Page 66 - Tropic Magazine Issue 33

TROPIC • CAIRNS HISTORICAL SOCIETY

1. WWII guards at the Stratford magazine 1942.
Credit: Cairns Historical Society
2. John Miller, first Magazine Keeper at
Stratford. Credit: Cairns Historical Society

The first magazine in Cairns
was a floating barge moored in
Trinity Inlet, in the area which
became known as Magazine
Creek. Its limited storage
could not cope when demand
for explosives soared in the
late 1890s.

Hazardous The facility serviced the likes of the
materials Atherton tin fields and the Chillagoe
copper fields for decades, even surviving
a deadly and destructive cyclone – and
STORAGE subsequent flooding – in Cairns in 1913.
The naming of Magazine Street
in Stratford has nothing to do
with the type of magazine The water came within a
you’re reading now. foot of the detonator floor,
Words: Renee Cluff and several trees very close
There are two solid concrete buildings to the latter snapped off
in the timber yard on Magazine Street, Cairns Post
Stratford, which were erected well before 1913
the road was ever there. You’ve probably
driven past dozens of times, possibly What did bring about the facility’s demise
wondering about their history. was population growth. In 1937, residents
In fact, the building were essential to approached the Cairns Shire Council 2
the growth of Far North Queensland as with their request to have the explosives Back at the Stratford site, more explosives
a storage spot for explosives used by the magazine removed. “It was stated that arrived in 1942 to shore up the war effort.
burgeoning mining industry, and for the settlement was increasing in the The Stratford magazine was occupied
construction of roads and railways to vicinity and the magazine presented a by the Australian Military Forces until
serve the mining fields. potential danger in view of the operation 1945. Post-war, the Department of Public
The Stratford magazine was completed of a quarry nearby,” a Cairns Post report Works used the property as a yard and
in 1901 in what was then a sparsely reads. “The council decided to write to the depot. In 1953, it was leased to sawmilling
populated area. It provided storage Harbours and Rivers Department with company JM Johnston who rented five
capacity for over 6,000 cases of regard to a change being effected.” acres for £80 a year before purchasing
explosives, while a separate detonator Their wish was granted and in 1942 the the site. Bunnings Brothers also owned
store was located next door. explosives were moved to a newly-built the business for a few years while current
facility in Queerah which still exists today operators the Rankine family took over
and supplies HMAS Cairns. in 1962. The magazine and detonator
The locality known as Queerah, around building are both listed under the
Swallow Road at Bentley Park, also had Queensland Heritage Register.
an Aboriginal mission and a meatworks.
Queerah Explosives Reserve contains
five magazines of an original six. In 1943 In partnership with the Cairns
an explosion occurred when damaged Historical Society
ammunition was being discharged.
Several military personnel were injured MORE: cairnsmuseum.org.au
1 and one of the magazines was destroyed.

66 • Tropic • Issue 33