(03) Bogantungan and Barcaldine
After leaving Carnarvon Gorge we had 2 days to get to Longreach where we had booked our visits to the Qantas Founders Museum and the Stockman’s Hall of Fame. Both these attractions as well as our caravan park booking required reservations at least a week ahead – we were on a timeline!
After replenishing at Emerald we were lucky to find Bogantungan and camped beside the old historic railway station. The railway line construction reached Bogantungan in 1880 and was the base for the railway crews while they cut a line through the Drummond range extending it to Longreach and Winton.
Bogantungan’s claim to fame is for one of the worst Queensland rail disasters which happened in 1960 – 7 deaths and 43 injured. In February 1960 Midway Creek flooded weakening one of the bridge pylons. The approaching Midlander train powered by two massive Garrett steam engines ploughed into the river along with dining cars and sleepers at 2.30am. Workers arrived from the nearby settlement to rescue the survivors with many acts of bravery. Very sad. The Overland train still passes through Bogantungun but no longer stops.
And so on to Barcaldine. Barcaldine was named after a Scottish castle, home of the Camerons who were the first blokes to drive sheep to this area in 1863. The railhead reached here in the 1880’s and the town boasted no less than 12 hotels. But this is not what Barcaldine is famous for!
Barcaldine, during 1891, became a household name throughout Australia because of the Great Shearer’s strike when shearers demanded better pay and conditions. They were told ‘Either sign “The Freedom of Contract” or don’t start work.’ Some 1000 men marched under torchlight to the ghost gum, known as the Tree of Knowledge, in the centre of town. Things got very hostile, shearing sheds burnt, and a company of troopers arrived to arrest 13 leaders who were sentenced to hard labour. The troopers protected the strike-breakers (scabs) ensuring the strike finally failed; and from this incident the foundations of the Labour Party were laid! Incidentally the tree is now unfortunately dead. The remaining trunk has been preserved and turned into a very innovative monument to the event! John
