Camps
1843 to 1859: Tents as accommodation
Taking into consideration the extremes of climate (wet and dry) in Queensland, shelter was very important for our early surveyors. During the 1840s to the 1860s, the most common form of shelter for the surveyors were tents.
It was common for one tent to be allocated to the 'boss' at a suitable distance from the other mens' tents. If a surveyor had his wife and family in camp, his tent and fittings became more elaborate.
1881 to 1900: Temporary camps away from the main camp
The main camp would be set up on a water supply (waterhole, dam, bore) as close as possible to the survey being undertaken. The party would go out each day to survey the boundaries of the block.
Surveyor Amos' camp, 1887 Courtesy Mrs M Stephenson
In some areas it was impossible to get very close to the survey line. When the distance from the main camp to the location of the survey became too far to walk or ride both ways in a day, a 'flying' camp would be established. Surveyors would sleep under a flimsy fly and take minimal provisions.
They may have stayed in this temporary camp for as long as a week, after which they returned to the main camp.
Surveyor H.A. Love's flying camp at the turn of the century
Courtesy Mr H Love
Surveyor Waraker, while surveying sugar selections beside the Johnstone River in 1882, was no stranger to flying camps:
All hands at Reardon's selection, long walk out and home, must camp out in the scrub next week, as the walking takes up half the time. Waraker EM 1882
Chainmen returning from a flying camp on Springbrook plateau, circa 1885
1901 to 1920
Surveyor Drew's camp, around 1900 Courtesy Mrs H Ward
Surveyors' camp on the Atherton Tableland, 1913
State Library of Queensland neg no. 57574
1921 to 1950: Family Camp
Surveyor E MacDonnell and family in Cloncurry district, 1911
State Library of Queensland neg no. 23650
Surveyor Perkin's camp, 1926 Courtesy Mr AF Perkins
J.S. Robertson's bunkbed in survey camp Courtesy Mrs M Glasgow
1951 to 1985: Changes in accommodation
Tents were most common amongst survey parties from the early days of settlement to around the 1950s. By this time caravans became popular amongst government surveyors.
Surveyor E. Gardiner's camp, 1950s Courtesy Mrs O Gardiner
Last updated: 17 June 2009