Some of my Recollections of Life at Mt Garnet

By Doreen Newell, nee Jewell

My mother Maud Jewell, my sister Jean and I left Bobawaba 1934. My mother was the Station Mistress there from 1932, to take up the promotion to Station Mistress at Mt Garnet. My mother was a young widow. Jean continued her schooling there after starting as a correspondent student at Bobawaba. I started later when I turned five, in 1935. We had one teacher, just a small school then, with two custard apple trees aside the steps.

The Garnet State School - Photo of Students 1936

The school had a fancy dress ball once a year, and we had a big sports day. Everyone had a wonderful life and we were all friendly. When you had a birthday party you didn’t ask anyone to come, everyone just turned up with presents. Mr Biggs was our schoolteacher and his wife taught our Sunday school. Mr Biggs used to do the church service on Sundays. Sometimes the C of E minister would come from Herberton on a horse, to perform the service.

Mr. & Mrs. Lucey had the hotel and the butcher shop and the big tin shed where we had dances and pictures. The picture reels came by train once a week from Cairns. The train came up one day and the engine would be turned around on the turn-table. Jean & I loved to watch this – the crew would stay overnight then drive the train back the next day.