Never Never Land: A Ride in North Queensland
In 1884, Archibald William Stirling wrote this book as he could find no account which conveys even a general notion to the English reader of Queensland, the youngest of the Australian colonies.
In twelve chapters he describes his voyage to Queensland and experiences in the colony:
- Chapter I: The Start—Port Said—The Chagos Islands—Adel aide—Melbourne —Sydney Harbour—Hospitality— The Races—The Princes in Sydney—The Steam Tramways—Moreton Bay—The Brisbane River
- Chapter II: Brisbane—Straight Streets — The Queensland Club —The Public Gardens—Colonial Parliaments— Smart Sayings—The Ladies—Cabinet Ministers —Tropical Agriculture—Politics—Sandgate—A Picnic—A Darling Downs Squatter—Gambling—Fortune-making
- Chapter III: The Railways—Start for the Darling Downs—The Range — Toowoomba — Wine Growing — Colonial Wines generally—Arrival at Headington—Coursing—Kangaroo Hunting—Other Modes of Destruction — Australian Sheep-Farming — An Anecdote—Looking for a Partner—Mr. Cole—Return to Brisbane
- Chapter IV: Value of Property — The Never Never Land —Getting Information—Our Kit—The S.S. Wentworth—Captain McLean—Euchre— Chinamen—Their Reputation—An Anecdote—Whit Sunday Passage—The Barrier Reef—Cleveland Bay—The Landing— Townsville — Extraordinary Rise in the Value of Land—The Queensland Railway Policy—The Trans-continental Scheme
- Chapter V: Detained at Townsville—A Ball—Hermit Park—The Aboriginal—A Blacks' Camp—Of the Black Race—Various Tribes—The Western Black-Morality—Infanticide—Religion—Incapacity for acquiring Civilised Ideas—Their Patience and Cunning—Their English—An Anecdote—Emigration—What the Emigrant may expect—Sugar —The Labour Question—The North Queensland Pastoral Company—The Northern Railway— The Coach—Australian Drivers
- Chapter VI: Charters' Towers—The Gold-field—Nature of the Rock--The principal Ore—The Town—Discovery of the Reefs—The yield of Gold—The Day Dawn Mine—The Want of Capital—The want of better means for extracting Gold—The Mineral Wealth of Queensland—The Climate—The Death-rate—Rain—We start—The Passengers—Queensland Roads—Our Driver--First Day's Stage—Supper—Arrival of a Chinaman—Sleeping arrangements—Second day's stage—"Onward! "—Arrival at Norwood—The Country—Spear grass—Animal Life
- Chapter VII: Norwood— Mount Davenport Diggings—Our Tartar Landlord — Off Again — The Desert — Poison Bush—The Squatter Pigeon—Chinamen on the March—Bullock Creek—Change of Country—A Red Kangaroo—Hughenden Creek—Hughenden—Colonial Land Laws—Dummying—Selecting
- Chapter VIII: Sheep-shearing Mr. Gray's Shed — Sheep in the Tropics—Redcliffe Station—The Salt Bush—Picturesque situation of the Station—A Horserace—Mr. Gray's Again--Shooting—Duck—Wild Turkey—The Black's method of catching them—Emus' Nests—The Native Companion—Parrots—Kites.
- Chapter IX: The Wild Dog — Watching for a Dingo —Hughenden Again—A Swell Shearer—Tommy Ah Fou—A Fenian—Poker—Turning up Fours—Scarcity of Flour—Our Host—Billiard Tables—Raffles—the P. M.—A Lady Rider—The Bush Publican—The Boomerang—Skill of the Blacks with it—And with the Spear—The Nulla Nulla
- Chapter X: The Telegraph Service — Urgent Telegrams —The Start Westward—Telamon Station—The Water Difficulty—Dam Making—Well Sinking—Our Nags—Marathon—Moselle Downs—Bush Hospitality—A Chinaman Cook—Treeless Downs—Snakes—Absence of Life—The Dingo—Cassillis Station—The Climate—An Invasion of Rats.
- Chapter XI: Cassillis Station—Investing in the North—Albion—The Flock Pigeon—The Eagle Hawk—Albion House—Sleeping Arrangements— A Squatter of the Good Old School—Black Shepherds—Clio—Lost Horses—Start for Hughenden—Mr C----'s Stories—Arrival at Hughenden—The Rainfall of the District.
- Chapter XII: The Hughenden Coach—" Clio or No Clio "—English Letters—A Sporting Gentleman—The Dodo—A Cheap Way of Carrying the Bird about—Monster Making—Tommy Ah Fou's Garden—The Coach Starts — Mr. B.— Dinner at Norwood — A Judgment on B.—His late Arrival — Miserable Condition —Charters Towers — Sixpenny Drinks Again
- Chapter XIII: Charters Towers Again—Characters—A Solicitor—The Northern Miner — Smart Advertising — A Quack Pill-seller—Offer of Good Things—Off South — Townsville — Brisbane — The Agricultural Show
- Chapter XIV: Start for England—The British India Mail Service—As a passenger Line—Its advantage to the Colony — Thursday Island — The Pearl-shell Fisheries — The Straits of Balli — Batavia —Plymouth
- Chapter XV: Australia and the Australians—Their Lavishness with Money—Enterprise—Other People's Money— Absence of Abject Poverty — Australian Girls—Dress—Society—"Shall I send my Son to Australia?"—Australian Fortune Making
- Chapter XVI: Confederation—Its Difficulties—A Suggestion —New Guinea Annexation—Command of the Torres Straits—Gold—Sugar—Lord Carnarvon's View—The One Advantage in Lord Derby's Refusal