Mount Mulligan is situated at about 16* 50S 144* 50E in the south-east corner of Cape York Peninsula a hundred kilometres west of Cairns. Mount Mulligan stands in the broken hilly country west of the divide fifty kilometres north of Dimbulah. Forming the western watershed of the Hodgkinson River
"The average rainfall is below one hundred centimetres and the normal temperature range about from 11*C to 33*C. In a region quite monotonous in appearance the mountain is an overwhelming landmark. Although only four hundred meters higher than the valley fronting it, the mountain’s vertical eastern face runs apparently endlessly into the distance, giving an impression of vast, dominating bulk.” The mountain is composed of mesozoic sandstone and conglomerate layers ... and is quite distinct geologically and visually from its surroundings." [01]
"The total coal reserves under Mot Mulligan can never be known but an early estimate was eighty four million tonnes". [01]
The Grainer family were involved in the North Queensland coal mining settlement of Mount Mulligan from its earliest days and future father of a composer, Ron Albert Grainer, through his job as local post master, shared to a unique degree the trauma that devastated every family of the community in 1921.
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In June 1911 the Grainer brothers [presumably Frank Junior, Ron Albert, and Samuel Junior] helped government geologist Mr Ball in his eleven day investigation of reports of substantial coal deposits at Mt Mulligan with tests continuing throughout 1912.
In June 1912 Ron Albert Grainer took over running the family store at Thornborough after his father Frank’s death.
On May 19 1913 the first sod was turned on the construction of a railway from Dimbulah to the Mt Mulligan coal mine site. In August 1913 a township site was selected about half a mile to the north of the mine entrance.
In February 1914 The Grainer brothers were amongst the earliest business people in the new settlement. The Cairns Post reported ”Messrs Grainer Bros temporary store is being erected at the coal mine" [03]
Later photos indicate the permanent Gainer store was erected away from this first location. A wise decision in retrospect given the event of the 19th September 1921.
On April 22nd 1914 Frank's widow Jane Grainer paid 101 pound for town lot no 9 at the first Mt Mulligan land auction [04]
Post Office
The water for the Mt Mulligan settlement came from a dam built on the table top of the mountain. Frank Grainer [junior] apparently helped in the dam’s construction. John Hay in his book about the Palmer River gold field recalled a visit to the dam. “Tom “Skeeta” Fletcher showed us the way Frank Grainer jr and Gwen Mullavey had packed the cement and tools up the summit and across the plateau by packhorse when construction was commenced”. [06]
Peter Bell described the settlements unusual situation “Mt Mulligan was a distinctive town because it was concerned entirely with coal mining which was conducted nowhere else in the North. Situated at the terminus of a railway branch line Mount Mulligan was “the absolute dead end” attracting no incidental travelers or diversity of commerce".[07]
At an undisclosed date in 1916 Storekeeper Ron Albert Grainer took over the position of Mount Mulligan Post Master from Federal Hotel manager T Dillion. [08]
By mid 1920 Ron Albert Grainer and Margaret Clark [born at nearby Woodsville] appear to have been engaged. On 19th July 1920 Margaret had been given a work place farewell at which Ron A acted as her representative voice. It is interesting to read how her musical skills were acknowledged in the newspaper write up.
“On Monday night a representative gathering of Mt Mulligan representatives met in Hansen's Hall to bid farewell to Miss M Clark who has severed her connection with the company [assumed to have been Chillagoe Limited the owners of the Mt Mulligan plant in 1920]. Mr. T. J. Evans, in a neat speech, presented her with a silver mounted dressing case in a purse of sovereigns. Mr. R Grainer responded on behalf of Miss Clark".
On 19th September 1921 the mine that was the reason for the towns existence exploded. The disaster was later determined to have being caused by an ignition of the ever present coal dust.
Arnold Cairns
The Cairns Post later reported “Though only a little over two months since the government land sale of town allotments when the place was a wilderness this township is assuming quite large proportions There are now in the course of erection and nearing completion twelve substantial buildings, Thorpy’s Hotel, Doyle’s Hotel, Grainer’s Store [etc]. ” [05]
Peter Bell described the settlements unusual situation “Mt Mulligan was a distinctive town because it was concerned entirely with coal mining which was conducted nowhere else in the North. Situated at the terminus of a railway branch line Mount Mulligan was “the absolute dead end” attracting no incidental travelers or diversity of commerce".[07]
At an undisclosed date in 1916 Storekeeper Ron Albert Grainer took over the position of Mount Mulligan Post Master from Federal Hotel manager T Dillion. [08]
Ron Albert Grainer 1920 front row standing 3rd from left white shirt
“On Monday night a representative gathering of Mt Mulligan representatives met in Hansen's Hall to bid farewell to Miss M Clark who has severed her connection with the company [assumed to have been Chillagoe Limited the owners of the Mt Mulligan plant in 1920]. Mr. T. J. Evans, in a neat speech, presented her with a silver mounted dressing case in a purse of sovereigns. Mr. R Grainer responded on behalf of Miss Clark".
"Miss Clark will be greatly missed by one and all. Her sweet and sunny nature and, at all times, her service as a musician and, in many other ways, have been willingly and cheerfully given. Miss Clark left by Tuesday en route to Charters Towers
Blacksmiths shop which stood outside the mine entrance
"The danger in coal mines consists in coal dust resting on the floor and other surfaces in the mine, often inches deep, but not susceptible to ignition by a naked flame. If an explosion occurs in contact with this dust it is self perpetuating raising the particles in a cloud which moves outwards from the explosion centre with a resultant shock wave travelling at the velocity of sound around 330 metres per second".
"If this moving cloud of suspended particles, called the pioneering wave, is ignited by the flame of the originating explosion it may itself explode and a coal dust explosion is underway. The explosion of the dust is self perpetuating raising before itself a wave of particles which instantly explode".
"From a distance of about 100 meters from the origin the following explosion wave travels relatively slowly and does little violence but if conditions permit it may accelerate and overtake the pioneering wave. The result is a wall of flame hurtling through the mine at velocities which may exceed 1000 metres per second. The temperature at the explosion front may reach 900C". [10]
"A miner caught in the path of a coal dust explosion could be affected in three possible ways; the blast wave can lift loose objects in the mine such as tools, skips, timber and loose rock or coal, and hurl them before it as projectiles; it may also transform men into projectiles, throwing them against stationary objects. The high temperature of the flame front may cause burning of the skin or the surface of the lungs. All but four or five of the men killed at Mount Mulligan had been extensively burned". [11]
For some time it was rumoured a miner had been disintegrated by the blast and his ghost seen in the reopened tunnels. It would be five months before the suffocated body of this 75th and last accounted for victim, George Turiff, was found in a monkey shaft where apparently he had taken shelter after escaping the disasters first effects. [12]
Years later a young Ron Grainer would most likely have been told the ghost legend by other Mount Mulligan school children. This may have stimulated his early interest in magic and unusual phenomena mentioned in a 1969 newspaper interview. [13]
The first newspaper reference to Ron Erle's future father, Ron Albert Grainer, as Post Master is contained within the write up on the immediate aftermath of the mine calamity.
“The pressure of business is so great that the telephonists are compelled to remain at their post from early in the morning to all hours of the night and the post master, Mr. R A Grainer, is now confirmed to his bed. Inspector
A week later the Cairns Post published a human interest story which indicated the extent of Ron Albert's effort and condition "... They directed me to the Post Office and told me where I would find the Postmaster who had just none to bed. I was never more sorry to have to disturb anyone in my life than I was to disturb that Postmaster who I found to be a young man his voice, what remained of it, hoarse from sending and receiving urgent telegrams over the phone throughout that tragic day.
He was also suffering badly from influenza and one could see by a glance at his fever flushed face that there would be no sleep for him that night. He did not complain but throwing a coat over his shoulders opened up and got me through to Cairns by telephone...
After introducing myself to him I said, "An urgent telegram was sent this morning to Mr. F. Grant from my office. Do you know did he receive it? The Postmaster shook his head. "'He will never receive that telegram," be said sadly. For a while Ï did not understand. Grant was one of the entombed men.” [14b]
A eerie aspect of this dramatised situation was Mr F Grant was the first husband of long time Mt Mulligan resident Mary Grant nee Richards who was later to marry John Wardle and the couple were both to become music mentors of Ron Albert's first child Ron Erle.
The social effects of the mine crises were far reaching.
"There is no accurate record of the number of people living in Mount Mulligan in 1921 but, keeping in mind the normal day to day fluctuation common in
“A school had opened in August 1915 and by 1921, with two teachers and 74 pupils, was bulging from its tiny classroom". [16]
This implies that virtually every child of school age at Mount Mulligan, at that time, lost a family member or knew a family that had suffered a death.
In perhaps a public vote for the hope of better times in the future one young couples wedding plans were not cancelled because of the community crises. On
“Mulligan has become a quiet little town since that awful Monday morning the 19th of September where so many of our fine townsmen and comrades were hurled into eternity in a few moments. Although we who are left will try and keep things going our mates will be sorely missed."
"Mr. R A Grainer seems to be looking very pleased with himself since the happy event [his marriage] [18] There is no one in this town could or would have received a more hearty reception than this young couple only for the sad event which cast aside all joy and pleasure. I'm sure all will join in wishing him every joy and happiness.” [19]
The main social result of the mine disaster appears to have been an influx of new residents.
“The impression gained from all sources is of an immediate major evacuation of the town with a slow reoccupation within three or four weeks. But the temporary exodus from
Header map [edited] from book Peter Bell “If Anything Too Safe – The Mount Mulligan Coal Mine Disaster of 1921” James Cook University of North Queensland second edition 1994. All photos from Cairns Historical Society archives.
References:
[01] Peter Bell "If Anything Too Safe" 2nd Edition 1996 page 3 edited text
[02] Hugh Borland “Pathways of Yesterday” series Cairns Post 5.6.1941 p9
[03] Mt Mulligan Notes 16 Feb 1914 p7
[04] Cairns Post 25 April 1914 p4
[05] Cairns Post 30 June 1914 p2
[06] John Hay "The Palmer River Legacy" Watson Ferguson and Co Moorooka 1998 p74
[07] Peter Bell "If Anything Too Safe" 2nd Edition 1996 page ?
[08] Joan Frew “Queensland Post Offices 1843 – 1980” p361 / Qld Post Office Directory 1916
[09] Cairns Post 27th July 1920 p3]
[10] Peter Bell "If Anything Too Safe" 2nd Edition 1996 page 35 edited text.
[11] Peter Bell "If Anything Too Safe" 2nd Edition 1996 page 35 edited text.
[12] Peter Bell "If Anything Too Safe" 2nd Edition 1996 page 47/48
[13] "Composer Beats"' The Australian 11.11. 1969 p6
[14] ”Fifty Six Bodies Recovered ”The Brisbane Courier 22.9.1921 p7
[14b] "An Undelivered Telegram" Mt Mulligan Memories no 5 Cairns Post Sat 1 Oct 1921 p5
[15] Peter Bell "If Anything Too Safe" 2nd Edition 1996 page 87 edited text.
[16] Peter Bell "If Anything Too Safe " 2nd Edition 1996 page p23
[17] Peter Bell "Alas It Seems Cruel" p34 disputed statement about not rebuilding church until 1947 deleted
[18] Births Marriages Deaths Ancestry Com
[19] Mt Mulligan Notes Cairns Post 19.10 1921 p6
[16] Peter Bell "If Anything Too Safe " 2nd Edition 1996 page p23
[17] Peter Bell "Alas It Seems Cruel" p34 disputed statement about not rebuilding church until 1947 deleted
[18] Births Marriages Deaths Ancestry Com
[19] Mt Mulligan Notes Cairns Post 19.10 1921 p6
[20] Peter Bell "If Anything Too Safe" 2nd Edition 1996 page 93
Click "Older Posts" tab for
PART FOUR "OUTBACK"
PART FIVE "PERFORMANCE"
PART SIX "PYRAMID"
PART SEVEN "TRANSITION"
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