Drownings, Floods, and Disasters

Podcast Episode 5 with Laurie Pointing (Part 2)

1954 Floods – Mail Service 110

1954 Floods in Taroom were memorable for many reasons: Alwyn Becker, the Stonecroft Mailman, wrote of the 3 weeks in February he was stranded on the other side of the river as he tried to make his way home from the 3 day mail run. In his book, “The Mail Must Get Through”, it seems nothing was ever too much trouble, and he could always count on country hospitality and bush friendships if he was ever in need.

Alwyn spent close to 3 weeks in the company of Bard and Stan Steffensen and their son Ian at Palm Vale, the closest property to the flooded Palm Tree creek bridge. Neighbour Bill Joynson, visited daily. Jack Clarris, Charlie Clark and Dick Williams all ended up joining the party at Palm Vale while waiting for the council boat to bring supplies. Eventually Sgt Jim Johnson arrived in the council rowboat with Bloko Adams on the oars and Council Overseer Mick Standing delivering supplies. Drenched in another downpour, the river rose and roared again and the boat was unable to make it back to town that night. The party of 7 men were helped out again by Charlie Turner of Alcoombie before spending another night away from home in the company of Pat and Edna Mohr.

By the time Alwyn and a boat load of passengers made it to Taroom, another tragedy was unfolding at Gwambegwine Station where Laurie Pointing was working. Laurie was just 17 years old when he watched his stockmen mates Bob McCorry and Joe Taylor, ride their horses into the flooded Gwambegwine Creek to fix the broken telephone party line somewhere on the other side. Only one man made it across.

A Stockman Drowned – Gwambegwine Creek 1954

Joseph William Taylor was 30 years old at the time of his death. He had been a loyal and capable stockman working for Manager Doug Day at Gwambegwine for 4 years. Both Bob McCorry and his English mate Joe entered the creek at the crossing they had used just days earlier without any problems. However, considerable rain had fallen the night before and the bed of the creek had washed away. Their horses floundered and panicked in the strong undercurrent. Bob jumped off and swam across to safety, Joe attempted to do the same. Joe’s horse reared, Joe jumped off, and the chestnut mare reared again, coming down on top of Joe, accidentally striking the small man in the water. Joe disappeared from sight.

Sgt Jim Johnson and Constable Fred Warner, together with other neighbours who could get there in the flooded conditions, joined the search party at Gwambegwine after (what one can only imagine was) an epic journey on boat and horseback, mostly organised by Ronny Kallquist. A net was set in the creek downstream. The body of the ill-fated stockman eventually floated, washing up 5 days later to be caught in the trap.

Joe was buried on the banks of the Gwambegwine Creek that claimed his life, in the clothes he was wearing that fateful day. For 70 years he has laid in an unmarked grave in the Gwambegwine cemetery, between two station managers, a favourite dog, and one of the managers wives.

In Honour of a Stockman

Many years ago, Laurie Pointing revisited the grave and was taken aback by the absence of a marker for his long lost friend. He made attempts to conjure up interest in placing a headstone on the grave of his stockman mate, but he was unable to get permission to proceed. The current owners and managers of Gwambegwine Station are in agreement that the stockman deserves a memorial headstone, to mark the place where he was laid to rest. Banana Shire Councillor Terri Boyce and the Taroom District Development Association are currently assisting with my enquiries regarding availability and application for funding of this project.

I would welcome any assistance or advice as we proceed, as quickly as possible, to raise the funds required to place a headstone on the grave of Pommy Joe Taylor. Laurie Pointing has recently celebrated his 88th birthday, and is the only man alive today who was there at the time. Laurie would dearly love to see his friend Joe honoured while he is still able to travel.

Yorkshire Joe, a poem by Laurie Pointing

He was born in Mother England – and he spoke a Yorkshire strine
Made his home in western Queensland – at a place named Gwambegwine.
He embraced the country lifestyle, he was liked by all the crew
Learnt the trade from fellow stockmen, became a bushman through and through.
He was with us at the station when the drought was on the land,
He was with us when the floods came, was the first to lend a hand.
When we shifted starving cattle at the risk of life and limb
The stockmen didn’t realise – poor Joe just couldn’t swim.
We had lost communication as the phone lines were all down,
The homestead creek was flooded with no hope of reaching town.
Supplies were badly needed and with rations in decline,
To prevent a sure disaster, we must ride the party line.
Party lines were common in the years before the war,
And essential for survival back in 1954.
They provided needed comfort to the people out of range
And eased the isolation through the local phone exchange.
Should the single strand of wire strung from tree and post
Suffer major damage from weather, fire, or both,
Then communication faltered and the outside world was lost,
Though repairs were soon effected at the station owner’s cost.
The boss gave out his orders to ford the flooded creek,
Then ride the track to Palm Tree – before the waters peak.
Then Mother Nature played her hand as the riders left the bank –
The chestnut mare refused to swim… Joe disappeared..
Then sank.
We buried him there at the station the day his body was found
Dressed in the clothes he was wearing on that fateful day he drowned.
Yes, he hailed from Mother England and spoke a Yorkshire strine,
Now he lies at one with nature, on the banks of the Gwambegwine.

SHOW NOTES Podcast Ep5 Pt2 Laurie Pointing

CREDITS – Sound Effects

Horse Whinny, Close, A.wav by InspectorJ — https://freesound.org/s/419231/ — License: Attribution 4.0
Horse in Water – R13-24-Horse in Water Then Land.wav by craigsmith — https://freesound.org/s/479696/ — License: Creative Commons 0
Many Horse Whinnies (distressed) – G38-17-Many Horse Whinnies.wav by craigsmith — https://freesound.org/s/437107/ — License: Creative Commons 0
Horses Snorting – G38-08-Horses Snorting.wav by craigsmith — https://freesound.org/s/437099/ — License: Creative Commons 0
Rain Storm – Rain_Storm.wav by rambler52 — https://freesound.org/s/332116/ — License: Attribution 4.0
Rushing Stream – Rushing stream 2.wav by mike_stranks — https://freesound.org/s/341604/ — License: Attribution NonCommercial 4.0
Water Floods – Water_Flood_enhanced.mp3 by KevinT1001 — https://freesound.org/s/379906/ — License: Creative Commons 0
Storm in Oregon Rainforest Brook – StormInOregonRainforest-Brook.wav by daveincamas — https://freesound.org/s/45478/ — License: Attribution 4.0
Pickup_Ford_62_DriveUp1.wav by rambler52 — https://freesound.org/s/332501/ — License: Attribution 4.0
Truck pickup door open close real nice slam.flac by kyles — https://freesound.org/s/450225/ — License: Creative Commons 0
Footsteps_Walking Boot_Gravel to Grass.wav by omnisounddesign — https://freesound.org/s/334698/ — License: Attribution 3.0
Vintage_phone_relays_crosstalk_dials_EDIT_1 by levdudas — https://freesound.org/s/758416/ — License: Attribution NonCommercial 4.0
Phone with a rotary dial.wav by tosha73 — https://freesound.org/s/550380/ — License: Attribution 4.0
Phone with a rotary dial.wav by tosha73 — https://freesound.org/s/550380/ — License: Attribution 4.0
Old Time Telephone Ring by DataJuggler — https://freesound.org/s/750274/ — License: Creative Commons 0

CREDITS – Music
The royalty-free music for this episode is by Steven O’Brien; BenSound; Free Music; and Incompetech

STEVEN O’BRIEN Royalty Free Music – http://www.steven-obrien.net
Lethargy – https://www.steven-obrien.net/#lethargy
Morning Stroll – https://www.steven-obrien.net/#morning_stroll

INCOMPETECH Royalty Free Music – http://www.incompetech.com
Relent – Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Prelude in C (BWV 846) – Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Clear Air – Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Somewhere Sunny (ver 2) – Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Sunshine (version 2) – Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Hyperfun – Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Midnight Tale – Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

FREE STOCK MUSIC – http://www.free-stock-music.com
Twenty Ninteen Americana Instrumental Wayne John Bradley – Twenty Ninteen Americana Instrumental by Wayne John Bradley | https://soundcloud.com/ayneohnradley Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com
Creative Commons / Attribution 3.0 Unported License (CC BY 3.0)
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en_US

BENSOUND Royalty Free Music – http://www.bensound.com
Acoustic Breeze
A Country Song
A Day to Remember

REFERENCED NAMES in Podcast Ep5 Pt2

Laurie Pointing

Jack Clarris

Bob Dunbar & Rod Dunbar, (Ruined Castle, Flagstaff, Nutwood Downs)

Eddie Briggs

Bob Scott, (Glenleigh Station)

George Lamb

Mr and Mrs Hawkins, (Manager Glenhaughton Station 1940s)

Dick and Beryl McCullagh (Manager Glenhaughton Station 1950s)

Lex Smith

Joe Taylor (Pommy Joe) Gwambegwine Stockman

Doug Day, (“Midnight”) Gwambegwine Manager 1940s – 1980s

Diana Martyr and Judith Matryr (Day)

Bill and Vi Hay, (Bedourie Station)

Les Simms, Arthur Simms

Morsen Ratz, Mick Ratz, Barney Ratz, Basil Ratz

Justin Claude “George” Marcel, cook Leichhardt Hotel 1951

Taroom Police Sgt Jim Jensen (1950s)

Taroom Police Constable FG (Ted) Warner (1950s)

Bob McCorry

Max Archilles, (Gwambegwine Ringer) Chinchilla

Ronny Kallquist

Duncan Hay

Vaughn Becker, (Taroom Historian)

Alwyn Becker, Joyce Becker (Taroom Bakers, Stonecroft Mail run Taroom)

Eric and Joyce Hay (Taroom Baker 1956)

Bloko Adam

Mick Standing

Pat and Edna Mohr

Jim Booth (Glenhaughton Head Stockman 1950s)

Charlie Clark

Dick Williams

Stan, Bard & Ian Steffensen, Palm Vale Taroom

Charlie Gassman, Harry Gassman

Ted Bell (Rouseabout Glenhaughton 1950s)

Jim Lamb

Dr Harold Crawford (Royal Brisbane Hospital 1940s)

Eadie and Bob Eales (Chermside Brisbane)

McConnel and Kirk (Company owners Glenhaughton Station from 1913)

TDDA (Taroom District Development Association)

National Parks Rangers (Expedition National Park)

Hec Waddell, June (nee Jarvis), Mickey, and Bruce (Brian) Waddell

Toby Ward

OTHER REFERENCES

BOOK
His Saddle Hangs There Idle – The Jack Clarris Story by Laurie Pointing

BOOK
The Mail Must Get Through by Alwyn Becker

POEM
Yorkshire Joe by Laurie Pointing

SONG
A King Without a Crown by Kelly Dixon believed to be written about Jack Clarris
Kelly Dixon and his wife Marian wrote over 160 songs, including the well-known “Leave him in the Longyard”, one of 40 songs written for Slim Dusty.  Mundubbera resident Kelly Dixon won a Golden Guitar award at Tamworth Country Music Festival in 2021.

SPOTIFY LINK: King Without a Crown  By Kelly Dixon, recorded by Reg Poole

LYRICS
A King Without A Crown by Kelly Dixon