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DDKS could I) c n r i ttcnabout the menwho live inI h e desert north of Australia N n matter their station of life they are allpotential characters, with a romantic pa.it and a thrilling present. They don't worry about the futurePolicemen, doctors, squatters ot ministers of religion they are of a different breed to their counterparts in the city They must be so for the north demands it. Their indivi dual problems lie in different directions but they are nU inspired withthe same --pirA of resourcefulness andcourage What to the average man in the city is an adventure, is to them )u»t a rommonplace happening —one that is to be experienced at every turn and then foi gotten.Take, for example. Sam Irving perhaps the best-known identity in the middle north of Australia. San. 1* postman to the great interior—a mammoth job. involving a beat of nearly TOO miles. Every month he takes HU Majesty's mails and links up the norths two railheads-Aliee Springs and Birdum The advance of civilisation into tin desert heait of Australia has made Sam’s task none the less adventurous He is a friend to everyone in th« north and many owe thanks to him for Sam has grubstaked more than h»* hii re of unfortunate travellers Ri(«d'-shouldered and ever-smiling Sam is a picturesque personality, typi cat of his countrySam seem.* to have only one amb;-'.on in life and that is to get hi* mails to tough on t.me. He alone know* what it means when the wet” Ml* in over the north. He curses when he is told at Alice Springs, just as he i* loading up. that inches of rain have fallen in a tropical storm across his vah. but he gives the rope* an extra Ri'rh. smiles grimly, and waves a cheery good-bye Sam's curie- may be excused He m»ws the crude tracks will be overed in water and that hidden• • thole* will be '-Waiting to entrap his ii'tlc motor truck Perhaps he may m.e to carry hi* mail, bag by bog for i«\eral hundred yards to lighten ourden so that the truck can pullilt;elf out or be pulled out of muddy bed Every Inch » philosopher. Sam n-ver despairs. There ore no 9er-■..ce station* along his track He must be his own mechanic, ready at any time to repair a broken spring r tinker with the engine under .1 tropical downpour. Thor- seems to be no limit to his endurance, mental o* physical. He has slept in :nchr* of water and ha* travelled all nlgnt to mike up lo*t time.•Vhen he arrives at Barrow Creek. .Ml miles from Alice Spring*. Sam . er country traversed every few c c:. by river- inrl creeks, usually dry. There are 300 creeks ana' ere*-ur set oetwcvn Barrow Creek ; 1 Birdum, and he has io cross them t he can There are no cul- fu/IC. V PARJS'HOne of I lie greatest identities o. the north. gam Irvine, mail man to the interior, with his truck and fox terrier which. I* a constant companion.\erts or bridges, and some times a temporary primitive bridge must beconstructed.Usually Sam has fellow passengerc.n his trips, but passengers or not he always has one constant companion these days—a fox terrier puppy which rides proudly on the bonnet of the car. In addition to being mailman, hum run* a carrying service, own* 11 few mines at Tennant's Creek. rn-i occasional I v races a horse.He 15 an experienced mailman I* 1920 hr opened the road to Coobc Pedy, and carried mails over 172 milt -of virgin country oner a week fron Kingoonya He bridged the gulf of land between Oodnndatto and Alic Spring? on the completion of th railway line and became first drive for the iverland mail service'-Vhen the history at the north . written in years to come. Sam's narn-will figuie prominently among ’! who paved the way.”• • •THE pooh-bahi ’ of Aus trail.great outback nr** the Northern Territory mounted policemen. The i»re rulers in thelt little kingdom: -caltered Through ?h- vast space:. diplomatically at nitrating between:tier*. miners and the native* They nre men of many parts—mining wardens. meteorologbiLv deputy protectors of aborigines, and they fill many other roles that are not on their official duty book By bush-telegraph.*' rumor or officially they hear of trouble It may be on a station rcorea of miles distant. but they snadle-up or **flll-up.” secure rations and with police boys as companions set out. Their quest may take them through land which 1? almost impassable. The possibilr.': in ling 11 during the trip never • auT* to them.The great iorth police patrols are .{appearing. .,nd it wem;; as though they will «.n r»«. historv. Civilisa-i.on and n particular, circles?, are .uiling down 'he hose turner* thai •epuratfii th« ..dicer fiom 'he oouii (lanes of Ins division. At present only «»ne mounted constable i • desert patrol workHe i M.C McKinnon. Maiioiied c-t Ahce Spring*, whose patrol might involve him in three months' travel by carnol through country where .. \* hire man »* larelv seen. He calls at the most remote stations in hi- area of more than 20.IMM) mile.-Australia's Northern Territory police have been likened to the North-West mounties” of Canada and they have much in common Bil whereas the Canadians travel through snow and cold, the Australians' tracks lie through desert country under a sweltering sun.They use camels in place of horses for no other beast could travel the distances and undergo the hardship, that the Ship of the Desert” endure*. It is slow going, perhaps 30 miles a day and the heat and the flies which cover th- travellers, make the jour-IVy almost a nightmare M.C. McKinnon's companions ai '.ic blacktraekcr-- without whon. police work would be seriously hanci;-«upped :n the north. He visits all thc-qualtcr* and investigates any com-plaints and frequently his retinue increased by several native prisoners who need guarding. On his patrol Constable McKinnon picks up half-•asrte children and brings them to the special school just out of Alice Springs. The education and adop-•on by the Government of these ch.l-dren is compulsoryEven in these days the job has a real pioneering flavor about it. A pitiless sun beats down, and the monotony and dreariness of seeing the same type of country is a severe test for a man. • •fECl'LIARLY optimistic, the miners mi-k-' much of *Ke Territory**.1 leuici * volUir III thr IM( r*».stun pea*.population They are hardened soul accustomed to hardship of every d» sc- pttnn. and the unrelenting lure ol gold will hold them so long a: thc ran roll their -wag and use a doily-pot They have known what it 1* to be penniless and to be grubstaked by their friends And they have known wealth and made the most «•» their Rood luckWhen they arc broke” they know they must work and scrimp and sav* to keep go.ng Fortune smiles, and they celebrate then luck, with their hard-earned ra«h slipping fast through Their flnge: Some of them M-rm m ieali.se that They rnust accept •hr inevitable and go icrutchinu around the hills again. And they won’t do this while they haw money The de»ert rat- a. they sr.- known, will die with tl.cir swag* rolled Like the Australian .tbo igme have a deep -m-e of camaraderie When they ha\- a v.;ndf«li the. friend.* vharr it when they arc down and out airan the\ dnn’’ cxneet |V *—•Lett to Kir hi: Barney O'Leary, one of the best known miners In Central Australia, and Father Maloney. who has one of the biggest parishesin the world.greatest characters in the Granites boom, who had thousands of pounds a few years ago. scarcely halt; the price of a meal now. Other well-known Territory miners arc now in the flush of prosperity, but It obviously won t last longMinisters of religion, from Roman Catholics to Methodists, soon flt into the scheme of things in the north. They learn how to sleep on the wav-side and to deal with the roughest of men. They are initiated into the secret* of winning gold, and soon discuss lease* and ounces to the ton.They do unexpected kindly action* that endear them to the unbelieving, and win their hearts Father Maloney, who has jus? taken over thebiggest parish in the world, with h.s headquarters at Alice Springs, has quickly settled down He has undertaken trip* to Tennant'* Creek. 340 miles away to conduct mas* among the miners there+ 99THE hospitality of people who live :n the north would amaze the city dueller. The track from Alice Springs to Tennant's Creek is becoming beaten, and two or three parti** may pass the lonely stations and wells during one day.At Ryan's Well, about 80 mile* from Alice Spring*, is a station, owned by Mr Fred Colson, a great host for travellers. The time of the day or night is no reason for not stopping atl.»U to Itlght: Mr. D. 4». Smith, of the Federal Works Department. Alice Spring*, (he Darwin Sheriff(Mr. NIchoDi. nnd the Government awavcr I Mr. II. B. Owen).this big homestead, and before she retires each night. Mr*. Colson rings up Teatree Well to Inquire whether there 1* anyone on the road. If so. the house la thrown open to them vhen they arrive.The women who live in the north ore juit as great characters The.r nearest neighbors may be 50 or ISO mile* away, and the nearert docior -’SO miles distant But w hot her these heroines live in a mining shanty, or a bough hut. whether they c no humans except the natives, they never complain. They too must be ready for any emergent;.. When her husband had a seizure recently a wife, with a telegraph clo-e at hand, could not communicate with civilisation to get medical assistance for nearly an hour. And then th.* doctor had to make a journey of 180 miles to reach the patientDon Matched washing a pan of ore for gold at Tennant s Creek.
Newspaper Details
Adelaide Mail
Adelaide, South Australia, AU
Sat, May 25, 1935
Page 21
Full Page
Clipped by
Amelia W.
AU 03 Oct 2022
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