ARCHER POINT NTH QUEENSLAND

[Derek Bullock]

The below press release just came out.

I last went to Archer Point in 1970 when I was catching reptiles for a reptile park. #So sad to see that it got so bad. Has anyone been there in recent times?

ARCHER POINT IS ONE OF THE FEW PLACES ALONG THE COAST WHERE THE REEF ACTUALLY COMES RIGHT TO THE BEACH AND AT ZERO TIDES YOU CAN WALK FOR MILES ON CORAL REEFS. AN AREA WELL WORTH PROTECTING


Derek

ARCHER POINT CLEAN-UP FOR ALL TO ENJOY

Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) is cleaning up Archer Point, south of Cooktown, and returning the popular area to the public to enjoy for camping, fishing and other recreational activities.

Environment Minister Desley Boyle said QPWS was now well into a full clean-up of rubbish left by departed squatters and had finished cleaning up the beach.

"QPWS has long recognised the environmental significance of this area," Ms Boyle said.

"The Queensland Government bought 11,000ha around Archer Point in 2003. The areas of high conservation value will be gazetted as national park to ensure their protection.

"The departure of squatters and the clean-up of the site are returning the beach and its surrounds to its former glory as a valued recreational asset for visitors and locals alike."

Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) District Manager, Mark Peacock, said the clean-up started in September, after the squatters moved.

"It's unfortunate that so much rubbish has accumulated over the past few years," Mr Peacock said.

"The shells of more than 20 vehicles were abandoned there, as well as old shacks, tanks, caravans and all manner of junk.

"The beach area was our first priority, and now we've finished that, we'll move on to cleaning up old cars and junk in other areas of Archer Point.

Mr Peacock said following lengthy negotiations, all people previously occupying the site had moved away voluntarily.

"Their departure and the support of the local community have helped QPWS achieve a positive outcome for the beach and the people who love to use it," he said.

Ends

Photos available on request

Media contact: # # # #Carissa Mason 3227 6424 or Louise Foley on 3227 8825

[Moffy]

Must have been a pretty amazing place back in the 70's Derek.

We camped there in early 90's for 4 days - it howled 20-30knots the whole time - but we had an absolute ball (apart from getting sandblasted in bed sleeping at the top of the beach).

we managed to sneak out to the close in island in a small tinny and caught a mob of trout in the shallows in the lee of the island. had great fun on the flats as well.

needed to know the track in back then - now it has a big green "bruce highway" sign (Archer Point -&gt if you get the picture.

always keen to get back - as we had such a good time there - but the "residents" turned us off - may go back for a look now one day.

[baldyhead]

I can remember fishing off the then fully functional jetty and catching coral trout from same.

[Derek Bullock]

Hey Baldy

Yeah remember that jetty. I worked at Lakeland Downs for a while (think they just call it Lakeland now) and they used to load sorghum onto ships there. Remember the oysters to off the rocks to. Biggest and juciest oysters in the country and literally millions of them.

We used to walk out on the reef at low tide with a hand spear and pick up trout and cod in the holes.

Are there any remains of that jetty there.

Sigh .................... memories.


Derek

[baldyhead]

hi derek, there are only a few rusted beams left there. CSR approached some of the local property owners a couple of years ago with the view to getting them to grow sugar cane and CSR was going to rebuild the wharf and put in a plant to extract the cane juice and ship the juice from Archer Point.
Then the price of sugar died and haven't heard any more about it. I have a property that i hunt on and they were all for growing sugar cane and trucking it from nth of hopevale to AP as a secondary industry for their property.
It's a shame that it never went ahead as it would have created much needed employment in the Cooktown region. It would also have concentrated the pigs into given areas and made the hunting easier.(i'm getting older and slower)
cheers baldy

[Derek Bullock]

Baldy

Shame about that jetty.

When I was on Lakeland Downs the pigs used to run in mobs of up to 100 and sometimes even more. Fat as anything as well from feeding on the sorghum. I know, we ate a few.

We used to drive around at night shooting them. Most of the time didnt even have to get off the back of the ute.


Derek

[baldyhead]

Yea Derek i can relate to that. I used to hunt the Seagrens Paddock amongst others and shoot up to 50 pigs a nite there every 2nd nite of the week and not seem to affect the population. Also shot hundreds of feral cats @ lakeland too. The bloke that developed lakeland and built the wharf Clive Foyster was a family friend and used to stay at our place when in Cairns.
baldy

[Derek Bullock]

Baldy

I remember Foyster. In the late 60's prior to going to Cooktown I lived at Port Stephens in NSW. Apart from owning the local Seabreeze Hotel he also had a 38 foot fly bridge game boat moored at Nelson Bay. At the time I worked on the local Marina and remember it sat there for over 12 months unused. One morning I walked to work and all that could be seen were the outrigger poles sticking out of the water.

The boat had an aluminium hull and aparently electrolysis had disolved the zinc blocks and eaten a hole in the hull.

From memory the guy was a millionaire and didnt give two hoots.


Derek

[major-defect]

I was there week before last Derek.They've cleaned it up a lot,no car bodies now.There seemed to still be one couple squatting where you turn into the bush camping spots.Theres not much left of the jetty as baldyhead said and as usual it was blowing a gale.

[baldyhead]

Yes Derek, Clive was a billionaire and he was about 20 years too early in his plans. Unfortunately. For all his dough he used to get around in a jackyo singlet and shorts and no boots. One would never have guessed he was wealthy, except for the Merc he drove.
baldy

[paul blyth]

Hi Derek & Baldyhead

I read with much interest your chats on Lakeland and Archer Point. I also visited these places in the 70's. Even then I was amaised by the forethought of Clive Foyster. I have since read the book "Battlers of Butchers Hill"which has two chapters in it about Lakeland. I am keen to learn more about what happened all those years ago. If you can inform me of any further detail to fill an old memory I would be interested.

Cheers

Paul

[Derek Bullock]

Hi Paul

Long time ago now. I worked on the property for a while and don't recall anything specific. If you have any specific questions I may be able to stretch the old brain a bit.


Derek

Hmmmmmmmmmmmm. Why is the original post on this thread showing my old login name. Weird.


Derek

[paul blyth]

Hi Derek,

Thank you for answering. I am amazed with the fore thought of Clive Foyster all those years ago.
A few questions if I could be so bold and ask.
How did Clive Foyster start off. Some say it was in Mining, is this true? If so where was he mining and what was he mining?
Did the name Lakeland Downs come from the Lakes that he built or was it from his prospecting Friend Mr. Lakeland?
Did he have other properties elsewhere?
Why was broken dam at Lakeland never rebuilt?
When the property was cleared, was the millable timber taken to Cairns or else where? (I recall many yeas ago seeing a timber truck in Cairns with Lakeland Downs painted on the door.)

I look for to your reply

Cheers

Paul

[crab man]

Hi Major-defect i was just woundering can you still walk all the way out on the reef there at the low tide ?? can you fish there im planing a trip that way in november, whats the camp area like?
THANKS Craig

[Derek Bullock]

Hi Derek,

Thank you for answering. I am amazed with the fore thought of Clive Foyster all those years ago.
A few questions if I could be so bold and ask.
How did Clive Foyster start off. Some say it was in Mining, is this true? If so where was he mining and what was he mining?
Did the name Lakeland Downs come from the Lakes that he built or was it from his prospecting Friend Mr. Lakeland?
Did he have other properties elsewhere?
Why was broken dam at Lakeland never rebuilt?
When the property was cleared, was the millable timber taken to Cairns or else where? (I recall many yeas ago seeing a timber truck in Cairns with Lakeland Downs painted on the door.)

I look for to your reply

Cheers

Paul

Mate so many questions.

Not sure how he made his money but he sure had plenty of it.

I believe the place was named Lakeland before he took on the place.

The dam broke after I left so not sure

When I was there the clearing was all done but I don't recall anything being said about timber.

Sorry but I am no help on a lot of that.

Baldyhead may know a bit more. He is still around these boards at times.


Derek