Queensland Term Abroad

Lamington National Park

Lamington III — 14 October: Python Rock & Morans Falls

We spent much of our time at Lamington exploring the park's rugged terrain. Our long hikes recalled the experience of the first O'Reilly family members to climb the McPherson Range.

In 1911, five O'Reilly cousins arrived in the McPherson range to make a land claim in accordance with Queensland government policy. The boys planned to clear land in the high, rainy mountains and set up a dairy farm. Pastures were created and cows imported, but there was no developed road to transport products to town. The milk and cream had to be packed on horseback down a tortuous mountain track-a two day round trip. Legend has it that more than one can of cream turned to butter on the trip. Despite the challenges, the boys were making ends meet and they believed that as more settlers entered the country, better roads would be built. However, in 1915, Lamington National Park was proclaimed and no further farms would be established on the mountain. The O'Reilly farms were isolated in a sea or trees. But those pristine forests attracted visitors. In 1926, the O'Reilly family decided to turn the family farm into a guest house to serve the increasing number of tourists making the trek into the McPherson Range. They welcomed their first guests on Easter Sunday that year and continue the tradition today, three generations later.

A highlight of the O'Reilly family history is Bernard O'Reilly's participation in the rescue of two survivors of the crash of an Airlines of Australia Stinson aircraft. On 19 February 1937, the Stinson took off from Brisbane with two crew, five passengers, and the mail. The plane never arrived in Sydney. Eyewitnesses reported the plane headed out to sea. A week-long search focused on the coast near Sydney, but no trace was found. Word of the lost plane did not reach the O'Reilly place for more than a week. At that time, Bernard O'Reilly learned that the Stinson had not made a scheduled stop at Lismore, just to the south of the McPherson Range, and that Herb O'Reilly in Kerry had seen the Stinson fly into a heavy cloud bank in the McPherson. Bernard had a hunch that the lost Stinson might have crashed in the McPhersons. He sketched the plane's flight path on a local map and set off up the mountain to search. Going was difficult as the dense forest lacked trails. The next morning, Bernard reached the point on his map where the plane's flight path intersected the mountain ridge. Bernard climbed a tree for a better look and spotted a patch of burned vegetation about eight kilometers away. Three hours later, Bernard's calls were answered by the two survivors, still clinging to life at the wreck site. Survivors John Proud, whose leg was crushed, and Joe Binstead, reported that the crew and two passengers were killed in the crash. A third man, Jim Westrey, had gone for help ten days before. Bernard O'Reilly made the men tea and offered the remains of his provisions, then set off for help. Instead of retracing his steps, Bernard took the quickest route to civilization, down nearby Christmas Creek. It was the same route Jim Westrey had tried. Several kilometers down the creek, O'Reilly discovered Westrey's body. He had apparently fallen and died of his injuries, shock and exposure. O'Reilly continued to the nearest settlement where he mustered a rescue party that set out immediately to cut a trail back up to the wreck. On 2 March, the two survivors were rescued. Today, the Stinson disaster is celebrated with a memorial outside the guest house.