Yengarie; once a thriving community

Yengarie Sugar Mill, Yengarie, ca. 1874.
The figure in the foreground of the photograph is the photographer, C. H. Moore. 
Original photograph Maryborough, Wide Bay & Burnett Historical Society 

Yengarie district was a busy area in the late 1880s and two events stand out as testament to this. These were:
1. The opening of Graham's Creek Railway Bridge preceding the opening of the rail link between Maryborough and Gympie.
2. The opening of Graham's Creek Siding.

Grahams Creek Bridge was opened on the 9th January, 1880 as stated here  Governor Kennedy turned the first sod of soil for the Maryborough to Gympie railway line on March 23, 1878. The Bridge was opened just before the line was open to traffic. More information about the Bridge can be found here
The opening was a well attended celebration with a picnic and entertainment including violins, banjos, accordions, concertinas, mouth organs and tin whistles. A band and a company of Wide Bay Regiment were part of the opening ceremony. The ribbon was cut after some speeches. The Green Snifter locomotive engine, pulling three carriages crossed the bridge to a 21 gun salute and the bridge was officially open. Mr Robinson became the first stationmaster.

Grahams Creek siding was built around a year later. It was a very lucrative siding for twenty years and handled logs, sugar, cane and farm produce, cream and firewood. The buildings were next to the Officer's residence and included a goods shed and office, four cottages and two tents.

Do you know anything more about Yengarie?

More information is available in our local history files about this once thriving district.

Tags: #yengarie #railwayline #sugar #logs #cane #