Dec2013_DAYBORO DISTRICT HISTORICAL SOCIETY INC
Est. 2004
DAYBORO HERITAGE TRAIL
Marker 10 – Dayboro Q.A.T.B.
In 1916 a Brisbane Sub-Centre of the Queensland Ambulance Transport Brigade (Q.A.T.B.) was established at Terrors Creek. June 1921 saw land purchased for a Q.A.T.B. Centre and residence and the Dayboro Sub-Centre became self-governing in December that year.
Thomas Manders May became the first Superintendent of the Dayboro Q.A.T.B. in January 1922. Jim Strain began construction of both centre and residence two months later.
These buildings, which opened on 5 June 1922, served as the Dayboro Q.A.T.B. Centre and Superintendent’s residence until December 1987.
When the Terrors Creek Sub-Centre opened in 1916 it operated from a rented cottage. The Sub-Centre was entirely dependent on voluntary contributions. The equipment consisted of a horse, sulky and a rubber-tyred litter. A stretcher was made to fit on the sulky. Land for a centre and residence was acquired in June 1921. Approval was given in December 1921 for the Dayboro Sub-Centre to become a Branch Centre meaning Dayboro became self-governing, taking responsibility for its own finances. Funds were raised by a Sports Committee and Ladies’ Committee. This type of fundraising continued over the years and on 27 February 1988 the new Dayboro Ambulance Centre and residence in Laceys Creek Road were opened “free of debt”, a tremendous effort for a small community.
RAYNBIRD FAMILY RESEARCH DAY: A very enjoyable day was held at “Dayboro Cottage” on Friday 15th November 2013 with descendants of the Raynbird family joining us for the day.
We have held a number of these family research days over the past two years – McKenzie, Heathwood, Nugent, Hamilton and Raynbird. Newer residents of our district may wonder what this is all about. We are endeavouring to research the history of the early settlers in our district, not just from the time they arrived here but where they came from.
The Crown Lands Aienation Act of 1868 was legislated on 21st February 1868. It was Queensland’s first serious attempt to deal with the question of closer settlement. When it became effective it split large pastoral holdings in two, one half of which was subdivided into selections varying in extent from 40 to 160 acres. Theoretically this made it possible for those with little capital to establish themselves on the land.
There must have been some large loopholes in this legislation as some of the blocks that were selected were much larger in area than 160 acres. The property that was selected by brothers Henry and John Raynbird on 7th May 1868 was one of those as it contained 640 acres of second-class pastoral land at 6d. an acre being a total rental of £16 plus a survey fee of £8. As the provisions of the act only permitted an application to be made in one name, John Raynbird withdrew in favour of his brother Henry. This property extended from the Petrie side of where the Dayboro Transfer Station is now situated right through to Terrors Creek taking in all the properties on both sides of Hay Road including Alcheringa Estate.
John Raynbird and his wife Jane and their 4 young children did take up residence on the property along with Henry and his wife Margaret who had no children. John Raynbird drowned in the North Pine River on 11th April and his brother Henry died of Typhoid on 5th November 1878. Both widows remarried. Margaret Raynbird married Peter Knudsen of Terrors Creek. She retained ownership of Portion 4 Parish of Whiteside until it was sold to the Cruice Brothers in 1913, 100 years ago. It was in July this year that I was able to join with Michael and Pauline Cruice and other members of the Cruice family to celebrate the centenary of their family owning the property.
There was a third brother in this district, Samuel Raynbird. He selected property at Laceys Creek and on his death in 1917 it was left to his nephew Harry Easlea’s widow, Martha Easlea, and her son William Easlea. This property is now owned by Greg and Jenny Easlea who only ceased dairying earlier this year.
Maybe the reason why we hold these family research days will make a little more sense to people now. I would also like to point out that these days are not exclusive to descendants of the families we are researching. Should anyone have any interest at all in local history they are more than welcome to attend.\
Carmel Bond, President – Ph: 3425 1717 (h) or 3425 2032 (Dayboro Cottage)
