Page 98 - Tropic Magazine Issue 12

Industry
Regional history

A new north

Cairns may be responsible for
stopping the campaign to
create a separate state in North
Queensland more than a
century ago.
Words Gavin King

Bob Katter would be spinning in his big Brisbane politicians and bureaucrats. were voting in for at least six months.
hat. A lick through the history books Cairns leaders opted to keep the peace ey also had to be rich. e local
shows Cairns may be to blame for in the hope their rail line would be built. newspaper reported that they must
stopping a separatist push to split Indeed, of the 18 local councils in the either “own a freehold worth 100 pounds
Queensland in half and create a north who were called upon to voice above encumbrances, occupy a tenement
Northern state. Just a couple of decades their support for a separate state in the worth 10 pounds, or enjoy a salary of 100
a ter Queensland became a late 1880s, Cairns and Bowen were the pounds per annum”. Can you imagine
self-governing colony in 1859, a only two to oppose the move. And the the Australia of today only giving the
determined group called the Separation Separation League’s campaign ground to vote to men who earned over $50,000?
League was established in Townsville to a halt. Considering the rules around Yeah, nope.
break away from the state’s centralised voting at the time, it’s hard to say if their Some 140 years later, voting rules have
control in Brisbane. push would’ve succeeded. Back when changed for the better but separatist
But Cairns had other ideas. Having Queensland was formed, only a select proponents like Katter are still pushing
fought for years to convince Brisbane to few were given the right to vote. Women the north’s case for a standalone state.
build a railway to our burgeoning weren’t allowed to participate in a ballot, At least this time there appears to be a
northern hub, locals feared any local and men had to meet a range of strict more sympathetic audience for the
support for the separate state would criteria. ey had to be over 21 and have cause in Cairns. Isn’t there?
scuttle its chances of funding from lived in the local town or district they

THINGS WE MISS IN CAIRNS

THE CAIRNS YACHT CLUB

Back in 2008, there was a remarkable make way for new development. A
sense of urgency from the government decade later, the site remains empty. In a
of the day to demolish the old Cairns 2009 interview, then Cairns MP Desley
Yacht Club on a waterfront site next to Boyle responded to the demolition of the
the Hilton. The much-loved community yacht club by conceding it was “much
hub just had to go in what was the Club’s loved by some old locals who enjoyed a
centenary year. The government said the cheap beer on the balcony looking out
building was in disrepair and needed to over the inlet”. Wouldn’t we all?