Comments on: One Mile Creek

By: Leith Barter

Leith Barter — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 10:29:31 +0000

Yes, the North Pine River would have been a major landmark and sometimes proved to be hazardous to travellers. The Archer brothers from Durundur, with the assistance of Evan Mackenzie from neighbouring Kilcoy, blazed the trail which became the Old North Road in 1842. On the return journey from Brisbane, their heavily laden dray became “embedded up to the axle in a swamp” near the crossing, undoubtedly the first of many such incidents. In later times, teamsters would rendezvous at the crossing so they could double-bank their teams to haul their loads out of the North Pine River valley. After the establishment of Whiteside and Samsonvale in 1843 and 1844 respectively, the turnoff to these runs, not far from the north bank of the river, would also have been a major milestone. The first track to the Upper North Pine (Dayboro district) also passed by the headstations of both these runs, as the present Dayboro Road was not opened until later. There is a body of opinion which suggests that the Old North Road may have been a well-established Aboriginal pathway prior to the arrival of the first squatters.

By: NeilEnnis

NeilEnnis — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 23:45:48 +0000

In reply to Leith Barter. Leith, thanks so much for this information. It all makes sense now. I've added a map (above) which shows the distances from Gordons Crossing of each of these creeks as they crossed the Old North Road, and the distances are almost spot-on. Do you think naming the creeks based on their distance from Gordons / Raymonts Crossing implies that crossing the North Pine river was a major milestone on a trip up the Old North Road in the 1840's?

By: Leith Barter

Leith Barter — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 13:09:23 +0000

Although no record can be found showing exactly how and when One Mile Creek and Four Mile Creek were named, these names clearly date back to the very earliest days of European settlement on the Pine River during the 1840s. The names appear to refer to the distance each of these creeks crossed the Old North Road measured roughly from the point where the road crossed the North Pine River. Many people have supposed that the distances were measured south from what is now known as Young’s Crossing, but it is far more likey that they were calculated from the first crossing, later known as Gordon’s or Raymont’s Crossing (now inundated by Lake Samsonvale). Young’s Crossing appears not to have been used extensively until after Tom Petrie settled in the district in 1859, but the One Mile Creek and Four Mile Creek names were in common usage well before this time.