Art

The uniqueness of the Hinchinbrook Region has been motivational to many local artists.

Taking their inspiration from habitats that support a diverse range of fauna, ancient trees, wallabies strolling across fields, as well as the history of the people from ancient times, through to the community we see today.

TYTO Regional Art Gallery

Marvel at the latest Regional Art Gallery exhibition with a contemporary space showcasing local artisans and craft enthusiasts through an annual program and retail outlet.

Head to the gallery’s online shop to see what crafts, art and trinkets can be purchased.

Take a walk around town and see the many public artworks designed to beautify, surprise and intrigue.

We recommend taking a stroll on the Hinchinbrook Way Walk, beginning at the Hinchinbrook Visitor Information Centre and meandering through town.

TYTO Grass Owl, Hinchinbrook Visitor Information Centre

This monumental sculpture was created in 2007 by artist, Amanda Feher.

The large Eastern Grass Owl (Tyto longimembris) captures the essence of the hunting Grass Owl as it descends on its prey and is a testament to the owl that was the inspiration for the naming of the TYTO Wetlands.

The work was a huge challenge to complete. To assist in the creation of this incredible piece, Amanda visited the Townsville Museum, to photograph a real specimen and also worked closely with Australia Zoo to secure footage of the Grass Owl they had in captivity.

Mercer Lane Mosaic, Downtown Ingham

Mercer Lane is home to an incredible 42 metres of mosaic art panels depicting the history of the local sugar cane industry.

Local business woman Karen Venables and artist Kate Carr rallied the community together, resulting in over 1,500 locals and visitors participating in the project. The medium of mosaics was used because it is an artistic form that can be quickly learnt, and also because it is associated with the artwork of ancient Italy and the Italians who to this day, make up a significant percentage of the local population.

The Circle of Life, Tully Street, Ingham

Sculpted by local artist John Heard, The Circle of Life reflects the proximity and influence of the nature of Australia’s most diverse urban wetland, TYTO Wetlands, in shaping the future of Ingham.

One hot day Tiddalik was very thirsty so he began to drink and drink and drink until the whole world was all dried up.

When all the other animals came to the billabong to drink there was no water. All the plants and trees began to dry up. Without the trees and plants there would be no food for the animals to eat and no shade to rest in. They knew it was the greedy frog who drank all the water.

They were very angry at him. If the animals wanted to get all the water out of Tiddalik and back into the world they would have to make Tiddalik laugh until all the water came out. The echidna tried to make him laugh by rolling down the hill but Tiddalik didn’t laugh.

Kookaburra was perched high in the gum tree, he pretended to fall out but Tiddalik still didn’t laugh. Wombat started dancing but Tiddalik still didn’t laugh. None of the animals knew what to do and they were still very thirsty.

Then the eel tried dancing a funny dance, he tied himself into a big knot, Tiddalik laughed at the eel. He laughed so much that all the water came out and ran back into the billabong and the rivers and the streams. From that day on Tiddalik was never that greedy and only drank what he needed.

Cultural Congregation Totem Poles, TYTO Regional Art Gallery

Positioned at the front of TYTO Regional Art Gallery, the cultural congregation represents cultural diversity of modern cities and countries.

Two poles represent Russia and Japan and symbolise the buildings of each civilisation and how they have spread and developed. The third represents multiculturalism, urban congregation, and the base of the civilisation, people from all over the world coming together and living as one. This installation was selected as a piece in the ‘Minister’s Arts Awards for Excellence Exhibition’ showcased in Brisbane in 2014.

Created by Taylah Jardine, who has always had a passion for the artistic and a desire for architectural design. While in Year 12 at Gilroy Santa Maria College, Taylor was inspired by her art class teachers Mrs Randi Pietrobon and Mr Andrew Hill who guided her creations and continually encouraged her to produce bigger and better things.

An area ‘best suited’ for sugar

A journey that brings to life a yesteryear that shaped the great pioneering sugarcane community of Hinchinbrook.

A long-established sugarcane growing area lies in the fertile plains of the Herbert River Valley, land traditionally owned by the people of Girringun (a collective of nine Aboriginal groups). In 1864, European explorer George Dalrymple entered the area, and his inland expedition from Cardwell opened up the region for the development of the sugar industry. Dalrymple described the land as “undoubtedly the best suited” for the growing of sugar in Queensland.

Early days

The first sugarcane was planted in the Valley in 1868. Land clearing started, with devastating repercussions for the people of Girringun through loss of their traditional lands.

The continued growth of large-scale farms or “plantations” spread across the landscape. Gairloch opened the first mill in 1872 followed by Macknade, Bemerside, Hamleigh and Victoria. Each plantation required a resident labour force, a crushing mill and wharf for transporting raw sugar to Dungeness, the little port at the mouth of the Herbert River. Around 1875, the first hotel called the ‘Planters Retreat’ opened, and was located on the coastal stock route and became the half-way stop between Gairloch and the ‘Camping Reserve’.

The reserve soon filled with permanent residences and shops, with market gardens established by the Chinese community who were amongst the first small scale growers of sugarcane. In 1879 the reserve was named ‘Ingham’ after William Bairstow Ingham, once a local plantation owner.

The labour force

The plantations required an extensive labour force, capable of working in harsh, tropical conditions.

Considered beyond the capabilities of white Australians, plantation owners first engaged local Aboriginal people, although large numbers of labourers were not available. To address the shortage, labourers were recruited from Asia and the Torres Strait, although most were from Melanesia – Vanuatu, New Caledonia, the Louisiades and the Solomon Islands. All were indentured to an employer for a specific period of time. Many of the Pacific Islanders were kidnapped in a practice known as ‘blackbirding’ and faced punishing conditions and back-breaking work during their three-year indenture. They were known collectively as ‘Kanakas’ (a term now regarded as derogatory). Thousands of their descendants live in Queensland and are known as Australian South Sea Islanders.

The beginning of the end of the plantation era

In 1880 August Anderssen, together with a group of other hopeful farmers, purchased land in the lower reaches of the Herbert River to grow sugarcane.

Rather than build and maintain their own small mills, they successfully negotiated with the managers of Victoria Mill, CSR, to crush their cane for them.

They formed the Herbert River Farmers’ Association in 1882, and became the forerunners for the small farm and central mill system which would eventually characterise today’s sugar industry. In 1885 Anderssen offered some of his land for subdivision as a township. The town was named Halifax in 1886, after the Earl of Halifax, the then Secretary of State for the Colonies. CSR built a wharf on the Herbert River on land they purchased from Anderssen. Because the river had become impassable due to increased siltation, the company decided to expand their tramway from Ingham to the new port of Lucinda in 1896.

Reaping the changes

The recruitment of non-European labourers in the sugar industry was controversial and in 1885 legislation attempted to phase out ‘non-white’ recruitment by 1891.

Although this decision was reversed in 1892, the industry had begun to suffer from labour shortages.

The first of the white cutters – From Italy

To help circumvent this problem, over 300 people were recruited from Italy in 1890 and arrived in Townsville the following year.

Over 100 were destined for the Valley and within 30 years many had established their own cane farms.

The last of the Kanaka cutters

The decision to allow the continuation of islander recruitment was temporary and in 1901 the Pacific Island Labourers Act was released, calling for the mass deportation of non-white labourers by 1906.

Between 1863 and 1904 the number of Pacific Islanders recruited into Australia was approximately 61,000.

The cook, the gang and the barracks

Following the deportation of Pacific Islander Labourers, the majority of the remaining and new sugarcane workers were of European ancestry, who continued to live on the properties.

In response, the Queensland Government enacted the Accommodation Acts 1905-1906 which dictated that employers provided reasonable shelter for their workers.

The ‘barracks’ ranged from tents to brick structures, although most were constructed of corrugated iron and timber and divided into rooms. Each shelter housed a cutting gang and their cook, although some housed families.

The rooms were lined with bunk beds with a basic wood stove for cooking and heating. The cook played the pivotal role in the success of the day’s cut. The men would be unable to perform the demanding work required if they were hungry. Isolated from the towns and other countrymen, the sugar crews looked to each other for mutual support and entertainment.