Byerstown is an unbounded locality and former gold rush town on the Palmer River, now situated in the broader locality of Palmer, Queensland. It was once a commercial hub for the surrounding goldfields and a stop on the road to the Hodgkinson goldfields further afield.[1][2][3]
Byerstown had been established by 1873, when it was home to merchants servicing those travelling to and from the Hodgkinson goldfields.[3] It was named for John Byers, senior partner in the firm of Byers and Little, which had numerous business interests in the town.[4][5]
A post office at Byerstown opened in April 1876.[6] A Court of Petty Sessions at Byerstown was proclaimed on 21 July 1876.[7] A mining warden was based at Byerstown from c. 1875 and a Warden's Court formally proclaimed on 16 November 1876.[8]
A new road from Cooktown to Maytown opened through Byerstown c. 1876. In 1876, the town was reported to have "ten stores, three blacksmiths, one butcher, one Chinese doctor and a good garden".[9]
In 1877, the Australian Handbook' described it as a "post and savings' bank town", containing "several stores and hotels, many of them owned by Chinamen, who are the dominant party here."[10]
The Warden's Court ceased operation c. 1879; the exact date is not recorded.[8]
The town also had a number of tin mines into the 1880s.[11]
In 1881, the town was described as having "4 butchers; 6 stores; 3 hotels" and having a population of "about 30 Europeans and 300 Chinese, employed almost exclusively in alluvial mining".[12]
By 1881, the postal service from Cooktown to Maytown had bypassed the town, and post had to be sent from Maytown. In 1882, Pugh's Queensland Almanac wrote that the route via Byerstown could "only be used by pack horses", whereas the newer alternative could be travelled by coach. It noted Byerstown as having three hotels, Burr's Hotel, the Canton Hotel, and Hang Mei. The post office was downgraded to a receiving office in January 1883 and closed c. 1884.[6][11][13]
By 1883, it was described as "nearly deserted for the Normanby diggings, about eight miles distant" and in 1884 reportedly had only "three Europeans (police) and eight Chinese residents".[14][15] The Court of Petty Sessions had closed by the end of 1889.[7]
Referencesedit
^"Queensland place names search". Queensland Government. Retrieved 30 September 2022.
^"8 volumes : illustrations (some col.) ; 25 cm.", The Australian handbook and almanac and shippers' and importers' directory., Rex Nan Kivell Collection, London: Gordon and Gotch, 1872, nla.obj-2929549454, retrieved 30 September 2022 – via Trove
^"W. H. Corfield's Reminiscences". Townsville Daily Bulletin. Vol. LXXIII. Queensland, Australia. 13 November 1953. p. 7. Retrieved 30 September 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
^"NORTHERN GOLDFIELDS COOKTOWN, CAIRNS & PORT DOUGLAS (1878)". Townsville Daily Bulletin. Vol. LXXII. Queensland, Australia. 27 August 1952. p. 7. Retrieved 30 September 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
^ ab"Byerstown". Post Office Reference. Phoenix Postal Auctions. Retrieved 30 September 2022.
^ ab"Court of Petty Sessions, Byerstown". ArchivesSearch. Queensland Government. Retrieved 2 October 2022.
^"BYERSTOWN". The Queenslander. Vol. X, no. 21. Queensland, Australia. 8 January 1876. p. 25. Retrieved 30 September 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
^"8 volumes : illustrations (some col.) ; 25 cm.", The Australian handbook and almanac and shippers' and importers' directory., Rex Nan Kivell Collection, London: Gordon and Gotch, 1872, nla.obj-2902005236, retrieved 30 September 2022 – via Trove
^ ab"25 v. : ill. (some col.), maps (some col.) ; 25 cm.", The Australian handbook (incorporating New Zealand, Fiji, and New Guinea) and shippers' and importers' directory., London: Gordon and Gotch, 1880, nla.obj-3068570203, retrieved 30 September 2022 – via Trove
^Pugh, T. P., "volumes : illustrations ; 17-23 cm", Pugh's Queensland almanac, directory and law calendar. 1862-1866, Rex Nan Kivell Collection, nla.obj-2935152949, retrieved 30 September 2022 – via Trove
^Pugh, T. P., "volumes : illustrations ; 17-23 cm", Pugh's Queensland almanac, directory and law calendar. 1862-1866, Rex Nan Kivell Collection, nla.obj-2929549719, retrieved 30 September 2022 – via Trove
^"25 v. : ill. (some col.), maps (some col.) ; 25 cm.", The Australian handbook (incorporating New Zealand, Fiji, and New Guinea) and shippers' and importers' directory., London: Gordon and Gotch, 1880, nla.obj-2951328593, retrieved 30 September 2022 – via Trove
^"25 v. : ill. (some col.), maps (some col.) ; 25 cm.", The Australian handbook (incorporating New Zealand, Fiji, and New Guinea) and shippers' and importers' directory., London: Gordon and Gotch, 1880, nla.obj-2951615827, retrieved 30 September 2022 – via Trove
January 01, 1970
byerstown, unbounded, locality, former, gold, rush, town, palmer, river, situated, broader, locality, palmer, queensland, once, commercial, surrounding, goldfields, stop, road, hodgkinson, goldfields, further, afield, queenslandcoordinates16, 03333333, 7166666. Byerstown is an unbounded locality and former gold rush town on the Palmer River now situated in the broader locality of Palmer Queensland It was once a commercial hub for the surrounding goldfields and a stop on the road to the Hodgkinson goldfields further afield 1 2 3 Byerstown QueenslandByerstownCoordinates16 02 00 S 144 43 00 E 16 03333333 S 144 71666667 E 16 03333333 144 71666667 Byerstown Byerstown had been established by 1873 when it was home to merchants servicing those travelling to and from the Hodgkinson goldfields 3 It was named for John Byers senior partner in the firm of Byers and Little which had numerous business interests in the town 4 5 A post office at Byerstown opened in April 1876 6 A Court of Petty Sessions at Byerstown was proclaimed on 21 July 1876 7 A mining warden was based at Byerstown from c 1875 and a Warden s Court formally proclaimed on 16 November 1876 8 A new road from Cooktown to Maytown opened through Byerstown c 1876 In 1876 the town was reported to have ten stores three blacksmiths one butcher one Chinese doctor and a good garden 9 In 1877 the Australian Handbook described it as a post and savings bank town containing several stores and hotels many of them owned by Chinamen who are the dominant party here 10 The Warden s Court ceased operation c 1879 the exact date is not recorded 8 The town also had a number of tin mines into the 1880s 11 In 1881 the town was described as having 4 butchers 6 stores 3 hotels and having a population of about 30 Europeans and 300 Chinese employed almost exclusively in alluvial mining 12 By 1881 the postal service from Cooktown to Maytown had bypassed the town and post had to be sent from Maytown In 1882 Pugh s Queensland Almanac wrote that the route via Byerstown could only be used by pack horses whereas the newer alternative could be travelled by coach It noted Byerstown as having three hotels Burr s Hotel the Canton Hotel and Hang Mei The post office was downgraded to a receiving office in January 1883 and closed c 1884 6 11 13 By 1883 it was described as nearly deserted for the Normanby diggings about eight miles distant and in 1884 reportedly had only three Europeans police and eight Chinese residents 14 15 The Court of Petty Sessions had closed by the end of 1889 7 References edit Queensland place names search Queensland Government Retrieved 30 September 2022 8 volumes illustrations some col 25 cm The Australian handbook and almanac and shippers and importers directory Rex Nan Kivell Collection London Gordon and Gotch 1872 nla obj 2929549454 retrieved 30 September 2022 via Trove a b MOUNT WALKER Queensland Times Ipswich Herald And General Advertiser Vol XVI no 2183 Queensland Australia 19 December 1873 p 3 Retrieved 30 September 2022 via National Library of Australia W H Corfield s Reminiscences Townsville Daily Bulletin Vol LXXIII Queensland Australia 13 November 1953 p 7 Retrieved 30 September 2022 via National Library of Australia NORTHERN GOLDFIELDS COOKTOWN CAIRNS amp PORT DOUGLAS 1878 Townsville Daily Bulletin Vol LXXII Queensland Australia 27 August 1952 p 7 Retrieved 30 September 2022 via National Library of Australia a b Byerstown Post Office Reference Phoenix Postal Auctions Retrieved 30 September 2022 a b Court of Petty Sessions Byerstown ArchivesSearch Queensland Government Retrieved 2 October 2022 a b Mining Warden Byerstown ArchivesSearch Queensland Government Retrieved 2 October 2022 BYERSTOWN The Queenslander Vol X no 21 Queensland Australia 8 January 1876 p 25 Retrieved 30 September 2022 via National Library of Australia 8 volumes illustrations some col 25 cm The Australian handbook and almanac and shippers and importers directory Rex Nan Kivell Collection London Gordon and Gotch 1872 nla obj 2902005236 retrieved 30 September 2022 via Trove a b 25 v ill some col maps some col 25 cm The Australian handbook incorporating New Zealand Fiji and New Guinea and shippers and importers directory London Gordon and Gotch 1880 nla obj 3068570203 retrieved 30 September 2022 via Trove Pugh T P volumes illustrations 17 23 cm Pugh s Queensland almanac directory and law calendar 1862 1866 Rex Nan Kivell Collection nla obj 2935152949 retrieved 30 September 2022 via Trove Pugh T P volumes illustrations 17 23 cm Pugh s Queensland almanac directory and law calendar 1862 1866 Rex Nan Kivell Collection nla obj 2929549719 retrieved 30 September 2022 via Trove 25 v ill some col maps some col 25 cm The Australian handbook incorporating New Zealand Fiji and New Guinea and shippers and importers directory London Gordon and Gotch 1880 nla obj 2951328593 retrieved 30 September 2022 via Trove 25 v ill some col maps some col 25 cm The Australian handbook incorporating New Zealand Fiji and New Guinea and shippers and importers directory London Gordon and Gotch 1880 nla obj 2951615827 retrieved 30 September 2022 via Trove Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Byerstown amp oldid 1113509589, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
