The topic of one of my papers at Congress 2015 is The marriage of local history and family history: a bridge to the past. In part this will be a case study of the town of Murphy’s Creek, Queensland, at the bottom of the Toowoomba range.
For several years I’ve been collecting information on the town and its people from a range of sources. However it’s just (duh!) occurred to me that with the internet, and widespread interest in genealogy, I now have another opportunity to learn more about the people who lived and worked in Murphy’s Creek back in its formative years.
So, to paraphrase the Beatles, I’m looking for a little help from my friends. I’ve already picked up a few previously-unknown links through online genealogy sites, but I’m hoping this request will take my message wider.
If you have any family member who you know was born, baptised, married, died or was buried in Murphy’s Creek I’d really love to hear from you. It’s often only on certificates that some of these hidden clues come to light. You can leave a message in the comments, or contact me via email.
Please help me to bring those “missing friends” back into the Murphy’s Creek heritage story.
Family history across the seas 
My husbands Grandfather was a police officer at Murphy’s Creek in 1914. In the copy of his police file is a petition signed by the residents, protesting about his transfer. There is over a page of signatures. Also two aunties were born there but I do not have certificates. If you are interested in the petition I can scan and copy it for you. Not sure about copyright of it. As an aside have I seen posts from you on The Book of Me?
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Thanks for getting in touch! How exciting…I would love to see that petition. I’ll email you. Yes, I’ve written some posts on the Book of Me but not as many as I’d intended. Cheers, Pauleen
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My grandfather, George Henry Royal, worked on the railways at Murphy’s Creek about late 1900’s. Is this of any help?
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Thanks Jacqueline. I seem to have missed this comment at the time as I was in the midst of health treatment. My apologies. Pauleen
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I have family who were born in Murphy’s Creek in late 1800s / early 1900s
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Hi Baz, thanks for commenting. What was their name and did they have a specific occupation that took them there?
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HELLO.
MY NAME IS WALLACE YOUNGER I AM 94 AND WAS PART RAISED AT MURPHYS CREEK FROM 1936 UNTIL 1941 ON A 500 ACRE DAIRY AND CROPPING FARM HALF WAY BETWEEN MURPHYS CREEK AND SPRING BLUFF CALLED “GLENLEA”. MY GREAT GRAND FATHER JOHN CAMPBELL AND HIS WIFE ELIZABETH CAME OUT FROM INVERNESS IN 1850. THEY LOOKED FOR GOLD AT BALLARAT AND GYMPIE BUT FOUND NONE. AT THAT TIME THE QLD. GOVT. WAS WANTING TO BRING THE RAILWAY UP 2000 FEET TO TOOWOOMBA AND THE DARLING DOWNS AND TO OPEN UP THE FAR WEST. IN THOSE EARLY DAYS JOHN WAS EMPLOYED AS A TRESSLE BRIDGE BUILDER ON THE RANGE RAILWAY. IT WAS CONSIDERED ONE OF THE LARGEST CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS IN THE WORLD AND EMPLOYED OVER 1000 MEN. WHEN THE JOB WAS COMPLEDED THE CAMPBELLS BOUGHT THE 500 ACRES ADJOINING “HOLMES “RUNNAWAY SIDING AND EXTENDING OUT TO THE TOP OF THE LAST HILL OVERLOOKING WITHCOTT VILLAGE. THE RUNNAWAY SIDING WAS NECESSARY TO STOP A RUNNAWAY STEAM TRAINS WHOSE BRAKES HAD FAILED FROM CRASHING, ALL DOWN TRAINS HAD TO STOP AT THE UP SIGNAL, AND IF THEY COULD NOT THEY WERE TO CONTINUE BLOWING THEIR WHISTLE AND A SIGNAL MAN ON DUTY 24/7 AT HOLMES WOULD SWITCH THE DOWN COMMING TRAIN ONTO A SIDE FRACK WHICH RAN UP HILL INTO A CUTTING. WITH THE ADVENT OF DIESEL TRAINS IN THE 60`S WITH BETTER BRAKES HOLMES SIDING WAS NO LONGER NECESSARY. THE CAMPBELLS BUILT A HAND MADE SLAB HOMESTEAD AND RAISED 6 CHILDREN, 3 BOYS AND 3 GIRLS. ONE OF THOSE GIRLS, MARY WAS MY GRANDMOTHER. OUR FARM HAD ALMOST 3 MILES OF SPRING WATER CREEK RUNNING THROUGH IT, 8 PADDOCKS UNDER CULTIVATION, MILKED 40 COWS BY HAND. IN MOST EARLY DAYS THERE WAS NO ELECTRICITY AS THE SUPPLIERS SAID THERE WERE`NT ENOUGH FARMS IN THE AREA TO MAKE IT PAY FOR THEM. WE EVEN OFFERED TO PROVIDE THE POLES FOR FREE, BUT NO LUCK. WE USED KEROSENE LAMPS AND CARBIDE LAMPS AND ALLADIN LAMPS WERE ALSO USED. I WAS RAISED THERE FROM AGE 6 TO 11 AND HAD A WONDERFUL LIFE. I USED TO RIDE MY HORSE TOMMY 3 MILES DOWN THE DIRT ROAD, AND CROSSING THE CREEK TWICE TO THE MURPHYS CREEK ONE TEACHER STATE SCHOOL, WALLY DUNN BEING THE THEN HEAD MASTER. I MET SYD CHAPMAN AT THE MURPHYS CREEK GENERAL STORE AND POST OFFICE MANY TIMES. I GOT THE CUTS WITH THE CANE ONE DAY FOR TAKING A GIRL TOO HIGH ON THE SWING. I TAUGHT MYSELF TO SWIM IN ONE OF THE WATERHOLES WITH A KEROSENE TIN TIED ON MY BACK. I USED TO LOVE RIDING, AND MY HORSE TOMMY WAS SO WELL TRAINED AS HE USED TO BE A MAIN SADDLE HORSE IN YOUNGER DAYS, HE WOULD WHEEL AND PICK UP ANY STRAGGLERS ALL ON HIS OWN AND IF SOME TOO SLOW HE WOULD GIVE THE A GENTLE NIP ON THEIR RUMP. THERE WERE A FEW DHEW FISH IN THE BIGGER WATER HOLES, AND EELS WERE GOOD EATING AS WELL, WATERCRESS JUST GREW WILD ALONG THE CREEK BANKS. FOR A BOY I HAD A TRUELY WONDERFUL LIFE.
I HOPE YOU ENJOYED MY STORY OF WONDEFUL LIFE AT MURPHYS CREEK.
PS. I DON`T THINK THE MURPHYS CREEK HISTORICAL SOCIETY HAS ANY RECORD OF THE CAMPBELLS ?
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Hi Walter, thanks so much for sharing your story. It’s so special to have memories and stories from the past before they’re lost forever. If you like I can pass your story on to Murphy’s Creek Historical Society? I feel sure I’ve seen something about the Campbells in the newspapers. I’ll have a look and send them to you. Best wishes, and thanks again for sharing. Pauleen
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