. This I consider would be premature until Capt. Nares makes a survey of the rivers ... The residents in favour of having a township at this place that they have chosen say it is as healthy as any place within 50 miles on the mainland. I am not prepared to say that such is not the case at present. But I think there can be little doubt that such will not be the case when the country is stocked - which will soon be the case as this is one of the finest pastoral districts in Australia - again much of the sickness has its origin from the people and more generally using food that requires much colder air than we hitherto had and much harder work than we are inclined to take to enable us to digest it.

Until lately fresh meat could seldom be obtained, but I am glad to say that sheep can now be purchased - the price of the sheep like everything else here is very high. I purchased lately 25 at 18/- a head and they will cost me at least six shillings a head to get them taken at present to Sweer's Island.

Allow me to give you the price asked for certain stores. The most of which I have purchased at the following rates and have been even told that they have been sold to me for a less rate than that charged to the public. Salt beef - 5d a pound, Flour - 6d, Tea - 5/-, Sugar - 9d, Rice - 6d, Shelled peas - 1/-, Dried apple - 1/-, Negrohead Tobacco - 12/-, 2lb tins of carrots - 5/- each, Double width inferior cakes - 3/6 a yard, Blucher boots - 17/6 a pair, Handsaws, inferior - 13/-. Other things not so commonly required at much decrease in rates.

Mr Wentworth Uhr is a very zealous officer and as his pay is very low for this region I have the honour to recommend that he should be promoted. The LILY a small schooner has arrived, she is a tender of the ELLESMERE. Her Commander expects to meet the ELLESMERE in a few days at Sweer's Island.

I put up a flagstaff on the top of Inspection Hill, which is 105 feet high with the idea that if a vessel came in sight of it the Commander of it would be led to suppose that there was a settlement on the island...'

May 30 - After a very rough crossing in the pilot boat, Landsborough and Phillips arrived at Investigator Roads, having lost surveying instruments, blankets and clothes and other valuable items.

May 31 - 'The people on the island were very glad to see the sheep that had arrived by the LILY, as they said they had been half starved in our absence. I was very glad to find the sick people, on the whole, much recovered; the pilot's child, who I did not think at one time would have lived, had quite recovered his health.'166

2 - 'Mr. Phillips and Edkins, being without clothes and blankets, were glad to return in the LILY to the Albert River. Mr. Uhr and two others, who had come here for their health, being now much recovered, also left... I commenced making a sheep-yard; without one the sheep cannot be caught, and have to be shot, which makes them very wild.'167

4 - 'The ELLESMERE arrived. I was glad that Mr. Reid [Read] liked the Island, and was glad that I had formed a settlement upon it. He said he would have a receiving store erected at this place.'168

5 - Landsborough finished his sheep-yard and managed to yard his little flock after chasing the sheep for several hours.

6 - The RESTLESS departed Bowen for the Albert '...nearly empty.'169

'Mr. Read made a store on the island, and kindly lent me zinc iron, and with it I covered my hut. I need not say how glad I was to have a weatherproof roof to take shelter under. I sent Spilling, the coxwain, and Yorkie, to meet the MARGARET-AND-MARY.'170

8 - 'The CITY OF MELBOURNE commenced discharging cargo.'171

12-13 - At sunset, Landsborough reported that a sail was seen in the northern entrance, and obtaining a boat from Captain Robinson of the CITY OF MELBOURNE next morning, Landsborough identified the vessel as the MARGARET-AND-MARY. 'The people on board were in a terrible state from sickness; the captain was blind, and the mate enfeebled from long sickness; they said that while they were stationed in the lower part of the Albert they had more sickness than anywhere else.'172

14-19 - 'Captain Robinson, of the CITY OF MELBOURNE, kindly went to the schooner MARGARET-AND-MARY, and brought her some distance towards his vessel; my servant and I accompanied him, and gave him all the assistance in our power. After Captain Robinson and I left the schooner the people on board managed to bring her alonside the CITY OF MELBOURNE. At Burke Town, more than six weeks ago, I hurried the schooner away with the stores for this place, and expected to have had them in about three days. I am afraid there will be a number of things short, as many of the cases are broken; there was so much sickness at the time that I was glad to get the stores bundled on board any way; there is a considerable deficiency in the stores that I put on board on my own account, and I have to put up with the loss, as the officers were too unwell to receive them om a proper way; the pilot had the Government stores in his charge, but as I said before, from ill health, he had to leave the vessel.'173 Within a few days, the stores were landed and unpacked.

27 - The pilot boat arrived at the island with five additional sheep. 'I was sorry to learn from Spilling, the coxwain, that Curtis, the native police trooper, was dead; and also to learn that McIntyre, the explorer, whom I had seen in the finest health some time ago, had died after ten days' illness, about 100 miles up the country.'174

29 - 'Spilling, the coxwain, started for the Albert River to bring the barque ELLESMERE down. The ELLESMERE managed to get up the river three miles above the salt water arm, and her cargo was lightered from there by the POLICEMAN and LILLY [sic].'175

3 - '... we soon learned that one of the passengers ... had died; his name was Dixon; he is the third that has died on board the MARGARET-AND-MARY since she left the Albert, exclusive of three of the crew. Another of the passengers I was sorry to learn was in a precarious condition... In the evening I read the funeral service at Dixon's grave.'176

11 - First reports of poor health and outbreaks of fever are reported in the Port Denison Times via the POLICEMAN, LILY and ELLESMERE.

14 - The RESTLESS arrived bringing papers and other cargo from Bowen.177

19 - Surveyor Phillips wrote to A.C. Gregory, now the Government Surveyor, from Sweers Island to report that 'I have the honor to inform you that I have commenced to cut up a portion of Sweer's Island into town and Suburban Allotments. There is a general opinion here that the land will bring a good price. You will see by my last report of the 11th June that a period of some six weeks has elapsed since I last started to perform my present work -the whole of that time I was laid up with fever - and besides having returned to Burketown to procure a fresh supply of rations, tools tents etc. No earlier opportunity of returning offered. As only two of my old hands remained with me, one of whom is now in a very dangerous state, I was obliged to employ two men, one on a/c of his still being very weak consented to work for the wages allowed, the other I was obliged to engage at 35/- per week with rations. This is pretty reasonable - when labouring men are requiring one pound per day for their work.'178

As a result of the outbreak, Sweers Island virtually replaced Burketown as the official government centre with all vessels trading to the Gulf region calling at Carnarvon, which was laid out and surveyed during 19 July to mid-August 1866 by the Engineer in Charge of Surveys, George Phillips. However, Burketown was not entirely deserted as the Port Denison Times (29 August 1866) carried a long report on the Albert, including a race meeting held 24-25 July, presided over by William Landsborough, who had returned from Sweers Island on 23 July.

8 - Frederick Robert Mueller (alias Walters), a carpenter, died and was buried on Sweers Island of 'Typhus Fever', according to the informant 'T. Blakeney, Custom House Officer, Sweer's Island'.179 On the death certificates of his two eldest children, his occupation is given as 'surveyor' and 'government surveyor',180 suggesting he was the assistant to Phillips in laying out Carnarvon.

29 - Ellis Read's advertisement for his stores on the front page of the Port Denison Times first stated 'Albert River and Sweer's Island'.

3 - Writing to the Governor this day,181 Landsborough claimed that 'This township on Sweers' Island is fast becoming a place of considerable importance. The harbour is found so convenient that for some time back there has been always a few vessels in it, either discharging cargo, waiting for loading from the mainland, or getting water or ballast ... This place having a good port for loading and discharging cargo, and having, I believe, the best climate in this part of the world, will, I imagine, have a good chance of becoming one of the places of the greatest importance in Australia. Coming down from my high flight of vision allow me to remark that fishing is attended with considerable success. A garden, commenced by Messrs. Ellis Read and Co., promise well. Sheep and other kinds of stock do well. There are no native dogs, and ... the island therefore may become valuable for sheep runs ... I recommended, therefore, Mr. Phillips to survey a township on the land adjoining Investigator Roads. He has done so, and now leaves to survey, at my request, a township on the eastern bank of the Leichhardt River ... In the last few days the schooners CAROLINE and LILY arrived; the former from Bowen, the latter from Burke Town ... The LILY regularly plies between this place and Burke Town. I am glad to say Messrs. Ellis Read and Co. have resolved upon getting a steamer to supersede her.'

8 - A report from Ellis Read182 stated that '[t]here has been a Township surveyed on Sweer's Island to be called Stokes' Town. This has given great satisfaction, and it is intended to make application to the government to make it a free port. If this be done, from the magnificent commercial site of Sweer's Island, we have no doubt Stokes' Town will ere long rival Singapore.'

20 - On this day,183 the 'Burke Town Correspondent' reported that '... Good men who are enjoying health here will communicate with their friends in the interior, and thus the truth regarding the Gulf climate will become known. Is it because the first season after a new country has been opened is unhealthy that every succeeding season must follow suit? Should such be the case this township will be deserted as completely as Port Essington was formerly.

The Surveyor has just completed surveying a township on Sweer's Island, and a bonded store, a large receiving store, and several private villas are already in course of erection. That a wealthy and valuable city must before long arise on the island cannot for a moment be doubted by any who have any knowledge of the Gulf country.

We are informed by the best authorities that Investigator's Roads - lying between Sweer's and Bentinck Island - are capable of affording safe anchorage ground for the mercantile marine of the whole world, and Norman, when camped at this island while engaged in the Burke Search Expedition, gives an opinion, which is the more valuable as he resided there during a different monsoon to that experienced by Stokes, yet he coincides in the opinion given both by Stokes and Flinders that the roadstead is capable of affording good holding ground for a large fleet, and is magnificently sheltered from every wind. The island, therefore, being placed in such advantageous proximity must become the entrepôt for the trade and commerce of the whole of Queensland, or rather of the whole of Australia. The scenery is very picturesque, and the heat of the tropical summer, modified by delightful sea breezes, renders it a charming retreat for the invalid. Thus our nabobs, evidently with a dread of the return of grim fever, are preparing snug little nests to which they can fly on the first alarm of his approach.'

- The schooner CAROLINE left Sweers Island for southern ports and was, according to some sources, not seen again.184 However, 'the schooner CAROLINE left Burketown on 16 November 1866 with bales of wool, and ... did not reach Bowen until the 19th [January 1867], after a voyage of two months around the Gulf'.185

Around this period, Sweers Island vegetation would have undergone significant changes as all kinds of stock were introduced to the island as well as human habitation and its associated removal of trees for fuel and timber. During 1866, R. Towns sent consignments worth £218/2/9 to Ellis Read, the Sweers Island storekeeper.186

7 - George F. Sandrock succeeded William Landsborough as sub-collector of customs.187

1867:

5 - The SALAMANDER left Bowen for the Albert with 'Messrs. Ellis, Read, Sandrock and Rawlings'.188

- 'The murderer Williamson, and another prisoner taken for horse-stealing, were sent down to Sweer's Island for safety, until the schooner came to take them to Cleveland Bay. However, they got a boat and made the escape in the night ... The lock-up and part of the court house has been washed away by the tide at the island',189 perhaps facilitating their escape.

2 - The Brisbane Courier announced the sale of 88 allotments on Sweers Island to take place at the Police Office, Burketown.190 'The mail has brought out word of the sale of land on Sweer's Island - the town is to be Carnarvon - the allotments are principally 1/2 acres = upset price £8/- per acre. Sale to be held here on the 2nd April next. I think the land will go cheap - there'll be but little competition for it ... I believe that there is a great future for the town of Carnarvon.'191

The names of many of the families associated with the settlement of Carnarvon are recorded on the 'Plan of Town of Carnarvon and Suburban Allotments - Sweers Island' the coloured original of which is in the Sunmap Cadastral Map Section. This survey map delineates the location of the 'Sweers Island' tree and the grave of Gunner Frost. It also reveals that Donald McLennan, the publican of Carnarvon, whose gravestone dated 4 February 1876, still exists on Sweers Island, was one of the original settlers, having both a town lot and a 3 acre suburban allotment. William Landsborough also owned a suburban block, and a town allotment is under his wife's name, Charlotte Hollingsworth Landsborough.192 Wentworth Uhr bought a town lot and a suburban block for himself, and another town lot in the name of his eldest brother, the 26-year old Edmund Ker Uhr.193

The purchasers of Town allotments were:

Adam P. Armstrong R. Back

Beakem C. Bradley F. Braizie

Brodie T. Brodie E. H. Buchanan

Byrne G.S. Caird M.A. Campbell

Cassady G.E. Dalrymple A.C. Doutty

Driscal E.R. Edkins H.J. Edkins

Ellis O. Ethridge J.R. Ferguson

Frazer R. Garrie C. Garry

Hardie A.S. Holmes H. Hooley

Kirkpatrick J. Lalor C.H. Landsborough

Longstaff A.G. Manson W.A. McDonald

McLennan H. McRead G. Mecham

Meier J. Moore M. Moloney

Morissett R. Morton G.W. Nathan

Palmer G. Phillips R. Rannin

Read L. Read N. Renstrom

Rowling G. Sargeant J.P. Sharkey

Sharkey J. Strew B. Swan

Thomas G.A. Tissington R. Towns

Travers E.K. Uhr W.D.A. Uhr

The purchasers of Suburban allotments included:

Bradley G.S. Caird M. Campbell

Doutty J. Hardie W. Landsborough

McLennan F.J. McLennan J. O'Connor

Read N. Renstrom J. Travers

Uhr C. Hutton M. Wood

17 - In an article of this date, 'a voice from Carnarvon' reports that '... the two prisoners who escaped from Sweers Island have been re-captured. The Native Police being the greater part of their time in the bush, we are left without constabulary194 ... The land sale in Burke Town passed off well; all lots were sold - consisting of 88 allotments, all that were surveyed on the Island. This Island will prove before any distant date a place of great importance; it is the only port where a vessel can get safe anchorage in the Gulf; it affords many benefits to people on the main land, as well as to ships at sea. Any party on the main land feeling unwell has only got to avail himself of a trip to Sweers Island, where he can have his health quickly restored.

Our gardens on the Island give us an over abundant supply of vegetables, and we are longing to see the ELLESMERE so that the passengers may get a feed of them - what, I am sure, they have not seen for some time. I have seen a few gardens - but a garden on Sweers Island, formed by two gentlemen, excels anything I have ever seen; out of one small corner we gathered I should say one hundred and ninety mellons [sic], the most of them equal in circumference to a bucket; the reason we gathered so many was, my friends being about to start for the Bynoe, we wanted some to take on the expedition. Bananas and pine apples are not quite so plentiful; the cherry and black currant trees have not done so well as we expected.

Our Custom House officer appears to be beginning to understand his duties a little better; the Custom House is in course of erection. The Commissioner of Crown Lands is busily engaged on the Island erecting a pleasure yacht; he anticipates trading between the neighbouring Islands. Our Police Magistrate is very popular and well liked. Mr. Landsborough has through his energies had the Norman and Bynoe looked into, and we all have much to thank him for; the report of his two children being dead and his wife unwell is false - it has no foundation whatever.'195

May 20 - The Burketown Correspondent wrote that 'Sweers Island is situated thirty miles from the mainland; it is perfectly healthy, and has become the resort for any invalids who wish to get sea air and sea bathing. The land on Sweers Island is high, and the soil is of a loose sandy description. Melons grow to great perfection there; several private residences are erected, and a store and Customs House have also been erected on the island. The only means of conveyance from Sweers Island to Burke Town is by the LILY, schooner, which passes to and from about twice a month.'196

24 - John Williamson appeared before the Police Magistrate in the Central Police Court in Brisbane, 'charged with the shooting of Charles Molloy, at Miller's Waterhole, near Burketown, on the 16th December last.'197 D'arcy Uhr had accompanied the prisoner from Sweers Island to Sydney in the SALAMANDER, then onto to Brisbane. In evidence, Uhr stated that Williamson had shot Molloy in the chest after a drunken argument, and despite the care of Dr. Poland, Molloy died of the wound at the latter end of January. Williamson was committed to stand trial.

29 - The CAPTAIN COOK, Captain Brodie, departed Bowen for Sweers Island.198

8 - The ELLESMERE brought 128 bales of wool from Sweers Island to Sydney.199 Passengers aboard were 'Messr. Rawling, Percell, Michaels' and the agent was 'J. Fraser and Co.'.

22 - Captain Francis Cadell of the Screw Steamer EAGLE (200 tons) had been commissioned by the South Australian Government to explore in detail the rivers of the Gulf of Carpentaria and Arnhem Land, and he departed Sydney on April 2, 1867 accompanied by the steam tender FIRE FLY.200 Arriving off Sweers Island on the 22nd August, the Island is described by the EAGLE's carpenter as '... the headquarters of the Gulph Settlements. Mr. Sandrock the Collector of Customs and Mr. Landsburgh the Explorer he is the Police Magistrate for the settlement. We had a visit from some of the people they a bottle or two with them to treat the Ships Crew. They seem a good drinking lot in this part. The Settlers are chiefly from Brisbane, Rockhampton and Port Denison. The people on the Island looked very healthy. It is the watering place for Burke Town. There is some new looking houses. They were mostly sent from Brisbane. It belongs to the Queensland Government and still they want to take from N.S.Wales the Clarence and Richmond Rivers but the Home Government told the Queensland people they had the largest tract of country - next day we sailed for the Albert River'201

The brothers T.A. and Benjamin Gulliver, on instructions from Baron F. von Mueller, travelled aboard the EAGLE and collected plants for him around Sweers Island, the Gilbert, Norman and Flinders Rivers in the Gulf of Carpentaria and at Caledon Bay. 'Specimens collected on this voyage were sent to von Mueller and cited by George Bentham in his 'Flora Australiensis'. Among the specimens collected on this journey was Ectrosia gulliveri named by von Mueller, and the curious 'love grass' Heterachne gulliveri named by Bentham in their honour and now proven to be a fine pasture grass.'202

Writing to the Queenslander,203Gulliver, of the Acacia Vale Nursery, Townsville, reported that '... during the two days we stayed there I made some botanical excursions on the island, securing, amongst others, a specimen of a rare and peculiar red-flowering lily.'

[There is an intriguing announcement in the Port Denison Times of 22/9/1906 that 'T.A. Gulliver, Manager Post & Telegraph Office, Townsville' is engaged to Miss A. Allport of Hobart. Same person?]

Also aboard the EAGLE was Francis Napier, a pioneer designer of steamships, who was interested in the performance of steamers in coastal exploration. His journal prepared by James R. Napier in 1875, records that on 22 August 'Sweer's Island ... is the seaport of Bourke Town ... On the west side of the island is Flinder's Fig-Tree, on which are cut in large letters up the stem, INVESTIGATOR, 1802. Stokes and other explorers who visited the island about twenty years ago have added their names. It appeared to me that these latter names looked as old as those cut by Flinders sixty-four years ago. The tree is about twenty feet high, and not eighteen inches in diameter, and some of the letters are seven or eight inches long, so that it must have grown very little since the beginning of the century. The mornings are sometimes so cold that one morning lately, as Mr. Landsborough informed me, he had drawn water from a creek at a temperature of 46°.'204

While at the Albert River the crew of the EAGLE '... met the PIONEER from Burke Town bound to Sweers Island. She was manned by South Sea Islanders.'205 Meanwhile, Captain Cadell was comfortably settled into the bar of a hotel to draft his interim report to the South Australian Government.206

24 - R. Towns & Co. and J.G. MacDonald & Co. first advertised in the Port Denison Times to export wool and other products from Sweers Island direct to Singapore and Mauritius on the PIONEER.

1 - The EAGLE departed Sweers Island for Adam Bay to continue its survey of the northern shorelines.207

2 - Returning to Sweers Island on 1 September, Robinson reported that '... the schooner CAPTAIN COOK had arrived from Sydney with general stores' and that they 'sailed from Sweers Island about the 2nd of September 1867 for the westward'.208

4 - On this day, The Brisbane Courier carried, under the heading of 'Notes on Sweer's Island, Carpentaria', a full account of life on this 'bright little island'.209 After praising the magnificence of the anchorage, Investigator Roads, it notes that 'the Gulf itself swarms with turtle, dugong, and every description of fish, including oysters and crabs. Apparently fish forms the chief support of the aborigines on the neighboring islands, judging by the numerous fishing-fires one sees nightly on the reefs... Sweer's Island is densely and luxuriantly wooded, although of a stunted growth. The geological face and the hill consist of freestone. Communication is maintained by means of a schooner belonging to Messrs. Ellis, Read, and Co., and several small boats which are constantly plying... The residents are not of that roving disposition so destructive to the settlements of the mainland, and around each humpy may be seen small patches of cultivated ground; and it is these gay gardens that make Sweer's Island homes pleasant and happy. But besides these ornamental gardens, there are others that have turned to more profitable account. For instance, two Celestials have fenced in and are putting under cultivation about ten acres of ground, and an Englishman is also cultivating.

There is a great feature in favor of the island in the abundance of delicious spring water to be obtained anywhere by sinking 8 to 15 feet. Cotton growing has been tried in several places, and in all succeeded admirably. Several parties have taken up the idea, and I have heard of more than one company who are about to start its cultivation for next season. Before long cotton, I have no doubt, will form one of, if not the chief exports of the Gulf. Owing to the absence of plants, there has been no opportunity of trying tobacco, sugar, or tea, but there is little doubt they would thrive equally well.

The Government buildings consist of the Customs House ... and sub-collector's house. The former was sent for a court-house, and has been transformed into a custom house. The building is raised four feet from the ground on tea tree piles, so that one can almost walk under the floor of the bonded warehouse.

The island boasts of an imposing-looking store, kept by Mr. F.J. Byrne, a boarding house and a butcher's shop... In the distance are seen large plain turkeys, majestically stalking along, as if there was nothing to dispute their ownership of the ground; quails, pigeons, and black and white cockatoos are numerous... All hail Landsborough for having led us to such a little paradise... Breakfast has just been announced, and that reminds me that I am going to luxuriate on some fish I caught last night with a hook and line off the turtle pond. Four dozen in an hour and a-half - not bad sport - and most of them of a very respectable size, consisting of trout, mullet, and bream. The turtle pond, of which I speak, was erected by Captain Norman in 1861, and with a little repair it could still be used for the same purpose... Near this pond Messrs Ellis, Read, and Co. have their timber yard. The wells sunk by poor Flinders are still in use, the one watering that portion of the island known as The Point,210 and the other being situate near the dairy.

The great lion of the island is an old tree which has the word INVESTIGATOR cut on one of its branches; this I believe was also the work of Flinders. This is the great show that all visitors are taken to see on their first arrival, and after their introduction they are expected to treat it with great reverence - the islanders almost worshipping it - and certainly it is a glorious old tree, looking as if it had faced a hundred storms, and was ready to face as many more. With its wide arms extended it seems to rejoice in its strength, and be inviting one to linger in its sheltering shade. Among other 'footprints' left by Captain Norman is a grave of James Frost... The grave is surrounded by a light railing erected by the VICTORIA crew. It is easy to see that the deceased must have been well liked by his comrades by the amount of care and labor there has been bestowed on his bed. Alas! since that stone was erected five other graves have been made alongside. It is however, cheering to know that of the numbers who rushed to the island when 'sick unto death' only five died... Before leaving the subject, let me mention Messrs Swan and McDonald [sic], the carpenters sent to erect the Government buildings. The portion of the contract they have completed is to the satisfaction of all parties concerned, and so much are they appreciated by the public that since their arrival they have been kept constantly at work, and they told me they had contracts on their books which will last them for at least twelve months... It may interest your female readers to hear that neither Mrs. Landsborough or children, or Mrs. Commissioner Sharkey, nor their servants, have suffered from any sickness since their arrival... '

31 - A party of revellers from Burketown arrived at the island for New Year celebrations: 'We spent the new year on the island before we went to the Norman. Plenty of drinking and fighting of course.' This report was contained in a letter to a 'Mr. Thatcher from his brother in Carpentaria', which was published in the Ararat Advertiser in April 1868, and deemed sufficiently newsworthy to be repeated by the Argus and the Perth Gazette and West Australian Times.211

1868:

1 - Henry Baker212 was appointed as 'tidewaiter and locker' with the customs service, joining a coxwain and 2 boatmen under the sub-collector.

20 - H.M. cutter DUKE OF YORK departed Bowen for Sweers Island.213

21 - The CAPTAIN COOK departed Bowen for Sweers Island.214

12 - The ELLESMERE (Captain J. Lake) arrived in Bowen from Sweers Island with Mr. and Mrs. Sharkey, Miss Crutch, Messr. Wheelan and Hughes.215 The ELLESMERE had brought a full cargo of wool from the Leichhardt and Norman Rivers. En route, it fell into company with the ketch EDITH, also from Sweers Island in the Claremont Group.

17 - Surveyor Phillips wrote from Sweers Island to A.C. Gregory, seeking 'permission to leave this district and proceed to Brisbane in order to obtain medical advice'216 for a severe inflammation of his right eye which had been causing problems for nearly a year. Permission was granted and Phillips returned to Brisbane by 4 November 1868. He became well respected in the surveying and engineering professions, and held the Gulf seat of Carpentaria in the Legislative Assembly between 1893 and 1896.217

Landborough and Phillips leave Sweers Island in the PIONEER to survey the Norman River, Accident Inlet and the Gilbert River. In his report of that survey, Landsborough notes that 'before concluding, I will say a few words about Sweer's Island - Carnarvon. The township of that beautiful spot is now in a fair way of becoming the seaport of Carpentaria. Its harbour has a favourable report from all the masters of vessels that have visited it, and what Captain Stokes said after making his survey more than 20 years ago, of Sweer's Island being the only suitable seaport for the mainland of Carpentaria, is beginning now to be realised. The island has been settled more than two years, and its climate, for a tropical one, has proved itself to be wonderfully healthy and pleasant, even to children'.218

20 - The HANNAH BLOOMFIELD departed Sydney for Sweers Island.219

31 - The ELLESMERE arrived back in Sydney from Sweers Island, carrying the following passengers: Mrs. Crudge, James Whelan and Thomas Hughes,220 who had arrived on Sweers Island on 12 February.

27 - 'A land sale was held here [Burketown] today, and out of all the lots offered only one-half were purchased, and no more than two of those went over upset price, £3 per acre, and all on that delightful spot Sweer's Island, so this alone will give you an idea of the state of Burke Town.'221

May - Settlers from Sweers Island settled on the site of a new township on the Norman River laid out by William Landsborough and Surveyor George Phillips in January. Early settlers included Dr. Borck, A. McLennan, hotelkeeper; Ellis Read, Peter Armstrong, David Swan, Charles B. Hely and John Edgar Byrne. In a short time, Normanton outgrew Burketown. The Norman River was full of crocodiles and at least one kanaka was taken while unloading one of Town's vessels, the PIONEER, at the river bank.222

May 2 - Ellis Read's advertisement for his stores on the Albert and Sweers Island appeared for the last time on the front page of the Port Denison Times.

5 - CLARA departed Port Denison for Sweers Island.223

17 - Augusta Jane Caroline Sandrock, the younger daughter of the sub-collector of customs married Edward Alfred Simpson (aka Edward Alfred Hargraves) at the District Registrars Office (Customs House) on Sweers Island.224 He is shown as 23 years old and his occupation is given as bookkeeper. Augusta Jane Caroline is shown as 17 years old. They went on to have 12 children, of which the first two, Mira Francis b. 24 March 1869 and Edith Henrietta b. 9 May 1870, are likely to have been born on Sweers Island.225

24 - The CAPTAIN COOK arrived in Sydney with a cargo of 45 bales of wool.226

30 - GOVERNOR departed Sydney for Sweers Island,227 departing Brisbane for Sweers Island on 18 July.

30 - On this day, the Brisbane Courier published an extract from a letter from Sweers Island by an anonymous correspondent as follows: 'I passed a few days at Burke Town on my way here; it is now a quiet place, rowdyism having quite disappeared. Business seems dull, the Norman taking part of the trade of this place. The steamer PIONEER and schooner LILLEY [sic] trade regularly between Burke Town, the Norman, and the Island; but are unable to take all the goods and live stock. A lot of sheep and cattle have been waiting upwards of a month at Burke Town for conveyance to the island; we want a larger and faster steamer, the trade with the island being considerable, the inhabitants numbering as many as either of the other townships. The island is in general flat, with a range of sand hills; the soil is sandy loam, and produces melons, pineapples, sweet potatoes, and I saw upwards of two acres planted by some Chinamen, near ripe - they looked splendid. Water can be had by sinking 16 or 18 feet, and there are several fine springs on the island. The township (Carnarvon) presents a respectable appearance, the buildings being superior to those you will see in most country townships. There is a large and commodious hotel, erected recently by Mr. Gorry, and I hear there are to be several picnics from the stations on the Cloncurry and Flinders to take place in a month or two. The air is clear and bracing; sickness is unknown, and those pests, mosquitos and sandflies, are not to be seen or felt. The harbor is large and safe for ships of any tonnage. On the whole, I am much pleased to be in a habitable place, and not residing in a “hell upon earth,” where you are roasted by day, nearly all the blood sucked out of you by night, and in danger of what little life is left to you from aborigines and other reptiles too numerous to mention. It is a quiet place, and I am happy to say that the Sabbath is kept in a proper manner. There is no clergyman, but the Collector of Customs, Mr. Sandrock, reads prayers every Sabbath, and different denominations of Christians attend. He deserves great praise for so doing; I hope he will reap his reward if not in this world, I trust in the world to come.'228

12 - J.G. Macdonald, Esq. J.P. arrived in Burketown after his overland trip from Bowen, which formed part of his tour of inspection of their extensive pastoral holdings. He was accompanied by the Hon. John Robertson, M.P. and Mr. Garrett, M.P. They were to visit the towns of Burke, Carnarvon and Norman and at each locality, they were invited to public dinners.

15 - After a dinner held at Burketown, chaired by Landsborough, Macdonald sailed for Sweers Island aboard the PIONEER arriving on the island the next day. The PIONEER had been employed ferrying goods between Burketown and Sweers Island since late 1867.

16 - The banquet in honour of J.G. Macdonald was held at the Alhambra Hotel. This public dinner '... provided by Mr. Gorry ...' was attended by William Landsborough and G.F. Sandrock, Collector of Customs, together with thirty guests.229 The dinner, '... which was an extremely good one, and excellently prepared under the superintendence of the hostess, having been disposed of, and the usual loyal toasts done due honour to, the chairman [Landsborough] proposed the health of the guests, dwelling particularly on the advantage the district would reap from their visit, especially that of Mr. Robertson, whose large experience in pastoral matters would give great value to his opinions as to the character and capabilities of the country. He also said that they could not do too much honour to Mr. MacDonald, whose services as an explorer and pioneer squatter had been of inestimable advantage to the settlement of the Carpentaria country.

Robertson, in responding, said from his examination of the country he felt justified in declaring it 'first-class pastoral'. The great difficulty to contend with was the scarcity and high price of labour. This could, however, be overcome by adopting the paddocking of sheep, which he was so convinced was safely practicable that their firm had decided to adopt it at once. He thought also that labour more suitable to the climate than European would flow into the country from China, and other densely peopled places which were within a short distance of the Gulf, and thus the country would prosper. He had every confidence in the future greatness of the Gulf.

MacDonald thanked the company for the compliment they had paid him. He was more firmly convinced than ever of the great capabilities of the Gulf country, the only drawback being the high price of labour, which would, however, he thought, be removed by the means alluded to by Mr. Robertson.

Garrett acknowledged the toast as a compliment to him simply as the friend and companion in their trip of Messrs. Robertson and MacDonald. Referring to the remarks as to the scarcity of labour and its cure, he hoped to see the country settled by people of their own nationalities and aspirations. The known mineral wealth of the Gulf would, he predicted, shortly attract a large European population. The progress already made in the settlement of the country was surprising, and unexampled in the colonies.

Robertson having proposed the health of the chairman, which was suitably acknowledged, the health of Capt. Towns, Mr. Ellis Read, Mr. Sharkey, the Vice-chairman, Capt. Swan (of the PIONEER), and others were drunk, and the proceedings, which were exceedingly pleasant and instructive, concluded.'230

MacDonald reported to the Port Denison Times that ' ... we were delayed upon Sweer's Island waiting the arrival of the brig GOVERNOR, then daily expected from Sydney; on the 20th the brig hove in sight, but when within little over a mile from her destination she struck upon a reef, and up to the time of their leaving had not been got off; the cargo was being discharged; visited the ship and found a number of passengers on board, amongst others Captain Edwards and Lieut. Coward, N M P, with some black troopers and white police. This brig was intended to be made a receiving vessel at Sweer's Island, and such an arrangement would have greatly facilitated trade, but it is doubtful whether the vessel will now answer the purpose after the injury she has received. The GOVERNOR belonged to Messr. Towns and Co., and was uninsured. It is to be hoped this mishap will not prevent them from sending another one in her place. The weather at the Gulf is reported as quite cold. On the homeward journey returned to the Norman on the 25th ...'231

The GOVERNOR, a vessel of 147 tons and built in 1843, was to be employed at Sweers Island as a store ship for transhipment of wool to vessels bound from Sydney to London.232

'A sketch of the INVESTIGATOR tree was drawn by S.G. MacDonald on his visit to Sweers Island in 1868. It was still alive and the name 'INVESTIGATOR' and date 1803 were quite legible.'233

25 - The CAPTAIN COOK departed Bowen for Sweers Island.234

12 - The XULLA [sic] departed Sydney for Sweers Island.235

17 - From the records required to be provided under The Polynesian Labourers Act 1868 (Qld.), 150 South Sea Island labourers ('kanakas') were landed on Sweers Island from the 132 ton schooner SPUNKIE (Captain John Rees; Recruiting Agent H.H. Hunter) on this day.236 Few remained on the island, with most going to Burketown (E.R. Edkins) and Floraville (J.G. MacDonald) within days of their arrival.

LEICHHARDT shipped wool at Sweers Island.237

- R. Towns & Co. were reported to be establishing regular communications between Sweers Island and Batavia. The barque XULA loaded wool and tallow at Sweers Island direct for London. Captain Till, in the schooner CLARA, loaded wool, tallow, hides and skin.238 According to Captain Thomson,239 the XULA 'barque, belonging to Robert Towns, of Sydney, arrived with kanaka labour for the establishment at Burketown - Sweers Island being the port of entry.' This is a case of mistaken identity.

- Robert Towns purchased land on Sweers Island to establish a permanent warehouse.

19 - The CLARA arrived in Sydney with her cargo of hides, tallow, wool and tortoise shell from Sweers Island.240

30 - In a report of this date to the Port Denison Times,241 everything at Sweers Island '... has taken a change for the better. The barque MELANIE has arrived from the Straits, and will start from here about the 5th or 6th of December southward. Captain Edwards and Mr. Landsborough, P.M., will be passengers by her. Their absence will be greatly felt, as both of them have a large interest in the district in general. Our P.M. will be much missed by our neighbours up at Burke Town, there being no J.P. attached to the police district of that place. A case of importance to the public and publicans will be tried at the Police Office, Norman, the next court day. Mr. O'Dowd,242 who has kept a hotel for some time past, has been summoned for selling grog without a license. It appears that he had applied for a license at Burke Town in September last. It was not granted at the time in consequence of there not being sufficient magistrates; in the mean time the licensing meeting was adjourned to the 30th November, when his license was granted. Why not summons him to appear at Burke Town, which is the nearest Police Office, being only 65 miles from here, instead of putting him to the inconvenience of proceeding to the Norman, which is over 170 miles. Another fact is that Sweer's Island is not included in either of the Police Districts. It is probable that a verdict will be given against him, and perhaps his license taken away. The people here doubt if it is in the power of the magistrates at the Norman to try the case ... A dinner will be given tonight to Mr. W. Landsborough, his friends and enemies at last all joining to testify their respect to him ... The dinner will take place at the Prince of Wales, where the Hon. John Robertson created quite a furore in consequence of catching the blight in looking for the swamp that was supposed to exist ... The dinner came off at eight o'clock. About thirty gentlemen sat down ... After the usual loyal toasts had been disposed of, Mr. E.R. Edkins, the chairman, proposed the health of the guest of the evening, and commented on the many services rendered to the colony by Mr. Landsborough as an explorer. The health was drunk with great applause. Mr. Landsborough on rising to respond was greeted with cheers. He thanked the company for the kindness they had exhibited towards him during his stay, and said that he would be away for a short time and hoped on his return to find everything prosperous. He dwelt on the pastoral capacities of the district, predicting a brilliant future in store for Carpentaria, and considered the time not distant when we would have a government of our own, and Burke Town, to all appearances, would be the capital, having every facility for a large town, plenty of grass and water, within a few hours sail of Sweer's Island, which was destined by nature to be the emporium of Australia ... We hail with delight the interesting intelligence that has come to hand by the last mail that a steamer is going to be laid on direct from Sydney to the island; also that there is another small steamer to replace the PIONEER. It is rumoured that this town was brought under the notice of Messrs. R. Towns and Co. by Mr. Ellis Read, who is connected with that firm and also has a vast interest amongst us.'

By the end of the year, ' ... at the township of Carnarvon on Sweers Island ... all had deserted but the Government officials and their families and one Chinaman. Shipowners, skippers and consignees, finding that the retention of the Customs House and other government offices on Sweers Island was an inconvenience to them, hoped that the government would remove those offices.'243 This would seem to be justified when the shipping returns for Sweers Island244 are considered: arrivals from NSW and South Sea Islands: 8 vessels, 1307 tons with 67 crew-members. Departures: 1 vessel to Great Britain, 526 tons and 17 crew-members; 2 vessels to Java, 332 tons and 15 crew-members; 7 vessels to NSW, 713 tons and 52 crew-members. No details of cargoes are given. On the other hand, the Polices Offices at Carnarvon on Sweers Island was still advertised (by the Secretary for Public Lands on 24 December 1868) as the official meeting place for the Annual Meeting of Owners under the Diseases in Sheep Act of 1867 for the Burke District of Queensland.245 This meeting was scheduled for 13 March 1869.

6 - Landsborough leaves Sweers/Burketown on the MELANIE.

1869:

18 - In an item from Sweers Island under this date, a correspondent reports that '[t]he South Sea Islanders who bolted, as mentioned in my last, taking a boat, the property of Messr. Towns and Co., were captured at the entrance of the Norman River by the steamer PIONEER on her last trip to that river, and brought back to the island... We had a number of people from Burketown at the commencement of the new year, amongst whom were two couples who came to get married by the registrar: consequently we had a great deal of Gaiety... Through the courtesy of Mr. Sanrock [sic], Sub-Collector of Customs, I am enabled to send you a statement of duties received at the Port of Sweer's Island during the year 1868: Total £3308 2 11 ... Total imports for the year £18, 404 0 0 ... Ditto Exports £20,699 0 0. The number of deaths during the year 1868, were eighteen; births - four males, two females; and five marriages.'246

21 - The barque RECONNAISSANCE arrived at Sweers Island from Sydney, with a general cargo for Towns and Co. and a number of passengers, some of whom remained on the island. 'Mr. Ellis Read brought a number of rabbits, which have been placed on the north-east end of the Island, and no doubt twelve months hence they will be very numerous.'247 They were reported to be still thriving on the island in 1878.248

The introduction of the rabbit into northern Queensland came at a time when serious alarm about the rabbit plague had already become manifest in Victoria and New South Wales, and while the rabbit population had not yet reached Queensland, concern about the rabbits' destructive powers had already been expressed in that State, and it was only a few years before the Rabbit Act 1880 was passed. Clearly, however, the rabbit thrived on Sweers Island, although there are no records of its occurrence there after 1878. The causes of the rabbits' disappearance from the island must be speculative, but are probably linked to a consistent lack of surface water.

20 - The RECONNAISSANCE departs Sweers Island for Sydney with a cargo of wool and tallow.

22 - The Chief Inspector of Sheep ((P. R. Nordow) wrote to the Minister for Lands that '... an outlay of £120 for fencing - in addition to wire and a few articles - is asked for in order to make the quarantine available for the reception and dressing of imported sheep... During last year 41 imported sheep were landed at Sweers Island and should scab be introduced there the consequences in such a far off District would be disastrous... From enquiries made at ... Messr. Towns & Co agents here ... I find that the articles required could be landed at Sweers Island for the sum of £85 ... I would therefore suggest that the sum of £200 which has been placed on the Estimates for 1869, for repairs to Quarantines, should be devoted to this purpose. As twelve months working of the act has shown that this sum will not be required for the present, in the erection of Quarantine premises at either of the ports of Maryborough, Gladstone or Mackay, whilst the Quarantine sheds at Brisbane, Rockhampton and Bowen are in a fair state of repair.'249

4 - 'The Secretary for Public Lands recommends that a sum of £200 which had been placed on the Estimates for 1869 for repair for Sheep Quarantine should be devoted for fencing in and furnishing a Quarantine at Sweers Island.'250

27 - The MARGARET AND JANE (Captain J.C. Gill) departed Sydney for Sweers Island,251 departing from Bowen for Sweers Island on 11 May.252

May 26 - The RECONNAISSANCE arrived in Sydney from Sweers Island.253

11 - The GEORGINA GODFREY departed Sydney for Sweers Island.254

July 10 - RECONNAISSANCE departed Sydney for Sweers Island.255

July 13 - The SNOWBIRD departed Cleveland Bay for Sweers Island.256

20 - MARGARET AND JANE arrived in Bowen from Sweers Island,257 continuing on to Sydney, which she reached on 27 November, with a Thomas Shekes as passenger.258 Whether the passenger embarked at Sweers Island or in Bowen is not known.

7 - RECONNAISSANCE departed Sydney for Sweers Island.259 'E. Read and servant' were listed as passengers.

9 - In a report dated this day, the Brisbane Courier reported that '[a] Chinaman was bitten by a snake last week: he was taking rice out of a barrel in the dark, and the reptile bit him in the arm ... Several snakes have been killed in houses in the township of late, principally of the whip description, which, I believe, are very poisonous.'260

1870:

21 - The P.S. PIONEER, an iron paddlesteamer built for Robert Towns at Balmain, Sydney in 1867,261 was wrecked on Sweers Island. She was an iron vessel of 65 tons and powered by a 25hp steam engine of which the boilers can still be seen on the beach on the northern side of Inscription Point.

- The steamer BLACK DIAMOND left Sweers Island 'with nearly 200 tons of cargo, and landed the whole of it where the Customs-house in Normanton now stands.'262

19 - The RECONNAISSANCE arrived in Sydney from Sweers Island, with passengers 'Mrs. Read and servant, Mr. and Mrs. Edkins, Mr. Dorothy'.263

23 - The schooner ACTIVE (Captain Delargie) departed Sweers Island after grounding near Locust Rock. Carrying Mr. and Mrs. Edkin and 3 others, it arrived in Bowen on December 11, 1870.264

5 - Robert Towns sells the Royal Hotel at Normanton to John Swan for £500.265

22 - The MARGARET AND JANE departed from Sweers266 arriving in Bowen early in February. Captain Till reported '... it is hoped that the Government will not much longer keep the Customs House and other Government Offices at Sweer's Island to the great inconvenience of shippers, shipowners and consignees. Sweer's Island is deserted by all but the officials and their families and one Chinaman. Mr. Sandrock has 150 or 200 head of cattle feeding on the island. Towns & Co. cattle are being mustered by Mr. Morrisett for transmission south ...'

Dec. 29 - Captain Sweet in the GULNARE arrived at Sweers Island after surveying the Roper River in the Northern Territory, stopping at the island for supplies before leaving for Darwin on 16 February 1871. It took some considerable time to procure supplies (a party had to be sent to the Mossman River for sheep).267Sweet, who often travelled with her husband, recalled that during their month on the island, they were given considerable hospitality and 'received much kindness from the Collector of Customs, who was in charge there'.268

1871:

16 - GULNARE departed Sweers Island for Darwin.

27 - The ACTIVE departed Sydney for Sweers Island.269

2 - In a report of this date from Normanton,270 complaints about the customs service on Sweers Island were made. It concluded '... the isolated island might well deserve the appellation of 'Robinson Crusoe's quarters.'

27 - A public meeting was held in Normanton to inform the Colonial Secretary that having the Customs and Pilot department on Sweers Island puts the inhabitants to '... serious inconvenience and loss of time.'271 The customs returns for Sweers Island for the quarter ending March 1871272 had been £67/7/7.

26 - The DAWN arrived in Brisbane from Sweers Island.273

29 - SPUNKIE departed Sydney for Sweers Island.274

1 - The small schooner COUNTESS OF BELMORE (Captain Sykes) anchored off Sweers Island, enroute from Brisbane to Normanton, to install the new Officer in Charge of the Telegraphic Cable Station at Normanton.275 The island was described as '... a long, low, flat island ... lightly timbered ... The Custom House officer and pilot for the Norman River were stationed there at the time ... A town had been surveyed on Sweer's Island and called Caernarvon, but we found no people there except those connected with the Customs and Pilot Services and their families ... Mr. Sandrock sent off the Custom's boat with a kind invitation to us to go ashore and spend the day ... We went, and had a most delightful time with him and his family. He was monarch of all he surveyed. Practically the island was his little kingdom. Comfortable quarters, cattle, sheep, horses, goats, fowls, etc - also good fishing and boats to sail to the neighbouring islands if he felt disposed to risk a brush with the natives. Few of you can understand how I appreciated the luxury of a nicely furnished room; a well supplied and appointed table; a hearty welcome; pleasant companionship and freedom to roam about after the month's experience I had had on that loathsome schooner. Consider the food and cooking I had to endure - then fancy eating poultry, fresh vegetables just gathered from the garden, delicious home-made bread and scones, fresh milk, butter and eggs, with tea properly made! I remember the joy of it all to this day ... Our pleasant day had to come to an end, but we kept it up as long as we could, and did not go back to the ship until midnight.'276

3 - The COUNTESS OF BELMORE departed Sweers Island around noon with the Pilot in charge, headed for the Norman River.

- Three watercolour sketches purporting to be of Sweers Island are in the National Library. They were done by Jan Willem Ploos van Amstel. Only one resembles Sweers Island and it is inscribed on its reverse side: 'Sweers Island 11 Octb. 1871'. The other two are almost certasinly of Somerset and Albany Island where the vessel had anchored. The acquisitions book of the National Library has associated with these items an extract as follows: '3338 Sweers Island - 3 Vues dessinees donnant des vues dans cette Île dans la baie de Carpentaria, datant vers 1860, par J.W. Ploos van Amstel consul hollandais a Melbourne a cette date.'

'Jonkheer Jan Willem Ploos van Amstel, born at Amsterdam on the 3rd of October 1827, was the consular representative of The Netherlands at Melbourne from 1862 until 1878.'277 The CURACAO had arrived in Bowen from Mackay on September 7 and departed for Townsville on September 14, 1871.278

These watercolours of Sweers Island and other parts around Cape York were done by the consul while visiting the northern Australian ports on a fact-finding voyage aboard the steamship CURACAO (Captain-lieutenant M.W. Bowier) in July to October 1871.279

As a result of that visit during October, Ploos van Amstel wrote280 that only about 20 people were left on the Island as well as the sub-collector of customs and family. Imports to Sweers Island during 1869 comprised £13,838 while exports of wool, tallow and skins were worth about £6,255.

28 - It was reported on this day that the COUNTESS OF BELMORE arrived in Sydney 'from Carpentaria [and] reports that the Dutch frigate CURACAO had struck on the Locust Reef, near Sweers' Island, but had got off with the loss of an anchor'.281

29 - J.M. Thompson, the Secretary for Public Lands, provided information to the Colonial Secretary, Mr. A.H. Palmer, in support of an application to the Imperial Government that jurisdiction over offshore islands be vested in the Colonial Government: 'The whole of the north east coast is studded with islands some of which are valuable with deposits of Guano, whilst others have recently been found rich in minerals. Several islands also exist in the gulf of which Wellesley, Bentinck and Sweers Island may be mentioned as the most important, Sweers Island appearing from its good harbour and salubrious climate a most eligible place for a settlement. It is the site of a township, and was for a long time the residence of the Government staff of this colony in the gulf ... it will be advantageous that these numerous islands ... should be subject to some authority, more especially the riches which many of them contained, will necessarily attract adventurous and may be a lawless population ... At one time some of the islands in the gulf were licensed as squatting runs. An application is now under consideration to take all these islands for Cotton growing.'282

1872:

Sweers Island was largely deserted in favour of Normanton, which had been selected as the new centre for government administration. By and large, Carnarvon had ceased to function and only a few families, including the Creffields, '... who keep cattle, goats and sheep on the island ...' remained until 1897.283

19 - Bartley Fahey succeeded George Sandrock as sub-collector of customs at Sweers Island.284

May 30 - Her Majesty's letters patent, granting jurisdiction over all islands within sixty miles of the coast of Queensland, came into effect.285

9 - The DAY DAWN departed Sweers Island for Bowen with Mr. and Mrs. Sandrock and family aboard. It arrived in Bowen on 16 September 1872286 where Mr. Sandrock was to become the new sub-collector at Port Denison for the next few years.

25 - An incident took place on the island in which shots were fired at several Bentinck Islanders presumed to be involved in stealing sheep and goats.

29 - The COUNTESS OF BELMORE (Captain Robinson) arrived in Bowen from Sweers Island.287

4 - The new sub-collector of customs, Fahey left Sweers Island in the whaleboat ROYAL DUKE to carry out exploratory investigations of the Mitchell River over a two week period. This had been sanctioned by the Queensland Government as it would not entail great expense and take up some of the slack of the government officers during a lull in customs activity.288

1873:

January 25 - Perhaps to emphasise the newly created jurisdictional muscle, Aulaire Morisset, the police magistrate for the Norman District, on instructions from the Colonial Secretary, held a magisterial inquiry on Sweers Island into the reported shooting of a number of Bentinck Islanders.289

Depositions of witnesses were taken from John Farrell who was employed in the pilot service; Robert Christrison, customs boat coxswain and a resident of the island for the previous four years, and Ah Foo, sometimes called Jimmy.290 From these depositions it seemed that on 25 October, these three men together with a McCarthy had seen a group of Aborigines land on Sweers Island, and after a series of confrontations, spears were thrown and shots were fired. The Police Magistrate concluded that it was not shown that any lives were taken and that it appeared that the Aborigines were the aggressors.291

1874:

4 - ELLEN departed Sydney for Sweers Island.292

5 - The MAY QUEEN arrived in Cardwell from Sweers Island, and headed for the Herbert River.293

3 - ELLEN arrives in Sydney from Sweers Island.294

19 - John Thomas McManus295 succeeded B. Fahey as sub-collector of customs at Sweers Island, although Fahey did not leave the island until 5 January 1875.296 This proved to be good luck for Mr. Creffield, who accidentally shot himself, shattering two ribs. 'Fortunately Mr. Fahey had at hand the appliances useful in emergencies of this nature, and by promptly using them no doubt saved Creffield's life. He is now recovering, and no bad results are anticipated.'297

1875:

1 - ROYAL DUKE (Captain A. Campbell) arrived in Sydney from Sweers Island, carrying A. McMaster as passenger.298

23 - On this day, the Port Denison Times carried a report of an abortive voyage to survey the mouth of the Norman River. Lieutenant Connor, R.N. had sailed the LIZZIE JARDINE from Somerset to the Gulf but on arriving 'at Sweer's Island, Lieutenant Connor had a severe attack of rheumatic fever which prevented him from carrying out his intention...'299

1876:

4 - Donald McLennan, the licensed publican on the Island, died of a 'liver complaint' and was buried at Carnarvon. By the time the 1876 Bailliere's Queensland Gazetteer Road Guide was published later that year, it noted that there 'are no hotels in Carnarvon... The population numbers 7 male adults and 2 female adults and 7 children. Carnarvon has no place of worship, and may be said to consist of a custom house, store, and three dwelling houses'.

13 - The ROYAL DUKE arrived in Sydney from Sweers Island.300

1877:

20 - The Port Denison Times reported that the IO has just left Normanton for Sweers Island '... to remove the cattle now on Sweer's Island belonging to the estate of the late Mr. McLennan, to the main land.'

12 - Despite years of agitation to move the customs house from Sweers Island, William Thornton - the Chief Collector of Customs - wrote to the Colonial Treasurer to suggest that it would be '... impolitic in the extreme to remove the Head Quarters of the Customs from Sweers Island to Normanton ...'301 where a branch of the customs had already been established.

1878:

22 - On this day, the Brisbane Courier carried on article titled 'Sweers Island', which discussed the pros and cons of maintaining the customs facilities on Sweers Island, as against Normanton or Kimberley (Karumba). It continued: 'Returning to the island: the soil, apparently favorable to the growth of tropical fruit trees, is well covered with grass, but lightly timbered with eucalypti and a beautiful shade-tree similar to the banyan; and it is now stocked with a few horses, 400 head of cattle, 500 sheep, 400 goats, numerous wild rabbits, and a number of pigs. Springs are met with occasionally over the island, and water can be procured almost anywhere by sinking. From Investigator Roads, where, sheltered by Bentinck Island further west, ships can ride safely at anchor in from two to four fathoms, the island has a very beautiful appearance, the foliage of the eucalypti comingling with that of the banana and cocoanut palm, with the sub-collector's cottage peeping out from amongst it, forming such a pretty picture, and looking so snug, that it is not surprising this officer is not at all anxious to be removed from quarters in which his life is being passed so pleasantly... Game is very scarce, but round the island any quantity of fish can easily be caught.'302

23 - The HEATH arrived in Sydney from Sweers Island, with a cargo of '35 tons of copper ore, 6 bales of wool and 80 hides'.303

30 - W.J. Greenaway304 was appointed as sub-collector of customs at Sweers Island to replace McManus, who had drowned.305

1880:

16 - A report306 concerning the removal of the customs establishment from Sweers Island to Normanton carries the marginal notes: 'Approved subject to the reduction in boatmen employed - I see the £75 is only for shifting - inquiry should be made to see if it is worth shifting.' 'Removal of customs ... approved ... 31.8.80.' The expenses for the removal of the customs was paid from contingencies.307

29 - The 38 ton ketch, ROSEBUD, (John Newton, Master) was cleared from Sweers Island bound for the New Guinea coast. Anchoring off Bountiful Island to obtain turtles, the anchor parted a few days later, and the ROSEBUD was driven onto rocks and became a total wreck. The crew pitched tents ashore and salvaged a few provisions, making themselves as comfortable as circumstances permitted. They 'had plenty of turtles, eggs, fish, and oysters, so lived very well for a fortnight, when the Government cutter came to our relief, having been informed by two of our men who had started for Sweer's Island with the dinghy, and who were away four days.'308

15 - Captain C. Pennefather arrived at Sweers Island from Thursday Island aboard Q.G.S. PEARL to chart the waters around Point Barker. Because he had not been able to procure a sufficient supply of water at Thursday Island, he 'filled up at this place, the water being good and plentiful'.309 In the official report presented to both Houses of the Queensland Parliament, Captain Pennefather reported that the Island is 'lightly timbered; with soil of loose sandy nature. At the time of our visit it presented a very sterile appearance owing to want of rain and its being overstocked; in fact, it seemed wonderful how the quantity of stock, over 1200 in number (cattle, sheep and goats), managed to exist.' He also reported that 'there are two cocoa-nut trees on the Island, thriving and doing well, also guavas, dates, tamarinds, etc., - the climate of the place being apparently well suited to the growth of fruits of the kind'.

As far as the township was concerned, Pennefather was less enthusiastic, observing that '... the few remaining buildings on the Island are very much affected with white ants, and would hardly pay for removal.310 The site of the once thriving township of Carnarvon is only to be recognised by the heaps of broken bottles which mark the positions of the various buildings which have now totally disappeared'.

More interestingly, Captain Pennefather mentioned the inscribed tree at Point Inscription and was the first of several authors311 to suggest that the earlier date was of Dutch origin. He reported that '... on an old tree is to be seen the name of H.M.S. INVESTIGATOR, with the date 1802, and a still earlier date, supposed to have been carved by the Dutch.'

20 - 'Having filled up with fuel and water, sailed from Sweer's ...'312 to survey the other islands and the adjacent mainland, subsequently arriving at Thursday Island on 25th October.

1883:

According to the Northern Territory Times and Gazette, 'now there is only one family residing on it, and Mr. Crawfield [Creffield], who claims the island for himself, is owner of about 1000 sheep and 800 head of cattle with inumerable pigs and poultry. The little Island forms an agreeable terminus for a pleasure party and the sportsman from Normanton can spend a pleasant day in shooting down wild pigs. Fruit is abundant besides both orange and lemon trees being now in full bearing'.313

7 - The Brisbane Courier carried the following mystifying report on this day: 'The Collector of Customs, Brisbane, received a telegram yesterday from the Sub-collector of Customs at Normanton, intimating that a telegram had been received there to the effect that Captain T. A. Lake, of Lake's Guano Island, Gulf of Carpentaria, had left the island on the 10th of September, and had promised to return about the 1st of October. The telegram went on to say that Mr. Creffield, at Sweer's Island, has written to Kimberley [Karumba] asking information respecting Captain Lake, who had stated he would return to Sweer's Island about a fortnight after the 11th of September, for fresh beef. The captain has not yet returned, and it is feared that an accident of a serious nature has befallen him. A cutter has been ordered to proceed at once from Normanton to Lake's Island, via Sweer's Island, to ascertain, if possible, what has become of the missing captain.'314

1885:

15 - It was reported in the Mercury (Hobart) that the 'Commssioner of Police [of Queensland] has received intelligence that three men named Reiden, Henry, and Jeffrays left Normanton in a small boat for Sweers Island on the 20th March, and have never reached the island, and are supposed to have drowned or killed by blacks.'315

1886:

May 19 - A ministerial party touring the Gulf District, consisting of the Premier, Samuel Walker Griffith and the Colonial Treasurer, James Robert Dickson, briefly visits Sweers Island in the LUCINDA, meets the Creffields, and 'visited a tree marked by Captain Flinders and the officers of the INVESTIGATOR in 1781 [sic]. The LUCINDA left for Kimberley [Karumba] at sunset...'316

1889:

24 - James Tagg was swept out to sea at Karumba in a small boat on Christmas Eve, and was presumed to have drowned. However, he drifted around for five days, suffering great hardships, and was then cast ashore on 'Sweer's Island, where he was well cared for, and he was brought from there to Karumba'.317

1890:

- Returning from Normanton, where he had run some errands, to the steam hopper barge DUGONG, James Fay's small boat was swept away during the recent floods after one of his oars snapped. With gales and heavy rain, he was tossed about for six nights and five days, with nothing to eat and little to drink. He was finally washed ashore on Sweers Island, found a cave in which he rested. Coming on a flock of goats, he managed to catch a kid, whose flesh he ate raw. Next morning, he saw a fisherman's cutter lying on the beach, and he was kindly received by the crew, and tended by the owner's wife. He was returned to Normanton in the fisherman's cutter.318

1891:

Saville-Kent visited Sweers Island. In his book on the Great Barrier Reef,319 he described and showed photographs of specimens of coral rock conglomerate collected from Sweers Island. In addition he reported320 that '... had space permitted, another highly interesting and instructive photograph would have been reproduced here viz., a view of the low sand cliff immediately facing the beach on Sweer's Island, where the specimens just described were collected ... The aspect of this cliff is very singular ... Some twenty years ago Sweer's Island was visited by a devastating hurricane, which well nigh wrecked the homestead established there, and during it the cliff, ranging from ten to twenty feet in height, was more or less completely submerged ... The action of the latest hurricane, and accompanying inundation ... was to undermine an extensive area of the face of the cliff, to such an extent, that a large portion has fallen down and lies scattered in huge, heaped-up blocks at high-tide level. A little way inland, out of the reach of the sea and spray, the stratum of siliceous sand and ironstone gravel occurs without any admixture of carbonate of lime.'

In his later book,321 Saville-Kent reproduced that photograph with the annotation that 'the low sandstone cliff ... had been completely submerged and undermined by the abnormal waves, and was broken up into disrupted fragments that bore a by no means remote resemblance to masses of a Cyclopean growth of the Organ-pipe coral, Tubipora musica.'

Saville-Kent also reported322 the presence of pearl-shell in the waters around Sweers Island.

1894:

- Phillips was on Sweers Island at this time, noting the Creffields 'were still on the island when I last visited'.323

1901:

With the abandonment of Carnarvon, Sweers Island reverted to Aboriginal use. It seems likely that animals left on the island were killed by the natives.

The first anthropologist to visit the area was Dr. Walter E. Roth, Northern Protectors of Aborigines, who was accompanied by native police from the mainland, and J.F. Bailey, Director of the Brisbane Botanic Gardens. Tindale claimed that the visit was not well documented although it was reported that a small plant collection from Bentinck Island and some photographic negatives were in existence. The only negative so far located324 shows a group of eight men in front of a row of dilapidated buildings in the deserted township, and correspondence325 from the Queensland Herbarium claimed that no records of plant collections from Bentinck Island collected by J.F. Bailey were held there. On the other hand, Blake326 cited specimens of Melaleuca leucodendra and M. viridiflora collected in June 1901 on Bentinck and Sweers Island respectively. Similarly, Barlow327 recorded Amyema villiflorumtomentillum from from Sweers Island based on the type specimen collected by Bailey in June 1901, now housed in the NSW Herbarium. A search of computerised herbarium records in April 1992, indicated that J.F. Bailey collected 56 plant specimens from Sweers Island, 15 from Bentinck, 6 from Bountiful and 5 from Mornington Islands during June 1901.

Roth's report328 mentioned the inscribed tree as well as that '... a few remains of Landsborough's cottage are still visible. The island itself is at present held under occupation license: it is well watered, carries about 700 sheep and 400 goats, and has a good anchorage.'

1902:

- SS WATERLILY rescued the crew of the cutter MYSTERY, bound from Sweers Island to Burketown, after she was wrecked at Albert Heads.329

1903:

June 11 - Dr. Walter E. Roth, Northern Protectors of Aborigines, departed Normanton in the MELBIDIR accompanied by Charles Hedley, Conchologist from the Australian Museum, Sydney, Constable Warner and two trackers.330

June 13 - Roth's party '... arrived at Sweers Island, anchoring in the Roads, and took in some fresh water.' From here, they travelled to various of the islands around Sweers Island. In his report, Roth mentions that '... Mr. Hedley has made an excellent collection of marine zoology, including about 400 species of molluscs: he is of opinion that the Gulf of Carpentaria fauna should be considered an out-lier rather of the Indian than of the Pacific Ocean. The salient characters of the region are the slight development of reef-building corals, and their associated fauna, as compared with the Torres Strait and the East Coast of Queensland. Towards the head of the Gulf, the corals entirely disappear, and the mangrove-swamp fauna is developed in great luxuriance...'331

'After service around several Australian ports, the old iron paddle steamer FRANCIS CADELL, 140 tons, was abandoned as a derelict in the river near Burketown.'332

1906:

May - Dr. Roth resigned as Northern Protector of Aborigines '... because of ill health.'333

1908:

John McKenzie who, in around this time, had apparently obtained an occupation licence over Sweers Island, ran sheep and goats on the island.334 Having previously squatted on Bentinck Island, he moved to Sweers Island and to spplement his grazing activities, commenced 'lime-burning' from a kiln335 constructed on the western side of Inspection Hill. Lime was apprently shipped to Normanton and railed to Croydon, where it was used in gold extraction.336 McKenzie had two Aboriginal helpers from Mornington Island, who soon became disenchanted by the continual diet of goats' heads and livers and returned to Mornington Island.337 McKenzie then obtained Aboriginal-Malay half-castes as helpers and a white partner named Nelson.338

July 27 - The ketch MARK TWAIN, 9 tons, running between Normanton and Sweers Island, sprang a leak and foundered near Sweers Island. The crew of two, 'one white man and a blackboy, escaped in a dinghy, and were picked up by the Government ketch MELBIDIR.'339

1910:

Howard, Northern Protector of Aborigines (and successor to Roth) visited Bentinck Island.

1915:

J. Bleakley, Chief Protector of Aborigines, visited the Bentinck-Sweers Island area.

1917:

The first missionary, Rev. Robert Hall, came to Mornington Island from Mapoon aboard the mission lugger, MORNING STAR.340 After Rev. Hall was killed, the Police, led by Sergeant Scanlon, formed a search party for the killers. Using the MORNING STAR, they sailed from Burketown for Sweers Island to obtain '... more wood and water ... and the policemen shot some of the goats and sheep left there. We camped there to cook the meat and sailed next day for Dugong River on Mornington Island.'341

Bleakley again visited Bentinck Island.

1918:

According to Tindale,342 a Bentinck Islander account recalled a hostile attack by a white party in 1918. Accompanied by dogs and mounted, the party consisted of 'an unidentified white man with helpers' and was reportedly responsible for the deaths of eleven persons. Elsewhere343 Tindale reported the death in c.1918 of 'Ngiltalngati' as a result of being 'shot by white man who came in a boat from Sweers Island; ran away to top of sand hills at Berumoi and died'. This appears to be supported344 by a detailed verbal account provided by Roma Kelly (Dibirdibi Mambunkingathi) who was born at Mambunki on Bentinck Island in 1917.345 This account indicated that the European party almost certainly included Mckenzie, but this remains uncertain.346

There are numerous folk tales surrounding the killing of the last of McKenzie's goats and a horse.

[Roughsey pp. 97-98: An old Kaiadilt man now living at Mornington told me some stories about his early life on Bentinck and his first sight of white men and their boats. Their first meeting with the white man was when a small guano mine was worked on Sweers Island, just across from Bentinck. A very small town called Carnarvon was built to house the workers. This is how old Thadudgunthee, or Jack as we now call him, remembers those days.

The white men had a big camp on Sweers. One day they came across to Bentinck Island after water. As soon as they came ashore they started shooting at us ... After a few years the white men all got in their boats and left Sweers ... Next morning we went on to the town where we collected many things. We found a few tomahawks and many pieces of steel and nails to make spearheads. While we were looking about for these things we saw strange animals coming down to the well. The animals were white and had two sticks on their heads. We had never seen goats before but we decided to kill and eat them. The well had the only water on the island so we camped there and speared three or four each day until they were all gone.

Long after the Kaiadilt left Sweers, another white man called Mackenzie came to live on the island. He frightened the Bentincks away by shooting at them.]

1922:

John McKenzie's operation on the island ceased, possibly as a result of the closure of the Croydon cyanide works.347

1925-27:

Three efforts were made by officers from the Mornington Island Mission to make contact with the Bentinck Islanders. These attempts were carried out during beche-de-mer operations by Mornington Islanders using Fowler Island as a base. The first really successful contact was in late 1927 when 48 Bentinck Islanders were contacted and photographed in groups with the missionary officers.

1934:

The Island was declared a 'reserve for the use of the Aboriginal inhabitants of the State'348

1937:

Bleakley and a party of Government Ministers made another visit to Bentinck Island.

1940:

Eleven Bentinck Islanders were sent to Aurukun Mission after the killing of a Mornington islander, 'Cripple Jack', had occurred on Allen Island. Relationships between the Mornington and Bentinck Islanders had deteriorated since the beche-de-mer operations of the 1925-27 period. These eleven natives were held at Aurukun until 1953 when they were sent to Mornington Island to join the remainder of the Bentinck Islanders.

1942:

1 - 'Walkabout' Magazine contained an article by 'E.D.F.' entitled 'An Historic Island' which provided an interesting account of Sweers Island, its history, and that '... to-day, the ruins of the old settlement on Sweer's Island are plainly visible. Frameworks of buildings and a few old rusty tanks and sheets of iron show that the island once supported a considerable population. An old ant-eaten jetty still stands. The land cleared and ploughed by the hardy settlers has almost disappeared in the encroaching bush. Lonely and forgotten are a number of graves on a tree-choked rise overlooking the old town. Most of the inscriptions have been obliterated by weather and time.'349

1943:

- RAAF personnel from the radar station no. 313 (established on Mornington Island in March 1943) visited the island in the mission launch, arriving off Sweers Island ('Milt') about midday. Deciding to go ashore to look at the township of Carnarvon, they were attacked by a group of spearthrowing Kaiadilt. The visitors retreated to the launch and fired several shots, killing 'Kongarangati dawart', a young Bentinck man.350 Some of the warning shots are reported to have hit a Kaiadilt woman in the thigh while she was digging for yams inland.351 The Kaiadilt killed on the beach was buried nearby.

Detailed investigations were conducted by the mission superintendent J.B. McCarthy, the airforce and the Queensland Police, and the facts taken from the various witnesses352 can be summarised as follows:

'... camped ... on... a narrow sand point opposite Raft Point ...'

'... two RAAF men went down along the beach to have a look at a well and a grave ...'

'... started to walk up the beach to where the grave was ...'

'... and I decided to go and have a look at the well and remains of an old building there ... We had walked about fifty yards along the beach...'

'Some men went down the beach and the others up along the beach collecting wood to light a fire for tea. I went over the sandhill, and waited at an old wreck for Mitchener, Jack to come back.'

'Mitchener, Jack and myself went along the beach towards the old wreck ... Lewis, Gully and myself walked along the beach in the opposite direction ... to have a look at a well and the remains of a camp.'

'Wyllie, Jack and myself went along the beach towards an old wreck, collecting wood ... When I arrived back with the wood, I sat on the beach ... Lewis, Wyllie and Gully walked along the beach in the opposite direction to where we were gathering wood to have a look at a native well.'

'The first job to do was to gather wood ... and we brought it back and Jack built a fire ... and Wyllie and I decided to go and have a look at the well and remains of an old building there. We walked about 50 yds along the beach when we heard natives screaming out ...'

'Mitchener, Jack and myself went towards an old wreck gathering fire-wood ... Lewis, Gully and I went to have a look at a well in the opposite direction. When we were about 100 yds along the beach we heard a lot of shouting ...'

'... the body was buried ... on the side of a small hill sloping to the water edge and the body would be about 25' above HWM and about 30 yds from the water edge. Beyond the grave the hill extended another 20 ft or so ...'

1945:

Twenty-five Bentinck Islanders visited Mornington Island for a month in the June-July period.

1946:

'G.P.' writing in 1946, described the township as follows: 'Today, the ruins of the old settlement on Sweer's Island are plainly visible. Frameworks of many buildings and rusted tanks and sheets of iron, and an old ant-eaten jetty remain. Lonely and forgotten are a number of graves on a tree-choked rise overlooking the old settlement. Most of the inscriptions have been obliterated by weather and Time. One cannot help wondering what would have been the result of the Sweer's Island settlement had it remained. Would it have prospered or would its island seclusion have eventually caused its abandonment?'353

1947:

- Forty-two Aboriginals were found in very poor condition on Sweers Island. They were taken to the Mornington Island Mission by the Superintendent Rev. J.B. McCarthy. Subsequent examination in December of the natives remaining on Bentinck Island revealed a prevalence of malnutrition and disease (tuberculosis and dysentery).

1948:

February - Cyclone. The mission launch anchored off Sweers Island and found seven men and their wives and families, who were taken aboard and moved to Mornington Island.354

1960:

Norman Tindale, with a party containing 20 Kaiadilt people, visited the Bentinck-Sweers Island area. Some archaeological investigations were carried out around Inscription Point and in the coastal area west of Inspection Hill.

1963:

- Curators of the Australian Museum (Drs. McMichael and Yaldwyn) visited Sweers Island and collected marine intertidal organisms on behalf of the Australian Museum.

1970:

Southers and Dickens purchased freehold property in parts of the old township of Carnarvon and commenced the erection of a tourist facility. Much of the building was undertaken by two young French adventurers.355 Subsequently, the interests were purchased by Broken Hill South, who investigated the Island as a potential shipping point for Lady Annie phosphate rock.

1971:

- Mr. John Dymock, an amateur naturalist, visited the Island and prepared a map, listing flora, fauna and sites of historical interest.356

- All freehold land within the town of Carnarvon, with the exception of portions 2, 3, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, was resumed by the Crown.357

1973:

6-12 - Drs. P. Saenger, M.S. Hopkins and C.C. McIvor, aboard the KATOORA,358 completed a biological survey of the Island and made collections as part of the investigations to assess the environmental impact of the proposed port development by Broken Hill South Pty. Ltd.

1977:

The phosphate shipping project on Sweers Island was finally abandoned because of economic, technical and environmental considerations. The single largest obstacle was the quality of Queensland phosphate, and the huge costs involved in re-equipping the fertilizer manufacturers to be able to handle the Queensland rock. Alternative proposals to use the Duchess deposits and railing to Townsville, a cheaper alternative to the Sweers Island proposal, also failed for the same technical reasons and, despite the parliamentary pleading for government assistance to the Duchess venture by Doug Anthony, the Australian Deputy Prime Minister early in June 1978, mining ceased at the end of the month.

1982:

14 - Tenders called for the development of a tourist complex on Sweers Island closed with no responses received. Aboriginal protests against such a development had been made on the grounds that the island was a sacred tribal area but the Lands Minister, Mr. Glasson, said that the lack of interest was due to economic considerations.359 The Minister stressed that the Government would still study any future proposals for a Sweers Island tourist venture.

1988:

May - 'A new resort has opened up on Sweers Island in the Wellesley Group and caters for reef and offshore fishing. Although only small scale at this stage, it certainly indicates the trends for the future.'360

1989:

The boundaries of the Aboriginal Reserve on the Island were redefined to exclude previously surveyed areas of crown land and the airstrip.361 Two sections were established, the northern section comprises 775 ha while the southern section is of 480 ha.

1994:

The Aboriginal Reserves were repealed and a deed of grant in trust was granted to the Kaiadilt Aboriginal Land Trust.

1996:

A native title claim by the Kaiadilt people, as part of four applicant groups, was lodged for the land and water from the high water line on Bentinck and Sweers Islands to 'as far as the eye could see', a non-exclusive claim recognized by the Federal Court to five nautical miles seaward.362

1 Tindale, N.B., 1962a. Geographical knowledge of the Kaiadilt people of Bentinck Island, Queensland. Records of South Aust. Museum, Adelaide 14:252-296; Tindale, N.B., 1962b. Some population changes among the Kaiadilt people of Bentinck Island, Queensland. Records of South Aust. Museum, Adelaide 14:297-336.

2 Saenger, P. and M.S. Hopkins, 1975. Observations on the mangroves of the south-eastern Gulf of Carpentaria, Australia. First Intern. Symp. Biology & Management of Mangroves, University of Florida, Vol. 1, pp. 126-136, p. 133.

3 Whitehouse, E.B., 1977. The early explorers. Jl. Royal Hist. Soc. Qd. 10:114-134, at p. 125

4 Whitehouse, 1977, p. 125.

5 Whitehouse, 1977, p. 125.

6 Robert, W.C.H., 1973. The Dutch Explorations, 1605-1756 of Australia. Philo Press, Amsterdam, at p. 37.

7 Robert, 1973, p. 45.

8 Cilento, R. and C. Lack , 1969. Triumph in the TropSmith and Paterson, Brisbane, p. 17.

9 Sharpe, A., 1963. The discovery of Australia. Claredon Press, Oxford, at p. 334

10 Feeken, E.H.J. and G.E.E. Feeken, 1970. The discovery and exploration of Australia. Nelson, Melbourne.

11 During his 1642 voyage around Tasmania, Tasman did name an island group (although probably a series of headlands) in Tasmania as 'Sweers Eylanden' after Salomon Sweers, one of the Councillors, who had authorised his expedition. Similarly, in 1644, Tasman named what is probably now the Nicholson River as 'Sweers' River.

12 Macknight, C.C., 1976. The voyages to Marege: Macassan trepangers in northern Australia. MUP, Melbourne, p. 175. However, Ernestine Hill claims in The Territory: The classic saga of Australia's far north (1951) that regular ports of call extended from King Sound to Burketown, and that Sweers Island's Macassan name was Pulo Tiga (p. 34).

13 As suggested, for example, in Captain Pennefather's report in 1880.

14 Narratives and diaries of Matthew Flinders, Robert Brown and Peter Goode - see details below.

15 Robert, 1973, p. 45.

16 Robert Brown's journal as transcribed from a microfilm copy held by the National Herbarium in Canberra.

17 Flinders, M., 1814. A voyage to Terra Australis, undertaken for the purpose of completing the discovery of that vast country and prosecuted in the years 1801, 1802 and 1803. 2 vols. G. and W. Nicol, London, p. 137-138.

18 Edwards, P.I. (ed.), 1981. The journal of Peter Goode, gardener, on Matthew Flinders' voyage to Terra Australis 1801-1803. Bulletin of the British Museum Natural History Series 9:1-213, p. 101.

19 Berg Hogenhoff, C., 2006. Sweers Islands unveiled: Details from Abel Tasman and Matthew Flinders' explorations of Australia. Hogenhoff Forlag, Oslo.

20 Edwards, 1981, p. 101.

21 Edwards, 1981, p. 102.

22 Austin, K.A., 1974. The voyage of the INVESTIGATOR. Seal Books Edition, Adelaide. p. 164.

23 Robert Brown's journal.

24 Fitton, W.H., 1827. An account of some geological specimens, collected by Captain P.P. King, in his survey of the coasts of Australia, and by Robert Brown, Esq., on the shores of the Gulf of Carpentaria, during the voyage of Captain Flinders. Appendix C in P.P. King 'Narrative ...', p. 566-630.

25 Fitton, 1827, p. 570-571.

26 Fitton, 1827, p. 609.

27 Edwards, 1981, p. 102-103.

28 Edwards, 1981, p. 103.

29 Edwards, 1981, p. 103.

30 Edwards, 1981, p. 103.

31 Thomson, W.C., 1889-90. The Gulf of Carpentaria. Royal Geographic Society of Australasia (Queensland Branch) 5:26-38.

32 Stokes, J.L., 1846. Discoveries in Australia, with an account of the coasts and rivers explored in the years 1837-1843. 2 vols., & W. Boone, London, p. 268.

33 Stokes, 1846, p. 269.

34 Stokes, 1846, p. 270-271.

35 Stokes, 1846, p. 271.

36comm. Karen Magee, 15 February, 2010.

37 Knight, J.J., 1895. In the early days - history and incident of pioneer Queensland. Sapsford & Co., Brisbane, p. 7.

38 Brisbane Courier, January 31, 1889.

39 Saenger, P. and B.J. Stubbs, 1994. The INVESTIGATOR tree, Sweers Island: a natural historic monument. R. Soc. Qd. 104:67-78.

40 Thomson, 1889-90, p. 34.

41 According to Queensland Museum; on the other hand, Reed, A.W., 1973. Place Names of Australia. Reed, Sydney, at p. 204 suggests under the entry for Sweers Island that 'The 'Investigator Tree' on this island was one of the most famous trees in Australia. Dutch and Chinese navigators had left inscriptions on it at various times.'

42 Palmer, E., 1903. Early days in North Queensland. Angus & Robertson, Sydney, p. 26.

43 Austin, 1974, p. 50.

44 facing p. 129.

45 According to the Brisbane Courier, January 31, 1889, Queenslander, March 9, 1889 and Knight, 1895, p. 7, this inscription read 'T. Devine'.

46 Palmer, 1903, p. 26.

47 Reed, 1973, p. 204.

48 Historical Records of Australia, Vol. XX, pp. 386-389.

49 Kirby, 1868, p.14.

50 Waterson, D.B., 1972. A biographical register of the Queensland Parliament. 1860-1929. ANU Press, Cambridge, p. 127.

51 Brisbane Courier, November 12, 1889; Queenslander, November 16, 1889.

52 Stubbs, B.J. and P. Saenger, 1996. The Investigator tree: eighteenth century inscriptions, or twentieth century misinterpretations? Hist. Soc. Qd. J. 16:93-107.

53 G.P., 1946. Historic Island of the Gulf. Cummin & Campbell's Monthly Magazine (September 1946), p. 7 and 41.

54 Reed, 1973, p. 204.

55 G.P., 1946. at p. 7.

56 Roth, W.E., 1901. Report on a visit to some of the Wellesley Islands. Handwritten report dated Burketown 6.7.01 and submitted to Home Secretary's Office 25 July 1901, pp. 14 + map.

57 Stokes, 1846, p. 271-272.

58 Stokes, 1846, p. 273.

59 Stokes, 1846, p. 274.

60 given as a footnote on p. 330 of Stokes, 1846.

61 Courier (Hobart), 28 January, 1857.

62 Chimmo, W., 1857. Voyage of H.M.S.V. Torch. Reprinted from the Nautical Magazine, London 1857, p. 15; see also Chimmo, W., 1856. Account of the search for the North Australian Exploring Expedition under Mr. A.C. Gregory. Proc. R. Geogr. Soc. London, 1. [ML 910.6 R].

63 Chimmo, 1857, p. 18.

64 A small sketch of the tree is provided by Chimmo at p. 19.

65 although the name 'Chimmo' was apparently inscribed.

66 Chimmo, 1857, p. 19-20.

67 Chimmo, 1857, p. 19-20.

68 Chimmo, 1857, p. 20.

69 Connell, G., 1980. The Mystery of Ludwig Leichhardt. Melbourne University Press, Melbourne, p. 32-33.

70 Gregory, A.C. and F.T. Gregory, 1884. Journals of Australian Explorations. James C. Beal, Brisbane, p. 172.

71 Braddon, R., 1986. Thomas Baines and the North Australian Expedition. Collins, Sydney, p. 117.

72 Braddon, 1986, p. 117.

73 Dawson, W., Memorandum of events on the North Australian Expedition under the command of Augustus C. Gregory. ML FM4/3096.

74 Dawson ML FM4/3096.

75 Dawson ML FM4/3096.

76 Braddon, 1986, p. 136.

77 Baines, T., Journal 1856-7. 5 vols. ML FM4/1373.

78 Braddon, 1986, p. 138.

79 Baines Journal - ML FM4/1373.

80 Baines, T., 1857. Additional notes on the North Australian Expedition under Mr. A.C. Gregory. R. Geogr. Soc. London 2: 3-16. [ML 910.6 R].

81 The sloop H.M.C.S. VICTORIA, a 580-ton steam warship, the first to be built for any British colony in 1855, had arrived in Hobson's Bay in 1856. Armed with six 32-pounders and a 9 ft. 6 inch swivel gun, the VICTORIA must have been an impressive vessel. After her travels to the Gulf, the VICTORIA arrived in Hobart from England in early April 1864, with 100,000 salmon eggs and 3,000 trout eggs, carried in a specially fitted coolroom, and were placed in Tasmanian hatcheries. This was the first successful transfer of eggs in Australia. By 1871, there were enough trout to permit fly-fishing. Having delivered the fish, British troops stationed in Australia sailed on 24 April 1864 in the VICTORIA to take part in the wars between the Maoris and Europeans in New Zealand. After her diverse services, she was sold in 1888 and broken up in 1894.

82 Consisting of W. Landsborough, G. Bourne, H.N. Campbell, W. Allison, W. Gleeson (cook), two native troopers and two aborigines (Charlie, Jemmy, Fisherman and Jacky).

83 McInnes, A., 1985. The last Voyages of FIREFLY and Captain Kirby. Hist. Soc. Qd. J. 12: 264-282.

84 Based on a translation of Henne's diary in ML as reported by Johnston, W.T., 1970, Diedrich Henne, Botanical Collector. Bulletins of the Historical Society, Cairns, North Queensland, 133 and 134.

85 Kirby, T., 1862. Narrative of a voyage from Melbourne to the Gulf of Carpentaria. Melbourne, at p. 12.

86 Bourne, G., (Ed.), 1862. Journal of Landsborough Expedition from Carpentaria, in search of Burke and Wills, Dwight, Melbourne [ML 042 P520].

87Landsborough papers [OM 69.030].

88 Bourne, 1862.

89 Norman, N.H., 1862. Report of Commander Norman of H.M.C.S. VICTORIA: together with a copy of his journal on the late expedition to the Gulf of Carpentaria. Parliamentary Papers, Melbourne, p. 14; see also Norman, N.H., 1863. Report of Commander Norman, R.N. followed by extracts from journal. Journal of the Royal Geographical Society 33: 5-12.

90Landsborough papers [OM 69.030].

91 Laurie, J.S. (Ed.), 1866. Landsborough's exploration of Australia from Carpentaria to Melbourne. Marshall and F. Laurie, London, at p. 9-10.

92 Kirby, 1862, p. 10-11.

93 Bourne, 1862.

94 Pike, G., 1978. Queensland frontier. Rigby Limited, Brisbane, at p. 91 erroneously refers to Chimmo's ship as the SANDFLY.

95 Bourne, 1862.

96 Bourne, 1862.

97 Bourne, 1862.

98 Norman, 1862, p. 14.

99Landsborough papers [OM 69.030].

100 Norman, 1862, p. 17.

101 Clune, F., 1971. Dig - The Burke & Wills Saga, Angus & Robertson, Melbourne, p. 146.

102 Norman, 1862, p. 4.

103 Johnston, 1970.

1041971, p. 130 gives his name as "Horzfeldt, a German" and Norman, 1862, p. 22 gives it as "John Horsfeldt, who is afflicted with fistula".

105 Johnston, 1970.

106 Johnston, 1970.

107 Johnston, 1970.

108 Johnston, 1970.

109 Blake, S.T., 1968. A revision of Melaleuca leucodendron and its allies. Qd. Herb. No. 1, at p. 37 records Melaleuca viridiflora from Sweers Island

110 Blake, 1968, at p. 48 records Melaleuca argentea from the Albert River

111 Johnston, 1970; the large figtree, Ficus henneana, collected by Henne in Torres Strait and described by Mueller, commemorates his name. See also J.H. Maiden's orbituary of Henne in the Sydney Morning Herald, February 7, 1913.

112 Johnston, 1970.

113 Johnston, 1970.

114 Norman, 1862, p. 27.

115 Johnston, 1970.

116 Argus, 16 October, 1862; 4 December, 1862; 6 December, 1862.

117 Argus, 14 May, 1863.

118 Argus, 25 May, 1863; 27 May, 1863.

119 Argus, 6 June, 1863.

120 Holder Cowl (nd. p. 10) mentions that en route to Normanton in August 1871 'a large barque was sighted. She was the JEANNIE OSWALD, bound from Green Island to Cleveland Bay'.

121 McInnes, 1985, p. 279.

122White to Colonial Secretary: QSA Col/470 2298/1865.

123 Port Denison Times, December 9, 1865.

124 Port Denison Times, April 11, 1866.

125 Port Denison Times, January 24, 1866.

126 Fenner, F., 1990. History of Microbiology in Australia, Brolga Press, Curtin, ACT. See also Kettle, D.S., 1993. Insect-borne diseases - Australia truly the lucky country. R. Soc. Qd. 103:17-25.

127 Pike, 1978, p. 174.

128 Others such as Holder Cowl, T., not dated. Some of my Experiences during a Voyage to the Gulf of Carpentaria and three years' residence at Normanton in the early Seventies, Besley & Pike Ltd., Brisbane, have suggested that the ELLESMERE was responsible but this account was written several years after the event; Ernestine Hill, 1951, The Territory provides a more imaginative explanation, with a kanaka-laden LALLA ROOKH bringing the fever from the New Hebrides It seems most likely that the crew of the MARGARET-AND-MARY were infected with malaria during a probable stay at Thursday Island enroute to the Albert River.

129 D'arcy Uhr had joined the Queensland Native Mounted Police as a nineteen year old cadet on 17 October, 1865.

130Landsborough papers [OM 69.030].

131 Landsborough's Diary from the Brisbane Courier, November,10, 1866.

132 Port Denison Times, April 28, 1866.

133 Phillips, G., 1923. Ernest Henry. The discoverer, and principal prospector, of the Cloncurry Mineral District of North-West Queensland. J. Hist. Soc. Qd. 2:97-120, p. 108.

134 Papers of Ernest Henry held by Royal Historical Society of Queensland at p.154m.

135 John Graham MacDonald had left Geelong in 1859 for Queensland to take up land before separation, taking up vast areas around the headwaters of the Einasleigh, Lynd and Burdekin Rivers. In 1863 MacDonald entered into partnership with Robert Towns (forming R. Towns & Co.) and in 1864, he led a small expedition to the Gregory River, then to the Nicholson, taking in areas of about one million acres, which were subsequently divided into stations, the first being Floraville. For details, see MacDonald, J.G., 1865. Expedition from Port Denison to the Gulf of Carpentaria and Back. George Slater, Brisbane.

136 Phillips, 1923, p. 105.

137 Port Denison Times, May 2, 1866

138 Papers of Ernest Henry held by Royal Historical Society of Queensland at p.155n.

139Landsborough typed journal [OM 69.030]

140 Brisbane Courier, November 10, 1866.

141 Papers of Ernest Henry held by Royal Historical Society of Queensland at p.155n.

142Landsborough typed journal [OM 69.030]

143Landsborough typed journal [OM 69.030]

144 Papers of Ernest Henry held by Royal Historical Society of Queensland at p.156o.

145Landsborough typed journal [OM 69.030]

146 Papers of Ernest Henry held by Royal Historical Society of Queensland at p.156r.

147 Landsborough's Diary from the Brisbane Courier, November 12, 1866.

148 Phillips, 1923, p. 109

149 Landsborough to Minister for Lands and Works: QSA Col/A81/1977/1866; see also report of this date in Port Denison Times of 11 August 1866

150 Phillips, 1923, p. 109.

151 Phillips, 1923, quoting Henry's diary as conveyed in a letter to his mother, dated July, 1866.

152 Port Denison Times, May 9, 1866.

153 Landsborough's Diary from the Brisbane Courier, November 12, 1866.

154 Roberts, A.J., 2005. Frontier justice - a history of the Gulf country to 1900. University of Queensland Press, Brisbane.

155 Uhr, F., 2008. Australia's longest horse chase from Burketown to Bourke and back, to capture horse thieves, by Acting Sub-Inspector Uhr of the Native Police. ms.

156 Landsborough's Diary from the Brisbane Courier, November 12, 1866.

157Landsborough typed journal [OM 69.030]

158 Landsborough's Diary from the Brisbane Courier, November 12, 1866.

159 Landsborough's Diary from the Brisbane Courier, November 12, 1866.

160 Port Denison Times, May 16, 1866

161 Landsborough's Diary from the Brisbane Courier, November 13, 1866.

162Landsborough typed journal [OM 69.030]

163 Landsborough's Diary from the Brisbane Courier, November 13, 1866.

164 Landsborough's Diary from the Brisbane Courier, November 13, 1866.

165 QSA Col/A82/2175/1866

166 Landsborough's Diary from the Brisbane Courier, November 13, 1866.

167 Landsborough's Diary from the Brisbane Courier, November 13, 1866.

168Landsborough typed journal [OM 69.030].

169 Port Denison Times, June 6, 1866.

170 Landsborough's Diary from the Brisbane Courier, November 14, 1866.

171Landsborough typed journal [OM 69.030].

172 Landsborough's Diary from the Brisbane Courier, November 14, 1866.

173 Landsborough's Diary from the Brisbane Courier, November 14, 1866.

174 Landsborough's Diary from the Brisbane Courier, November 14, 1866; Duncan McIntyre had found 'Leichhardt trees' on the Flinders River in 1864, as a result of which he had been placed in charge of the 'Ladies of Melbourne Leichhardt Search Expedition'. Based on his brother's Dalgonally Station, Duncan McIntyre had gone to Burketown at the height of the fever to purchase stores and send despatches. He contracted fever, but made it back to Dalgonally Station, where he died soon afterwards.

175 Landsborough's Diary from the Brisbane Courier, November 14, 1866.

176 Landsborough's Diary from the Brisbane Courier, November 14, 1866.

177Landsborough typed journal [OM 69.030].

178 Letters by G. Phillips, 11 June 1866 - 2 Oct. 1867. Manuscript collection held by the Royal Historical Society of Queensland.

179 Death certificate extracted 14 June 1983.

180comm. Laurie Gaffney, 21 October, 1991.

181 Brisbane Courier, November 14, 1866; Port Denison Times, December 1, 1866.

182 Port Denison Times, September 8, 1866; Brisbane Courier, September 22, 1866.

183 Port Denison Times, October 20, 1866.

184 Loney, J., 1983. Wrecks on the Queensland Coast. Vol. 1 791-1900, 37.

185 Pike, p. 201; Port Denison Times, 19 January 1867.

186 ML MSS 1279/12 item 4.

187 From the lists of Queensland Government employees published in the annual 'Blue Books'. Sandrock, on a salary of £350 per year, was also the Registrar for Burke at 2/6d an entry, the Carnarvon Postmaster at £12 per year, as well as Shipping Master and Meteorological Observer.

188 Port Denison Times, January 5, 1867

189 Brisbane Courier, 19 April, 1867.

190 Brisbane Courier, April 2, 1867.

191 Letter to Shepherd Smith Esq. dated 20 Feb. 1867 in Burketown. Letters by G. Phillips, 11 June 1866-2 Oct. 1867. Manuscript collection held by the Royal Historical Society of Queensland.

192 Landsborough's wife and two children had joined him, and a third child, a daughter named Sweersena, was born on the island; the initials CHL occur in the cave in the north-east, and on the trunk of a tree near the centre of the island

193 Uhr, F., 1999. Once upon a Colonial Time. Frank Uhr Advertising, Brisbane.

194 This is a reference to a chase of horse thieves that lasted some three months in 1866 (Courier-Mail, 29 April, 1993; Uhr, 2008) and a further prisoner chase, when horse thief Duffey, who had been sent to Sweers Island, joined forces with Williamson, charged with the wilful murder of Charles Molloy. They escaped in a stolen boat in mid February, and Lieutenant Uhr gave chase, recapturing both prisoners on 12 March 1867, some 420 miles from Burketown (Uhr, 2008).

195 Port Denison Times, May 18, 1867

196 Brisbane Courier, July 25, 1867.

197 Brisbane Courier, July 25, 1867.

198 Port Denison Times, August 3, 1867

199 Sydney Morning Herald, August 9, 1867.

200 Like its earlier namesake, the steam tender FIRE FLY sank in the waters of the Gulf of Carpentaria (as a result of a collision with the EAGLE).

201 Account of a voyage to Adams Bay in SS EAGLE Capt. Cadell by Dugald Robinson, Carpenter. (OM 67.018, p. 74)

202 Australian Botanists. Manuscript in ANL [ANL -RAS 581.0922 A 938 Vol. 2 - unpag.]

203 Queenslander, November, 16, 1889.

204 Napier, J.R., 1976. Notes of a Voyage from New South Wales to the North Coast of Australia from the Journal of the late Francis Napier. James R. Napier, Glasgow, at pp. 63-64.

205 OM 67.018 p. 76

206 Nicholson, J., 2004. The incomparable Captain Cadell. Allen & Unwin, Sydney.

207 Argus, October 2, 1867.

208 OM 67.018, p. 80.

209 Brisbane Courier, September 4, 1867.

210 Almost certainly Stokes' well.

211 Ararat Advertiser, April 21, 1868; Argus, April 23, 1868; Perth Gazette and West Australian Times, June 26, 1868.

212 From the lists of Queensland Government employees published in the annual 'Blue Books'.

213 Port Denison Times, January 25, 1868.

214 Port Denison Times, January 25, 1868.

215 Port Denison Times, February 15, 1868.

216 Letters by G. Phillips, 31 Oct. 1867 - 18 Jan. 1869. Manuscript collection held by the Royal Historical Society of Queensland.

217 Hutchison, R., 1988. Matthew Flinders. In: In the steps of our forefathers, Institution of Surveyors, Brisbane, pp. 49-51.

218 Landsborough, W., 1868-69. Exploration in the neighbourhood of the Norman River settlement, in the Gulf of Carpentaria. Proceedings of the Royal Geographical Society of London 13:52-56.

219 Sydney Morning Herald, 2February 21, 1868.

220 http://mariners.records.nsw.gov.au/1868/03/099ell.htm

221 Port Denison Times, June 20, 1868.

222 Port Denison Times, June 5, 1869

223 Sydney Morning Herald, 25 June, 1868.

224 Marriage certificate (Qld.) 1868/000017

225 Riddell, P. and D. Ridell, 2006. The Sandrock and Simpson families with Edward Alfred Simpson and Augusta Jane Caroline Sandrock and their children: a family history.ms.

226 Sydney Morning Herald, June 25, 1868.

227 Sydney Morning Herald, June 30, 1868; Sydney Morning Herald, July 25, 1868.

228 Brisbane Courier, July 30, 1868.

229 G.P., 1954. Early Settlement in the Gulf Country. Cummins & Campbell's Monthly Magazine (July 1954) 5, 37 and 39-40.

230 Port Denison Times, September 12, 1868.

231 Report by MacDonald in Port Denison Times, September 12, 1868.

232 Loney, J., 1983. Wrecks on the Queensland Coast. Vol. 1: 1791-1900, Marine History Publications, Melbourne, p. 39.

233 Hutchison, 1988, p.50 is almost certainly a mispelling of J.G. Macdonald.

234 Port Denison Times, August 29, 1868; the Sydney Morning Herald, September 14, 1868 says it departed on 9 September.

235 Sydney Morning Herald, September 14, 1868.

236 Holthouse, H., 1970. Cannibal Cargoes, Seal Books, Brisbane, p. 41; QSA ref. CPS 14C/15.

237 Papers of Ernest Henry the explorer (OM 7716).

238 Port Denison Times, October 10, 1868.

239 Thomson, 1889-90, p. 35.

240 Sydney Morning Herald, November 20, 1868.

241 Port Denison Times, January 16, 1869.

242 James O'Dowd, born in Ireland about 1841, came to Australia and married Janet Fraser on Sweers Island around this time.

243 Skinner, L.E. (xxxx) Inquiry into Sweers Island Shootings in 1872. Cairns Historical Society xx:xx-xx. Referenced as "Reports of J.G. Macdonald's visits to the Gulf; 'Port Denison Times' Referred to by Britten in Campfire Tales, North Queensland Register, 1942".

244 Port Denison Times, May 29, 1869.

245 Brisbane Courier, February 19, 1869.

246 Brisbane Courier, April 24, 1869.

247 Brisbane Courier, April 30, 1869.

248 Queenslander, June 1, 1878; Brisbane Courier, June 22, 1878.

249 Letter to Minister for Lands from the Chief Inspector of Sheep, dated Brisbane 22 February 1869: QSA LAN/A15 1512/1869.

250 Approval note attached to letter to Minister for Lands from the Chief Inspector of Sheep: QSA LAN/A15 1512/1869.

251 Sydney Morning Herald, April 28, 1869.

252 Port Denison Times, May 15, 1869.

253 Sydney Morning Herald, May 27, 1869.

254 Sydney Morning Herald, June 12, 1869.

255 Sydney Morning Herald, July 12, 1869; Brisbane Courier, July 13 1869.

256 Sydney Morning Herald, July 24, 1869.

257 Port Denison Times, October 23, 1869.

258 http://mariners.records.nsw.gov.au/1869/11/081mar.htm

259 Sydney Morning Herald, December 7, 1869; Brisbane Courier, December 9, 1869.

260 Brisbane Courier, January 22, 1870.

261 Loney, 1983, at p. 41.

262 Thomson, 1889-90, p. 36.

263 Sydney Morning Herald, May 27, 1870.

264 Brisbane Courier, December 14, 1870; Port Denison Times, December 17, 1870.

265 Contract for Sale - ML MSS 1279/12 item 49.

266 Port Denison Times, February 4, 1871.

267comm. Karen Magee, 15 Feburary, 2010.

268 Sweet, E., 1907. Early experiences in the Northern Territory. The Pilot of the Roper. Public Service Review, South Australian Government Printer, November 1907, p. 147.

269 Sydney Morning Herald, February 27, 1871.

270 Port Denison Times, April 22, 1871.

271 Port Denison Times, June 24, 1871.

272 Port Denison Times, May 18, 1872.

273 Sydney Morning Herald, July 3, 1871.

274 Sydney Morning Herald, August 30, 1871.

275 Holder Cowl, n.d., p. 15.

276 Holder Cowl, n.d., p. 17.

277 Letter to author (dated 31st August, 1990) from J.C. van Drecht, Vice-Consul, Consulate General of the Netherlands.

278 Port Denison Times, September 9 & 16, 1871.

279 Amstel, J.W. Ploos van, 1872. Verslag eener reis van den Nederlandschen Consul-Generaal te Melbourne, aan boord van Zr. Ms. stoomship CURACAO, langs de oost-en noordkust van Australie, in Julij October, 1871.

280 Amstel, J.W. Ploos van, 1872, p. 46-72.

281 The Mercury (Hobart), November 28, 1871.

282 Golding, W.R., 1979. Beyond Horizons, Brisbane Wholesale Book and Library Suppliers, Brisbane, p. 80-82.

283 Palmer, p. 165; Walter Creffield is listed as residing in Henrietta Street, Normanton, in the Queensland Electoral Rolls, dated 23 February 1900, Electoral District of Carpentaria, Norman Division.

284 From the lists of Queensland Government employees published in the annual 'Blue Books'.

285 Golding, 1979, p. 85.

286 Port Denison Times, September 21, 1872.

287 Port Denison Times, November 2, 1872.

288 Port Denison Times, Decenber 20, 1873.

289 Skinner, 18xx.

290 QSA Col/A182 1873/849.

291 Skinner, 18xx.

292 Brisbane Courier, April 7, 1874.

293 Brisbane Courier, July 6, 1874.

294 Brisbane Courier, August 5, 1874.

295 From the lists of Queensland Government employees published in the annual 'Blue Books'.

296 TRE/B9 1874-75 37/1875.

297 Brisbane Courier, December 14, 1874.

298 Sydney Morning Herald, September 3, 1875.

299 Port Denison Times, October 23, 1875.

300 Sydney Morning Herald, September 14, 1876.

301 Letter to Colonial Treasurer from William Thornton, Collector of Customs: QSA TRE/A19 2645/1877.

302 Brisbane Courier, June 22, 1878.

303 Sydney Morning Herald, July 24, 1878.

304 From the lists of Queensland Government employees published in the annual 'Blue Books'.

305 Inquest into death by drowning held at Normanton on 2 December 1878 (JUS/N61 322/1878).

306 TRE/B 1880-81 1582/1880.

307 TRE/B 1880-81 48/1881.

308 Brisbane Courier, August 31, 1880.

309 Pennefather, C., 1880. Explorations in the Gulf of Carpentaria, and surveys in the vicinity of Point Barker. Report to the Colonial Secretary dated 28th October 1880. p. 1.

310 The Government buildings, all of which were pre-fabricated ones, had already been relocated to Normanton, according to the Maitland Mercury & Hunter River General Advertiser, January 8, 1881.

311Palmer, 1983.

312 Pennefather, 1880, p. 1.

313 Northern Territory Times and Gazette, July 28, 1883.

314 Brisbane Courier, November 7, 1883.

315 Mercury (Hobart), April 15, 1885.

316 Brisbane Courier, May 21, 1886.

317 Argus, January 20, 1890.

318 Brisbane Courier, February 12, 1890.

319 Saville-Kent, W., 1893. The Great Barrier Reef of Australia: its Products and Potentialities, John Currey, O'Neil Edition, published in 1972, p. 54, plate XXXII

320 Saville-Kent, 1893, p. 54-55.

321 Saville-Kent, W., 1897. The Naturalist in Australia, Chapman and Hall, London, p. 250-251.

322 Saville-Kent, 1893, p. 205.

323 Phillips, G., 1909. Upon the advisability of constructing railways and ports connected therewith, in the Gulf of Carpentaria. Report presented to both Houses of Parliament by Command, Government Printer, Brisbane.

324 OM 171838 inscribed 'Sweers Is. 1901'.

325 Letter to author dated 2nd September, 1974.

326 Blake, 1968, p. 18 and 37

327 Barlow, B.A., 1984. Loranthaceae. In: Flora of Australia. Vol. 22, 67-130.

328 Roth, 1901.

329 Advertiser, October 21, 1902.

330 Roth, Report to Under Secretary, Department of Public Lands, dated 27 June 1903. QSA A/19898 Z1347 (M1414).

331 Roth, 1901, p. 11.

332 Loney, 1987, p. 5.

333 Port Denison Times, May 22, 1906.

334 Stubbs, B., 2005a. The 'McKenzie massacre' on Bentinck Island: unravelling the myth. Gulf of Carpentaria Scientific Study Report, The Royal Geographical Society of Queensland, Brisbane, Geography Monograph Series 10:23-33.

335 Elder, B., 1988. Blood on the wattle - massacres and maltreatment of Australian Aborigines since 1788, Child and Associates, Sydney, p. 164-167; Stubbs, B., 2005b. Sweers Island lime: an historical-archaeological reconstruction of an early-twentieth century limestone mining and lime-burning operation in the Gulf of Carpentaria. Gulf of Carpentaria Scientific Study Report, The Royal Geographical Society of Queensland, Brisbane, Geography Monograph Series 10:351-358.

336 Stubbs, 2005b.

337 Memmot, P., 1982. The South Wellesley Islands and the Kaiadilt. A history and analysis of the land and its people. ms at p. 34.

338 Kelly, R. and N. Evans, 1985. The McKenzie Massacre on Bentinck Island. Aboriginal History 9:44-52.

339 Advertiser, August 19, 1908; Argus, August 19, 1908 gives the date of sinking as July 22.

340 Roughsey, D., 1977. Moon and Rainbo - The Autobiography of an Aboriginal. Seal Books Edition, Adelaide, p. 28-30.

341 Roughsey, 1977, p. 35.

342 Tindale, 1962b, p. 309-310.

343 Tindale, 1962b, p. 334.

344 Kelly and Evans, 1985.

345 Elder, 1988, p. 164.

346 Stubbs, 2005a.

347 Stubbs, 2005b.

348 Reserve no. 5599, Government Gazette 1934.2.344.

349 E.D.F., 1942. An Historic Island. Walkabout, October 1st., p.1.

350 Baird, D., 1976. The Incredible Gulf. Rigby, Brisbane, p. 125; Roughsey, 1977, p. 109.

351 Roughsey, 1977, p. 109.

352 Full documentation in Australian Archives A 705/1 item 182/1/349.

353 G.P., 1946. Historic Island of the Gulf. Cummins & Campbell's Monthly Magazine (September 1946) 7 and 41. The similarity (plagiarism) between 'G.P.' (1946) and 'E.D.F.' (1942) should be noted.

354 Roughsey, 1977, p. 115.

355 Saenger, P., 2005. Sweers Island: changes over two hundred years since Flinders' visit. Gulf of Carpentaria Scientific Study Report, The Royal Geographical Society of Queensland, Brisbane, Geography Monograph Series 10:11-22.

356 OM 74.034.

357 Government Gazette 1971.1.846-848.

358 The 327 ton KATOORA was built for the Adelaide Steamship Co. Ltd. in 1927 and served that company until 1960, with a short interruption when she was taken over by the US Army Small Ships Command in 1941. Sold to Keith Hollands Shipping P/L in Cairns in 1960, she was condemned as unseaworthy in 1987, and finished her career as a hulk in the mangroves at the mouth of the Norman River.

359 Courier-Mail, December 15, 1982.

360 Bowtell, B., 1989. Liaison Officer's Report - Gulf of Carpentaria. In: The Queensland Sport and Recreational Fishing Council Annual Report 1988-1989, 20.

361 Government Gazette 1989.2.2329.

362 The Lardil Peoples v State of Queensland [2004] FCA 298.