Historical Australian Towns

Ravenswood, QLD, is approximately 130 km southwest of Townsville and 90 km east of Charters Towers.

The town, which was once a booming silver and gold mining town, has many well-preserved buildings from its mining heyday.

The Gugu Badhun Aboriginal People

The Gugu Badhun Aboriginal people's traditional land is in the Upper Burdekin region of northern Queensland.

Gugu Badhun is considered, with the Gudjal language, to be a dialect of the Warrongo subgroup of Greater Maric. They are oral cultures, without written language.

Linguists Peter Sutton and Tasuku Tsunoda have worked with native speakers to preserve the Gugu Badhun language.

The first recorded observations of life in the Herbert/Burdekin area are of "Smooks in several places" in Cleveland Bay, made from the Endeavour by Captain Cook in 1770 (Beaglehole, 1955).

Explorer Ludwig Leichhardt came across freshly burnt grass, an area on fire, and an Aboriginal person setting fire to the grass (Leichhardt 1847).

Setting fire to the grass would flush out small animals that could be speared, would roast others that could be picked up and new grass growth, which would encourage animals to the area to feed.

Walter Edmund Roth (1861-1933), physician, anthropologist and protector of Aborigines in Queensland, collected significant ethnographic material about Aboriginal cultures, which he published.

NORTH QUEENSLAND NtATIVES. Dr. W. E. Roth, M.R.C.S.E., the northerm protector of aboriginals in Queensland, delivered a lecture on the games, sports, and amusements of the North Queensland natives in the Town Hall to-night to a large audience. He classified the methods of recreation in to defined groups. The imagination games dealt with tales, legends, and .other fancies of the imagination; realistic games included pleasures derivable from actual objects of nature, organic as well as inorganic; imitative games constituted far and away the largest category, being represented by ni means of attitudes and movements tI by string, finger-prints, and sand is pictures, and by pigment. Emus, kangaroos, and other forms of animal life could thus be very cleverly imitated. Adult women and young children played a game known as catch cradle. Another general game was drawing different animal and bird tracks in smoothed sand by means of the finger, small sticks, etc, and rock paintings were often met with. Playing at houses, grown-ups, and marriages was common among black children, and wherever blacks were met with little boys indulged in aping the arts of war as practised by their parents. Discrimination sports included hide-and seek games; disputative games were comprised of wrestling and tug-of-war, a pole being used in the latter instead of a rope. Among the ball games there was throwing a disc or ball along the ground and spearing it as it rolls. Aboriginal cricket, spin tops, and tee totums were met with, and the boomerang was another toy. Music, either vocal or instrumental, was the last of the games mentioned. The subject matter in song had no single touch of sympathy, sentiment, or pathos, and dancing was the accompaniment of all songs. Among the musical instruments mentioned was the yiki-yiki, a hollow hardwood sapling 7ft. to 9ft. long. Then there were hollow bones and reeds with the ends cut off abruptly, and blown across the top; sounding or music sticks were met with, while hand-clapping was common. The Governor (Sir Arthur Havelock) presided, and in introducing the lecturer said it was desirous they should know as much as possible about the Queensland natives.

Examiner (Launceston, Tas. : 1900 - 1954), Friday 10 January 1902

Telegraph (Brisbane, Qld. : 1872 - 1947), Friday 20 February 1903,

NORTH QUEENSLAND WARRIORS, Sydney Mail and New South Wales Advertiser (NSW : 1871 - 1912), Wednesday 10 July 1907

1840s

The Moreton Bay penal settlement was closed in 1842 when the Moreton Bay area was opened to free settlement.

Beginning in 1844, Ludwig Leichhardt, a German explorer and naturalist, made a ground-breaking expedition across Australia, travelling from the Darling Downs to Port Essington, north of Darwin.

Portrait of Ludwig Leichhardt

1860s

George Elphinstone Dalrymple led expeditions to North Queensland in 1859, 1860 and 1864.

The Queensland Government officially opened the Kennedy district of far north Queensland for leasing in January 1861.

The establishment of Bowen in I861 was the base for the pastoral development of North Queensland.

George Dalrymple's occupied the Kennedy District with Native Police in 1861.

A section of Native Police.w.r.o. hill - memoir from w.r.o. hill

Pastoral stations were established up the valley of the Burdekin River, including "Ravenswood" and "Merri Merriwa". Townsville and Cardwell were both established north of Bowen in 1864.

As sheep and cattle came into the area, the numbers of kangaroo and other native animals diminished, reducing the food sources of Aboriginal people. Water sources were also disrupted and used by incoming farmers.

Some of the Aboriginal peoples of far north Queensland retaliated and fought using guerrilla tactics against colonists in the 1860s. The Native Police were particularly violent towards the myalls, or "uncivilised" Aboriginal people (Reynolds 1972).

Gold was discovered at Tucker Creek in 1868 and at Ravenswood in late 1869 and people flocked to the area. The alluvial gold and shallow reef mining (1868 - 1872).

1870s

Rainfall in February 1870, enabled panning and sluicing. A five-stamp crushing battery, the Lady Marion (or Lady Marian) Mill, was operational at Burnt Point (south of Upper Camp) from the 18th of April 1870.

Population of the three camps was 600 by January 1870.

The Sunset reef was the largest producer on the goldfield.

Silver was discovered in the area in 1870.

THE RAVENSWOOD GOLDFIELD, TAKEN SHORTLY AFTER ITS DISCOVERY, (From a photo supplied by Mr. H. Daintree.) North Queensland Register (Townsville, Qld. : 1892 - 1905)

Chinese people on the way to the Ravenswood gold fields, 1870, SLQLD

Brisbane Courier (Qld. : 1864 - 1933), Thursday 20 October 1870

A Chinese settlement developed along Deighton Street and Elphinstone Creek. There was a Chinese temple south of Deighton Street.

In 1871, the settlement called “Top Camp” was gazetted as a town and named Ravenswood. ("Middle Camp" (later Donnybrook) on Tucker’s Creek, and "Lower Camp" on Trieste Creek).

Gold was also discovered at nearby Charters Towers in 1871.

Attempts were made to extract gold from sulphide ores below the water table (1872 - 1898).

The Ravenswood Halloween ball began around the mid-1870s.

Ravenswood School, QLD, 1873 with the school opening in 1874.State Library of Queensland

Northern Miner (Charters Towers, Qld. : 1874 - 1954), Saturday 27 June 1874

Silver was discovered at nearby Totley in 1878.

The goldfield had a population of 950 in 1877 (with 50 Chinese), rising to 1100 in 1880 (including 250 Chinese), and 2000 in 1883 (including 300 Chinese; with 190 working the alluvial, and 10 quartz miners).

Australian (Brisbane, Qld. : 1878 - 1888), Saturday 23 August 1879,

1880s

In 1881, a number of Volunteer Independent Rifle Companies were raised at Charters Towers, Townsville and Ravenswood. In 1886, these companies were brought together to form the 3rd Queensland (Kennedy) Regiment.

The railway line from Townsville to Charters Towers opened on 4 December 1882.

The School of Arts opened in 1884.

1890s

Ravenswood, QLD, 1890

Queensland built locomotive, Sydney Mail and New South Wales Advertiser (NSW : 1871 - 1912), Saturday 18 June 1898

The New Ravenswood Company, opened in 1899 and closed in 1917.

The New Ravenswood Company, QLD, opened in 1899, closed in 1917. SLQLD

1900s

MISS TAIT MISS C. CLARKE (NANCY LEE). (ABSENT MINDED BEGGAR). FANCY COSTUMES AT THE LA TE HOSPITAL BALL, RAVENS WOODNorth Queensland Register (Townsville, Qld. : 1892 - 1905), Monday 15 October 1900

No. 1, Black Jack. 2. General Grant (Ne iv Eavenswood, Limited). 3. sihelmalicr (New Ravenswood,Limited).4. Donnybrook Blocks (English syndicate).RAVENSWOOD MINESSydney Mail and New South Wales Advertiser (NSW : 1871 - 1912), Saturday 27 January 1900

Ravenswood’s boom period of gold production (1900 - 1908).

Hundreds of houses were built in this period, as well as the Imperial hotel (1901) and the Railway Hotel (1902); shops such as Thorp’s Building (1903), and the brick Ravenswood Ambulance Station (1904).

THE NEW OVEBLANDER GOLD MINES, LIMITED, RAVENS WOOD. This Ravenswood property is being operated by a Charters Towers Company,North Queensland Register (Townsville, Qld. : 1892 - 1905), Monday 28 March 1904

Church of England church in Elphinstone Street, Ravenswood, Queensland, no date, SLQLD

Underground in the New Ravenswood Mines, Queensland, ca. 1905.SLQLD

Ravenswood fire, QLD, North Queensland Register (Townsville, Qld. : 1892 - 1905), Monday 29 April 1901

THE FIRE AT KAVENSWOOD. A View from the Creek side of the buildings. Eight shops were!burnt the damage being estimated at £10000North Queensland Register (Townsville, Qld. : 1892 - 1905), Monday 19 August 1901

In 1902, Ravenswood had 29 hotels (and a population, including outlying areas, of 15,000). (1.)

Australian Town and Country Journal (Sydney, NSW : 1870 - 1919), Wednesday 9 September 1903

Browne's Ravenswood Hotel, QLD, c 1903. SLQLD

I'HE WINDING MACHINERY AT THE NEW OVERLANDER GO LD MINES, RAVENSWOOD. North Queensland Register (Townsville, Qld. : 1892 - 1905), Monday 4 April 1904,

START AT THE CYCLING RACES,RAVENSWOOD. QLD. North Queensland Register (Townsville, Qld. : 1892 - 1905), Monday 6 March 1905

JAMES DAVERN.WINNER OF THE DUNLOP RAVENSWOOD-CHARTERS TOWERS ROAD RACE. ACTUAL RIDING TIME, 3hrs. 9min. 25secs. i Photo by S. Cowan.)North Queensland Register (Townsville, Qld. : 1892 - 1905), Monday 18 September 1905,

School children performing the Maypole dance at Ravenswood, Queensland, ca.1906, State Library of Queensland

Ambulance building at Ravenswood, Queensland, 1906. Built 1902

Pugh's (Queensland) official almanac, directory and gazetteer.
(1907) see here

The Deep Lead Mine, Ravenswood, Qld - circa 1907, Aussie Mobs

The boom period did not last, with declining yields from 1908 to 1912. The hospital closed in 1908.

Ravenswood's 1908 Halloween festivities included a cycle race down Macrossan Street, QLD, Charters Towers Archives

Township of Ravenswood, Qld - circa 1910, Aussie~mobs

Ravenswood, Qld - very early 1900s, Aussie Mobs

Ravenswood Mines, Qld - early 1900s, Aussie Mobs

Railway Hotel at Ravenswood, QLD, in 1906.

The town’s population in 1911 was 2010. Mining had employed 19.8% of the North Queensland population in 1868, and 50% by 1876, before dropping to 15% in 1911.

WWI

PRIVATE J. A. WALSH, Son of Mr. and Mrs. J. A. Walsh, Kundnln, late ot Ravenswood, North
Queensland; killed in action, 21st October, 1917. Telegraph (Brisbane, Qld. : 1872 - 1947), Saturday 1 December 1917

1920s

In 1921, the town’s population fell below 1000. And in 1923 to 530.

A camp by the Ravenswood railway line, around 1924, QLD, (Source: State Library of Queensland)

1930s

The rail service ceased on 7 November 1930.

Mines of Australia, North Queensland Cold Mining Development Company, and Sunset Extended Company (Ravenswood, QLD).Townsville Daily Bulletin (Qld. : 1907 - 1954), Wednesday 2 May 1934

1940s and WWII

On 18 April 1941, a 24 Squadron Wirraway (A20-117) flew from Townsville to undertake training at Ravenswood, which had a small graded airstrip constructed during the mid 1930s.

Whilst undertaking manouvers over the town, both Flying Officer Ian Lombton Menzies (29) and Observer Corporal Kenneth Ian Scott (24) were killed instantly when their aircraft crashed after an engine stall. A Court of Enquiry stated that the aircraft probably stalled whilst performing a steep turn in which that there was insufficient height to recover. (2.)

Townsville Daily Bulletin (Qld. : 1907 - 1954), Tuesday 19 June 1945,

1950s

Telephonist on the Ravenswood country exchange, QLD, ca. 1951State Library of Queensland

1960s

In the 1960 and 1970s, Ravenswood’s population was about 70 people.

1990s

Ravenswood State SchoolIID 2133695 Ravenswood-General Charters Towers Regional Council IM0009 State School, Queensland State Archives

2000s

Two heritage-listed buildings at Ravenswood to be moved to the new site, to make way for gold mine.

2020s

A major expansion of Ravenswood gold mine, with new 220-metre deep pit, in 2020.

Dotting the landscape are the remains of steam engines; stampers used to crush stone, cyanide vats, poppet-heads, abandoned mine shafts, and columns of chimney stacks.

Around Ravenswood

Ravenswood School of Arts, QLD, opened in 1884 (the complex once included the 1870s library, which was demolished in 1992 after it was severely damaged in 1989 by cyclone Aivu)