File:Chinese banana growers loading produce onto the "Carroo" from punts in the Johnstone River, Innisfail, 1902.jpg

English: A great choice by Kay Crabbe for entry in the 1 Million and Counting competition!

WHEN THE N.Q. BANANA INDUSTRY BOOMED

The days when the banana industry boomed in North Queensland are recalled by the visit to the North of Mr. James Broadfoot, now a resident of Sydney.

Mr. Broadfoot is a son of the late Captain Broadfoot and a member of the firm of Broadfoot and Sons, who conducted a shipping service to the rivers between Townsville and Cairns in the days of big banana industry in North Queensland. The office of the firm was in portion of the building to-day occupied by the Adelaide Steamships Company.

Shipping Recalled

The first vessel owned by Captain Broadfoot was the Ripple, engaged in the carriage of banana and timber from Maria Creek and other rivers. The Ripple also made trips to Ripple Creek, a tributary of the Herbert where the Boyd Brothers at that time were running a sugar refinery.

With the growing banana trade the Ripple was sold and replaced by the Seymour, capable of carrying about 100 tons. The Tully was later added to the fleet and there was keen rivalry between Captains Galvin, Corbett and others engaged in the trade as to which vessel carried the largest loads out of the Johnstone River. It is related that on one occasion one skipper had placed bunches of bananas in every conceivable spot of his ship, and the seamen had to even climb over banans to reach their quarters. The decks of the little ship were almost awash as she came into the breakwater, but the skipper still claimed he could have loaded more if they had been available.

These small vessels, which traded to the Hull, Tully and Johnstone rivers, Maria Creek and other spots where bananas were grown, ran to a timetable and were seldom late. They had to secure their loads after discharging outward cargo and return to Townsville in time to discharge into the southward bound interstate vessel every week. If tides were favourable some boats loaded at the Johnstone ran into Cairns and discharged into the steamer in port there, then return, pick up another cargo and arrive in TOwnsville to discharge into the steamer on its arrival from Cairns.

Bananas were shipping south in those days in bunches, crates and cases, the latter about the size of fruit cases, the crates generally made by the Chinese from light timber split from logs, and the ends of the boards adzed for nailing. The bunches of bananas were for the Sydney and Melbourne markets, the crates for Brisbane and the cases for the Adelaide market. The crates were about four feet square. A case was classed as four bunches and a crate at twenty five bunches.

One of the largest loads carried in the Seymour was about 200 crates and 3000 bunches, while the shipments by the interstate boats, the Marloo and her sister ship, often totalled 30, 000 bunches besides crates and cases.

Other boats in the trade to the northern rivers in those days included the Muriel, Herbert, Carroo, and Wakefield, which towed the Avon up to the mouth of the Tully. The tides were worked to take the Avon up stream to load bananas and she was then dropped down on the tide to the mouth, when she was again picked up by the Wakefield and towed back to Townsville.

The Gartmore built in Sydney in 1923. The engines of the Queensbank, and would then proceed to the purchase, the engines of the Queenslander, a coastal trader, were installed prior to her taking up the run carrying sugar and bananas. The Gartmore, re-named the Goondi, is still in the rivers sugar service to-day, the Tully was wrecked in the Johnstone River, and the Seymour passed into the Tasmanian trade.

Another steamer, the Palmer, while engaged in the passenger trade between Townsville and Cairns, always returned with a full load of banans, chielfy loaded in the Johnstone River. Captain Clarke loaded bananas from Chinese wharves comprised of bamboo poles and decking along the river bank, and would then proceed to the bend just beyond the Goondi Mill wharf, anchoring in mid-stream.

Large Chinese sampans would tie up to the vessel and load bunches, many hours being spent here before all the sampans had discharged.

Some idea of the banana industry may be gathered from the fact that in 1904 the year's export totalled nearly 1,700,00 bunches from the Johnstone river area.

The shipping charge on bananas from the grower to the market was one shilling per bunch, this including all dues, etc..

From the Townsville Daily Bulletin, Wednesday 3 October 1945.

Queensland State Archives Digital Image ID 1889