AUG2013_So what is about to happen

by Ryle Winn  (Phone 3425 1247 – junkyard.dog@bigpond.com – www.RMWINN.com) 

In lieu of my regular column I’m on a different tack this month.

Imagine this … 

Banish 105 families of this community, say an area the size of Lacey’s Ck, Mt Brisbane and Mt Pleasant – all on the upper reaches of the North Pine River – and forcibly relocate them.

That’s what happened to those families on the middle reaches of the North Pine River, taking in the former districts from Samsonvale and Armstrong Ck to the dam wall, to accommodate the North Pine Dam, opened in 1972 and grandly named Lake Samsonvale.  Be all that as it may it’s all history now.

But this isn’t …

The names of those banished families need to be remembered. Future generations might like to become aware of the former community that lies under water – who those people were, what they did daily, what sort of lives they led, what the valley looked like through the years.  There was arguably Queensland’s first farmer owned co-operative butter factory, sawmills, shops, a blacksmith, a garage, churches, a hall, a post office, railway station, cemetery, schools, roads and bridges as well as more than fifty farms.  Today it’s as if this part of the valley never  existed. 

Three of us listed below would like to do something to record the names of people who were forced to give up their homes, businesses and community in the name of progress.

There’s Ian Kent – the contractor who fenced the perimeter of the dam in 1972 and kept on as ranger till only a few years ago. Ian is the consummate latter day bushman.  The Kent’s, whose grandfather pioneered ‘The Basin’ area, lost part of their farm.

There’s Ken Gold – whose pioneer grandfather Henry photographed many families and scenes in the 1880s. (Not much technology then.)  Ken’s father Andrew took over and put those photos in albums and recorded the stories with them.  It is a priceless collection.  Years ago Ken revised the early work called ‘Samsonvale’ which is available at council libraries.  He is now on the brink of publishing his own book which includes an account of the dam project itself.  The Gold’s lost their farm. 

And me, Ryle Winn – I’m a writer.  I guess you know me. Counting my grandchildren there are eight generations (six Australian born) who have lived or live on the Pine River (North or South).  For what it’s worth every male family member since about 1850 has lived here.  I have recorded some local history in various books that I have written.  We lost our sawmill and farm also.

We’d like to see those family names recorded on a plaque at McGavin View, alongside or opposite, the plaque commemorating the opening of the dam.  

We’d like to open this to the public forum. 

Watch this space.

Phone 3425 1247 – junkyard.dog@bigpond.com – www.RMWINN.com